On the surface, Alex Skolnick’s ability to effortlessly traverse musical genres might seem surprising. However, it aligns perfectly with his reputation as one of the most versatile guitarists to emerge from the 1980s thrash metal scene. From his early days with Testament to leading a jazz trio and collaborating with various artists, Skolnick’s career is a masterclass in musical adaptability. Up next, he joins the all-star jam band Metal Allegiance for a show in Anaheim.
When asked about playing alongside Marty Friedman at this year’s Metal Allegiance event – during an interview with Eonmusic, Skolnick revealed it wasn’t their first time sharing the stage. “He actually has played with us before. There was one show—I forget where exactly—and it actually marked the first time he and Ellefson had been on the stage since their Megadeth days. So he is returning. He’s not able to play with us that often, obviously, for logistical reasons; he’s based in Japan, but when he can come, it’s always a real treat.”
Friedman’s appearances are rare, but his presence is cherished. Skolnick explained, “I wish there was a way for us to play together, but we just have so much material to get to, and we have a special large number of guest guitarists this year, so everything’s got to be pretty spread out.”
Speaking of Megadeth, Skolnick addressed long-standing rumors about whether Dave Mustaine had ever approached him to join the band. “I heard through the grapevine, many, many years ago [that they were interested]. I don’t know, if I’d made a call secretly, and reached out to management, or whatever, and said, ‘Hey, I really want to give this a shot,’ I’m sure maybe it could have happened,” Skolnick shared.
He elaborated, “It was, pre-Marty [1989], and it was during the time Testament was just up and running, and I knew; “okay, if I were to join this other thing…” At that time with Testament, we were really finding our footing, and establishing a sound with albums like ‘The New Order‘ and ‘Practice What You Preach‘, like, now essential albums, and it just seemed like; “okay. I’m a part of this thing”. And I think at that point Megadeth had already had three guitar players, and there’d been so many members, so it was just clear; “okay if you’re in Megadeth, you don’t know how long it’s going to last”. Obviously, Marty ended up having this great run with them, and it was terrific for him.”
Interestingly, Skolnick also mentioned a more recent brush with Megadeth during Kiko Loureiro’s tenure. “As recently as the Kiko Loureiro era, I was on standby to fill in. Kiko’s wife was giving birth, so there was a possibility of that… I learned the songs. I was ready, but as it turned out, he didn’t need to miss any shows. I’ve always been friends with the Megadeth camp, you know, mad respect for the band, but I like my role as… occasional possible understudy is as far as it’s gone.”
When reflecting on his favorite Testament albums, Skolnick highlighted three. “Probably my favorite one is “Dark Roots of Earth” [2012] because I just feel like that’s the perfect combination of the new era and the first wave of the band. The second would probably be “The New Order” [1988], just because that produced the most number of songs that we continue to play to this day. And third would probably be… that’s really tough; do I go with a newer one, or an older one? I’ll probably say “Souls of Black” [1990]; yeah, kind of as close to the middle as possible.”
Excitement surrounds the upcoming Testament album, slated for release in 2025. Skolnick teased, “It’s coming out in 2025, and it’s gone really well. We’re excited. It does have a slow tune that, I think, holds up to all the other slow tunes, and it’s really different in some ways too. I think it’s going to surprise a lot of people. But there’s also some ridiculously fast stuff. We have this drummer, Chris Dovas, who has recharged us the same way the Scorpions got recharged by Mikkey Dee. Not that we were at that point! You know, we’ve had these amazing drummers; a tour with Dave Lombardo, and Gene Hoglan before that, and the other guys. Both those guys I consider still in their prime, but this, having somebody who, you know, he’s the age now that the band was during the first wave of the band; there’s nothing like having somebody like that on drums.”
Working with Dovas has been a refreshing experience. “He’s also a trained musician, so, you know, he works fast. Working with him is like working with people on the jazz and instrumental side; it’s just easy and quick. And he’s a good partner. When Eric‘s developing his parts, he needs the drummer there to bounce ideas off, and it’s a perfect partner for him. So, yeah, I’m really, really excited about it. I think it’s got something for everyone; there is the classic Testament, there is the modern Testament, there’s ‘Gathering‘ [1999] era Testament. Whether you’re a fan of any of those periods of the band, there will be something for everybody..”