The Magic of Music, Guitars & Friendship:
A Night with Tommy Henriksen

Music should be fun—at least in theory. Whether you're a casual listener or a performer, music is about evoking emotions and transmitting them to the audience.

That’s certainly the case for Tommy Henriksen of Alice Cooper. Tom has been in the game for years, starting as the band’s bassist before moving into the guitarist role. He’s always been honest and open—never one for B.S.

“I’ve only been playing guitar for about 10 years, Fil!” he tells me. That’s just who he is—straightforward and real.

Born and raised in New York, Tommy still carries that pragmatic energy at almost 61. Over the years, he’s lived all over but now calls Switzerland home. When he’s back in the U.S., you’ll often find him at Johnny Depp’s place—they’re good friends.

A Night to Remember with Alice Cooper

Tommy invited me to one of his performances with Alice Cooper in Florida. He was casual about it, but I wasn’t. During COVID, we worked on several AC/DC covers together. He wanted to keep sharp while off the road, so we collaborated remotely. Tommy even brought in his friend Glen Sobel (Alice Cooper’s and Hollywood Vampires’ drummer), who recorded 11 drum tracks for us in L.A. Those tracks were so good I’ve been using them for different projects for the past five years.

That’s how our friendship started. When COVID ended, life resumed, but we stayed connected. Finally, I got to see him in person again. And he was just as he was on Zoom—actually, better. Funnier, full of energy, still passionate about playing, researching, and performing. Seeing him get into his Alice Cooper stage outfit with the same excitement after all these years? That’s dedication.

The Gear Talk: Guitars, Tone & Playability

Tommy showed me his guitars—some of them, at least. He wasn’t thrilled about playing Kempers live, but his sound? Incredible. He handed me two of his Gibson SGs (because, like me, he’s a massive AC/DC fan). Both were recent production, no vintage flair, but perfectly set up by his tech, Brian. I was instantly impressed.

Over the years, I’ve come to realize that while some guitars have magic, a high-quality modern Gibson can be set up so well that in a live context, you won’t even notice the difference. Playability and reliability matter more than anything. At this point, I’d take a guitar that “plays like butter” over a so-called “magic” one that fights me.

I think Tommy feels the same way. We didn’t explicitly say it, but we both knew. Playability is everything.

For context, Tommy plays 10s-.56s, while I still use .008s-.38s like Angus Young. And yet, his guitars felt like butter to me. That’s how well they were set up.

A Rock ’N Roll Connection

Before the show, we geeked out over Mutt Lange—AC/DC’s legendary producer. Tommy has actually worked with Mutt, who produced his debut solo album, Evil World Machine, under his new project, Crossbone Skully. I remember him finalizing it two years ago, and now it’s out (Nov 2024). Go listen to it—it’s fantastic. Electric, raw, and filled with AC/DC-inspired riffs. Tommy sings and plays almost everything on it.

Hearing him sing live was incredible. During soundcheck, he even filled in for Alice Cooper himself, then took on harmonies and backing vocals throughout the show. The man can SING. His album speaks for itself (insert link to album/YouTube video here).

SoloDallas Gear in Action

Of course, I brought some SoloDallas toys—our new Orbiter fuzz, the latest SVDS Boost, and the BassX. Tommy already owns a Schaffer Tower, but it ended up at Johnny Depp’s studio (not a bad place for it!). Now I might have to send him another.

He loved the compact size of the SVDS Boost and plans to integrate it into their touring setup. That’s not easy mid-tour, but I know he’ll make it work.

A Night of Inspiration

My son and I took our front-row seats (courtesy of Alice Cooper himself). Watching my son dance while witnessing a 77-year-old Alice Cooper command the stage? Unreal. Sometimes I feel old at 57, but seeing Tommy still rocking at 61 made me realize—I have more to do. More sounds to explore, more tone to chase.

Tommy is still as excited about music as I am. And that’s inspiring.

Thank you, Alice Cooper and Tommy Henriksen, for a perfect night out

- Fil “SoloDallas”