You’re something of a magnet for guitar heroes.
Ha ha! I got some nice guys in my life. I’m a very lucky girl. I just worked with Jeff Beck in Australia on several dates. And it tickles me, y’know, because I’m just another gigantic fan of Mr Beck. I love him to death. You know that you’re watching a human being do something that no other human being has ever been able to do.
How was it working with Slash?
He’s the most mellow human being I’ve ever met. The first time, because he was so quiet, I thought: “Oh shit. Am I doing something wrong here?” I assumed that he would be really high-strung and manic. He wasn’t at all. So I asked his engineer: “Do you think he likes me?” And his engineer said: “Oh yeah, that’s just how he is.” I thought the same thing with Jeff. I swear to God, I need to take a psychiatrist with me everywhere I go. It’s a pain the ass!
You’re loud, whereas Joe Bonamassa is soft-spoken: is there a clash?
Because we’re such opposite personalities, they kinda balance each other. My high energy makes Joe laugh. And Joe, with his relaxed, focused state, kinda makes me go, ‘Just fucking chill out, Beth’. So it just works.
Lead guitarists are meant to be egomaniacs – is that true?
The real egomaniacs are singers, the most insecure people in the band: “I’m the shit, listen to me! But I’m scared…” The guitar players are usually the most wild and creative. I hate to generalise, but I’ve always thought that.
