PAUL GILBERT To Play With MIKE PORTNOY's THE BEATLES Cover Band

Former MR. BIG/current RACER X guitarist Paul Gilbert will be performing a couple of shows in New York/New Jersey as a member of an all-star THE BEATLES cover band called YELLOW MATTER CUSTARD. Joining him in the group will be Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER) on drums, Neal Morse (SPOCK'S BEARD) on guitar and keyboards, and Matt Bissonette (DAVID LEE ROTH) on bass. "Since we are playing BEATLES songs, we will be doing lots of singing as well," Gilbert explained on his official web site.

YELLOW MATTER CUSTARD tour dates:

May 17 – Upper Montclair, NJ @ Modern Drummer Magazine Festival
May 18 – New York, NY @ B.B. King's

In other news, Gilbert will issue a "best of" CD entitled "Paul The Young Dude / The Best Of Paul Gilbert" on May 21 in Japan. "I went through all my solo CDs and picked out the coolest tunes and the scariest guitar playing and put it together on one CD," Paul said of the song selection process. "I also included THREE NEW SONGS. 'I'm Not Afraid of the Police' is the first song I wrote and recorded since moving back to Los Angeles. It's a loud-pop, crazy-guitar, big-harmony song with all the police sirens created by guitars and ADA flangers. The next song is a hard rock version of the Carole King song 'I Feel the Earth Move'. it was recorded during the sessions for the 'Alligator Farm' CD. Jeff Martin played the drums on that record, and when I discovered I couldn't hit the high notes on the bridge, I asked Jeff to help me sing it. He sounds GREAT, and I think it's cool to hear us trading off on lead vocals.

"The last extra song is 'The Second Loudest Guitar in the World'. I wrote it during the 'Burning Organ' sessions, but didn't record it until now. The lyrics are autobiographical of course, and there is a long (and loud!) guitar solo at the end for all the guitar maniacs."

The initial pressing of "Paul The Young Dude / The Best Of Paul Gilbert" will also include a 10-song bonus CD called "Gilbert Hotel". " 'Gilbert Hotel' is my first all-acoustic record," Paul explained. "I wrote most of the songs in Tokyo and I couldn't wait to record them and let you hear them, so I decided a bonus CD would be the best way to get them to you fast!"

The complete track listing for "Gilbert Hotel" is as follows:

01. Three Times Rana
02. Black Rain Cloud
03. Escalator Music
04. Lay Off The Morphine
05. N.F.R.O.
06. Older Guy
07. The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (GENESIS)
08. Time To Let You Go (ENUFF Z'NUFF)
09. W.T.R.O.
10. Universal

Says Gilbert: "In the tradional of 'Y.R.O.' (Yngwie Rip Off) and 'B.R.O.' (Bach Rip Off),I've included two new Rip Offs on this CD. 'N.F.R.O.' is J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variation NUMBER FIVE, and 'W.T.R.O.' is J.S. Bach's Prelude in C for the WELL-TEMPERED clavier.

"I worked out the keyboard parts on the progressive rock classic 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway' and somehow managed to play it all on acoustic guitar. And my friends Linus of Hollywood and Scot Coogan helped me record a live version of ENUFF' Z'NUFF's very BEATLES-ish 'Time to Let You Go'.

"The rest of the songs are my own and are spilling over with my best new melodies, acoustic guitar solos, big vocal harmonies, and insane percussion and production.

"As usual, many apologies to everyone who has to wait for it to be released outside of Japan. I keep trying to be famous in those places, but Christina Aguilera keeps pushing me off the charts. Damn!"

Paul Gilbert's upcoming Japanese tour dates:

Jun. 16 – Yokohama, JAP - Landmark Hall
Jun. 17 – Hiroshima, JAP - Club Quattro
Jun. 18 – Osaka, JAP - On Air Osaka
Jun. 19 – Nagoya, JAP -Club Quattro
Jun. 21 – Tokyo, JAP - Akasaka Blitz