Chris Walton
Guitar / Bass and Backing Vocals
My musical career began when I bought a Gibson LG-0 acoustic from my aunt in 1979 for $100. My first big influence was my first real guitar teacher, John Snowden. Through high school I played in the usual “numerous bands”. It was in one of these bands that I meet up with Chris Maines. In the last part of the eighties, I concentrated on getting my electronics degree and playing keyboards with a local band “The Reluctants”.
After graduation I continued to play with area bands. It was in these bands that I meet Kevin Code and Chris Gregory.
Around 1992 I took long hiatus from gigging to concentrate on my career and recording my own music. Through this time, me and the members of Random Precision kept in close contact.
I began my affiliation with Random Precision by building the 24 track computer DAW that is used at the Beyond the Skies Records recording studio. Chris Gregory and I would co-share bass duties in order to diversify our talents. This has had the benefit of infusing new influences into Random Precision. I also function as audio engineer on Random Precision's CD productions.
My other influences mainly comprise other guitar players. The following albums have had the biggest influence on me. They are in the order of my exposure to them. The individual album may not be the artists best, but represents my first impression and a change in my thinking.
Terry Kath
Record - Chicago II
Song - Whole Album
Terry has to be the most underrated guitar players of all time. When I first heard him in my earler days of playing, I could not figure out how he was getting that jazzy sound. I could follow blues based players easy enough - or at least tell you what they were doing. But Terry was a mystery to me until I got into jazz guitar playing.
Carlos Santana
Album – Amigos
Song - Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)
This album introduced me to the "Mesa Sound". Carlos was one of the first players to use the Mesa Boogie Mark I amplifier. In fact by exclaiming "Man, that little thing really boogies!" he coined the amps name. Early Boogies were nothing more than hot-rodded Fender Princeton. Together with Carlos's Yamaha SBG-3000 guitar it produced a sweet sound with infinite sustain.
Jeff Beck
Album – Rough and Ready
Song – New Ways / Train Train
This was the first Beck album I ever spun up. This thing is so damn funky it's unreal. This was the first time I heard Rock bolted straight into Jazz.
Pat Metheny
Album – Off Ramp
Song – Eighteen / James
Although probably not one of Pat's favorites, we could say this is his greatest "cross over" album. By "cross over" I mean converting average rock and pop fans to contemporary jazz fans. Think of it as "training wheels" for soon to be jazz listeners. Most everyone agrees this is what started the ball rolling for Metheny. This is where I first heard the Roland GR-300 guitar synth.
Alan Holdsworth
Album – Metal Fatigue
Song – Devil Take the Hindmost
Pretty much a blatant attempt to turn Holdsworth material into a "FMable" format. Originally he was in the legendary rock band Soft Machine. Later he would form super group U.K. with Bill Bruford and members of King Crimson. By the mid eighties he had formed the group IOU to record Metal Fatigue.
Steve Morse
Album – The Introduction
Song – Cruise Missile
Steve got his start as the guitarist for the Dixie Dregs. He is currently Deep Purple's guitarist.
Steve Vai
Album – Flexible
Song – The Attitude Song
Vai got his start as Frank Zappa's guitar player. One of Steve's innovations is the development of the 7 string guitar. Working in collaboration with Ibanez he developed the JEM Universe 7 string. This is what gave his strongest album Passion and Warfare its growl.
Joe Satriani
CD – Surfing with the Alien
Song - Surfing with the Alien
Eric Johnson
CD – Ah Via Musicom
Song – Cliffs of Dover
Danny Gatton
CD – 88 Elmira St.
Song - Harlem Nocturne & In My Room