Interview Axe-Travaganza: Putting the Guitar Back on the Map

Mark Bogert, Menno Gootjes and Marcel Singor (from left to right) are three of the most gifted guitarists to come out of the Netherlands. Earlier this year, the three started touring together under the name Axe-Travaganza, promising an evening full of guitar music.

“I think all of us took the initiative for this project independently from each other without actually being aware of it”, Singor smiles. “Menno and I once talked about it at the Sena European Guitar Award, but I suspect that before that, he had already thought about it himself. The same with Mark, really. For some reason, things just came together from various sides. But the direct initiative for the project came from Mark.”

“The initiative really came about as a result of conversations that we have had with each other through the years”, Bogert puts it into perspective. “Menno and Marco already discussed starting up a similar concept in the past, and we also discussed it in the past. After a while, we just reached a point where all of us thought: if this is something we want to do, we have to actually get together and discuss what kind of form we see this project taking.”

A Niche That Is Very Much Alive

“Without spelling everything out, the project is of course intended to be kind of a Dutch version of G3 or Generation Axe”, Singor admits. “But it’s not just in the Netherlands that a project like this has never materialized. I don’t think there are any guitar initiatives like Axe-Travaganza in other countries either. At least, I wouldn’t be able to think of any.”

“There aren’t any”, Gootjes adds resolutely. “Or at least there weren’t any until now. Honestly, I think it’s awesome that we managed to put this collective together, and that we are able to put the guitar back on the map this way. It’s awesome to be able to give something like this to the people. I genuinely think this has added value to offer.”

“Certainly”, Singor nods. “We started this project with the full intention of making this something we can keep doing, something that could turn into a recurring event. To be honest, I think there are a lot of people who would like to visit the type of show that we offer without actually knowing they would like to yet, haha!”

“And it’s up to us to make that happen”, Gootjes says. “I just miss the shred. There is a kind of niche there that is still very much alive, and I think we should be able to serve people who populate that nice. Not just the shred community, by the way; the guitar classics as well.”

“Just be unapologetic and play guitar full-on”, Singor summarizes.

A Great Way to Join Forces

“One thing that worked out very conveniently, and that may have been a part of developing this project as well, is that all three of us are or were working on a new solo album”, Bogert explains. “That was definitely one of the motivating factors to get together and discuss working on this project. It was a great way to join forces. If you visit one of our shows, you will know that you are going to see three fairly different guitarists, in terms of the music we play, but who can offer a truly beautiful evening when it comes to guitar music.

Apart from that, we have also put a lot of thought into the concept, in part to give people who want to visit the shows a good impression of what they will be getting. In this case, the concept is rooted in the eighties. The evening is built around our sources of inspiration from that decade. So we won’t just be playing our own material. Obviously, it’s a great thing to reach people with our own music, but we do have to play recognizable things that will stick. This combination looked like something that would work. In the future, we may go for a different concept.”

“Ultimately, this is very much a fun thing to do”, Singor emphasizes. “It’s not so much a concession to do half a set of our own material and half a set of covers. Everything consists of things we already wanted to play ourselves for a long time. In a way, it’s much nicer to be able to do it this way: five songs from your new album, and a bunch of things you think are cool from the time we grew up in.

The fact that the concept for these concerts is the eighties doesn’t mean that all of it is hair metal, shred or whatever”, Singor says. “The only condition is that the material we play is from that decade. And by doing it like that, we can play various things. So of course, the Shrapnel guitarist and the well-known LA dudes are on our sets, but for example: Jeff Beck’s ‘Star Cycle’ is on my set. And I will be singing a few songs as well. Many different things suit the concept.”

“It’s going to be a full-blown shred show”, Gootjes promises. “But bluesy things as well: Gary Moore, Jeff Beck… You can expect all of that and more. So it’s not just virtuoso stuff. There is a lot of soul in it as well. And love for the guitar, because that’s what it’s all about.”

Completely Over the Top

After Bogert, Gootjes and Singor finish their solo sets, the culmination of an Axe-Travaganza show is a set that features all three guitarists. “We approach it as a jam”, Gootjes says. “With the experience we have, you know exactly when to listen and when to play. Honestly, that’s nothing to worry about.”

“We’re also writing a song for the shows”, Bogert reveals. “We have just started recording the song and dividing the parts. When writing the song, we already took into account who will be playing a theme in which part of the song, or harmony parts, those are things you can easily do when there are three of you. Everyone will get their space in the song. And it just has to be awesome. Since all of us has our own set, that last set has to be completely over the top.”

“It’s really cool that we have written our first track together now”, Gootjes says. “Since we’re going to release that soon, we have something we can build on for later songs. Because that’s the way you should see this: this is a new concept that we have started for it to be a long-term thing. We are definitely going to record and release new things. It will be a genuine guitar thing. That is something you can rely on.”

“The entire evening will be done with the same backing band”, Singor explains. “We’ve got Koen Herfst on drums, Jaimie van Hek on bass, Bob Wijtsma on guitar, and Jeffrey Revet on keyboards. Quite the experienced band, I would say. All of them are people who can handle playing different styles, but do have a certain affinity with what we do.”

Old School Stripe Metal

Given that all three of them are experienced musicians with a set-up they like working with, there is no guarantee that that will be their exact set-up for the Axe-Travaganza concerts. “To be completely honest, I haven’t fully decided what I will be using”, Gootjes admits. “Obviously, I have the classic set-up that I use for Focus. That could theoretically be sufficient for the show.

Since I’m opting for some serious eighties shred stuff, I have been thinking about digging up my old Diezel VH4. Maybe. The work I chose to play is the real shred stuff from the eighties: Tony MacAlpine, Marty Friedman, stuff like that. That stuff is old school stripe metal: a kind of gain stripe. That’s why I think it will end up being the VH4.

I will be taking my Les Paul with me, but a Strat and an Ibanez as well. For the eighties shred things, I think it will be the Ibanez, but I will try playing it on a Strat first. That will give me that Malmsteen-esque feel, which is something I really enjoy listening to, and it’s something I am very adequate at playing.”

Not a Tribute Band

“I will predominantly be using Ibanez guitars”, Bogert says. “Because it’s all I’ve got, haha! It’s not exactly my aim to play those covers from the eighties with exactly the same sound as Satriani had, or whatever it is. The song has to be played the way it is, but we will do that in our own style and with our own sound. That will make it a bit more special on the night itself as well.

After all, we are not a tribute band. The songs are interpretations, so we can do that with our own sound that we are used to. So far, we have all turned forty-something with it, so I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work with our own stuff, haha!

I will probably end up playing these shows with actual amplifiers, but I’m still in doubt. One thing I like about my Kemper is the stereo effects you can achieve with it. That will make my sound a bit wider, which is something I have always liked. I have always played with amplifiers. That Kemper is technically still my amplifier. It’s just a lot more convenient and there’s a bit less noise from me on stage.”

“For me, it’s still my Robberts Guitar”, Singor says. “And a Laney top with a 4×12″. Really, I use the same set-up for everything I do, and Axe-Travaganza is no exception.”

Backing Off Quickly

“Whatever you are used to: that is your sound”, Gootjes says. “You could probably do everything you want to do with it. Whatever it is you learn to work with, that is what you will work with. That is the foundation of your sound no matter what. That is the framework within which you create things and that will always remain. No matter how many people will debate about that for the rest of time, it all depends on which gear fits your personality and your sound best. And that is more straightforward than people tend to think.”

“I tend to back off rather quickly once a conversation starts moving that way”, Singor smiles. “In-depth gear talk always makes me think: sure, but what’s the latest new chord you have learned to play? What sort of stuff have you been writing? What have you been listening to lately?”

“Yeah, exactly: what is it you’re making with that gear?”, Gootjes nods. “For me, it truly is a treat to be able to finally play the music of our old heroes on stage. In my case, that would be the old school metal shred things. That’s simply what I think is awesome. I’m so happy that we finally get the chance to do that!”

“It’s just like Menno says: it’s not a whole world of difference”, Bogert agrees. “Unless the front of house crew does something really weird with it. Other than that, it’s just the sound that you use. Still, I think I’m going to go with a real amplifier, simply because it fits the theme of the guitar party we are organizing best.”

Less of a Dirty Word

“All three of us are guitar teachers”, Singor says. “Menno and Mark in Rotterdam, me in Amsterdam. Menno does that at the Rockacademie in Tilburg as well. We teach a lot of indie musicians. Almost no shredders. But we do notice that even within the alternative scene, there is a lot of interest in advanced techniques. That truly is something that started happening in recent years. Three years ago, there was none of that whatsoever.

My students are often very interested when I show them how things like that work. It is very obvious that it helps them progress, and that is what everyone needs, regardless of what specific style you happen to play. But it’s not just for educational purposes: there is a real sense of curiosity and interest surrounding it nowadays.”

“That is something I have been noticing as well”, Gootjes adds. “Not just in my capacity as a teacher either. The audiences at Focus concerts have honestly doubled in size. And that’s not just a case of the older generations supporting us; nearly everyone that’s been added to the audience is quite young. Apparently, there is a desire for more depth, both musically and in terms of equipment. It’s that quest for what is possible. And that’s the quest that we grew up with.”

“Technique has become less of a dirty word”, Singor summarizes.

“That may be a result of the new generation of players that rose up”, Bogert explains. “The guys in Polyphia, for example: what they play is super technical. When they play something like that in thirty seconds on social media, that’s mega-impressive. I suspect that also inspires young guitarists.”