“There’s amazing players like Josh Smith and Eric Gales, and I thought, ‘OK, I’ve been missing out. I’m learning the blues’”: Tosin Abasi said he wanted to release a blues album – is it still on the cards?

Tosin Abasi of Animals as Leaders performs at The 2020 NAMM Show Opening Day on January 16, 2020 in Anaheim, California.

Tosin Abasi is one of the 21st century’s most prolific electric guitar innovators. From reinventing ergonomic eight-string design by launching his Abasi Concepts brand to pushing the boundaries of progressive metal through his work with Animals As Leaders, the guitar virtuoso/designer has always been a key figure in the world of heavy music.

However, back in 2022, Abasi teased he was tempted to take a temporary hiatus from heavy music, after he decided to go down the blues rabbit hole and buy virtual lessons from Oz Noy, Josh Smith and even Joe Bonamassa.