Tim Rudy

(SBM) Ladies and Gentlemen, please allow me to introduce you to my pick for the "New Master of the Stratocaster"...Rudy T! Rudy would you please tell our readers who "Rudy T" is?
(Rudy T) I began my music career playing from Youngstown, Ohio to Geneva on the Lake-Cleveland, Ohio with Spontaneous Combustion Band. Since I relocated to California, I've recorded with Dick Dale @ RCA Records, Greg & Chris Alsup, Recorded at Wayne Cook Productions with Wayne Cook,(Cook was a previous member of Player). I have also recorded with members of HWY 101, .38 Special and Faces (Rod Stewarts band), Frank Zappa, and Ricky Skaggs. I also played at the local Southern California scene, opening for such artists as The Fixx, The Motels, L.A. Guns, The Drifters, The World Classic Rockers. I also worked with Producer (Jimmy Miller) Walt Marriner at Sound City Studios, as a producer working with Poco, Stevie Nicks, Traffic and Eric Clapton. This producer was extremely impressed with the talent, the energy and the songwriting capabilities that I possessed and we were in the midst of recording when Walt Marriner passed on. And due to the knowledge that I received from this fabulous producer, I was capable of completing my own CD's, 'Second Hand Blues', 'On the Rise CD1' - 'CD2' and 'Love at Last'.

(SBM) What made you want to learn the guitar?
(Rudy T) The English invasion is what got me started. Hendrix
really put the icing on the cake.
(SBM) What kind of amp do you use to get that sound?
(Rudy T) My amp is a Mark IV Mesa Boogie, 70's model, 1-12" JBL. No middle range, settings are: #1 on bass and #10 on treble, gives me that bite I like I use a crybaby wah-wah, late 60's model, I've had for years.
(SBM) I know you use a Strat. Do you use any other guitars?
(Rudy T) I used a Les Paul on my tune 'Lay it on the Line' and 'Hard Livin' without you (Rock version but, Les Pauls are just too easy to play and require no reach, and I have to reach to get what I'm looking for , so a Strat is perfect for me.
(SBM) So you prefer the Strat?
(Rudy T) The Strat and the single coil pick-ups is what I like the best, as a humbucker pick-up covers too many mistakes. I like to be expressive with my notes and that makes more feeling to those licks, you have to do them right. I like the clean sound and very seldom do I use effects on my guitar, I feel its cheating but peddles are great, they give a more modern sound which the younger audience likes, so to use them is okay. I prefer to do it for real. Use my skills to get it done.
(SBM) Do you play any other instruments?
(Rudy T) I'm a versatile player found at many gigs playing many instruments such as:
Lead Guitar/Keyboards/Bass/Drums/my grandfathers 1929 Gibson acoustic guitar/Harmonica
(SBM) When you're in the studio what kind of sound do you look for?
(Rudy T) In the studio, I like the raw sound, not a bunch of polished up punched in junk, to me its not real, and needs to be expressed from the heart, so I do little if none on punch ins.
(SBM) I've seen some photos and it would appear that you and that guitar are every where.
(Rudy T) I love to play my guitar in many positions on stage, sometimes I invent positions to play off the top of my head at a show. Kind of surprises me at times, but I feel every note I play and play with all my might with heavy gauge strings, like SRV.
(SBM) Where did you record your CDs?
(Rudy T) Except for Love at Last CD, most songs recorded at:
Sound City Studios - Panorama City, California
(and then re-mixed at the following studios:

The 'Second Hand Blues
' Cd was recorded at:
Sound-Tech Studio
Riverside, California

On the Rise CD1 and 2
' recorded at:
Rentz Studio - Rialto, California
SRO Studio - Fontana, California

Love at Last
' CD recorded at:
Rhapsody Productions
Palm Springs, California
Cd jacket designed by :
Suzanna Zupancic-Brathwaite
STM designing - NYC

PRESS REVIEWS:
X103FM describes Rudy T as "A dynamic guitarist
that captures the essence of music and gives it to
the crowd as the gift that it is". "Irrespect all styles of
music. Artists who can be themselves and have
something to say. It comes through to the audience".
He adds, "like Stevie Ray or Hendrix. They had
something to say and boy did they say it".
Muzik Reviewz.com describes: Rudy T as "This artist has a lot to offer as a outstanding, dynamic, one of a kind lead guitar player, entertainer, and songwriter, therefore this artist is on his way to becoming "A Rising Star", so some A&R person/Record company better grab him."
"This artist strives to get his words, heart and soul mixed with his gutsy guitar licks to come out in all of his songs, As a take off of SRV's 'Lenny', Rudy T has picked up where SRV left off, in Rudy T's 'Mary', you can really hear the love and feel of every note for his music coming out of this dynamic guitar player......'Mary' comes from the heart and from deep within his soul, just as Lenny did coming from the heart and soul of Stevie Ray Vaughn. What a duel that would have been, SRV and Rudy T up on stage, that would've been a memorable moment."
Mohave Daily News Weekender:
Kevin Enright: 4/2000
Shorelines describes:
"Rudy T's Band held the room totally in thrall. For all fans of the blues, this is your first chance in a long time to enjoy it on the local scene."
"In his long career he has been called on to perform various styles, but the blues and Stevie Ray Vaughn personally are his greatest influence and strongest drive."

(SBM) What performance in 2002 did you enjoy the most?
(Rudy T) April/2002 River Palms River Run Concert
Laughlin, Nevada
Concert Co-ordinator - Len Gambina
I had the pleasure of performing with the following musicians during this 4-day concert gig:
Len Gambina (harp)Paul Biondi (sax)Paul Weddel (bass)John Robertson (drums)
Bobby Lindstrom (guitar)Louis Bibbs (sax)
And also playing this concert circuit was:Robert Lucas, The Rocket 88's, Rod Piazza And The Mighty Flyers, Canned Heat.
This was a total meltdown of bands, and we all enjoyed every moment there. Looking forward to 2003.
(SBM) Tim this has been a real pleasure for me and thank you for taking the time to speak with us. Before you leave, please tell us where we can find Rudy T and with whom.
(Rudy T) You can catch me doing the Southern California Club Circuit with some fine musicians........