Here’s a name that you might not have heard for a few years – Eric Gales. If you go back in time to the late Eighties there were tons of new guitar heroes coming out each and every day. Because of the influence of mainly EVH and SRV (and all the hair metal heroes), every label was looking for the next 6-stringed rock god. We all remember guitar prodigy Jonny Lang coming out with his CD when he was only 16. But that was the late 90’s. His hit Lie to Me didn’t come out until 1997. Eric Gales got his first record deal at at 16 in 1990.
I remember hearing him on the radio with Paralyzed and Sign of the Storm. He just never had that breakout hit, but I did get his Eric Gales Band CD in 1991. He’s what I call the unsung hero of guitar heroes – and you can see what I mean in the video below. All these years and decades later he has just played, and played, and played all over the world. He has never stopped, and he is now an unmistakable virtuoso. SRV’s rendition of Little Wing has always been my #1 favorite (I like it even more than Hendrix). Eric’s live version always has crazy intense cascading arpeggios (in key of course). I mean, in pure theory it’s shredding. But (to me) it’s not Yngwie or Gilbert like. Your opinion may vary, but to me it’s like shredding – but with soul. If you weren’t already listening, I hope I made you rediscover (or find for the first time) Eric Gales. You will not be disappointed.