Guitar virtuoso and singer, Richie Kotzen recently revealed an interesting story of how he once recorded using a Gibson Les Paul guitar during his time with Poison. Moreover, The Winery Dogs’ axeman also shared how he almost created a supergroup with Billy Sheehan and the late Pat Torpey even before they eventually got together for a while at Mr. Big.
Richie Kotzen Recorded Poison’s Stand Using a Gibson Les Paul
Kotzen has been widely known among the guitar heads with his iconic Fender telecaster or start as he has been the company’s endorser for some time. However, the guitarist recently revealed an interesting story of how aside from Ibanez which he used earlier in his career, he also had an experience with a Gibson Les Paul.
On his Instagram account, Kotzen revealed that before he got his signature Fender Telecaster model, there was a time in which he used Gibson as part of his recording process. The maestro explained that during his time with Poison, he once recorded using a Les Paul as that was the guitar available in the recording studio during that time.
Kotzen used the Gibson Les Paul set in the neck position specifically for the long solo part of the band’s first single ‘Stand’ out of the “Native Tounge” album. Moreover, the guitar maestro also added that it was something he believed not many people knew, aside from perhaps the Poison members at that time. The song itself was one of RK’s most well-known tracks which he often performed during his live tours.
Here is Poison’s ‘Stand’ :
Kotzen Revealed an Almost Trio with Billy Sheehan and Pat Torpey
Aside from giving his secret about using a Gibson Les Paul for recording, RK also shared another interesting trivia that he almost formed a supergroup before The Winery Dogs. Kotzen revealed that back in 1997, he was doing some music stuff with the late Torpey and Sheehan and they were close to forming a power trio then.
Unfortunately, that trio never happened despite they already had some ideas brewing up as they were probably busy with their projects. Although that potential power group never took off, one of the songs they wrote during that time entitled, ‘Locked Out’ did get released as it’s on Kotzen’s 1998 solo record “What Is”. The song itself is a lovely bluesy rock piece with such fine melodic lines that represent the guitar virtuoso’s style.
Uniquely as many music fans might know, Kotzen did get together with Sheehan and Torpey at Mr. Big back in 1999. RK was temporarily there as a replacement for Paul Gilbert who was busy focusing on his solo album for a while.
Those two trivia were interesting throwback news that many guitar heads or music lovers might not know too much about. Kotzen who has been such an iconic endorser of Telecaster and Strat, might only be known for using Ibanez during his early Shrapnel Record days, but knowing that he recorded with Gibson Les Paul is a surprise.
As for the trio with Sheehan and Torpey, where part of that collaboration can at least be heard during Kotzen’s Mr. Big time albeit there’s Eric Martin’s presence that certainly put a slightly different influence as well. Nevertheless, there’s still some indication of what fans might be getting from the potential power trio that never happened.
Kotzen is currently busy preparing for the release of his new album, “Nomad” which will be distributed worldwide from September 27 this year. The guitar maestro has unveiled several new singles ahead of the new record’s release with ‘Insomnia’ being the latest to be unleashed on September 5.
