Feature Photo by Franceso Lucia
Andy Timmons is a musician of the highest caliber. He’s recorded hair metal records with Danger Danger, got down with it alongside members of funk outfit Tower of Power, and has dropped some of the most melodic-meets-bluesy instrumental guitar music of the last 20-odd years.
Timmons’ last solo record, 2020’s Covid-recorded Electric Truth, was yet another step forward in his progression as a masterful maestro of all things six-strings. Lately, he’s been on tour around the States and has continued to release a series of signature gear with the likes of JHS, too.
Even more recently, in April of 2024, to be exact, Timmons coupled up with one of his heroes, Peter Frampton, to record a track he penned, “The Boy from Beckenham.” Anybody who’s followed Timmons knows that Frampton is a considerable influence. And so, the two working together was not only a match made in musical heaven, but a dream come true—especially given that Frampton is winding down due to various illnesses and age.
Tours aside, Timmons is working on his next solo record with guitarist and producer Josh Smith and the next Andy Timmons Band offering. There’s a lot on tap, but Timmons still made time to dial in with us here at ClassicRockHistory.com to dig into his Frampton collab, thoughts on gear, and what’s next on the new music front.
You recently collaborated with Peter Frampton for “The Boy from Beckenham.” How did you approach that?
The only thing I added to it was some clean, splashy guitars behind Peter’s solo. But it really thought it wasn’t up enough in the mix. I thought, “You know what? I can get a better tone for that.” I got an old ’65 Strat and got a real glassy tone to further support the harmony that Peter was playing.
So, the idea was just to help Peter stand out in a supporting role?
Yeah, if I could play some clean guitar on, I think that really helps the solo shine even more. But that was it. He recorded his solos in his studio; the whole thing was really magical. The idea was to just shine a light on this illustrious career, on this hero of mine, and so many people. I really wanted to make that happen, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with it.
Given that Peter is winding down due to illness, what does it mean to you to work with him at this stage—especially given his influence over you?
It’s incredible. I got a taste of it. I saw him three times on his last run, and even though he’s doing some more runs, the thing that really grabbed me was, you know, here he is, clearly at a later stage in his career, and battling a very painful disease. You could have excused the guy if he came out doing a 90-minute or even 75-minute set of just great stuff.
But each time I saw him play, he played for three hours. And every time, you could tell that every solo was in the moment. There was nothing like, “I’m just gonna play it like the record; I’m just going through the motions.” It was literally seat of his pants at every step. He’s a true improviser, and it’s just an inspiration seeing him not lie down and feel like a victim.
He’s an inspiration and an example of making music because it’s what he loves to do.
Yeah, it’s just like, “No, man, I love this so much. I’m gonna keep doing it as long as I can.” So, he said to me, “As long as I’m doing it, I’ll do the song.” So, for this to come at this part of my career, even though I’m younger than Peter, I am 60. It’s very gratifying that one of my heroes would tell me he’s a fan.
Did the two of you get to chop it up?
You know, he said he was slowing my stuff down and trying to figure it out, you know, some of my music. That’s humbling beyond belief. The fact that he digs what I do is such an amazing feeling for me. I have this little collaboration, and I don’t know… it’s a real thrill. There’s no real objective other than the pure joy of it. Peter and I are very much alike in that way.
You’re also on tour. What’s the latest on your rig?
The rig is fairly consistent these days. I’m still using old Mesa Boogie Lone Star’s when I can, though they don’t make them anymore. But I have them; I got a couple from New York and the UK. My AT+ pedal with JHS is still my main lead sound; I use that for a lot of tones. But there’s always a few novelty things on the ‘board, but the other stuff is the important stuff.
What are some tips for wading through today’s wild gear scene?
To me, that’s the most daunting thing. There’s so much being released, so it usually comes down to recommendations from people that I trust. It’s a continuous search with all this. But you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get some decent sounds. It all comes down to you, and nothing replaces time on the instrument. The only way you’re gonna get better tone is by playing and understanding what it takes to get tone out of a string with your fingers.
Are you working on new solo material?
Yes, there’s two records in progress. I started a new record with Josh Smith in January of 2024. I’m about halfway through and hoping to get it out for later this year or early next year. But I’ve also got another record going on with the Andy Timmons Band; I’ve got a few tracks for it already, so there’s lots of stuff coming up.
An Interview With Andy Timmons on Working with Peter Frampton article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2024
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