Edmonton instrumental rock guitarist JON HARRIS returns with a new playthrough video for his track “Wasted Entertainment”, taken from his acclaimed album Parallel Heart, released via Epictronic in December 2024.
“‘Wasted Entertainment’ takes aim at our obsession with social media, calling out the endless scroll that eats away those precious hours of our lives. It’s one of the heavier songs on the album, built on an early riff and loaded with punchy textures and layered sounds that took me a few tries to get right. Recently, I met someone who said it was their favourite track on the whole record, so crank it up!” says Harris.
Parallel Heart is a vivid showcase of Harris’ multi-instrumental skills and compositional vision. While completely instrumental, the album conveys stories of tension and release, exploring the space between connection and chaos, creative ambition and everyday demands. From the pulsing energy of Togetherness to the shimmering retro feel of 97BPM, each track builds its own emotional narrative.
Harris, who performed guitar, drums, bass, piano, and production on the record, proves himself not only a guitarist to watch but a full-scale sonic architect. His sound bridges blues-soaked rock, synth-driven textures, and funk grooves with cinematic flair, evoking a blend that’s reminiscent of Jeff Beck meeting Prince with a modern rock edge.
Track Listing: 1. If You Wouldn’t 2. Wasted Entertainment 3. Entitled 4. Mustard N Ketchup 5. Parallel Heart 6. Mehnoynoy 7. 97BPM 8. My Little Lady 9. Togetherness 10. Humpty Dumpty
FEATURING GUEST PERFORMANCES FROM DUFF MCKAGAN, ROBERT TRUJILLO, MIKE BORDIN AND MORE
July 26, 2024, LOS ANGELES – Jerry Cantrell, one of rock music’s most distinctive musicians, returns with I Want Blood, an album brimming with Cantrell’s signature vocals and guitar-driven melodies, on Oct. 18 via Double J Music.
“This record is a serious piece of work. It’s a motherfucker,” Cantrell says of the infectious collection. “It’s hard, no doubt, and completely unlike Brighten. And that’s what you want, to end up in a different place. There’s a confidence to this album. I think it’s some of my best songwriting and playing, and certainly some of my best singing.”
A preview of I Want Blood comes with today’s release of “Vilified” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tGyIln0-pw). The album opener showcases an energy that rivals any of Cantrell’s previous work – powerful, nuanced, and electric – setting the tone for the 45-minute album.
“Vilified travels a lot of places in just four and a half minutes,” Cantrell continues. “It’s got a ferocity and really aggressive vibe to it.”
I Want Blood, co-produced by Cantrell and Joe Barresi (Tool, Queens of the Stone Age, Melvins), was recorded at Barresi’s JHOC Studio in Pasadena, Calif. The album also features contributions from bass heavyweights Duff McKagan (Guns N’Roses) and Robert Trujillo (Metallica), drummers Gil Sharone (Team Sleep, Stolen Babies) and Mike Bordin (Faith No More), and backing vocals from Lola Colette and Greg Puciato (Better Lovers, ex-Dillinger Escape Plan).
Album pre-orders, which include CD, digital and multiple 2LP variants are available here: https://bio.to/JerryCantrell. Exclusive to the 2LP vinyl versions of I Want Blood are atmospheric, spoken word versions of each song on the album.
Jerry Cantrell kicks off a North American tour this evening, joining Bush for a seven-week trek across the continent. For complete tour dates and info click here: Jerrycantrell.com
Jerry Cantrell is an iconic American troubadour, celebrated for his distinctive guitar playing, soulful vocals and profound songwriting. Known for his work in both Alice in Chains and as a solo artist, the GRAMMY-nominated musician has sold in excess of 30 million albums, has been named one of the greatest guitar players of all time by both Guitar World and Rolling Stone, and has been instrumental in shaping the sound of modern rock music. Over his career, he has released six studio albums with Alice in Chains, three solo full-lengths, has had his music featured in films from Cameron Crowe, Judd Apatow and Ben Stiller and made cameos in “Deadwood” and “Jerry Maguire.”
Two big names of the 80s teamed up and took the Music City by its cowboy boots. Adrian Vandenberg, and Geoff Tate played the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville Tennessee on March 5th, to a very rock n roll hungry crowd.
Adrian’s band, properly named Vandenberg, took the stage first. The screams of excitement started right when the first member hit the stage. Vandenberg opened with “Hit the Ground Running” off their newest album, Sin, released in 2023. Not only was the album well received by fans all over the world but the song they did play was the perfect way to open the show. A few days prior to this show Adrian took to his social media accounts to express how much he enjoys having so many Whitesnake songs in the set as it was 12 years of his career. Vandenberg played 7 Whitesnake songs out of an 11 song set and the crowd devoured every song.
Vandenberg’s current lead singer, Mats Levén, has quite the resume, including working with Yngwie Malmsteen and touring with Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Levén has a very seductive voice that pairs very well with the overall sex appeal of almost every Whitesnake song. He stays nicely in a lower register which is perfect for songs like “Sailing Ships,” but when he needs to hit the high notes, like in “Still of the Night,” he hits them spot on. Ears perk up and bras come off. (Not literally but it wouldn’t be surprising). Adrian even stated he had vocal cords of steel.
Adrian started Vandenberg when he was around 27 years young, watching him play on stage 43 years later he is still that lively young man who stole hearts with the power of his guitar in the 80s. Whether you understand how to play or not there is no questioning Adrian’s abilities. Every guitarist says they always have more to learn but watching and listening to him play it’s easy to say that every young guitarist could learn a lot from him.
The rhythm sections is currently made up of Randy Van derElsen on bass and Joey Marin on drums. 10 out of 10 and absolutely solid pair. Van der Elsen absolutely tears up the bass and his facial expressions show that he’s not just playing the notes but feeling the music as he goes. Marin destroys the drums with such speed yet such grace and happily holds up the thunderous sounds of Vandenberg and Whitesnake. Last but certainly not least, Len Van de Laak adds those finishing touches on the keyboard.
Vandenberg had a very good mix of high and low energy songs transitioning from the intensity of Vandenberg’s “Freight Train” to the slightly more subdued sound of Whitesnake’s “Sailing Ships.” The most intimate moment of their whole show was during “Here I go Again.” As the band began their final song every fan in the audience knew their role.
Levén let the crowd have their moment singing the chorus back at him, and even had the crowd repeat it back to him one extra time. Needless to say, Vandenberg set the crowd on fire and prepared them for who was to take the stage next.
Geoff Tate and his band closed out the night. The second the lights went out, the crowd was on their feet trying to get as close to the stage as a seated venue would allow. They opened the show with “Empire,” the title track off Queensryche’s fourth studio album. Tate and his band treated fans to at least one song off of six different Queensryche albums including Operation: Mindcrime, Rage for Order, and Promised Land.
Very little has changed with Tate’s vocal range since the release of the self titled EP Queensryche in 1983. Every vocalist who has been doing this for as long as he has should be aware of what notes they can and can’t hit. Tate smoothly transitioned over pieces that he may have felt weren’t going to come out like the album, but also added a little spice to those high notes he knew he could hold.
Sound is definitely very important when putting on a good show for obvious reasons but so is having good chemistry between band mates. The best way to describe the relationship between Tate and his band is a loving and encouraging father and his 6 sons. Tate has put together a nice blend of young international rockstars.
Tate had up to 4 guitarists raising hell behind him, including James Brown (Ireland), Dario Parente (Italy), AmauryAltmayer (France), and Cillian Plummer (Ireland). The fun didn’t stop with the guitarists. The fiery rhythm section was made up of Jack Ross (Scotland) on bass and Danny Laverde on Drums. As a group they play like they are the original line up of Queensryche!
Fans sang along to every song never missing a beat and it fed the energy of everyone on stage. Tate even conducted the crowd during “Operation: Mindcrime.” After singing “Screaming in Digital,” Tate explained how he loves singing that song because of how accurate it is in this day and age with AI and all the new technology that has come along since the song was released.
Tate is not only a wonderful musician but there is something oddly satisfying about his story telling. Right before going into “Silent Lucidity,” he tells a silly story of being recognized at a gas station but not for being Geoff Tate! As the show comes close to the end Tate asks what everyone would like to hear as the last song. Unanimously the crowd screams for “Queen of the Reich” and honestly it was the perfect way to close out the show.
Tate and Vandenberg came together to remind the crowd of what fun the 80s were or for those of us not alive then, to give us a little taste of what it was like. – Tanis Enos
Longtime Tesla guitarist Dave Rude will release his highly anticipated full-length album, “Through the Fire” on November 17, 2023, via Rat Pak Records. The album features 11 new studio tracks and was mixed by fellow Tesla band-mate Brian Wheat, at his studio J-Street Records in Sacramento, CA.
Regarding the recording process Dave states, “Through the Fire” was written all over the world – in dressing rooms, hotels and at soundchecks. “When I tour with Tesla, I usually have a mobile Pro-Tools recording rig with me so I can put down ideas during our downtime. Writing and recording in so many different places over a long stretch of time gave the songs a lot of variety and dynamics. I’m very happy with how it turned out and I’m excited to get this music out there!”
From the driving intro of album opener “Hell and Back”, to the melodic acoustic outro track “Ship Came In”, Dave Rude shines with his signature brand of rock-n-roll. Tracks like “Drink with the Devil”, “By the Blade”, “Eye for an Eye” and “Ain’t my Time” are chock full of memorable hooks and melodies, while songs like “Bron-yr-Rude” and “Gotta Pay” showcase his diverse and unique songwriting abilities. “Through the Fire” delivers all the power and punch that one would expect from this high-level guitarist!
I’m so exceedingly exhausted of the thousands of lists I see on social media ranking who the greatest guitarists of all-time are. I won’t name the very popular publication that “ranked” Brian May as #1 aka “the greatest ever”. That ranking alone was enough for me to vomit and luckily I didn’t. My point is these clickbait lists are completely biased, whether compiled by a single person or group of people.
I’m not saying Brian May is a terrible guitarist; in fact he would probably be in mypersonal list of 100 greatest guitarists somewhere. Just not at #1 for the love of God. The only good that these lists generate are debate and discussion, I suppose many would say. End of my opinion. To conclude, without posting a nonessential list, the guitarist that is my #1 all-time is Jimi Hendrix and that resonates more historical than picking Brian May.
Guitar legend George Lynch will release his sophomore instrumental album “Guitars at TheEnd of the World” via Rat Pak Records on September 08, 2023, an album which features 10 all new studio tracks along with 3 new bonus tracks. The album is the highly anticipated follow up to his 2021 opus “Seamless”, which fans of the shred-master embraced with open arms. Guitars at The End of the World features pro drumming legend Curt “Kirkee B.” Bisquera, who has worked with such greats as Elton John, Mick Jagger and Tom Petty, and also features renowned bassist Tony Franklin, who is known for his work with The Firm, Jimmy Page and Kenny Wayne Sheperd. Also appearing is Lynch Mob drummer Jimmy D’Anda on the track “The Crucible”.
Regarding George’s approach to instrumental albums, the virtuoso states, “I always focus on creating guitar-driven music that delivers something outside the realm of what most people would expect, coming from a semi-redeemed 80’s hair shredder. I want my instrumental records to be challenging, but not exhausting; personal, without being belligerently self-indulgent, include a fair amount of guitar histrionics, and pay tribute to the masters without making it sound like I’m competing to be the end-all summation of all guitar legacies that preceded me. I also wanted the underlying music to be more than vehicles for solos, I want the compositions to stand on their own”, explains Lynch. Fueled with driving guitar tracks like “Psycho Beta” and “The Crucible”, to the haunting outro of album closer “Contraflow”, it is clear there is no slowing down George’s creativity and Guitars at The End of the World is sure to be a fan favorite!
TRACK LISTING:
The Knowing
Psycho Beta
The Crucible
The Passage
Borracho Boogie Delux
Shadow of the Needle
The Wolf
Serpentarium
The Ritual
Contraflow BONUS TRACKS (CD & Digital versions only)
Philly-based guitar hero Lawrence Wallace continues his reign as one of metal’s most intense shredders with the release of Compilation Songs. A modern take on the Shrapnel Records era of shred metal, the album is a handpicked “greatest hits” compilation of music recorded by Wallace in 2021.
Check out the album track “Limitless” at this location.
Compilation Songs is set to be released on March 1. All music and instruments were performed and recorded by Lawrence Wallace.
Tracklisting: 1) Limitless 2) War In Heaven 3) The Enchanted Mirror 4) The Awakening 5) Visions Of Another World 6) Impact Velocity 7) Journey Through Time 8) Ambush 9) Lost At Sea 10) Burst
Lawrence Wallace is a guitar and music virtuoso from the Philadelphia, PA area. He started playing at the age of 16 and has studied under Shrapnel recording artist Greg Howe. His playing is heavily influenced by celebrated shredders like Yngwie Malmsteen and Paul Gilbert. Lawrence has been in several bands, such as Shadows in The Crypt, Serpent ov Old, Infernal Opera, Chasing Squirrels, and others.
Lawrence has written well over 150 songs, including vocal and instrumental tracks, as well as soundtracks and various short clips for promo events. A creative and gifted shredder, Lawrence takes the art of instrumental guitar to the next level by incorporating a mystical, visual element into his music.
While on the SonicSlamTour, LAGuns and Faster Pussycat broke away from the Keifer Band to perform a sold out show of their own. Fans of all ages lined up outside Amos’ Southend in Charlotte North Carolina to witness their own piece of 80’s metal history. Members of Faster Pussycat graciously greeted fans as they walked to the connected restaurant for some preshow refreshments.
Doors opened at 7:00pm and fans filed in filling in both levels to max capacity. First to take the stage was Carolina natives LAMaybe. This 5-piece rock n roll band was the perfect way to open the show. These young musicians perfectly captured the old school style of rock that both LA Guns and Faster Pussycat bring to the table. Right out of the gate they had the whole venue pumped and ready to go, playing all original music. Midway through the show, guitarist Driz let fans know that he had rocked so hard he chipped a tooth. As their set came to an end lead singer, Goliath Furr, began to talk about how the band was trying to gain a spot on the upcoming KISS Kruise. Furr turned his attention to drummer, Ryan Fosnow, who was holding up a sign that said “Show me your boobies.” Once he turned the sign over it instructed fans to vote for them on Lamaybe.com/vote. They ended their show encouraging fans to sing along to their original song “Oh Sugar”. After the show the band mingled with fans to watch the rest of the performers.
Faster Pussycat took the stage next and were welcomed by thunderous applause and cheers. Opening the show with “Jack the Bastard” it was immediately clear that lead singer, Taime Downe, still had the vocal strength that made Faster Pussycat just as fierce in the 80’s. Downe stands center stage with such pride and confidence and has an amazing band to back him up. The talents of bass player Danny Nordahl, best known as Slim Tender, and drummer Chad Stewart combine to create an exceptional rhythm section and truly shine in songs like “Bathroom Wall”. The guitar duo of Ronnie Simmons and Sam Bam Koltun really bring the sleaze. Before he even plays a note, you can already tell that Simmons is a true rockstar. His style, both in the way he plays and how he dresses can easily be seen as having inspiration from the Ramones to AC/DC. The punk flair that Simmons provides adds a little extra something to the Pussycat set. The true star of the show, however, was in fact Sam Bam Koltun. He truly is a guitar virtuoso at such a young age. He makes every strum and pluck look so easy and it is safe to say that being on stage and performing truly comes natural to him. Even though there is only one original member left, each musician plays like they were there the day the song was written.
Fans were given a special treat when former Faster Pussycat and current LA Guns guitarist, Ace Von Johnson joined the band to perform “Bathroom Wall”. The fun did not end there, though. Downe took to side stage as Slim Tender had his turn on vocals. The band welcomed LA Guns bass player, Johnny Martin to the stage and Tender sang “Pretty Fucked Up”. This certainly got the crowd even more pumped. Faster Pussycat ended their show with “Babylon” and left fans scratching for more.
LA Guns wrapped the night with a miraculous 16 song set that included songs from a very diverse set of albums. They opened with an explosion performing the first track off “CheckeredPast”, “Cannonball”. Lead vocalist, Phil Lewis, immediately had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. It does not take long to pick up on the fact that Lewis loves what he does. He is a front man that the younger generation will always be able to enjoy as his vocals have remained immaculate even after over 44 years of singing. While having Lewis on vocals is extremely important for their sound, you can’t have LA Guns without founding member and band namesake, TraciiGuns. Guns continues to amaze fans with his iconic technique and sound. Right before playing “Over the Edge”, Guns began to play his guitar with a violin bow. Long time fans of Tracii know that he is a very big Led Zeppelin fan and this is evident to be a tribute to Jimmy Page with a Tracii Guns twist. This was the first tour to feature Shawn Duncan on drums. Duncan, who also played in BulletBoys, melded so well with the rest of the band, you would have thought he had been with the band from the beginning. A ball of energy was personified in the form of Johnny Martin that night. Martin was in everyone’s face playing his absolute heart out on bass. It was quite the sight to see as he and Ace would bump into each other or play back to back throughout most of the set.
The fun did not stop there, as both Lewis and Guns stepped aside and welcomed Koltun back to the stage as guitarist Ace Von Johnson took over on vocals to sing a cover of “New Rose” by The Damned. Ace started the song with a small speech stating “Do something fucking nice man, this world is fucking numb as it is. There’s too much fucking negative shit man, do something cool”. As a well known animal advocate this type of thing is not out of character for Ace, and the speech was met with a very intense positive reaction. Though Ace is better known for his guitar work, his love for punk rock showed through in his vocals and wowed everyone. As the show came to an end the band took their final bow and, to lighten the mood, began to dance around the stage to a cover of “So Long, Farewell” By The Vandals. Fans cheered and screamed for more as the band excited the stage.
After the show 4 out of 5 members of Faster Pussycat made their way over to their merch table to take pictures with EVERYONE. Ace also made his way into the large crowd of fans to take pictures. Faster Pussycat and LA Guns are perfectly matched to tour together. The crowd’s energy was constant during both bands. Even though the Sonic Slam Tour has come to an end, it is safe to say that this is not going to be the last time we see Faster Pussycat and LAGuns together.
Acclaimed Blues Rock guitarist Anthony Gomes will release his 13th studio album entitled, “High Voltage Blues” on Friday September 23, 2022 via RatPakRecords. Coming off the heels of his highly successful 2020 #1 Billboard charting release, “Containment Blues”, “High Voltage Blues” is a compilation album that showcases three new studio tracks, along with eleven re-recorded fan favorites and features guest appearances by legendary bassist Billy Sheehan, KoRn drummer Ray Luzier, renown vocalist BekkaBramlett and The Voice™ contestant Wendy Moten. Watch the video and pre-order you exclusive hand autographed bundles at: https://ratpakrecordsamerica.com/anthonygomes
TRACK LISTING: 01 Painted Horse (featuring Billy Sheehan & Ray Luzier) 02 Fur Covered Handcuffs 03 Blues-A-Fied 04 Born to Ride (featuring Billy Sheehan & Ray Luzier) 05 Peace, Love and Loud Guitars (featuring Billy Sheehan & Ray Luzier) 06 I Believe 07 Red Handed Blues 08 Turn It Up! 09 Blues In The First Degree 10 Hell and Half of Georgia 11 Darkest Before The Dawn (featuring Bekka Bramlett & Wendy Moten) 12 Blues Child Bonus Tracks 13 White Trash Princess 14 Rebel Highway (featuring Billy Sheehan & Ray Luzier) 15 Darkest Before The Dawn – Extended Version (featuring Bekka Bramlett & Wendy Moten)
MSG will embark upon an extended US tour this Fall. The trek will commence on September 27th and run through November 6th. From there, the band will head to Japan. Tickets are on sale now. See all confirmed dates below:
MSG w/ Eric Martin, ImagesOfEden: 9/27/2022 The Coach House – San Juan Capistrano, CA *low tickets* 9/28/2022 Goldfield Trading Post – Roseville, CA 9/29/2022 Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA *low tickets* 10/01/2022 Saban Theater – Los Angeles, CA 10/02/2022 Count’s Vamp’d – Las Vegas, NV 10/04/2022 Oriental Theater – Denver, CO 10/06/2022 Pop’s – Sauget, IL 10/07/2022 Des Plaines Theater – Des Plaines, IL 10/08/2022 Arcada Theater – St. Charles, IL *Sold Out 10/09/2022 Pabst Theater – Milwaukee, WI 10/11/2022 The Art Theater – Hobart, IN 0/12/2022 Piere’s – Ft. Wayne, IN 10/14/2022 The King Of Clubs – Columbus, OH 10/15/2022 Agora Theater – Cleveland, OH 10/16/2022 Harpo’s – Detroit, MI 10/17/2022 Jergels – Pittsburgh, PA 10/19/2022 The Vault – New Bedford, MA *MSG only 10/20/2022 Flying Monkey – Plymouth, NH 10/21/2022 Cabot Theater – Beverly, MA 10/22/2022 Sony Hall – New York, NY 10/23/2022 Newton Theater – Newton, NJ 10/25/2022 Keswick Theater – Glenside, PA 10/26/2022 Tally Ho – Leesburg, VA 10/27/2022 Sherman Theater – Stroudsburg, PA
w/ W.A.S.P., ArmoredSaint: 11/02/2022 White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX 11/03/2022 Concrete Street Pavilion – Corpus Christi TX 11/04/2022 Eaton Arena – San Antonio, TX 11/05/2022 Amplified Live – Dallas, TX 11/06/2022 Tulsa Theater – Tulsa, OK
MSG – JapanTour2022: 11/21/2022 Nakano Sun Plaza Hall – Tokyo, JP 11/22/2022 Nakano Sun Plaza Hall – Tokyo, JP 11/24/2022 Zepp Namba – Osaka, JP
MSG: Michael Schenker – lead guitar Ronnie Romero – vocals Bodo Schopf – drums Steve Mann – keyboards, guitars Barend Courbois – bass
The first full-length biography of Eddie Van Halen—a searching, affectionate, and in-depth look at the remarkable life of a genuine musical virtuoso who changed the course of rock ’n’ roll.
“The game changing guitar legend gets the biography he deserves…. Diligently researched, perceptive and well-written.” —Classic Rock
Arriving in California as a young boy in the early 1960s, Edward Van Halen and his brother Alex were ripe for the coming musical revolution. The sons of a Dutch, saxophone-playing father, the brothers discovered the Beatles, Cream, and other icons as they bound together as musical partners, forming identities for themselves in their adopted home along the way.
“Affectionate and unflinching portrait of heavy metal’s Mount Everest…. Paul Brannigan goes deep here, his detailed…biography probing Van Halen’s psyche as well as his music.” —MOJO
From the moment their hugely influential 1978 debut landed, Van Halen set a high bar for the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle, creating an entirely new style of post-’60s hard rock and becoming the quintessential rock band of the 1980s. But the high-flying success was fraught with difficulty, as Eddie struggled with alcohol and drug addiction while simultaneously battling David Lee Roth over the musical direction of the band, eventually taking the band in an entirely new direction with Sammy Hagar and scaling new heights, before that iteration of Van Halen disintegrated.
Acclaimed biographer Paul Brannigan tackles the dramatic story with respect and affection for one of rock’s greatest musicians, pairing original interviews with meticulous research to bring the story of Eddie Van Halen completely up-to-date. Unchained: The Eddie Van Halen Story is a remarkable account of determination, genius, and single-minded commitment to the music.
AUTHOR BIO:
Paul Brannigan is a former editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine, and a current contributor to MOJO, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Kerrang! and Louder. He has previous written books on Dave Grohl, Metallica and much-missed Motorhead legend Lemmy. Born and raised in Ireland’s Six Counties, Brannigan lives in North London.
Jason Becker’s story is one of brilliance, talent, determination, adversity, and, ultimately, triumph. A child prodigy on guitar, Jason rose to prominence as a teenager when he was one half of the legendary rock guitar duo Cacophony (with his great friend Marty Friedman). After wowing audiences all over the word with his amazing guitar chops and deep compositions, Jason auditioned for—and got—the gig with David Lee Roth, following in the huge footsteps of Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai. He wrote and recorded the DLR album A Little Ain’t Enough and was poised to take over the rock guitar world when a nagging pain in his leg was diagnosed as ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, a debilitating and fatal condition with a life expectancy of maybe five years. Maybe.
That was 29 years ago.
Jason Becker – Triumphant Hearts (Album Trailer)
Jason did indeed lose the ability to play guitar, walk, talk, and breathe on his own. But he never lost his will to live or his desire to create music. Communicating through a series of eye movements with a system developed by his father, Jason spells out words as well as musical notes and chords. He imparts his musical vision to his team who then can input the notes into a computer, edit the parts to his exacting standards, and then generate charts for session musicians. It is through this amazing process that Jason composes his profoundly beautiful music, rich in melody and counterpoint, brimming with emotion. His inspiring music and life story have been the subject of countless news articles, magazine cover stories, and an award-winning documentary, Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet.
Not only is Jason not dead yet, he’s busier and more prolific than ever, as evidenced by his latest release, Triumphant Hearts. The album’s 14 tracks showcase Jason’s gift for melody and his deep knowledge of classical composition and orchestral arrangement. Many of the guitar parts are performed by a who’s-who of 6-string gods including Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Neal Schon, Steve Morse, Paul Gilbert, Joe Bonamassa and many others. And, in what will absolutely delight his fans, Jason’s amazing guitar playing—recorded in the ’80s and ’90s—graces several tunes.
Jason Becker is unquestionably the sexiest man alive, but he’s also the most positive, upbeat, and inspiring man alive. “I really feel lucky,” says Jason. “I am surrounded by loving people, and I can still make music.”
Jason Becker’s new album Triumphant Hearts was released Dec. 7, 2018.
GROUNDBREAKING GUITAR VIRTUOSO JOE SATRIANI CONTEMPLATES THE FUTURE OF HIS CAREER IN THE BROADCAST PREMIERE OF THE 2017 DOCUMENTARY JOE SATRIANI: BEYOND THE SUPERNOVA ON TUESDAY, MARCH 6 AT 10pE/7pP
The Film is Directed by Satriani’s Son, ZZ, and Captures the Rock Legend During the Asian & European Legs of His Acclaimed “Surfing To Shockwave World Tour”
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Los Angeles, CA (February 28, 2018) – AXS TV, the premier destination for classic rock programming, takes viewers on an unforgettable journey with one of rock’s greatest guitar gurus in the broadcast premiere of the 2017 documentary Joe Satriani: Beyond The Supernova – airing on Tuesday, March 6, at 10pE/7pP.
Directed by Satriani’s talented filmmaker son, ZZ Satriani, Beyond The Supernova is a deeply personal introspective that captures the legendary virtuoso at a pivotal point as he contemplates the future of his career, 30 years after the release of his groundbreaking multi-platinum masterpiece Surfing With The Alien. Traveling throughout Asia and Europe on his acclaimed “Surfing To Shockwave World Tour,” Satriani reflects on his legacy and plots his next steps, while performing music from his landmark 15TH studio album, Shockwave Supernova, and giving viewers a unique glimpse into the autobiographical elements of the record and its role in helping him determine the creative direction that he is heading towards. In addition to Satriani, Beyond The Supernova features appearances and performances by former Frank Zappa guitarist Mike Keneally, versatile bassist Bryan Beller, and prolific percussionist Marco Minnemann, as well as special cameos by fellow guitar masterminds Steve Vai and Guthrie Govan. The film received high praise from critics and fans when it was highlighted last October at the Mill Valley Film Festival.
Encore broadcasts of Joe Satriani: Beyond The Supernova will air immediately following the premiere on March 6 at 12aE/9pP, and again on Sunday, March 11 at 12pE/9aE.
Neurosis guitarist/vocalist and Neurot Recordings founder, STEVE VON TILL, reveals a string of European live dates in support of his latest solo album, the immense and celestial, A Life Unto Itself. From June 29th through July 5th, SVT will trek through the UK, Germany and France.
STEVE VON TILL – Solo Shows:
6/29/2015 St Pancras Old Church – London, UK
7/01/2015 Jägerklause – Berlin, DE
7/02/2015 UT Connewitz – Leipzig, DE
7/03/2015 Jubez – Karlsruhe, DE
7/04/2015 La Peniche – Lille, FR
7/05/2015 Espace B – Paris, FR
A Life Unto Itself ventures into compelling uncharted territory for its maker. STEVE VON TILL‘s weathered, distinctive voice and sparse acoustic guitar provides a foundation, but a much wider variety of sonic textures are presented here. Bold and ambitious arrangements weave vintage synth, sublime strings, percussion, and electric guitars throughout these unique and expansive songs, as VON TILL’s raspy whisper dives deeply inward, and speaks genuinely of visions, memories, and self-reflection in a way that feels both seasoned and exposed.
The majority of A Life Unto Itself was captured at Avast! Recording Co. in Seattle, under the direction of producer Randall Dunn (Earth, Sunn O))), Wolves In The Throne Room, Marissa Nadler and Rose Windows), with additional recordings handled at STEVE VON TILL‘s own The Crow’s Nest and the final product was mastered by Jason Ward at Chicago Mastering Service. With guest viola contributions from Eyvind Kang, pedal steel from J. Kardong, and percussion courtesy of Pat Schowe, the album is enshrouded in artwork bearing the recognizable style of Aaron Turner (Sumac, Isis, Old Man Gloom, Hydra Head). All of these factors culminate into a twelve-passage voyage with over forty-five minutes of stirring textures which drill their way immediately to the core of your bones, gnaw your heart’s defense mechanisms to their foundations, and invoke a wellspring of emotions.
Stream A Life Unto Itself in its entiretyRIGHT HERE.
A Life Unto Itself LP is out now via Neurot Recordings. Packages for the digital download, CD, and 12″ LP on both black and red vinyl, including t-shirt bundles, are AVAILABLE HERE.
Song to Debut at the Annual Presidential General Assembly of the UN 69TH Session Gala on June 30th
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(Los Angeles, CA) World renowned guitarist, JOE SATRIANI and UN Musical Director ROBIN DIMAGGIO, have teamed up to compose and produce a new song entitled, “Music Without Words” to be unveiled at the June 30th Annual Presidential General Assembly of the UN 69th Session Gala in New York City. The Assembly and Gala feature world dignitaries as well as the Heads of States from nations across the globe. Accompanying the song will be a video, compiled by the UN, featuring footage of people the world over.
The song was co-written by the two exclusively for this event and produced by DiMaggio as the UN Musical Director. On his collaboration with SATRIANI, DiMaggio stated “Working with Joe has brought a new meaning to music, this masterpiece was a collaboration of elegance and prestige. This unforgettable melody is for all the human beings in sync with enlightenment and peace.”
A meeting between these two iconic musicians first took place when Robin, as musical director for the Arsenio Hall Show, asked SATRIANI to sit in with his band last fall. A friendship sparked between the two and discussions of collaborating for the UN, began. Fast forward to June 30th when the piece will debut at the UN Assembly. “Robin came to me with a beautiful challenge,” SATRIANI says, “to create a melody that would touch the hearts of six billion people, a call to humanity, a message of love. He sent me an awesome groove to get the ball rolling, I sent him back a melody, and we kept the collaboration going until we were both blown away. I’m thrilled with the final mix and can’t wait for people to hear it.”
The song also features vocals from Ms Monet, a Grammy-award winning vocalist, songwriter and performer who has sung with everyone from Boz Scaggs to Faith Hill, Toto and Queen Latifah. It was DiMaggio’s decision, to blend the beauty of Ms Monet’s vocals with SATRIANI’s guitar to create such an incredibly moving piece.
SATRIANI is currently readying his 15th solo album, “Shockwave Supernova” for release on July 24th. SATRIANI is the world’s most commercially successful solo guitar performer, with six gold and platinum discs to his credit (including one more gold award for the debut album by his band Chickenfoot), and sales in excess of 10 million copies. The critically acclaimed guitarist also has 15 Grammy nominations for songs such as “Always With Me, Always With You,” “The Crush Of Love,” and “Summer Song,” as well as full albums like Surfing With The Alien, The Extremist and Super Colossal.
Robin DiMaggio is a musical force to be reckoned with. Known as one of the world’s premiere drummers and classical/world percussionists, Robin is also a highly skilled songwriter, composer, conductor, arranger, producer, engineer, and instrumentalist. He has toured and recorded with veterans such as Paul Simon, David Bowie, Jackson Browne, Diana Ross, Tupac, Dr. Dre, Luther Vandross, Lil Jon, Martina McBride, Daft Punk, Johnny Cash, and Chris Isaak, as well as with acclaimed world musicians, sitarist/composer Ravi Shankar and violin maestro L. Shankar. He has also appeared on David Letterman and has performed at the Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, World Music Awards in Monte Carlo, and the MTV Music Awards, and was Musical Director and drummer for late-night TV’s Arsenio Hall Show on CBS Syndication, and TBS’ Lopez Tonight, hosted by George Lopez.
Having traveled extensively from an early age, Robin’s music incorporates rhythms and sounds from diverse cultures throughout the world. The vast array of influences in Robin’s life have made him a charismatic ambassador of the arts. For the fifth straight year, Robin has been assigned the returning position of Music Director for the United Nations, where one of his many responsibilities includes coordinating musical guests for the official General Assembly Summit in New York City each September at the prestigious Waldorf Astoria. Robin produced former Eagles guitarist Don Felder’s 2012 album, Road to Forever, and Stephen Bishop’s 2014 release, Be Here Then. Robin has some incredible projects in the works, as he is in the preliminary stages of his new vision — the first U.N. School of Art, Culture and Music in Southern California.
World Tour Begins September 17th in Europe – U.S. Tour Planned Early 2016
“CRYSTAL PLANET” – Satriani’s Sci-Fi Animation Series in the Works
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(Los Angeles – May 12, 2015) Legendary guitarist, JOE SATRIANI, announces plans to release his 15th solo studio album, Shockwave Supernova, on July 24th, making him one of the first to utilize the new “Friday, Global Release Day” for music.
It would be easy to call Shockwave Supernova a “masterpiece” or “the last word on guitar” from the world’s most commercially successful solo guitar performer. Satch, however, sees it much more personally. He has consistently advanced the artistry of the instrument; an effort he dedicated himself to on September 18, 1970, the day his idol Jimi Hendrix died.
Recorded late last year at Skywalker Sound in Lucas Valley, CA, Satriani assembled the dynamic trio of world-class musicians who had recently been part of his global tour; renowned keyboardist and guitarist Mike Keneally, a veteran of several Satch outings and recordings; along with drumming whiz Marco Minnemann and bass extraordinaire Bryan Beller. “I couldn’t have asked for a better band to help bring these songs to life,” says Satriani.
The album also sees Satriani once again joining forces co-producer and engineer John Cuniberti. Satch and Cuniberti share production on Shockwave Supernova, as they have on numerous albums – their shared history dates back to the guitar star’s 1986 debut album, Not Of This Earth and its follow-up, the platinum-selling, critically acclaimed, Surfing with the Alien.
Minnemann and Beller handle the bulk of Shockwave Supernova’s rhythmic duties, with the exception of four cuts – the driving “Keep On Movin’,” full of wondrous Satch guitar wizardry and Keneally’s playful piano, “In My Pocket,” a deliciously greasy, souped-up take on Swing, along with “Crazy Joey” (a deliriously effervescent romp) and “Scarborough Stomp” (a relentless upbeat rocker) – find Satriani joined by another powerhouse rhythm section: the esteemed drummer Vinnie Colaiuta (whose work includes the likes of Frank Zappa, Sting, Paul Simon, among others) and Jane’s Addiction bassist Chris Chaney (whose resume includes Alanis Morrisette, Celine Dion and Rob Zombie, to name a few).
Recently, during the final performance of his two-year Unstoppable Momentum tour, Satriani had an epiphany; he found himself, “playing the guitar with my teeth an awful lot. I thought, ‘Why are you doing this?’ It’s as if something else, or somebody else, was driving me to do it.” Satriani seized upon this moment of self-realization as the springboard and creative center for his alter ego “Shockwave Supernova,” the outlandish and extroverted ‘performance side’ of the normally shy and reserved guitar virtuoso. With this new persona as partner, Satriani launched his wildly ambitious 15th solo album, Shockwave Supernova.
In a creative and engaging alternative venture, Satriani, a lifelong science fiction fan, has reached out to the future, through the medium of animation. Finally recognizing the on-stage symmetry with his alter ego allowed Satriani to also take a risk on this particular style of storytelling. He says, “Guitarist Ned Evett and I have created an animated series called Crystal Planet. The actual Crystal Planet is our very own Earth, set billions of years in the future. The hero of the show uses music generated by a unique electric guitar to travel through time while the show’s characters struggle to preserve the future and past of humankind.” More information on Crystal Planet and how and where fans will view the series will be coming shortly.
As was previously announced, Satriani and Steve Vai, will perform at a third benefit concert in support of music industry veteran and their good friend, Cliff Cultreri. “A Benefit for Cliff III” is set for Friday, June 12th at 8pm at Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. This event will feature performances by Satriani and Vai, as well as special guests, Animals As Leaders. In addition, Satriani and Vai, along with other artists, have graciously donated various items to be auctioned at the event. Among these items are autographed guitars as well as a chance to join Satriani’s “G4 Camp” taking place June 28 – July 2 in Cambria, CA.
The tenth studio album from IMPELLITTERI, Venom, will be released this April, via Frontiers Music SRL. Chris Impellitteri is a world-famous guitar virtuoso, a top of the tier guitar shredder. On lead vocals is the incredible and original member Rob Rock, with drummer Jon Dette (Slayer, Testament) and James Pulli on bass.
Since 1987, Chris Impellitteri has written and recorded awe-inspiring music that includes some of the most jaw-dropping solos, while rewriting the definition of a lead guitarist.
Release dates for Venom are: April 17th in Europe and April 21st in North America.
(Los Angeles, CA) As announced, this August will see long time music legends, and mutual admirers, Jeff Beck and ZZ Top tour together for the first time ever. The tour launches in Missoula, MT on August 8 and will run for five weeks with stops in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, Detroit, Dallas, Boston and NYC (full itinerary below).
Accompanying Jeff on the road will be Jimmy Hall on Vocals, Rhonda Smith on bass, Jonathan Joseph on drums and Nicolas Meier on guitar. Hall, lead singer for the Southern rock group, Wet Willie, previously joined Beck in 1985 singing lead vocals on Beck’s album, Flash and was nominated for a Grammy award for the performance.
Also, just announced, is the special opening act on this fantastic double bill, 21-year-old Texas guitar prodigy, Tyler Bryant, who has previously opened for Jeff Beck, Aerosmith, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Joe Bonamassa, BB King, Heart and Vince Gill among many others. Bryant will appear on all dates except as noted below.
Formatted with musical synergy in mind, stops along the touring routewill offer fans full Jeff Beck and ZZ Top sets, with a finale that joins the English fret master with the Texas rockers each night of the tour. ZZ Top is touring in support of two new releases this summer including The Very Baddest of ZZ Top, a new compilation from Warner Bros. and Live At Montreux 2013 on DVD and Blu-ray from Eagle Rock Entertainment.
Although groundbreaking with the headliners, this tour is not the first live collaboration between the two camps. Gibbons joined Jeff Beck and his band on stage at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2009 at New York’s Madison Square Garden, where they performed The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s “Foxey Lady” and ZZ Top’s hit “Rough Boy” together. The following year Jeff Beck joined ZZ Top in Lucca, Italy for an extended rendition of the band’s signature piece “La Grange.” Remarkably, however, this marks the first time Jeff Beck and ZZ Top are doing any sort of extensive touring together.
New album to feature guest appearances by Rodrigo y Gabriela, Alexi Laiho, Danko Jones and more; European tour with Gus G to kick off May 1st
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Widely respected as the most influential lead guitarist in Thrash Metal history, MARTY FRIEDMAN has confirmed the final track listing for “Inferno,” his first solo album of original material in four years, and his first recording in more than a decade that will be released worldwide simultaneously.
Due out in late May via Prosthetic Records (except in Japan, where the album will be released by Universal Music), “Inferno” – recorded primarily in Los Angeles with engineer Chris Rakestraw (Danzig, Children of Bodom) and mixed by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Amon Amarth), features what FRIEDMAN recently told Guitar World is “the most intense writing and playing I can do.”
The album also includes notable guest appearances by several artists influenced by FRIEDMAN, including flamenco/metal acoustic guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela, Children of Bodom front man Alexi Laiho, Skyharbor mastermind Keshav Dhar and Revocation guitar whiz David Davidson, as well as FRIEDMAN’s first songwriting collaboration with Jason Becker since the pair played together in Cacophony, the pioneering duo of guitar mayhem.
In addition, “Inferno” breaks all genre rules and creates new ones with an exhilarating and musically daring mash-up with Jørgen Munkeby of the acclaimed “blackjazz” act Shining, as well as two tracks featuring vocals by rock guru Danko Jones. Overall, “Inferno” is by far FRIEDMAN’s most thrilling and adventurous effort to date. The full track listing is as follows:
1. Inferno
2. Resin
3. Wicked Panacea (feat. Rodrigo y Gabriela)
4. Steroidhead (feat. Keshav Dhar)
5. I Can’t Relax (feat. Danko Jones)
6. Meat Hook (feat. Jørgen Munkeby)
7. Hyper Doom
8. Sociopaths (feat. David Davidson)
9. Lycanthrope (feat. Alexi Laiho & Danko Jones)
10. Undertow
11. Horrors (co-written by Jason Becker)
12. Inferno -reprise-
“Steroidhead” – hailed by Rolling Stone as a “mix of searing solos and chugging prog-metal riffs” – was unveiled last month prior to the annual NAMM convention, where FRIEDMAN introduced a new Paul Reed Smith signature series guitar and performed live before capacity crowds at the PRS and Roland/Boss demonstration booths. Check it out here:
“I’m extremely proud of the work I’ve done with Cacophony and Megadeth, but I was never interested in looking back or stopping there,” FRIEDMAN says. “‘Inferno’ is the album that fans of my work with those two bands have always wanted me to make. I’ve finally made it, and completely on my own maniacal terms.”
FRIEDMAN will kick off a world tour for “Inferno” in May, when he teams with Gus G for a European tour. Dates are listed below. Soon after, FRIEDMAN will return to America for his first tour of his home country in more than a decade. Stay tuned for further information.
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“Inferno” North American street date: May 27, 2014
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