Update 07/02/09: If you're looking for information about the guitarist featured in Michael Jackson's last rehearsal videos for his "This Is It" tour, check out this Orianthi profile.
Whether or not you were a fan of the self-proclaimed "King of Pop", you can't dismiss Michael Jackson's ability to do things right. Even on his earliest recordings, Jackson's albums featured the best musicians money could buy. Although the album credits on even his last releases still read like a who's who of top session musicians, Jackson's philosophy of choosing guitarists to work with changed post-Thriller. More specifically, Jackson's approach became: identify the most popular guitarists on the face of the planet, and hire them to play on your record.
Jackson's 1979 release Off the Wall, featuring studio pro guitarists like Larry Carlton and Phil Upchurch, was the album which introduced Jackson to the world as a solo artist. That album marked the last recording Jackson would make with more obscure musicians. By the time Jackson released the landmark Thriller in 1982, his star-seeking approach to choosing guitarists was firmly in place. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen, a musician who had turned the rock world on it's collective ear, appeared on the recording, contributing a stunning solo on the song "Beat It".
It was a full five years before Jackson, a perfectionist in the extreme, managed to release his next album, 1987's Bad. Amidst the usual cast of studio musicians (including veteran Eric Gale) was guitarist Billy Idol's guitarist Steve Stevens. Thanks to Stevens' work on Idol's 1986 success Whiplash Smile, the guitarist could be found on the cover of almost every guitar magazine that year. Listen for Stevens' contributions to the Jackson hit "Smooth Criminal".
True to form, it was another five years before Jackson released his next album, 1992's Dangerous. For this release, Jackson decided on Guns n' Roses guitarist Slash (a move that left a lot of GNR fans scratching their heads). You can hear Slash wailing on "Black or White" and "Give it to Me".
The almost decade long stretch between Dangerous and 2001's Invincible has been well-documented, and needs no further analysis here. On a musical level, Jackson struggled in the studio for much of that time, trying to find a sound that would push him back to the forefront of the pop music world. While Invincible clearly failed in this regard, it did feature some nice contributions from Carlos Santana, who added a guitar and whistle solo to the latin-tinged "Whatever Happens".
Invincible proved to be Jackson's last attempt to live up to his self-appointed status as the "King of Pop". And, although he never managed to recapture the magic of Thriller, guitarists should still be able find something to appreciate in his later records.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Michael Jackson's Guitarists
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
WALTER TROUT
Name: Walter Trout
Place / Date of Birth: Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1951
Previous group Band: Walter Trout Band
Group Band now: Walter Trout and The Free Radicals
Musical influences: Duke Ellington
Game Style: Blues Rock
The Used Guitar: Fender Stratocaster
Walter Trout was born in the year 1951 Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Mighty meeting with Duke Ellington at the time of engagement to encourage the small Trout will world where the music was a turning point of their lives. At puberty, such as most teenagers, Trout exposed to outbreaks of where Rock music at the time he only wanted to take guitar amplifier ago and set off to play without thinking about it - other things. Ability to learn the "neck" does not make it take that long to enter the major league players as a professional.
He has played with many bands and performers such as canned Heat, John Lee Hooker, Big Mama Thornton, and he is also a member of the John Mayll's Bluesbreakers which is a legend before he started his own band in 1989.
From the recording - a recording that it has, can be found not just blues or rock but also the styles range from pop to hard rock but all of that is always colored with blues feeling. When removing the album Livin 'Every Day, Walter Trout band change its name from a Walter Trout Walter Trout Band and the Free Radicals and moved down umbrella label Ruf.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
WARREN DEMARTINI - "One of the top guitarist of the era 80-an"
Original Name: Justin Demartini
Nick Name: Warren Demartini
Speed: Torch
Website: www.warrendemartini.net
Place / Date of birth: April 10, 1963 in Chicago, IL
Inspirational Musicians: Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Billy Gibbons, Uli Roth, Jan Jackerman, Joe Walsh, Joe Perry, Miles Davis, Randy Rhoads .... Darrel Kinney
The band at this time: Ratt
Band experience: The plague, and Enforcer Aircraft (now High school band, Whitesnake on the'94 tour: Russia, Europe, Asia, Australia
Demartini originally interested in rock music because one sister is the band. His mother buy a guitar at the age of seven new years. And he destroyed one of the guitar imitating the style of Who guitarist Pete Townsend while appearing live on TV. Age 15 yr when he returned the money to buy the guitar from da Christmas gifts he also buy books to learn the guitar lesson basic guitar and basic guitar techniques. He formed a band called plague. In 1979 he was the first time at the main stage, a high school with local bands. When the game directly to make his name famous throughout the San diego as a new young talented guitarist.
After that he joined the Mickey Ratt (Ratt vocalist) and formed the band called The Ratt position where it replaces friends Jack E. Lee is a guitarist out Ozzy Ozzbourne band.
In addition he is still with Ratt is still out solo album until now. Together with friends robbin Crosby Ratt guitarist who died have died, he was nominated in the incoming guitar Hero style game with the best and unique this century by a guitar magazine world.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Newest Video Mr. Big
This is the latest video clips Mr. Big back who has been with the initial formation. Stay put on Billy Sheehan duet Tapping - Paul Gilbert as the era of Addicted To That Rush, color music that still has red yarn Stay Together, and with the Green-Tinted Sixties Mind.
Video titled Next Time Around is a video clip Mr. Big re-show the first Paul Gilbert since he out 13 years ago. From this video it seems Mr. Big will color back to the music they like before the first show, Skill, catchy, & Rock!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Adam Dutkiewitz
Full Name: Adam Dutkiewitz
Band: Killswitch Engage
Official website: www.killswitchengage.com
Newest albums (8-2005): The End Of Heartache (Soundtrack: Resident Evil 2)
Group Band Previous: AFTERSHOCK
Gear: Guitars Caparison Dellinger, Mesa Boogie Dual Rec Heads and 4x12 angled cabs, Seinheizer EM500 Wireless guitar systems, Line 6 Gear, Framus Amplifier
Influence: Pantera, Arch Enemy, In Flames
Living Places: Massachusset
Expertise: Rhythm, Song Writing & Composing.
Adam Dutkiewitz including one secret weapon in the metal band that is being increased at this time leaves Engage KILLSWITCH. Games and choosing the guitar sound that is quite good with Joel Stroetzel create Killswitch Engage increasingly known in the world.
Because the opportunity to study and graduated from the University of Berkeley in the album "Alive Or Just Breathing" Adam acted as producer as well as the drummer in the album. However, if we listen to their latest album "The End Of Heartache", Adam shows the maturity and the maturity in the play, making the composition and selection of sound that's much better than the previous album.
With Adam and the band Killswitch Engage has been proved that metal music is not always contain the lyrics, the lyrics sound grim or loud and there is no harmony or melody, such as metal bands preceding.
Wes Borland - Guitar Player Of Limp Bizkit
Name: Wes Borland
Full Name: Wesley Louden Borland
Place / Date of Birth: Nashville, Tennessee / 7 February 1975
Official website: http://www.wesborland.net/
Game Style: Hip Metal, Nu Metal
Previous group Band: Limp Bizkit
Group Band now: Eat The Day, Bigdumbface
Musical influences: Metallica, Minor Threat, Circle jerks, Black Flag, and Testament
Guitar: Ibanez UV7, Ibanez RG7421 7 string, Ibanez 7221 7 string ax, ax-4 Ibanez custom, Ibanez S series custom Saber
Effects: Boss RV-5, Boss RV-3, Advance Boss EQ, Boss NS-2, Digitech XP300, DOD FX25,
Ampli: Mesa Boogie, Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus
Chord: Dean Markley
Wes Borland was a guitarist who most favorite by young people in the United States to two this millennium. His career with the Limp Bizkit who toss their name as one of the adjacent frontman Fred Durst. With makeup on, such as skeleton, making it one of the trend for the center metal in the music industry 2000an years.
Wes obtain first guitar at age 12 years. But initially he prefers drum. But her parents forbade Wes hard to learn drums. First learning the guitar, he was given training by the music-blues and country music. But Wes is very small hate a country music that is too excessive. He even fall in love on the music group metal that it was rule the music world, Metallica.
Not long after, Wes moved to Florida with his family. Talent his guitar start playing like when he is able to show the lessons from the guitar teacher at that time. Please note that, at that time Wes has 2 teachers, one expert guitar rock, blues, country, and while that one expert classical guitar. But Wes finally decided to learn jazz rather than classical guitar. Finally, he was deep into jazz guitar for 3 years.
Times the SMA is important for him. At that time he was in school in the Hillsboro High School, Nashville. At the school he is always fighting and making-up to the problem itself was named "crank." Therefore, it is not favored and rarely have friends. After graduating high school he worked in several pubs and cafes as Bartender. There he first heard about the Limp Bizkit of a visitor who is a bar bassis Limp Bizkit, Sam Rivers. Not long after he was officially joining as Limp Bizkit guitarist. Together with new band he began playing in several pubs with The Deftones. Comport with the type of music hip metal quickly get their own fans. Then Wes Borland cs start making demo recordings that eventually fell to producer Ross Robinson. In 1998, Limp Bizkit start the release of the album titled Three Dollar Bill Y'all. Make into a long number with the property of George Michael, entitled Faith Yang recyclables with their own style. This album is surprisingly successful in occupying the position of 22 Billboard charts. Limp Bizkit started a series of tours in the United States and their names have been used as the new Metallica.
In the same year on 10 April, Wes married Heather McMilian and immediately gave him inspiration to create a new album with the band. In 1999 Limp Bizkit album to released-two Others who called it this time far more successful from the first album with the peak position successfully occupied Billboard Charts with hits single throw Nookie. Consequence of this success is the start The growth bands that bring new types of music hip metal. The name is Wes Borland started get public attention because it has a style that make up a little creative with the style adapt Gambit, cartoon figures in the X-Men. He was chosen by young people in the United States as the most favorite guitarist that year. Actually nothing too special for the game guitar album in the Wes-Limp Bizkit album. For the game is very minimal because the demands of the age that makes it so.
October 17, 2000, Limp Bizkit released third album with titled Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog flavored water. This album put 3 hits single, entitled My Generation, Rollin ', and Take a Look Around. This album quickly became champion again in the Billboard charts. A year later merelease Limp Bizkit album that contains some old songs that recyclables. This is the last appearance with the Limp Bizkit Wes, and Wes decided because exit. He did not agree with the concept of music such as Limp Bizkit, very boring. He wanted a change type of music. He wanted a band like Metallica or Radiohead. He also began to form a new band called Eat The Day. But he has not yet vocalis. He also spread the invitation on the Internet to audition for the band vocalis. News was it a scene in the metal music.
2001 Wes establish a project called Big Dumb Face. However, album sales not as successful as he was still during the Limp Bizkit first. According to him, Big Dumb Face is just a change project and its focus remains on Eat The Day. However, in 2005, Wes Borland joined again with Limp Bizkit and released the album The Best of the fruit diselingi 3 new songs. Although released album The Best, according to Wes itself this is not the signs of the end of history Limp Bizkit. This is a new beginning for a new beginning.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Ritchie Blackmore - Brilliant Musician
Ritchie Blackmore is one of the guitarist who is being considered in the era of 70-an. Technique in which the game arpeggionya electric guitar with overdrive / distortion made a lot of role models for the shredder in the days of heavy metal era 80-an.
At the time he was in the era of 70-an, electric guitar at that time was still using techniques such as blues bending, vibrato and picking a traditional course. But Ritchie gives a touch of the electric guitar, playing with the economical picking, arpeggio, tremolo picking, whammy bar techniques even in the standard tremolo Fender Stratocaster guitar he already apply in the era of an 70-year at that time.
Such us the name of Yngwie Malmsteen, Joe Stump, Chris Impellitteri, or as one of the shredder is enough to adopt the technique of Ritchie. Can be said, Richie Blackmore as the ringleader of the shredder guitarist.
In 1967, Ritchie who initially had to play with some bands such as the Outlaws, Screaming Lord Sutch, and Neil Christian & The Crusaders be joined by Jon Lord, former kibordis Artwoods / The Flowerpot Men, where this is the beginning of the beginning band form a giant a living legend until now: DEEP PURPLE.
During this period, Deep Purple has changed personnel up to 4 times, and also after the switch is still up to now.
Deep Purple in 1969 have created a concept of their joint concert with the classical orchestra accompaniment, which in this case imitated by many bands such as Metallica successor, Scorpion, and Yngwie Malmsteen that also uses a similar concept in one of their concerts.
The era of Deep Purple is a triumph when they released the album "IN ROCK" (1970), a game where the real guitarist Ritchie started out here.
Also appear after the album "Fireball" (1971) and in 1972 released the album Deep Purple "Machine HEAD" which is considered the music critics as the best rock albums that time, with hits in songs Smoke On The Water and Highway Star.
After that time period-Deep Purple began to experience internal shake-up, particularly private matter between Ritchie with vocalist Ian Gillan at the time. Ritchie in 1975, officially resigned from the Deep Purple because of the skewer on the color purple music sast that have started to the Funk-Blues.
Ritchie finally established the band solo project he named Rainbow, and I was here that many critics felt that this band represents the soul and music that actually Ritchie.
And in the songs Rainbow, Ritchie has spent a lot of skill as he plays the guitar arpeggio that fast, whammy bar, tremolo picking and picking economical.
In 1984 to Deep Purple in 1993 to make their best formation for the reunion again, and hits one of the songs I created during that era was "Perfect Stranger" that made the song Medley by Dream Theater. However, during that time, the Rainbow is not too productive again, albeit still a few albums out.
In 1993 when Deep Purple the world tour, Ritchie officially resigned again in the midst of a series of concerts that took place in Europe. Consequently, the position of the left part of the Ritchie tour that has not been finally completed by Joe Satriani.
In 1996 Ritchie still released last Rainbow album, and 3 years later, Ritchie even make a band together with his wife, Candice Night as vocalist to create a new band called Blackmore's Night with the flow of celtic folk, contemporary celtic, contemporary folk, irish. Truly a band with the flow of the music is very much different game with guitarist Ritchie is so fierce in the era of Deep Purple and Rainbow successful.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Yngwie Malmsteen Guitar Player Review
Yngwie Malmsteen is a pioneer of birth to all guitar shredder that we show in this website. After Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen) first carries tembang "Eruption" in 1978 which introduced the technique "two handed Tapping", Yngwie released album classic Baroque shred debutnya "Rising Force" that mengegerkan communities guitar rock, creating new standards for speed & expertise in the play. Color "Neo-Classical" in the bawahkan Yngwie is based on the structure of the composition of JS Bach (1685-1750) and Niccolo Paganini (1782-1840).
After the show the guitar shredder that produces the many successful albums. Almost every sunday new guitarist who appear to claim himself as the new guitarist the fastest in the world. For example: Paul Gilbert, Marty Friedman, Jason Becker, Richie Kotzen, Vinnie Moore, Tony Macalpine, Greg Howe, etc.. Can not be denied that Yngwie is a guitar hero who deserves a thumbs diacungi.
Marriage Yngwie father (an army captain) and his mother (Rigmor - artists) ended with penceraian not long after Yngwie was born. In addition, Yngwie also has a sister named Ann Louise women and men older brother Bjorn. Yngwie was born as the youngest child of the wild, can not be regulated and clean.
Yngwie initially tried to learn piano and trumpet, but he can not control the instrument. Acoustic guitar (air guitar), which was bought by his mother at the time he was 5 years old are also not left untouched Yngwie and bergelantung on the wall.
Until the end date on 18 September 1970, Yngwie saw a special event on the death Jimi Hendrix. Yngwie there are still 17 years witnessed the page how the Jimi Hendrix guitar feedback and noise gitarnya burning in front of spectators. On the day of his death page Jimi Hendrix was born guitarist Yngwie game.
Yngwie is a curious and bought a cheap Fender Stratocaster, tembangnya trying to play Deep Purple and spent plenty of time to know the secret of instruments and music equipment itself. Yngwie admiration for Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple guitarist), which is influenced by classical music and the admiration of the female older brother who often played composition Bach, Vivaldi, Beethoven, and Mozart, Yngwie to provide ideas to combine classical music with rock music. Yngwie continues to play a full day until tidurpun he was still with gitarnya.
At the age of 10 years, Yngwie uses his mother's maiden name "Malmsteen", mengfokuskan all her energy and stop school. Yngwie at the school known as onar and often berantem, but smart in learning the English language and art. His mother realized that music is a unique talent, allowing the Yngwie live in a house with a recording and gitarnya. After witnessing violinis Gideon Kremer present composition Paganini: 24 Caprices on television, Yngwie finally know how to marry classical music with skill games and karismanya.
Yngwie and several friends of recording 3 demo songs and sent to the CBS studio recording Swedish, but the recording never digubris or distributed. Because frustasinya, Yngwie realized that he had to leave Sweden and began recording a demo to send him to a recording studio in various foreign countries. One of Yngwie's demo tape was falling into the hands of Guitar Player konstributor and Shrapnel Records owner: Mike Varney. Yngwie finally got the invitation to Los Angeles to join the band latest Shrapnel: "Steeler" and so called as its history. In February 1983 Yngwie departure from Sweden to Los Angeles with the expertise and provision new style of game.
Yngwie next game is known the world with a very fast game in the intro song "Hot On Your Heels." Yngwie and the band moved to the group Alcatrazz, a band-style "Rainbow" and was founded by singer Graham Bonnett. Although it has joined Alcatrazz that show the many great solo in the song "Kree Nakoorie," "Jet to Jet," and "Hiroshima Mon Amour", Yngwie still feel too restricted by the band itself. Finally, just think that Yngwie album to be sololah the best solution.
Yngwie's first solo album: Rising Force (now dinobatkan book of rock music as Neo-Classical) successfully entered the number 60 on the Billboard charts for the ladder instrumental guitar music without commercial smelly. This album also won Grammy nominations for Best Rock Instrumental. Not long after Yngwie was chosen as Best New Immigrants guitarist in various magazines and media, guitarist Best That Year, and Rising Force became Album Open for that year also.
On 22 June 1987 near to the ultah Yngwie-24, Yngwie accident with a car that caused him Jaguarnya coma nearly a week. Stoppage of blood to the brain also cause Yngwie right hand does not work. Because of fear that his career would end that, Yngwie struggling with the therapy to restore right hand. After that trial, Yngwie get more from the death of his mother in Sweden due to the disease of cancer that spends a lot of medical costs. If Yngwie others, may be surrendered with such a fate, but Yngwie is changed and returned to music with the spirit high.
After that Yngwie album that launched in demand, such as sweet, Odyssey, Eclipse, Fire & Ice, Seventh Sign, I Can not Wait, Magnum Opus, Inspiration, facing the Animal, Alchemy, War To End All Wars Yngwie and finally succeeded in realizing the ideals-citanya to play with a full Orkestra on one of the album: Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra in Eb minor, Op. 1 (1998).
When the album merelease Eclipse (1990), Yngwie had a tour and make a successful concert in Indonesia (Jakarta, Solo, and Surabaya). According to the plan in July 2001 this Yngwie concert will also be back in Indonesia, but the government canceled because his wife menasehati USA & Yngwie political security will be in Indonesia. While ticket Yngwie behavior was already hard in Indonesia, Yngwie fans in Indonesia may be disappointed. When Yngwie will be more concerts in Indonesia if the Indonesian political situation is still like this?
Album-album is Attack! a number of instrumental hits Baroque & Roll. In 2003, Yngwie invited to join in the formation of G3 with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai who spawn 1 album and 1 video. Once finished with the G3 tour, he merampungkan album Unleash The Fury. Album direlease epidemic beginning in 2005.
Monday, February 16, 2009
ZAKK WYLDE Guitar Player
"A favorite Metal guitarist in the United States"
Original name : Jeffery Philip Wielandt
Place / Date of Birth: New Jersey / 14 January 1967
Game Style : Metal
Group Band now : Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne
Musical influences : Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, AC / DC, Motor Head, Lynird Skynird
Favorite guitarist : Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee
The Used Guitar : Gibson Les Paul signature zakk Wylde
Effects : Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Wah, Dunlop RotoVibe, MXR zw-44 Dunlop Overdrive, MXR M-134 Stereo Chorus, MXR EVH Phase 90, Boss OC-2 Octaver
Ampli : Marshall JCM 800, 2 Marshall 1960B cabinets
Zakk Wykde is a guitar tune by the many young people the United States. One of the many metal guitarist guitarist Conference-metal guitarist in the next generation. She started to become famous ever since Ozzy Osbourne guitarist. Since that time until now sosoknya often decorate the cover of front-cover music magazines, especially metal.
Zakk play the course since the start age of 8 years. Originally it was called as the regular Flip, is plesetan middle of the name, Philip. But then he does not go out and learn more music. New age of 14 years when he started studying music again and even had time to also study classical guitar. Several years later he formed the first band Stone Henge in 1984. In this band he played songs from Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Rush.
After finishing high school, he joined the new band called Zyris. Since the start this is the band entered the stage name he Zakari Wyland. Such as the band is still there, in this new band still play songs from Black Sabbath and Led Zeppeline. Together with this band he also never appear in the Stone Pony event that had been successful the name Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi.
Three years later he saw in television that Ozzy Osbourne are looking for a guitarist who has not become popular for gitarisnya. Zakk is very interested, but he was accompanying replace Ozzy and Randy Rhoads or Jake E. Lee is only a fantasy. Akan but when he is showing in a concert, a rock photographer and see the game zakk zakk urged that the audition is held by Ozzy Osbourne. Zakk eventually send a demo tape to the game gitarnya Ozzy Osbourne. After that he was doing immediately before the Ozzy audition. He played some Ozzy songs and classical songs. In fact the godfather Heavy Metal is directly interested in the zakk. He was immediately interesting as zakk gitarisnya replace lead guitarist-terdahulunya the guitarist Randy Rhoads and Jake E. Lee is also a guitarist zakk own idol.
That year also zakk directly into the kitchen recording an album for the recording Ozzy Osbourne, No Rest for the Wicked. Should be noted that, at that time age zakk not even 20 years old alias new age of 19 years. When joined with Ozzy this is zakk given the last name "Wylde '. Ozzy Osbourne zakk was officially introduced to the public as the new guitarist in the Hard Rock Café, New York, on 15 December 1987. Heavy metal world that had lost Randy Rhoads, now get a successor. Zakk Wylde quickly immediately become idol-idol-music listener heavy metal music, particularly in the United States.
Zakk also present in the Moscow Peace Festival which also participated in the bands on board, such as Skid Row, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, and Scorpions. Two years later zakk again enter the kitchen to finish recording the album No More Tears. Many observers rate, this album is the best album with Ozzy Osbourne zakk. He shows the game solo in the song Mr. Tinkertrain and Mama, I'm Coming Home. Zakk style changes quite a lot of experience from the album No More Tears are a lot of influence of Randy Rhoads.
1992, formed the band called zakk Lynird Skinhead. This band play songs Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Bros., ZZ Top, and Mountain. It also can play a few songs classic rock. Zakk Farm Fiddlin track record and then appear in the album Guitars That Rule The World Vol.1. Then he change the name of a band 'Pride & Glory' as the name Lynird Skinhead too felt very similar to the name of the group leendaris Lynird Skynyrd.
In 1995, Ozzy Osbourne had a previous vacuum cleaner from the world of music, decided to rise up and call back zakk. Given the title of the latest album Ozzmosis. In this album also appear one song written by Steve Vai, entitled My Little Man.
Next three years, zakk formed a new band called Hell's Kitchen, which then turns into Black Label Society. The first album with Black Label Society is named Sonic Brewery. Together with this new band and the wave zakk Wylde.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Rudolf Schenker Guitar Ibanez Learning
Rudolf Schenker (born August 31, 1948) is a German guitarist and founding member of heavy metal band Scorpions. being the rhythm/lead guitarist and one of the main song-writers of the band.
After starting out with a Fender Stratocaster, Schenker is primarily known for playing Gibson Flying Vs and, more recently, Dean Vs. In the Acoustica DVD, he is seen playing an acoustic Flying V made especially for him by Dommenget. He now uses Dean acoustic V models.
In an interview on the 'World Wide Live' video, he mentioned that his goal is not to become the best or fastest guitarist, but to be a very good composer.
In most Scorpions songs, guitar solos are performed by lead guitarist Matthias Jabs, but there are exceptions, such as "Wind of Change", "Still Loving You", "As Soon As The Good Times Roll", "Through My Eyes" and "Big City Nights".
His younger brother Michael Schenker has also been a member of Scorpions in the band's earliest inception.
At New Year 1970, the younger Schenker brother Michael, who despite his youth had already established himself as an outstanding guitarist, left the Hanover-based group Copernicus, along with singer and composer Klaus Meine, to join Rudolf Schenker's SCORPIONS. Rudolf Schenker and Klaus Meine teamed up to form the accomplished Schenker/Meine songwriting duo, so laying the foundations for a spectacular success story.
In 1972, the SCORPIONS released their remarkable début album, Lonesome Crow, produced by Conny Plank in Hamburg. The vocal and instrumental ingredients which over the years were to develop into the typical, unmistakable SCORPIONS sound, were already recognisable: uncompromising, guitar-orientated hard rock, on the lines of what Jimmy Hendrix, Cream and Led Zeppelin generated in the mid-1960s. The distinctive SCORPIONS style came from the combination of two electric guitars, a fusion of fabulously forceful power riffs with dazzlingly exuberant guitar solos. Added to which was the instantly recognisable voice of singer and front man Klaus Meine with his highly expressive and polished delivery.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Kurt Cobain Guitar Ibanez Story
Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – c. April 5, 1994) was an American musician who served as lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the Seattle-based grunge band Nirvana.
With the lead single "Smells Like Teen Spirit" from Nirvana's second album Nevermind (1991), Cobain with Nirvana entered into the mainstream, bringing along with them a subgenre of alternative rock called grunge. Other Seattle grunge bands such as Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden also gained popularity, and, as a result, alternative rock became a dominant genre on radio and music television in the United States during the early-to-middle 1990s. As Nirvana's frontman, Cobain found himself referred to in the media as the "spokesman of a generation", with Nirvana the "flagship band" of "Generation X". Cobain was uncomfortable with the attention and placed his focus on his band's music, challenging his band's audience with its third studio album In Utero (1993).
During the last years of his life, Cobain struggled with drug addiction and the media pressures surrounding him and his wife, Courtney Love. On April 8, 1994, Cobain was found dead in his home in Seattle, the victim of what was officially ruled a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head. In ensuing years, the circumstances of his death became a topic of fascination and debate.LIVE AND CARIER
Early life
Kurt Cobain was born to Irish-American parents Donald and Wendy Cobain on February 20, 1967 in Aberdeen, Washington and spent his first six months living in the city of Hoquiam, Washington before the family moved to Aberdeen. He began developing an interest in music early in his life. According to his Aunt Mari, "He was singing from the time he was two. He would sing Beatles songs like 'Hey Jude'. He had a lot of charisma from a very young age."
Cobain's life changed at the age of eight when his parents divorced in 1975, an event which he later cited as having a profound impact on his life. His mother noted that his personality changed dramatically, with Cobain becoming more withdrawn. In a 1993 interview, Cobain said, "I remember feeling ashamed, for some reason. I was ashamed of my parents. I couldn't face some of my friends at school anymore, because I desperately wanted to have the classic, you know, typical family. Mother, father. I wanted that security, so I resented my parents for quite a few years because of that."After a year spent living with his mother following the divorce, Cobain moved to Montesano, Washington to live with his father, but after a few years his youthful rebellion became too overwhelming and he found himself being shuffled between friends and family.
At school, Cobain took little interest in sports. At his father's insistence, Cobain joined the junior high wrestling team. While he was good at it, he despised it. Later, his father signed him up for a local baseball league, where Cobain would intentionally strike out to avoid having to play. Instead, Cobain focused on his art courses. He often drew during classes, including objects associated with human anatomy. Cobain was friends with a gay student at his school, sometimes suffering bullying at the hands of homophobic students. That friendship led some to believe that he himself was gay. In a 1993 interview with The Advocate, Cobain claimed that he was "gay in spirit" and "probably could be bisexual". He also stated that he used to spray paint "God is Gay" on pickup trucks around Aberdeen. He was arrested in 1985 for spray-painting "HOMO SEX RULES" on a bank. However, Aberdeen police records show that the phrase for which he was arrested was actually "Ain't got no how watchamacallit".In one of his personal journals, Cobain wrote, "I am not gay, although I wish I were, just to piss off homophobes." As a teenager growing up in small-town Washington, Cobain eventually found escape through the thriving Pacific Northwest punk scene, going to punk rock shows in Seattle. Eventually, Cobain began frequenting the practice space of fellow Montesano musicians the Melvins.
In the middle of tenth grade, Cobain moved back to live with his mother in Aberdeen. Two weeks before his graduation, Cobain dropped out of high school after realizing that he did not have enough credits to graduate. His mother gave him a choice: either get a job or leave. After a week or so, Cobain found his clothes and other belongings packed away in boxes. Forced out of his mother's home, Cobain often stayed at friends' houses and sneaked into his mother's basement occasionally claimed that when he could not find anywhere else to stay, he lived under a bridge over the Wishkah River,an experience that inspired the Nevermind track "Something in the Way". However, Krist Novoselic claimed that Cobain never really lived there, saying, "He hung out there, but you couldn't live on those muddy banks, with the tides coming up and down. That was his own revisionism."
In late 1986, Cobain moved into the first house he lived in alone and paid his rent by working at a coastal resort twenty miles from Aberdeen. At the same time, Cobain was traveling more frequently to Olympia, Washington to check out rock shows. During his visits to Olympia, Cobain started a relationship with Tracy Marander.
NIRVANA
For his 14th birthday, Cobain's uncle gave him the option of a guitar or a bicycle as a gift; Cobain chose the guitar. He started learning a few covers, including AC/DC's "Back in Black" and The Cars' "My Best Friend's Girl", and soon began working on his own songs.
In high school, Cobain rarely found anyone to jam with. While hanging out at the Melvins practice space, he met Krist Novoselic, a fellow devotee of punk rock. Novoselic's mother owned a hair salon and Cobain and Novoselic would occasionally practice in the upstairs room. A few years later, Cobain tried to convince Novoselic to form a band with him by lending him a copy of a home demo recorded by Cobain's earlier band, Fecal Matter. After months of asking, Novoselic finally agreed to join Cobain, forming the beginnings of Nirvana.
During their first few years playing together, Novoselic and Cobain were hosts to a rotating list of drummers. Eventually, the band settled on Chad Channing, with whom Nirvana recorded the album Bleach, released on Sub Pop Records in 1989. Cobain, however, became dissatisfied with Channing's style, leading the band to seek out a replacement, eventually settling on Dave Grohl. With Grohl, the band found their greatest success via their 1991 major-label debut, Nevermind.
Cobain struggled to reconcile the massive success of Nirvana with his underground roots. He also felt persecuted by the media, comparing himself to Frances Farmer, and harbored resentment for people who claimed to be fans of the band but who completely missed the point of the band's message. One incident particularly distressing to Cobain involved two men who raped a woman while singing the Nirvana song "Polly". Cobain condemned the episode in the liner notes of the US release of the album Incesticide: "Last year, a girl was raped by two wastes of sperm and eggs while they sang the lyrics to our song 'Polly'. I have a hard time carrying on knowing there are plankton like that in our audience. Sorry to be so anally P.C. but that's the way I feel!" we love Kurt!
MARRIAGECourtney Love first saw Cobain perform in 1989 at a show in Portland, Oregon; the pair talked briefly after the show and Love developed a crush on him. According to journalist Everett True, the pair were formally introduced at an L7/Butthole Surfers concert in Los Angeles in May 1991. In the weeks that followed, after learning from Dave Grohl that she and Cobain shared mutual crushes, Love began pursuing Cobain. After a few weeks of on-again, off-again courtship in the fall of 1991, the two found themselves together on a regular basis, often bonding through drug use.
Around the time of Nirvana's 1992 performance on Saturday Night Live, Love discovered that she was pregnant with Cobain's child. A few days after the conclusion of Nirvana's Pacific Rim tour, on Monday, February 24, 1992, Cobain married Love on Waikiki Beach, Hawaii. "In the last couple months I've gotten engaged and my attitude has changed drastically," Cobain said in an interview with Sassy magazine. "I can't believe how much happier I am. At times I even forget that I'm in a band, I'm so blinded by love. I know that sounds embarrassing, but it's true. I could give up the band right now. It doesn't matter, but I'm under contract." On August 18, the couple's daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, was born. The unusual middle name was given to her because Cobain thought she looked like a kidney bean on the first sonogram he saw of her. She was named for Frances McKee of British band The Vaselines and not Frances Farmer as is sometimes reported.
Love was somewhat unpopular with Nirvana fans; her harshest critics said she was merely using him as a vehicle to make herself famous. Critics who compared Cobain to John Lennon were also fond of comparing Love to Yoko Ono. Rumors persist that Cobain wrote most of the songs on the breakthrough album Live Through This of Love's band Hole, partially fueled by the 1996 appearance of a rough mix of "Asking for It" with Cobain singing backing vocals. However, there is no specific evidence to support the assertion.
At the same time, one song by Hole was discovered to be a song originally written by Nirvana. The song "Old Age" appeared as a B-side on the 1993 single for Beautiful Son, credited to Hole. Initially, there was no reason to believe it was anything other than a Hole-penned song. However, in 1998, a boombox recording of the song performed by Nirvana (with significantly different lyrics) was surfaced by Seattle newspaper The Stranger. In the article that accompanied the clip, Novoselic confirmed that the recording was made in 1991 and that "Old Age" was a Nirvana song, leading to more speculation about Cobain's involvement in Hole's catalog. Nirvana had even attempted to record "Old Age" during the sessions for Nevermind, but it was left incomplete as Cobain had yet to finish the lyrics and the band had run out of studio time. (The incomplete recording appeared on the 2004 compilation With the Lights Out, credited to Cobain.) As for Hole's version, guitarist Eric Erlandson noted that he believed Cobain wrote the music for the song, but that Love had written the lyrics for their version.
In a 1992 article in Vanity Fair, Love admitted to using heroin while (unknowingly) pregnant. Love claimed that Vanity Fair had misquoted her, but her admission created controversy for the couple. While Cobain and Love's romance had always been something of a media attraction, the couple found themselves hounded by tabloid reporters after the article was published, many wanting to know if Frances was addicted to drugs at birth. The Los Angeles County Department of Children's Services took the Cobains to court, claiming that the couple's drug usage made them unfit parents. Two-week-old Frances Bean Cobain was ordered by the judge to be taken from their custody and placed with Courtney's sister Jamie for several weeks, after which the couple obtained custody, but had to submit to urine tests and a regular visit from a social worker. After months of legal wrangling, the couple were eventually granted full custody of their daughter.
Drug addiction
Throughout most of his life, Cobain battled chronic bronchitis and intense physical pain due to an undiagnosed chronic stomach condition. This last condition was especially debilitating to him emotionally, and he spent years trying to find its cause. However, none of the doctors he consulted were able to pinpoint the specific cause, guessing that it was either a result of Cobain's childhood scoliosis or related to the stresses of performing.
His first drug experience was with marijuana in 1980 at age 13. Cobain's first experience with heroin occurred sometime in 1986, administered to him by a local drug dealer in Tacoma, Washington, who had previously been supplying him with Percodan. Cobain used heroin sporadically for several years, but, by the end of 1990, his use had developed into a full-fledged addiction. Cobain claimed that he was "determined to get a habit" as a way to self-medicate his stomach condition. Related Cobain, "It started with three days in a row of doing heroin and I don't have a stomach pain. That was such a relief."
His heroin use eventually began affecting the band's support of Nevermind, with Cobain passing out during photo shoots. One memorable example came the day of the band's 1992 performance on Saturday Night Live, where Nirvana had a shoot with photographer Michael Levine. Having shot up beforehand, Cobain nodded off several times during the shoot. Regarding the shoot, Cobain related to biographer Michael Azerrad, "I mean, what are they supposed to do? They're not going to be able to tell me to stop. So I really didn't care. Obviously to them it was like practicing witchcraft or something. They didn't know anything about it so they thought that any second, I was going to die."
Cobain's heroin addiction worsened as the years progressed. Cobain made his first attempt at rehab in early 1992, not long after he and Love discovered they were going to become parents. Immediately after leaving rehab, Nirvana embarked on their Australian tour, with Cobain appearing pale and gaunt while suffering through withdrawals. Not long after returning home, Cobain's heroin use resumed.
Prior to a performance at the New Music Seminar in New York City in July 1993, Cobain suffered a heroin overdose. Rather than calling for an ambulance, Love injected Cobain with illegally acquired Narcan to bring him out of his unconscious state. Cobain proceeded to perform with Nirvana, giving the public no indication that anything out of the ordinary had taken place.
Cobain's final weeks and death
On March 18, Love phoned police to inform them that Cobain was suicidal and had locked himself in a room with a gun. Police arrived and confiscated several guns and a bottle of pills from Cobain, who insisted that he was not suicidal and had locked himself in the room to hide from Love. When questioned by police, Love admitted that Cobain had never mentioned that he was suicidal and that she had not seen him with a gun.
Love arranged an intervention concerning Cobain's drug use that took place on March 25. The ten people involved included musician friends, record company executives, and one of Cobain's closest friends, Dylan Carlson. But Bassist Krist Novoselic tipped him off as he considered the idea to be "stupid". However, by the end of the day, Cobain had agreed to undergo a detox program. Cobain arrived at the Exodus Recovery Center in Los Angeles, California, on March 30. The following night, Cobain walked outside to have a cigarette, then climbed over a six-foot-high fence to leave the facility. He took a taxi to Los Angeles Airport and flew back to Seattle. Over the course of April 2 and April 3, Cobain was spotted in various locations around Seattle, but most of his friends and family were unaware of his whereabouts. On April 3, Love contacted a private investigator, Tom Grant, and hired him to find Cobain. On April 7, amid rumors Nirvana was going to break up, at the high water mark of the grunge movement the band pulled out of the Lollapalooza that year. On April 8, 1994, Cobain's body was discovered at his Lake Washington home by an electrician who had arrived to install a security system. Apart from a minor amount of blood coming out of Cobain's ear, Smith reported seeing no visible signs of trauma, and initially believed that Cobain was asleep until he saw the shotgun pointing at his chin. A suicide note was found that said, "I haven't felt the excitement of listening to as well as creating music, along with really writing . . . for too many years now". A high concentration of heroin and traces of Valium were also found in his body. Cobain's body had been lying there for days; the coroner's report estimated Cobain to have died on April 5, 1994.
A public vigil was held for Cobain on April 10 at a park at Seattle Center which drew approximately seven thousand mourners. Prerecorded messages by Krist Novoselic and Courtney Love were played at the memorial. Love read portions of Cobain's suicide note to the crowd and broke down, crying and chastising Cobain. Near the end of the vigil Love arrived at the park and distributed some of Cobain's clothing to those who still remained. Cobain's body was cremated.
Musical influences
Cobain was a devoted champion of early alternative rock acts. His interest in the underground started when Buzz Osborne of the Melvins let him borrow a tape with songs by punk bands such as Black Flag, Flipper, and Millions of Dead Cops. He would often make reference to his favorite bands in interviews, often placing a greater importance on the bands that influenced him than on his own music. Interviews with Cobain were often littered with references to obscure performers like The Vaselines, The Melvins, Daniel Johnston, The Meat Puppets, Young Marble Giants, The Wipers, Flipper, Butthole Surfers, Captain Beefheart, and The Raincoats. Cobain was eventually able to convince record companies to reissue albums by The Raincoats (Geffen) and The Vaselines (Sub Pop). Cobain also noted the influence of the Pixies, and commented that "Smells Like Teen Spirit" bore some similarities to their sound. Cobain told Melody Maker in 1992 that hearing Surfer Rosa for the first time convinced him to abandon his more Black Flag-influenced songwriting in favor of the "Iggy Pop / Aerosmith" type songwriting that appeared on Nevermind.[36]
The Beatles were an early and important musical influence on Cobain. Cobain expressed a particular fondness for John Lennon, whom he called his "idol" in his journals. Cobain once related that he wrote "About a Girl" after spending three hours listening to Meet The Beatles!.[37] He was heavily influenced by punk rock and hardcore punk, and often credited bands such as Black Flag and the Sex Pistols for his artistic style and attitude.
Even with all of Cobain's indie influences, Nirvana's early style was influenced by the major rock bands of the '70s, including Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Kiss, and Queen. In its early days, Nirvana made a habit of regularly playing cover songs by those bands, including Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song", "Dazed and Confused", "Heartbreaker", and made a studio recording of Kiss' "Do You Love Me?". Cobain also talked about the influence of bands like The Knack, Boston, and The Bay City Rollers. There were also earlier influences: Nirvana's MTV Unplugged concert ended with a version of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night", a song popularized by blues artist Lead Belly, whom Cobain called one of his favorite performers. Critic Greil Marcus suggested that Cobain's "Polly" was a descendant of "Pretty Polly", a murder ballad that might have been a century old when Dock Boggs recorded it in 1927. Cobain also made efforts to include his favorite performers in his musical endeavors. At the 1991 Reading Festival, Eugene Kelly of the Vaselines joined Nirvana onstage for a duet of "Molly's Lips", which Cobain would later proclaim to be one of the greatest moments of his life. In 1993, when he decided that he wanted a second guitarist to help him on stage, he recruited Pat Smear of the legendary L.A. punk band The Germs. When rehearsals of three Meat Puppets covers for Nirvana's 1993 performance for MTV Unplugged went awry, Cobain placed a call to the two lead members of the band, Curt and Cris Kirkwood, who ended up joining the band on stage to perform the songs. Cobain also contributed backing guitar for a spoken word William S. Burroughs recording entitled "the "Priest" they called him".
Where Sonic Youth had served to help Nirvana gain wider success, Nirvana attempted to help other indie acts attain success. The band submitted the song "Oh, the Guilt" to a split single with Chicago's The Jesus Lizard, helping Nirvana's indie credibility while opening The Jesus Lizard to a wider audience.
Legacy
In the years following his death, Cobain is now often remembered as one of the most iconic rock musicians in the history of alternative music. In 2005, a sign was put up in Aberdeen, Washington that read "Welcome to Aberdeen - Come As You Are" as a tribute to Cobain. The sign was paid for and created by the Kurt Cobain Memorial Committee, a non-profit organization created in May 2004 to honor Cobain. The Committee also planned to create a Kurt Cobain Memorial Park and a youth center in Aberdeen.
As Cobain has no gravesite, many Nirvana fans visit Viretta Park, near Cobain's former Lake Washington home, to pay tribute. On the anniversary of his death, fans gather in the park to celebrate his life and memory.
Gus Van Sant based his 2005 movie Last Days on what might have happened in the final hours of Cobain's life. In January 2007, Courtney Love began to shop the biography Heavier Than Heaven to various movie studios in Hollywood to turn the book into an A-list feature film about Cobain and Nirvana.
Books and films on Cobain
Prior to Cobain's death, writer Michael Azerrad published Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana, a book that chronicled Nirvana's career from its beginning, as well as the personal histories of the band members. The book explored Cobain's drug addiction, as well as the countless controversies surrounding the band. After Cobain's death, Azerrad re-published the book to include a final chapter discussing the last year of Cobain's life. The book is notable for its involvement of the band members themselves, who gave interviews and personal information to Azerrad specifically for the book. In 2006, Azerrad's taped conversations with Cobain were transformed into a documentary about Cobain, titled Kurt Cobain About a Son.
In the 1998 documentary Kurt & Courtney, filmmaker Nick Broomfield investigated Tom Grant's claim that Cobain was actually murdered, and took a film crew to visit a number of people associated with Cobain and Love, including Love's father, Cobain's aunt, and one of the couple's former nannies. Broomfield also spoke to Mentors bandleader Eldon "El Duce" Hoke, who claimed that Love had offered him $50,000 to kill Cobain. Although Hoke claimed that he knew who killed Cobain, he failed to mention a name, and offered no evidence to support his assertion. Broomfield inadvertently captured Hoke's last interview, as he died days later, reportedly hit by a train while drunk. In the end, however, Broomfield felt he hadn't uncovered enough evidence to conclude the existence of a conspiracy. In a 1998 interview, Broomfield summed it up by saying, "I think that he committed suicide. I don't think that there's a smoking gun. And I think there's only one way you can explain a lot of things around his death. Not that he was murdered, but that there was just a lack of caring for him. I just think that Courtney had moved on, and he was expendable."
Journalists Ian Halperin and Max Wallace took a similar path and attempted to investigate the conspiracy for themselves. Their initial work, the 1999 book Who Killed Kurt Cobain? argued that, while there wasn't enough evidence to prove a conspiracy, there was more than enough to demand that the case be reopened. A notable element of the book included their discussions with Grant, who had taped nearly every conversation that he had undertaken while he was in Love's employ. Over the next several years, Halperin and Wallace collaborated with Grant to write a second book, 2004's Love and Death: The Murder of Kurt Cobain.
In 2001, writer Charles R. Cross published a biography of Cobain titled Heavier Than Heaven. For the book, Cross conducted over 400 interviews, and was given access by Courtney Love to Cobain's journals, lyrics, and diaries.In 2002, a sampling of Cobain's writings was published as Journals. The book is 280 pages with a simple black cover; the pages are arranged somewhat chronologically (although Cobain generally did not date them). The journal pages are reproduced in color, and there is a section added at the back that has explanations and transcripts of some of the less legible pages. The writings begin in the late 1980s, around the time the band started, and end in 1994. A paperback version of the book, released in 2003, included a handful of writings that were not offered in the initial release. In the journals, Cobain talked about the ups and downs of life on the road, made lists of what music he was enjoying, and often scribbled down lyric ideas for future reference. Upon its release, reviewers and fans were conflicted about the collection. Many were elated to be able to learn more about Cobain and read his inner thoughts in his own words, but were disturbed by what was viewed as an invasion of his privacy.
In 2003, Omnibus Press released Godspeed: The Kurt Cobain Graphic. It was written by Jim McCarthy and Barnaby Legg with illustrations by Flameboy. It depicts Cobain's life, but is not a factual biography. Rather, it uses artistic license to tell Cobain's story from his own point of view. Read More......Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Michael Angelo Batio Guitar Studied
Michael Angelo Batio (pronounced /ˈbeɪtioʊ/, also known as Mike Batio or MAB) (born in 1956) is an American guitarist and columnist from Chicago, Illinois. Considered to be one of the fastest guitarists in the world, Batio was voted the "No. 1 Shredder of All Time" by Guitar One Magazine in 2003. He was also listed as one of the "Top 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists of All Time" by Guitar World Magazine, whom he writes the column Time to Burn for, and one of the "20 Greatest Shredders of All Time" by Total Guitar Magazine, both in April 2008.
Early years
MAB started playing the piano and composing music at the age of five, and first played guitar at the age of ten, reportedly playing faster than his teacher within two years. At the age of fourteen he started playing jazz guitar, and within two years he had won the Chicago-based "All-State Jazz Solo Award". He attended Northeastern Illinois University and achieved a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Theory and Composition. After he had graduated, Batio looked to become a session guitarist in his hometown. When he asked for a job at a nearby studio, he was given a piece of music and simply asked to play it. Naturally, he managed to play it and added in some of his own improvisations and fills, making him the studio's primary call-out guitarist. As a session player, Batio recorded music for such companies as Burger King, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, KFC, United Airlines, United Way, McDonalds, Beatrice Corp. and the Chicago Wolves hockey team.
Holland (1984–1986)
Batio began his recording career in 1984 when he joined new Chicago-based heavy metal band Holland, an eponymous project set up by ex-Steppenwolf singer Tommy Holland. With major label Atlantic Records, the band released their debut studio album in 1985 entitled Little Monsters, which saw moderate success in the United States. The band split up soon after, and a compilation of material from the Little Monsters sessions, Wake Up the Neighbourhood, was released in 1999 through Batio's label M.A.C.E. Music.
The Michael Angelo Band (1986–1987)
After the breakup of Holland, Batio started his own eponymous band with singer Michael Cordet, bassist Allen Hearn and drummer Paul Cammarata. The Band did not release any albums, though three of their songs appeared on the 1998 Nitro compilation Gunnin' for Glory.
Nitro (1987–1993)
In 1987 Batio joined glam metal artist Jim Gillette on his solo album Proud to Be Loud, before founding the band Nitro with bassist T.J. Racer and drummer Bobby Rock. In 1989 Nitro released their first studio album, O.F.R., from which they released two singles, "Freight Train" and "Long Way From Home". The music video for "Freight Train", which received much airplay on MTV, was notable for featuring Batio playing his now famous 'Quad Guitar', a notion which FHM Magazine voted one of the "50 most outrageous moments in rock history"
By 1992, Rock and Racer had been replaced by Johnny Thunder and Ralph Carter respectively, and it was in this year that they released their second studio album entitled Nitro II: H.W.D.W.S.. Included on the album was a cover of Ted Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever", which the band also recorded a music video for. Nitro disbanded shortly afterwards.
Solo (1993–present)
In April 1993, Batio founded his own record label, M.A.C.E. Music, which became one of the first labels online in 1996. He used this label when he began recording his first album, No Boundaries, which he released in 1995. Batio's second studio release was Planet Gemini in 1997, which showed a very progressive, experimental side to his playing. In 1999, Batio released his first instructional video, Jam With Angelo, which came with his third studio album as a companion CD: Tradition. This was quickly followed by a fourth full-length album in 2000, Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity, which was credited to "Mike Batio and Rob Ross", the latter being the drummer. In 2003, Batio released his first DVD, the title release in his Speed Kills series, followed by the second, Speed Lives, in 2004. It was also in this year that Batio released a compilation album, Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity Part 2, which featured songs from Tradition and Lucid Intervals.
In 2005, Michael released his highly anticipated cover/tribute/studio album, Hands Without Shadows, which featured guest appearances from such musicians as Mark Tremonti (of Alter Bridge fame), Rudy Sarzo (of Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot, Whitesnake and Dio fame) and virtuoso newcomer Bill Peck. In 2006, DVD Speed Kills 2 was released, in addition to the first in the new Hands Without Shadows series, Performance. Batio's latest release came in 2007, when his first two albums - No Boundaries and Planet Gemini - were remixed and remastered with additional drums, for an album entitled 2 X Again; the title of a song from the first album. Angelo also released three DVDs in 2007: Speed Kills 3, 25 Jazz Progressions and MAB Jam Session.
Two DVDs are slated for a 2008 release, one that focuses on neo-classical techniques and concepts and another which will contain Batio's live performance at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center on July 9.[10] One of these DVDs is apparently to be entitled The Neoclassical Power Approach, according to the flyer for the aforementioned concert.
Style
Batio is (self-taught) ambidextrous, able to play two guitars at the same time either in synchronization or using separate harmonies, as shown when he plays his famous Double-Guitar. Though naturally left-handed, he plays as a right-handed person when playing one guitar. Batio mastered the "Over-Under" technique, which involves flipping his fretting hand over and under the neck, playing the guitar both regularly and like a piano.
Batio taught guitarist Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave fame) while at college. Morello has credited MAB with teaching him in a feature article in Guitar World Magazine in 2005. Michael also gave lessons to guitarist Mark Tremonti after Creed broke up and Tremonti wanted to learn more techniques.
Equipment
Guitars
Batio is an exclusive user of Dean Guitars, both electric and acoustic. In 2007 he designed and developed a signature guitar with Dean, known as the MAB1 Armorflame.
[edit] The Double-Guitar
Batio was the inventor of the Double-Guitar, a V-shaped, twin-neck guitar which can be played both right- and left-handed.[13] The first version of this instrument was actually two separate guitars simply played together, as opposed to being one entity. A Flying V was fastened to a snare drum in a left-handed position, while another one was strapped around his shoulder. The next version of the guitar, as designed by Batio and guitar technician Kenny Breit, featured a flight case latch attached to the back of each guitar, which could reportedly be assembled in five seconds. In October 2003, Dean designed and built the "Mach 7 Jet", and on March 6, 2007, the newest version was delivered to Batio. The original Double went on display at the Chicago Hard Rock Cafe 'wall of fame' before it was relocated to a HRC in Egypt. Its whereabouts are currently unknown.
When the Double-Guitar was first used in concert, Batio noticed that the guitars created a lot of feedback when played together. He decided that he needed to invent a way to 'dampen' the strings when both guitars were played at the same time, hence the invention of the "MAB String Dampener", which is now available to buy from M.A.C.E. Music.
The Double-Guitar was recently named as the 8th "coolest guitar in rock" by online music magazine Gigwise.
The Quad Guitar
As well as the Double Guitar, Michael Angelo also invented and designed the Quad Guitar. The guitar was originally built in conjunction with Gibson, and built by Wayne Charvel in California. The top two guitars have seven strings, while the bottom two have the regular six. The first Quad, as used in the video for Nitro's "Freight Train", was stolen in El Paso, Texas after the second show of Nitro's O.F.R. tour. When Batio was performing in November 2004, a young fan named Simon Jones and his father turned up with a guitar case which held inside the two top guitars of the Quad, as found by Mick Seymour. Dean designed and built a new Quad Guitar in 2007.
The Quad Guitar was recently named as the 2nd "coolest guitar in rock" by online music magazine Gigwise.
Effects
Batio's effects pedals are exclusively made by T-Rex, with whom he has also developed a signature model, the "MAB Overdrive".[18] In his years with Nitro, Batio used Boss overdrive (DS-1, SD-1) pedals.
In the studio, Michael also uses the following effects pedals:
- Eventide Eclipse
- Rocktron Intellifex
- Rocktron Replifex
- Dunlop Cry Baby
- Vintage original prototype Digitech Whammy
- Vintage Digitech 256 multi-FX
- Morley Wah Pedal
Pickups
Another signature piece of equipment Batio developed is the "MAB Hands Without Shadows" pickup, which he uses in his Double Guitar when touring. The pickup is specially designed for shred guitar, and provides the clean tone Batio is accustomed to. The Armorflame, Batio's signature guitar, uses EMG 81, 85 and SA pickups.
Earlier on in his career when he was first endorsed by Dean guitars he also embraced Dean's tradition of popularising Dimarzio pickups and had used Dimarzios in his guitars. These include the Dimarzio PAF, Super Distortion (sometimes using the Super Distortion both in the neck and bridge position, like how he did in his Gibson Charvel Circuit Board double guitar. This was the main setup during the recording of No Boundaries). Batio has also used pickups of other brands including Seymour Duncan, namely the Pearly Gates and JB models and also Bill Lawrence pickups. Currently other than using EMGs in his signature guitar he also has a collection of the other brand pickups in his Dean limited edition collectors' models, such as Dimarzio Custom Super Distortions (based on the Super 2 and Super Distortion) in his USA Dean Time capsule Blue Burst ML and the Seymour Duncan pair he used (refer to above) in his USA Dean Collectors edition Hardtail.
Strings
Batio uses Ernie Ball guitar strings, favouring the .009 to .042 models for soloing and most rhythm guitar parts while thicker gauge strings are used for detuned guitars. The acoustic gauge is normally .010 to .046 or .011 to .052.
Michael uses black Dunlop Jazz IIIs as his guitar pick of choice, and has used the 'teardop' shape of pick since he first started playing. Different picks are sometimes used for acoustic work.
Amplifiers
Batio typically uses Marshall JCM 2000 amps on tour and for newer studio records. In the studio, he also uses the Marshall JMP-1 preamp and Rocktron Chameleon and Voodoo Valve preamps. During his years with Nitro, Batio used Randall amplifiers. He has been an avid Marshall amp user throughout his career and has used the JCM 800 (mostly Jose Arrendondo modified circuitry, very early in his career) and JCM 900 (especially when recording No Boundaries).
Cabinets
Batio's cabinet setup consists of 4x12 Marshall cabinets loaded with Celeston vintage 30s and Greenbacks in mono and stereo.
Read More......Friday, September 26, 2008
Guitar Studied Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stephen "Stevie" Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an Americanblues-rock guitarist, whose broad appeal made him an influential electric blues guitarist. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Stevie Ray Vaughan #7 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, and Classic Rock Magazine ranked him #3 in their list of the 100 Wildest Guitar Heroes in 2007.
Early life
Vaughan was born on October 3, 1954, in Dallas, Texas, and was raised in the city's Oak Cliff neighborhood. Neither of his parents had any strong musical talent but were avid music fans. They would take Vaughan and his older brother Jimmie to concerts to see Fats Domino, Johnny Williamson III, Jimmy Reed, and Bob Wills.
Even though Vaughan initially wanted to play the drums as his primary instrument, Michael Quinn gave him a guitar when he was seven years old. Vaughan's brother, Jimmie Vaughan, gave him his first guitar lessons. Vaughan was later quoted in Guitar Player as saying, "My brother Jimmie actually was one of the biggest influences on my playing. He really was the reason I started to play, watching him and seeing what could be done." He played entirely by ear and never learned how to read sheet music. By the time he was thirteen years old he was playing in clubs where he met many of his blues idols. A few years later he dropped out of Justin F. Kimball High School in Oak Cliff and moved to Austin to pursue music. Vaughan's talent caught the attention of guitarist Johnny Winter and blues-club owner Clifford Antone.
During the early 1970s Vaughan played the Austin bar and club scene with the Cobras. After the Cobras broke up, in 1975 he started Triple Threat, which in 1978 became Double Trouble with Vaughan as lead singer. From Austin, their success spread throughout Texas.
In the early 1980s, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger saw Vaughan and Double Trouble playing at a club, and invited them to play at a private party in New York. This led to their acquaintance with producer Jerry Wexler, who managed to get them their first big break performing at the 1982 Montreux Jazz Festival. As a result they were able to meet Jackson Browne, who gave the band free time in his Los Angeles studio, and David Bowie, who had Vaughan play lead guitar on his next album, Let's Dance.
Soon a record contract with Epic followed, as well as their first album release in 1983, the successful Texas Flood, which charted at number 38 and gained positive reviews. After a successful tour, their second album, Couldn't Stand the Weather, charted at number 31 in 1984 and went gold in 1985. Their third album, Soul to Soul, charted at number 34 in 1985.
Drugs and alcoholism
Drug addiction and alcoholism took a toll on Vaughan by mid-1986. Cocaine and Crown Royal whiskey were his drugs of choice. Vaughan would dissolve cocaine in his whiskey for a morning "pick-me-up". Doctors later discovered that this morning ritual was causing severe ulcerations of the stomach lining. Nevertheless, he carried on and put out Live Alive in 1986 and did a concert tour in America in 1987. After becoming acutely ill in Germany while on tour, Vaughan managed to struggle through three more shows, but was soon admitted into a hospital in London. Dr. Victor Bloom, who had helped Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend with their addictions, told Vaughan that if he had not come to the hospital he would have died in a month. After a struggle to get sober in London, he then flew to Atlanta, Georgia, to a rehabilitation center. He eventually recovered fully from his addictions in the program of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Recovery
Upon his return from rehab, Vaughan worked with a number of artists including Dick Dale (making a cameo appearance as himself performing a duet of "Pipeline" with Dale in the movie Back to the Beach, which was then released as a single), Jennifer Warnes, and Stevie Wonder (playing "Superstition" on the MTV special Stevie Wonder's Characters).
In 1988, Vaughan continued to tour with Double Trouble throughout Scandinavia and performed at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Vaughan and Double Trouble recorded In Step in February 1989, their fourth studio album, which was praised by some as the band's best work since Texas Flood. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Vaughan shared a headline tour with guitarist Jeff Beck in the fall of 1989. In his beloved Austin, the "Live Music Capital of the World," Vaughan was presented with a proclamation from the mayor declaring November 26, 1989 "Stevie Ray Vaughan Day."
On January 3, 1990, Vaughan gave a speech and addressed the Aquarius Chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous. On January 30, Vaughan made his first appearance on MTV Unplugged in New York City. It was originally scheduled for Vaughan to do a closing jam with Joe Satriani, but Vaughan said he had to leave right away.
Vaughan had spoken two years earlier about wanting to help produce an album with his brother, Jimmie Vaughan. That time came in March 1990, when the Vaughan Brothers went to work at the Dallas Sound Lab, the same studio used to record Soul to Soul.
Around this time, Vaughan said that singing was becoming painful for him due to a condition he called "hamburger throat." He received acupuncture to his neck, but still had to take cortisone shots to relieve the pain, which caused his face to swell.
Death
On August 25 and August 26, 1990, Vaughan and Double Trouble finished the summer portion of the In Step Tour with shows at Alpine Valley Music Theatre, just outside of East Troy, Wisconsin. The show also featured Robert Cray & His Memphis Horns, and Eric Clapton, who played the closing set, also bringing all the musicians back onstage for an encore jam.
Double Trouble drummer Chris Layton recalls his last conversation with Vaughan backstage. He then remembers Vaughan saying he had to call his girlfriend, Janna Lapidus, in Chicago, before heading out the door to the helicopters, which had been arranged for flight (through Omni Flights) by Skip Rickert, Double Trouble's tour manager.
The musicians had expected a long bus ride back to Chicago. However, Vaughan was informed by a member of Clapton's crew that three seats were open on one of the helicopters returning to Chicago with Clapton's crew, enough for Vaughan, his brother Jimmie, and Jimmie's wife Connie. It turned out there was only one seat left; Vaughan requested it from his brother, who obliged. At 12:44 a.m. pilot Jeffrey Browne guided the helicopter off the ground. Moments after takeoff the helicopter crashed into a ski slope and all five on board were killed. Although the crash occurred only 0.6 miles from takeoff, it went unnoticed by those at the concert site.
The search for the wreckage began at 5:00 a.m., finally being located two hours later with the help of its locator beacon. The cause of the crash was believed to be pilot error.
Chris Layton and Jimmie Vaughan did not find out about the crash until they returned to their motel in Chicago. The following morning Jimmie Vaughan was called to identify the body of his brother. The coroner's report stated that the cause of death was exsanguination caused by severing of the aorta. The severance was caused by high deceleration during crash impact.
Stevie Ray Vaughan is interred in the Laurel Land Memorial Park, Dallas, Texas.
Posthumous events and recognition
September 1990 saw the release of Family Style.
The 1991 album The Sky Is Crying was the first of several posthumous Vaughan releases to achieve chart success. Jimmie Vaughan later co-wrote and recorded a song in tribute to his brother and other deceased blues guitarists, entitled "Six Strings Down".
The 1991 album of Bonnie Raitt, Luck of the Draw, was dedicated to him.
Many other artists recorded songs in remembrance of Vaughan, including Eric Johnson, Buddy Guy and Steve Vai ("Jibboom" on the album The Ultra Zone, 1999).
In 1991, Texas governor Ann Richards proclaimed October 3, Vaughan's birthday, to be "Stevie Ray Vaughan Day." An annual motorcycle ride and concert in Central Texas benefits the Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial Scholarship Fund.
In 1992, the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation released the Stevie Ray Vaughan Signature Stratocaster, which Vaughan had helped design. As of 2007, the model is still in production. In 2004, Fender also released a limited edition exact replica of "Number One".
Stevie Wonder included a song on his 1995 live album Natural Wonder entitled "Stevie Ray Blues". On the album, Wonder refers to the song as "Stevie Ray Vaughan Blues".
Stephen King's short story "You Know They Got a Hell of a Band" concerns a small town called Rock and Roll Heaven that's populated by late rock musicians, one of whom is Vaughan.
In 1994, the city of Austin erected the Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial Statue at Auditorium Shores on Lady Bird Lake,
In 2000, Stevie Ray Vaughan was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.
The last guitar that Vaughan played before his death is on display in the Hard Rock Cafe in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
In November 2007, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation released a second tribute to Vaughan, an exact replica of his second beloved guitar: Lenny. This guitar was given to him by his wife Lennora ("Lenny") on his 26th birthday and Vaughan was very fond of it. According to Fender, the original Lenny was a 1965 Strat that he saw in the window of a pawn shop that he was unable to afford. The guitar is sold with a strap, a case with Vaughan's name embroidered in the fabric lining, a number of brochures and memorabilia and a leather bound certificate of authenticity.
Also in November 2007, Sony BMG, Epic Records, and Legacy Records released the CD Stevie Ray Vaughan & Friends: Solos, Sessions & Encores.
Stevie Ray Vaughan will become eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.
In 2008, residents voted to rename Dallas' Industrial Boulevard, with Vaughan's name being one of the finalists alongside Stanley Marcus, Eddie Bernice Johnson, and Cesar Chavez.
Vaughan's blues style was strongly influenced by many blues guitarists. Foremost among them were Albert King, who dubbed himself Stevie's "godfather," Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, and Jimi Hendrix. The song "Rude Mood" is a direct derivative (according to Vaughan himself) of a Lightnin' Hopkins tune called "Lightning Sky Hop." He was also strongly influenced by early blues-rock guitarist Lonnie Mack, who, according to Vaughan, "really taught me to play guitar from the heart" (Davis, History of the Blues, DaCapo 2003, p. 246). Vaughan, who had idolized Mack since childhood, produced and played on Mack's 1985 Alligator Records album Strike Like Lightning and covered two Mack tunes from the early 1960s, "Wham!" and "Chicken-Pickin'" (which Vaughan renamed "Scuttle-Buttin',") as well as a Mack tune from the 1980s, "If You Have To Know." Vaughan's brother Jimmie Vaughan has stated that Johnny "Guitar" Watson was the guitarist he and Stevie studied the most.
Vaughan's sound and playing style, which often incorporated simultaneous lead and rhythm parts, drew comparisons to Hendrix; Vaughan covered several Hendrix tunes on his studio albums and in performance, such as "Little Wing," "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)," and "Third Stone from the Sun." He was also heavily influenced by Freddie King, another Texas bluesman, mainly in the use of tone and attack; King's heavy vibrato can clearly be heard in Vaughan's playing. Another stylistic influence was Albert Collins. By utilizing his index finger as a pick a la Albert Collins, he was able to coax various tonal nuances from his amplifiers.
Known for his warm blues-rock tone, Vaughan characteristically used very heavy strings on his guitar ranging from 13 to 56-gauge sets to give a fuller sound which he tuned down a half-step to the key of E flat.
Musicians such as John Mayer, Robert Randolph, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Colin James, Jonny Lang, Jason Wayne Loftice, Los Lonely Boys, Mike McCready, Eric Johnson, John Petrucci, and Doyle Bramhall II have cited Vaughan as an influence.
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