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Andrew: You're starting your solo tour tonight, which is the first tour in support of your new album. How are you feeling?
Marc: Good! We have this new album Legionnaire out. It's the third album, and I'm really excited to play these new songs live. So, it should be really cool.

Andrew: I read that it is going to be a whole new set list this time. What can the fans expect?
Marc: Yeah, we'll mix it up. We'll do a lot of songs off of the new record, and we'll also do songs that have vocals on them, and also a couple of cover songs. So it will be a fun set list with all kinds of stuff in it.

Andrew: These cover songs, is this something you've always done, or have you been doing more of it recently?
Marc: Yeah, we've always thrown in a couple of covers to try and mix it up. One night we do some Sepultura while sometimes we do Slayer, Soulfly and whatever else we feel like playing.

Andrew: As you said, the majority of the show is going to be an instrumental performance. It must be something that you really enjoy doing, because you are the frontman, for a change.
Marc: Yeah, it's nice to play these largely instrumental sets because instrumental guitar is the stuff I enjoy listening to the most. The likes of Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Greg Howe and in general, fusion guitar music.

Andrew: I see that you'll be doing some signings at the NAMM convention this year. It's great that you are doing it this time because I didn't see you there last year and it's obviously something you don't get to do every year.
Marc: Yeah last year as well I was on tour with the solo band, but this year we were able to arrange a part of this tour during which we're going to fly out, be there for one day, do some signings and then we play the Viper Room [in Hollywood] that night, after which we fly back the next day to continue the tour.

Andrew: You have a BC Rich signature 7-string guitar that you use. Other than that, is there any new line of signature guitars coming up?
Marc: Yeah, I'm playing the 7-string and I'm really excited to play that guitar because it came out really good. Also on this tour, I'm using the BC Rich Gunslinger which they just sent me. I always wanted it when I was a kid and I've been a big fan of that guitar. They sent me out one so that I could use on the tour also.

Andrew: You mentioned the Viper Room. It's a very nice, intimate venue. Have you ever played there before?
Marc: No, it'll be the first time ever going there. So I'm really excited to be playing this club. It's a smaller place and those are places we like to play, the small intimate shows.

Andrew: I'm sure it'll turn out to be a great show and you'll get a packed crowd, because a lot of people will be in town for NAMM.
Marc: Yeah that's good, we'll hope so!

Andrew: You previously put out an instructional DVD. For the benefit of fans who are looking forward to getting more tips from you, is there any plan to do more instructional stuff in the near future?
Marc: Yeah we are talking about may be doing another instructional DVD, this year some time. So I'll see if I get some free time to get started on making one for Rock House.

Andrew: How is this year of 2011 looking for you? Along with your Soulfly and Cavalera Conspiracy commitments, do you think you'll be able to put together another solo US tour?
Marc: Yeah, we're hoping so. After this tour in January and February, we're flying out to Spain to shoot a video for Cavalera Conspiracy and after that in March we're hoping to do another solo tour around the US, to play places that we're not getting on this tour. The rest of the year is going to be mostly with Cavalera Conspiracy.

Andrew: A lot of friends living outside the States have been asking me this. When are you planning on taking the solo tour outside the US?
Marc: You know, that's my next step, to book a Europe tour. It's funny because when I started this project five years ago, my first record cost way beyond what I thought and it was just too expensive to tour. So we started doing a couple of shows in New York and New Jersey and got a good reception there, after which some booking agents showed confidence in putting this project out on tour. Now we are getting a lot of requests to get out to a lot of places in the world, specially Europe. So I'm hoping that some time this year we'll be able to do a Europe tour.

Andrew: I certainly hope so. Mark, I know you have a lot to do today, this being the first night of the tour. So I'll let you go. Thanks for your time, and I will see you at NAMM!
Marc: Sure man, thanks a lot!

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