George Lynch Interview: A Conversation with Furious George

By: Rob Cavuoto
Photos By: Rob Cavuoto

George Lynch has inserted himself into the annals of rock history with a career spanning over 30 years. Largely recognized for his Grammy nominated work with hard rock-metal group Dokken, George has also embarked on other collaborative and solo works to broaden his range of playing and creativity including Lynch Mob and Souls of We.

George is currently out on tour with his dream band, Lynch Mob and busy building his hand-crafted line of guitars called Mr. Scary Guitars. These guitars are highly unique and customized instruments. Every element of the guitars, from the selection of wood to neck shape to pickup windings are carefully considered to the produce the best sounding and most playable instruments possible. The average build time can be anywhere from 1 to 6 months depending on Lynch’s touring and recording commitments.

Robert Cavuoto had a chance to catch up with George before he embarked on a tour of Europe with Lynch Mob and talk about, well what else, guitars and playing.

George Lynch in Action

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Rob Cavuoto: What about playing guitar turns you on?

George Lynch: Turning the endless soundtrack in my head into reality.

Rob Cavuoto: What would you have done if you never picked up the guitar?

George Lynch: I took a vocational aptitude test in school. The top two results were musician and forest ranger. I was also considering going into the seminary to become a priest. But then I discovered I liked girls.

Rob Cavuoto: When did you come to realize that your style was truly unique?

George Lynch: That was a very slow realization, probably not until mid 90’s. Up till that point I was just trying to carve out a niche for myself and stay I’m the game.

Rob Cavuoto: What is the first guitar you ever owned?

George Lynch: A Tiesco del Rey. My 2nd was a St.George. My first real guitar was a 1960 Les Paul Special that I bought from a widow along with a Fender Blackface Tremolo. Both for $120. I had saved up $60 mowing lawns and my dad matched me dollar for dollar. I will always miss that guitar.

Rob Cavuoto: How many axes do you currently own?

George Lynch: Probably about 30 or 40. Way more than I could ever use or need. Kinda ridiculous actually. I’ve approached ESP about running a contest where needy aspiring guitarists could win my excess personal guitars.

Click to Check Out the George Lynch ESP Guitar at Musician’s Friend

Rob Cavuoto: Which Mr. Scary model is your favorite?

George Lynch: The Headhunter 2 is my favorite. Everyone is unique but they’re all inspiration machines.

Rob Cavuoto: What is most challenging aspect of building your line of guitars?

George Lynch: Well, it is a lot of work, and you never really know what the results will be until you’re finished. But it’s work I love doing so it’s work in the good sense of the word. When I build, do art, or play I get so engrossed in the process that time becomes suspended. Those are my Zen moments and when I’m the happiest.

Rob Cavuoto: Will you be at NAMM promoting you new line of guitars?

George Lynch: Of course, ESP will have a couple Headhunters at the booth.

Rob Cavuoto: Have you mended fences with Don Dokken?

George Lynch: The Don-George conflict is really a fallacy and a created illusion. We’re absolutely fine. We had had business disagreements for sure but, what band or business partners don’t? We’ve been fine for years. It’s all been blown way out of proportion over the years and it’s an old tired story.

George Lynch Live

Rob Cavuoto: How is the Lynch Mob tour going and what does the future hold for the band?

George Lynch: The current incarnation of Lynch Mob is my dream band. I’m playing with Brian Tichy ( drums) who I’ve been dreaming of playing with for years. We’re really good friends and just having a blast together. Were also neighbors, so were always hanging out, playing video games and jamming at the house. Playing with Brian and the guys is like being back in a band with my high school friends, only big time.

My band mates are my family. We’re working on a new record with Jeff Pilson on bass. I can’t tell you how much fun it is working with Jeff and Brian. They are ridiculously amazing musicians but more importantly just beautiful human beings. Funny, smart, talented and giving people, if the world was made up of more people of their caliber we’d be a lot better off.

Rob Cavuoto: What has been your worst ever gig?

George Lynch: Hmmm. Probably the time a played with my old pre- Dokken band ” The Boyz” (with Mick brown on drums). Our singer came out with see through stretchy pants wearing no underwear, insisted on playing a flute solo, shot fire out the end of his flute, set off our gunpowder loaded flash pots which ignited and blew up our bass player and eventually caught our equipment on fire. That was a shitty gig!

Rob Cavuoto: What became of your infamous “Graffiti Guitar”?

George Lynch: I loaned that one to a band member which is pretty normal, they wanted to take something home to jam on for awhile. Then I just sort of forgot about it. Years later someone pointed out to me that it was for sale on ebay, he sold it for over $11,000.

Rob Cavuoto: You have your successful line of guitars, your Lynch Box amp, your pedals, pick-ups and cables, What new creation can we expect from you?

George Lynch: New Celestion speakers! They’re called Lynchback Hi- powered 50’s. Also, we’ve completely redesigned the Randall Lynch Box line of amps from top to bottom.