GUS G. Is ‘Not Sure’ How Quickly Concert Industry Can Recover From Coronavirus Crisis

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Greek guitar virtuoso Gus G., well known in rock and metal circles for his work as Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist and as leader of his own band FIREWIND, spoke to Headbangers Lifestyle about how public events, including live concerts, might be affected once the coronavirus crisis subsides. "It's really hard to predict how things will play out," he said. "One thing is certain: there will be some damage. I'm not sure how quick the live industry can stand back up on its feet after this pandemic. I'm not sure how many people will go out of business. Maybe live events will start again on a smaller scale and small clubs and slowly build up again. We'll see." Asked if he had any tips for killing time while in quarantine, Gus said: "I'm on lockdown for over three weeks now. I'm with my wife and our cats so the time passes nicely. I think I'm handling it well. I hope everyone else is too. What I do is play guitar, work out, watch movies and play with my cats. Oh, yeah and sex — lots of it! [Laughs] So I suggest you do stuff like that, or maybe read books, start a hobby you always wanted but never had the time for in the past. And if you're alone and don't have a partner, you'll probably masturbate till you go blind." The coronavirus pandemic has affected the music industry in a huge way, with pretty much every live show and festival being canceled or postponed. According to Variety, a study from sports and events research firm Performance Research found when surveying 1,000 consumers in the United States that "44% of respondents said they would attend fewer large public events, even once they are cleared by the CDC, with 38% saying they'd attend about the same number, and 18% saying they'd attend more. And 47% agreed that the idea of going to a major public event 'will scare me for a long time.'" FIREWIND's ninth, self-titled studio album will be made available on May 15. The band recently parted ways with guitarist/keyboardist Bob Katsionis and singer Henning Basse. FIREWIND's new vocalist is Herbie Langhans, who has previously played with AVANTASIA and SINBREED.