“I like to be technical but it’s important to have feel”: Why Kris Barras loves Planet X

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The Kris Barras Band were formed when former MMA fighter Barras moved away from combat sport to focus on music. Initially inspired by his dad, musician Paul Barras, and a myriad of big-name rock guitarists, Kris found new energy via instrumental prog metal supergroup Planet X.

“It was their guitarist, Tony MacAlpine, who first drew me in – although Brett Garsed, guitarist on last album Quantum, is a player I’ve loved as well.

I grew up listening to the standard classic rock, bluesy stuff like Deep Purple, Gary Moore and that kind of thing, because that’s what came down to me from my dad. So that’s what I started off playing.

Once I got into my teens, I started to discover my own stuff like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. My introduction to Planet X was through Tony MacAlpine and the Universe album – the first one he did with them.

I’ve always been a rocker but Universe got me into the fusion aspect of it. The riffs and the grooves; I love the big solos and the musicianship is absolutely incredible – second to none. Virgil Donati’s drums are absolute killer and Derek Sherinian is a nutcase on the keyboards as well.

I wasn’t fully sold on the jazz aspect but I wanted more technical stuff, and for me, Planet X filled that gap. I liked Dream Theater but never really got on with James LaBrie’s voice.

I’ve never touched on the stuff that Tony MacAlpine can do. The thing I’ve always liked is that he could stand up against any of the top shredders in the world – he can play anything they can play. But what he’s got, I find, is a sense of melody that I really like.

The first tune of his that I heard was Tears Of Sahara, from 1987 solo album Maximum Security. That sense of melody and feel is something I’ve tried to take on as a player.

I like to be technical, I like to be fast and I like to do more intricate things, but I think it’s always important to have the passion and the feel. Tony is a player who’s always done that.

While my favourite Planet X album is Universe, Live From Oz is just insane. But for newbies, I say fire up Bitch from Universe and go for it!”