Lap steel guitarist Sean Williamson recently released his tribute to Phish with a heavy metal version of their rock anthem “First Tube” under the moniker Velocihamster. Williamson’s take on “First Tube” incorporates jam rock elements into the guitarist’s pioneering hard-rock lap steel work.
Nominated for a Grammy in 2001 for “Best Rock Instrumental,” “First Tube” is a staple at Phish shows, typically closing out a high energy set or appearing as an encore.
Lap steel is featured exclusively on upcoming full-length Velocihamster album Balls to the Wall, which features Williamson modeling his approach after the acrobatic electric guitar leads typically heard in progressive metal and “Djent” genres. The debut Velocihamster album Wheel of Steel released in 2018 garnered the attention in Guitar World & Guitar Player magazines, earning the project recognition as “the world’s first lap steel metal band.”
Williamson says of the challenges he embraced on the new album:
“Lap steel guitar has no boundaries, so neither should this project. Trey (Anastasio) is on my Mt. Rushmore of musical influences and it’s exciting to explore an alternative approach to his trademark style and share it with a new audience.”
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