Today revered by the music press for his virtuoso guitar-playing abilities, half-English, half-Scottish musician Guthrie Govan (born December 27th, 1971 in Chelmsford, Essex) first got acquainted with the instrument aged just three under the mentorship of his father. Making his TV debut at nine years old with a performance on Ace Reports, he later dabbled in shred guitar in his teenage years, and successfully applied for a record deal with independent label Shrapnel Records in the early 1990s. By then, however, he had grown tired of the shred scene, and declined the offer. Winning Guitarist Magazine’s coveted title of Guitarist of the Year in 1993 with the instrumental composition “Wonderful Slippery World”, Govan soon landed a role transcribing musical notation for Guitar Techniques Magazine, with whom he would go on to work extensively. In 2001, he began playing guitar for London prog rock group Asia, recording parts for their albums Aura and Silent Nation and touring with the band for the best part of a decade. Following a period of ad hoc work with other prominent acts including Dizzee Rascal and The Young Punx, he released a debut solo album, Erotic Cakes, in 2006, which included new versions of many of his earliest works. In 2011, he formed instrumental trio The Aristocrats with Bryan Beller and Marco Minnemann, with whom he released four albums in the 2010s. During this period, he also toured and recorded with rockstar Steven Wilson and famed composer Hans Zimmer, contributing to Wilson’s critical smashes The Raven That Refused to Sing, Hand. Cannot. Erase. and 4½ and Zimmer’s high-profile soundtracks for Boss Baby, X-Men: Dark Phoenix and The Lion King.
