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From R & B sideman to Rock frontman, guitar virtuoso & composer Alyn Syms has always been innovative and groundbreaking, ahead of his time yet perfectly in step with his music. Now after almost two decades away, he returns with the release of his most ambitious recording ever “The Lost Art.” But, to truly appreciate the effort and passion that went into this CD, one must look back at the past and the adversity and obstacles that Syms overcame to make this brilliant six string masterpiece.

He began playing guitar in the early days of the British Invasion. Rather than grow a mop and play Beatles covers, he was listening to the music of Wes Montgomery, Steve Cropper, James Brown, Big Jim Sullivan, The Yardbirds, the Stones, to name a few. “I listened to whoever could play, anyone who knew more than I did, which at the time was everyone. I had the advantage of growing up in a very ethnic neighborhood so I had guitar heroes of every color. These guys were the first to encourage me and help me through the most difficult period of playing, when you can’t.”

Alyn explains "I studied for a year and a half with a great Jazz guitarist Frank Gerard. Frank was inspirational and set me in the right direction." Alyn’s belief in his potential and his desire to become a world class guitarist is a recurring theme in his life, his ability to envision something greater than present day reality. After three years of intense study and practice he turned pro. He learned his craft in the best of all places, onstage, and quickly made a reputation for himself. “ I learned a lot in those days, especially how to improvise and think fast onstage. There were a lot of gigs that were spur of the moment, where you met the other band members just before going onstage. You’d compare songlists, adjust keys, get onstage and play and every time we did people thought we’d been together for years. If you didn’t know that many songs you’d trade solos, improvise grooves right onstage. It was a great training ground. To me it was the only real music school. Plus, if anyone sat in and showed you up, he’d have your job. So you’d have to have your axe ready for battle at any time. No one ever outplayed me, no one.”

Working his way up through the ranks Syms performed with R&B heavyweights Arthur Conley, Clarence Carter, and turned down a chance to tour with Bill Doggett when he was 17. His R&B connections and reputation eventually gave him the opportunity to do early session work with Rick James. Their relationship lasted through playing on Rick’s 2nd LP, Bustin Out of L7, and performing on Soul Train, Dick Clark Live, The Midnight Special and Rock Concert as a member of the Stone City Band.

It should be noted here that he has always written or arranged original music. Even while playing with Rick James he was writing and recording music for his own group, ASG. His style evolved and his influences were as varied as British rock legends Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Ritchie Blackmore, to Eastern philosophies and the martial arts of Bruce Lee. He earned a black belt in Isshin-Ryu. His interest in the martial arts and in the importance of a sound mind and a sound body kept him drug free for his entire life. He was no cliché, another recurring theme in his life. “If I had a nickel for every time I turned down acid or a joint in the 60’s, or cocaine in the 70s & 80’s, I’d be on the Forbes list in the top ten.”

Syms left the Stone City Band before they went on tour to come back to La.(Lackawanna) to put a killer of a rock band together. His band, ASG, was the first band to take on the Buffalo music scene and play all original music, something that wasn’t done at the time.

“They said it couldn’t be done so I did it.” ASG was a high powered, hard rocking, no compromise band. Their music was a unique mix of Rock, Funk and everything in between. They referred to it as “ghetto metal” but it was much more than that. Lead by the guitar firepower of Alyn Syms they packed houses, thrilled audiences who stayed until the last note was played, and played concert halls reserved for established artists. They released a self titled EP which premiered their anthem “Can’t Keep a Good Band Down.”

They opened shows for Ian Hunter, Johnny Winter, Gary Moore and Pat Travers, to name a few. Syms found the opening act experience demoralizing.

“The rationale for even doing it is exposure to a large audience, BUT you don’t get to make a fair presentation, especially if you’re really good, which we were. I’ve had power shut off, monitors disconnected, I’ve been given 3 square feet of room to put six musicians and their equipment on, more than once, no sound checks etc. I’ve had boards taped to volume one so you’d have to override the channel volumes and would sound like a fuzz box. Their sound guys always laughed at that one. We went out there thinking there was a spirit of comraderie and got treated like dirt.

“It’s really about confidence and fair play. Pat Travers was the ONLY guitarist I ever opened for who gave us all the room, sound checks, sound and lights, everything we needed to make a fair presentation. Because he was confident in himself and in his band. On the opposite end, some chump I opened for, who shall remain nameless, messed with our set in every way possible, but in spite of that we got around it and did extremely well with the audience. I saw him backstage and was about to say “have a good show” and he just gave me a dirty look and walked away. I said “Thanks for the compliment, which is what it was, though I refer to it as a backhanded compliment.” So now I don’t open for anyone and no one opens for me. My music is based on elevating the human spirit and my motto is “creating a better world through music”, the bad old days and old ways have no place here.

ASG had everything going for it except timing. Record companies were scouting Disco and New Wave. No one was interested in Led Zeppelin then, much less an American version of the legendary band. With “My Sharona” dominating the airwaves and skinny tie bands everywhere it was a tough time for them, yet they persisted. Their call to arms “You Can’t Keep a Good Band Down” was more than just a song. It was a blood oath. These guys didn’t compromise their sound for anyone, especially record company yes-men.

“In spite of everything I think of ASG as a great success. We dominated the Buffalo scene without ever being a part of it. We never compromised our sound and never let an audience down. We carried ourselves as the equal of anyone in music, no matter what their position in the business was, onstage or off. We offered our hands in friendship to anyone we met, but never kissed anyone’s ass. Above all, we never did what a lot of others did, which was to come across like a rock band but do ballads to get a record deal. ‘Pop’ to us was and is a dirty word. THAT’S Rock and Roll, ”Syms emphatically states.

But the good times came to a halt in the early 80’s when Buffalo radio stopped playing local material. ASG disbanded, but Syms knew that he would eventually be back. Now after more than two decades, spent forging a new and innovative sound, Syms has returned as a solo artist. “The Lost Art” will re-establish Syms as one of the most exciting and important guitarist in the world. Syms plans on promoting this CD by doing what he love most –playing live. You may be able to keep a good band down, but you can’t keep a great musician down for long. Alyn Syms is back and the art of playing guitar will never be the same.

By Thomas S. Orwat, Jr.