How does one define a guitar god? Is it the way they grab the audience by the throat and pull them into a madhouse of hammer-ons? Is it the passion that they pour into every performance? Is it that they actually have a guitar in their hands?
Justin "Nordic Thunder" Howard would agree with the first two, but as the 2012 World Air Guitar Champion, he might take issue with the last qualification. He knows that regardless of whether he's plugged in or not, the intensity is real-he's had two air guitar-based surgeries in his career and he's seen another performer lose a toe (tune in to hear the whole grotesque story).
Howard, or Mr. Thunder as he requested to be addressed, was in New York for the U.S. air guitar championship semifinals and stopped by Music Times to fill us in on the rules, politics and strategies that go into winning a championship with an imaginary instrument.
Thunder—with his beard, tattoos, leather armor and battle scars-might be an air guitarist, but he looks like he might be on vacation from Amon Amarth. Listen in and learn about curious characters from across American air guitar history...including Airistotle, Hot Lixx Hulahan and C-Diddy.
He goes beyond just playing the air guitar for his Music Times Meets appearance however. Realizing that air guitar doesn't translate well to a radio audience, he and host Ryan Book take the plunge and do a vocal cover of Harold Faltermeyer's "Top Gun Anthem," a historic moment for both the program and Book's shamelessness.
The only way to witness the glory is to listen to this week's episode...but if you just want to check out Howard in action, you can watch the video posted below.
© 2024 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
