Mark Blanchard - Biography

My introduction to the guitar happened when my Cousin gave me his old classic guitar. It played ok until my Father stood on the neck and cracked it, though I still tried to play it. At junior school my geography Teacher, when hearing I played the guitar, told me to listen to the Jeff Beck album, Truth. Wow, what an album and amazing guitar work. From that moment onwards I wanted to play heavy blues guitar. Well, that was 1983 and I'm still playing guitar and am more passionate and enthusastic than ever.

I use the blues scale and add the minor and the lydian mode. I like to use a Wah Wah pedal to get some treble and not to much distortion on the amp. This gives a nice gritty blues guitar sound.

I find Gibson guitars perfectly suited to playing the blues. The Les Paul has a warm rich tone and the guitar have a great sustain. Also I like the 50's style rounded neck profile.