Arch Enemy’s Michael Amott Says Jeff Loomis is “Overqualified” for the Gig
The metal community raised a collective fist in celebration nearly three years ago when Jeff Loomis, supergod shredder and owner of The Best Hair in Metal, joined Arch Enemy. His presence on stage is most certainly welcome — those fingers! again, that hair! — but we were all quite a bit disappointed when we learned earlier this year that Loomis didn’t contribute to the writing of the first Arch Enemy album to feature his playing, Will To Power. Arch Enemy is Michael Amott’s vision and baby, we get it, but surely there was SOME room for collaboration somewhere on an entire album!
At least Loomis’s immeasurable talents aren’t lost on Amott, who jokingly said in a recent interview with Guitar World that His Mane of Honor is “overqualified” for the role of second guitarist. Elsewhere in the interview Loomis reveals that he wrote three songs for the record but turned them in on the late side, and as the new guy he didn’t feel comfortable forcing the issue.
Amott explained of Loomis’s contributions to the band:
I feel lucky just to have Jeff playing solos on the record. I know he is such a high-profile guitar player and his role in Arch Enemy is not what people might expect. I’ve always written most of the music in this band and that’s what I do. Right now, he is more about playing guitar solos and he seems to really get that.
Fans of AE and Loomis alike will be delighted to know that Amott has most certainly not shut the door on contributions from His Royal Hairness in the future:
It’s so easy to work with Jeff and he has such a great attitude that I can’t imagine having any problems. And I can see him having a bigger part writing in the future. Of course, that won’t change the band. We have been around for a long time and we have a certain sound, so our direction is always pretty similar. It’s just evolving and becoming more refined, and I think Jeff will be able to be a big part of that.
There’s also a new Jeff Loomis solo album to look forward to eventually, although presumably not any time super-soon whatwith Arch Enemy in the throes of new album promotion. Plains of Oblivion was his most recent, in 2012, with a new song surfacing in 2014.
[via Ultimate Guitar]
