From Racer X's progressive metal to solo albums full of humor and technique.
For a quick sense of his range, put on 'Mr. Skin' for the humor and 'Pacific Coast Highway' for the pure guitar work. They're both him.
Gilbert's playing in Racer X defined a certain kind of 1980s guitar heroism, fast, clean, and unapologetically technical. His solo work, like 'Mr. Skin' from the 1996 album 'Flying Dog,' showed he could write a hook and have a laugh while doing it. He's one of those players who makes you hear the instrument differently, whether he's covering Jimi Hendrix or writing something like 'Pacific Coast Highway.'
He started in local Illinois bands as a teenager before joining Racer X in the mid-1980s. After leaving that group, he built a solo catalog that includes everything from the instrumental 'Boku No Atama' to vocal rock tracks like 'Girl Crazy.' He's kept recording through physical setbacks, including carpal tunnel syndrome in the 1990s.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
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