Kevin Ferguson is a great guitar player that released an album by the name of "Strad to Strat". The CD contains the works of Bach, Paganini, Vivaldi and more, all played on electric guitar.

How did you get into rock'n'roll? how did you get into classical music?

"I've always been attracted to energetic, dramatic and or passionate music. When I was 11 years old I liked listening to progressive rock played on college stations. At that time, I had already learned to play violin and piano. I decided to dump them for the electric guitar. My dad (See http://www.teleport.com/~kevinf/paggamb.html) listened to a lot of classical and I liked the Liszt and Paganini I heard as a kid."

What are your favorite Deep Purple/Rainbow albums?

"I liked Made in Japan. I did a classically/Middle Eastern modulated version of "Woman from Tokoyo", called "Woman from Gaza" for a Deep Purple Tribute (See http://www.ram.org/music/purple_tribute/wg.html)."

What are your favorite classical composers and classical pieces?

"I've got too many favorites. The absolute favorite depends on my mood. The composers of the music on Strad to Strat are among my favorites. I also like much of the work by the keyboardists Chopin, Mozart, Liszt, and the more modern Ginestara. My tastes change with my mood from day to day pretty much."

I saw that in your set list you are playing Bach's Toccata & Fugue. Why doesn't it appear on the album?

"Mainly because it isn't a violin piece. I wanted to focus just on great violin works. I went through a great deal of violin music, learning to play most of it, before widdling down the selection to what is on the CD. For live concerts, I mix things up more. I often play music from other genres altogether, including jazz, rock, bluegrass, folk and dance music from all over the world, etc. I really like the sound of Toccata and Fugue from the electric guitar. I tune the 6th string down to D for this one."

What did you feel when you heard Pagnini's '24 caprices' in the first time?

"I probably was an infant. It wasn't until I was a teenager that I appreciated No. 5, my favorite. I had been listening to lots of Hard Rock/Heavy Metal then (in the 70's, Black Sabbath, etc.) and thought, "wow, this is what should be played on the guitar!" The first time I got the music and saw the 4 octave range of the opening lines (beyond that of the fingerboard of the guitar) I was a little dismayed. I nibbled at it and put it aside. Many years later I had developed techniques, through playing other styles, mostly jazz-rock fusion, that enabled me to play these lines and the rest."

What is your next project? Is it another classical like the 'Strad to Strat' album?

"I've been working on a lot of music from other parts of the world. I've transcribed music from Estonia to Ethiopia, from Morroco to Madras, Cambodia, Thailand, South America, Carribean Islands, and more. As with Strad to Strat, there is much more music than will fit on even a few CD's and I'm in the process of widdling down the set. I haven't decided on an inclusive album or one that just focuses on one region. In the meantime, I've been working with drummer rich norman on some things (see http://www.europa.com/~squash/)."

Do you listen to neoclassical metal?

"I haven't listened much lately, so I'm not up on what's current. I've heard MacAlpine, Malmsteen, Moore, and a host of others (See http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~merlot/rf/neolinks.htm). I liked Malmsteen's live album from Russia, especially his solo that starts with the open bars of Paganini's 4th violin concerto. Though generally not considered neoclassical, I really like Eric Johnson's "Cliffs of Dover." I tend to like MacAlpine's non-neoclassical tunes for than his neoclassical ones, and think he shows a great deal of talent and versatility."

I mostly listen to non-guitar music these days (as I have for some time now).

Why did you chose to record less known classical pieces like the Sarasate's piece and the Wieniawski's one?

Mainly because I thought they were among the best. I have since transcribed Wieniawski's Caprice #3 in D which I think is brilliant. There is no recording to be found of it (violin or anything else). It's a gem of a work. I'm hoping to get it on a CD soon. In any case, I think classical violinists will generally recognize these names.

Thanks.

Thanks for your interest.

You can reach Kevin at: [email protected]

check out his website at: http://www.teleport.com/~kevinf/strdstrt.html