Taping random shit on my VHS in the middle of the night as a kid, I ended up finding (and then becoming obsessed with) a crazy live show from across the Bay, by a band called Legacy. They were insane. The crowd was insane. Some girl was standing stunned at the front of the audience. I thought I’d discovered some hidden gem from another world. Then Testament appeared with an album called “The Legacy,” and I realized they’d come up with a new name, and a new intensity.

But what shocked me as a listener was how, always, there was an intricate and brain-massaging musicality to the guitar playing. This was more than thrash metal. Mastermind Alex Skolnick was always on another level – jazz and classical was in there too. That’s why I’m so moved that the immortal Alex Skolnick will be joining us for an Air Drum Movie Night on January the 5th, benefitting Musicares!

You can also listen to this HotSticks.fm podcast with Alex Skolnick on HotSticks.fm – please subscribe to the show, thanks!