Herb Himes

Lead Guitar

Herb Himes cut his teeth in the Austin, Texas club scene playing for popular rock and metal bands such as Gypsy Rogue and Near Dark. He opened for many national touring acts in that time, watching and learning from as many musicians as possible, always trying to find a way to grow as an artist and performer.

Now in East Tennessee, Herb's Texas roots still shine through in many of the pounding, groove-driven riffs and blues-inspired solos that are hallmarks of the SOR sound today.

Herb spends a good deal of time listening to and playing the blues, and, like many guitar players, is inspired by the playing of SRV, Hendrix and Buddy Guy. However, it was his first time hearing Black Sabbath that set the wheels in motion, got him interested in being a musician at an early age and fed his undying passion for Metal music. Sabbath remains a tremendous influence today for him, with his Master of Reality disc never too far away for a little inspiration.

Live, Herb is known as a performer that leaves it all out on the stage each and every time out, playing with a fiery passion and energy that is contagious. He lives for music -- to write and to perform.

"Music is, to me, what makes life worth living. You'll be focused, deep in thought, and suddenly you hear the perfect song at the perfect time and it's like the planets align. Suddenly life courses through your veins at a million miles an hour and you feel powerful enough to consume entire galaxies and create new worlds."

Influences

• Sabbath, of course
• Jimi Hendrix
• Billy Gibbons
• Buddy Guy
• Pepper Keenan
• Ed Mundell
• Thin Lizzy
• Micheal Schenker (UFO Strangers in the Night best live album ever)
• Opeth and other progressive death metal
• Maiden, Priest and many NWBHM bands

Gear

• Gibson Les Paul Guitars (currently have 3)
• 1985 Fender Stratocaster
• LTD EC-1000 VB
• Takamene Aciustic guitars
• Engl Invader 150 E640
• 2 Marshall JVM 410H Heads
• Marshall 1960A and B cabinets, and old-assed Carvin bottom 4x12 with Celestion 75s
• Boss GT-10 effects processor
• Decimator Noise Reduction
• Snarling Dogs Brain Picks