French Prog Rocker: CHARLY SAHONA!

Mon, 14/01/2008 - by Rory Sullivan

Today's Elevenses Throws Eleven Quick Questions At 'French Prog Rocker' Charly Sahona!

Charly Sahona is the guitarist for French prog-rockers Venturia, who are currently working on the follow-up to their debut 2006 release “The New Kingdom”. Charly also played on the Shawn Lane tribute vol 1, both albums released through Lion Music. Charly proudly plays with Ibanez guitars, Line 6 equipment and SCLW light picks.

So what’s your drink of choice at 11am in the morning?

I like to drink Tea.

Which song/album really made you want to play guitar?

"Déjà-vu" by Yngwie Malmsteen on the "Odyssey" album. It was the first time I heard a solo like that, I couldn't understand how this guy was doing that and couldn't stop listening to the album again and again. I knew it was the kind of guitar playing I wanted to play one day...

Who’s the world’s greatest guitarist?

Steve Vai.

Who’s the world’s most underrated guitarist?

Shawn Lane.

So what are you up to at the moment?

I'm working on the guitar and keyboards parts of the new Venturia album that I have to record very soon.

What was the last gig you went to (as a member of the audience)?

Who would be in your dream line-up?

Dream Theater and Symphony X during their French tour. A great show...As usual.

It depends on the music I want to play... Anyway, I would say:

Virgil Donati on the drums

Jordan Rudess on the keyboards

Dave Larue on the bass guitar

Russell Allen or/and Magali Luyten on the vocals.

How many guitars do your own and which one is ‘your precious’?

I don't have a lot of guitars: 3 Ibanez 7 strings, 3 electric 6 strings and one electro acoustic. My "precious" is an Ibanez "J-custom" RG-art": a very beautiful instrument.

What’s the last great album that you bought (or were given)?

Planet X : "Quantum" that I bought recently.

Do you suffer from stage fright?

Not anymore and it's better this way: the more I'm relaxed, the more I can focus and the better I can play. But my first time on stage with a guitar was a real desaster, stage fright paralized me.