Song of the Day: “Go Not Thither” by Paul Gilbert

Mar 03, 2026

When Paul Gilbert decided to title his latest record WROC, he wasn’t just being a bit cheeky—he was creating an acronym for Washington’s Rules of Civility. In an era where rock and roll is usually synonymous with tearing down the establishment, Gilbert has pivoted toward the ultimate establishment figure: George Washington. Specifically, he has set the 16th-century etiquette guidelines favored by the first U.S. President to high-octane hard rock. It is the most Paul Gilbert thing imaginable: taking a dry, 400-year-old manual on how not to spit in the fire and turning it into a playground for Ibanez-fueled pyrotechnics.

Evolutionarily speaking, WROC feels like the natural, if slightly eccentric, landing point for Gilbert’s career. We’ve seen him as the shred-obsessed teenager in Racer X, the pop-hook craftsman in Mr. Big, and the bluesy instrumentalist of his recent solo years. Here, for the first time since 2016’s I Can Destroy, Gilbert has returned to lead vocals, but with a twist. Having spent the last few years “singing” through his guitar—mimicking vocal melodies on the fretboard—he sounds more comfortable than ever. His voice has matured into a serviceable, soulful power-pop rasp that perfectly complements the “live-in-a-room” energy of the recording.

Side Note: The album was recorded live over four days at The Hallowed Halls in Portland, Oregon, with the core band performing together in the studio. That band included veteran drummer Nick D’Virgilio, Doug Rappoport on guitar, and Timmer Blakely on bass. Gilbert provided lead vocals and lead guitar, with additional vocal harmonies contributed by D’Virgilio, Rappoport, and Blakely after the main recording sessions.
Fun fact… I actually used this studio back in 2020 when producing a live stream with another local Portland band. I always wanted to go back to record there myself for its amazing live room, but never got the chance before leaving Portland in 2022.

The standout track, and the one that best justifies this bizarre concept, is “Go Not Thither.” It is a perfect example of Gilbert’s ability to marry the ridiculous with the sublime. The lyrics, drawn from Rule 53 (full text linked below), warn the listener against going where they aren’t welcome and, quite literally, against “kicking the earth” or “playing the peacock.” The main riff is a greasy, foot-stomping boogie that feels like it was dragged through a Portland dive bar, punctuated by lush vocal harmonies. The song features 2 guitar solos that ignore every rule of civility ever written, especially the blazing ending solo. It’s the perfect distillation of the album’s ethos: high-level musicianship served with a massive wink. Gilbert isn’t just teaching us how to behave in polite company; he’s proving that even the most rigid rules can be broken if you have a fast enough alternate-picking technique and wear a tricorn hat.