Why Have a Touring Guitarist?, Christopher Thorn, then Adam Kowalczyk and now Zak Loy. Options

[LiveForNow]

Why did Live add a touring guitarist to the lineup? Looking at live videos from the early days, it seems like they sounded great before adding Christopher Thorn, then Adam Kowalczyk and now Zak Loy. They also sounded great to me as a foursome with Chris Shinn. So why the fifth member?

Also on a related note, does anyone else wonder about the dynamic with Zak and the rest of the band? On paper it seems like it'd be pretty awkward - Zak essentially played Chad T's role for Ed, under Ed's direction, during an ugly period between ECCP. You'd think with no mention of Shinn, Live would also want to distance themselves from Ed's solo days as well. I can see that if Adam was no longer interested in the role it would make sense to add someone already familiar with the material, but the whole thing makes me wonder.

I've never met Zak but the Ed camp really seems to love him. I'm sure he's a talented enough musician to play the role. He also comes across as a really nice guy on social media and answers fans' questions. But I wonder how he ended up being added and whether everyone was on board with him from the start.

[mfitz804]

To answer the original question, they have a touring guitarist for the same reason they double guitar tracks in the studio...more guitars sounds more better. Depending on the type of song, of course.

[san_sao]

To answer the original question, they have a touring guitarist for the same reason they double guitar tracks in the studio...more guitars sounds more better. Depending on the type of song, of course.

Exactly. Was it Billy Corgan that used to use like 100s of guitars on some tracks to get a certain sound? In any case, it gives all the band members more freedom.

[mfitz804]

Exactly. Was it Billy Corgan that used to use like 100s of guitars on some tracks to get a certain sound? In any case, it gives all the band members more freedom.

Almost every rock band doubles the guitar track on their studio recordings.

Loy was a natural choice because he was available, he knew the songs, and Ed is already familiar with him. Seems a natural choice if Adam is not available/willing.

[san_sao]

Almost every rock band doubles the guitar track on their studio recordings.

There's doubling and then there's having 40 guitar tracks (like Soma on Siamese Dream).

Loy was a natural choice because he was available, he knew the songs, and Ed is already familiar with him. Seems a natural choice if Adam is not available/willing.

Totally. It also helps hold the performance together if someone breaks a string or switches guitars mid-song or something (idk if Chad or Ed do this ever). If there were more than two guitars in the album mix, they can get closer to that sound, too.

[Holy Slime]

Totally. It also helps hold the performance together if someone breaks a string or switches guitars mid-song or something (idk if Chad or Ed do this ever). If there were more than two guitars in the album mix, they can get closer to that sound, too.

Now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure Chad had to switch to a backup guitar mid song on NYE. I think he broke a string or something... And it was completely seamless because Zak was there.

And of course, there's also just the fact that Chad can play more leads with a rhythm guitarist there. White Discussion was written for one guitar, but since Zak is there CT's able to play all sorts of cool leads.

So I think in the end having an extra guitar on LJ is a reasonable sacrifice for more focused vocals by Ed, more leads by CT, and a more consistent overall sound.

This post has been edited by Holy Slime: Jan 10 2017, 6:53 pm