INTERVIEW TIMELINE
00:00 – Introduction
00:46 – Uli’s debut live performance at 13 (on 14Dec68) with ‘Blue Infinity’ playing Rhythm and Blues covers, including: Bluesbreakers, Cream, Shadows
01:48 – Dawn Road (four piece band) in 1972
02:08 – Joining the Scorpions in 1973 at 18
03:04 – Over 30 years since last full tour as Electric Sun in 1985
04:08 – Current band will be playing songs some songs for the first time
04:25 – Also playing a solo section of new music on the 8-string Flamenco Sky guitar
04:46 – On this tour, the show will be well over two hours with two sets and an intermission
05:30 – The recent (April 2018) G3 tour with Joe Satriani and John Petrucci and the previous one in 1998
06:21 – Friendship with Joe Satriani
07:12 – Ule Ritgen (ex-Electric Sun and Zeno) to join on some dates in Germany and play two songs by Uli’s brother, Zeno, who sadly died earlier this year.
08:43 – Future plans to revisit unfinished demos from his brother, when the time is right
09:27 – The archive of Zeno’s poems could be published, but as they are in German, this is likely to be a local project only
10:31 – Current touring band, including Niklas and David (as per G3 tour) plus a new bass player (Simon Foster), who is also a great singer
11:27 – Great reputation of nurturing younger musicians, such as Ali Clinton in the previous line-up. Both Niklas and David were invited to join in the show closing jam on the recent G3 tour, the first time there has been 5 guitarists on stage on a G3 tour.
13:21 – Kaleb McKane
14:30 – Feelings about his revered status as a influencial artist and musician
15:34 – Attempting to define Uli’s style between the virtuosity and raw passion of Hendrix and the musicality of classical composers like Beethoven
15:51 – Hendrix influence early on and ongoing love affair with classical music, with melodic European sound now coming to the fore and Hendrix more an more taking a backseat.
16:57 – The creative process with reference to colour, texture and sound
17:24 – Notes representing resonating energy and colour providing harmonic background to the lead voice or melody
19:35 – Uli’s guitars, latest range includes double-necks, 6/7/8 string, and nylon strung versions. Plans to play around seven different guitars at each gig, including a new prototypes. Handbuilt in limited quantity, with waiting list of up to a year with most being sold in Japan and America and some in Europe.
22:08 – Guitars as works of art. Some non-players have actually bought a Sky guitar for aesthetic reasons alone.
22:59 – Recap of tour dates
23:48 – End
