Tommy Bolin
Tommy Bolin
Thomas Richard "Tommy" Bolinwas an American-born guitarist who played with Zephyr, The James Gang, and Deep Purple; in addition to maintaining a notable solo career...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionGuitarist
Date of Birth1 August 1951
CitySioux City, IA
CountryUnited States of America
american-musician
I replaced Walsh, I replaced Blackmore, now I just gotta be me.
two guitar years
I started on drums when I was 13 and played them for two years. Then I went to guitar for a year, played keyboards for a year and a half, and went back to guitar.
growing
How do you stop somebody from growing?
writing practice people
For me, practice isn't doing scales but doing things like writing, jamming with other people, or playing gigs.
play rolling records
I used to listen a lot to Rolling Stones records and play along with them when I was first starting. It's a good way to learn, jamming around basic music.
trying steps used
I used to try and take things in leaps and bounds. Now I've realized it's got to be step by step.
solo form teach
Blues teaches you to develop coherent solos, because the form you're playing over is so basic. You have to develop leads that go someplace.
style different way
All the different styles I've played have really helped me as a guitarist and helped me develop my own way of playing.
home play action
I'll play drums a lot at home, and it will help my wrist action.
wish impatient
A lot of times I wish I would have learned to read music, but I'm very impatient.
school musician my-family
My family were all musicians. I really wasn't interested in school or anything.
fall joints firsts
My first joint I smoked onstage in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I smoked my first joint live.
believe band stories
A lot of things just got distorted, like stories about each other. After the tour we never talked. I believe a band should be a band.
song believe writing
Right now I feel so inspired, it's hard to believe. I've written about 20 songs in the last two days. I'd gone about four months without writing a thing.