Player Profile # 1 – Tommy Boyce!

Hey Guys and Gals, each week we will be profiling some Awesome Aussie and International Guitar Players right here! The Questions and Answers are unedited and 100% truth! No Bullshit!! Enjoy….

This weeks Player Profile is Tommy Boyce from The Casanovas!!

Name? 
Tommy Boyce

Started Playing Guitar at what age?
About 14 years old. Self taught on a guitar my brother had laying around. I’d learned piano and saxophone though so had musical theory background. 

Your Guitar Heroes?
Billy Gibbons, Mick Taylor, Freddie King, Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Johnny Winter, BB King, Paul Kossof, Ace Frehley, Brian Robertson, Peter Green, Joe Walsh, EVH, Angus and Malcom, Albert Collins, George Thorogood, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Ted Nugent, Joe Perry, Buck Dharma 

Current Band?
The Casanovas

Past Bands?
Jimmy Barnes

Favourite Music Decade?
The 70s

Any Endorsements?
Rockpig guitars 🙂

Current Gigging Guitars?
’69 Les Paul Custom, ’68 ES 335, Rockpig 

Favourite Guitars?
The above are my favourites along with my ’69 SG that I started my band with. 

Next Guitar?
I’m going to make a 1959 Burst replica. 

Is there such thing as too many Guitars or Amps?
I would have said no in the past but nowadays I try to just have what I need. That’s still like 9 guitars but I’m sure that’s nothing by most players’ standards. 

Favoirite Guitar Cases?
I love the old vintage cases that my old guitars came with but I tend to cart them around in modern flight cases… I forget the brand. 

Current/Favourite Tunings?
I use standard tuning 95% of the time but drop it a semi tone for live shows mainly for the singer’s sake. I like open E tuning for slide sometimes too. 

String Brand/Gauges?
Ernie Ball ’Turbo Slinky’ 9.5-46 is my current favoured gauge. 

Picks?
Dunlop Max Grip .88

Favourite Pickups?
Old stickered patent numbered T-tops

Gigging Amps?
A Hiwatt 50, a Peavey Classic 50 from the early 90s and a Lucas Miles replica of an early 60s brown face Fender deluxe. 

Favourite Amps?
The Hiwatt is the go to when I record. It sounds incredible. 

Pedals you can’t do without?
An old, early 80s Boss OD-1

Best Gig Ever?
We’ve done some shows to some huge crowds but I think my favourite shows have been in tight venues in Europe. Paris 2017 was one that really sticks out… packed, sweaty and cooking show. 

Worst Gig Ever?
In Jakarta in 2004 we played a festival to 70,000 people but that morning I’d awoken to the worst stomach bug of my lifetime. I felt like I was gonna die as they flew us into the backstage area in a helicopter. I somehow managed to play albeit feeling like death. 

Worst Airport/Transit Damage Ever?
My ’69 SG had its bridge smashed right into the body meaning the bridge posts had to be replaced with Nashville style bushings/posts. The case was completely undamaged meaning it must have been taken out of the case and smashed. 

Favourite Airline?
Emirates

Do you think Australian Radio plays enough Aussie Rock New and Old?
Absolutely not. This is the bane of my life. 

Is there any “Music” you can’t stand?
Most modern pop I find to be painfully formulaic, repetitive and over polished, auto tuned etc. 

Who are you currently listening too?
Really enjoying old blues guys…. Freddie King, Johnny Winter etc. 

Where do you see the Guitar in 50 Years

Seeing as guitars that are 50 years old now are super desirable I can only imagine that they still will be in another 50 years.. you cant beat the classics in my opinion. I’m probably wrong though… there might be a total revolution with new tech and new sounds. 

Funniest thing you ever saw at a gig?
 As I launched into a guitar solo at a show in Hamburg, Germany in 2017 with my eyes closed I felt someones arms wrap around me and teeth biting into my nipple. When I opened my eyes and looked down, hoping to see an attractive female, I got the fright of my life to find the head of a middle aged man upon my chest. 

Weirdest thing you ever saw at a gig?
Playing a small town show in the south of France it seemed like the whole town was in attendance….. kids, dogs etc… it was like and Asterix comic in in real life at a rock show. 

Not mentioning any names – tell us a funny touring/road story?
After partying all night at the ARIA awards (we were nominated but didnt win). We got on a flight to NZ for a show with The Datsuns… I’d not slept a wink and felt like shit. The guys in the Datsuns told us there was someone special in the crowd watching our show but wouldn’t say who it was. I got up and played and was rubbish… couldn’t sing to save myself due to blowing my voice out on no sleep and cocaine etc. After the show backstage the Phil Datsun said ‘hey Tommy, meet John Paul Jones’ I proceed to shake hands with Zep’s bass player. Not as funny as my nipple being bitten mid solo in Hamburg by a middle aged man but the irony of playing so poorly in front of one of my heroes was not lost on me.