Dima Petrov - guitars

I grew up in absolutely unmusical family.  My parents never were fond of music, we even haven't had a simple stereo system. You can't just imagine how hard it was to convince my parents to allow me to visit classic guitar lessons. It was a real breakthrough and it was the begining. Since that time music became an integral part of my life. Life is zeebra - white line, black line, white line, black line... Sometimes there're only problems, sometimes everything is fine. But music is always with me, it helps me wherever I go and whatever I do.

I prefer melodic rock. I became a rock fan when I was 13. We have been studing with Mike at the same school and once he has brought me a cassette with Scorpions Blackout album. After the first listening i've been shoked and had thrown the cassette into the wastebasket. But even a month after i've already become a biggest Scorpions fan. I knew lyrics for most of their songs, knew all line up changes and the whole wall in my room was covered with their posters. Some time after I was fond of Deep Purple's music, then – Rainbow, then – Whitesnake. Whitesnake had the greatest influence on my creativity, my music. I always have been imagining a David Coverdale's voice when have been writing my songs. Now my music library includes more then 300 different rock performers. There are some European hard rockers such as Gotthard, Europe, Jorn Lande, Talisman, Jaded Heart, Masterplan. There are some modern American rock – Nickelback, Daughtry, Shinedown, Alterbridge, Creed. And of cause there are a lot of old school rock from 70’s, 80’s, 90’s. That’s what I like.

The bible precept says: “You must not make for yourself an idol”. But it is impossible to live without reference points, that’s why most of us have someone who’s talent we respect who’s achievements we are trying to be guided. Of cause, there are people I respect and trying to be alike too. If talk about musicians, of cause it is great to play fast and technical, I appreciate it. But nevertheless I consider that more valuably is an ability to make the music, that forced a listener to feel some emotions, that forced the heart beating, that forced to smile or to blue, to laugh or to cry, to love or to hate. That’s why not all of the musicians I’ll name now are super technical players, but they are making the great music! Here they are: Bon Jovi and Ritchie Sambora (Bon Jovi guitarist, I love his solo project much), David Coverdale, John Sykes; Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker from Scorpions; Jorn Lande and his guitarist Tore Moren; Joey Tempest and  Kee Marcello from Europe; Steve Lee from Gotthard, Cris Daughtry, Ritchie Blackmore (need no introduction), John Petrucci from Dream Theater, Roland Grapow, Dan Huff. Yngwie is a cool guitar player, but IMHO his music has a lack of sense. And my special respect to Gorky Park - russian rockers, who being behind the Iron Curtain had produced the real european music.