Back on the Prowl

SATCHEL STEEL PANTHER'S RESIDENT SHREDDER - DISCUSSES EVERYTHING FROM PAUL GILBERT'S PICKING METHOD, SUPER-EXPENSIVE STRATS, WHY HE DOESN'T USE AMPS IN THE STUDIO AND LET US NOT FORGET! - THE BAND'S NEW ALBUM, ON THE PROWL

- Amit Sharma

WHEN GUITAR WORLD connects with Steel Panther axeman Satchel via video conference, he’s keen to show off his latest acquisition: a custom Eddie Van Halen tribute model inspired by the late guitarist’s instantly recognizable striped signatures. As Satchel explains, a “very awesome” fan of the band approached the Charvel endorsee, offering to build it for nothing in return — one of many perks that come with the job. New instruments aside, Satchel is talking to us today to promote the band’s latest record, On the Prowl, which features yet more fiery fretwork and Eighties-inspired tongue-in-cheek hilarity. Naturally, we had to find out more…

“Friends with Benefits” has some tasty harmonic minor runs. How did you approach writing that final solo?

That whole section was based around a rhythm guitar riff that’s actually pretty complicated. It changes keys throughout the solo, it goes up a whole step and then three half steps. It switches every few bars but it stays in Phrygian dominant, from the harmonic minor family. Every time I play in that scale, I can’t help but feel like I’m sounding like Yngwie. He really owned that sound. I approach every solo from two mindsets: I think about melody and I also like to improvise.

It’s interesting what your fingers come up with when you disengage the brain, right?