History Of Rock And Roll And Metal

By: Laura Thompson

Genres of Rock and Roll And Metal

Classic Rock And British

Pop

Power Metal And Ballad

Rock

Folk RockAnd Grunge

Nu Metal And Punk Rock

Southern Rock Dubstep Rock Reggae Rock

Progressive Rock Glam Metal

Hair Metal Black Metal

The Men Who Started Rock And Roll

• Elvis Presley was known as the king of rock and roll in the 1950’s

and still today• Bill Haley and his comets in the

1950’s started rock as well• He influenced Rock by his blues and jazz that sounded like rock

and roll • Chuck Berry was another man

who shaped the first style of rock because he was known to have a

blues and rock style

Elvis Presley

Elvis Aaron Presleya (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977 ) in tupelo Mississippi was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".

Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, Presley moved to Memphis, Tennessee, with his family at the age of 13. He began his career there in 1954, working with Sun Records owner Sam Phillips, who wanted to bring the sound of African American music to a wider audience. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Presley was the most important popularizer of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country and rhythm and blues. RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who would manage the singer for over two decades. Presley's first RCA single, "Heartbreak Hotel", released in January 1956, was a number one hit. He became the leading figure of the newly popular sound of rock and roll with a series of network television appearances and chart-topping records. His energized interpretations of songs, many from African American sources, and his uninhibited performance style made him enormously popular—and controversial. In November 1956, he made his film debut in Love Me Tender.

Conscripted into military service in 1958, Presley relaunched his recording career two years later with some of his most commercially successful work. He staged few concerts however, and guided by Parker, proceeded to devote much of the 1960s to making Hollywood movies and soundtrack albums, most of them critically derided. In 1968, after seven years away from the stage, he returned to live performance in a celebrated comeback television special that led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of profitable tours. In 1973 Presley staged the first concert broadcast globally via satellite, Aloha from Hawaii, seen by approximately 1.5 billion viewers. Prescription drug abuse severely compromised his health, and he died suddenly in 1977 at the age of 42.

Presley is regarded as one of the most important figures of 20th-century popular culture. He had a versatile voice and unusually wide success encompassing many genres, including country, pop ballads, gospel, and blues. He is the best-selling solo artist in the history of popular music.[1][2][3][4] Nominated for 14 competitive Grammys, he won three, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36. He has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame.

Chuck Berry

Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry (born October 18, 1926) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" (1955), "Roll Over Beethoven" (1956), "Rock and Roll Music" (1957) and "Johnny B. Goode" (1958), Chuck Berry refined and developed rhythm and blues into the major elements that made rock and roll distinctive, with lyrics focusing on teen life and consumerism and utilizing guitar solos and showmanship that would be a major influence on subsequent rock music.[1]

Born into a middle class family in St. Louis, Missouri, Berry had an interest in music from an early age and gave his first public performance at Sumner High School. While still a high school student he served a prison sentence for armed robbery between 1944 and 1947. On his release, Berry settled into married life and worked at an automobile assembly plant. By early 1953, influenced by the guitar riffs and showmanship techniques of blues player T-Bone Walker, he was performing in the evenings with the Johnnie Johnson Trio.[2] His break came when he traveled to Chicago in May 1955, and met Muddy Waters, who suggested he contact Leonard Chess of Chess Records. With Chess he recorded "Maybellene"—Berry's adaptation of the country song "Ida Red"—which sold over a million copies, reaching #1 on Billboard's Rhythm and Blues chart. By the end of the 1950s, Berry was an established star with several hit records and film appearances to his name as well as a lucrative touring career. He had also established his own St. Louis-based nightclub, called Berry's Club Bandstand. But in January 1962, Berry was sentenced to three years in prison for offenses under the Mann Act—he had transported a 14-year-old girl across state lines.[2][3][4]

After his release in 1963, Berry had several more hits, including "No Particular Place to Go", "You Never Can Tell", and "Nadine", but these did not achieve the same success, or lasting impact, of his 1950s songs, and by the 1970s he was more in demand as a nostalgic live performer, playing his past hits with local backup bands of variable quality.[2] His insistence on being paid cash led to a jail sentence in 1979—four months and community service for tax evasion.

Berry was among the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its opening in 1986, with the comment that he "laid the groundwork for not only a rock and roll sound but a rock and roll stance."[5] Berry is included in several Rolling Stone "Greatest of All Time" lists, including being ranked fifth on their 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[6] The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll included three of Chuck Berry's songs: "Johnny B. Goode", "Maybellene", and "Rock and Roll Music".[7] Today – at the age of 85 – Berry continues to play live.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri,[8] Berry was the fourth child in a family of six. He grew up in the north St. Louis neighborhood known as "The Ville," an area where many middle class St. Louis people lived at the time. His father, Henry, was a contractor and deacon of a nearby Baptist church, his mother Martha a certified public school principal. His middle class upbringing allowed him to pursue his interest in music from an early age and he gave his first public performance in 1941 while still at Sumner High School.[9] Just three years later, in 1944, while still at Sumner High School, he was arrested and convicted of armed robbery after robbing three shops in Kansas City and then stealing a car at gunpoint with some friends.[10][11] Berry's own account in his autobiography is that his car broke down and he then flagged down a passing car and stole it at gunpoint with a non-functional pistol.[12][13] Berry was sent to the Intermediate Reformatory for Young Men at Algoa, near Jefferson City, Missouri,[8] where he formed a singing quartet and did some boxing.[10]

After his release from prison on his 21st birthday in 1947, Berry married Themetta "Toddy" Suggs on 28 October 1948, who gave birth to Darlin Ingrid Berry on 3 October 1950.[14] Berry supported his family doing a number of jobs in St. Louis: working briefly as a factory worker at two automobile assembly plants, as well as being janitor for the apartment building where he and his wife lived. Afterwards he trained as a beautician at the Poro College of Cosmetology, founded by Annie Turnbo Malone.[15] He was doing well enough by 1950 to buy a "small three room brick cottage with a bath" in Whittier Street,[16] which is now listed as the Chuck Berry House on the National Register of Historic Places.[17]

By the early 1950s, Berry was working with local bands in the clubs of St. Louis as an extra source of income.[16] He had been playing the blues since his teens, and he borrowed both guitar riffs and showmanship techniques from blues player T-Bone Walker,[18] as well as taking guitar lessons from his friend Ira Harris that laid the foundation for his guitar style.[19] By early 1953 Berry was performing with Johnnie Johnson's trio, starting a long-time collaboration with the pianist.[20] Although the band played mostly blues and ballads, the most popular music among whites in the area was country. Berry wrote, "Curiosity provoked me to lay a lot of our country stuff on our predominantly black audience and some of our black audience began whispering 'who is that black hillbilly at the Cosmo?' After they laughed at me a few times they began requesting the hillbilly stuff and enjoyed dancing to it."[8]

Berry's calculated showmanship, along with mixing country tunes with R&B tunes, and singing in the style of Nat "King" Cole to the music of Muddy Waters, brought in a wider audience, particularly affluent white people.[2][21]

Rock And Roll Vs Religion

Some religions were against rock and roll while it started

Others just listened to it for the music

Some believed it was the devil’s music and refused to have their children listen to it

This also brought forth censorship in the lyrics

As a result some of the heavy bands have had tours canceled in certain areas due to religion

Rock and metal vs Censorship Censorship of music is the practice of restricting free access to musical works. This censorship may stem from a wide variety of

motivations, including moral, political, military or religious reasons. Censorship can range from the complete government-enforced legal prohibition of a musical work, to private, voluntary removal of content when a musical work appears in a certain context. Examples of censorship of music range from changed or excluded lyrics (this falls into the category of what is known as “radio edit”), to restricted cover album artwork, to the banning of artists airing on the radio or television for numerous conflicts, such as moral and racist issues.

Censorship of U.S. popular music began in the early 1940’s-1950’s, when traditional and conservative values were being challenged by early rock and R&B. “Sex and drugs were no longer hidden and secretive acts, but something to be exposed and celebrated” (Hall, 2009). R&B music began to grasp people’s attention as well, with an emphasis on sexual desires and drug references (Hall, 2009). Many people were appalled by rock and R&B because they were thought to corrupt the young minds of America and promote immoral behavior. Actual censorship began in 1955, when over 30 songs were banned; many of them by black artists. In the early 1970’s and 80’s, music censorship expanded from songs to music videos. Heavy metal rock and rap music were targeted by moral authorities due to the amount of violence that was expressed in the music. For unknown reasons, music videos performed by black artists were not being aired on MTV; that is, until complaints started streaming in from the public. Michael Jackson’s popular hit, “Billie Jean,” was the first video by a black artist to be shown on TV (Hall, 2009). The birthing of the famous black and white parental advisory label occurred in 1990, after the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) urged the music industry and government to create and promote a rating system for music, evaluating the musical content, in 1985.[citation needed]

Blanking; when the volume is muted for all or part of the word. Forms of censorship Bleeping; playing a noise, usually a "beep", over all or part of the word. Resampling; using a like-sounding portion of vocals and music to override the offending word. Resinging; Replacing a word with a more appropriate word. Backmasking; taking the offending word and reversing the audio, sometimes the whole audio is reversed (often because it is a

home-made job), but more usually only the vocal track is reversed. Repeating; repeating the word just said before the explicit word was used. Skipping; deleting the word from the song without a time delay. Echo; instead of saying a word, it echoes the last word(s) said in the line. Disc scratching; in hip hop, scratching on the word, making it sound like another word, or make the word said faster or slower. RoboVoicing; making the word totally non-understandable by overpowering a robovoice effect (usually used as a last resort for

home-made jobs). Distorting; Usually in Hip-Hop, less offensive words are distorted. It is usually done by shifting down the pitch.[cita

The Beginning of Rock And Roll

• Rock And Roll began as early as the 1950’s

• It started out as classical and jazz styles

• Blues was also a huge part of it• Warfare and disaster were a huge part of it as

well• It was known as Rock and Roll because it was music of all kinds of genres but it inspired many people with more music ideas it created a new atmosphere that turned into a very powerful

genre.

Metal and Heavy metal music began in the late 1960’s early 70’s

It began largely in the midlands of the United Kingdom(Great Britain)and the United States

The first heavy metal bands to emerge were Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple

It emerged from Psychedelic rock and blues styles with heavy riffs and distortion

The beginning of Heavy Metal Music

Ronald James Padavona(Ronnie James Dio)

Ronald James Padavona was a very influential American heavy metal artist and songwriter He was born in portsmouth new hampshire to Italian parents then thry moved to cortland

new York in his young years Ronnie James Dio played the trumpet,french horn,and bass guitar and was a songwriter for

many bands Dio was the lead singer in 5 famous bands They were Elf,Rainbow,Black Sabbath,His band Dio,and Heaven and Hell Dio bands timeline Dio had success for over 50 years The Vegas Kings (1957–1958) Ronnie & The Rumblers (1958) Ronnie & The Red Caps (1958–1961) Ronnie Dio & The Prophets (1961–1967) The Electric Elves (1967–1969) The Elves (1969–1970) Elf (1970–1975) Rainbow (1975–1979) Black Sabbath (1979–1982) Dio (1982–1991) Hear 'n Aid (1985) Black Sabbath (1991–1992) Dio (1993–2010) Black Sabbath (2006) (Recording of three new songs for Black Sabbath: The Dio Years) Heaven & Hell (2006–2010)

Elf

The early-'70s rock outfit Elf is best-known as the group that gave singer Ronnie James Dio his start and he would eventually set his sights on a tougher, metallic sound, fronting the likes of Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and his own solo band, Dio. The group went through several name changes in the late '60s (the Electric Elves, the Elves), before settling simply on Elf and issuing a self-titled debut recording for Epic in 1972, produced by Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover. The group's best-known lineup consisted of Dio (who was at this time going by his real name, Ronald Padavona, and also doubling on bass), guitarist David Feinstein, guitarist/keyboardist Micky Lee Soule, and drummer Gary Driscoll. The album went largely unnoticed, as did the group's subsequent two other releases, L.A./59 (issued under the title Carolina Country Ball outside of the U.S.) and Trying to Burn the Sun, as the group guested on Roger Glover's 1974 album The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast. Through their affiliation with Glover, Elf was brought to the attention of former Purple leader/guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who invited the entire group (sans their guitarist) to join forces as the prog metal outfit Rainbow, resulting in the release of a self-titled effort in 1975. Slowly but surely, however, Rainbow turned out to be nothing more than a solo vehicle for Blackmore rather than a true band and the former Elf members left the group one by one before Dio was the last one remaining until eventually leaving the group himself in 1978.

Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow

The brainchild of former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, Rainbow quickly developed into one of the '70s most successful heavy metal bands behind charismatic front man Ronnie James Dio. Together, the duo would produce a string of acclaimed albums which are still considered classics of the genre. But the group would change their musical approach numerous times following the singer's departure, eventually confusing and alienating much of their audience. Releasing eight albums during it's decade long run, the band finally came to an end when Blackmore departed to rejoin his old Deep Purple comrades in a full-fledged reunion in 1984. And while the impact of Rainbow's influence has faded with the intervening decades, theirs was a crucial chapter in the development of heavy metal and hard rock.

Disillusioned and fed up with the chaotic state of Deep Purple in the mid-'70s, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore made the stunning announcement in May of 1975 that he was quitting the group he had founded and led for over seven years in order to start from scratch. Teaming up with up-and-coming American vocalist Ronnie James Dio, Blackmore built Rainbow around the singer's former band Elf, minus their guitarist David Feinstein. Featuring bassist Craig Gruber, keyboard player Mickey Lee Soule, and drummer Gary Driscoll, the group's 1975 debut Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow was quickly embraced by European fans and yielded their first hit single, "Man on the Silver Mountain." Blackmore and Dio were dissatisfied with the album's sound, however, and decided to re-vamp Rainbow (by then sufficiently established to do without Blackmore's name) by drafting bassist Jimmy Bain, keyboard player Tony Carey, and former Jeff Beck Group drummer Cozy Powell. It was with this lineup that they entered Musicland studios in February 1976 to record the landmark Rising opus -- once voted the greatest heavy metal album of all time in a 1981 Kerrang! magazine readers' poll. Capturing Blackmore and Dio at the peak of their creative powers, Rising chronicled both the guitarist's neo-classical metal compositions at their most ambitious, and the singer's growing fixation with fantasy lyrical themes -- a blueprint he would adopt for his entire career thereafter. Following its release, the band embarked upon a successful world tour, culminating in a sold out European jaunt which spawned a best-selling live album entitled On Stage, released in 1977.

Dio

For a brief spell during the mid-'80s, the heavy metal quintet Dio were one of the top U.S. concert attractions, boasting one of the most over the top stage acts of its time loaded with props and special effects (lasers, explosions, a giant dragon, etc.). The group's leader was singer Ronnie James Dio, who had previously become acquainted with the metal masses as the frontman of Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow from 1975-1978 and Black Sabbath from 1979-1982. Come the early '80s, Ronnie James was ready to finally head out on his own, forming Dio and recruiting a stellar backing band, consisting of a few former bandmembers, ex-Rainbow bassist Jimmy Bain and ex-Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice (Carmine Appice's brother), in addition to ex-Sweet Savage guitar shredder Vivian Campbell. Lyrically, the group would retain the same subject matter that Ronnie James specialized in with his previous outfits (dungeons and dragons, swords and sorcery, damsels in distress, etc.), but musically, Dio were more melodically based than Rainbow or Sabbath. The group scored a hit right off the bat with its 1983 debut release, Holy Diver, which spawned such popular MTV videos as "Rainbow in the Dark," as well as its title track. For their sophomore effort, 1984's The Last in Line, the band expanded its lineup to include keyboardist Claude Schnell, as the album would become the biggest hit of Dio's career (on the strength of another MTV-approved video, for the album's anthemic title track) and the group became an arena headliner. Although Dio's next release, 1985's Sacred Heart, was commercially successful, Campbell had become disillusioned by the group's direction and split from the group a year later. Just prior to Campbell's exit, the entire Dio band helped organize Hear n' Aid, an all-star assembly of heavy metal artists that recorded a track called "Stars," which helped fight world hunger (a subsequent album was issued as well, collecting previously unreleased live tracks from a few of the day's top hard rock acts). Former Giuffria guitarist Craig Goldy took Campbell's place, resulting in such releases as 1986's live EP Intermission and 1987's Dream Evil, which retained the group's headbanging audience, but failed to expand upon it as its previous releases had.

Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath are an English rock band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne (lead vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass guitar), and Bill Ward (drums). The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. Originally formed in 1968 as a heavy blues rock band named Earth and renamed to Black Sabbath in 1969,[1] the band began incorporating occult and horror-inspired lyrics with tuned-down guitars and achieving multiple platinum records in the 1970s. Despite an association with occult and horror themes, Black Sabbath also composed songs dealing with social instability, political corruption, the dangers of drug abuse and apocalyptic prophesies of the horrors of war.Black Sabbath are cited as pioneers of heavy metal.[2][3] The band helped define the genre with releases such as quadruple-platinum Paranoid, released in 1970.[4] They were ranked by MTV as the "Greatest Metal Band" of all time,[5] and placed second in VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" list, behind Led Zeppelin.[6] Rolling Stone called the band "the heavy-metal kings of the '70s".[7] They have sold over 15 million records in the United States[8] and over 70 million records worldwide.[9] Black Sabbath were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, and were included among Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[10]

Vocalist Ozzy Osbourne's heavy alcohol and drug usage led to him being fired from the band in April 1979, after which he began a successful solo career, selling over 55 million albums. He was replaced by former Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio. After a few albums with Dio's vocals and songwriting collaborations, Black Sabbath endured a revolving line-up in the 1980s and 1990s that included vocalists Ian Gillan, Glenn Hughes, Ray Gillen and Tony Martin. In 1992, Iommi and Butler rejoined Dio and drummer Vinny Appice to record Dehumanizer. The original line-up reunited with Osbourne in 1997 and released a live album Reunion. The line-up featuring Iommi, Butler, Dio, and Appice reformed in 2006 under the moniker Heaven & Hell until Dio's death on 16 May 2010.On 11 November 2011, the original band members announced that they were reuniting and recording a new album.[11] The band are scheduled to perform a headlining slot at the Download Festival on 10 June 2012, followed by a world tour.[12] On 2 February 2012, Ward announced that he would not participate in the Black Sabbath reunion unless he was given a "signable contract." The following day, the other group members announced they had "no choice but to continue recording without him," but said "our door is always open" for Ward to return to the band

Heaven and Hell

Formed in 2006 after late-era Black Sabbath members Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Vinny Appice reunited after a 15-year hiatus for three new tracks on the Dio Years compilation, Heaven & Hell, named after Sabbath's first recording with Dio in 1980, toured under the moniker in 2007 and released the two-disc CD/DVD Live from Radio City Music Hall later that year. The band's first full-length studio recording, Devil You Know, arrived in 2009. However, in November of that year Dio's wife, Wendy, announced that Dio was suffering from stomach cancer, although indicating that the disease was in its early stages and expressing hope for a full recovery and return to performing. Nevertheless, Heaven & Hell subsequently canceled their summer 2010 touring plans and, sadly, Ronnie James Dio succumbed to the disease on May 16, 2010, at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX.

The Rock and Roll Symbol

The Rock and roll hand symbol or the Devil Horns was a symbol of respect for the bands

This was a very popular sign used by The Great Italian Rock Singer Ronnie James Padavona(Dio) in the late 1970’s then soon after some bands started using it

Famous Quote By Ronnie James Dio about the Rock And Roll Symbol

R.J. Dio – "I doubt very much if I would be the first one who ever did that. That's like saying I invented the wheel, I'm sure someone did that at some other point. I think you'd have to say that I made it fashionable. I used it so much and all the time and it had become my trademark until the Britney Spears audience decided to do it as well. So it kind of lost its meaning with that. But it was...I was in Sabbath at the time. It was symbol that I thought was reflective of what that band was supposed to be all about. It's NOT the devil's sign like we're here with the devil. It's an Italian thing I got from my Grandmother called the "Malocchio". It's to ward off the Evil Eye or to give the Evil Eye, depending on which way you do it. It's just a symbol but it had magical incantations and attitudes to it and I felt it worked very well with Sabbath. So I became very noted for it and then everybody else started to pick up on it and away it went. But I would never say I take credit for being the first to do it. I say because I did it so much that it became the symbol of rock and roll of some kind."[7]

Rock And Roll Fashion

Many Rock and roll bands dressed in denim ,Leather And Lace

They Had big hair and a lot wore makeup

And some of them were covered in tattoos

Rock and Roll in Business Rock and roll also served as a business as

well as a hobby The merchandising and ticket sales for

these bands led half of the money to them and another half to their companies

Merchandising of t shirts and licensed band materials as well as signatures always costed people extra so the bands can make money

Some bands will only sign new stuff or get pictures with VIPs

Rock Business Continued One of the largest Bands in the business of Rock

and Roll was Kiss Kiss was a huge logo for all fans of Rock and roll

in the 1970’s and still today They have one of the largest online stores They run and support a lot of charities Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons are seen on

television a lot Their bass player Gene Simmons is the co

founder of the band and a huge business man Kiss became known as The Hottest Band in the

World and they started music in 1973

50’s Rock

The 1950’s was the time period where most Rock And Roll began to form

It was a form of Classic ,Blues,Swing, And Jazz styles

It started a revolution for all kinds of rock and metal

50’s Rock Band Examples Guess Who?

60’s Rock

60’s rock was rock music from the 1960’s

It was music that was cross between pop,rock,and classical styles

It was another very popular era for music

60’s Rock Examples

70’s Rock

70’s Rock is a rock that started in the 1970’s

It was an awesome era for music It was a era of peace love and music 50’s and 60’s rock revolutionized

this movement It was an era of all kinds of rock and

disco music

70’s Rock Examples Guess Who?

80’s Rock

80’s Rock was a very popular rock in the 1980’s

Hair bands were some of the most popular type of rock in that decade

Lots of rockstars were covered in tattoos ,wore denim and leather,some even wore lace

It was a very progressive time period for rock and roll

80’s Rock Examples Guess Who?

90’s Rock

This is the rock of the 1990’s A mixture of all kinds of rock

90’s rock Examples Guess Who?

Woodstock of 1969

The very first Woodstock concert brought many hippies and people to celebrate a lot of awesome bands in a 3 night show\

This influenced rock because all bands were heard live together for the first time

It was a concert of peace music and love

Woodstock of 1969 Bio

Woodstock Music & Art Fair (informally, Woodstock or The Woodstock Festival) was a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music". It was held at Max Yasgur's 600-acre (2.4 km²; 240 ha, 0.94 mi²) dairy farm in the Catskills near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969. Bethel, in Sullivan County, is 43 miles (69 km) southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, in adjoining Ulster County.

During the sometimes rainy weekend, thirty-two acts performed outdoors in front of 500,000 concert-goers. [2] It is widely regarded as a pivotal moment in popular music history. Rolling Stone called it one of the 50 Moments That Changed the History of Rock and Roll.[3]

The event was captured in the 1970 documentary movie Woodstock, an accompanying soundtrack album, and Joni Mitchell's song "Woodstock" which commemorated the event and became a major hit for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Woodstock was initiated through the efforts of Michael Lang, John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, and Artie Kornfeld. It was Roberts and Rosenman who had the finances. Lang had experience as a promoter and had already organized the largest

festival on the East Coast at the time, the Miami Pop Festival, which had an estimated 100,000 people attend the two day event. Roberts and Rosenman placed the following advertisement in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal under the name of Challenge International, Ltd.: "Young men with unlimited capital looking for interesting, legitimate investment opportunities and business propositions". [4]

Lang and Kornfeld noticed the ad, and the four men got together originally to discuss a retreat-like recording studio in Woodstock, but the idea evolved into an outdoor music and arts festival, although even that was initially envisioned on a smaller scale, perhaps featuring some of the big name artists who lived in the Woodstock area (such as Bob Dylan and The Band). There were differences in approach among the four: Roberts was disciplined, and knew what was needed in order for the venture to succeed, while the laid-back Lang saw Woodstock as a new, relaxed way of bringing businesspeople together. [4] There were further doubts over the venture, as Roberts wondered whether to consolidate his losses and pull the plug, or to continue pumping his own finances into the project. [4]

In April 1969, newly-minted superstars Creedence Clearwater Revival were the first act to sign a contract for the event, agreeing to play for $10,000. The promoters had experienced difficulty landing big-name groups prior to Creedence committing to play. Creedence drummer Doug Clifford later commented "Once Creedence signed, everyone else jumped in line and all the other big acts came on." Given their 3:00 a.m. start time and non-inclusion (at Creedence frontman John Fogerty's insistence) in the Woodstock film, Creedence members have expressed bitterness over their experiences at the famed festival. [5]

Woodstock was designed as a profit-making venture, aptly titled "Woodstock Ventures". It famously became a "free concert" only after it became obvious that the event was drawing hundreds of thousands more people than the organizers had prepared for. Tickets for the event cost $18 in advance (equivalent to $75 in 2009 after adjusting for inflation) [6] and $24 at the gate for all three days. Ticket sales were limited to record stores in the greater New York City area, or by mail via a post office box at the Radio City Station Post Office located in Midtown Manhattan. Around 186,000 tickets were sold beforehand and organizers anticipated approximately 200,000 festival-goers would turn up

The concert was originally scheduled to take place in the 300-acre (1.2 km 2) Mills Industrial Park (WikiMiniAtlas 41 28 39 74 21 49 / 41.477525 74.36358 / 41.477525; -74.36358 ( )° ′ ″N ° ′ ″W °N °W Mills Industrial Park ) in the town of Wallkill, New York, which Woodstock Ventures had leased for $10,000 in the Spring of 1969. [8] Town officials were assured that no more

than 50,000 would attend. Town residents immediately opposed the project. In early July the Town Board passed a law requiring a permit for any gathering over 5,000 people. On July 15, 1969, the Wallkill Zoning Board of Appeals officially banned the concert on the basis that the planned portable toilets would not meet town code.[9] Reports about the ban, however, turned out to be a publicity bonanza for the festival. [10]

Max Yasgur's dairy farm in 1968. According to Elliot Tiber in his 2007 book Taking Woodstock, Tiber offered to host the event on his 15 acres (61,000 m2) motel grounds, and had a permit for such an event. He claims to have introduced the promoters to dairy farmer Max

Yasgur.[11] Lang, however, disputes Tiber's account, and says that Tiber introduced him to a real estate salesman, who drove him to Yasgur's farm without Tiber. Sam Yasgur, Max's son, agrees with Lang's account.[12] Yasgur's land formed a natural bowl sloping down to Filippini Pond on the land's north side. The stage would be set at the bottom of the hill with Filippini Pond forming a backdrop. The pond would become a popular skinny dipping destination.

The organizers once again told Bethel authorities they expected no more than 50,000 people. Despite resident opposition and signs proclaiming, "Buy No Milk. Stop Max's Hippy Music Festival", [13] Bethel Town Attorney Frederick W. V. Schadt and building inspector Donald Clark approved the permits, but the Bethel Town Board refused

to issue them formally. Clark was ordered to post stop work orders. [edit] Free concert The late change in venue did not give the festival organizers enough time to prepare. At a meeting three days before the event, organizers felt they had two choices. One option was to improve the fencing and security which might have

resulted in violence; the other involved putting all their resources into completing the stage, which would cause Woodstock Ventures to take a financial hit. The crowd, which was arriving in greater numbers and earlier than anticipated, made the decision for them. The fence was cut the night before the concert.

The influx of attendees to the rural concert site in Bethel created a massive traffic jam. Fearing chaos as thousands began descending on the community, Bethel did not enforce its codes. [9] Eventually, announcements on radio stations as far away as WNEW-FM in Manhattan and descriptions of the traffic jams on television news programs discouraged people from setting off to the festival. [14][15] Arlo Guthrie made an announcement that was included in the film saying that the New York State Thruway was closed.[16] The director of the Woodstock museum discussed below said this never occurred. [17] To add to the problems and difficulty in dealing with the large crowds, recent rains had caused muddy roads and fields. The facilities were not equipped to provide sanitation or first aid for the number of people attending; hundreds of thousands found themselves in a struggle against bad weather, food shortages, and poor sanitation. [18]

On the morning of Sunday, August 17, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller called festival organizer John Roberts and told him he was thinking of ordering 10,000 New York State National Guard troops to the festival. Roberts was successful in persuading Rockefeller not to do this. Sullivan County declared a state of emergency.[14]

We were ready to rock out and we waited and waited and finally it was our turn ... there were a half million people asleep. These people were out. It was sort of like a painting of a Dante scene, just bodies from hell, all intertwined and asleep, covered with mud.

And this is the moment I will never forget as long as I live: a quarter mile away in the darkness, on the other edge of this bowl, there was some guy flicking his Bic, and in the night I hear, 'Don't worry about it John. We're with you.' I played the rest of the show for that guy.

“ ” John Fogerty[5] regarding Creedence Clearwater Revival's 3 a.m. start time at Woodstock. Although the festival was remarkably peaceful given the number of people and the conditions involved, there were two recorded fatalities: one from what was believed to be a heroin overdose and another caused in an accident when a

tractor ran over an attendee sleeping in a nearby hayfield. There also were two births recorded at the event (one in a car caught in traffic and another in a hospital after an airlift by helicopter) and four miscarriages. [19] Oral testimony in the film supports the overdose and run-over deaths and at least one birth, along with many logistical headaches.

Yet, in tune with the idealistic hopes of the 1960s, Woodstock satisfied most attendees. There was a sense of social harmony, which, with the quality of music, and the overwhelming mass of people, many sporting bohemian dress, behavior, and attitudes helped to make it one of the enduring events of the century. [20]

After the concert, Max Yasgur, who owned the site of the event, saw it as a victory of peace and love. He spoke of how nearly half a million people filled with possibilities of disaster, riot, looting, and catastrophe spent the three days with music and peace on their minds. He states that "if we join them, we can turn those adversities that are the problems of America today into a hope for a brighter and more peaceful future..." [4]

[edit] Sound Sound for the concert was engineered by Bill Hanley, whose innovations in the sound industry have earned him the prestigious Parnelli Award. [21] "It worked very well," he says of the event. "I built special speaker columns on the hills and

had 16 loudspeaker arrays in a square platform going up to the hill on 70-foot [21 meter] towers. We set it up for 150,000 to 200,000 people. Of course, 500,000 showed up." [22] ALTEC designed 4×15" marine ply cabinets that weighed in at half a ton apiece, stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall, almost 4 feet (1.2 m) deep, and 3 feet (0.91 m) wide. Each of these enclosures carried four 15-inch (380 mm) JBL D140 loudspeakers. The tweeters consisted of 4×2-Cell & 2×10-Cell Altec Horns. Behind the stage were three transformers providing 2,000 amperes of current to power the amplification setup.[23] For many years this system was collectively referred to as the Woodstock Bins.[24]

Why did Peace Love and music Contribute to the woodstock and rock and metal in general?

Peace & Love is the largest festival[1][dead link] in Sweden and the only one with an outspoken message of Solidarity, Diversity and Understanding[2], which runs through the whole event. It started in 1999 and is located in Borlänge, Sweden. The festival is a part of an organization which is involved in other projects besides the festival in Borlänge.

The concept of the Peace & Love festival is to spread the message of Diversity, Solidarity and Understanding. It’s about crossing borders and bringing differing cultures from near and afar together and trying to get people to change their attitudes towards themselves and others. The Peace & Love festival was first held in 1999, as a reaction to the ongoing violence. The first festival was held at a club in central Borlänge, with about 900 attendees. Since then the festival has been held at different locations i central Borlänge. The Peace & Love festival is still one of Scandinavia's fastest-growing festivals. In 2006 there were 15,000 visitors per day, with over 37,000 people attending in total. The 10th Peace & Love festival was in 2008 and had a record of 25000 visitors, which made them the second biggest festival in Sweden.

[edit] 2008 From the Latin pax, meaning "freedom from civil disorder," the English word came into use in various personal greetings from c.1300 as a

translation of the Hebrew shalom. Shalom, cognate with the Arabic "salaam", has multiple meanings: safety, welfare, prosperity, security, fortune, friendliness. The personalized meaning is reflected in a nonviolent lifestyle, which also describes a relationship between any people characterized by respect, justice and goodwill.

This later understanding of peace can also pertain to an individual's sense of himself or herself, as to be "at peace" with one's own mind attested in Europe from c.1200. The early English term is also used in the sense of "quiet", reflecting a calm, serene, and meditative approach to the family or group relationships that avoids quarreling and seeks tranquility — an absence of disturbance or agitation.

In many languages the word for peace is also used a greeting or a farewell, for example the Hawaiian word Aloha, as well as the Arabic word Salam . In English the word peace is used as a farewell, especially for the dead as in Rest In Peace, RIP.

Peace of God" redirects here. For the medieval movement, see Peace and Truce of God. Gari Melchers, Mural of Peace, 1896. The Peace symbol in 1701 displayed by Pope Clement XI. Religious beliefs often seek to identify and address the basic problems of human life, including the conflicts between, among, and within

persons. Christians claim Jesus of Nazareth to be the "Prince of Peace", the Messiah Christ who established a Kingdom of Peace where persons, societies,

and all of creation are to be healed of evil. For persons to enter this Kingdom and experience peace, Christians believe that one must develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who stated: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." (Matthew 11:28-30)

Buddhists believe that peace can be attained once all suffering ends. To eliminate suffering and achieve this peace, they follow a set of teachings called the Four Noble Truths — a central tenet in Buddhist philosophy.

Islam means the way of life to attain peace. The word "Muslim" means the person who submits to Allah in Peace. The submission to Allah (the Arabic proper noun for "The God", One and Only) is based on humility. An attitude of humility within one's own self cannot be accomplished without total rejection of violence and attitude of alliance towards peace.

See also: Catholic peace traditions and Peace in Islamic philosophy

Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock was a popish rock that started in the late 1960’s

It was when every thing was Tie dye One of the first ever rock styles to

emerge It was way before classic rock and

British pop was a huge influence It sparked a revolution for all types

of rock and metal after the woodstock of 69

Psychedelic Rock ExamplesGuess Who?

These Classical Artists Influenced All Forms Of Rock Guess Who?

History of Classic Rock

Classic Rock dates back to early 1950’s It is said that it formed from classical

music, blues, folk and hard riffs. Most classic rock bands created their own

style by using scales and chords in their own range to make their own music .

This kind of music brought forth leeway to our music today

Classic Rock sparked creativity for all rock styles beyond their ability

Classic Rock ExamplesGuess Who?

British Pop

British pop also played a big role in rock and roll

It gave them a easy melody to use with all their music

It began in the early 1960’s in Britain

Examples of British popGuess Who?

Instrumental Rock

Instrumental rock was a soothing rock with no lyrics

Some of this type influenced every kind of genre and a lot of awesome solos and shredding

It was very popular among everyone because even though there were no lyrics it had meaning

Instrumental Rock examplesGuess Who?

Progressive Rock

Progressive Rock in the 1970’s combined all kinds of Rock Together to form a unique sound

These bands influenced the glam metal and hair metal and all of the metal of today

Examples of Progressive BandsGuess Who?

Glam Metal

Glam metal started in the late 1960’s early 70’s

Glam metal was a unique style all on its own

This genre was a huge influence to millions of bands today because the music was so energetic and definitely related to power metal and European black metal

Examples of Glam MetalGuess Who?

Shock Rock

Shock rock is another popular style of rock that began in the early 1970’s\

Most of them had unique props when they were on stage

It was like glam metal but a little different Most of these bands wore all black and

were dressed up Some wore makeup Screamin Jay Hawkins was one of the first

influences to this kind of rock

Shock Rock examples guess who?

Hair Metal Of The 80’s

In the early 1980’s Hair metal took its place in rock

Hair metal featured guys with big hair and lots of makeup

Hair metal was energetic and led to power metal

Examples of Hair MetalGuess Who?

Doom Metal

Doom metal is one of the first types of heavy metal it evolved in the early 1970’s

It is a dark sounding metal with distorted sound

Doom Metal examples guess the bands?

Black Metal Or European Screamo

After The Wars from the 1950’s to 1980’s the Europeans played a tole in a very heavy style of metal

This type of metal had violent and disturbing lyrics

This music was banned in US because it was against peoples religions and the lyrics led some people to suicide

These bands were so bad and violent they burnt churches in European countries after touring

They do bring influence to some of the heaviest metal today

Examples of Black MetalGuess Who?

Power Metal Of the 1980’s Power Metal brought forth the power in

rock of today It was more powerful and energetic than

any other type of Rock This rock had people air guitaring the riffs It is very popular among teens and adults

for years The Game Dungeons and dragons was

believed to give these bands ideas of props on stage and for music videos

Power Metal ExamplesGuess Who?

Ballad Rock

Ballad Rock was the soft touch to rock music that many bands use to remain famous

Ballad Rock ExamplesGuess Who?

Folk Rock

Folk rock combines folk music with rock to make it creative

Many metal bands are doing this today

All the different folk music instruments make a unique touch to all rock music

Folk rock also lead to a metal style called Viking Metal

They also use some celtic styles in there as well

Examples of Folk RockGuess Who?

Folk Metal and European Dark Metal

Folk Metal is a type of metal that originated in European countries

It started in the late 1980’s early 90’s It was Power metal that was very heavy

with a twist of folk and classical music alot of the bands sang in all different kinds

of languages including English This type of music is also known as Viking

metal Most of these bands dress in plated armor

and carry weapons as props for performance

Folk Metal and European Dark Metal Examples

Indie Rock

Indie rock began in the late 80’s early 90’s

Indie rock was a type of alternative rock that had a new age style

It was cross between alternative and modern rock

It also had some grunge influence as well

Indie Rock Band examples guess who?

90’s Grunge Rock

In the early 1990’S grunge rock began to form

It was a style of rough rock combined with distorted riffs and down tuned instruments

It first emerged in Seattle Washington

The Ramones was a punk band that influenced this kind of music

Grunge is still popular in forms of music from the 1990’s and up

Grunge Rock ExamplesGuess Who?

Nu Metal

Nu metal in the 1990’s combined Rap with rock to create a new mix of music

It was believed to come from bands like Anthrax and Slayer and other forms of thrash metal

It created a direction for our modern rock of today

Nu Metal examplesGuess Who?

Punk Rock

Punk rock has emerged since the early 1970’s

It plays a huge tole in the rock of today

It created a rowdy kind of music that is found in today's metal and rock

The Ramones and mc5 influenced punk music largely

Punk Rock examplesGuess Who?

Southern Rock

Country ,Blues , and Jazz is combined to make southern Rock

Southern rock began in the early 1970’s and made leeway to all rock bands of today

Southern Rock ExamplesGuess Who?

Reggae Rock

This movement led to many music acts and led to what we call reggae rock

Reggae rock is a style of reggae Bob Marley styles and rock to create a new alternative to rock

Also known as stoner rock

Reggae Rock ExamplesGuess The Bands?

Electronic And Techno Rock

Electronic Rock is Rock Music that you can dance too

It was a genre that came about in the late 1970’s early 80’s

It brought forth Dubstep Metal

Electronic Rock And Techno Rock Examples Guess who?

Pop Rock

Pop rock was a popish kind of rock It is a genre that has been around

since the 1960’s A very popular kind of rock of today

Pop Rock Examples Guess Who?

Dubstep metal

Dubstep metal is a new modern style of rock that puts rock and electronic music together

What happens when Beastie Boys meets Dubstep?

Examples of dubstep metalGuess The Groups?

What happens when Scorpions meets Dubstep?

What happens when Styx goes dubstep?

What happens if Kansas Meets dubstep?

What happens if Iron Maiden meets dubstep?

What happens when genesis meets dubstep?

What happens when Judas Priest meets dubstep?

What happens if Neil young meets dubstep?

What happens when Dio meets dubstep?

What happens if motley crue meets dubstep?

What happens when yes meets dubstep?

What happens when Pinkfloyd meets Dubstep?

What happens when Jethro tull meets dubstep?

What happens when The hooters meets dubstep?

What happens when Duran Duran meets dubstep?

What happens when Van Halen meets dubstep?

What happens when Europe meets dubstep?

What happens when JS meets dubstep?

What happens when Rammstein meets Dubstep?

What happens when Limp bizkit meets dubstep?

What happens when Pantera meets dubstep?

What happens when Saxon meets dubstep?

What happens when Alice cooper meets dubstep?

What happens when poison meets dubstep?

What happens if Def Leppard meets dubstep?

What happens when the knack meets dubstep?

What happens then Aerosmith meets dubstep?

What happens when the rolling stones meets dubstep?

What happens when the Beatles meets dubstep?

Vote which Dubsteb Metal remix is the best

1. Thunderkiss Robot Rock 65( Rob Zombie- Thunderkiss 65 and Daft Punk-Robot Rock)2. Rock and roll will take you through the sandstorm ( Skrillex-Rock and roll will take you to the

mountain and Darude-Sandstorm)3. Scary Monsters and nice Robot men ( Scorpions-Robot man and Skrillex-Scary monsters and

nice sprites4. Mr.Roboto can feel the beat ( Styx-Mr.Roboto and Darude-I Can feel the beat5. Icarus on wings of steel one more time-( Kansas-Icarus borne on wings of steel and

Daftpunk-one more time6. Run to the hills with funk-(Iron maiden –run to the hills and Daftpunk- Da Funk)7. I Can’t dance to the music ( Genesis-I can’t dance and Daft punk-Musique)8. Turbo Lover around the world ( Judas Priest –Turbo lover and Daft Punk –Around the world9. Party rockin in the free world (Lmfao –Party rock anthem and Neil Young Rockin in the free

world)10. Im dio and I know it- Lmfao and dio11. Sorry for kick starting my heart (Motley crue –kickstart my heart and Lmfao Sorry for party

rocking12. Leave it technologic daft punk and yes13. Money harder better faster stronger –Pink floyd and Daft punk14. Shake Shake senora there’s a bungle in the jungle-Jethro tull and Pitbull15. Satellites I like them –The hooters and Pitbull16. Rio Rain over me- Duran duran and Pitbull17. Jump And get ready to rumble-Van halen and Jock jams18. It’s the final countdown out of control-Europe and darude19. Viva la vida if I could fly-Coldplay and Joe satriani

Blues Rock

Blues Rock is a style that combines blues and rock together

It is another more commonly used rock

Blues Rock ExamplesGuess the Bands?

Mainstream Rock

Mainstream rock was rock that was in between progressive and alternative styles

Mainstream rock began in the late 80’s early 90’s

It was a very powerful genre

Mainstream Rock Examples Guess Who?

Alternative Rock

Alternative rock combines many styles of music together with rock and roll and is on a lot of radio stations

The most common rock genre of today

Alternative Rock ExamplesGuess The Bands?

Gospel Rock Or Religious Rock

Gospel Rock also plays a role in Rock styles today

Many classic rock bands wore crosses to show they were religious so over religious people wouldn’t feel offended by their music

Black Sabbath was the first band that followed that movement

Gospel is rock that is religion friendly

Gospel Rock ExamplesGuess Which Bands These Are?

Fun Facts

Pete Townsend of The Who was the first rock artist to start smashing guitars

Ronnie James Dio created the rock and roll hand symbol

Iron Maiden first did the ohwheyohwheyoh! On the stage

Kiss was the first band to dress up in costumes on the stage

Little Richard was the first artist to wear make up

Thrash Metal

Thrash metal is in between Hard and Heavy Metal

It began in the late 1980’s It is a very popular and still modern

rock of today

Thrash Metal ExamplesGuess The Bands?

Symphonic Metal

Symphonic Metal was a style that has started in the 1990’s

It is still very popular today It is a mixture of classical and folk

and hard rock Most symphonic bands had female

singers Some did not Most came from Europe It combines keyboards and guitars

together

Symphonic Band ExamplesGuess Who these bands are?

Finnish Symphonic Metal And Power Rock

Finnish symphonic metal also played a huge part

Similar to Symphonic metal but way deeper sound

It was like high end power metal A very popular genre of rock today It started in late 1990’s and early

2000’s

Finnish Symphonic Metal And Power Rock ExamplesGuess Who?

New Age Rock

New age is a type of instrumental rock with nature sounds

It began in the late 1980’s It is a soothing kind of rock with

alternative style With a pop style too

New Age Rock Examples Guess Who?

Neoclassical Rock and Metal Neoclassical is instrumental classical music mixed

with modern rock to make a very unique sound It is very similar to symphonic rock It is one of the most underrated genres of rock

and roll It also shows some bits of blues and folk in this

style as well It began in European Countries Uli Jon Roth started this genre when he started his

sky orchestra project Trans Siberian orchestra from Russia followed after

Neoclassical rock and metal examples

Girl Rock

Girl bands began in the late 1970’s to 1980’s

They were rock bands of all girls Just as popular as the guy bands

Girl Rock ExamplesGuess Who?

Soft Rock

Soft Rock is a soft Rock created from soul ,blues , and classical music

Soft rock is very popular in alternative music today

It began as early as the late 60’s to 1970’s

Soft Rock ExamplesGuess Who?

Arena Rock

Arena Rock is the most energetic kind of rock out there

Arena rock is usually performed in huge arenas

It began in the late 1980’s and is still very popular in today's world of rock and metal

It is another type of hair metal

Arena Rock Examples

Modern Rock And Metal

Modern rock is our present day kind of rock with a mix between heavy and soft rock and classical rock

It is the most popular rock genre played on the radio today

The modern metal is metal that is a mixture of all types of metal and most of it is death metal or folk metal

Modern Rock ExamplesGuess Who?

Modern Metal Bands Guess Who?

In loving memory of these Rock stars that

have Passed Away

Rock stars That Passed a way Continued

Guess What Rock Stars played these Guitars?

Most influential Singers of rock and Metal Guess Who?

Guitar Gods Guess Who?

Banned Album Covers of Rock and Roll

These are album covers that got banned due to content and were replaced with band pictures

It was due to government laws Some of these were banned from

stores until the cover was changed It was all part of making better

content even though the bands thought the covers were not offensive

Banned Albums of the 70’s and 80’s

Guess What genre these bands belong in?

American Rock

American Rock is Rock that originated in America

It is the most common type of rock music heard on the radio today

American Rock Examples Guess Who?

Canadian Rock

Canadian Rock is a genre of Rock that originated in Canada

Some of the most popular new and old bands made very good music from Canada

Canadian Rock was a mixture of all kinds of rock genres in French and English

Canadian Rock Examples Guess Who?

British Classic Rock And Metal

British metal is a type of genre that is hair metal or power metal that came from Britain

It started in early 1970’s and still popular today

British Classic Rock And Metal Examples Guess Who ?

German Hard Rock and Metal

German Hard rock was a type of hard rock that originated in Germany and the lyrics were in German

It was a unique genre although some of these bands sing in English as well as German and other languages

Scorpions was one of the very first German hard rock bands they began in 1965 and Rudolf Schenker was their founder

Scorpions

The Scorpions are a rock band from Hannover, Germany formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member.[9][10][11] They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still Loving You", and "Wind of Change". The band was ranked #46 on VH1's Greatest Artists of Hard Rock program.[12] "Rock You Like a Hurricane" is also #18 on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs.[13] On January 24, 2010, after 46 years of performing, the band announced that they will be retiring after touring in support of their new album Sting in the Tail.[14][15] The band sold over 100 million albums worldwide.[16]

Rudolf Schenker, the band's rhythm guitarist launched the band in 1965. At first, the band had beat influences and Schenker himself did the vocals. Things began to come together in 1970 when Schenker's younger brother Michael and vocalist Klaus Meine joined the band. In 1972, the group recorded and released their debut album Lonesome Crow, with Lothar Heimberg on bass and Wolfgang Dziony on drums. During the Lonesome Crow tour, Scorpions opened for upcoming British band UFO. Near the end of the tour, the members of UFO offered guitarist Michael Schenker the lead guitar job, an offer which he soon accepted. Uli Roth, a friend of the Schenker brothers, was then called in temporarily to finish off the tour.

The departure of Michael Schenker led to the breakup of the band. In 1973, Uli Roth, who had helped Scorpions complete the Lonesome Crow tour, was offered the role as lead guitarist, but turned the band down, preferring instead to remain in the band Dawn Road. Rudolf Schenker eventually decided that he wanted to work with Roth, but did not want to resurrect the last Scorpions lineup. He attended some of Dawn Road's rehearsals and ultimately decided to join the band, which consisted of Roth, Francis Buchholz (bass), Achim Kirschning (keyboards) and Jürgen Rosenthal (drums). Roth and Buchholz persuaded Rudolf Schenker to invite Klaus Meine to join on vocals, which he soon did. While there were more members of Dawn Road than Scorpions in the band, they decided to use the Scorpions name because it was well known in the German hard rock scene and an album had been released under that name.[

Scorpions Pictures

German Hard Rock and Metal examples

Rock And Roll Reality Shows

Some of these bands grew tired of not having enough fans so they start having reality shows about their life

It soon draws more attention to their fans

They do it so that people can see what their life is like and support them for why they put themselves on television with their families or if they are looking for friends there are a lot of reasons behind it

Rock And Roll Reality Shows Examples Guess what they are?

Rock Reality Shows Continued Guess the Shows?

Inductees That should be inducted in the rock and Roll hall of Fame Guess Who?

Jazz Rock

Jazz Rock was a beginning style of rock that incorporated jazz with rock

It began as early as the 1950’s Lou Armstrong was one of the big

influences of this type of rock

Jazz Rock Examples Guess Who?

Latin Rock

Latin Rock was a form of rock and latin music together to make a unique sound

Latin Rock examples

Most Famous guitars for Rock bands Guess the model?

Most popular bands past and futureguess who?

Bands past and future continued guess the bands?

Famous guitarists past and future Guess Who?

Charities rock bands support

Rock and Roll in Movies

Many rock and Roll Artists appeared in movies

That also brought by to their fame They were very famous in hollywood

Rock Movies Examples

Steve Vai(Steven Siro Vai)

Steven Siro Vai (born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. After starting his career as a music transcriptionist for Frank Zappa, Vai recorded and toured in Zappa's band for two years, from 1980 to 1982. The guitarist began a solo career in 1983, has released eight solo albums and won three Grammy Awards. Vai has also recorded and toured with Public Image Ltd., Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth and Whitesnake. Vai has been a regular touring member of the G3 Concert Tour which began in 1996. In 1999 Vai started his own record label Favored Nations, intending to showcase as he describes, "...artists

that have attained the highest performance level on their chosen instruments."[1]

Steve Vai also designed the ibanez universe a seven string jem

Vai began playing guitar in 1973, at the age of 13.[2] In 1974, he took guitar lessons from guitarist Joe Satriani and played in local bands, one of which was called "The Steve Vais". He was influenced by guitarists including Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Brian May, Jimmy Page, Glen Buxton,[3] and jazz fusion guitarist Allan Holdsworth. Vai attended the Berklee College of Music, afterwards recording a promotional piece for them in which he spoke about auditioning for Frank Zappa at age 20.

Rock Video Example now we run by Steve Vai From where the wild things are Steve vai was a musician that connected all forms of rock and metal and other music together with extreme shredding and licks

Famous Influential Rock and Roll Singers Past and Future Guess Who?

Influential Rock Stars ContinuedMales and Females

History Of Famous Guitars Many guitarists had their own

designs Some had personalized parts and

strings on their guitars They had 6 or more strings or

multiple pick ups

If you want to learn some cool facts about some of the most influential guitarists watch these next few slides

If you can care less about skip to the end of the PowerPoint it would be cool if you did watch it

Ill even throw in some cool videos on youtube and a guitar solos quiz

The videos on youtube are of Uli jon roth These guitarists are some of the greatest ones in

history and some even designed their own unique instruments to take the quiz at the end of the powerpoint some questions about these guitarists are in there

Enter at your own Riff!!!!!!!!!

Guitar Freak Alley

Uli Jon Roth(Ulrich Roth)

Ulrich Roth was born December 18 1954 in Dusseldorf West Germany He is commonly known as Uli Jon Roth He is a very famous German guitarist It was believed that uli ‘s influences came from classical artists blues ,and Jimi hendrix style guitar playing He was one of the first musicians and songwriters to begin the genre known as neo classical metal He first appeared as a guitarist for his first band Dawn Road in 1973 Shortly after since scorpions guitarist Michael Schenker left scorpions uli and dawn road became part of Scorpions After Scorpions album Tokyo tapes in 1978 Uli left the band to form his own cool band known as Electric Sun that

had 3 albums and featured him on lead guitar and vocals in 1979 The first electric sun album in 1979 Earthquake was dedicated to jimi hendrix Fire wind in 1981 the second album was dedicated to Anwar el sedat an assassinated Egyptian president that

tried to make peace in the middle east Beyond the astral skies the third Electric Sun in 1985 was dedicated to Martin Luther King Uli has always used a Stratocaster when he was with Dawn Road,Scorpions,and Electric Sun In the 1980s, Roth commissioned construction of custom guitars with additional frets from master luthier Andreas

Demetriou. Andreas developed the concept adding many unique specifications. Uli Jon Roth has had five of these "Sky" guitars handcrafted by the British luthier. To be able to emulate the high notes of a violin, all of the Sky Guitars contain extra frets. The first Sky Guitar (used on the album Beyond the Astral Skies) has 30 frets. Later versions of the Sky Guitar overcame the problem of the higher register frets becoming too narrow by widening the frets by whole steps for the highest notes. In an April 2001 Guitar Player Magazine interview, Roth reports that the guitars are either fretless above the 30th fret or have whole step fret spacing above the 27th fret, with 35 effective (half step) frets. All of the Sky guitars with frets have extensive fretboard scalloping as is favored by Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen (who was influenced greatly by Roth) and many neoclassical metal guitarists. The Sky guitar's pickups are custom 4-coil humbuckers made by John Oram, with one guitar having an Oram pickup hidden under the 24th fret.[3] The guitars named 'Mighty Wing' and 'Destiny' have 7 strings and the others have 6 strings. The 7th string is a low B. [4] Roth preferred amplifier is currently the Framus Dragon, and he uses a stalk mounted Vibesware guitar resonator (sustainer) to introduce infinite sustain during solos [5] both live, and on the song "Benediction" from "Under a Dark Sky“.

Electric Sun

Electric Sun was a music group formed by Uli Jon Roth in Hannover Germany after his departure from the Scorpions in 1978. They recorded three albums between 1979 and 1985. he played a fender Stratocaster at this timeThe first album, Earthquake, was released in 1979 and features guitarist/vocalist Roth, bassist Ule Ritgen and drummer Clive Edwards. Edwards departed quickly after recording the first album.Fire Wind came next in 1981, featuring new drummer Sidhatta Gautama. The band toured for a few years afterwards. While the first two albums were a trio format, the third album was more of an ensemble project. Veteran drummer Clive Bunker, formerly of Jethro Tull, appeared, as did Ritgen, vocalist Michael Flexig (have a look below) and guest vocalist Nicky Moore, as well as an array of additional various singers and orchestral musicians. Another feature of the album was the invention of Roth's Sky Guitar.The name Electric Sun was retired in 1986, and Uli Jon Roth continued to pursue his classical-inspired rock under his own name, as well as focus on other artistic area

Sky Orchestra And Sky Academy(Sky Of Avalon)

Uli Jon Roth created his own orchestra with him on the sky guitar called the sky orchestra

They covered a lot of classical pieces in a neoclassical way this began in the early 1980’s

He also did some experimental things with the album transcendental sky guitar

Metamorphosis of Vivaldi's four seasons was one of his most popular sky orchestra albums

Sky of Avalon appeared in his newest albums under a dark sky and Prologue to symphonic legends

He mainly used his famous sky guitar the might y wing for these albums

The Sky Guitar

The sky guitar was designed by ex scorpions German guitarist Uli Jon Roth aka Ulrich Roth he has been playing for over 50 years and does a lot of neoclassical and blues rock

It might have been one of the first 7 strings out there It had 34 frets and lots of octave and pentatonic ability It had a unique body and was a very versatile instrument he can

play anything with it it had a tone cross between a violin ,mandolin,and guitar and every fret on it was spaced out by octaves so that he can reach higher notes easier than his strat

He had 5 of them for different songs His favorite was known as the Mighty Wing and Dolphin was the

very first one that was seen he designed it in the early 1980’s and started the sky orchestra with his 7 string sky guitar within the last 20 years Uli started having Dean Guitars make models of it for 10 to 12,000 Dollars in 6 or 7 string models they call it the Uli Roth Sky there were only 50 of these special guitars to be sold

Sky Guitar 6 And 7 String Examples

Steve Vai

Steven Siro Vai (born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. After starting his career as a music transcriptionist for Frank Zappa, Vai recorded and toured in Zappa's band for two years, from 1980 to 1982. The guitarist began a solo career in 1983, has released eight solo albums and won three Grammy Awards. Vai has also recorded and toured with Public Image Ltd., Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth and Whitesnake. Vai has been a regular touring member of the G3 Concert Tour which began in 1996. In 1999 Vai started his own record label Favored Nations, intending to showcase as he describes, "...artists that have attained the highest performance level on their chosen instruments

Vai mailed Frank Zappa a transcription of Zappa's "The Black Page", an instrumental for drums, along with a tape of Vai's guitar playing. Zappa was so impressed that in 1979, he hired him to transcribe a number of his guitar solos, including some on the Joe's Garage album and the Shut Up 'n' Play Yer Guitar series. These transcriptions were published in 1982 in The Frank Zappa Guitar Book. After being hired as a transcriber, Vai did overdubs on many of the guitar parts for Zappa's album You Are What You Is. He became a full-fledged band member, going on his first tour with Zappa in the autumn of 1980.

One of those early shows with Vai on guitar, recorded in Buffalo, was released in 2007. While touring with Zappa's band, Vai sometimes asked audience members to bring musical scores and see if he could sight-read them on the spot. Zappa referred to Vai as his "little Italian virtuoso" and listed him in the liner notes as performing "stunt guitar" or "impossible guitar parts". Vai was a featured artist on the 1993 recording Zappa's Universe. In 2006 he returned to Frank Zappa as a special guest on Dweezil Zappa's 'Zappa Plays Zappa' tour, alongside friends from his early years with Zappa.

After leaving Zappa in 1982 he moved to California, where he recorded his first album Flex-Able, in 1983 (released January 1984) and performed in a couple of bands. In 1985 he replaced Yngwie Malmsteen as lead guitarist in Graham Bonnet's Alcatrazz, with whom he recorded the album Disturbing the Peace. Later in 1985, he joined former Van Halen front man David Lee Roth's group to record the albums Eat 'Em and Smile (released July 1986) and Skyscraper (released 1988). In 1986, Vai played with John Lydon's Public Image Ltd on their album Album. In 1989, Vai joined Whitesnake, replacing Vivian Campbell. When Adrian Vandenberg injured his wrist shortly before recording was to begin for the album Slip of the Tongue, Vai played all the guitar parts. Vai played on the Alice Cooper album Hey Stoopid, along with Joe Satriani on the song "Feed my Frankenstein."

Vai continues to tour regularly, with his own group and with his one-time teacher and fellow guitar instrumentalist friend Joe Satriani on the G3 series of tours. Former David Lee Roth and Mr. Big bassist Billy Sheehan joined him for a world tour. In 1990, Vai released his critically acclaimed solo album Passion and Warfare. The song "For the Love of God" was voted #29 in a readers' poll of the 100 greatest guitar solos of all time in Guitar World magazine. In 1994, Vai began writing and recording with Ozzy Osbourne. One track from these sessions, "My Little Man", was released on the Ozzmosis album. Despite Vai penning the track, he does not appear on the album, with his guitar parts replaced by Zakk Wylde. Another track, "Dyin' Day", appeared as an instrumental on Vai's Fire Garden album. Vai's band members in the 90's included drummer Mike Mangini, guitarist Mike Keneally, and bassist Philip Bynoe. In 1994 Vai received a Grammy Award for his performance on the Frank Zappa song Sofa from the album Zappa's Universe.

Steve Morse

Steven J. "Steve" Morse (born 28 July 1954) is an American guitarist and composer, best known as the founder of the Dixie Dregs, and the guitar player in Deep Purple since 1994. Morse's career has encompassed rock, country, funk, jazz, classical, and fusion of these musical genres. In addition to a thriving solo career, he enjoyed a brief stint with Kansas in the mid 80s.

Morse's father was a minister and his mother a classically trained pianist; both were also psychologists. The family moved to Tennessee, then Ypsilanti, Michigan, where Morse spent his childhood. Although familiar with piano and clarinet, Morse ultimately became interested in guitar after seeing a gentleman finger picking a Dixie melody at a county fair.[citation needed ] Morse worked briefly with his brother Dave in a band called The Plague until the family moved to Augusta, Georgia. In the late 60s, he played in a band called Three—named on the day of a local battle of the bands (and finishing 2nd)-- with his older brother; and 12 yr. old keyboardist William Gerald (Jerry) Wooten, a student at the same junior high as, though 1 grade earlier than, the 13 yr. old guitarist. Wooten, at Morse's suggestion (after a tryout—with tentative pointers of the solo- and bass-key style on the Doors' "Light My Fire", at the home of the young Morse) added bass keys (as well as melodic blues scales learned from Steve) to the band—and was known casually as "Steve's Little Brother", by schoolmates and denizens of a local psychedelic youth club, "The Green Onion" where—along with Legion Halls and church functions—the early band performed. Enrolled in the Academy of Richmond County, he met bassist Andy West and, together, they formed the nucleus of the Dixie Grit, adding keyboardist Johnny Carr, guitarist and vocalist Frank Brittingham with Dave Morse drumming. However, this effort was short lived, since covering Led Zeppelin, Cream and the like limited their ability to get higher-paying jobs at local dance halls. West and Morse continued to play as a duet billed as the Dixie Dregs until Morse's expulsion from school in the 10th grade (for refusing to cut his hair) enabled his enrolment at the esteemed University of Miami School of Music. During the 1970s, the University of Miami played host to a number of future influential musicians, including Bruce Hornsby, Pat Metheny, Chuck Schuldiner, Jaco Pastorius and others. Andy West also enrolled at the University of Miami and, with Morse, drummer Bart Yarnall, keyboardist Frank Josephs and violinist Allen Sloan, collaborated in a lab project entitled Rock Ensemble II. Rehearsing and performing Morse's compositions at the University of Miami brought some attention to his credibility as a composer and player. The group compiled a recording used for promotional efforts in 1975. This recording was eventually released as The Great Spectacular in 1997.

Gary Moore

Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 1952[1] – 6 February 2011), was a Northern Irish musician, most widely recognised as a blues singer and guitarist.

In a career dating back to the 1960s, Moore played with artists including Phil Lynott and Brian Downey during his teens, leading him to memberships with the Irish bands Skid Row and Thin Lizzy on three separate occasions. Moore shared the stage with such blues and rock luminaries as B.B. King, Albert King, Colosseum II, George Harrison and Greg Lake, as well as having a successful solo career. He guested on a number of albums recorded by high profile musicians, including a cameo appearance playing the lead guitar solo on "She's My Baby" from Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3.

Moore died in his sleep of a heart attack[2] in his hotel room while on holiday in Estepona, Spain, in February 2011. Moore started performing at a young age, having picked up a battered acoustic guitar at the age of eight. He got his first quality

guitar at the age of 14, learning to play the right-handed instrument in the standard way despite being left-handed. He moved to Dublin in 1968 at the age of 16. His early musical influences were artists such as Albert King, Elvis Presley, The Shadows and The Beatles. Later, having seen Jimi Hendrix and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in his home town of Belfast, his own style was developing into a blues-rock sound that would be the dominant form of his career in music.

Moore's greatest influence in the early days was guitarist Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac who was a mentor to Moore when performing in Dublin. Green's continued influence on Moore was later repaid as a tribute to Green on his 1995 album Blues for Greeny, an album consisting entirely of Green compositions. On this tribute album, Moore played Green's 1959 Les Paul Standard guitar which Green had lent to Moore after leaving Fleetwood Mac. Moore ultimately purchased the guitar, at Green's request, so that "it would have a good home".[5]

Moore performing at the Manchester Apollo, 1985 While less popular in the US, Moore's work "brought substantial acclaim and commercial success in most other parts of the world –

especially in Europe".[6] Throughout his career, Moore was recognised as an influence by many notable guitarists including Vivian Campbell,[7] Patrick Rondat,[8] John Norum, Paul Gilbert,[9] Gus G, Slash, Orianthi, Joe Bonamassa, Adrian Smith, Doug Aldrich, Zakk Wylde,[10] Randy Rhoads, John Sykes and Kirk Hammett[11]

He collaborated with a broad range of artists including Phil Lynott, George Harrison, Trilok Gurtu, Dr. Strangely Strange, Colosseum II, Travelling Wilburys, Albert Collins, Jimmy Nail, Mo Foster, Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce, Jim Capaldi, B.B. King, Bob Dylan, Vicki Brown, Cozy Powell, Rod Argent, the Beach Boys, Ozzy Osbourne, Paul Rodgers, Keith Emerson, Roger Daltrey, Albert King and together with Colosseum II with Andrew Lloyd Webber on the composer's Variations album in 1978. He experimented with many musical genres, including rock, jazz, blues, country, electric blues, hard rock and heavy metal.[12]

In 1968, aged 16, Moore moved to Dublin to join the group Skid Row with Noel Bridgeman and Brendan "Brush" Shiels. It was with this group that he earned a reputation in the music industry, and his association with Phil Lynott began.[3]

[3][4]

Thin Lizzy

Thin Lizzy are an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of twelve studio albums. Thin Lizzy are best known for their songs "Whiskey in the Jar", "Jailbreak" and "The Boys Are Back in Town", all major international hits still played regularly on hard rock and classic rock radio stations. After Lynott's death in 1986, various incarnations of the band have emerged over the years based around guitarists Scott Gorham and John Sykes, though Sykes left the band in 2009.

Lynott, Thin Lizzy's de facto leader, was composer or co-composer of almost all of the band's songs, and the first black Irishman to achieve commercial success in the field of hard rock music. Thin Lizzy boasted some of the most critically acclaimed guitarists throughout their history, with Downey and Lynott as the rhythm section, on the drums and bass guitar. As well as being multiracial, the band drew their members not only from both sides of the Irish border but also from both the Catholic and Protestant communities during The Troubles. Their music reflects a wide range of influences, including country music, psychedelic rock, and traditional Irish folk music, but is generally classified as hard rock or sometimes heavy metal. Rolling Stone magazine describes the band as distinctly hard rock, "far apart from the braying mid-70s metal pack".[1]

Allmusic critic John Dougan has written that "As the band's creative force, Lynott was a more insightful and intelligent writer than many of his ilk, preferring slice-of-life working-class dramas of love and hate influenced by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, and virtually all of the Irish literary tradition."[2] Van Morrison, Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix were major influences during the early days of the band, and later influences included American artists Little Feat and Bob Seger.

Contents [hide] Thin Lizzy were founded one night in late December 1969 in Dublin, Ireland, when Belfast guitarist Eric Bell met up with organist Eric Wrixon in a

pub and found that they shared an ambition to form a group. Both musicians had previously played with Them, fronted by Van Morrison.[3] The same night, they went to see the band Orphanage, which featured vocalist Phil Lynott and drummer Brian Downey. Bell and Wrixon introduced themselves after the gig and suggested the four of them form a band together. Lynott and Downey were aware of Bell's good musical reputation,[4] and agreed with the condition that Lynott play bass guitar as well as sing, and that they perform some of his own compositions.[3]

In July 1970, Thin Lizzy released a single, "The Farmer"/"I Need You", on EMI with the B-side written by John D'ardis, who owned Trend Studios where the single was recorded. The single only sold 283 copies and is now a collectors' item.[3] Wrixon left the band before the single's release, meaning there was a greater share of income for the three remaining members.[4] He moved to Europe before returning to Belfast, rejoining his old band, Them.[5] By the end of the year, Thin Lizzy were signed to Decca Records and they travelled to London in January 1971 to record their debut album, Thin Lizzy. The album sold moderately well but did not chart in the UK despite airplay and support from influential DJs John Peel and Kid Jensen.[3]

Around March 1971, the band permanently relocated to London, before the release of the unsuccessful "New Day" EP in August.[5] Despite poor sales, Decca agreed to finance the band's second album Shades of a Blue Orphanage, released in March 1972. Like the previous LP, the songs were filled with Lynott's personal anecdotes and references to his life in Dublin and the people he knew there. Musically the style was Celtic, with little warning of the hard rock direction that the band were to take in the future.[3] Again, the album did not chart in the UK.

In mid-1972, Thin Lizzy were asked to record an album of Deep Purple covers, which was released under the title Funky Junction Play a Tribute to Deep Purple. No mention was made of Thin Lizzy on the record. Vocals and keyboards were handled by members of another band, Elmer Fudd, and a few instrumental tracks composed by the band were also included on the album.[4] The album was released in January 1973.

[edit] "Whiskey in the Jar"

Jerry Garcia

Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician who was best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead.[1][2] Though he disavowed the role, Garcia was viewed by many as the leader or "spokesman" of the group.[1]

[2][3][4]

One of its founders, Garcia performed with the Grateful Dead for their entire three-decade career (1965–1995). Garcia also founded and participated in a variety of side projects, including the Saunders-Garcia Band (with longtime friend Merl Saunders), Jerry Garcia Band, Old and in the Way, the Garcia/Grisman acoustic duo, Legion of Mary, and the New Riders of the Purple Sage (which Garcia co-founded with John Dawson and David Nelson).[1] He also released several solo albums, and contributed to a number of albums by other artists over the years as a session musician. He was well known by many for his distinctive guitar playing and was ranked 13th in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" cover story.[5]

Later in life, Garcia was sometimes ill because of his unstable weight, and in 1986 went into a diabetic coma that nearly cost him his life. Although his overall health improved somewhat after that, he also struggled with heroin and cocaine addictions,[3][4] and was staying in a California drug rehabilitation facility when he died of a heart attack in August 1995.[

Mark Knopfler

Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE (born 12 August 1949) is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977. After Dire Straits disbanded in 1995, Knopfler went on to record and produce six solo albums, including Golden Heart (1996), Sailing to Philadelphia (2000), and Get Lucky (2009). He has composed and produced film scores for eight films, including Local Hero (1983), Cal (1984), and The Princess Bride (1987).[1] In addition to his work with Dire Straits and as a solo artist and composer, Knopfler has recorded and performed with many prominent musical artists, including Phil Lynott, Chet Atkins, The Chieftains, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Jools Holland, Sonny Landreth, and Van Morrison. He has produced albums for such artists as Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, and Randy Newman.

Knopfler is one of the most respected fingerstyle guitarists of the modern rock era, and was ranked 27th on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.[2] Knopfler and Dire Straits have sold in excess of 120 million albums to date.[3][4] A four-time Grammy Award winner, Knopfler is the recipient of the Edison Award and the Steiger Award, and holds three honorary doctorate degrees in music from universities in the United Kingdom.

Mark Freuder Knopfler was born on 12 August 1949 in Glasgow, Scotland, to an English mother and Hungarian Jewish father—an architect whose anti-fascist sympathies forced him to flee from his native Hungary.[7] The family settled in Knopfler's mother's home town of Blyth, Northumberland in North East England when he was 7 years old. He and his younger brother David attended Gosforth Grammar School. Inspired by his uncle Kingsley's harmonica and boogie-woogie piano playing, he wanted to buy an expensive Fiesta Red Fender Stratocaster just like Hank Marvin's, but had to settle for a £50 twin-pick-up Höfner Super Solid.[8] During the 1960s, he formed and joined schoolboy bands and listened to singers like Elvis Presley and guitarists Chet Atkins, Scotty Moore, B.B King, Django Reinhardt, Hank Marvin, and James Burton. At 16, he made a local TV appearance as part of a harmony duo, with his classmate Sue Hercombe.[8]

In 1968, after studying journalism for a year at Harlow Technical College,[8][9] Knopfler was hired as a junior reporter in Leeds for the Yorkshire Evening Post.[10] Two years later, he decided to further his studies, and went on to graduate with a degree in English at the University of Leeds.[11] In April 1970, while living in Leeds, Knopfler recorded a demo disk of an original song he'd written, "Summer's Coming My Way". The recording included Mark Knopfler (guitar and vocals), Steve Phillips (second guitar), Dave Johnson (bass), and Paul Granger (percussion). Johnson, Granger, and vocalist Mick Dewhirst played with Mark in the band Silverheels.

Upon graduation in 1973, Knopfler moved to London and joined a High Wycombe-based band called Brewers Droop, appearing on the album The Booze Brothers. One night while spending some time with friends, the only guitar available was an old acoustic with a badly warped neck that had been strung with extra-light strings to make it playable. Even so, he found it impossible to play unless he finger-picked it. He said in a later interview, "That was where I found my 'voice' on guitar." After a brief stint with Brewers Droop, Knopfler took a job as a lecturer at Loughton College in Essex—a position he held for three years. Throughout this time, he continued performing with local pub bands, including the Café Racers.[12] He also formed a duo with long-time associate bluesman Steve Phillips called The Duolian String Pickers.

By the mid-1970s, Knopfler devoted much of his musical energies to his group, the Café Racers. His brother David moved to London, where he shared a flat with John Illsley—a guitarist who changed over to bass guitar. In April 1977, Mark gave up his flat in Buckhurst Hill and moved in with David and John. The three began playing music together, and soon Mark invited John to join the Café Racers. [13]

[5][6]

BB King

Riley B. King (born September 16, 1925), known by the stage name B.B. King, is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at No. 6 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.[1] According to Edward M. Komara, King "introduced a

sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending and shimmering vibrato that would influence virtually every electric blues guitarist that followed."[2] King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987

King was born in a small cabin on a cotton plantation outside of Berclair, Mississippi , to Albert King and Nora Ella Farr on September 16, 1925. In 1930, when King was four years old, his father abandoned the family, and his mother married another man. Because Nora Ella was too poor to

raise her son, King was raised by his maternal grandmother Elnora Farr in Kilmichael, Mississippi .[3] Over the years, King has developed one of the world's most identifiable guitar styles. He borrowed from Blind Lemon Jefferson, T-Bone Walker and others, integrating his precise and complex vocal-like string bends and his left hand vibrato, both of which have become indispensable components of rock guitarist's vocabulary. His economy and phrasing has been a model for thousands of players, from Eric Clapton and George Harrison to Jeff Beck. King has mixed traditional blues, jazz, swing, mainstream pop and jump into a unique sound. In King's words, "When I sing, I play in my mind; the minute I stop singing orally, I start to sing by playing Lucille." King grew up singing in the gospel choir at Elkhorn Baptist Church in Kilmichael. At age 12, he purchased his first guitar for $15.00[3] although another reference indicates he was given his first guitar by his cousin, Bukka White. In 1943, King left Kilmichael to work as a tractor driver and play guitar with the Famous St. John's Quartet of Inverness, Mississippi , performing at area churches and on WGRM in Greenwood, Mississippi .[4][5]

In 1946, King followed his cousin Bukka White to Memphis, Tennessee . White took him in for the next ten months. [3] However, King shortly returned to Mississippi, where he decided to prepare himself better for the next visit, and returned to West Memphis, Arkansas, two years later in 1948. He performed on Sonny Boy Williamson's radio program on KWEM in West Memphis, Arkansas where he began to develop a local audience for his sound. King's appearances led to steady engagements at the Sixteenth Avenue Grill in West Memphis and later to a ten-minute spot on the legendary Memphis radio station WDIA. King's Spot, became so popular, it was expanded and became the Sepia Swing Club.

Initially he worked at the local R&B radio station WDIA as a singer and disc jockey, where he gained the nickname Beale Street Blues Boy, later shortened to Blues Boy and finally to B.B.[6][7] It was there that he first met T-Bone Walker. "Once I'd heard him for the first time, I knew I'd have to have [an electric guitar] myself. 'Had' to have one, short of stealing!", he said. [8

In 1949, King began recording songs under contract with Los Angeles-based RPM Records. Many of King's early recordings were produced by Sam Phillips, who later founded Sun Records. Before his RPM contract, King had debuted on Bullet Records by issuing the single "Miss Martha King" (1949), which did not chart well. "My very first recordings [in 1949] were for a company out of Nashville called Bullet, the Bullet Record Transcription company," King recalls. "I had horns that very first session. I had Phineas Newborn on piano; his father played drums, and his brother, Calvin, played guitar with me. I had Tuff Green on bass, Ben Branch on tenor sax, his brother, Thomas Branch, on trumpet, and a lady trombone player. The Newborn family were the house band at the famous Plantation Inn in West Memphis."[9]

Performing with his famous guitar, Lucille King assembled his own band; the B.B. King Review, under the leadership of Millard Lee. The band initially consisted of Calvin Owens and Kenneth Sands (trumpet), Lawrence

Burdin (alto saxophone), George Coleman (tenor saxophone),[10] Floyd Newman (baritone saxophone), Millard Lee (piano), George Joyner (bass) and Earl Forest and Ted Curry (drums). Onzie Horne was a trained musician elicited as an arranger to assist King with his compositions. By his own admission, he cannot play chords well[11] and always relies on improvisation. This was followed by tours across the USA with performances in major theaters in cities such as Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit and St. Louis, as well as numerous gigs in small clubs and juke joints of the southern US states.

In the winter of 1949, King played at a dance hall in Twist, Arkansas. In order to heat the hall, a barrel half-filled with kerosene was lit, a fairly common practice at the time. During a performance, two men began to fight, knocking over the burning barrel and sending burning fuel across the floor. The hall burst into flames, which triggered an evacuation. Once outside, King realized that he had left his guitar inside the burning building. He entered the blaze to retrieve his beloved guitar, a Gibson semi-hollow electric. Two people died in the fire. The next day, King learned that the two men were fighting over a woman named Lucille. King named that first guitar Lucille, as well as every one he owned since that near-fatal experience, as a reminder never again to do something as stupid as run into a burning building or fight over women.

Richard Williams

Richard Williams (born February 1, 1950) is the guitarist for the rock band Kansas, and has been with them since their 1974 self-titled debut album. Williams lost his right eye in a childhood fireworks accident. He wore a prosthetic eye for many years, but now wears an eye patch instead.

In the beginning, Williams shared guitar duties with keyboardist/guitarist Kerry Livgren. In the late 1980s, he shared the stage with guitar virtuoso Steve Morse instead. Years later, after some personnel changes in Kansas, Williams found himself as the only guitar player. While Livgren's sound could be described as virtuosic and bright, Williams' style was well balanced with his melodic and mellow sound. Williams and Phil Ehart are the only two members of Kansas who have never left the band, and have been present for all Kansas albums to date.

Among the songs he co-wrote with the band are "Can I Tell You", "No Room for a Stranger", and the hit "Play the Game Tonight".

The Ibanez Jem

The Ibanez Jem was played by Steve Vai Steve Vai experimented with guitars for

years His Favorite was his 7 string Jem He had them in many colors including borax

swirl He even named his guitars He has a bunch of them The parts and sustain on the Jem gave him

lots of Tonality in His Playing and they are famous for the cutaway

The Fender Stratocaster

The fender strat is another very famous guitar it is played by millions of musicians worldwide

Eric Johnson was one of the coolest artists to play stratocasters for his lifetime

He plays a unique style of music with his strats

Since the late 1950’s strats have been one of the number one solid body electric guitars

They were designed by Leo Fender

Leo Fender

Clarence Leonidas "Leo" Fender (August 10, 1909 – March 21, 1991) was an American inventor who founded Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company, or "Fender" for short. He left the company in the late 1960s, and later founded two other musical instrument companies, MusicMan and G&L Musical Instruments.

The guitars, bass guitars, and amplifiers he designed from the 1940s on are still relevant: the Fender Telecaster (1949) was the first mass-produced electric guitar; the Fender Stratocaster (1954) is among the world's most iconic electric guitars; the Fender Precision Bass (1951) set the standard for electric bass guitars; and the Fender Bassman amplifier, popular enough in its own right, became the basis for later amplifiers (notably by Marshall and Mesa Boogie) that dominated rock and roll music.

Clarence Leonidas Fender ("Leo") was born on August 10, 1909, to Clarence Monte Fender and Harriet Elvira Wood, owners of a successful orange grove located between Anaheim and Fullerton, California.

From an early age, Fender showed an interest in tinkering with electronics. When he was 13 years old, his uncle, who ran an automotive-electric shop, sent him a box filled with discarded car radio parts, and a battery. The following year, Leo visited his uncle's shop in Santa Maria, California, and was fascinated by a radio his uncle had built from spare parts and placed on display in the front of the shop. Leo later claimed that the loud music coming from the speaker of that radio made a lasting impression on him. Soon thereafter, Leo began repairing radios in a small shop in his parents' home.

In the spring of 1928, Fender graduated from Fullerton Union High School, and entered Fullerton Junior College that fall, as an accounting major. While he was studying to be an accountant, he continued to teach himself electronics, and tinker with radios and other electrical items but never took any kind of electronics course.

After college, Fender took a job as a deliveryman for Consolidated Ice and Cold Storage Company in Anaheim, where he later was made the bookkeeper. It was around this time that a local band leader approached Leo, asking him if he could build a public address system for use by the band at dances in Hollywood. Fender was contracted to build six of these PA systems.

In 1933, Fender met Esther Klosky, and they were married in 1934. About that time, he took a job as an accountant for the California Highway Department in San Luis Obispo. In a depression government change-up, his job was eliminated, and he then took a job in the accounting department of a tire company. After working there six months, Leo lost his job along with the other accountants in the company.

Eric Johnson

Eric Johnson (born August 17, 1954) is an American musician, songwriter, and vocalist from Austin, Texas. Best known for his electric guitar skills, Johnson is also a highly proficient acoustic, lap steel, resonator, and bass guitarist as well as an accomplished pianist and vocalist.

Johnson has mastered a wide array of musical genres evidenced by the many different styles incorporated in both his studio and live performances including rock, blues, jazz, fusion, soul, folk, New Age, classical, and country and western.[1]

Guitar Player magazine has called Johnson "one of the most respected guitarists on the planet".[2] Johnson's stylistic diversity and technical proficiency with the guitar have been praised by Bill Hicks.[3] His 1990 platinum-selling, full-length album, Ah Via Musicom, produced the single, "Cliffs Of Dover", for which Johnson won the 1991 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance .[4

Yngwie J Malmsteen

Yngwie Johann Malmsteen (English pronunciation: /ˈɪŋveɪ ˈmɑːlmstiːn/ ING-vay MAHLM-steen, born June 30, 1963) is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader. Malmsteen became known for his neo-classical playing style in heavy metal. Steve Huey of Allmusic stated that, "Yngwie Malmsteen is arguably the most technically accomplished hard rock guitarist to emerge during the '80s."[1]

Yngwie malmsteen was born Lars Yngwie Lannerback in Stockholm,Sweden

Ritchie Blackmore and Uli Jon Roth were huge influences to him He started guitar when he was 10 years old He has been playing for over 50 years He plays fender stratocasters his favorite one is called the duck because it is a

blonde 1972 strat that has donald duck stickers on the back. It is a normal single coil with seymour duncan pickups Malmsteen has stated that he prefers Stratocasters from the period of 1968-1972;

he claims that the bigger headstock on these generates more sustain. Malmsteen customizes his guitars by fitting a brass nut, removing the middle string tree and scalloping the fretboard. Malmsteen previously disconnected the tone controls on his guitars but has said that he no longer does this. Malmsteen has previously used DiMarzio pickups - most notably the HS3 and the HS4 (Formerly known as the YJM). Malmsteen would use an HS3 in the bridge and the HS4 in the middle and neck positions. He now uses his signature Seymour Duncan YJM Fury pickups which have been out for the past couple of years or so. In his earlier recordings, Malmsteen used an HS3 in the neck and bridge positions and a disconnected stock fender in the middle. Malmsteen had also use a Fender Telecaster in a tour when in England, 1997.

Ritchie Blackmore

Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore (born 14 April 1945) is a British guitarist and songwriter, who is known as one of the first guitarists to fuse classical music elements with blues rock.[1] He began his professional career as a studio session musician and was subsequently a member of Deep Purple, after which Blackmore established a successful career fronting his own band Rainbow, and later progressed to the traditional folk rock project Blackmore's Night.

Blackmore was born at Allandale Nursing Home, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, South West England, but moved to Heston, Middlesex (now Greater London) at the age of two. Although the surname Blackmore is thought to be of English origin, his father was of Welsh ancestry and his mother of English.[2] He was 11 when he got his first guitar. His father bought it for him on certain conditions, including learning how to play properly, so he took classical guitar lessons for a year.[3]

While at school he did well at sports including the javelin. Blackmore left school at age 15 and started work as an apprentice radio mechanic at nearby Heathrow Airport. He was given guitar lessons by Big Jim Sullivan.

Matthias Jabs

Matthias Jabs (born October 25, 1955) is a German guitarist and songwriter. He is one of the guitar players for the heavy metal band Scorpions

Before joining the Scorpions, Jabs played for the bands Lady, Fargo and Deadlock. Jabs was hired to join the Scorpions upon the departure of guitarist Ulrich Roth in August 1978. Jabs was discovered by Francis Buchholz, who helped him learn mathematics.[1] However Michael Schenker, younger brother of Scorpions rhythm guitarist/songwriter Rudolf Schenker had made the decision to leave his own band UFO, and expressed interest at re-joining the Scorpions as lead guitarist. Michael Schenker had already been a member of the Scorpions and left the band after the recording of their first album Lonesome Crow in 1972. As a result, Jabs was dismissed very shortly after joining the band.

However, Michael Schenker proved to be very unreliable during this time period and would frequently be absent from the band's live shows. This caused the Scorpions to contact Jabs at the last minute to fill in for Michael. After too many absences, Michael Schenker left and Jabs was permanently reinstated as lead guitarist for the Scorpions, which he has been ever since. This is why the Scorpions' 1979 album Lovedrive featured guitar tracks recorded by both Jabs and Michael Schenker. Jabs' playing style was a large part of Lovedrive's fresher, newer, heavier sound. This "Van Halen-like"[2] sound would become the band's signature as it would propel them into superstardom in the 1980's. In the year 2000, he was awarded the city of Hanover plaque.

During the 1980's, he had a 1963-64 black Fender Stratocaster, called his "trouble guitar". It had had a Floyd Rose floating bridge and a Bill Lawrence L90 pickup. The guitar was featured on many tracks that needed a tremolo, including "Blackout". A copy of this guitar (with a black Gibson humbucker) is seen on the 'Make a Difference Foundation' video filmed in Russia. This event had other guests including Ozzy Osbourne and Gorky Park.

Jabs favours Gibson Explorer guitars, he even designed a model for them, called the Explorer 90 (due to the body being 90% the size of a regular Explorer) in the late 1980s. He also has a signature Fender Stratocaster dubbed the "Jabocaster". Nowadays, Jabs and the rest of the Scorpions play the German-made Dommenget brand of guitars. All of the band's signature models made by them. His most recent signature guitar is his "Mastercaster" which was used mostly on stage and on their Humanity - Hour 1 album. Jabs is also notable for using a Talk box on some songs (such as "The Zoo" on Animal Magnetism, "To Be No. 1" on Eye II Eye, "Money and Fame" (Crazy World), "Can You Feel It" (Unbreakable), and "Media Overkill" (Savage Amusement) ).

Jabs replaces the Marshall amplification logo on his amplifier cabinets with his own name, in the same font style as the Marshall logo. Besides Marshall, Matthias also uses Wizard cabinets, Hiwatt, Engl, Fender Prosonic and Soldano amplifiers and cabinets, Kitty Hawk preamps, Dunlop picks, and Seymour Duncan JB pickups. Back in the 1980's, he used marshall JCM 800 2210 amplifiers which you can see on the World Wide Live DVD. Jabs also currently uses Ovation 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars, D'addario strings (which are tuned to E-flat and D), and talk boxes from Heil. In 2010, Cort Guitars collaborated with Matthias to develop his own signature line of electric guitars called the Garage 1 and Garage 2.

David Gilmour

David Jon Gilmour,[1] CBE, D.M. (born 6 March 1946) is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. It is estimated that as of 2011, the group has sold over 230 million albums worldwide, including 74.5 million units sold in the United States.[2]

In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of artists, and has enjoyed a successful career as a solo artist. Gilmour has been actively involved with many charities over the course of his career.

In 2003, he was appointed CBE for his charity work and was awarded with the Outstanding Contribution title at the 2008 Q Awards.[3] In 2011, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him No. 14 in their list of the greatest guitarists of all time.[4]

Joe Walsh

Joseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh (born November 20, 1947)[1] is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has been a member of three commercially successful bands: the James Gang, Barnstorm, and the Eagles. He has also experienced success as a solo artist and prolific session musician, especially with B.B. King and Dan Fogelberg.

Although Walsh is a native of Wichita, Kansas, he and his family lived in Columbus, Ohio for a number of years. His mother was a classically trained pianist. When Walsh was twelve years old the family moved to New York City. Later, Walsh moved to Montclair, New Jersey and attended Montclair High School there. He spent time in various bands playing around the Cleveland area, including The Measles while attending Kent State University. In response to moving to New York City, Walsh began a lifelong hobby of amateur ("ham") radio with the callsign WB6ACU.

[edit] 1960s and 1970s January 1968 he replaced Glen Schwartz as lead guitarist for the James Gang, an American power trio. Walsh proved to

be the band's star attraction, noted for his innovative rhythm playing and creative guitar riffs. In particular he was known for hot-wiring the pickups on his electric guitars to create his trademark "attack" sound. [2] The James Gang had several minor hits and became an early album-oriented rock staple for the next two years, including James Gang Live at Carnegie Hall. In November, 1971 Walsh left the group and formed the group Barnstorm, although their albums credited Walsh as a solo artist. Walsh and Barnstorm released their debut, the eponymous Barnstorm in 1972. The album was a critical success, but had only moderate sales. The follow-up The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get (1973) was titled under his own name (although officially a Barnstorm album) and was Walsh's commercial breakthrough. The first single "Rocky Mountain Way" received heavy airplay and reached #23 on the US Top 40 chart. In 1974 Barnstorm disbanded and Walsh continued as a solo artist.

In December 1974, Walsh released an official solo album, So What and in March 1976, a live set, You Can't Argue with a Sick Mind. These would be his last solo albums until 1978. On December 20, 1975 he joined the Eagles as Bernie Leadon's replacement. His addition steered the band toward a harder-edged sound and away from their early country-style work, and he was featured prominently on their multi-million-selling album Hotel California, co-writing the Top 20 hit "Life in the Fast Lane" (with Don Henley and Glenn Frey) and "Pretty Maids All in a Row" (co-written with former Barnstorm drummer Joe Vitale).

As the Eagles struggled to record the follow-up to Hotel California, Walsh re-ignited his solo career with the well-received album But Seriously, Folks... (1978) which featured his hit comic depiction of rock stardom, "Life's Been Good". Walsh also contributed "In the City" to The Warriors soundtrack (1979), a song penned and sung by Walsh that was later rerecorded for the Eagles The Long Run album.

Brian May

Brian Harold May, CBE (born 19 July 1947) is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist, songwriter and occasional singer of the rock band Queen. As a guitarist he uses his home-built guitar, "Red Special", and has composed hits such as "Tie Your Mother Down", "We Will Rock You" and "Fat Bottomed Girls".

He was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2005 for "services to the music industry and his charity work".[2] May earned a PhD in astrophysics from Imperial College in 2007 and is currently the Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University.[3] May currently resides in Surrey.[4]

In 2005, a Planet Rock poll saw May voted the 7th greatest guitarist of all time.[5] He was ranked at No. 26 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".

Brian May, the only child of Harold and Ruth May, was born in Hampton, London and attended Hampton Grammar School (now Hampton School).[7] During this time he formed his first band with vocalist and bassist Tim Staffell, named Nineteen Eighty-Four after George Orwell's novel of the same name.[8] He left Hampton Grammar School with ten GCE Ordinary Levels and three Advanced Levels in Physics, Mathematics and Applied Mathematics.[8] He studied Mathematics and Physics in Imperial College, London, graduating with an upper second class degree.

[edit] Career

[6]

Eddie Van Halen

Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen (born January 26, 1955) is a Dutch-born American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer. He is best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the eponymous hard rock band Van Halen. Allmusic described him as "Second to only Jimi Hendrix... undoubtedly one of the most influential, original, and talented rock guitarists of the 20th century."[1] He is ranked

8th in Rolling Stone's 2011 list of the Top 100 guitarists. He was born in Nijmegen in The Netherlands

Van Halen the band was originally called genesis and then mammoth

He is very famous for his fender Stratocaster called Frankenstein

It had all custom parts and a very unique pickup that allowed him to get more sustain when he is soloing

He made models of this from fender called the EVH Series

Paul Gilbert(Racer X and Mr.Big) Paul Brandon Gilbert (born November 6, 1966 in Illinois, USA) is an American

guitarist. He is well known for his technical guitar work with Racer X and Mr. Big, as well as many solo albums and numerous collaborations and guest appearances with other musicians.

He has been voted number 4 on a list in GuitarOne magazine of the "Top 10 Greatest Guitar Shredders of All Time",[1] as well as a spot in Guitar World's 50 Fastest Guitarists of All Time listGilbert was raised in

Greensburg, Pennsylvania.[3] Around 1981-82, he first contacted Mike Varney, founder of Shrapnel Records, asking for a gig with Ozzy Osbourne. At the time, Varney couldn't think why Osbourne would want a 15 year old guitarist, but after listening to his demo he changed his mind. Gilbert was featured in Guitar Player magazine at the age of fifteen.[3] They talked for the next 3 years, until Paul went to L.A. for the GIT (Guitar Institute of Technology), and then was ready to record Racer X's debut album Street Lethal.

Stevie Ray Vaughan(Double Trouble)

Stephen Ray "Stevie" Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an American guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and a notable recording artist. Often referred to by his initials, SRV, he is best known as the leader of the blues rock band Double Trouble, with whom he recorded four studio albums. Influenced by guitarists of various genres, Vaughan emphasized intensity and emotion in his guitar playing, and favored vintage guitars and amplifiers. He became one of the leading blues rock musicians, encompassing multiple styles, including jazz and ballads.

Born and raised in Dallas as the younger brother of Jimmie Vaughan, he moved to Austin at the age of 17, and formed the band, Triple Threat Revue, that evolved into a band called Double Trouble, in 1978. Accompanied by drummer Chris Layton, bassist Tommy Shannon, and later, keyboardist Reese Wynans, Vaughan became an important figure in Texas blues, a loud, swing-driven fusion of blues and rock. Despite the breakthrough success of Double Trouble's debut Epic album, Texas Flood (1983), Vaughn entered a period of alcohol and drug addiction. In 1986, he successfully completed rehabilitation and released the album In Step in (1989). On August 27, 1990, while departing a concert venue by helicopter in East Troy, Wisconsin, Vaughan was killed when the helicopter crashed into the side of a ski hill. His death triggered a global outpouring of grief, and as many as 3,000 people reportedly attended his public memorial service in Dallas.

Vaughan was highly rated and is considered to be one of the greatest guitarists of all time. He has received critical recognition for his guitar playing, ranked at #7 on Rolling Stone's list of "100 Greatest Guitarists" in 2003. He ranked #3 on Classic Rock magazine's list of "100 Wildest Guitar Heroes" in 2007. Vaughan won six Grammy Awards, including Best Contemporary Blues Performance for In Step. Vaughan was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2000 and won five W.C. Handy Awards. As of 2012, Vaughan has sold over 11.5 million albums with Double Trouble.

Jimi Hendrix

James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942[1][2] – September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter. Even though he was in the "spotlight" for only three years before his death, he is still widely considered to be the greatest electric guitarist in music history,[3][4][5] and one of the most influential musicians of his era.[6]

[7][8] After initial success in Europe with his group The Jimi Hendrix Experience, he achieved fame in the United States following his 1967 performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. Later, Hendrix headlined the iconic 1969 Woodstock Festival and the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. He often favored raw overdriven amplifiers with high gain and treble and helped develop the previously undesirable technique of guitar amplifier feedback.[9]

Jeff Beck

Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck (born 24 June 1944) is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds (Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page are the other two). Beck also formed The Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice.Much of Beck's recorded output has been instrumental, with a focus on innovative sound and his releases have spanned genres ranging from blues-rock, heavy metal, jazz fusion and an additional blend of guitar-rock and electronica. Although he recorded two hit albums (in 1975 and 1976) as a solo act, Beck has not established or maintained the sustained commercial success of many of his contemporaries and bandmates.[1][2] Beck appears on albums by Mick Jagger, Kate Bush, Roger Waters, Donovan, Stevie Wonder, Les Paul, Zucchero, Cyndi Lauper, Brian May and ZZ Top. In 1988, he made a cameo appearance in the movie Twins.He was ranked 5th in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"[3] and the magazine has described him as "one of the most influential lead guitarists in rock".[4] MSNBC has called him a "guitarist's guitarist".[1] Beck has earned wide critical praise and received the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance six times and Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance once. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: as a member of The Yardbirds (1992) and as a solo artist (2009).[5]

Beck was born in 1944 to Arnold and Ethel Beck at 206 Demesne Road, Wallington, England. As a ten year old Beck sang in a church choir. As a teenager he learned to play a borrowed guitar and made several attempts to build his own instrument, first by gluing and bolting together cigar boxes for the body and an unsanded fence-post for the neck with model aircraft control-lines and frets simply painted on. When fabricating a neck for his next try he attempted to use measurements for a bass guitar.Beck has cited Les Paul as the first electric guitar player who impressed him.[6] Beck has said that he first heard an electric guitar when he was six years old and heard Paul playing "How High the Moon" on the radio. He asked his mother what it was and after she replied it was an electric guitar and was all tricks, he said, "That's for me".[7] Cliff Gallup, lead guitarist with Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps was also an early musical influence, followed by B.B. King and Steve Cropper.[8]

Upon leaving school he attended Wimbledon College of Art, after which he was briefly employed as a painter and decorator, a groundsman on a golf course and a car paint-sprayer. Beck's sister Annetta introduced him to Jimmy Page when both were teenagers.

Eric Clapton

Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, (born 30 March 1945) is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time.[2] Clapton ranked second in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and fourth in Gibson's Top 50 Guitarists of All Time.In the mid 1960s, Clapton departed from the Yardbirds to play blues with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. In his one-year stay with Mayall, Clapton gained the nickname "Slowhand". Immediately after leaving Mayall, Clapton formed Cream, a power trio with drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce in which Clapton played sustained blues improvisations and "arty, blues-based psychedelic pop." For most of the 1970s, Clapton's output bore the influence of the mellow style of J.J. Cale and the reggae of Bob Marley. His version of Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff" helped reggae reach a mass market.[3] Two of his most popular recordings were "Layla", recorded by Derek and the Dominos, another band he formed and Robert Johnson's "Crossroads", recorded by Cream. A recipient of seventeen Grammy Awards,[4] in 2004 Clapton was awarded a CBE for services to music.[5] In 1998, Clapton, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, founded the Crossroads Centre on Antigua, a medical facility for recovering substance abusers.[6]

ZZ Top

ZZ Top is an American rock band from Houston, Texas. Formed in 1969, the group consists of Billy Gibbons (guitar and vocals), Dusty Hill (bass and vocals), and Frank Beard (drums and percussion). ZZ Top's early sound was rooted in blues but eventually grew to exhibit contemporary influences. Throughout their career they have maintained a sound based on Hill's and Beard's rhythm section support, accentuated by Gibbons' guitar and vocal style. Their lyrics often gave evidence of band's humor and thematically focus on personal experiences and sexual innuendos.

ZZ Top formed its initial lineup in 1969, consisting of Anthony Barajas (bass and keyboards) and Peter Perez (drums and percussion). After several incarnations, Hill and Beard joined within the following year. Molded into a professional act by manager Bill Ham, they were subsequently signed to London Records and released their debut album. They were successful as live performers, becoming known to fans as "that little ol' band from Texas", and their 1973 album Tres Hombres, according to Allmusic, propelled the band to national attention and "made them stars". In 1979, after returning from a one-and-a-half year break of touring, the group reinvented themselves with their 1983 hit album Eliminator and the accompanying tour. ZZ Top incorporated New Wave and punk influences into their sound and performances, and embraced a more iconic image, with Gibbons and Hill sporting chest-length beards and sunglasses. Similar experimentation continued for the remainder of the 1980s and 1990s with varying levels of success. On ZZ Top's 2003 album Mescalero, they adopted a more contemporary sound while maintaining their influences from their earlier musical pursuits.

Maintaining the same members for over forty years, ZZ Top has released 14 studio albums and are among the most popular rock groups, having sold more than 25 million albums in the United States. They have won three VMAs, and in 2004, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. VH1 ranked ZZ Top at number 44 in its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock". They have performed at many charity events and raised $1 million for the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

ZZ Top formed in Houston on June 20, 1969.[1] Billy Gibbons, who previously formed the Moving Sidewalks in 1966, had suggested "ZZ King" as a potential name for the band after looking at posters of Z. Z. Hill and B.B. King on his apartment wall. According to Gibbons' autobiography Rock + Roll Gearhead, he settled on "ZZ Top" because B.B. King was "on the top". Consisting of Lanier Greig on keyboards and Moving Sidewalks' drummer Dan Mitchell, the group was signed to London Records by manager Bill Ham, and released two singles—"Salt Lick" and "Miller's Farm".[2] Soon after, Greig and Mitchell left the group and were replaced by Billy Etheridge and Frank Beard, though Etheridge quit the band in January 1970, and was subsequently replaced by Michael "Cadillac" Johnson; he was replaced by Dusty Hill in the following month:

For the record, I was not fired from ZZ Top for being 'a bad influence on Frank Beard.' I had received a call from my two old buddies Jimmie Vaughan and Doyle Bramhall about coming back to Dallas to play the blues with my homeboys. After talking to them, I quit the band. I did this just before the band signed with London Records. I didn’t want to be tied down to a contract with that particular band at that point in time. I have only the utmost respect for Billy, Frank, and Dusty.

—Billy Etheridge, [3]

The finalized lineup of ZZ Top performed their first show on February 10, 1970 in Beaumont, Texas.[4] The group's debut album, ZZ Top's First Album, was released in January 1971; the single, "(Somebody Else Been) Shakin' Your Tree", peaked at number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite being unpolished, the album established the band's sound and attitude, as Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted that it's filled with "fuzzy guitars, barrelhouse rhythms, dirty jokes, and Texan slang".[5]

Blackfoot

During the spring of 1969, Rickey Medlocke and Greg T. Walker met former New York City native Charlie Hargrett in Jacksonville and organized the band Fresh Garbage with Ron Sciabarasi for keyboards, Rick for drums and vocals, Greg for bass and Hargrett for lead guitar, playing mostly at The Comic Book Club on Forsyth Street.

That autumn, Sciabarasi left Fresh Garbage and lead guitarist Jerry Zambito (ex-Tangerine) joined as a new band, Hammer, was organized with Medlocke performing lead vocals (playing almost no guitar); Greg T. Walker for bass and backup vocals; Jakson Spires, from Tangerine, for drums and backup vocals; DeWitt Gibbs, also from Tangerine, for Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes electric piano and backup vocals; and Hargrett for lead guitar. They soon relocated to Gainesville, Florida to be the house band of Dub's, a well-known topless bar on the outskirts of town.

About the beginning of 1970, the band relocated to Manhattan after a friend, who was working in a music publishing company, told her boss about the band and he had them move to New York City. During the early spring of the same year, the band, after learning of another band on the West Coast named Hammer, decided to change their name to Blackfoot to represent the American Indian heritage of Walker, Spires and Medlocke (Spires is part Cherokee, Medlocke part Sioux, and Walker part Eastern Creek, a Florida Indians tribe). When the band failed to acquire a contract as a result of their relocation, Gibbs quit the band and Medlocke began playing rhythm guitar full time.

During the spring of 1971, Medlocke and Walker accepted an offer to join Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blackfoot ended for a time. There was a brief attempt to regroup during 1972, but Medlocke quit again and Walker joined The Tokens, who soon changed their name to Cross Country. Hargrett remained in the north, living in Hackettstown, New Jersey. During August 1972 Blackfoot's old friend and roadie, John Vassiliou, visited Hargrett with Reidsville, North Carolina bassist Lenny Stadler from the band Blackberry Hill. Hargrett decided to relocate to North Carolina and invited Medlocke, who'd quit Lynyrd Skynyrd by this time, to reform Blackfoot with Stadler for bass guitar and Jakson Spires for drums. Danny Johnson (later with the bands Derringer and Steppenwolf), from a Louisiana group, Axis, was employed as second guitarist. But Medlocke soon decided to be both main vocalist and guitarist again, so Johnson was employed only briefly.

During the summer of 1973, Stadler quit the band after a tumor was discovered on one of his lungs (it later dissolved). But Stadler decided to leave secular music to join a gospel group. He eventually became a Methodist minister. Greg T. Walker was invited to rejoin at this juncture.

By 1974 the band had returned their base of operations to the Northeast (Northern New Jersey) and Medlocke developed nodes on his vocal cords and temporarily lost his voice. Another singer, Patrick Jude, was brought into the band. After a brief time, Medlocke was able to sing again and Jude was dismissed. Soon afterward, Medlocke and Walker sent producers/session players Jimmy Johnson and David Hood a copy of Blackfoot's material. Johnson and Hood had worked with Medlocke and Walker in Muscle Shoals, Alabama when they were there recording with Lynyrd Skynyrd. No Reservations was released by the company Island Records during 1975 as part of a deal organized by Blackfoot's then manager Lou Manganiello, and their second record album, Flying High, was vended by Epic Records company during 1976. Both record albums were produced by Johnson and Hood.

Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; ten live albums; four EPs; and seven compilations.Pioneers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Iron Maiden achieved success during the early 1980s. After several line-up changes, the band went on to release a series of U.S. and UK platinum and gold albums, including 1982's The Number of the Beast, 1983's Piece of Mind, 1984's Powerslave, 1985's live release Live After Death, 1986's Somewhere in Time and 1988's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. Since the return of lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith in 1999, the band have undergone a resurgence in popularity,[1] with their latest studio offering, The Final Frontier, peaking at No. 1 in 28 different countries[2] and receiving widespread critical acclaim.[3]

Considered one of the most successful heavy metal bands in history, Iron Maiden have reportedly sold over 85 million records worldwide[4] with little radio or television support.[5] The band won the Ivor Novello Award for international achievement in 2002,[6] and were also inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk in Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California during their United States tour in 2005.[7] As of August 2011, the band have played almost 2000 live shows throughout their career.For the past 30 years, the band have been supported by their famous mascot, "Eddie", who has appeared on almost all of their album and single covers, as well as in their live shows.

Adrian Smith

Adrian Frederick "H" Smith (born 27 February 1957) is an English musician, best known as one of the three guitarists in the heavy metal band, Iron Maiden, for whom he regularly writes and, along with bassist Steve Harris, performs backing vocals on some songs.

Growing up in Camden, London, Smith gained an interest in rock music at 15 and formed a friendship with future Iron Maiden guitarist Dave Murray, who would inspire Smith to take up the guitar himself. Upon leaving school at 16, he formed his own band, Urchin, which he would lead until their demise in 1980. Having already been offered a position as their second guitarist the previous year, Smith joined Iron Maiden in November 1980, replacing Dennis Stratton. Following a short-lived solo project entitled A.S.A.P, he left Iron Maiden in 1990, forming his own group, Psycho Motel, before joining Bruce Dickinson's solo outfit in 1997. Along with Dickinson, he returned to Iron Maiden in 1999, after which the band gained renewed success, and recently formed the side project, Primal Rock Rebellion.

Dave Murray

David Michael Murray (born 23 December 1956)[1] is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as one of the earliest members of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Along with the group's bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris, Murray has appeared on all of the band's releases.Growing up in various areas of London, Murray became a member of a skinhead gang before he took an interest in rock music at 15 and formed his own band, Stone Free, with childhood friend Adrian Smith. After leaving school at 15,[2] he regularly answered advertisements which appeared in Melody Maker before auditioning for Iron Maiden in 1976. A short while later, Murray was sacked following an argument with the group's lead vocalist, Dennis Wilcock, and spent six months in Smith's band, Urchin. In Spring 1978, Murray was asked to rejoin Iron Maiden following Wilcock's departure, in which he has remained to this day.

As a child, Murray's family lived in poverty and were constantly moving to different areas of London, which meant that he was often bullied and involved in fights.[3] By the time his family settled in Clapton in 1970, Murray joined a skinhead gang and "had a violent couple of years of being out on the street."[4] He developed an interest in rock music when he was 15 after hearing Voodoo Chile by Jimi Hendrix on the radio, about which he recalls, "everything changed, just like that. Getting into rock music wasn't like a gradual process for me; it was completely sort of extreme, totally black and white."[4] After "hanging 'round record stores" and acquiring several Hendrix and blues albums, Murray decided to take up the guitar.[5] At 16, he formed his first band, a trio called Stone Free, which also included Adrian Smith on vocals, who would also become a member of Iron Maiden in 1980.[5] From there, Murray would answer ads in Melody Maker and regularly audition for different bands at the weekend,[5] leading to short stints in Electric Gas, "this sort of soft-rock, American-type band," and The Secret, "this sort of mad punk band," with whom he would record a single,

"Café De Dance," in 1975.[6]

Janick GersJanick Robert Gers ( ; born 27 January 1957 in Hartlepool, England) is an English musician, best known for being one of the three current guitarists in Iron Maiden, along with Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, as well as his earlier work with Gillan and White Spirit.

Janick Gers began his career as the lead guitarist of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal band White Spirit, before joining Gillan, a group formed by former Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan.[1] After Gillan disbanded, Gers undertook a Humanities degree before joining Gogmagog, which included former Iron Maiden vocalist Paul Di'Anno and drummer Clive Burr.[2] The project came to nothing,[2] however, and Gers went on to work with Marillion vocalist Fish before being asked to record a song called "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter" with Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson.[3] The project expanded into an album, Tattooed Millionaire,[3] and during its recording Gers was asked to join Iron Maiden in place of Adrian Smith.[1] He has remained with the band ever since, even after Smith rejoined the band in 1999,[4] contributing to a total of eight studio albums.

Gers' main influences are Ritchie Blackmore, Jeff Beck and Irish blues guitarist Rory Gallagher.[5] He is noted for his energetic stage presence,[6] which often involves performing tricks with his guitar, such as throwing it into the air and catching it.[7] He is also left-handed although he plays guitar right-handed; he can be seen signing autographs with his left hand in the Rock in Rio DVD.

Steve Harris

Stephen Percy "Steve" Harris (born 12 March 1956) is an English musician and songwriter, known as the bassist, occasional keyboardist, backing vocalist and primary songwriter of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. He is the only member of Iron Maiden to have remained in the band since their inception and, along with guitarist Dave Murray, to have appeared on all of their albums.

Although he had previously aspired to be a professional footballer,[1] he gained an interest in rock music in his early teens, following which he participated in two small pub bands, Gypsy's Kiss and Smiler, before forming Iron Maiden on Christmas Day 1975. Before Iron Maiden signed their contract with EMI in 1979, Harris worked as an architectural draughtsman in the East End of London until he was made redundant, at which point he undertook a job as a street sweeper.[2][3] In addition to his role as the band's bass player and backing vocalist, Harris has undertaken many other roles for the group, such as producing and co-producing their albums, directing and editing their live videos and performing studio keyboards.

Rory Gallagher

William Rory Gallagher, -ə-hər; 2 March 1948 – 14 June 1995,12 was an Irish blues-rock multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and bandleader. Born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland,3 and raised in Cork, Gallagher recorded solo albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, after forming the band Taste during the late 1960s. A talented guitarist known for his charismatic performances and dedication to his craft, Gallagher's albums have sold in excess of 30 million copies worldwide.45 Gallagher received a liver transplant in 1995, but died of complications later that year in London, England at the age of 47.6

George Lynch

George Lynch (born September 28, 1954) is a hard rock/heavy metal guitarist best known as a member of the band Dokken, his own bands Lynch Mob and Souls of We.Lynch was born in Spokane, Washington and raised in the small town of Auburn,

California. Great White guitarist Mark Kendall claims George started two hand tapping before Eddie Van Halen did.[1] Twice Lynch auditioned for the position of Ozzy Osbourne's lead guitarist, once in 1979 – losing to Randy Rhoads – and another time in 1982 to replace Brad Gillis. According to Lynch, he was hired for three days before Ozzy changed his mind and decided to go with Jake E. Lee. Lee, however claims that Lynch "got the gig, but only went on the road for two weeks to watch the show, and never actually played with Ozzy." Lynch looks back on the situation positively though; he has said "I won the consolation prize. Randy got to tour with Ozzy...and I got to teach at his mom's school." Lynch played in a late 1970s band called The Boyz, working the Sunset Strip clubs in L.A., along side some of their contemporaries like Van Halen and Quiet Riot. The Boyz were to play a showcase for Gene Simmons of Kiss and his startup label, Simmons Records. Van Halen opened the show and Gene opted

not to stay and see The Boyz.

Brad Gillis

Brad Gillis (born June 15, 1957) is a guitarist most famous for playing with the band Night Ranger. He was in the band Rubicon during the 1970s before Night Ranger. He has also played for Ozzy Osbourne and Fiona, and has released solo albums.[1]

His style often incorporates heavy tremolo usage. He is often regarded as one of the most innovative users of Floyd Rose styled tremolos.

Vinnie Moore

Vincent "Vinnie" Moore (born April 14, 1964) is a guitarist and a member of the English hard rock band UFO. Along with Yngwie Malmsteen, Tony MacAlpine, and others, Moore is known as one of the most influential

shred guitarists.[2]Moore was born in New Castle, Delaware. He began his professional career at age of 12 and played clubs and bars until Shrapnel executive Mike Varney discovered him through a magazine article. His connection to Varney led to an opportunity to appear in a Pepsi commercial in 1985,[3] (only Vinnie's hands appeared in the commercial as his guitar playing is heard.[4] Following this, Moore recorded his first solo album, Mind's Eye, released on Shrapnel Records and featured Tony MacAlpine on keyboards. The album received several awards from guitar magazines and sold over 100,000 copies.[citation needed]

Vinnie Moore played lead guitar with the heavy metal band Vicious Rumors on their debut album, Soldiers of the Night. The album features Moore's solo-song, "Invader", which was in the style of Van Halen's "Eruption". The shred guitar craze of the late eighties led to more releases for Shrapnel.[citation needed] Moore also began performing with other hard rock and heavy metal bands.[citation needed] He joined Alice Cooper's band for a tour and then appeared on the Hey Stoopid album.[5] Following this Moore released two instructional videos on guitar playing.[6][7] He has been the lead guitarist for UFO since 2004.

Judas Priest

Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1969.[1] Known for a twin lead guitar style, a wide operatic vocal style, and for introducing the S&M leather and studs look into heavy metal, they have sold over 50 million albums worldwide.[2][3][4]

After an early career as a secondary act dogged by unsympathetic producers and lineup changes, the band found considerable commercial success in the 1980s. In 1989, they were named as defendants in an unsuccessful lawsuit alleging that subliminal messages on their albums had caused the suicide attempts of two young men.[5]

The band's membership has seen much turnover, including a revolving cast of drummers in the 1970s, and the temporary resignation of singer Rob Halford in the early 1990s. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. In 2010, the band announced a farewell tour, with a projected retirement in 2012.[6

] K. K. Downing, Ian Hill, and John Ellis had known each other since early childhood growing up on the Yew Tree estate in West Bromwich. They attended Churchfields Sch. at All Saints in W. Bromwich. Downing and Hill became close friends in their early teens, when they shared similar musical interests (Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Cream, The Yardbirds) and learned to play instruments. The band was founded in October 1970 in Birmingham, West Midlands, England, after a local ensemble named Judas Priest (from Bob Dylan's song "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest"[7]) disbanded.

Al Atkins approached Downing and Hill, who were playing as the power trio Freight, with drummer Ellis (born 19 September 1951, Yew Tree Estate, West Bromwich, Staffordshire) and asked if he could become their singer. With Atkins in the band, he suggested they change their name to Judas Priest. The original Judas Priest had formed in early September 1969 by Al Atkins (lead vocals) and Bruno Stapenhill (bass, born Brian Stapenhill, in 1948, Stone Cross, W. Bromwich), with lead guitar player Ernie Chataway (born Ernest Chataway, in 1952, in Winson Green, Birmingham, Warwickshire) and drummer John Partridge (born c. 1948, W. Bromwich). Stappenhill came up with the name Judas Priest and they rehearsed at his house in Stone Cross. The band played their first gig on 25 November 1969 at The George Hotel in Walsall, Staffordshire and then toured Scotland in December 1969 and January 1970. This band split in April 1970 after their last gig on 20 April at The Youth Centre in Cannock, Staffordshire. Atkins met the next line-up of Judas Priest at a church called St. James in Wednesbury, near W. Bromwich. This place was called Holy Joe's by the locals and here Atkins met lead guitarist Kenny Downing, bassist Ian 'Skull' Hill, and drummer John Ellis. They had a band called Freight (April–October 1970) and were looking for a singer; they agreed to join with Atkins, who suggested using his old band's name Judas Priest. They rehearsed at Atkins, mother-in-law's house in Stone Cross. The new line-up of Atkins, Downing, Hill, and Ellis played their first gig on 16 March 1971 at St John's Hall, Essington, S. Staffordshire.

With Downing as acting leader, the band moved away from their original blues influences to play hard rock. This quartet played around Birmingham and the surrounding areas with various drummers until 1974, sometimes opening for bands such as Budgie, Thin Lizzy, and Trapeze. Eventually, financial difficulties and problems with their management, Tony Iommi's company, IMA, led to the departure of Alan Atkins and drummer Alan Moore in May 1973.

At the time, Ian Hill was dating a woman from the nearby town of Walsall who suggested her brother, Rob Halford,[8] be considered as a singer. Halford joined the band, bringing drummer John Hinch from his previous band, Hiroshima. This line-up toured the UK, often supporting Budgie, and even headlining some shows in Norway and Germany.

Glenn Tipton

Glenn Tipton (born Glenn Raymond Tipton, 25 October 1947, Blackheath, England) is one of the Grammy Award-winning guitarists and occasional keyboard player for the heavy metal band Judas Priest.

Glenn Raymond Tipton was born on October 25, 1947 to Olive and Doug Tipton. Glenn attended Olive Hill Primary School when he was about five years old. His brother, Gary, was a guitar player for a local band called the Atlantics. Early on, Glenn was taught to play the piano by his mother, but he was never fully committed to his practice. Glenn learned to play guitar at age 19 with his first guitar being a Hofner acoustic guitar. He would then play on a Rickenbacker until he was able to afford a Fender Stratocaster.[1] This guitar would become his main live guitar until it was stolen at a show. Glenn soon bought a black Stratocaster from someone for a cheap price. Tipton also bought a Gibson SG afterwards with money he received to replace his old guitar.[2] Both of these guitars can be seen when Judas Priest played on the Old Grey Whistle Test.[3][4] Tipton's first band was Shave Em' Dry, which became Merlin, which became the Flying Hat Band. This band soon broke up due to management issues. In May 1974, Tipton joined Judas Priest. This was during the recording for Rocka Rolla, so Tipton quickly added his guitar parts to the album.[2] On Sad Wings of Destiny, Tipton showed off more of his guitar work on songs like Tyrant, Dreamer Deceiver and Victim of Changes. Tipton also presented his own songwriting on the songs Prelude, Epitaph and The Ripper. Epitaph and Prelude include some of Tipton's work on keyboard instruments. The year 1980's British Steel was Judas Priest's commercial breakthrough. This album combined the band's trademark heavy metal sound with pop-style song structures and hooks. United and Breaking the Law were some of Judas Priest's first guitar-driven songs not to include any solo sections. Judas Priest's popularity progressed through the 1980s with their albums Point of Entry, Screaming for Vengeance, Defenders of the Faith, Turbo, Ram It Down and Painkiller. Rob Halford would leave Judas Priest in 1992 and the band would separate. Judas Priest would later return with Tim "Ripper" Owens in 1997. This new version of the band recorded the albums Jugulator and Demolition. Both of these albums experimented with new sounds that distinguished them from the records with Halford. Around this time, Tipton released his first solo album, Baptizm of Fire in 1997. The follow-up album Edge of the World was released in 2006. In 2003, Judas Priest would reunite with Rob Halford and release Angel of Retribution in 2005 and Nostradamus in 2008. In 2010, Judas Priest announced their Epitaph World Tour, which is to be the last major world tour. Despite the announcement, Judas Priest still wishes to record another album an possibly more in the future.

Tipton is known for his complex, sometimes classically-influenced solos, and he has a unique guitar-playing technique. [5] Many of his solos are very difficult to transcribe, and his playing is notable for his double lead guitar trades with fellow Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing. Tipton's solos have maintained a consistent style for most of his career, but he has continuously incorporated new techniques into his playing over the years as he has developed as a guitarist.

In contrast to Downing, Tipton's solos tend to feature a more melodic, legato sound, making use of harmonic minor scales, Aeolian mode, pentatonic scales and techniques such as sweep-picking arpeggios, legato picking, tremolo/alternate picking, hammer-ons and pull-offs, and the solos often showcase both accuracy and aggression. However, like Downing, his playing sometimes emphasizes speed rather than precision, and Tipton has been known to occasionally use pinch harmonics and dive bombs in his solos. Tipton also has a trademark 2-strings bend/whammy dive screams for ending the solo, as evident in solos like All Guns Blazing, Heavy Metal, Demonizer, Bullet Train and Ram It Down. In 1978, Tipton began to incorporate tapping into his playing, which Downing promptly did as well. In the mid-1980s, both guitarists started to use the complex technique of sweep-picking, which can be notably heard on the title track of their 1990 album Painkiller. Both have continuously used these techniques ever since. His style is drenched in blues-based phrasing. His vibrato is medium speed, medium width — similar to Peter Green's but not quite as fast.

KK Downing

Kenneth "K. K." Downing, Jr. (born 27 October 1951 in Yew Tree Estate in West Bromwich, England) is a Grammy Award winning guitarist, songwriter and a founding member of the British heavy metal band Judas Priest.

Downing dropped out of school when he was 16 years old. A short time later, he was told by his parents to leave, which he did. In the late 1960s, Kenneth discovered rock music and the guitar. He was heavily influenced by Jimi Hendrix, after whom he modelled his playing style. In the early 1970s, Downing decided to form a band with his friend Ian Hill, and this band would become Judas Priest. Downing played on every Judas Priest album from Rocka Rolla to A Touch of Evil: Live.

Downing has been noted for his aggressive, rock influenced guitar solos and dual leads with fellow Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton.[1] His solos have remained of this style for most of his career, but he has incorporated various techniques into his playing over the years. As opposed to Tipton, his solos tend to incorporate a more raw, rough-edged sound, making use of techniques like pinch harmonics, dive bombs, and tremolo picking, and often focus on speed, technical accuracy and melody. In 1978, Tipton began to incorporate tapping into his playing, which Downing promptly began to use as well. By 1990, both guitarists started to use the complex technique of sweep-picking, which can be notably heard on the title track of their 1990 album Painkiller. Both have continuously used these techniques ever since. Some of his guitar solos are on such tracks as "Victim of Changes", the 2nd solo in "Beyond the Realms of Death", "Before The Dawn", "Sinner", "Don't Go", the 2nd solo in "Painkiller", and the live version of "Breaking The Law", although naturally which solos are most notable is debated among fans. Notable guitar duels are on such tracks as "Hellrider", "Bullet Train", "Nostradamus", "The Sentinel", "Ram It Down", "Metal Meltdown", "Eat Me Alive" and "Riding On The Wind".

In Judas Priest's early years, Downing made common use of the wah-wah pedal, but began to limit his use of it in the late '70s, and had abandoned use of it by the mid-'80s, save for during live performances of the songs that originally featured it. The only time since then that he has renewed use of it was in 1996, when vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens joined the band, and they began to experiment with their music more than before. One of these experimentations was the renewal of wah-wah in Downing's playing, which can be heard on their 1997 album Jugulator. This experimentation was taken further on their next album with Owens, 2001's Demolition, but was once more abandoned when the band's former vocalist, Rob Halford, returned to the band. Soon enough, Downing would later use a wah-wah pedal on more recent tours.

Richie Faulkner

Richard Ian Faulkner (born 1 January 1980), is a British guitarist. Faulkner was born in London. In the early stages of his career, he played in bands such as Dirty Deeds, Voodoo Six, Ace Mafia and Lauren Harris' band. On 20 April 2011 he was appointed as the successor of K.K. Downing in heavy metal band Judas Priest.[1]

His first performance with the band happened on 25 May 2011 on American Idol, where the band played Living After Midnight and Breaking the Law with James Durbin.[2]

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949), nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter-performer who records and tours with the E Street Band. Springsteen is widely known for his brand of heartland rock, poetic lyrics, and Americana sentiments centered on his native New Jersey.[1]

Springsteen's recordings have included both commercially accessible rock albums and more somber folk-oriented works. His most successful studio albums, Born in the U.S.A. and Born to Run, showcase a talent for finding grandeur in the struggles of daily American life; he has sold more than 65 million albums in the United States and more than 120 million worldwide[2] and he has earned numerous awards for his work, including 21 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes and an Academy Award. He is widely regarded by many as one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th century, and in 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him as the 23rd Greatest Artist of all time.

The Fender Telecaster

Also created by Leo Fender this famous guitar has a different tone from a strat it is more twang

Bruce Springsteen was one of the famous guitarists that played it

He had a yellow one It has different pickups from a strat Another very popular guitar in the

1980’s

John 5

John William Lowery (born July 31, 1971), best known by the stage name John 5, is an American guitarist. His stage name was bestowed on him in 1998 when he left David Lee Roth and joined the industrial metal group Marilyn Manson as their guitarist, taking over from Zim Zum. Still going by the name "John 5," Lowery is currently the guitarist for Rob Zombie.He is also a solo artist having recorded six guitar albums: Vertigo (2004), Songs for Sanity (2005), The Devil Knows My Name (2007), Requiem (2008), The Art of Malice (2010) and God Told Me To (2012), as well as a remix album, Remixploitation (2009). He also works as a staff writer for Chrysalis Records, working with artists such as Matt Ball, Avril Lavigne, Rob Halford, k.d lang, Garbage, Meat Loaf, Scorpions, Ozzy Osbourne, Slash, FeFe Dobson and has written and recorded with southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Lowery first started playing guitar at the age of seven after watching Buck Owens and Roy Clark's television show Hee Haw with his dad. His parents supported his playing as long as it did not interfere with his education. They also accompanied him at the adult bars he would play during the evening.[1]

Lowery started his career as a session guitarist having moved to Los Angeles from Michigan at the age of 17. His first band in L.A. was Alligator Soup, which led to an important meeting with Rudy Sarzo from Whitesnake, that would give him his first real bit of exposure. This also saw him meeting producer Bob Marlette, who has worked with, among others, Tracy Chapman, Alice Cooper, Rob Halford and Black Sabbath.

Joe Satriani

Joseph "Joe" Satriani (born July 15, 1956) in Westbury,NY and he is an American instrumental rock guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and multiple Grammy Award nominee. Early in his career, Satriani worked as a guitar instructor, and some of his former students have achieved fame such as Steve Vai, Larry LaLonde, Rick Hunolt, Kirk Hammett, Andy Timmons, Charlie Hunter, Kevin Cadogan and Alex Skolnick. Satriani has been a driving force in music credited to other musicians throughout his career, as a founder of the G3 tour, as well as performing in various positions with other musicians.

In 1988, Satriani was recruited by Mick Jagger as lead guitarist for Jagger's first solo tour.[1] In 1994, Satriani was the lead guitarist for Deep Purple.[2] Satriani worked with a range of guitarists, including Steve Vai, John Petrucci, Eric Johnson, Larry LaLonde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Brian May, Patrick Rondat, Andy Timmons, Paul Gilbert, Adrian Legg, and Robert Fripp through the annual G3 Jam Concerts.[3] He is currently the lead guitarist for the supergroup Chickenfoot. Since 1988, Satriani has been using his own signature guitar, the Ibanez JS Series, which is sold in music stores worldwide.

The Ibanez JS

Joe Satriani has his own line of Ibanez JS Guitars

They are very similar to Steve Vai’s but don’t have cutaways

They are shredder guitars

Slash

Saul Hudson (born July 23, 1965) in Hampstead London England, known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter.[1] He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N' Roses, Slash formed the side project Slash's Snakepit. He then co-founded the supergroup Velvet Revolver, which re-established him as a mainstream performer in the mid to late 2000s. In 2010, Slash released his eponymous debut solo album, featuring an all-star roster of guest musicians. His second album, Apocalyptic Love, recorded with his band, is set for release on May 22, 2012.Slash has received critical acclaim as a guitarist. Time named him runner-up on their list of "The 10 Best Electric Guitar Players" in 2009,[2] while Rolling Stone placed him at No. 65 on their list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" in 2011.[3] Guitar World ranked his solo in "November Rain" No. 6 on their list of "The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos" in 2008,[4] and Total Guitar placed his riff in "Sweet Child o' Mine" at No. 1 on their list of "The 100 Greatest Riffs" in 2004.[5]

John Petrucci

John Peter Petrucci (born July 12, 1967) is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Along with his former bandmate Mike Portnoy, he has produced all Dream Theater albums since their 1999 release, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory. He is also a backing vocalist for Dream Theater. Petrucci was named as the third player on the G3 tour six times, more than any other invited guitarists. In 2009 he was named the No. 2 Best metal guitarist by Joel McIver in his book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists.[1] He was also named as one of the "Top 10 Greatest Guitar Shredders of All Time" by GuitarOne magazine.[2]

John Petrucci was born on July 12, 1967 in Kings Park, New York to an Italian American family. He picked up the guitar at the early age of 8 because his older sister was allowed to go to bed later in order to practice the piano. However he decided to quit the guitar when his attempts to stay up late were unsuccessful. He would later pick up the guitar again at the age of 12 when his childhood friend and future Dream Theater keyboardist Kevin Moore invited John to join his cover band.

Gregg Allman

Gregory LeNoir Allman (born December 8, 1947 in Nashville, Tennessee), known as Gregg Allman, is a rock and blues singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter, and a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 [1] and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2006. His distinctive voice placed him in 70th place in the Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time".[2]

At the beginning of the 1970s, The Allman Brothers Band enjoyed huge success[3] and a number of their most characteristic songs were written by Allman. Unusually for the time, the band was based in the Southeastern United States and their music, which has been called ‘Southern Rock’, a term derided by Allman,[4] incorporates an innovative fusion of rock and jazz.

Following the death of his older brother, the guitarist Duane Allman in 1971 and bass guitarist Berry Oakley around a year later, in motorbike accidents, the band struggled on and continued to perform and record. In addition, Allman developed a solo career and a band under his own name. Allman’s solo music has perhaps a greater resonance of soul music than his work with ABB, possibly because of the influence of artists such as Bobby Bland and Little Milton, singers who he has long admired.

Despite recent health issues, Allman still tours.[5]

Allman's memoirs of his life in music are scheduled to be published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, in Spring 2012

Gregg is the younger son of Willis Turner Allman and Geraldine Alice (née Robbins).[7] He was born in Nashville Tennessee in 1947, thirteen months after his brother Duane. His father was in the army and in 1949 the family relocated to Fort Story, Norfolk, Virginia. Shortly after, his father was murdered by a casual acquaintance [8] and Geraldine 'Mama A' Allman was left to raise the boys. In order to retrain as an accountant, she sent her sons to Castle Heights Military Academy in Lebanon, Tennessee, which they both loathed.[9] Eventually, in 1957, when his mother had finished her degree, the family settled in Daytona Beach, Florida, and the boys attended Seabreeze High School.

Both Allman and his brother Duane became captivated by music at a young age; Allman has revealed that Duane and he went to see Jackie Wilson, Otis Redding, Patti Labelle and B.B. King perform and that he was particularly struck by B.B.’s Hammond organ player.[10] Allman took an interest in the guitar before Duane did, learning the very basics from his grandmother’s neighbour in Nashville. Duane would soon become the superior guitarist, giving up school in tenth grade to focus on it while Allman practiced his vocals and keyboards, remained at school and finally graduated in 1965. Although he planned to become a dentist, Allman fell in with his brother’s plans that they should become musicians, intending to go to medical school after a short while; it didn’t happen. [11]

Duane became employed as a session musician at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama and began to assemble the group that would become The Allman Brothers Band - Duane and Dickey Betts on guitars, Berry Oakley on bass guitar, and Butch Trucks and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson on drums. In the meantime, Allman had grown unhappy with the Liberty Records arrangement so when Duane called from Jacksonville, Florida in March 1969 to say that he had assembled a band that needed a singer, Gregg jumped at the opportunity and returned to the South.

He had long wanted to play the Hammond Organ, and was given one immediately upon joining the band, which he had to learn to play in a hurry. Ever since, he has played the Hammond B-3 with a preference for a 1969 issue B3 hooked to a Leslie speaker 122RV and handled much of the lead vocals and song writing for the band, along with occasional piano and guitar contributions

Edgar Winter

Edgar Holland Winter (born December 28, 1946) is an American musician. He is famous for being a multi-instrumentalist. He is a highly skilled keyboardist, saxophonist and percussionist. He often plays an instrument while singing. He was most successful in the 1970s with his band, The Edgar Winter Group, notably with their popular songs "Frankenstein" and "Free Ride". He has albinism

Winter was born to John Winter II and Edith Winter on December 28, 1946, in Beaumont, Texas. Both he and his brother Johnny have albinism, and both were required to take special education classes in high school. Winter states, "In school I had a lot of friends. I wore a lot of white shirts to, like, blend in I guess. No one really gave me a hard time about being albino or taking special education classes. Then again, I wasn't really popular."

By the time Edgar Winter left his hometown of Beaumont, Texas, in the 1960s, he was already a proficient musician. A child prodigy who achieved international success early on, Edgar has found an audience in a number of major entertainment media, including music, film and television.

A prolific writer, Edgar's music encompasses many different genres, including rock, jazz, blues, and pop. From his critically acclaimed 1970 debut release, Entrance, he has demonstrated his unique style and ability to cross the genre lines and do the unexpected. His early recording of "Tobacco Road" propelled him into the national spotlight. Edgar followed Entrance with two hit albums backed by his group White Trash, a group originally composed of musicians from Texas and Louisiana. White Trash enjoyed huge success, both with the 1971 release of the studio album, Edgar Winter's White Trash (album), and with 1972's follow-up live gold album, Roadwork.

In late 1972, Winter brought together Dan Hartman, Ronnie Montrose and Chuck Ruff to form The Edgar Winter Group, the legendary band that created such hits as the number one "Frankenstein" and the ever popular "Free Ride". Released in 1973, They Only Come Out at Night peaked at the number 3 position on the Billboard Hot 200 and stayed on the charts for an impressive 80 weeks. It was certified gold in April 1973 and double platinum in November 1986.

Winter invented the keyboard body strap early in his career, an innovation that allows him the freedom to move around on stage during his multi-instrument high-energy performances.

After They Only Come Out At Night, Winter released Shock Treatment, featuring guitarist Rick Derringer in place of Ronnie Montrose. Later albums included Jasmine Nightdreams, The Edgar Winter Group with Rick Derringer, a live album, Together Live With Johnny Winter, Recycled, a reunion with White Trash, Standing On Rock, Mission Earth, Live In Japan, Not A Kid Anymore, The Real Deal, and Winter Blues.

With over 20 albums and numerous collaborative efforts to his credit, Edgar Winter has not been satisfied to ride the wave of popular music stardom. Major national television and radio campaigns have relied on Winter's music to advertise their products. Winter has also made frequent television appearances, both to promote his music, and to give his opinions on everything from Politically Incorrect to a commercial with George Hamilton for Miller Lite beer. He has appeared in the film Netherworld, and the TV shows The Cape, Mysterious Ways, David Letterman, and The Jimmy Kimmel Show.

Winter's music can be heard in no fewer than fifteen film and television projects, including Netherworld, Air America, My Cousin Vinny, Encino Man, Son In Law, What's Love Got to do With It, Wayne's World 2, Starkid, Wag the Dog, Knockabout Guys, Duets, Radio, The Simpsons, Queer as Folk, and Tupac Resurrection. Winter's hauntingly beautiful song "Dying to Live" is featured as "Runnin” (Dying To Live) in the film Tupac Resurrection, the biography on the life of rapper Tupac Shakur. Produced by Eminem, the song uses the vocal talents of the Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, and Edgar Winter himself. "Runnin" is on numerous Billboard charts. It peaked at number 5 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles Sales chart, and the soundtrack CD was number 1 for 8 consecutive weeks.

Winter's CD and DVD, titled, "Live At The Galaxy" was recorded live at the Galaxy Theatre for Classic Pictures in 2003. It features the songs, "Keep Playing That Rock and Roll", "Turn On Your Love Light", "Free Ride", "Texas", "Show Your Love", "New Orleans", "Frankenstein" and "Tobacco Road". In addition, the DVD includes a 30 Minute Documentary, "Edgar Winter: The Man and His Music".

[edit] Scientologist Winter is a Scientologist. He has appeared in at least seven issues of the Church of Scientology magazine Celebrity between 1995 and 2005, which list the Scientology courses

that he has completed.[1]

Winter also produced, arranged, and performed on the album Mission Earth (1986). This album's words and music were written by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Hubbard is said to have left detailed instructions and audio tapes for the musicians and producers to follow when making the album. [2] Winter described Mission Earth as "both a return to rock’s primal roots and yet highly experimental." Winter wrote, "Ron's technical insight of the recording process was outstanding." Winter also described Hubbard's delineation of counter-rhythm in rock as something "which was nothing short of phenomenal, particularly in as much as it had then been entirely unexplored and only later heard in the African-based rhythms of Paul Simon's work, some five years after Ron’s analysis," [3] (despite its well-documented and thoroughly analyzed existence in all musical genres throughout recorded history).

Tony Macalpine

Tony MacAlpine (born August 29, 1960) is an American musician and composer. In a career spanning more than two decades and eleven studio albums, he is best known as an instrumental solo guitarist, although he has worked with many different bands and musicians in guest appearances and collaborations.

Having started playing piano at the age of five and guitar at twelve, MacAlpine studied classical music for a number of years at the Springfield Conservatory of Music in Massachusetts, as well as various music programs at the University of Hartford in Connecticut.[1][2] One of his musical influences is Frédéric Chopin, to whom he pays homage in his interpretations of the latter's études, which are featured on the majority of his studio albums.

Together with his first studio releases, Edge of Insanity (1985) and Maximum Security (1987), he had a prominent role on other works during the popular shred era, including keyboard duties on the debut albums of fellow guitarists Vinnie Moore and Joey Tafolla, on Mind's Eye (1986) and Out of the Sun (1987) respectively. Soon after his own debut, he played guitar in a heavy metal supergroup named M.A.R.S. (an acronym for MacAlpine/Aldridge/Rock/Sarzo), which resulted in the album Project: Driver (1986).

As part of a band effort named 'MacAlpine', Eyes of the World was released in 1990 as a more commercially-oriented attempt to emulate other hard rock acts at the time. The venture was short-lived, and his subsequent album Freedom to Fly (1992), was a return to his instrumental-based work. A further consecutive string of instrumental albums followed throughout the 1990s, most of them through the renowned Shrapnel Records label: Madness (1993), Premonition (1994), Evolution (1995) and Violent Machine (1996). For his last album of the decade Master of Paradise (1999), MacAlpine briefly assumed singing duties in an effort to experiment with different styles.[2] After the release of Chromaticity in 2001, he took an extended hiatus from recording solo albums and worked with a variety of other musicians and bands, most notably with jazz fusion outfit CAB. A decade later, he released his self-titled eleventh studio album through guitarist Steve Vai's Favored Nations label in 2011.

In the early to mid-2000s, MacAlpine took on a dual role playing both guitar and keyboards in Vai's touring band The Breed. He is featured on the band's DVD release Live at the Astoria London (2003), along with two DVDs of the G3 tour: G3: Live in Denver (2004) and G3: Live in Tokyo (2005). During that time, he was the guitarist for progressive metal supergroup Planet X, alongside keyboardist Derek Sherinian and drummer Virgil Donati. He played with them for three albums in the first part of the decade—Universe (2000), Live from Oz (2002) and MoonBabies (2002)—and rejoined them in 2009 for a string of live performances, and a possible new album.[3] His most recent collaborations have included Seven the Hardway, a progressive rock group with whom he released their self-titled album in 2010,[4] and a guest appearance on Sherinian's seventh studio album Oceana (2011).

Orville Gibson

Orville H. Gibson (August 21, 1856, Chateaugay, New York - August 21, 1918, Ogdensburg, New York) was a luthier who founded the Gibson Guitar Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1896, makers of guitars, mandolins and other instruments.

Gibson began in 1894 in his home workshop in Kalamazoo, Michigan. With no formal training, Orville created an entirely new style of mandolin and guitar, with tops carved and arched like the top of a violin. His creations were so different that he was granted a patent on his design.[1] More importantly, they were louder and more durable than contemporary fretted instruments,(4)and musicians soon demanded more than he was able to build in his one-man shop.

On the strength of Orville Gibson's ideas, five Kalamazoo businessmen formed the Gibson Mandolin Guitar Mfg. Co., Ltd., in 1902. Within a short period after the company was started, the board passed a motion that "Orville H. Gibson be paid only for the actual time he works for the Company." After that time, there is no clear indication whether he worked there full-time, or as a consultant. Orville Gibson was considered a bit eccentric and there has been some question over the years as to whether or not he suffered from some sort of mental illness.

Starting in 1908, Orville Gibson was paid a salary of $500 by Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Co., Limited (equivalent to $20,000 a year in modern terms). He had a number of stays in hospitals between 1907 and 1911. In 1916, he was again hospitalized, and died on August 21, 1918 on his 62th birthday in St. Lawrence State Hospital, a psychiatric center in Ogdensburg, New York.[2] Gibson is buried at Morningside Cemetery in Malone, New York.[3]

The Gibson Les Paul

The Gibson Les Paul was designed by Les Paul himself in the early 1950’s

Slash from the 1980’s band Guns N Roses had the same les Paul for every show

The les Paul is unique and has 2 humbuckers and rectangular frets so you can reach farther when you play they use the same idea for blues guitars

Les Paul

Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 13, 2009)[3][4][5]—known as Les Paul—was an American jazz and country guitarist, songwriter and inventor. He was the inventor of the solid-body electric guitar which made the sound of rock and roll possible.[6] He is credited with many recording innovations. Although he was not the first to use the technique, his early experiments with overdubbing (also known as sound on sound),[7] delay effects such as tape delay, phasing effects and multitrack recording were among the first to attract widespread attention.[8]

His innovative talents extended into his playing style, including licks, trills, chording sequences, fretting techniques and timing, which set him apart from his contemporaries and inspired many guitarists of the present day.[9][10][11][12] He recorded with his wife Mary Ford in the 1950s, and they sold millions of records.

Among his many honors, Paul is one of a handful of artists with a permanent, stand-alone exhibit in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[13] He is prominently named by the music museum on its website as an "architect" and a "key inductee" along with Sam Phillips and Alan Freed.

Les Paul was born Lester William Polsfuss outside Milwaukee, in Waukesha, Wisconsin, to George and Evelyn (1888–1989) (née Stutz) Polsfus. His family was of German ancestry.[15] Paul's mother was related to the founders of Milwaukee's Valentin Blatz Brewing Company and the makers of the Stutz automobile.[16] His parents divorced when he was a child.[17] The Prussian family name was first simplified by his mother to Polfuss before he took his stage name of Les Paul. He also used the nicknames Red Hot Red[18] and Rhubarb Red.[19]

While living in Wisconsin, he first became interested in music at age eight when he began playing the harmonica. After an attempt at learning the banjo, he began to play the guitar. It was during this time that he invented a neck-worn harmonica holder, which allowed him to play the harmonica hands-free while accompanying himself on the guitar. Paul's device is still manufactured using his basic design.[20] By age thirteen, Paul was performing semi-professionally as a country-music singer, guitarist and harmonica player. While playing at the Waukesha area drive-ins and roadhouses, Paul began his first experiment with sound. Wanting to make himself heard by more people at the local venues, he wired a phonograph needle to a radio speaker, using that to amplify his acoustic guitar.[21] At age seventeen, Paul played with Rube Tronson's Texas Cowboys, and soon after he dropped out of high school to join Wolverton's Radio Band in St. Louis, Missouri, on KMOX.

[14]

Ronnie Montrose

Ronald Douglas "Ronnie" Montrose[1] (November 29, 1947 – March 3, 2012) was an American rock guitarist who led a number of his own bands as well as performed and did session work with a variety of musicians, including Sammy Hagar, Herbie Hancock, Van Morrison, The Beau Brummels, Boz Scaggs, Beaver & Krause, Gary Wright, Tony Williams, The Neville Brothers, Dan Hartman, Marc Bonilla, Edgar Winter, and Johnny Winter.

Ace Frehley

Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley ( /ˈfreɪli/; born April 27, 1951)[1][2] is an American musician best known as the former lead guitarist of the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics. Frehley played with the group from its inception in 1973 until his departure in 1982.

After leaving Kiss, Frehley embarked on a solo career, which was put on hold when he rejoined Kiss in 1996 for a highly successful reunion tour. His second tenure with Kiss lasted until 2002, when he left at the conclusion of what was purported to be the band's Farewell Tour. His latest album Anomaly, was released on September 15, 2009.[3] Guitar World magazine ranked him 14th Greatest Metal Guitarist of All Time.

In a 2009 interview with Rock N Roll Experience Magazine Ace stated, "I'm an Anomaly, I'm an un-schooled musician, I don't know how to read music, but I'm one of the most famous guitar players in the world, so go figure." [4]

He plays les pauls

Tommy Thayer(Kiss, Black N Blue)

Thomas Cunningham Thayer (born November 7, 1960) is an American musician and songwriter best known as the current lead guitarist for the American hard rock band Kiss, as well as the former lead guitarist for the band Black 'n Blue.

Thayer was born on November 7, 1960 in Portland, Oregon and grew up in the nearby suburbs of Beaverton, Oregon. His mother Patricia Thayer (née Cunningham) was a classically trained violinist and singer and father James Thayer was a businessman, community leader and retired Brigadier General in the US Army. His father was Dane, and his mother was of German and Belgian background.Early on, Thayer was raised in a musical family with three brothers and a sister amidst sounds that ranged from classical to The Beatles and other classic 1960s pop music. Thayer’s passion for early 1970s hard rock bands drove his desire to pick up electric guitar at age 13. After graduating from Sunset High School (Beaverton, Oregon) in 1978, Thayer played in many local garage and club bands eventually forming his own group with singer (and childhood friend) Jaime St. James called Black 'n Blue.

A brand new Kiss and Dr. Pepper TV ad debuted during the 2010 Super Bowl to an estimated 100 million TV viewers. Promotions leading up to the debut included Thayer & Kiss ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange in January 2010 in full Kiss regalia.He was also a very good golfer and he helped create the new kiss minature golf course in las vegas

Bruce Kulick

Bruce Howard Kulick (born December 12, 1953 in New York) is an American guitarist, musician and a member of the band Grand Funk Railroad. Previously, Kulick had been a longtime member of the band Kiss.Kulick is also known for being a former member of the band Blackjack with Michael Bolton, and also played on several Michael Bolton solo albums. (Bolton later co-wrote the Kiss song "Forever", from Hot in the Shade).

Kulick is best known as lead guitarist for the rock band Kiss from September 1984 to August 1996. Kulick never wore Kiss' face paint on stage, which they removed in 1983. Kulick was the first member of Kiss to be billed under his actual birth name, and to date, along with Tommy Thayer, is one of only two members to ever do so. All other past and present members have been billed under stage names, legally-changed names, nicknames or modified names.Originally brought in as a touring member after guitarist Mark St. John was diagnosed with Reiter's Syndrome, Kulick played on 5 Kiss studio albums: Asylum, Crazy Nights, Hot in the Shade, Revenge and Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions; he also appeared on Alive III and Kiss Unplugged. The song "I Walk Alone" from Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions is the only Kiss track to feature Kulick as lead vocalist. To this day Kulick is featured on over 20 Kiss releases.When the original members of the band regrouped, starting in 1995 with the MTV Unplugged special that carried over into re-adopting their makeup and costuming for the "Reunion Tour" in 1996, Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer were paid weekly during the tour; while "sidelined" from Kiss, both were allowed to do other projects so long as Simmons and Stanley okayed them.[1] Kulick officially left Kiss in December 1996.[2] Kulick was with the band longer than any member aside from the original foursome and drummer Eric Singer. (Singer has done three discontinuous stints with the band, each much shorter than Kulick's.) [3] When Ace Frehley again left Kiss (in 2002, after the Farewell Tour), Kulick was not asked to rejoin as Gene and Paul thought that Tommy Thayer (former Black 'n Blue guitarist and Kiss tour manager) could capture Ace's persona better than Bruce.Incidentally, Bruce's brother Bob Kulick also played with Kiss as a session guitarist, and in addition appeared on Paul Stanley's 1978 solo album. Bob was also a member of Paul's touring band for his 1989 "club tour."

Boston

Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists.[1] Boston's best-known works include the songs "More Than a Feeling", "Peace of Mind", "Foreplay/Long Time", "Rock and Roll Band", "Smokin'", "Don't Look Back" and "Amanda." They have sold over 31 million albums in the United States, of which 17 million are their self-titled debut album and 7 million are their second album, Don't Look Back.

Tom Scholz first started writing music in 1969 while he was attending MIT, where he wrote an instrumental, titled "Foreplay".[4] While attending MIT, Scholz joined the band "Freehold," where he met guitarist Barry Goudreau and drummer Jim Masdea, who would later become members of Boston. Vocalist Brad Delp was added to the collective in 1970. After graduating with a master's degree in mechanical engineering, Scholz worked for Polaroid, where he used his salary to build a recording studio in his basement, and to finance demo tapes recorded in professional recording studios.[4] These early demo tapes were recorded with (at various times) Brad Delp on vocals, Barry Goudreau on guitar, Jim Masdea on drums, and Scholz on guitar, bass and keyboards . The demo tapes were sent to record companies, but received consistent rejections. [4] In 1973 Scholz formed the band Mother's Milk with Delp, Goudreau, and Masdea.[4] That group disbanded by 1974, but Scholz subsequently worked with Masdea and Delp to produce six new demos. Scholz played all the instruments on the demos, except for the drums, and used self-designed pedals to create the desired guitar sound.[4]

This final demo tape attracted the attention of promoters Paul Ahern and Charlie McKenzie. Masdea left the band around this time. According to Scholz, the managers insisted that Masdea had to be replaced before the band could get a recording deal.[4] Years later, Delp told journalist Chuck Miller: "[Jim] actually told me he was losing interest in playing drums. I know Tom felt very bad when the whole thing happened. And then, of course, we started getting some interest." [5][6] Scholz and Delp signed a deal with Epic Records after Masdea's departure, thanks to Ahern & McKenzie. Before the deal could be finalized, the band had to do a live audition for the record company executives. The duo quickly recruited Goudreau on guitar, bassist Fran Sheehan and drummer Sib Hashian to create a performing unit which could replicate Scholz's richly layered recordings on stage. The showcase was a success and the band agreed to put out 10 albums over the next six years.[4][5]

In addition to the firing of Masdea, the record label also insisted that Scholz re-record the demo tapes in a professional studio. However, Scholz wanted the record to be recorded in his basement studio, so that he could work at his own pace.[4] Upon request of Tom Scholz, Masdea played drums on the track "Rock and Roll Band," and the instrumentation was recorded in Scholz's studio.[4] The multitrack tapes were then brought to Los Angeles, where Brad Delp added vocals and the album was mixed by John Boylan. It was then that the band was officially named "Boston," by suggestion of Boylan and engineer Warren Dewey.[4]

The debut album, Boston, released on August 8, 1976, was an enormous success. The record ranks as the second best-selling debut album in U.S. history (after Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction) with over 17 million copies sold.[7]

During the summer and fall of 1976, Boston attracted much publicity due to the unprecedented record sales by an unknown act, its unique sound, and singer Brad Delp's vocal abilities. However, there was "a conscious effort to de-emphasize Scholz as the total mastermind behind Boston." [8] After opening for Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, Foghat and others, the band embarked on a headlining tour in the winter and spring of 1977 to support the album.[9] This helped establish Boston as one of rock's top acts within a short time, being nominated for a Grammy award as a "Best New Artist".[9][10] Boston was the first band in history to make their New York City debut at Madison Square Garden.[8]

The album spawned three singles, "More Than a Feeling", "Long Time" and "Peace of Mind", all of which made the national charts. [9] Additionally, the album peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the charts for 132 weeks.[11]

[2][3]

Tom Scholz

Donald Thomas "Tom" Scholz (born March 10, 1947) is an American rock musician, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, inventor, and mechanical engineer, best known as the founder of the band Boston. He is also the inventor of the Rockman guitar amplifier. As noted by Allmusic, he is 'a notoriously "un-rock n' roll" figure who never enjoyed the limelight of being a performer' but instead concentrated almost exclusively on his music. After achieving commercial success with Boston, Scholz has spent much of his time working with charities.[1]

Buckethead

Brian Carroll (born May 13, 1969), better known by his stage name Buckethead, is a guitarist and multi instrumentalist who has worked within several genres of music. He has released 36 studio albums, four special releases and one EP. He has performed on over 50 more albums by other artists. His music spans such diverse areas as progressive metal, funk, blues, jazz, bluegrass, ambient, and avant-garde music.Buckethead is famously known for wearing a KFC bucket on his head, emblazoned with an orange bumper sticker that read FUNERAL in capital black block letters, and an expressionless plain white costume mask. More recently, he switched to a plain white bucket that no longer bore the KFC logo, but has since switched back to his trademark KFC bucket. He also incorporates nunchucks and robot dancing into his stage performances.[2][3][4]

An instrumentalist, Buckethead is best known for his electric guitar playing.[5] He has been voted number 8 on a list in GuitarOne magazine of the "Top 10 Greatest Guitar Shredders of All Time"[6] as well as being included in Guitar World's lists of the "25 all-time weirdest guitarists"[7] and is also known for being in the "50 fastest guitarists of all time list".[8]

Buckethead performs primarily as a solo artist. He has collaborated extensively with a wide variety of high profile artists such as Bill Laswell, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, Iggy Pop, Les Claypool, Serj Tankian, Bill Moseley, Mike Patton, Viggo Mortensen, That 1 Guy, and was a member of Guns N' Roses from 2000 to 2004. Buckethead has also written and performed music for major motion pictures, including: Saw II, Ghosts of Mars, Beverly Hills Ninja, Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Last Action Hero, and contributed lead guitar to the track "Firebird" featured on the Power Rangers Movie Soundtrack.

Jason Becker

Jason Eli Becker (born July 22, 1969) is an American neo-classical metal guitarist and composer. At the age of 16, he became part of the Mike Varney-produced duo Cacophony with his friend Marty Friedman. They released Speed Metal Symphony in 1987 and Go Off! in 1988. Cacophony broke up in 1989 and Becker began doing solo work, having released his first album Perpetual Burn in 1988. He later joined David Lee Roth's band and recorded one album with him. However, Becker's success was hampered by his then-diagnosed amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and he was given three to five years to live. In 1996, Becker eventually lost the ability to speak and now communicates with his eyes via a system developed by his father. Despite his disability, he continues composing by using a computer and has since released Collection, a "best of" album of his favorite songs and three new songs.

Dave Mustaine

David Scott "Dave" Mustaine (born September 13, 1961) is the founder, main songwriter, lead guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he was ranked No. 1 in Joel McIver's book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists.[1] Mustaine was ranked 89th by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Metal Vocalists of All Time. [2] He is also the manager for the Canadian band, Baptized in Blood.

Dave Mustaine was born in La Mesa, California, to Emily and John Mustaine. His mother was Jewish but Dave was brought up as a Jehovah's Witness. By the age of 16, Mustaine had rented his own apartment and was surviving financially by dealing drugs. [3] One of his clients, Willow[citation needed], was often short of cash, but worked in a record store, so in return for drugs, she offered albums by artists such as Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Motörhead and Judas Priest in trade,[3] which helped form his taste in heavy metal. In the late 1970s, Mustaine began playing electric guitar, most notably a B.C. Rich and joined a band known as Panic for a short time.

Panic was Mustaine’s first real band. The lineup was Mike Leftwych on drums, Bob Evans on bass, Tom Queck on guitar, Pat Voeks as the vocalist and Dave Mustaine was the lead guitarist. Mike Leftwych and the sound man passed away after being involved in a car crash after Panic's first show. [4]

1981, Mustaine left Panic to join Metallica as the lead guitarist. Metallica's drummer Lars Ulrich had posted an ad in a local newspaper, The Recycler, looking for a lead guitarist. In his own words, Mustaine remembers his first meeting with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich: "I was in the room warming up and I walked out and asked, 'Well, am I gonna audition or what?', and they said, 'no, you've got the job.' I couldn't believe how easy it had been and suggested that we get some beer to celebrate." [5]

Mustaine's membership in Metallica lasted less than two years. Brian Slagel, owner of Metal Blade Records, recalls in an interview: "Dave was an incredibly talented guy but he also had an incredibly large problem with alcohol and drugs. He'd get wasted and become a real crazy person, a raging megamaniac, and the other guys just couldn't deal with that after a while. I mean, they all drank of course, but Dave drank more...much more. I could see they were beginning to get fed up of seeing Dave drunk out of his mind all the time." [6]

On one occasion, Mustaine brought his dog to rehearsal; the dog jumped onto the car of Metallica bassist Ron McGovney and scratched the paint. Hetfield allegedly yelled at Mustaine's dog and kicked it in anger, to which Mustaine responded by physically attacking Hetfield and McGovney and verbally abusing Ulrich. Mustaine was fired following the altercation, but the next day, Mustaine asked to be allowed back in the band and was granted his request. Another incident occurred when Mustaine, who had been drinking, poured a full can of beer down the neck and into the pick-ups of Ron McGovney's bass. When McGovney tried playing it, he received an electrical shock which he claims 'blew him across the room and shocked the hell out of him'. McGovney then told Mustaine and Hetfield to leave his house and left the band shortly after. [7]

On April 11, 1983, after Metallica had driven to New York to record their debut album, Mustaine was officially fired from the band because of his alcoholism, drug abuse, overly aggressive behavior, and personality clashes with founding members Hetfield and Ulrich, an incident Mustaine refers to as "no warning, no second chance". The band packed up Dave's gear, drove him to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and put him on a Greyhound bus bound for Los Angeles.[5] It was on this bus ride that Mustaine scribbled some lyrical ideas on the back of a hand bill, which would later become the song "Set The World Afire" from the 1988 Megadeth album So Far, So Good... So What!

During his time in Metallica, Dave Mustaine toured with the band, co-wrote four songs which appeared on Kill Em All, and co-wrote two songs which would eventually appear on Ride the Lightning. Mustaine has also made unverified claims to have written parts of "Leper Messiah" from Master of Puppets.[5] He also recorded several songs with the band including the No Life 'Til Leather demo tape. A few of the songs he wrote with Hetfield and Ulrich went on to be re-recorded by Metallica. The most well-known of these is "The Four Horsemen" from Kill 'Em All, which Mustaine wrote as "The Mechanix" and later released on Megadeth's debut album with the original lyrics as "Mechanix"

Marty Friedman

Martin Adam "Marty" Friedman, (born December 8, 1962) is a guitarist, well known for his tenure as the lead/rhythm guitarist for heavy metal band Megadeth, which lasted almost a decade. He has resided in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan since 2003, and has[1] hosted his own television programs, Rock Fujiyama and Jukebox English on Japanese television.

Friedman is a largely self-taught guitarist [2] known for his improvisation and for fusing Eastern musical with Western music other styles, such as neo-classical, thrash metal and later progressive rock. When playing, Friedman often uses arpeggiated chords and various customized scales. He also occasionally uses sweep picking.

He has a very unorthodox right hand picking technique, namely the angle in which his hand is clenched goes against the conventional palm mute. He also frequently uses the upstroke as opposed to the down stroke, especially on the high strings (strings B and E). These qualities make Friedman's solos unique and hard to duplicate using an alternate picking approach.

During his early years as a musician, he formed and played lead guitar in several bands, including Deuce, Hawaii (which had previously been called Vixen), and notably Cacophony. Cacophony featured neoclassical metal elements and synchronized twin guitar harmonies and counterpoints shared with guitarist Jason Becker. He played guitar on the 1987 album "It Won't Be Long" by Christian rock band Shout.[3] In 1988, he recorded demos for Jet Red that eventually were released as bonus tracks on the 2009 Jet Red release "Flight Plan".

When Cacophony broke up in 1989, Friedman auditioned for the thrash metal band Megadeth after a tip from fellow guitarist Jeff Loomis. Friedman was initially rejected by Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine for having multicolored hair. However, after undergoing what Mustaine called "Rock School 101", Friedman officially joined Megadeth in February 1990.[4] Friedman's audition can be seen as an Easter egg on the Megadeth DVD Arsenal of Megadeth. The first album he recorded with them was Rust in Peace, now considered a classic thrash metal album, and sold platinum in the US.[citation needed ] He further developed his style of playing exotic scale solos from the Cacophony era, and integrated it into the music of Megadeth. In July 1992, Megadeth released Countdown to Extinction, which was a more commercial album, aimed at a wider audience, and sold double platinum.[citation needed ] Friedman played on Megadeth's further releases Youthanasia (1994), Cryptic Writings (1997), Risk (1999). After a total of five studio albums with Megadeth, in December 1999 Friedman announced his departure from Megadeth.[4] His last show with them was on January 14, 2000. Later, he stated that he got tired of playing metal music and felt that he couldn't develop as a musician.[citation needed ] In an interview with Ultimate-Guitar.com in March 2007, he claimed that Megadeth was not aggressive enough.[5] During Friedman's time in the band, they sold over ten million albums worldwide.[6]

[edit] Solo career and collaborations (2001–present) Friedman appeared on the track "Born of Anger" on the album All That Remains by Fozzy. Friedman is a big fan of The Ramones (to whom he briefly

paid tribute in the Arizona based cover band Rocket to Russia [7]), Black Sabbath, Kiss and Queen (during their early years). He also included the track 'Peace' from the fifth Weezer studio album Make Believe on a list of his 'most listened to' songs on his official website. He has also appeared on Where Moth and Rust Destroy, the latest album of the Christian thrash metal band Tourniquet where he performed all guitar solos except two (which were performed by Bruce Franklin). He has also appeared as a guest on the Firewind album Forged by Fire.

In 2004 Friedman joined psychedelic trance musician Takeomi Matsuura (known by the alias Zeta) as a guitarist. Their full-length debut album was released January 4, 2007, also titled Zeta, and included remixes by psychedelic trance musicians such as Astrix.

In 2005, Friedman appeared on the soundtrack of the video game Heavy Metal Thunder adapted from the Hebimeta-san TV show. Friedman's album, Loudspeaker, was released in Japan on June 26, 2006. It entered the Japanese national chart at #33. This marks the first Top 40 chart

position for any of his solo albums. Friedman's "Exhibit A-Live in Europe" CD and "Exhibit B-Live" in Tokyo DVD were released simultaneously in Japan on 8/22 by Avex. The CD and DVD

feature different set lists, but with the same band members, Jeremy Colson (Steve Vai, ex-Dali's Dilemma), Ron Jarzombek (Blotted Science, Watchtower, Spastic Ink) and Chris Catero (Razer, ex-Wardog). The artwork was designed by legendary graphic artist Noritaka Sakai, who is responsible for Queen's most successful Japanese editions.

Def Leppard

Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott (vocals), Rick Savage (bass guitar), Rick Allen (drums), Phil Collen (guitar), and Vivian Campbell (guitar). At 20 years, this is the band's longest-standing lineup.

The band's strongest commercial success came between the early 1980s and the early 1990s. Their 1981 album High 'n' Dry was produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who helped them begin to define their style, and the album's stand out track "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" became one of the first metal videos played on MTV in 1982. The band's next studio album Pyromania in 1983, with the lead single "Photograph", turned Def Leppard into a household name. In 2004, the album ranked number 384 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[8]

Def Leppard's fourth album Hysteria, released in 1987, topped the U.S and UK album charts. As of 2009 it has 12x platinum sales in the United States, and has gone on to sell over 20 million copies worldwide.[9] The album spawned six hit singles, including the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number one "Love Bites", alongside "Pour Some Sugar on Me", "Hysteria", "Armageddon It", "Animal" and "Rocket".

Their next studio album Adrenalize (the first following the death of guitarist Steve Clark) reached number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and UK Album Chart in 1992, and contained several hits including, "Let's Get Rocked" and "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad". Their 1993 album Retro Active contained the acoustic hit song "Two Steps Behind", while their greatest hits album Vault released in 1995 featured the new track "When Love & Hate Collide".

As one of the world's best-selling music artists, Def Leppard have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide,[10] and have two albums with RIAA diamond certification, Pyromania and Hysteria.[11] They are one of only five rock bands with two original studio albums selling over 10 million copies in the U.S. [12] The band were ranked #31 in VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock"[13] and ranked #70 in "100 Greatest Artists Of All Time".[14] Def Leppard are currently touring in support of their recently released live album, Mirrorball.[15

Rick Savage, Pete Willis and Tony Kenning, all students at Tapton School in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, formed a band called Atomic Mass in 1977. The band originally consisted of Willis on guitar, Savage on bass (after originally playing guitar), with Kenning on drums. Only 18 at the time, Joe Elliott tried out for the band as a guitarist following a chance meeting with Willis after missing a bus. During his audition it was decided that he was better suited to be the lead singer. Their first ever gig was in the dining hall in A Block in Westfield School in Mosborough, Sheffield.

Joe Elliott Soon afterward they adopted a name proposed by Elliott, "Deaf Leopard", which was originally a band name he thought up while writing reviews for imaginary rock bands in his English class

(and in at least partial reference to the band Led Zeppelin).[16] At Kenning's suggestion, the spelling was slightly modified in order to make the name seem less like that of a punk band. In January 1978, Steve Clark joined the band. According to Joe Elliott, he successfully auditioned for the band by playing Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird" in its entirety.[17]

In November, just prior to recording sessions for what would be a three-song release known as the Def Leppard EP, Kenning abruptly left the band; he would later form the band Cairo. He was replaced for those sessions by Frank Noon. By the end of the month, Rick Allen, then only 15 years old, had joined the band as its full-time drummer. Sales of the EP soared after the track "Getcha Rocks Off" was given extensive airtime by renowned BBC Radio DJ John Peel, considered at the time to be a champion of punk rock and new wave music.[18]

Throughout 1979, the band developed a loyal following among British hard rock and heavy metal fans and were even initially considered the leaders of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (a status eventually claimed by Iron Maiden). Their growing popularity led to a record deal with the major label Phonogram/Vertigo (Mercury Records in the US).

[edit] Rise to fame (1980–83) Def Leppard's debut album, On Through the Night, was released on 14 March 1980. Although the album hit the Top 15 in the UK, many early fans were turned off by the perception that the band

was trying too hard to appeal to American audiences by recording songs like "Hello America" and touring more in the US (supporting Pat Travers, AC/DC, and Ted Nugent). A performance at the Reading Festival in August was marred when audience members expressed their displeasure by pelting the band with beer cans and bottles filled with urine. [19][20] In the documentary series Metal Evolution, Joe Elliot expresses that the media had exaggerated the event, citing that all bands on the day had experienced the 'abuse' from the crowd. [21]

Phil Collen The band had by then caught the attention of AC/DC producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who agreed to work on their second album, High 'n' Dry, released on 11 July 1981. Lange's meticulous

approach in the studio helped them begin to define their sound. Despite the album's unimpressive sales figures, the band's video for "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" became one of the first metal videos played on MTV in 1982, bringing the band increased visibility in the U.S.[22] After the album's release, a European tour followed. The band opened for Ozzy Osbourne and Blackfoot.[23]

Phil Collen, former guitarist with the glam band Girl, replaced Pete Willis, who was fired on 11 July 1982, due to excessive alcohol consumption on the job. (Willis would later resurface with the bands Gogmagog and Roadhouse.) This personnel change took place during the recording of their third album, Pyromania, which was released on 20 January 1983 and also produced by Lange. The lead single, "Photograph", turned Def Leppard into a household name, supplanting Michael Jackson's "Beat It" as the most requested video clip on MTV and becoming a staple of rock radio (dominating the US Album Rock Charts for six weeks), and sparked a headline tour across the U.S. [24]

Fueled by "Photograph" and subsequent singles "Rock of Ages" and "Foolin'", Pyromania went on to sell six million copies in 1983 (more than 100,000 copies every week in that year) and was held off the top of the US album charts only by Michael Jackson's Thriller. With the album's massive success, Pyromania was the catalyst for the 1980s pop-metal movement.[25] In 2004, Pyromania was certified Diamond having sold over 10 million copies in the US.[26] Def Leppard's US tour in support of Pyromania began opening for Billy Squier in March and ended with a headlining performance before an audience of 55,000 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California in September. As a testament to the band's popularity at the time, a US Gallup poll in 1984 saw Def Leppard voted as favourite rock band over peers such as The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, and Journey. However, this popularity was not matched in their native England where Duran Duran secured the number one spot, a fact that greatly bothered them.

Steve Clark

Stephen Maynard Clark (23 April 1960 – 8 January 1991) was an English musician, co-lead guitarist for the British hard rock band Def Leppard up until his death in 1991 due to a combination of alcohol and multiple prescription drugs. In 2007 Clark was ranked #11 on Classic Rock Magazine's "100 Wildest Guitar Heroes".[2]

Childhood and adolescence Steve Clark was born and raised in Hillsborough, the north-western suburb of Sheffield, England. From an early age he

showed an interest in music — at the age of six, his mother took him to a concert to see The Shadows perform. At eleven, he asked his father, a taxi driver, for a guitar, and his father gave him one, on the condition that Steve would learn to play.

Clark primarily used Gibson guitars during his time with Def Leppard. He occasionally used other guitars, such as a Fender Stratocaster in the "Love Bites" video. This Fender Strat was given to Steve by Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page.[3]

Before joining Def Leppard in 1978, Clark played cover songs with his small band, Electric Chicken, in Sheffield. Around that time, he met Pete Willis (Def Leppard's original guitarist/founder). Clark asked for a spot in the band and joined Def Leppard in January 1978. According to Joe Elliott in Behind the Music, Clark auditioned for Def Leppard by playing all of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird" without accompaniment.[4]

While a guitarist for Def Leppard, he contributed to the band's music and lyrics. Clark and Pete Willis shared lead guitar duties, and Clark was nicknamed as "The Riffmaster" according to Joe Elliott in VH1's Classic Albums series featuring Def Leppard's Hysteria. When Willis was asked to leave, guitarist Phil Collen was recruited into the band.

He contributed to half of the songs on the band's 1992 album Adrenalize just prior to his death. The song "White Lightning" on Adrenalize was written about Clark, because his bandmates nicknamed him "White Lightning" for his preference of wearing white clothes on stage.[citation needed]

[edit] Death At the time of his death, Clark was on a six-month leave of absence from Def Leppard. On January 8, 1991, Clark was found dead on his couch by his girlfriend Janie Dean.[4] He was 30 years old. The autopsy

revealed he had died from an overdose of codeine and had Valium, morphine and a blood alcohol level of .30, three times the British legal driving limit.[4] There was no evidence of suicidal intent. Daniel Van Alphen, Clark's drinking companion the night before, testified that the two went to the local pub and returned to the guitarist's home at midnight to watch a video.

He was buried at Wisewood Cemetery, Loxley, Sheffield,[4] near the Clark family home. Tesla, who opened for Def Leppard on the Hysteria tour, recorded a tribute to Steve Clark on their Psychotic Supper

album, called "Song & Emotion (To Our Friend, Steve 'Steamin' Clark)". His death was also part of the inspiration for the song "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men.[5]

[edit] Discography

Vivian Campbell

Vivian Patrick Campbell (born 25 August 1962) is a Northern Irish rock guitarist who is a member of Def Leppard and was a member of Thin Lizzy from May 2010 to November 2011. Prior to joining Def Leppard in April 1992, he had been a member of Whitesnake, Sweet Savage, Trinity, Riverdogs, and Shadow King. He first rose to prominence in 1982 as the original guitarist of the band Dio.

Campbell was born in Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland and attended Rathmore Grammar School.[1] He began playing guitar at the age of 12. He has played for Sweet Savage, Dio, Trinity, Whitesnake, Riverdogs, and Shadow King. He also played on Lou Gramm's (from Foreigner) second solo album Long Hard Look.

Campbell and Brian Downey in Thin Lizzy [edit] Sweet Savage Sweet Savage was a NWOBHM band that Campbell joined when he was 15. The band

members in Sweet Savage included Campbell on guitar, Trev Fleming on guitar, David Bates on drums and Ray Haller on bass and vocals. The band influenced Metallica, who covered the song "Killing Time" on their Garage Inc. covers album. In 1981 they released an e.p. consisting of four BBC radio sessions and their first single "Take No Prisoners". "Take No Prisoners" included the song "Killing Time". Much later in the late 90's after Metallica covered "Killing Time", there was interest in Sweet Savage and they released an album without him. Campbell left Sweet Savage in early 1983 to join Dio after Jake E. Lee original Dio guitarist was offered Randy Rhoads spot as Ozzy Osbourne's lead guitarist on December 1982, when Ronnie James Dio was forming his own band. Vivian Campbell later guested on Sweet Savage's cover of the Thin Lizzy song "Whiskey In The Jar".

Phil Collen

Philip Kenneth "Phil" Collen (born 8 December 1957) is the co-lead guitarist and one of the backing vocalists for English rock band Def Leppard. He joined the band in 1982 following the departure of Pete Willis.

Collen was born in Hackney, London, England. He got his first guitar from his cousin David Pilley, who said "he used to just sit in his bedroom just playing it". Then, at the age of 16, Phil got his first guitar (a red Gibson SG), taught himself how to play, and left school to pursue a career in music. He then joined a line-up of early bands including Lucy, Tush, Dumb Blondes, and Girl. During his tenure at Girl, Collen's career began rising, spurred by the relative success of the Girl albums Sheer Greed and Wasted Youth, which allowed Collen the opportunity to play at more significant venues.[2]

Before Collen's entrance to Def Leppard, he had been previously asked to consider joining the band by Steve Clark and Joe Elliott, who he knew at the time. Despite this invitation, there was no need to replace Pete Willis, and as a result, Collen stayed as a member of Girl.

However, when Willis left Def Leppard, there became a vacancy in the lineup, and Collen took this place after an audition performing Photograph during the recording sessions of Pyromania. Soon after, Collen officially joined the band, impressing both producer Mutt Lange and the rest of the band with his ability at playing the guitar. He and fellow guitarist Clark quickly bonded, becoming close friends and leading to the trademark dual-guitar sound of Def Leppard. He and Clark became known as the "Terror Twins," in recognition of their talents. By this time, Collen had also become noted for his trademark bare-chested stage appearances.[3]

During the 1980s, Collen quit drinking alcohol, which he had developed a serious addiction to, stopped eating meat, and adopted a generally healthy lifestyle. According to Collen, he began to suffer blackouts due to alcohol, and quit when he realized that alcohol was beginning to dominate his life, and he was losing control of his addiction. In contrast, Clark did not follow such standards and died due to alcohol abuse in early 1991.[4]

After Clark died, Collen was faced with the challenge of not only dealing with the loss of a friend and band-mate, but also with the burden and responsibility of the Adrenalize recordings. The music had been written by this time, but Clark's playing style differed so much from Collen's that actually recording all of his parts proved very difficult. While Clark's playing style was rhythmic, melodic, and sometimes even characterized as "sloppy," Collen's style was technical and precise, leading to difficulties in mimicking the sound of Clark's guitar parts. Due to the aftermath of Clark's death, as well as the issues with the recording of Adrenalize, Collen seriously considered leaving Def Leppard.[3] According to Joe Elliot, Collen said that he couldn't bear to play guitar anymore after Clark's death. He said, "I'd rather be a plumber."[5] However, once Vivian Campbell joined the band to replace the spot of second guitarist shortly before the Adrenalize tour, Collen was relieved of some of the pressures of the "overkill" production style of Def Leppard, as well as the challenge of reproducing Clark's guitar parts for live shows.[3]

[edit] Equipment In 1989, Collen worked with Jackson Guitars to develop an ergonomically correct electric guitar, although according to Collen, he designed them because "they looked cool," and they

ended up having bad balance, as well as a "really weird shape." [6]

Recently, his live rig with Def Leppard is generally various Jackson PC1 Signature Dinky (Some are stock, some are modified in the custom shop), all equipped with Dimarzio and Floyd Rose Sustainer pickups (Except for the Supreme models). For acoustics, Collen uses several Fenders, Breedloves, and a Guild acoustic guitar. The electric guitar signal is sent, via a Shure wireless unit, to Marshall JMP 1 preamps and TC Electronic Chorus/Flanger, TC Electronic D-Two, and Alesis Midiverb effect processors. The signal is then sent through old (1980s) Randall Power Amps. Finally the signal is fed into the PA and Palmer Cabinet Simulators. For strings, Collen uses D'Addario 0.13 - 0.54 and 0.13 - 0.56 gauge stings.[7]

Collen has been involved in several side projects over his career, most notably the band Man Raze, formed as a joint collaboration with former Girl bandmate Simon Laffy as bassist and drummer Paul Cook from the Sex Pistols.[8]

In 1990, Collen co-produced the On the Edge album of the Australian band BB Steal.[9]

In 1991, Collen offered a song he had written, "Miss You In A Heartbeat" to the band The Law, which was featured on the band's self-titled album. This album was the band's only release. "Miss You In A Heartbeat" was later recorded and released by Def Leppard.[10]

In 1993, Collen executive produced the album Sublime To The Ridiculous for the band, Sheer Greed, composed of former members of Girl, an act Collen was also associated earlier in his career.[11]

Collen has also worked in side projects with Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott. One of these recent projects was a tribute to David Bowie and Mick Ronson. He and Elliott also joined with Trevor Bolder and Mick "Woody" Woodmansey from Spiders from Mars and keyboardist Dick Decent to form the band Cybernauts. In 2001 they released a live album of Bowie songs.[3]

In 1996, Collen performed as a featured guitarist on the Jeffology: A Guitar Chronicle album - a tribute album to Jeff Beck. Collen performed on the single, "'Cause We've Ended As Lovers" from the album.[12]

In 2010, Collen recorded the song "Hard Times Celebrate" with rapper Bazaar Royale, featured on the album "The Ride."[13]

[edit] Personal life

Rick Savage

Richard "Rick" Savage (born 2 December 1960) is the bassist and one of the founding members of the English rock band, Def Leppard. He is called "Sav" to avoid confusion between him and the other Rick in the band, drummer Rick Allen. He and lead vocalist, Joe Elliott, are the only remaining original members of the band. The two of them, plus Allen, are also the only members of the band who have performed on every album.

Savage was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Rick was educated at Tapton Secondary school in Sheffield. In his youth, he learned to play guitar along with his older brother. They played songs like Rod Stewart's "Maggie May" and Don McLean's "American Pie." Savage also pursued a career as a professional football player with Sheffield United, despite his devotion to rivals Sheffield Wednesday. Savage ultimately chose music and formed a band with a few schoolmates including Tony Kenning and eventually Pete Willis. As Atomic Mass they mostly played Queen, Slade, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix, and other popular covers of the time.

At one point, they decided that Willis was the better guitar player so Savage picked up the bass guitar. Needing a singer, the band auditioned an acquaintance of Pete's, Joe Elliott. They subsequently picked up guitarist Steve Clark and changed their name to Def Leppard.

Savage contracted Bell's Palsy around 1994. This causes his facial muscles to weaken and become partially paralyzed. He has recovered, but effects of the disease are still visible, especially when he's fatigued.

From an interview by Gordon Shearer on DefLeppard.com: Shearer: "What about when you developed your Bell's Palsy? Did that change the way you dealt with things? Lots of gossip, lots of comments. I

could imagine going from the position that you were in -- from ultimate rock sex god to...."Savage: "It was hard to come to terms with and to understand why. I found it was easy to get into the 'why me?' syndrome. Partly because of the disability. It was more not being able to eat properly, or not being able to sleep without putting a patch on your eye because your eye wouldn't close, and things like that. The effect that it has on your everyday life was the hardest thing. In comparison, it was a very minor debilitating disease. It keeps you humble seeing what Rick Allen went through and how he had to deal with things. So, I would rather have not got the disease, but I did and you make the best of what you got".

Savage currently uses custom basses made by Jackson after endorsing Washburn XB920 (4-string) and XB925 (5-string) bass guitars from 1999-2009. He formerly used Hamer 4 and 5-string bass guitars for over 17 years, starting with their Gibson Explorer-inspired "Blitz" model during the High 'n' Dry and Pyromania albums from 1982–1985 and Hamer's modernistic take on the Explorer shape, the "Scarab" model of which he mainly used a white model during the Hysteria recording sessions and tour (although Savage continued to use a black-colored "Blitz" downtuned C#ADG for the hit single "Pour Some Sugar On Me" which can be seen on their In The Round, In Your Face live video/DVD, and a Scarab model in black with a reverse headstock was seen in the "Rocket" video and their performance at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1989) from 1985-1989. At the release of Adrenalize he used an array of Chaparral Max 5-string models in various colours including a black & white "Granite" finish, one with a variation of the Adrenalize album artwork custom painted on it, and a black-painted model from 1990-1999. Savage switched endorsements to Washburn basses in the middle of the promotion cycle for the Euphoria album in 1999, and a Natural Flame XB925 given to him by Washburn in 1999 has been his main instrument since then.[1] However the custom painted Union Jack XB925 is his most well known bass,[2] followed by the Saint George's Cross XB925, with both paint schemes reproduced on his new Jackson basses in 2009. He acquired two more of the Jackson basses, one in a grey-toned Union Jack scheme and the other painted in the colors of Sheffield Wednesday with the team's logo. He used these on the 2011 Mirrorball tour.[3] Savage never has been a fingerstyle guitarist, relying entirely on a plectrum, or "pick". In an interview with Bass Guitar magazine, he stated: "I'm a terrible player with my fingers and i always play with a pick. I love to have consistency within the sound no matter where you are on the fretboard. I've found that when I play with fingers, notes jump out and others are too muted. It would be a nightmare for the sound engineer just trying to compress the thing to make sure there's an equal balance coming off the stage."

[edit] Discography

Rick Allen

Richard John Cyril "Rick" Allen (born 1 November 1963) is the drummer for the English hard rock band Def Leppard. He is famous for overcoming the complete amputation of his left arm and continuing to play with the band, which subsequently went on to its greatest popular success worldwide. His fans now call him the "Thunder God".[citation needed ]

When Allen was 15, his mother replied on his behalf to an ad placed by a band called Def Leppard looking for a drummer to replace Tony Kenning ("Leppard loses skins" was the ad's headline), and on 28 November 1978, Allen joined the band. In 1979, he dropped out of school (other band members quit their jobs around the same time) to concentrate on a career in music. In September of that year, they opened for Sammy Hagar at London's Hammersmith Odeon and in October and November played shows as a support act for AC/DC. Allen celebrated his 16th birthday with a performance at the Hammersmith Odeon. On 14 March 1980, the band released their first album, On Through the Night . Since their first album, Allen still continues to record and tour with the band.

On 31 December 1984, Rick was involved in a street-racing accident. 21-year-old Allen was driving in his Chevrolet Corvette on the way to a New Year's Eve party at his family's home in Sheffield, England, when an Alfa Romeo passed him. Allen claims that the driver had been egging him on and that he would not allow him to pass. In his rage to pass this driver, he became reckless, did not see a turn up ahead and lost control of his car, which sailed over a stone wall and into a field. He was thrown from the car, with his left arm severed because the seat belt was not properly fastened. The car ended up upside down, with his girlfriend Miriam Barendsen secure in her seat. She was not seriously injured and found Allen in the field. They were helped by two passers-by (one of whom was a nurse and the other of whom was an off-duty police officer), and Allen was taken to a hospital. Doctors initially reattached Allen's arm, but because of infection, it was removed again permanently. He left the hospital three and a half weeks later and was back with Def Leppard in the Netherlands two weeks after getting out of the hospital with recuperation expected [citation needed ] to last six months.

Allen thought that he could not continue drumming for Def Leppard and became very depressed, so Def Leppard's lead singer, Joe Elliott, stopped to visit Allen in an attempt to cheer him up. The band was on a pause, so soon after, Elliott and Allen met with some engineers and started to design a drum set to assist Allen's drumming. After all of this, he could still play some drum rhythms with one hand, using his left foot (typically for hi-hat pedals in common drum kits), to play the snare drum. Former Status Quo drummer Jeff Rich was a source of help and encouragement during Allen's convalescence, and they designed an electronic kit Allen could play using only one arm. (The Ludwig acoustic drum kit he used on earlier albums High 'n' Dry and Pyromania was later given away by Def Leppard's one-time management.) Electronic drum manufacturer Simmons created a kit to their specifications, and Allen made his post-accident debut in 1986 with a well-received set at the " Monsters of Rock " festival at Castle Donington. In August 1987, the band released their fourth album, Hysteria, which, after a relatively slow start in the U.S., ultimately became another huge success, selling over 20 million copies worldwide.

Allen used Pearl Drums from 1979–1980. From 1980–1984, he used a Ludwig drum kit and Paiste's RUDE and 2002 cymbal lines during the High 'N' Dry and Pyromania recording and touring sessions. His setup for 1980–1982 consisted of nine pieces: Black Beauty Super Sensitive snare (6-1/2" x 14"), bass (16" x 22"), four rack toms, (as seen of the videos from the album High & Dry), (12" x 13", 13" x

14", 14" x 15", and 15" x 16"), two floor toms (16" x 16" and 16" x 18") which were suspended by a Ludwig cymbal stand, and a gong drum (18" x 20"). In early 1983, he removed the gong tom and two of the rack toms from his kit. The reason when asked at a Meet & Greet was that the 14" x 15" tom broke and so Rick replaced that with the "gong" drum. Also, when asked why he removed the rest of the drums from the kit, Rick replied, "I got tired of lugging them around on tour".

Most electronic drums use piezoelectric triggers which sense a hit from a drumstick or a pedal and activate a sampled or synthesized sound in response. The customized kit built by Simmons for Allen included drum pads (placed primarily in front of Allen and to his right) triggering the sound of the snare drum and toms to be played with his surviving arm, combined with multiple pedals (mainly placed on the floor to his left), duplicating many of the same sounds. This allowed Allen (after much practice) to play patterns using his right hand and left foot that two-armed drummers would typically play with their right and left hands. Allen subsequently experimented with hardware from other electronic percussion companies, such as Clavia's drum system, Forat's F/16 system, and the Hart Dynamics Acupad system.

In more recent years, as the artificial drum sound popular in the 1980s has largely disappeared, Allen has favoured a sound more like that of an acoustic drum kit, using the electronic pads to trigger samples made from recordings of Allen's acoustic drums.

Allen has used DW acoustic drums, Zildjian acoustic cymbals, Hart Dynamics Acupad electronic pads, Akai samplers, and custom-manufactured cable routing by Whirlwind. He uses four electronic pedals for his left foot to play the pieces he used to play with his left arm, which from left to right trigger sounds of a closing hi-hat, bass drum, snare drum, and a tom drum.[1] He is ranked #7 on the UK website Gigwise in the 100 Greatest Drummers Of All Time list.[2]

On 14 June 2009, Allen headlined Download Festival with the rest of Def Leppard. Towards the end of the set, vocalist Joe Elliott dedicated the set to Allen in scenes reminiscent of their 1986 Monsters Of Rock performance. What followed was well over five minutes of ovation from the crowd and Allen being taken aback with tears. In February 2011, it was confirmed that Def Leppard would once again headline the Download festival.

On 16 October 2009, Yamaha announced the addition of Rick Allen to their artist roster.[3] Allen plays Yamaha Oak Custom drums with a matching subkick.[4]

[edit] Sticks Rick Allen and his wife Lauren Monroe are the co-founders of The Raven Drum Foundation, a charity located in Malibu, California, with a mission to serve, educate, and empower veterans and people in crisis. [5] The Raven Drum

Foundation commonly works to help individuals and communities in crisis through healing arts programs, drum circle events, and collaborative partnerships. Allen described the foundations involvement with Camp Kilpatrick in 2009: "Rhythm is such a big part of their culture and their own way of communicating, so we were able to go in there and design a program around them. It developed into drum council, which is an ongoing program that we provided for the

camp. We had tremendous success."[6]

Recently, they have had a special focus on veterans of war through their "Veteran Resiliency Project" including support for the Wounded Warrior Project. Rick and Lauren also host "Resiliency Radio", an interactive radio show intended to help empower, educate, and inspire during difficult times. [7]

The One Hand Drum Company was created by Rick to assist in providing awareness and funding for his Raven Drum Foundation. Currently, the primary focus of the One Hand Drum Company is promoting StikRick, a drawing by Rick of a one-armed drummer that he sometimes uses with his autograph. The StikRick site sells t-shirts, hats, and other items with the StikRick drawing along with a "Life Is Great!! Be A Rockstar!!" slogan. Proceeds from the One Hand Drum Company go to support the Raven Drum Foundation charity.[8]

Angus Young

Angus McKinnon Young (born 31 March 1955) is a Scottish-born Australian guitarist best known as a co-founder, lead guitarist, and songwriter of the Australian hard rock band, AC/DC. Known for his energetic performances, schoolboy-uniform stage outfits, and his popularization of Chuck Berry's duckwalk, Rolling Stone magazine has ranked Young as the 24th greatest guitarist of all time.[1] In 2003, he and the other members of AC/DC were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Gibson SG

The Gibson SG was made in the 1960’s

Angus Young Of ACDC was one of the first guitarists seen with it

It is made the same as a les Paul but has a different body

It is still pretty popular today

Tony Iommi

Anthony Frank "Tony" Iommi[1][2] (born 19 February 1948, Heathfield Road Hospital, Handsworth, Birmingham, England) is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes. Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in heavy metal music. According to Allmusic, "Iommi is one of only two guitarists (the other being Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page) that can take full credit for pioneering the mammoth riffs of heavy metal."[3]

In 2004, Iommi was ranked number one on Guitar World's "100 Greatest Metal Guitarists of All Time",[4] and in 2011, ranked 25th in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".[5] On 13 October (Europe) and 1 November (United States) 2011 Iommi's autobiography was published, entitled Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbath.[6] On 9 January 2012, it was announced that Iommi had been diagnosed with early stage lymphoma.[7]

Jimmy Page

James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE (born 9 January 1944) is an English guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page is viewed by critics, fans and fellow musicians alike as one of the most influential and important guitarists and songwriters in rock music.[3][4][5] Rolling Stone magazine has described him as "the pontiff of power riffing & probably the most digitally sampled artist in pop today after James Brown."[6] In 2010, Jimmy Page was ranked No.2 in Gibson's list of "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time"[7] and, in 2007, No.4 on Classic Rock Magazine's "100 Wildest Guitar Heroes".[8] Page was ranked third in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" in 2011.[9] He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice; once as a member of The Yardbirds (1992),[10] and once as a member of Led Zeppelin (1995).[11]

The Gibson Flying V

This is Gibson’s Famous V shaped Guitar I think it was the very first v shaped electric guitar

A lot of rock and metal guitarists use it

It is the 3rd most popular Gibson Guitar

It was created in the early 1980’s They come in 6 and 7 string models Soon after they were built dean and

other compnies made similar models

Michael Schenker(Scorpions,UFO,MSG)

Michael Schenker (born 10 January 1955 in Sarstedt, Lower Saxony) is a German rock guitarist, best known for his tenure in UFO, in addition to his solo band. He first rose to fame as an early member of the Scorpions, then achieved fame in the mid 1970s as the lead guitar player for UFO. Since leaving UFO in 1978, he has been leading the Michael Schenker Group in various incarnations. He is the younger brother of Rudolf Schenker, who is still a guitarist with the Scorpions. His career has had many ups and downs, partly due to a long history of alcoholism and personal problems; still, Schenker continues to perform and record and to maintain a following,[1] and is called "a legendary figure in the history of metal guitar."[2]

Michael Schenker playins a gibson flying v and a dean signature v

Michael Schenker started playing guitar at an early age, after his brother Rudolf brought home a Gibson Flying V guitar, which captured his imagination. He played his first gig when he was 11, with Rudolf and the Scorpions in a nightclub. Schenker debuted with Scorpions on their debut album Lonesome Crow at age 17.[3]

Mark Reale

•Mark was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1955. He grew up listening to The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Gary Moore, Ritchie Blackmore and lists George Harrison as one of his greatest influences. After attending concerts by Ronnie Montrose, Rick Derringer and Edgar Winter he decided to become a rock guitarist, forming the band Riot in 1975 who are still active today. Many music magazines and critics have called him one of the most underrated heavy metal guitarists ever.•Mark Reale has been the principal songwriter and main creative force behind Riot starting with the band's 1977 debut album Rock City. The group's most acclaimed album was 1981's seminal Fire Down Under, the last of three studio albums to feature original vocalist Guy Speranza. Other notable records include Restless Breed (1982), the band's comeback album, Thundersteel (1988), and its follow-up, The Privilege of Power (1990). Riot's most recent album was Immortal Soul in 2011. Riot has toured all around the world and been a support act for major acts such as Kiss, AC/DC, Sammy Hagar, Molly Hatchet, and Rush while maintaining a particularly strong fanbase in Japan and Continental Europe.After Riot's temporary breakup following the Born In America (1983) release, Reale formed a short-lived outfit named Narita with former members of S.A. Slayer, including future Riot bassist Don Van Stavern. The band recorded a sole demo in 1984 before calling it quits. Reale decided to re-activate Riot which led to a new record deal with CBS Records and the Thundersteel album in 1988. In 1998, Reale co-founded the group Westworld with vocalist Tony Harnell of TNT fame. Westworld released three studio albums and one live disc between 1999 and 2002. On January 25, 2012, Reale died of complications related to Crohn's disease.[1] Reale, who had Crohn's disease most of his life, had been in a coma since January 11 due to a subarachnoid hemorrhage.Reale’s Riot bandmates have issued the following statement:“To friends and fans of Mark Reale and Riot, we are deeply saddened to confirm that Mark has lost his battle with a lifelong illness. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated by Mark’s family, friends, and bandmates at this difficult time."[2]

[edit] Discography

Mick Mars

•Mick Mars (born Robert Alan Deal,[1][2] May 4, 1951) is the lead guitarist for American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe.After his family relocated from Indiana, to California, Robert Deal dropped out of high school and began playing guitar in a series of unsuccessful blues based rock bands throughout the seventies, taking on menial day jobs to make ends meet. After nearly a decade of frustration with the California music scene, Deal reinvented himself, changing his stage name to Mick Mars and dyeing his hair jet black, hoping for a fresh start. In April 1981 he put a want ad in the Los Angeles The Recycler newspaper, describing himself as "a loud, rude, and aggressive guitar player". Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee contacted him and after hearing him play decided he would be their guitarist. Upon Tommy's prodding, they persuaded a former high school friend of Tommy's and local rock and roll singer/frontman Vince Neil to join. It was Mick's suggestion that the band be called Mötley Crüe, a name that had stuck in his head from his days as a member of a band called White Horse. The bassist walked into the room and called them "... We'll this is a motley-looking crew."He employs frequent use of a metal slide in his soloing and takes on both the rhythm and lead guitar duties of the band. In the studio and live, Mars frequently tunes his guitar down a whole step to get a stronger and crunchier rhythm sound. The altered tuning also increases string slack to enable his characteristic hammer-on trills, pitch bending, and pinch harmonics during soloing. Mars also introduced the pedal steel guitar to many of Mötley Crüe's later recordings and live sets. Mars has taken a critical role in songwriting for the band, coming up with many of Mötley Crüe's best known riffs.For the sum of his career with Mötley Crüe, Mars has created the aura of a mysterious figure, letting the other members of the band speak for him. In the public interviews he has conducted, Mars often comes off as a very reserved and quiet individual, though not shy. A home video made in 1984 and posted publicly on the web by one of his former White Horse bandmates reveals Mars to be a rather jovial, wisecracking, down-to-Earth person.After an eventual split of Mötley Crüe in 2001, Mars dealt with worsening health problems, and depression, he reportedly gave up guitar playing. Mars' situation improved with the reformation of Mötley Crüe, kindling the desire to play again. Mars underwent hip replacement surgery in the autumn of 2004, followed with intensive physical therapy. Despite his precarious health condition, he was able to perform in the Carnival of Sins tour in 2005 and the Route of All Evil Tour with Aerosmith in 2006.Mars has recently contributed his songwriting skills to John LeCompt, the former member of Evanescence and the other band members of Machina,[3] and to the Swedish band CRASHDÏET. Their second album entitled, The Unattractive Revolution, was released on October 3, 2007 and featured two songs co-written by Mars.[4]

Mars played lead guitar on the title track of Hinder's 2008 album Take It to the Limit, and contributed a guitar solo to the song "Into the Light" by Papa Roach, on their 2009 album Metamorphosis. Mars also contributed a guitar solo to the song "The Question" on Rock Star: Supernova runner-up Dilana's U.S. debut album Inside Out.[5] In 2010 he co-wrote a song with Escape the Fate for their self-titled album which was instead withheld from the album and reserved for a later release.He has recently been photographed, on his MySpace, with the Murderdolls as he will contribute to their upcoming album Women & Children Last whilst recording material for his debut solo album in the same space.[6][7] Mick Mars has also contributed to the Black Veil Brides album Set the World on Fire.[citation needed]

Rudolf Schenker

Rudolf Schenker (born August 31, 1948 in Hildesheim, Lower Saxony) 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.

Rudolf Schenker founded the Scorpions in 1965 when he was 17 years old. He has become one of the major driving forces in the band's song-writing and musical direction for 40-plus years. In 2010, Scorpions announced that their newest album, Sting in the Tail, would be their last. The tour that supports the album is the Get Your Sting And Blackout World Tour, will also be their last. Rudolf has been the Scorpion's most consistent member, appearing on every album and at every tour. His younger brother Michael Schenker was a member of Scorpions in the band's earliest inception, before joining the band UFO. In the year 2000 he was awarded the city of Hanover plaque.[1]

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. Some of Rudolf Schenker's main live guitars in recent years are Dommenget, the same maker that produced Klaus Meine's live guitar[2] and many guitars for Matthias Jabs[3]. Rudolf's signature models are the Dommenget "Ferrari" V and the "Scorpions" V.[4]

In the past, Schenker primarily played Marshall amps, using their JMP, JCM800 2203, and JCM800 2205 heads. Currently, he uses Engl amps, endorsing the E 650 Ritchie Blackmore signature heads.

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.[5]

In most Scorpions songs, guitar solos are performed by lead guitarist Matthias Jabs, but there are exceptions, in which Rudolf makes the solos, such as "Wind of Change", "Always Somewhere", "Still Loving You", "Send Me an Angel", "Lady Starlight", "As Soon as the Good Times Roll", "When The Smoke is Going Down", "Animal Magnetism", "Through My Eyes" "Coast to Coast" (second solo), "SLY" and "Big City Nights". Rudolf's solos are not as fast or as intricate as Jabs' solos.

Rudolf Schenker is known for his energetic riffing and wild live performances, which often include swinging his guitar over his head and throwing the guitar up and catching it.

[edit] References

The Gibson Explorer

The Gibson explorer was another very popular guitar form Gibson many metal guitarists used it

They were made in the 1980’s

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd (pronounced /ˌlɛ-nərd ˈskɪn-nərd/ LEN-ərd-SKIN-ərd) is an American rock band best known for popularizing the Southern rock genre during the 1970s. Originally formed in 1964 as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, "Free Bird". At the peak of their success, three members died in an airplane crash in 1977, putting an abrupt end to the band's most popular incarnation.

Surviving members re-formed in 1987 for a reunion tour with lead singer Ronnie Van Zant's younger brother Johnny as frontman. A version of the band continues to tour and record, with only Gary Rossington of its original members remaining as of 2012. Lynyrd Skynyrd was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 13, 2006.[

In the summer of 1964, teenage friends Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, and Gary Rossington formed the band "The Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida. The band changed in 1965 to "My Backyard", when Larry Junstrom and Bob Burns joined. In 1968, the group won a local Battle of the Bands contest and the opening slot on several Southeast shows for the California-based psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock.[citation needed]

In 1970, Van Zant sought a new name. "One Percent" and "The Noble Five" were each considered before the group settled on "Leonard Skinner", a mocking tribute to a physical-education teacher at Robert E. Lee High School, Leonard Skinner,[2] who was notorious for strictly enforcing the school's policy against boys having long hair. [3][4] Rossington dropped out of school, tired of being hassled about his hair.[5] The more distinctive spelling was adopted before they released their first album. Despite their high-school acrimony, the band developed a friendlier relationship with Skinner in later years, and invited him to introduce them at a concert in the Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum.[6]

Skinner allowed the band to use a photo of his Leonard Skinner Realty sign for the inside of their third album. [7] Skinner died on September 20, 2010, at age 77 after suffering with Alzheimer's disease.[8]

In 1970, the band auditioned for Alan Walden, who would later become their manager on the newly formed Hustler's Inc. Walden worked with the band until 1974, when management was turned over to Pete Rudge. The band continued to perform throughout the South in the early 1970s, further developing their hard-driving, blues-rock sound and image, and experimenting with making studio recordings.

During this time, the band experienced some lineup changes for the first time. Junstrom left and was briefly replaced by Greg T. Walker on bass. At the same time, Ricky Medlocke joined as a second drummer. Some versions of the band's history also have Burns leaving the band for a short time during this period of time. The band played some shows with both Burns and Medlocke participating, utilizing a dual-drummer approach similar to that of The Allman Brothers. In 1971, they made some recordings at the famous Muscle Shoals Sound Studio with Walker and Medlocke serving as the rhythm section, without the participation of Burns. Medlocke and Walker left the band to play with another southern rock band, Blackfoot, and when the band made a second round of Muscle Shoals recordings in 1972, Burns was featured on drums and Leon Wilkeson was Larry Junstrom's permanent replacement on bass. Also in 1972, roadie Billy Powell became the keyboardist for the ban

1]

Gary Rossington

Gary Rossington plays lead and rhythm guitar. He is also a founding member of The Rossington-Collins Band along with former Lynyrd Skynyrd bandmate, Allen Collins.[1] He is the only original member still with the band Robert Rossington (born December 4, 1951, Jacksonville, Florida, United States) is a founding member of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Rossington formed the band "The Noble Five" as a teenager with friends Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, Larry Junstrom and Bob Burns in the summer of 1964. They would later change the name of the band to "The One Percent" before becoming Lynyrd Skynyrd. Skynyrd gained national exposure starting in 1973 with the release of their first album (pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd) and hit single "Free Bird".

Rossington's instrument of choice was a 1959 Gibson Les Paul that he purchased from a woman whose boyfriend had left her and left behind his guitar. He named it "Berneice" in honor of his mother whom he was close to. Rossington has played lead guitar on "Tuesday's Gone" and the slide guitar for "Free Bird". Along with Collins, Rossington also provided the guitar work for "Simple Man".

On Labor Day weekend in 1976, Rossington and fellow Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins were both involved in separate auto accidents in their hometown of Jacksonville. Rossington had just bought a new Ford Torino, and hit an oak tree while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The band was due to go on tour in a couple of days, but had to postpone this tour due to Rossington's accident. The band members were not at all pleased with Rossington, and fined him $5000 for the delay caused to the band's schedule. Van Zant and Collins wrote the song "That Smell" based on the wreck, and Rossington's state of influence from drugs and alcohol at the time. "Whiskey bottles and brand new cars, oak tree you're in my way. There's too much coke and too much smoke."

Rossington was one of six band members who survived the October 20, 1977 plane crash near Gillsburg, Mississippi that took the lives of Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines, and three others. Despite breaking both arms, both legs, both wrists, both ankles and his pelvis, Rossington would eventually recover from his injuries and play on stage again (albeit with steel rods in his right arm and one of his legs). He battled with serious drug addiction throughout the next several years, partially as a result of his heavy dependence on medication taken during his recovery from the plane crash.

In 1980, Rossington co-founded The Rossington-Collins Band with Collins. The band released two albums, but disbanded in 1982 after the death of Collins' wife, Kathy.

Rossington still plays in the current Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup. With the death of keyboardist Billy Powell on January 28, 2009, Rossington is now the only original band member left in the reformed band.

Gary Rossington and Dale Krantz-Rossington have had two daughters, Mary and Annie. Their side project, the Rossington Band, opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd during their 1987-88 reunion tour. The Rossington Band released the following albums: Returned to the Scene of the Crime, 1986 and Love Your Man in 1988.

He had a heart problem which was successfully operated on. Rossington also occasionally experiences pain in his legs severe enough to force him to miss shows; this is an ongoing by-product of the 1977 plane crash.[citation needed]

Rossington is an avid fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He recorded a video, along with remaining members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, that is played at every Jaguars home game on the Everbank Field video board.

Blue Oyster Cult

Blue Öyster Cult (often abbreviated BÖC) is an American rock band from Long Island, New York, best known for such classic rock songs as "(Don't Fear) The Reaper", "Burnin' for You", and "Godzilla". Since the release of their debut, self-titled album in 1972, Blue Öyster Cult has sold over 24 million albums worldwide including 7 million in the United States alone.[citation needed] The band's music videos, especially "Burnin' for You", received heavy if not daily rotation on MTV when the music television network premiered in 1981 cementing the band's contribution to the development and success of the music video in modern pop culture. Today, BÖC's music continues to be played on AOR-friendly radio stations as well as in movies, television shows and commercials, and even during sporting events.

Blue Öyster Cult's current lineup includes long-time members, Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (lead guitar, vocals) and Eric Bloom (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboard), as well as Jules Radino (drums, percussion), Richie Castellano (keyboard, guitar, vocals), and Rudy Sarzo (bass guitar).[

The band originated as a group called Soft White Underbelly (a name the band would later occasionally use in the 1970s and 1980s to play small club gigs around the U.S.) in 1967 in the vicinity of Stony Brook University on Long Island, New York, at the prompting of critic and manager Sandy Pearlman consisting of guitarist Buck Dharma, drummer Albert Bouchard, keyboardist Allen Lanier, singer Les Braunstein and bassist Andrew Winters.[2] Pearlman wanted the group to be the American answer to Black Sabbath.[3] Pearlman was very important to the band—he was able to get them gigs and recording contracts with Elektra and Columbia, and he provided them with his poetry for use as lyrics for many of their songs, including "Astronomy". Writer Richard Meltzer also provided the band with lyrics from their early days up through their most recent studio album. The band recorded an album's worth of material for Elektra Records in 1968. When Braunstein departed in early 1969, Elektra shelved the album.

Eric Bloom (formerly the band's acoustic engineer) replaced Braunstein, and the band continued to perform as Soft White Underbelly. However, a bad review of a 1969 Fillmore East show caused Pearlman to change the name of the band - first to Oaxaca, then to the Stalk-Forrest Group. The band recorded yet another album's worth of material for Elektra, but only one single ("What Is Quicksand?" b/w "Arthur Comics") was released (and only in a promo edition of 300 copies) on Elektra Records. (This album was eventually released, with additional outtakes, by Rhino Handmade Records as St. Cecilia: The Elektra Recordings in 2001). After a few more temporary band names, including the Santos Sisters, the band settled on Blue Öyster Cult in 1971. (see "band name" section below for its origin).

New York producer and jingle writer David Lucas saw the band perform and took them into his Warehouse Recording Studio and produced a demo, with which Pearlman was able to get the renamed band another audition with Columbia Records. Clive Davis liked what he heard, and signed the band to the label. The first album was subsequently recorded on eight track at Lucas' studio.[4] Winters would leave the band and be replaced by Bouchard's brother, Joe Bouchard.

Their debut album Blue Öyster Cult was released in January 1972, with a black and white cover designed by artist Bill Gawlik. The album featured the songs "Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll", "Stairway to the Stars," and "Then Came the Last Days of May". The album sold well, and Blue Öyster Cult toured with artists such as The Byrds, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Alice Cooper.[5]

Their next album Tyranny and Mutation, released in 1973, was written while the band was on tour for their first LP. It contained songs such as "The Red and The Black" (an ode to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and basically a sped-up rewrite of "I'm On The Lamb", from the debut album), "Hot Rails To Hell", and "Baby Ice Dog", the first of the band's many collaborations with Patti Smith.

The band's third album, Secret Treaties (1974) received positive reviews, featuring songs such as "Career of Evil" (also co-written by Patti Smith), "Dominance and Submission" and "Astronomy". As a result of constant touring, the band was now capable of headlining arenas.

The band's first live album On Your Feet or on Your Knees (1975) achieved greater success and went gold, and was followed up by their first platinum album, Agents of Fortune (1976). It contained the hit single "(Don't Fear) The Reaper", which reached number 12 on the Billboard charts and has become a classic of the genre. Other major songs on the album were "(This Ain't) The Summer of Love," "E.T.I. (Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence)," and "The Revenge of Vera Gemini." For the tour, the band added lasers to their light show, for which they became known. [6]

Their next album, Spectres (1977), had the FM radio hit "Godzilla", but its sales were not as strong as those for the previous album. The band then released another live album, Some Enchanted Evening (1978). Though it was intended as another double-live album in the vein of On Your Feet Or On Your Knees, Columbia

insisted that it be edited down to single-album length. It became Blue Öyster Cult's most popular album, eventually selling over 2 million copies. It was followed by the studio album Mirrors (1979). For Mirrors, instead of working with previous producers Pearlman (who instead went on to manage Black Sabbath) and Krugman, Blue Öyster

Cult chose Tom Werman, who had worked with acts such as Cheap Trick and Ted Nugent. However, the resulting album sales were disappointing. Pearlman's association with Black Sabbath was tapped for the next Blue Öyster Cult album, which resulted in Sabbath's Heaven and Hell producer Martin Birch being hired for the next Blue

Öyster Cult record. The result was positive, with Cultösaurus Erectus (1980) receiving good reviews. The album went to number 12 in the UK, but did not do as well in the U.S. One of the notable songs on the album was "Black Blade," which was written by Bloom with lyrics by sci-fi and fantasy author Michael Moorcock. The song is a kind of retelling of Moorcock's epic Elric of Melniboné-Saga. The band also did a co-headlining tour with Black Sabbath in support of the album, calling the tour "Black and Blue".

Birch produced the band's next album as well, Fire of Unknown Origin (1981). The biggest hit on this album was the Top 40 hit "Burnin' for You", a song Dharma had written with a Richard Meltzer lyric. He had intended to use it on his 1982 solo album, Flat Out, but he was convinced to use it on the Blue Öyster Cult album instead. The album went platinum, and contained other fan favorites such as "Joan Crawford" (inspired by the book and film Mommie Dearest) and "Veteran of the Psychic Wars", another song co-written by Moorcock. Several of the songs had been written for the animated film Heavy Metal, but only "Veteran of the Psychic Wars" (which, ironically, was not written for Heavy Metal) was actually used in the movie. After this album, Albert Bouchard had a falling out with the others and left the band, and Rick Downey (formerly the band's lighting designer) replaced him on drums.

1]

Buck Dharma

Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (born November 12, 1947, On Long Island, New York) is an American guitarist and songwriter, best known for being a member of Blue Öyster Cult since the group's formation in 1967. He wrote and sang the lead vocal on many of the band's best-known hits, including "(Don't Fear) The Reaper", "Godzilla", and "Burnin' for You" (the last originally intended for Roeser's solo album.)

The nickname came from an idea from the band's manager, Sandy Pearlman, who envisioned each member of the band having an unusual stage name; Roeser was the only one who took to the idea, and his was the only name that stuck.

Roeser is notable for his use of the Gibson SG and numerous custom Steinberger models.[1] One of his Steinberger guitars has a body carved to look like Swiss cheese (see photo). Dharma calls this guitar his "Cheeseberger".[2]

His other equipment use includes: a Giuliano Balestra Vulcan, a Fender Stratocaster, a St. Blues and custom models built by Rick Kresiak, Harper Guitars and Warren Guitars. Many of his guitars were made by White Plains based custom guitar maker, Guliano.

Styx

Styx ( /ˈstɪks/) is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater.

The band is best known for the hit songs "Lady" (#6, 1975), "Come Sail Away" (#8, 1977), "Babe" (#1, 1979), "The Best of Times" (#3, 1981), "Too Much Time on My Hands" (#9, 1981), and "Mr. Roboto" (#3, 1983). Other hits by the band include "Show Me the Way" (#3, 1990), "Don't Let It End" (#6, 1983), and "Renegade" (#16, 1978). The band has four consecutive albums certified multi-platinum by the RIAA.

Twin brothers Chuck and John Panozzo first got together with their neighbor Dennis DeYoung in 1961 in the Roseland section of the south side of Chicago, eventually taking the band name "The Tradewinds". Chuck Panozzo left to attend seminary school for a year but returned to the group by 1964. Tom Nardini had been brought in to replace Chuck on guitar and Chuck decided to play bass guitar when he returned to the band. John Panozzo was the drummer, while Dennis DeYoung had switched from accordion to organ and piano. In 1965, the name "Tradewinds" was changed to TW4 after another band called The Trade Winds broke through nationally. By 1966, the Panozzo brothers had joined DeYoung at Chicago State University and kept the group together doing gigs at high schools and frat parties while studying to be teachers. In 1969 they added a college buddy, John Curulewski, on guitar after Tom Nardini departed. Guitarist James "J.Y." Young came aboard in 1970 making TW4 a quintet.

In 1972 the band members decided to choose a new name when they signed to Wooden Nickel Records. Several suggestions were made, and according to DeYoung, the name Styx (the river in Greek mythology between Earth and the Underworld) was chosen because it was "the only one that none of us hated".[2]

[1]

James JY Young

James "J.Y." Young (born November 14, 1949) is a guitarist, singer and songwriter who is best known for his membership of the rock band, Styx.[1] Young began playing keyboard and piano at the age of five. He attended Calumet High in Chicago and learned to play clarinet and guitar during those years.

J.Y. joined the band TW4 while a student at Illinois Institute of Technology, from which he graduated with a bachelor's degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering in 1970. That band later became the first incarnation of Styx.

After the band's initial breakup in 1983, Young released the solo albums City Slicker, Out On A Day Pass, and Raised By Wolves. He is the only original member left in the current lineup, and has appeared on all Styx albums. He and longtime member Tommy Shaw, from the band's hitmaking heyday, lead the band; with original bassist Chuck Panozzo still appearing on recent albums, and at certain concerts as a guest musician.

Young tends to write the more hard rock pieces for Styx. He is best known for "Miss America" and "Snowblind". A glance at the album, Best of Styx shows that his songs were more popular in the band's early days than during its years of more mainstream popularity. Young managed the Chicago,

Kansas

Kansas is an American rock band that became popular in the 1970s initially on album-oriented rock charts, and later with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind".[1] They currently tour in North America and Europe.

Dave Hope (bass), Phil Ehart (drums, percussion), and Kerry Livgren (guitars, keyboards, synthesizers) formed a progressive rock group in 1970 in their hometown of Topeka, Kansas (Steve Walsh is from St. Joseph, Missouri), along with vocalists Lynn Meredith and Joel Warne, and keyboardist Don Montre, keyboardist Dan Wright, and saxophonist Larry Baker.[1]

A year earlier, Meredith, Montre, Wright and Livgren were performing in a band called The Reasons Why. After changing the band's name to Saratoga, they started playing Livgren's original material with Scott Kessler playing bass and Zeke Lowe on drums. In 1970, they changed the band's name again to Kansas and merged with members of rival Topeka progressive rock outfit White Clover. This early Kansas group, which lasted until 1971 when Ehart, Hope, and some of the others left to reform White Clover, is sometimes referred to as Kansas I.

Ehart was replaced by Zeke Lowe and later Brad Schulz, Hope was replaced by Rod Mikinski on bass, and Baker was replaced by John Bolton on saxophone and flute. (This lineup is sometimes referred to as Kansas II, and 30 years later would re-form under the name Proto-Kaw.) In 1972, after Ehart returned from England (where he had gone to look for other musicians), he and Hope once again reformed White Clover with Robby Steinhardt (vocals, violin, viola, cello), Steve Walsh (vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, percussion) and Rich Williams (guitars). In 1973 they recruited Livgren from the second Kansas group, which then folded.[2] Eventually they received a recording contract with Don Kirshner's eponymous label and decided to adopt the Kansas name.

The debut album, Kansas, was released in March 1974, nearly a year after it was recorded in New York. It defined the band's signature sound, a mix of American-style boogie rock and complex, symphonic arrangements with changing time signatures. Steinhardt's violin was a distinctive element of the group's sound, being defined more by heartland rock than the jazz and classic influences which most progressive rock violinists followed. The band slowly developed a cult following, due to promotion by Kirshner and extensive touring for the debut album and its two follow-ups, Song for America and Masque.

The band in 1976. Kansas released its fourth album, Leftoverture, in November 1976, which produced a hit single, "Carry On Wayward Son", in 1977. The

follow-up, Point of Know Return, released in October 1977, featured the title track and "Dust in the Wind," both hit singles. Leftoverture was a major breakthrough for the band, hitting number 5 on Billboard's pop album chart. Point of Know Return peaked even

higher, at number 4. Leftoverture and Point each sold over four million copies in the U.S. Both "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind" were certified gold singles, selling over one million units each. "Dust in the Wind" was certified gold as a digital download by the RIAA in 2005, almost 30 years after selling one million copies as a single. Leftoverture was eventually certified five times platinum by the RIAA in 2001.

During this period, Kansas became a major headlining act and sold out the largest venues available to rock bands at the time, including New York's Madison Square Garden. The band documented this era in 1978 with Two for the Show, a double live album of recordings from various performances from its 1977 and 1978 tours. The band gained a solid reputation for faithful live reproduction of their studio recordings. In 1978 the band was named UNICEF Deputy Ambassadors of Goodwill.[3]

The follow-up studio album to Point of Know Return was Monolith (1979), which, like the live album, was self-produced. While the album produced a Top 40 single in "People of the South Wind"--the title refers to the meaning of the Kaw word 'Kansas'--it failed to garner the sales and radio airplay of its two predecessors. Nevertheless, the album eventually went platinum. Kerry Livgren's platinum award for the album is on display at the Kansas History Museum

Sammy Hagar Montrose,Van Halen,And Chickenfoot

Sam Roy "Sammy" Hagar (born October 13, 1947),[1] also known as The Red Rocker,[2] is a rock vocalist, guitarist, songwriter and musician. Hagar came to prominence in the 1970s with the hard rock band Montrose. He afterwards launched a successful solo career, scoring an enduring hit in 1984 with "I Can't Drive 55". From 1985 to 1996, and 2003 to 2005, Hagar was the singer for Van Halen. On March 12, 2007, Hagar was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Van Halen.Outside of music, he founded the Cabo Wabo Tequila brand and restaurant chain, as well as Sammy's Beach Bar Rum[3]. He currently resides in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and also has a residence in Mill Valley, California. His present musical project is as lead singer of Chickenfoot.

Dimebag Darrel

Darrell Lance Abbott (August 20, 1966 – December 8, 2004), also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist. He was best known as a founding member of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan. Abbott also contributed to the album Rebel Meets Rebel, a collaboration between Pantera and David Allan Coe. Darrell is considered to be one of the driving forces behind groove metal. Abbott was shot and killed while on stage during a Damageplan performance on December 8, 2004, at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio. He ranked 92 in The Rolling Stone Magazine's 100 Greatest Guitarist ([2]

Darrell Abbott was born to Carolyn and Jerry Abbott, a country musician and producer.[3] He took up guitar when he was 12, and his first guitar was a Hondo Les Paul he got with a small amp. Winning a series of local guitar competitions, most notably held at The Agora Ballroom in Dallas, where he was awarded a Dean ML which he sold to Buddy Blaze who put a Floyd Rose bridge on it and gave it Dimebag's signature lighting bolt paint job and then gave it back to him years later. [citation needed] Coincidentally, his father had bought him a cherryburst finish Dean ML standard the morning before the competition.[citation needed]

Abbott formed Pantera in 1981 with his brother Vinnie Paul on drums. The band played with acts such as Slayer, Megadeth, Venom, and Metallica, as well as traditional metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Motörhead, and Judas Priest. Pantera subsequently became a key formulator of the post-thrash subgenre of "groove" metal. It would not be until nine years after forming that Pantera saw its first piece of commercial success in its 1990 major label debut, Cowboys from Hell. Pantera's "groove" style came to fruition in its breakthrough album Vulgar Display of Power, released on February 25, 1992, which saw the replacement of the power metal falsetto vocals with a hardcore-influenced shouted delivery and heavier guitar sound. In 1994, Abbott dropped the nickname "Diamond Darrell" and assumed the nickname "Dimebag Darrell." Pantera began to suffer from mounting tensions between band members in the mid-1990s, largely due to vocalist Phil Anselmo's rampant drug abuse. In 2003 the group went on an extended hiatus but never formally broke up. [4] Anselmo left the band for other projects, such as Superjoint Ritual and Down.

Kerry King

Kerry King (born June 3, 1964[1]) is an American musician, best known as the lead and rhythm guitarist for the American thrash metal band, Slayer. He co-founded the band with Jeff Hanneman in 1981 and has been a member ever since. He has made guest appearances with acts including the Beastie Boys, Marilyn Manson, Pantera, Ice-T, Witchery, Sum 41, Megadeth and Metallica. He is known for playing B.C. Rich guitars with

Marshall amplifiers. King was born in Los Angeles, California. His father was an aircraft parts

inspector, and his mother was an employee of a telephone company. When he was a teenager, Kerry started learning guitar at Calvano's music in South Gate Ca. Russ Dismuke was his teacher. Kerry began his career in a Pat Boone cover band. Kerry moved to Phoenix, Arizona as an adult. He divorced once; his current wife is Ayesha King.[2] In 1981 King was trying out for the position as a guitarist in a band. After the session was over Jeff Hanneman approached him and the two began playing Iron Maiden and Judas Priest songs with the session drummer. Hanneman mentioned "Why don’t we start our OWN band?” [Laughs] I was like, “… Fuck yeah!"[3] King's trademark appearance, was praised to such a degree by Blender magazine, who included a tour of his body ink.[4] King's acronym, KFK, was revealed to mean "Kerry Fuckin' King" in the January 2007 Issue of Guitar World.[5] King currently resides in Corona, California.[5]

Zakk Wylde

Zachary Phillip Wylde (born January 14, 1967), best known by the stage name Zakk Wylde, is an American musician, songwriter, and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society. He was the lead guitarist and vocalist in Pride & Glory, who released one self-titled album in 1994 before disbanding. As a solo artist he released Book of Shadows in 1996.

Wylde was born in Bayonne, New Jersey. Wylde started playing the guitar at the age of 14 and worked at Silverton Music in Silverton, New Jersey. He grew up in Jackson, New Jersey, and went to Jackson Memorial High School, where he graduated in 1985. Wylde has stated that he would practice playing the guitar as much as 12 hours per day and would often play the guitar almost non-stop between coming home from school and leaving for school the next morning, then sleeping through the school day. He is of German and Irish descent.[citation needed]

[edit] Music career Wylde played locally with his first band Stone Henge, then later with local Jersey band Zyris. Later, he landed the role as lead

guitarist and co-writer for Ozzy Osbourne. He sent Ozzy a demo tape in 1987 and was hired to replace Jake E. Lee, who had replaced the deceased Randy Rhoads. Rhoads remains Wylde's foremost guitar-playing and stagecraft influence.[citation needed]

Wylde gravitated toward a particular Les Paul guitar, which has become known as "The Grail"; his infamous bullseye-painted Gibson Les Paul custom. Wylde lost the guitar after it fell from the back of a truck transporting equipment as he was travelling between gigs in Texas. Rewards were offered to anyone that had information about the guitar. Wylde and The Grail were reunited years later when a fan bought it at a Dallas pawn shop and saw the initials "Z.W." carved into the humbucker pickups backs. He contacted Wylde's former webmaster Randy Canis to arrange its return to Wylde. He bartered for it, in exchange for two other Les Pauls.[citation needed]

Osbourne has maintained a flexible attitude with regard to his backing band, leaving his band members free to leave as they wish, but Wylde has remained faithful to Osbourne. Wylde was replaced in Osbourne's band by Joe Holmes from 1995 until his return in 2001. On January 17, 2006, Zakk Wylde was recognized at the Hollywood Rock Walk of Fame, featuring his handprints and signature, in recognition of his successful career as a musician and his contribution to the music industry. The event was open to the public and many rock celebrities were present, including Ozzy Osbourne.[citation needed]

After auditions in 2005/2006, Ozzy Osbourne announced Wylde as the official guitarist for his upcoming album, Black Rain, which was released in 2007. On stage with Osbourne, Wylde has been credited for lending a high level of energy and passion to performances. Black Label Society's album Shot To Hell, was released on September 11, 2006 in the UK, and September 12, 2006 in the U.S. through Roadrunner records, with production by Michael Beinhorn. Black Label Society headlined the second stage at the 2006 Ozzfest, with Wylde playing double duty with Ozzy on certain dates. Ozzy Osbourne's album Black Rain, was released in May 2007.

Black Label Society released 'The Song Remains Not the Same' on May 10, 2011 on E1. As reported by Alternative Press, Zakk Wylde will be contributing a guitar solo to Black Veil Brides' upcoming cover of Kiss' "Unholy," slated to appear on the band's upcoming Rebels EP due out December 2011.

Randy Rhoads

Randall William Rhoads (December 6, 1956 – March 19, 1982) was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. A devoted student of classical guitar, Rhoads combined his classical music influences with his own heavy metal style. Despite his short career, Rhoads is a major influence on neo-classical metal, is cited as an influence by many guitarists and is included in several "Greatest Guitarist" lists.

At age 14, Rhoads formed a cover band called Violet Fox (after his mother's middle name, Violet), with his older brother Kelle on drums. Violet Fox staged several performances in the "Grand Salon" at Musonia, Delores Rhoads' music school. Among their setlist was "Mississippi Queen" by Mountain, and songs from The Rolling Stones, Alice Cooper and David Bowie. After the dissolution of Violet Fox, Rhoads taught his best friend Kelly Garni how to play bass, and together they formed a band called The Whore (rehearsing during the day at Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco, a 1970s Hollywood nightspot), spending several months playing at backyard parties around Los Angeles.

Together the pair went on to form Quiet Riot when Rhoads was 16. Kevin DuBrow auditioned for vocalist in Rhoads' kitchen after he convinced Rhoads and Garni to give him a chance. Although DuBrow once said he 'auditioned once and got the gig'. The drummer Drew Forsyth, had periodically played with Rhoads and Garni in the past. Quiet Riot initially played in small bars in Hollywood and local parties in Burbank, eventually playing at the two main L.A. music clubs of the day — the Whisky a Go Go and The Starwood. While the band had a strong following in the L.A. club scene, they were unable to secure a major recording contract in the United States. The band was able to land a record deal with Japanese label CBS/Sony Records and Quiet Riot and Quiet Riot II were released in Japan.

In 1979, ex-Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne was forming a new band. During an interview with Raw Power Magazine editors Robert Olshever, Murray Schwartz and Scott Stephens (future singer of Liquid Blue), Ozzy mentioned he was looking for a new guitar player. Randy's name was suggested during the interview and the next day Robert asked friend and future Slaughter bassist Dana Strum to try to reach Randy to see if he was interested. Rhoads got the call for the audition just before his final show with Quiet Riot. He walked in with his Les Paul guitar and a practice amp and started warming up. Osbourne immediately gave him the job. Rhoads recalled later, "I just tuned up and did some riffs, and he said, 'You've got the gig'; I had the weirdest feeling, because I thought, 'You didn't even hear me yet'". Osbourne was drunk and passed out during the audition, but described Rhoads' playing as "God entering my life". Rhoads subsequently recommended his friend Greg Leon, who also taught guitar at Musonia for Rhoads' mother, to replace him in Quiet Riot, and then departed for the UK to write and record with Osbourne in November 1979.

The band, then known as The Blizzard of Ozz headed into the studio to record the band's debut album, titled Blizzard of Ozz. Rhoads' guitar playing had changed due to the level of freedom allowed by Ozzy and Bob Daisley and he was encouraged to play what he wanted. His work with Quiet Riot has been criticized as being "dull" and did not rely on classical scales or arrangements.[3] Propelled by Rhoads' neo-classical guitar work, the album proved an instant hit with rock fans, particularly in the USA. They released two singles from the album: "Mr Crowley" and the hit "Crazy Train". The British tour of 1980-81 for Blizzard of Ozz was with Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake.

After the UK tour the band recorded another LP, but before the US Blizzard tour both Lee Kerslake and Bob Daisley were fired by Sharon Arden, Ozzy's future wife. For the US Blizzard tour, Tommy Aldridge and Rudy Sarzo were hired. Diary of a Madman was released soon after in October 1981, and since Kerslake and Daisley were already out of the band, Aldridge and Sarzo's photos appear on the album sleeve. Disputes over royalties performance, and other intellectual property rights became a source of future court battles. [4] "You Said it All" and "You Looking at Me, Looking at You" became rare collector's items, only released on the B-Sides of singles. A live album, Tribute, mainly drawn from a performance in Cleveland, Ohio, was released in 1987 and included live versions of "Goodbye to Romance" and "No Bone Movies", recorded in the UK with Daisley and Kerslake in 1980.

Around this time, Rhoads remarked to Osbourne, fellow Ozz bandmates Tommy Aldridge and Rudy Sarzo, and friend Kelly Garni that he was considering leaving rock for a few years to earn a degree in classical guitar at UCLA. In the documentary Don't Blame Me, Osbourne confirmed Randy's desire to earn the degree and stated that had he lived, he did not believe Randy would have stayed in his band. Friend and ex-Quiet Riot bassist Kelly Garni has stated in interviews that if Randy had continued to play rock, he might have gone the route of more keyboard-driven rock, which had become very popular through the 1980s. It was at this time that Rhoads was beginning to receive recognition for his playing. Just before his death Jackson Guitars created a signature model, the Jackson Randy Rhoads (though Randy had originally called his white pinstriped V "the Concorde"). Randy received one prototype — a black offset V hardtail which is the base for today's RR line of Jackson guitars — but died before the guitar went into production. Rhoads also received the Best New Talent award from Guitar Player magazine. While on tour with Ozzy Osbourne, Rhoads would seek out classical guitar tutors for lessons.

[1][2]

James Hetfield

James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963) is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler, searching for band members. Since then, Metallica has won nine Grammy Awards and released nine studio albums, three live albums, four extended plays and 24 singles. In 2009, Hetfield was ranked number 8 in Joel McIver's book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists,[1] and ranked twenty-fourth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Metal Vocalists of All Time.

Hetfield was born August 3, 1963.[2] He is of German, English, Irish and Scottish descent. He has two older half-brothers from his mother's first marriage and one younger sister. He attended Downey High School his freshman and sophomore years.

His father, Virgil, was a truck driver who left the family when Hetfield was young. His mother, Cynthia, was a light opera singer. The two divorced in 1976. Virgil and Cynthia were very strict Christian Scientists, and in accordance with their beliefs, Hetfield's parents strongly disapproved of medicine or any other medical treatment and remained loyal to their faith even as Cynthia was dying from cancer. This upbringing became the inspiration for many of Hetfield's lyrics later in his career with Metallica, such as songs like "The God That Failed".

Cynthia Hetfield died of cancer in 1979 when James was 16 years old. After the death of his mother, Hetfield went to live with his older half-brother David. Virgil died in late 1996, during Metallica's Load tour.[3]

Hetfield was nine years old when he first began piano lessons, after which he took on his brother David's drums and finally, at the age of fourteen, he began to play guitar with Robert Okner .[4] He also was in a few bands as a teenager – one being Leather Charm and another, Obsession.

Hetfield identifies Aerosmith as having been his main musical influence as a child,[5] and has said they were the reason he wanted to play guitar. He also cited Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Motörhead, Thin Lizzy, Ted Nugent and Deep Purple as important influences.

Metallica (1981–present) the early days of the band, Metallica experimented with a few different vocals and guitar combinations, essentially creating a setup similar to that of Diamond Head. Some of the options considered

included adding another guitar player, having John Roads play lead guitar, as well as asking John Bush from Armored Saint (who later joined Anthrax) to sing for the band. The finalized line-up of the band became Hetfield (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Lars Ulrich (drums), Dave Mustaine (lead guitar), and Ron McGovney (bass) who was replaced by Cliff Burton soon.

From 1982 to 1983, Mustaine's alcoholism sparked heated altercations between Hetfield and himself. [6] Mustaine also once poured beer onto Ron McGovney's bass[6] nearly causing serious damage. On April 1, 1983, the band recruited lead guitarist Kirk Hammett from the band Exodus and 10 days later Hetfield and Ulrich officially ejected Mustaine due to his alcoholic tendencies.[6][7] Mustaine was sent home on a 4-day bus journey, and went on to form the heavy metal band Megadeth. Later, Mustaine would be quoted to wonder why Metallica did not send him to rehab, but the other band members themselves drank heavily, Hetfield in particular, though Mustaine's alcoholism was of a more aggressive nature.

Hetfield in 2008 Until the mid-1990s, Hetfield recorded all rhythm tracks and most harmony tracks [citation needed]. Since the recording of Load, Hammett is recording rhythm guitars as well. Hetfield occasionally plays

guitar solos on songs such as "Nothing Else Matters", "My Friend of Misery", the outro solo on "The Outlaw Torn", the second solo on "To Live Is to Die", the first solo on "Suicide and Redemption", the first interlude solo on "Master of Puppets" and the introduction harmonic solo in "The Day That Never Comes". He also writes the majority of the guitar harmonies, as well as writing the lyrics, vocal melodies, and co-arranging the songs with Ulrich.

Hetfield has been involved in a number of onstage accidents, most notable being an incident with pyrotechnics at Olympic Stadium in Montreal during the Guns N' Roses/Metallica Stadium Tour on August 8, 1992. Hetfield was the victim of a severe pyrotechnics accident during the song "Fade to Black", in which a pyrotechnic exploded. Hetfield's guitar protected him from the full force of the blast; however, the fire engulfed his left side, burning his hand, arm, eyebrows, face and hair. He suffered second and third-degree burns, but was back on stage 17 days later, although his guitar duties were delegated to former guitar tech and Metal Church guitarist John Marshall for four weeks while he made a full recovery.[8]

Hetfield has also broken his arm a number of times while skateboarding, which prevented him from playing guitar on stage, and subsequently caused Hetfield's management company Q Prime to add a clause in Hetfield's contract forbidding him to ride a skateboard while Metallica was touring. [9] During a live performance on tour for the Metallica, Hetfield experienced complications with his vocals after performing a cover of the Anti-Nowhere League song "So What?", forcing him to take vocal lessons for the first time. He did basic warm-up exercises to piano keys with his vocal coach who also gave him a cassette tape of the piano warm-up for future use. Hetfield still uses the same cassette he was given in the early nineties to this day before any live performance or any recording Metallica does. Hetfield talks about his vocal training endeavours in the Metallica documentary film, Some Kind of Monster produced & directed by Joe Berlinger & Bruce Sinofsky.[10] During the recording of the band's eighth studio album St. Anger in 2001, Hetfield went into rehab to address his alcohol addiction. He rejoined the band after seven months in rehab and four months recovering with his family. He is now clean and sober and is determined to remain so, all of which is featured in Some Kind of Monster.[10]

Some Kind of Monster also shows the making of the St. Anger album and documents the various conflicts and issues the band were facing at the time including the departure of Jason Newsted, alcoholism, family commitments, and the future of the band with many in the rock press questioning whether the band would even still be together to see the completion of the St. Anger album.

Hetfield and Metallica addressed their need for a new bassist by recruiting Robert Trujillo, former bass player of Ozzy Osbourne. It was more of a swap since Ozzy Osbourne surprisingly recruited Jason Newsted shortly after Trujillo's transfer.The new line-up has continued to make music and tour worldwide. Metallica's ninth studio album, Death Magnetic, was released on September 12, 2008. Like St. Anger and every album of original material released by Metallica since 1991's Metallica, Death Magnetic went to #1 on the Billboard charts in over 30 countries during its first week of release.[11]

On April 4, 2009, Hetfield, along with remaining Metallica members Ulrich, Hammett, Trujillo, as well as former bassist Newsted and the deceased Cliff Burton were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[12] In an interview after their nomination, Hetfield commented that everyone who had appeared on an album with the band would be inducted. This excluded original guitarist Dave Mustaine and original bassist Ron McGovney, as both had appeared only on the band's early demo tapes.

Hetfield was ranked 24th in the Hit Parader's Top Metal Vocalist of All Time.[13] In 2009 he was listed at number 8 in Joel McIver's book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists

Kirk Hammet Exodus,Metallica

Kirk Lee Hammett (born November 18, 1962) is the lead guitarist and a songwriter in the heavy metal band Metallica and has been a member of the band since 1983. Before joining Metallica he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, Hammett was ranked 11th on Rolling Stone's list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.[1] In 2009, Hammett was ranked number 15 in Joel McIver's book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists.[2]

Hammett was born on November 18, 1962 in San Francisco to a Filipina mother (Chefela) and an Irish Merchant Marine father.[3] He attended De Anza High School in Richmond, California. While attending De Anza High School he met Les Claypool of Primus and they remain close friends.

After purchasing a 1978 Fender Stratocaster copy, Hammett attempted to customize his sound with various guitar parts, eventually buying a 1974 Gibson Flying V. Hammett also took a job at Burger King as a youth before quitting once he saved enough money for his Marshall amplifier.

In 1983 Hammett was invited to join Metallica following the dismissal of the band's original lead guitarist Dave Mustaine, who went on to form the band Megadeth. This was prior to the recording of Kill 'Em All. At the time Hammett was taking private lessons from guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani.

Hammett has written and contributed riffs for Metallica songs since the mid-1980s (particularly in the 1990s during the Load era). One of these riffs, used in "Enter Sandman" became one of Metallica's most popular songs. It was the first track and first single on Metallica's self-titled Black Album and was ranked 399th on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest songs of all time.[4] The bridge for "Creeping Death" was originally an Exodus riff that Hammett took with him to Metallica.

Hammett is known for always having his picking hand taped up. During the course of a full tour, due to constantly palm muting and fast picking, the palm of his hand takes abuse.[5]

Hammett's playing style is noted for his extensive use of the wah-wah pedal in his solos. Hammett says "The wah-wah is an extension of my personality." Hammett's use of the wah-pedal hadn't been featured in recent Metallica solos, but has seen a resurgence in his solos on the newest album Death Magnetic, in songs like "The Unforgiven III."

Hammett initially wanted to have guitar solos on Metallica's 2003 album, St. Anger, but drummer Lars Ulrich and producer Bob Rock thought that the solos did not sound right in the songs. He later admitted himself, "We tried to put in solos but they sounded like an afterthought so we left them out".

On April 4, 2009, Kirk, along with Metallica bandmates Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, and Robert Trujillo and former Metallica bandmates Jason Newsted and the late Cliff Burton, were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. In 2009 Hammett supplied the foreword to British author Joel McIver's book To Live Is To Die: The Life And Death Of Metallica's Cliff Burton.[6]

Saxon

Saxon are an English heavy metal band, formed in 1976 in Barnsley, Yorkshire. As front-runners of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, they had 8 UK Top 40 albums in the 1980s including 4 UK Top 10 albums. Saxon also had numerous singles in the Top 20 singles chart. Between 1980 and 1987 Saxon established themselves as one of Europe's biggest metal acts, they also had success in Japan and in the USA. In Japan, the single "Motorcycle Man" stayed in the charts for over 5 months. They still tour regularly and have sold more than 13 million albums worldwide. Saxon have also influenced many bands such as Metallica and Megadeth.[

Saxon began with a lineup formed by Peter "Biff" Byford on vocals, Paul Quinn and Graham Oliver on guitars, Steve "Dobby" Dawson on bass and drummer Pete "Frank" Gill. Early in their career, the band changed their name from Son of a Bitch to Saxon, and gained support slots on tour with more established bands such as Motörhead. In 1979, the band signed to the French record label Carrere and released their eponymous debut album.

[edit] UK success: 1980-1982 In 1980, the follow-up album Wheels of Steel (UK no 5) spawned two hit singles: the title track, and the crowd favorite "747

(Strangers in the Night)". Saxon also appeared on Top Of The Pops this year which helped their hits climb the charts. On August 16th 1980 Saxon appeared at the very first Monsters of Rock Festival where they received a great reception from the crowd. The band's set was recorded but not officially released until 2000. Strong Arm of the Law (UK no 11), considered by fans to be one of their best recordings, was released later that same year. Two singles were released from this album, Strong Arm of the Law and Dallas 1PM, Dallas 1PM is about the assassination of President Kennedy.

In 1981 the band had toured most of the world and were getting less time to record new material. With the band touring the world they had gained notable success in Japan where the single Motorcycle Man had stayed in the charts for around 5 months. Nearing the end of 1981 the band released their fourth album Denim And Leather which was dedicated to their fan base. The album is still very popular today and the title track Denim And Leather is considered to be an anthem of that era. The album also featured many other fan favorites Princess of the Night, Never Surrender and The Bands Played On. The Bands Played On was a dedicated song wrote about Saxon's performance at 1980 Monsters Of Rock Festival. Denim And Leather charted success all over Europe and went silver in the UK.

Just as the band was about to embark on a huge tour to follow the success of Denim And Leather the bands drummer at the time Pete Gill dropped out due to damaged hand. The band quickly replaced him with Nigel Glockler formerly of Toyah Willcox's band who had to learn the whole set within a day and a half just before the tour was about to begin.

A relentless series of headlining tours around the UK capitalised on this success and a sold out tour of Europe with Ozzy Osbourne as support act highlighted Saxon's immense ability on the road and was set in stone with the live release The Eagle Has Landed (1982 UK no 5). The band also played the 1982 Monsters Of Rock Festival again and became the first band to appear twice.

1]

Paul Quinn

Paul Quinn (born Paul Anthony Quinn, December 26, 1951, Barnsley, West Riding of Yorkshire) is an English guitarist, and the founding member of the heavy metal band Saxon. Other than Biff Byford, Quinn is the only remaining member of Saxon's original line up, and is present on every Saxon release. Quinn is also a songwriter, contributing to every Saxon album.[1

Graham Oliver

Graham Oliver (born 6 July 1952, Mexborough, South Yorkshire, England) is an English guitarist.

He played with the heavy metal band Saxon from 1977 to 1994. After leaving the band, he initially reformed his old band Son of a Bitch with former Saxon bassist Steve Dawson and drummer Pete Gill. Son of a Bitch released the album Victim You with Thunderhead singer, Ted Bullet.

Bullet and Gill left the band after the release of the album. They were replaced by the vocalist John Ward, and another former member of Saxon, Nigel Durham on drums. Oliver and Dawson changed the name of the band to Oliver/Dawson Saxon, and undertook a UK tour with Ronnie James Dio. Graham also duetted with Doug Aldrich on "Rainbow in the Dark" on the last gig at Plymouth. They initially performed under the Saxon name before being halted by legal action taken by the version of Saxon featuring Biff Byford.

Oliver has also released the solo album End Of An Era. Five of the tracks were written and performed by the rock indie band Bullrush, with whom Graham Oliver's son Paul played drums, along Steve Tudberry and Scott Howitt. Also appearing on the album were Pete Gill, Steve Dawson, Kev Moore, Paul Johnson, Phil Hendriks, Richard Spencer and Chris Archer.

Since 2003, Oliver sometimes played with a former Marc Bolan session musician, who tours under on the T. Rex banner. This opportunity materialised after Oliver played "Get It On" with Rolan Bolan at a show in Bradford. Oliver also gained an endorsement from the British guitar company Indie.

As of 2005, Oliver was again playing in Oliver/Dawson Saxon in the US. Oliver and Steve Dawson are currently writing the book, 'Saxon Drugs and Rock and Roll - The

Real Spinal Tap'. The book will tell the story of how Oliver and Dawson were the inspirations for the film This is Spinal Tap, and will include stories that never made it into the film.[1]

The Double Neck Guitar

Michael Angelo Batio was the first musician to create the double neck guitar

He used it once in every show he did to be different and unique

He is another fast guitarist He created it by having 2 guitars

joined together of the same kind So that there are 2 necks soon after

him steve vai and other guitarists had similar ideas

Paul Stanley

Stanley Harvey Eisen (born January 20, 1952), better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. Also known for his wailing vocals and high-energy on-stage antics. He is of Hungarian and Austrian background.He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's highest-charting hits. Stanley established the "Starchild" character for his Kiss persona. Hit Parader ranked him 18th on their list of Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time. Gibson.com Readers Poll also named him 13th on their list of Top 25 Frontmen.

Before Kiss, Paul Stanley was in a local band, Rainbow (not to be confused with Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow) and was also a member of Uncle Joe and Post War Baby Boom. Through a mutual friend of Gene Simmons', Stanley joined Simmons' band Wicked Lester in the early 1970s. The band recorded an album in 1972, but as of 2010 it has not been officially released (although songs from the album appeared on Kiss's 2001 box set). Wicked Lester soon fell apart and Stanley and Simmons placed ads for a drummer and a guitarist in various New York papers. This resulted in Peter Criss and Ace Frehley joining the group, and they named themselves Kiss. Kiss released their self-titled debut album in February 1974.

Paul Stanley Series Washburn

Paul Stanley has his own line of PS Series Washburn Guitars

They all have Stars on the tailpiece they are cross between a les Paul and a explorer by the looks of them

They have hhs and 2 single coil pick ups

They go for around 5,000 in the real world

Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons (born Chaim Weitz Hebrew: ויץ August 25, 1949) is ;חייםAmerican rock bassist, singer-songwriter, entrepreneur and actor. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/co-vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s. Kiss has sold over 100 million albums worldwide.Gene Simmons Was also a huge business man outside of being a musicianHis nicknames were Dr.Love,The God of Thunder, And The Demon

Chaim Weitz (later Gene Simmons) was born at the Rambam Hospital in Haifa, Israel in 1949. Mother and child emigrated to Jackson Heights, Queens in New York City when he was eight years old.[1] His mother Flóra "Florence" Klein (formerly Kovács) was born in Jánd, Hungary. The German name Klein (means: small) is sometimes used informally in Hungarian as Kis, this however, did not give the band its name.[2] Florence and her brother, Larry Klein, were the only members of the family to survive the Holocaust. Simmons' father, Feri Witz, also Hungarian-born, remained in Israel, where he had one other son and three daughters. Simmons says the family was "dirt poor," scraping by on bread and milk.[3] In the United States, Simmons changed his name to Eugene Klein (later Gene Klein), adopting his mother's maiden name. He was a part of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath in Williamsburg, Brooklyn as a child, from 7 am to 9:30 pm[4]

Gene Simmons Axe and Punisher Bass Guitars

Gene Simmon’s Axe guitar was made by a company called Cort

He had another unique bass guitar called The Punisher it was made by BC Rich in the early 70’s

Cort specialized in making Bass Guitars The Axe is the first kind of axe shaped

guitar It is a unique guitar gene uses when he is

the demon for Kiss It was made in the early 1970’s

Orianthi Panagaris

Orianthi Panagaris (born 22 January 1985), better known simply as Orianthi, is a Greek Australian musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist. She is perhaps best known for being Michael Jackson's lead guitarist for his ill-fated This Is It concert series, and as the lead guitarist in Alice Cooper's live band. Her debut single "According to You" has peaked at No. 3 in Japan, No. 8 in Australia and No. 17 in the US; her second album, Believe, received a worldwide release in late 2009. In 2009, Orianthi was named one of 12 Greatest Female Electric Guitarists by Elle magazine.[3] She also won the award as "Breakthrough Guitarist of the Year" 2010 by Guitar International magazine.[4]

Orianthi PRS

Orianthi Michael Jacksons guitarist has a signature Paul reed smith guitar

It is just part of her cool product line It has 2 humbuckers She was voted guitarist of the year

in 2010

Prince

Prince (born Prince Rogers Nelson; June 7, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. [1] Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of the instruments on his recordings.[1] In addition, Prince has been a "talent promoter" for the careers of Sheila E., Carmen Electra, The Time and Vanity 6,[1] and his songs have been recorded by these artists and others (including Chaka Khan, The Bangles, Sinéad O'Connor, and even Kim Basinger). He also has several hundred unreleased songs in his "vault".[2]

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Prince developed an interest in music at an early age, writing his first song at age seven. After recording songs with his cousin's band 94 East, seventeen-year-old Prince recorded several unsuccessful demo tapes before releasing his debut album, For You, in 1978. His 1979 album, Prince, went platinum due to the success of the singles "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" and "I Wanna Be Your Lover". His next three records, Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981), and 1999 (1982) continued his success, showcasing Prince's trademark of prominently sexual lyrics and incorporation of elements of funk, dance and rock music. In 1984, he began referring to his backup band as The Revolution and released the album Purple Rain, which served as the soundtrack to his film debut of the same name.After releasing the albums Around the World in a Day (1985), and Parade (1986), The Revolution disbanded and he released the critically acclaimed double album Sign o' the Times (1987) as a solo artist. He released three more solo albums before debuting the band The New Power Generation in 1991, which saw Prince changing his stage name to an unpronounceable symbol known as "The Love Symbol". In 1994, he began releasing new albums at a faster pace to eject himself from contractual obligations to Warner Bros, releasing five records in a span of two years before signing to Arista Records in 1998. In 2000, he began referring to himself as Prince once again. He has released thirteen new albums since the beginning of the 21st century, including his latest record, 20Ten, released in 2010.Prince has a wide vocal range and is known for his flamboyant stage presence and costumes. His releases have sold over 80 million copies worldwide.[3] He has won seven Grammy Awards,[4] a Golden Globe,[5] and an Academy Award.[6] He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the first year he was eligible.[7] Rolling Stone has ranked Prince No. 27 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. [8] Prince's music has been influenced by rock, R&B, soul, funk, rap, blues, New Wave, electronica, disco, psychedelia, folk, jazz, and pop.[1] His artistic influences include Sly & the Family Stone, Parliament-Funkadelic, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Miles Davis, Carlos Santana,[2] Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Led Zeppelin, Marvin Gaye, the Isley Brothers, Duke Ellington,[9] Curtis Mayfield,[10] and Stevie Wonder.[11] Prince pioneered the "Minneapolis sound", a hybrid mixture of funk, rock, pop, R&B and New Wave that has influenced many other musicians.[12]

Doug Aldrich

Doug Aldrich (born February 19, 1964 in Raleigh, North Carolina), is a Los Angeles-based hard rock guitarist, since 2002 a member of Whitesnake. He founded the band Burning Rain with Keith St.John in 1998 and has played previously with the bands Dio, Lion, Hurricane, House of Lords, and Bad Moon Rising. He has also released several solo albums. Doug was first introduced to the guitar at age 11 when his sister Jennifer introduced him to the playing of Jeff Beck. Doug’s first guitar came from Sears, it was a copy of a Les Paul. Doug even auditioned for KISS.[1] He did not get the gig but as a result of the audition he met Gene Simmons and he and Gene are friends to this day. Doug was also once a

highly sought after guitar teacher, at one point he was teaching over 70 students a week. Doug was previously endorsed by Jackson Guitars. He used their

Dinky and Soloist superstrats as well as his own signature model which has bridge and neck position humbucking pickups were "Full-shred" pickups which Seymour Duncan specially wired. Presently, California-based Suhr Guitars offers Doug Aldrich signature humbucking pickups, which are also found on their superstrat-style 24-Fret Moderns. He plays various Gibson Les Pauls and Fender Stratocasters through Suhr/ Cameron hot-rodded Marshall JMPs and Vintage Modern amps. Doug sums up his philosophy of playing this way, “I’m not one of those guys that follows whatever is trendy. I’d rather do what I do best and do it to the best of my ability.”

[edit] Discography

Ritchie Sambora

Richard Stephen "Richie" Sambora (born July 11, 1959) is an American rock guitarist, producer, musician, singer, and songwriter who is the longtime lead guitarist of the rock band, Bon Jovi. He and frontman Jon Bon Jovi form the primary songwriting unit of the band. He has also released two solo albums: Stranger in This Town in 1991, and Undiscovered Soul in 1998.[1]. A third one is expected to be released in summer 2012.

Sambora was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, the son of Joan, a secretary, and Adam, a factory foreman. Sambora is of Polish and Italian descent[2] and was raised Catholic.[3] He grew up in Woodbridge, New Jersey[4] and attended Woodbridge High School there, graduating in 1977.[5] He began playing the guitar at the age of 12 following the death of guitar legend Jimi Hendrix in 1970. From his early days Sambora was strongly influenced by blues and 60s rock 'n' roll. His most important influences were Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter, Jimmy Page, Joe Perry, Joe Kmiecik, and George Harrison. He was also influenced by Spanish classical music and began a life long love of the Spanish guitar. Furthermore, he has stated that psychedelic soul singer Janis Joplin crept into his heart very early in the late 60s and early 70s, having a big influence on his musical style. Classical music directly inspired several of his songs, such as The Answer which was originally written on piano.[6]

[edit] Career He was a guitarist for the band Message, and with that band he gave out a record, which was re-released in 1995 under the name "Message", and in 2000 under the name

"Lessons". Bon Jovi added Sambora to replace original lead guitarist Dave Sabo.[7] Sambora went to a show and, after being impressed by Bon Jovi, approached him and informed him that he thought they should work together. They immediately hit it off as friends, and Sambora was invited to a rehearsal. By the time Bon Jovi arrived, the band was sounding better than ever and Sambora was hired on the spot.[8]

Sambora has occasionally taken over as lead vocalist on some Bon Jovi songs, most notably "I'll Be There for You" [citation needed] and "These Days"[citation needed] when played live on the Bounce, Have a Nice Day and Lost Highway tours, while on The Circle Tour he has been performing "Lay Your Hands On Me" and "Homebound Train." He has also performed his solo hit, "Stranger In This Town" during live performances. One of the live performances of "Stranger In This Town", recorded during the Keep the Faith Tour, was released on Bon Jovi's CD single "Dry County" in 1994.[citation needed]

Recent ventures have seen him compose television theme songs for both Entertainment Tonight and The Insider. He (along with Jon Bon Jovi) is part of the Ownership Group of the Philadelphia Soul, an Arena Football League football team.[9][dated info]

Sambora made a cameo appearance in The Sims Superstar. Sambora is featured on the track "Baby Rock Remix", from LL Cool J's upcoming album "Exit 13". [10]

His first solo outing was Stranger in This Town in 1991, a blues-influenced album that was received well by many critics although commercially a relative flop partially due to the more adult tone of the record that was not instantly appealing to Bon Jovi fans. Eric Clapton played the lead guitar track on the song Mr Bluesman, backed by Sambora on acoustic guitars. He did a short US tour in support of the album, featuring Tony Levin (bass), Dave Amato (guitar), Crystal Taliefero (percussion) and Bon Jovi bandmates Tico Torres (drums) and Dave Bryan (keyboards). Ballad of Youth was released in the UK in summer 1991 and despite plugs from The Friday Rock Show on BBC Radio 1 the song barely skimmed the top 75.

Undiscovered Soul was Sambora's second solo album, released in 1998. The album was produced by Don Was. In support of Undiscovered Soul, Sambora toured Japan, Australia and Europe in the summer of 1998. The band featured Richie Supa (guitar), Ron Wikso (drums), Kasim Sulton (bass), Tommy Mandel (keyboards), Everett Bradley (percussion - Japan only), Gioia Bruno (percussion - Australia only) and Crystal Taliefero (percussion - Europe only).

He made a special guest appearance[11] on Bo Diddley's 1996 album A Man Amongst Men, playing guitar on the tracks "Can I Walk You Home" and "Oops! Bo Diddley". In 1999, Sambora appeared as a guest vocalist on the Stuart Smith album Stuart Smith's Heaven & Earth, performing a cover of the Deep Purple song "When a Blind Man Cries".

Also in 1999, Sambora played the guitar solo on the track "Why Don't You Love Me" on the album Tuesday's Child by Canadian singer Amanda Marshall. Sambora played on a recently[when?] released album called Lessons from a band called Message. The album was recorded in the early 1980s. Sambora sings "Long Way Around" (background audio) during the final scene in the 1997 Steven Seagal action movie Fire Down Below and is featured on the movie's

soundtrack. Sambora also recorded the song "One Last Goodbye" on the soundtrack for the movie The Banger Sisters. He also covered Jimi Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary" for the

soundtrack of The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, released in 1990. His guitar work is also featured on the track "Misery" on Pink's 2001 album Missundaztood with Steven Tyler. In 2004, Sanctuary Records released a self-titled album which had been recorded in 1978 by Shark Frenzy, documenting Sambora's first recorded material. The mix tapes had

been damaged in a flood and it had taken band member Bruce Foster to remaster them for them to be released so many years later. Sambora co-wrote several tracks and played guitar on Australian rock/pop artist Shannon Noll's third album, called Turn It Up. It was released in Australia September 15, 2007. 14 years after his previous solo album, Sambora announced via his Twitter page that recording had been completed and he was hoping the album would be released in July

2012. Photographs were published of Sambora working in a recording studio. The new album is produced by Luke Ebbin who produced Bon Jovi's 'Crush' and 'Bounce' albums

Joseph Perry

Anthony Joseph "Joe" Perry (born September 10, 1950) is the lead guitarist, backing and occasional lead vocalist, and contributing songwriter for the rock band Aerosmith. He is influenced by many rock artists especially The Rolling Stones and The Beatles.[2] He was ranked 48th in the Rolling Stone's list The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time

The paternal side of Perry's family are Portuguese, originally from Madeira. His grandfather changed the family's name from Pereira to Perry upon arriving in the United States of America. His maternal side is Italian, more specifically Neapolitan.[4]

Perry was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts and grew up in the small town of Hopedale, Massachusetts. There, his father was an accountant and his mother a high school gym teacher and later an aerobics instructor. She later retired to Arizona when Perry's father died in 1975. Perry also attended the prep school Vermont Academy, a boarding school of about 232 students in Saxtons River, Vermont

During Joe Perry's early years he formed a band with Tom Hamilton called The Jam Band. Steven Tyler, Joe, Tom, Brad Whitford and Joey Kramer eventually joined and the band became Aerosmith. While initially dismissed as Rolling Stones knock-offs, the band came into its own during the mid-1970s with a string of hit records. Chief among these successes were Toys in the Attic (1975) and Rocks (1976), thanks largely to the prevalence of free-form, album-oriented FM radio. The group also managed hit singles on the AM dial with songs like "Dream On", "Same Old Song and Dance", "Sweet Emotion" and "Walk This Way".

During this time, Perry and vocalist Steven Tyler became known as the "Toxic Twins" for their notorious hard-partying and drug use. Aerosmith's crowd earned the nickname "The Blue Army", so called by the band after the seemingly endless number of teenagers in the audience wearing blue denim jackets and blue jeans. The audience was abundantly female with long hair.

Following Rocks, the group began to stumble - drug use escalated and the creative process became hampered by strained relationships within the band. They managed another hit record in 1977 with Draw the Line, on which Perry sang lead vocals on the track "Bright Light Fright". A tour was scheduled for the fall of '77, but increasing violence at concerts eventually derailed it. A cherry bomb was thrown onstage in Philadelphia at The Spectrum in October 1977, injuring both Perry and Tyler.

In 1979, the band headlined over Van Halen, Ted Nugent, AC/DC and Foreigner during the world music festival concerts. An argument backstage in Cleveland resulted in Joe Perry's wife throwing a glass of milk at Tom Hamilton's wife. Perry quit Aerosmith partway through the recording of the album Night in the Ruts, with the remainder of his parts played by temporary guitarists. Perry took a collection of unrecorded material with him, which would later become the basis of his album Let the Music Do the Talking.

Rick Nielson

Richard A. "Rick" Nielsen (born December 22, 1946) is the lead guitarist, backing vocalist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Cheap Trick. For the band's first few albums, Nielsen wrote the majority of the material himself. He is well known for having many custom-made guitars from Hamer Guitars, including his famous five-neck guitar.

Nielsen formed Cheap Trick in 1972 with bassist Tom Petersson, another Rockford, Illinois native. Before Cheap Trick, he was in a number of bands, including Grim Reapers and Fuse. The latter recorded a one-off debut album released on Epic Records which sold poorly. After the record failed to gain any attention, the band moved to Philadelphia and the band changed their name to Sick Man Of Europe.

The group toured Europe unsuccessfully in 1972 and returned to Illinois in 1973. Upon their return to Rockford, Nielsen and Petersson renamed the band Cheap Trick after adding drummer Bun E. Carlos and vocalist Randy "Xeno" Hogan. In 1974, Hogan left the band and lead singer Robin Zander joined after his contract with a Wisconsin resort was completed.

[edit] Appearance The appearance of Nielsen on stage was influenced by Huntz Hall of The Bowery Boys; Nielsen wears a

flipped up old style ball cap, Nielsen's face resembles Huntz Hall, and some of Nielsen's on-stage antics have been compared to Hall as well.[1]

Nielsen's use of the black and white checkerboard motif on his clothing was in line with (if not inspiring) the use in other parts of pop culture. Checkerboard Vans sneakers, made famous in the 1982 movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High, is an example of such use after Nielsen.

On April 23, 2012, Rick Nielsen and the Board of the Burpee Museum of Natural History in Rockford, Illinois, unveiled plans for Rick's Picks, a state-of-the-art exhibit that tells the story of Rick's passions for guitars, music and Rock & Roll. Visitors will experience a treasure trove of Rick's amazing guitars (as well as a selection of his famous friends’ instruments), collectible personal items, stage clothing and Cheap Trick memorabilia, all enhanced by multimedia storytelling support. The exhibit is set to open August 11, 2012.

[edit] References

Sound Check Guess What Guitarists play these Solos?

The Coolest and Weirdest Guitars

Most Underrated Guitarists(We should change this at some point and have none)

1. Uli Jon Roth2. Prince3. George Harrison4. Tony Macalpine5. Mark Knopfler6. Alex Lifeson7. David Gilmour8. Mark Tremonti9. Tommy Shaw10. Marty Friedman11. Andy Timmons12. Tony Iommi13. Mark Kendal14. Mick Mars15. Mark Reale

My Top 10 Favorite Guitarists Guess Who?

Top 82 best guitarists of all time

1. Tony Iommi2. Ritchie Blackmore3. Michael Schenker4. Rudolf Schenker5. Uli Jon Roth(Ulrich Roth)

6. Dimebag Darell7. James Hetfield8. Kirk Hammet9. Jimi Hendrix10. Jason Becker11. Vinnie Moore12. Rory gallagher13. Yngwie Malmsteen

14. Eric Clapton15. Chuck Berry16. Matthias Jabs17. Mark kendall18. Adrian Smith19. David Murray20. Janick Gers21. Jimmy Page22. Joe Satriani23. Paul Gilbert

Top 82 best guitarists Continued

21. Steve Morse22. John Petrucci23. Prince24. Brian May25. Mark Kendall26. Bret Michaels27. Ace Frehley28. Tommy Thayer29. Eddie Van halen30. Joe Walsh31. Synester gates32. Zacky Vengeance33. Zakk Wylde34. Randy Rhoads35. Angus Young36. Orianthi Panagris37. BB King38. Robert Johnson39. Rory Gallager40. Jeff Beck41. Kerry king42. Sammy Hagar43. Toni Iommi44. Glenn Tipton45. Ritchie Faulkner46. John 547. Buckethead48. Elvis Presley49. Eddie Vedder50. The Edge51. Kurt Cobain52. Sully Erna53. Myles Kennedy54. Slash55. Ted Nugent56. Joseph perry57. Paul Stanley58. Al stewart59. Brian setzer60. Paul mcartney61. George harrison

Top 82 best Guitarists continued

62. Tom schulz63. Stevie ray vaughan64. Bruce Kulick65.Mick Mars66.Johny cash67.Neil young68.Cat stevens69.Buck dharma70.Richard Williams71. Mark knopfler72.Glen Tipton73. BB King74.KK Downing75.Alex Lifeson76. Chuck berry77.Kerry livgren78.Joseph perry79.Paul Stanley80.Ace frehley81.Geddy Lee82.Rudolph schenker83.George lynch84. Marty friedman

Top 25 best guitar riffs of all time1. Jimi hendrix-Little Wing2. Metallica –The Call of Ktulu3. Scorpions-Rock You Like A Hurricane4. Black Sabbath-Iron Man5. Ozzy Osbourne-Crazy train6. Sweet Child of Mine-Guns N Roses7. Dio-Holy Diver8. Rock and Roll Gypsy-Saxon9. Foreplay/Long Time-Boston10. Funk 49-Joe Walsh11. Im Eighteen-Alice Cooper12. Sweating Bullets-Megadeth13. Back in Black-AC/DC14. Ace Of Spades-Motorhead15. Whole lotta Love-Led Zeppelin16. For the love of god-Steve Vai17. The Boys are Back in Town-Thin Lizzy

Bohemian Rhapsody-Queen18. Don’t fear the reaper-Blue Oyster Cult19. Metal Meltdown-Judas priest20. Enter Sandman-Metallica21. Highway to hell-AC/DC22. Owner of a lonely heart-Yes23. Renegade-Styx24. Hotel California-The Eagles25. Walk-Pantera

Top 100 Best Guitar Solos Of All Time

1. Sky Overture-Uli Jon Roth2. Eruption-Eddie Van Halen3. Sweet Child of Mine-Slash4. Surfing with the Alien-Joe Satriani5. Whole Lotta Love-Jimmy Page6. For the Love Of God-Steve Vai7. Purple Rain-Prince8. Crazy Train-Randy Rhoads9. Dream On-Joseph Perry10. Holy Diver –Dio11. Into The Arena-Michael Schenker12. Sails Of Charon-Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions era)13. Meltdown-Vinnie Moore14. Gates Of Babylon-Ritchie Blackmoore15. Aces High-Iron Maiden16. Trilogy op 5-Yngwie Malmsteen17. Get out of my yard-Paul Gilbert18. Johnny B.Goode-Judas Priest(Chuck Berry)19. Iron man- Black Sabbath(Tony Iommi)20. Smoke on the water- Ritchie Blackmoore21. Stairway To Heaven-Jimmy Page22. Cliffs Of Dover-Eric Johnson23. Top Gun Theme-Steve Stevens

Top 100 best guitar solos Continued

24. Number of the Beast-Iron Maiden25.November Rain-Slash26.Catch Your Train-Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions era)27.Detroit Rock City-Ace Frehley(Tommy Thayer)28.Rock you like a Hurricane –Scorpions (Rudolf Schenker)29.Glory Days-Bruce Springsteen30. Voodoo Chile Slight Return-Jimi Hendrix31.Bohemian Rhapsody-Brian May32.When Doves Cry-Prince33. Beat It-Michael Jackson34. Mr. Crowley-Randy Rhoads35.Cat Scratch Fever-Ted Nugent36.Beyond The Black Sun-Yngwie Malmsteen37.Venga La Primevera-Uli Jon Roth’s Sky Orchestra38.Sarajevo/Carol of the Bells-Trans Siberian Orchestra39.Rock and Roll All Nite-Kiss

Top 100 Best Guitar Solos Continued

40.Talk Dirty To Me-Poison41.Comfortably numb-David Gilmore42.Cemetary Gates-Pantera43.Cry of the night-Uli Jon Roth and Sky Orchestra44.Tender Surrender-Steve Vai45.Open Arms-Journey46.Rainbow in the Dark-Dio47.Smells like teen spirit-Kurt Cobain48.Bat Country-Avenged Sevenfold49.Carry on my wayward sun-Kansas50.Raining Blood-Slayer51.Eye of the Tiger-Survivor

Top 100 best guitar solos continued

52.We will rock you-Queen53. Perpetual Blues-Jason Becker54. Whole lotta sonata-Paul Gilbert55. Rising Force-Yngwie malmsteen’s rising force56.Walk this Way-Aerosmith57.Riot in the Dungeons-Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force58.Bad Horsie-Steve Vai59.Fast as a shark-Accept60.Highway to Hell-AC/DC61.I surrender-Ritchie Blackmore62.Rock and roll Gypsy-Saxon63.Frankenstein-Edgar Winter and Ronnie Montrose64.Bad Motor Scooter-Montrose65.Rocket Ride-Ace Frehley66. Lights out-UFO67. Children of the grave-Black Sabbath68. Paranoid-Black Sabbath

Top 100 Guitar Solos Continued69. God of Thunder-Kiss70. Run to the hills-Iron maiden71. Foreplay/Long Time-Boston72. Benediction-Uli Jon Roth73. Light and Shadows-Uli Jon Roth74. Bridge to Heaven-Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions and Sky

of Avalon)75. Don’t talk to Strangers-Dio76.Sister Christian –Night Ranger78.Jump –Eddie Van Halen79.The Sails of Charon- Uli Jon Roth(Scorpions era)80.Fuzz Universe-Paul Gilbert81.Panama-Eddie Van Halen

Top 100 Best Guitar Solos Continued

82. Here I go again-Whitesnake83. More than a feeling –Boston84. Long Nights Blue Collar Man-Styx85.Centerfold-J.Geils Band86.Hair of the dog-Nazareth87.Missippi Queen-Mountain88.Purple Haze-Jimi Hendrix89.Black Dog-Led Zeppelin90. Round and round-Ratt91.You are like a hurricane-Neil Young

Top 100 Best Guitar Solos Continued

92.Free bird-Lynyrd Skynyrd93.Lenny-Stevie Ray Vaughan 94.Rock and roll hootchie coo-Rick derringer95.Once bitten twice Shy-Great White96.Sweet home alabama-Lynyrd Skynyrd97. Mr.Spooky-Dokken98.Fight for your right-beastie boys99. Hot Blooded-Foreigner100.Baba o riley-The Who101.Don’t fear the reaper-Blue oyster cult102.Little Wing-Jimi Hendrix103.Enter Sandman-Metallica

Guitar Names Quiz I am going to list different guitarists and you have to guess what they named their Guitars think you are up to the challenge you can play this game at your own risk you can also look them up for fun if you don’t know the answers

1. Uli Jon Roth had 5 sky guitars what are the names of them?

2. Eddie Van Halen3. George Harrison4. Jimmy Page5. Joseph Perry6. Prince7. Steve Vai8. Jason Becker9. Kirk Hammet10.Dimebag Darrel11.Randy Rhoads

My top 10 favorite Singers of Rock And Roll Guess Who?

These next few slides explain biographies about some of the most interesting influential singers of Rock and Metal

If you don’t care to see these slides you can skip to the end

Singer Alley

James Hetfield

James Hetfield From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search James Hetfield

Hetfield at Metallica concert on 2009-03-30 (Death Magnetic Tour, Ahoy Rotterdam)Background informationBirth nameJames Alan HetfieldBorn(1963-08-03) August 3, 1963 (age 48)Downey, California, United StatesGenresHeavy metal, thrash metal, hard rock, speed metalOccupationsMusician, songwriter, producerInstrumentsGuitar, vocals, drums, piano, bassYears active1978–presentLabelsWarner Bros., Elektra, MegaforceAssociated actsMetallica, Spastik Children, Leather CharmWebsitewww.metallica.comNotable instrumentsGibson ExplorerESP TrucksterKen Lawrence custom modelsGibson Les Paul Custom "Iron Cross"James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963) is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler, searching for band members. Since then, Metallica has won nine Grammy Awards and released nine studio albums, three live albums, four extended plays and 24 singles. In 2009, Hetfield was ranked number 8 in Joel McIver's book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists,[1] and ranked twenty-fourth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Metal Vocalists of All Time.

Hetfield was born August 3, 1963.[2] He is of German, English, Irish and Scottish descent. He has two older half-brothers from his mother's first marriage and one younger sister. He attended Downey High School his freshman and sophomore years.

His father, Virgil, was a truck driver who left the family when Hetfield was young. His mother, Cynthia, was a light opera singer. The two divorced in 1976. Virgil and Cynthia were very strict Christian Scientists, and in accordance with their beliefs, Hetfield's parents strongly disapproved of medicine or any other medical treatment and remained loyal to their faith even as Cynthia was dying from cancer. This upbringing became the inspiration for many of Hetfield's lyrics later in his career with Metallica, such as songs like "The God That Failed".

Cynthia Hetfield died of cancer in 1979 when James was 16 years old. After the death of his mother, Hetfield went to live with his older half-brother David. Virgil died in late 1996, during Metallica's Load tour.[3]

Jeff Buckley

Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Buckley (November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997), raised as Scotty Moorhead,[1] was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was the son of Tim Buckley, also a musician. After a decade as a guitarist-for-hire in Los Angeles, Buckley amassed a following in the early 1990s by playing cover songs at venues in Manhattan's East Village, such as Sin-é, gradually focusing more on his own material. After rebuffing much interest from record labels[2] and his father's manager Herb Cohen,[3] he signed with Columbia, recruited a band, and recorded what would be his only studio album, Grace.

Over the following two years, the band toured widely to promote the album, including concerts in the U.S., Europe, Japan and Australia. In 1996, they stopped touring[4] and made sporadic attempts to record his second album in New York with Tom Verlaine as producer. In 1997, Buckley moved to Memphis, Tennessee, to resume work on the album, to be titled My Sweetheart the Drunk, recording many four-track demos while also playing weekly solo shows at a local venue. While awaiting the arrival of his band from New York, he drowned during a spontaneous evening swim — fully clothed — in the Wolf River, when he was caught in the wake of a passing boat. His body was found on June 4, 1997.[5]

Since his death, there have been many posthumous releases of his material, including a collection of four-track demos and studio recordings for his unfinished second album My Sweetheart the Drunk and expansions of debut album Grace and his Live at Sin-é EP. Chart success also came posthumously; with Leonard Cohen's song, "Hallelujah" he attained his first #1 on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs in March 2008 and reached #2 in the UK Singles Chart in Christmas 2008. Buckley and his work remain popular[6] and are regularly featured in 'greatest' lists in the music press.[7]

[8]

Contents [hide] Born in Anaheim, California,[1] Buckley was the only son of Mary Guibert and Tim Buckley. His mother was a Panama Canal Zonian of mixed

Greek, French, American and Panamanian descent,[9] while his father was the son of an Irish American father and an Italian American mother.[10] Buckley was raised by his mother and stepfather, Ron Moorhead, in Southern California, and had a half-brother, Corey Moorhead.[11][12] Buckley moved many times in and around Orange County while growing up with a single mother, an upbringing Buckley called "rootless trailer trash".[13] As a child, Buckley was known as Scott "Scotty" Moorhead based on his middle name and his stepfather's surname. [1] His biological father, Tim Buckley, was a singer-songwriter who released a series of highly acclaimed folk and jazz albums in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Buckley said he only met him once at the age of eight.[14] After his father died of a drug overdose in 1975,[15] he chose to go by Buckley and his real first name, which he found on his birth certificate.[16] To members of his family he remained "Scotty".[17]

Buckley was brought up around music. His mother was a classically trained pianist and cellist.[18] His stepfather introduced him to Led Zeppelin, Queen, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, and Pink Floyd at an early age.[19] Buckley grew up singing around the house and in harmony with his mother,[20] later noting that all his family sang.[21] Buckley began playing guitar at the age of five after discovering an acoustic guitar in his grandmother's closet.[22] Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti was the first album he ever owned;[23] the hard rock band Kiss was also an early favorite.[24] At the age of 12, he decided to become a musician,[23] and received his first electric guitar — a black Les Paul — at the age of 13.[25] He attended Loara High School,[26] and played in the school's jazz band.[27] During this time, he developed an affinity for progressive rock bands such as Rush, Genesis, and Yes, as well as jazz fusion guitarist Al Di Meola.[28]

After graduating from high school, he moved north to Hollywood to attend the Musicians Institute,[29] completing the one-year course at the age of 19.[30] Buckley later told Rolling Stone the school was "the biggest waste of time",[23] but noted in an interview with Double Take Magazine that he appreciated studying music theory there, saying, "I was attracted to really interesting harmonies, stuff that I would hear in Ravel, Ellington, Bartók."[31]

Lemmy Kilmister

Ian Fraser "Lemmy" Kilmister (born on 24 December 1945 in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England) is an English heavy metal musician.

He is best known as bassist, vocalist, songwriter and founding and sole constant member of the rock band Motörhead as well as a member of Hawkwind. His appearance, including his friendly mutton chops, prominent facial moles, and gravelly voice, has made him a cult icon.

Lemmy was born on Christmas Eve in 1945 in Burslem, Stoke on Trent, England.[2][3] When Lemmy was three months old, his father, an ex-Royal Air Force chaplain, separated from his mother. His mother and grandmother settled in Newcastle-under-Lyme then moved on to Madeley, Staffordshire.[4]

When Lemmy was 10, his mother married George Willis, who had two older children from a previous marriage, Patricia and Tony, with whom he did not get along. The family moved to a farm in Benllech, Anglesey, North Wales[5] and it was during this time that he started to show an interest in rock and roll music, girls and horses. He attended Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones school in Amlwch, where he was nicknamed Lemmy, although he is unsure why and it would later be claimed that it originated from the phrase "lemmy a quid till Friday" because of his habit of borrowing money from people to feed his addiction to fruit machines (slot machines).[4][6][7]

He saw The Beatles perform at the Cavern Club when he was 16, then played guitar along to their first album, Please Please Me, learning the chords. He also admired the sarcastic attitude of the group, particularly that of John Lennon.[8] Upon leaving school and with his family relocated in Conwy, Lemmy undertook menial jobs including working at the local Hotpoint factory while also playing guitar for local bands, such as The Sundowners and spending time at a horse riding school. At the age of 17, he met a holidaying girl named Cathy. Lemmy followed her to Stockport, Cheshire, where she had his son Sean.

In Stockport, he joined local bands The Rainmakers and then The Motown Sect who enjoyed playing northern clubs for three years. Wanting to progress further, in 1965 he joined The Rockin' Vickers[9] who signed a deal with CBS, released three singles and toured Europe, reportedly being the first British band to visit Yugoslavia. With the band living in a Manchester flat, he had a relationship with a girl named Tracy who bore him a son, Paul Inder, although it would not be until the boy was 6 that Lemmy had any involvement with the child.[4]

In the film Lemmy he speaks briefly of having another son by an unnamed woman. It appears this child was adopted because the mother has only recently "found him" and "hadn't got the heart to tell him who his father was".

Wanting to progress even further, Lemmy relocated to London in 1967. Sharing a flat with Noel Redding and Neville Chesters, he got a job as a roadie for The Jimi Hendrix Experience. In 1968 he joined Sam Gopal and recorded the album Escalator and the single "Horse". After meeting Simon King in a Chelsea shopping centre during 1969, he joined the band Opal Butterfly, but the band soon folded, having previously failed to raise enough interest with their preceding CBS singles.[4]

At that point Lemmy thought about changing his legal name to his stepfather's surname of Willis, but with his actual father's surname of Kilmister, he decided changing his birth certificate and passport would be too much hassle, so did not bother. An attempted reconciliation in 1970 between Lemmy and his birth father broke down, with Lemmy describing him as a "nasty little weasel".[10]

[1]

Jethro Tull

Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in Luton, Bedfordshire, in December 1967.[1] Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969, after he replaced Mick Abrahams.

Initially playing blues rock with an experimental flavour, they have also incorporated elements of classical music, folk music, jazz, hard rock and art rock into their music.[2]

One of the world's best-selling music artists, the band have sold more than 60 million albums worldwide[1] in a career that has spanned more than forty years.

Ian Anderson's first band started in 1962 in Blackpool and was known as The Blades. The group featured Anderson on vocals and harmonica, Jeffrey Hammond on bass, John Evans on drums, and a guitarist named either Hipgrave or Michael Stephans.[3] Drummer Barrie Barlow became a member in 1963 after Evans had switched from drums to piano.[4] By 1964 the band had developed into a seven-piece Blue-eyed soul band called The John Evan Band (later The John Evan Smash). By this point Evans had shortened his surname to "Evan" at the insistence of Hammond, who thought it sounded better and more unusual.

In 1967 the band moved to the London area, basing themselves in nearby Luton;[1] they also travelled to Liverpool. However, money remained short and within days of the move most of the band quit and headed back north, leaving Anderson and bassist Glenn Cornick (who had replaced Hammond) to join forces with blues guitarist Mick Abrahams and his friend, drummer Clive Bunker, both from the Luton-based band McGregor's Engine.[5] At first, the new band had trouble getting repeat bookings and they took to changing their name frequently to continue playing the London club circuit. Band names were often supplied by their booking agents' staff, one of whom, a history enthusiast, eventually christened them "Jethro Tull" after the 18th-century agriculturist. The name stuck because they happened to be using it the first time a club manager liked their show enough to invite them to return.[6] They were signed to the blossoming Ellis-Wright agency, and became the third band managed by the soon-to-be Chrysalis empire. It was around this time that Anderson purchased a flute after becoming frustrated with his inability to play guitar like Eric Clapton.

Their first single was released in 1968, written by Abrahams and produced by Derek Lawrence, and called "Sunshine Day"; on the label the group's name was misspelled "Jethro Toe", making it a collector's item.[7] "Sunshine Day" was unsuccessful.

They released their first album This Was in 1968.[1] In addition to music written by Anderson and Abrahams the album included the traditional "Cat's Squirrel", which highlighted Abrahams' blues-rock style. The Rahsaan Roland Kirk-penned jazz piece "Serenade to a Cuckoo" gave Anderson a showcase for his growing talents on the flute, an instrument which he started learning to play only half a year before the release of the album.[citation needed] The overall sound of the group at this time was described in the Record Mirror by Anderson in 1968 as "a sort of progressive blues with a bit of jazz."[8]

Following this album, Abrahams left after a falling out with Anderson and formed his own band, Blodwyn Pig.[1] There were a number of reasons for his departure: he was a blues purist, while Anderson wanted to branch out into other forms of music; Abrahams and Cornick did not get along; and Abrahams was unwilling to travel internationally or play more than three nights a week, while the others wanted to be successful by playing as often as possible and building an international fan base.[citation needed]

Guitarist Tony Iommi, from the group Earth (who would soon change their name to Black Sabbath), took on guitar duties for a short time after the departure of Abrahams, appearing in The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus, in which the group (all but Ian's vocals, which were recorded live) mimed "A Song For Jeffrey" in December 1968. Iommi returned to Earth thereafter. David O'List (who had just left the Nice) also deputised on guitar with Jethro Tull for a few shows and was briefly considered as a possible permanent replacement for Abrahams, although plans of O'List becoming a full fledged member of the band never materialised.[9]

Ted Nugent

Theodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent ( /tɛd ˈnuːdʒɨnt/; born December 13, 1948) is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes before embarking on a solo career. He is noted for his conservative political views and his defense of hunting and gun ownership rights.

Nugent was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Marion Dorothy (née Johnson) and Warren Henry Nugent.[1][2] Nugent's father was an Army staff sergeant, and he was raised in a very strict household.[3] He moved to Palatine, Illinois, as a teenager, and has two brothers: John and Jeffrey. Raised Catholic, Nugent has mentioned his ties with the Christian faith many times during interviews, and has stated that he regularly attends church. He attended St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights, IL. Nugent has released more than 34 albums and has sold a career total of 30 million records. He was known throughout his early career in the 1970s for using Fender amps, a large part of his signature sound, and for playing the hollow-body Gibson Byrdland guitar.

Nugent dropped the Amboy Dukes band name for good in 1975, and signed to Epic Records. Derek St. Holmes (guitar, vocals), Rob Grange (bass) and Clifford Davies (drums) were the primary additional band members for his 1970s multi-platinum[10] albums: Ted Nugent (1975), Free-for-All (1976) and Cat Scratch Fever (1977). These albums produced the popular radio anthems "Hey Baby", "Stranglehold", "Dog Eat Dog", and "Cat Scratch Fever". It was during these three years that Nugent emerged as a guitar hero to hard rock fans, many of whom were unaware of his lengthy apprenticeship with the Amboy Dukes.[11] This band lineup toured extensively, also releasing the multi-platinum live album Double Live Gonzo!, until its breakup in 1978 when St. Holmes and Grange departed. St. Holmes was replaced by Charlie Huhn and Grange by Dave Kiswiney. Davies left around 1982 after staying on to record Weekend Warriors (1978), State of Shock (1979), Scream Dream (1980) and Intensities in 10 Cities (1981).

On July 8, 1979, Ted was on the rock radio program King Biscuit Flower Hour. This was the original broadcast of Ted's performance of Live at Hammersmith '79 which had been recorded during the second set of a night at London's Hammersmith Odeon in 1979. An album of this program was released in 1997.

During this era, Nugent was notable for his declarations that he did not drink alcoholic beverages or smoke tobacco or marijuana. In an interview for VH1's Behind The Music, Nugent said this was due to his father's having reprimanded him when he came home smelling of alcohol after a night of drinking. Nugent has been cited as an influence on the straight edge movement, which disavows drinking and recreational drug use.[12]

Dave Mustaine

David Scott "Dave" Mustaine (born September 13, 1961) is the founder, main songwriter, lead guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the 1st lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he was ranked No. 1 in Joel McIver's book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists.[1] Mustaine was ranked 89th by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Metal Vocalists of All Time. [2] He is also the manager for the Canadian band, Baptized in Blood.

Dave Mustaine was born in La Mesa, California, to Emily and John Mustaine. His mother was Jewish but Dave was brought up as a Jehovah's Witness. By the age of 16, Mustaine had rented his own apartment and was surviving financially by dealing drugs. [3] One of his clients, Willow[citation needed], was often short of cash, but worked in a record store, so in return for drugs, she offered albums by artists such as Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Motörhead and Judas Priest in trade,[3] which helped form his taste in heavy metal. In the late 1970s, Mustaine began playing electric guitar, most notably a B.C. Rich and joined a band known as Panic for a short time.

In 1981, Mustaine left Panic to join Metallica as the lead guitarist. Metallica's drummer Lars Ulrich had posted an ad in a local newspaper, The Recycler, looking for a lead guitarist. In his own words, Mustaine remembers his first meeting with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich: "I was in the room warming up and I walked out and asked, 'Well, am I gonna audition or what?', and they said, 'no, you've got the job.' I couldn't believe how easy it had been and suggested that we get some beer to celebrate." [5]

Mustaine's membership in Metallica lasted less than two years. Brian Slagel, owner of Metal Blade Records, recalls in an interview: "Dave was an incredibly talented guy but he also had an incredibly large problem with alcohol and drugs. He'd get wasted and become a real crazy person, a raging megamaniac, and the other guys just couldn't deal with that after a while. I mean, they all drank of course, but Dave drank more...much more. I could see they were beginning to get fed up of seeing Dave drunk out of his mind all the time." [6]

On one occasion, Mustaine brought his dog to rehearsal; the dog jumped onto the car of Metallica bassist Ron McGovney and scratched the paint. Hetfield allegedly yelled at Mustaine's dog and kicked it in anger, to which Mustaine responded by physically attacking Hetfield and McGovney and verbally abusing Ulrich. Mustaine was fired following the altercation, but the next day, Mustaine asked to be allowed back in the band and was granted his request. Another incident occurred when Mustaine, who had been drinking, poured a full can of beer down the neck and into the pick-ups of Ron McGovney's bass. When McGovney tried playing it, he received an electrical shock which he claims 'blew him across the room and shocked the hell out of him'. McGovney then told Mustaine and Hetfield to leave his house and left the band shortly after.[7]

On April 11, 1983, after Metallica had driven to New York to record their debut album, Mustaine was officially fired from the band because of his alcoholism, drug abuse, overly aggressive behavior, and personality clashes with founding members Hetfield and Ulrich, an incident Mustaine refers to as "no warning, no second chance". The band packed up Dave's gear, drove him to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, and put him on a Greyhound bus bound for Los Angeles.[5] It was on this bus ride that Mustaine scribbled some lyrical ideas on the back of a hand bill, which would later become the song "Set The World Afire" from the 1988 Megadeth album So Far, So Good... So What!

During his time in Metallica, Dave Mustaine toured with the band, co-wrote four songs which appeared on Kill Em All, and co-wrote two songs which would eventually appear on Ride the Lightning. Mustaine has also made unverified claims to have written parts of "Leper Messiah" from Master of Puppets.[5] He also recorded several songs with the band including the No Life 'Til Leather demo tape. A few of the songs he wrote with Hetfield and Ulrich went on to be re-recorded by Metallica. The most well-known of these is "The Four Horsemen" from Kill 'Em All, which Mustaine wrote as "The Mechanix" and later released on Megadeth's debut album with the original lyrics as "Mechanix". [citation needed

Cat Stevens

Yusuf Islam (born Steven Demetre Georgiou, 21 July 1948), commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam.[3]

His early 1970s record albums Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat were both certified triple platinum in the United States by the RIAA.[4] His 1972 album Catch Bull at Four sold half a million copies in the first two weeks of release alone and was Billboard's number-one LP for three consecutive weeks.[5] He has also earned two ASCAP songwriting awards in consecutive years for "The First Cut Is the Deepest", which has been a hit single for four different artists.[6]

Stevens converted to Islam in December 1977[7] and adopted the name Yusuf Islam the following year. In 1979, he auctioned all his guitars for charity[8] and left his music career to devote himself to educational and philanthropic causes in the Muslim community. He has been given several awards for his work in promoting peace in the world, including the 2003 World Award, the 2004 Man for Peace Award, and the 2007 Mediterranean Prize for Peace. In 2006, he returned to pop music with his first album of new pop songs in 28 years, entitled An Other Cup. He now goes professionally by the single name Yusuf.[9][10] His most recent album, Roadsinger, was released on 5 May 2009.

Steven Georgiou, born in Marylebone, London, England,[11] was the third child of a Greek-Cypriot father, Stavros Georgiou (b. 1900),[12] and a Swedish mother, Ingrid Wickman (b. 1915).[13] He has an older sister, Anita, and brother, David.[11] The family lived above the Moulin Rouge, a restaurant that his parents operated on the north end of Shaftesbury Avenue which was a short walk from Piccadilly Circus in the Soho theatre district of London. All family members worked in the restaurant.[11] His parents divorced when he was about 8 years old, but they continued to maintain the family restaurant and live above it.

Although his father was Greek Orthodox and his mother a Swedish Baptist, Georgiou was sent to a Catholic school, St. Joseph Roman Catholic Primary School in Macklin Street, which was closer to his father's business on Drury Lane.[14] Georgiou developed an interest in piano at a fairly young age, eventually using the family baby grand piano to work out the chords, since no one else there played well enough to teach him. [15] Inspired by the popularity of The Beatles, at age 15 he extended his interest to the guitar,[7] convinced his father to pay £8 for his first instrument, and began playing it and writing songs.[15] He would escape at times from his family responsibilities to the rooftop above their home, and listen to the tunes of the musicals drifting from just around the corner[11] from Denmark Street, which was then the centre of the British music industry.[7] Later, Stevens has emphasised that the advent of West Side Story in particular affected him, giving him a "different view of life", he said in 2000, on a VH1 Behind the Music programme.[16] With interests in both art and music, he and his mother moved to Gävle, Sweden, where he attended primary school (Solängsskolan) and started developing his drawing skills after being influenced by his uncle Hugo Wickman, a painter. They subsequently returned to England.[17]

He attended other local West End schools, where he says he was constantly in trouble, and did poorly in everything but art. He was called "the artist boy" and mentions that "I was beat up, but I was noticed".[18] He went on to take a one-year course of study at Hammersmith School of Art,[19] as he considered a career as a cartoonist. Though he enjoyed art (his later record albums would feature his original artwork on his album covers),[18] he wanted to establish a musical career and began to perform originally under the stage name "Steve Adams" in 1965 while at Hammersmith.[19][20] At that point, his goal was to become a songwriter. Among the musicians who influenced him were Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, blues artists Lead Belly and Muddy Waters,[21] John Lennon, Biff Rose (who played on his first album), Leo Kottke,[18] and Paul Simon.[22] He also wanted to emulate composers who wrote musicals, like Ira Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein. In 1965 he signed a publishing deal with Ardmore & Beechwood and cut several demos, including "The First Cut Is the Deepest".[23]

Neil Diamond

Neil Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present.

As of 2001, Diamond had sold over 115 million records worldwide including 48 million in the United States alone.[1][2] He is considered to be the third most successful adult contemporary artist ever on the Billboard chart behind Barbra Streisand and Elton John.[1] His songs have been covered internationally by many performers from various musical genres.

Diamond was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. Additionally, he received the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000 and in 2011 was an honoree at the Kennedy Center Honors. He has eight number one hit singles with "Cracklin Rosie", "Song Sung Blue", "Desiree", "You Don't Bring Me Flowers", "Love on the Rocks", "America", "Yesterday's Songs", and "Heartlight".

Diamond continues to record and release new material and maintains an extensive touring schedule as well.

James Taylor

James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.

Taylor achieved his major breakthrough in 1970 with the #3 single "Fire and Rain" and had his first #1 hit the following year with "You've Got a Friend", a recording of Carole King's classic song. His 1976 Greatest Hits album was certified Diamond and has sold 12 million US copies. Following his 1977 album, JT, he has retained a large audience over the decades. His commercial achievements declined slightly until a big resurgence during the late 1990s and 2000s, when some of his best-selling and most-awarded albums (including Hourglass, October Road and Covers) were released

James Taylor was born at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 12, 1948, where his father, Isaac M. Taylor, was a resident physician.[2][3] His father was from a well-off family of Southern Scottish ancestry.[2] His mother, the former Gertrude Woodard, had studied singing with Marie Sundelius at the New England Conservatory of Music and was an aspiring opera singer before the couple's marriage in 1946. [2][4] James was the second of five children, the others being Alex (1947-1993), Kate (born 1949), Livingston (born 1950), and Hugh (born 1952).[5]

In 1951, when James was three years old, the family moved to what was then the countryside of Chapel Hill, North Carolina,[6] when Isaac took a job as Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.[7] They built a house in the Morgan Creek area off of what is now Morgan Creek Road, which was sparsely populated.[8] James would later say, "Chapel Hill, the Piedmont, the outlying hills, were tranquil, rural, beautiful, but quiet. Thinking of the red soil, the seasons, the way things smelled down there, I feel as though my experience of coming of age there was more a matter of landscape and climate than people."[8] James attended public primary school in Chapel Hill.[2] Isaac's career prospered, but he was frequently away from home, either on military service at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland or as part of Operation Deep Freeze in Antarctica during 1955–1956.[9] Isaac Taylor later rose to become Dean of the UNC School of Medicine from 1964 to 1971.[10] The family spent summers on Martha's Vineyard beginning in 1953.[11]

Taylor first learned to play the cello as a child in North Carolina, and switched to the guitar in 1960.[12] His style on that instrument evolved from listening to hymns, carols, and Woody Guthrie, while his technique derived from his bass clef-oriented cello training and from experimenting on his sister Kate's keyboards: "My style was a finger-picking style that was meant to be like a piano, as if my thumb were my left hand, and my first, second, and third fingers were my right hand."[13] He began attending Milton Academy, a prep boarding school in Massachusetts in Fall 1961; summering before then with his family on Martha's Vineyard, he met Danny Kortchmar, an aspiring teenage guitarist from Larchmont, New York.[14] The two began listening to and playing blues and folk music together, and Kortchmar quickly realized that Taylor's singing had a "natural sense of phrasing, every syllable beautifully in time. I knew James had that thing."[15] Taylor wrote his first song on guitar at age 14, and continued to learn the instrument effortlessly. [13] By the summer of 1963, he and Kortchmar were playing coffeehouses around the Vineyard, billed as "Jamie & Kootch". [16]

Taylor faltered during his junior year at Milton, not feeling at ease in the high-pressured college prep environment despite having good scholastic performance.[17] The Milton principal would later say, "James was more sensitive and less goal oriented than most students of his day." [18] He returned home to North Carolina to finish out the semester at Chapel Hill High School.[17] There he joined a band his brother Alex had formed called The Corsayers (later The Fabulous Corsairs), playing electric guitar; in 1964 they cut a single in Raleigh that featured James's song "Cha Cha Blues" on the B-side.[17] Having lost touch with his former school friends in North Carolina, Taylor returned to Milton for his senior year. [17]

There, Taylor started applying to colleges,[19] but soon descended into depression; his grades collapsed, he slept twenty hours a day, and he felt part of a "life that I [was] unable to lead."[17][20] In late 1965 he committed himself to the renowned McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts,[17] where he was treated with Thorazine and where the organized days began to give him a sense of time and structure. [18][20] As the Vietnam War built up, Taylor received a psychological rejection from Selective Service System when he appeared before them with two white-suited McLean assistants and was uncommunicative.[21] Taylor earned a high school diploma in 1966 from the hospital's associated Arlington School. [21] He would later view his nine-month stay at McLean as "a lifesaver ... like a pardon or like a reprieve," [20] and both his brother Livingston and sister Kate would later be patients and students there as well.[18] As for his mental health struggles, Taylor would think of them as innate, and say: "It's an inseparable part of my personality that I have these feelings."[19]

Neil Young

Neil Percival Young,[3] OC,[4] OM[5] (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation.[6]

Young began performing as a solo artist in Canada in 1960, before moving to California in 1966, where he co-founded the band Buffalo Springfield along with Stephen Stills and Richie Furay, and later joined Crosby, Stills & Nash as a fourth member in 1969. He forged a successful and acclaimed solo career, releasing his first album in 1968; his career has since spanned over 40 years and 34 studio albums, with a continual and uncompromising exploration of musical styles.[6] The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website describes Young as "one of rock and roll’s greatest songwriters and performers".[7] He has been inducted into the Hall of Fame twice: first as a solo artist in 1995, and second as a member of Buffalo Springfield in 1997.[8]

Young's work is characterized by his distinctive guitar work, deeply personal lyrics[9][10][11] and signature alto or high tenor singing voice.[12][13] Although he accompanies himself on several different instruments, including piano and harmonica, his idiosyncratic electric and clawhammer acoustic guitar playing are the defining characteristics of a varyingly ragged and melodic sound. While Young has experimented with differing music styles, including swing and electronic music throughout a varied career, his best known work usually falls into two primary styles: acoustic (folk and country rock) and electric (amplified hard rock, very often in collaboration with the band Crazy Horse). Young has also adopted elements from newer styles such as alternative rock and grunge. His influence on the latter caused some to dub him the "Godfather of Grunge".[14]

Young has directed (or co-directed) a number of films using the pseudonym Bernard Shakey, including Journey Through the Past (1973), Rust Never Sleeps (1979), Human Highway (1982), Greendale (2003), and CSNY/Déjà Vu (2008). He is currently working on a documentary about electric car technology, tentatively titled Linc/Volt. The project involves a 1959 Lincoln Continental converted to hybrid technology, which Young plans to drive to Washington, D.C. as an environmentalist example to lawmakers there.[15]

Young is an outspoken advocate for environmental issues and the welfare of small farmers, having co-founded in 1985 the benefit concert Farm Aid. In 1986, Young helped found The Bridge School,[16] an educational organization for children with severe verbal and physical disabilities, and its annual supporting Bridge School Benefit concerts, together with his wife Pegi Young (née Morton). Young has three children: sons Zeke (born during his relationship with actress Carrie Snodgress) and Ben, who were diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and daughter Amber Jean who, like Young himself, has epilepsy. Young lives on his ranch in La Honda, California. Although he has lived in northern California since the 1970s and sings as frequently about U.S. themes and subjects as he does about his native country, he retains Canadian citizenship, having no desire to relinquish it.[17] On July 14, 2006, Young was awarded the Order of Manitoba,[5] and on December 30, 2009, was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.[4]

Crosby Stills Nash and Young Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) is a folk rock supergroup made up of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash, also known

as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY) when joined by occasional fourth member Neil Young. They are noted for their intricate vocal harmonies (similar to Simon & Garfunkel), often tumultuous interpersonal relationships, political activism, and lasting influence on music and culture. All four members of CSNY have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice,[1] though Young's multiple inductions were for work not involving the group.

Prior to the formation of CSN, each member of the band had belonged to another prominent group. David Crosby had performed rhythm guitar and vocals with folk-rock group The Byrds, Stephen Stills had been a guitarist and songwriter in the band Buffalo Springfield, and Graham Nash had been a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter with The Hollies, one of the "British Invasion" acts.

Friction existed between David Crosby and his bandmates in the Byrds, and he was dismissed from the band in late 1967.[2] By early 1968, Buffalo Springfield had also disintegrated over personal issues, and after aiding in putting together the band’s final album, Stephen Stills found himself unemployed by the summer. He and Crosby began meeting informally and jamming, and the result of one encounter in Florida on Crosby’s schooner was the song “Wooden Ships,” composed in collaboration with another guest, Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane.[3]

Graham Nash had been introduced to Crosby when The Byrds had toured the United Kingdom in 1966, and when The Hollies ventured to California in 1968, Nash resumed his acquaintance with Crosby.[4] At a party in July 1968 at Cass Elliot's house, Nash asked Stills and Crosby to repeat their performance of a new song by Stills, “You Don't Have To Cry,” with Nash improvising a second harmony part.[5] The vocals jelled, and the three realized that they had a unique vocal chemistry.

Creatively frustrated with The Hollies, Nash decided to quit and throw his lot in with Crosby and Stills. After failing an audition with The Beatles' Apple Records, they were signed to Atlantic Records by Ahmet Ertegün, who had been a fan of Buffalo Springfield and was disappointed by that band's demise.[6] From the outset, given their respective band histories, the trio decided not to be locked into a group structure, using their surnames as identification to ensure independence and a guarantee against the band simply continuing without one of them, as had both The Byrds and The Hollies after the departures of Crosby and Nash. Their record contract with Atlantic reflected this, positioning CSN with a unique flexibility unheard-of for an untested group. The trio also picked up a unique management team in Elliot Roberts and David Geffen, who had engineered their situation with Atlantic and would help to consolidate clout for the group in the industry.[7] Roberts kept the band focused and dealt with egos, while Geffen handled the business deals, since, in Crosby’s words, they needed a shark and Geffen was it.[8] Roberts and Geffen would play key roles in securing the band’s success during the early years.

When it was announced that the band was forming, they ran into a slight contractual problem. Nash was already signed to Epic Records, the North American distributor of records by The Hollies, while Crosby and Stills were signed to Atlantic. In order to resolve this problem, Geffen engineered a deal whereby Nash was essentially traded to Atlantic for the rights to Richie Furay's band Poco; Furay was signed to Atlantic as a result of his membership in Buffalo Springfield.

Johnny Cash

John R. "Johnny" Cash (February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003), was an American singer-songwriter, actor,[2] and author,[2] who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.[3] Although he is primarily remembered as a country music icon, his songs and sound spanned many other genres including rockabilly and rock and roll—especially early in his career—as well as blues, folk, and gospel. This crossover appeal led to Cash being inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Late in his career, Cash covered songs by several rock artists.

Cash was known for his deep, distinctive bass-baritone voice;[4][5][6] for the "boom-chicka-boom" sound of his Tennessee Three backing band; for his rebelliousness,[7][8] coupled with an increasingly somber and humble demeanor;[4] for providing free concerts inside prison walls;[9][10] and for his dark performance clothing, which earned him the nickname "The Man in Black".[11] He traditionally started his concerts by saying, "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash."[12][13] and usually following it up with his standard "Folsom Prison Blues."

Much of Cash's music, especially that of his later career, echoed themes of sorrow, moral tribulation and redemption.[4][14] His signature songs include "I Walk the Line", "Folsom Prison Blues", "Ring of Fire", "Get Rhythm" and "Man in Black". He also recorded humorous numbers, including "One Piece at a Time" and "A Boy Named Sue"; a duet with his future wife, June Carter, called "Jackson"; as well as railroad songs including "Hey, Porter" and "Rock Island Line".[15]

Cash, a troubled but devout Christian,[16][17] has been characterized as a "lens through which to view American contradictions and challenges."[18][19][20] A Biblical scholar,[2][21][22] he penned a Christian novel titled Man in White,[23][24] and he made a spoken word recording of the entire New King James Version of the New Testament.[25][26] Even so, Cash declared that he was "the biggest sinner of them all", and viewed himself overall as a complicated and contradictory man.[27][28] Accordingly,[29] Cash is said to have "contained multitudes", and has been deemed "the philosopher-prince of American country music".[30][31]

Johnny Cash was born in Kingsland, Arkansas,[32] the fourth of seven children to Ray Cash (May 13, 1897, Kingsland, Arkansas – December 23, 1985, Hendersonville, Tennessee)[33] and Carrie Cloveree Rivers (March 13, 1904, Rison, Arkansas – March 11, 1991, Hendersonville, Tennessee).[34][35] Cash was named John R. Cash because his parents couldn't think of a name, but he went by J. R. all throughout his childhood as a shortened version of his real name. When Cash enlisted in the Air Force, they wouldn't let him use initials as his name, so he began to use his legal name of John R. Cash. In 1955, when signing with Sun Records, he took Johnny Cash as his stage name.[36]

The Cash children were, in order: Roy, Margaret Louise, Jack, J. R., Reba, Joanne and Tommy.[37][38] His younger brother, Tommy Cash, also became a successful country artist.

In March 1935, when Cash was three years old, the family settled in Dyess, Arkansas. J.R. was working in cotton fields beginning at age five, singing along with his family simultaneously while working. The family farm was flooded on at least two occasions, which later inspired him to write the song "Five Feet High and Rising".[39] His family's economic and personal struggles during the Great Depression inspired many of his songs, especially those about other people facing similar difficulties.

Cash was very close to his older brother, Jack.[40] In May 1944, Jack was pulled into a whirling head saw in the mill where he worked and was almost cut in two. He suffered for over a week before he died on May 20, 1944, at age 15.[39] Cash often spoke of the horrible guilt he felt over this incident. According to Cash: The Autobiography, his father was away that morning, but he and his mother, and Jack himself, all had premonitions or a sense of foreboding about that day, causing his mother to urge Jack to skip work and go fishing with his brother. Jack insisted on working, as the family needed the money. On his deathbed, Jack said he had visions of heaven and angels. Decades later, Cash spoke of looking forward to meeting his brother in heaven.

Cash's early memories were dominated by gospel music and radio. Taught by his mother and a childhood friend, Cash began playing guitar and writing songs as a young boy. In high school he sang on a local radio station; decades later he released an album of traditional gospel songs, called My Mother's Hymn Book. He was also significantly influenced by traditional Irish music that he heard performed weekly by Dennis Day on the Jack Benny radio program.[41]

Cash enlisted in the United States Air Force on July 7, 1950.[42] After basic training at Lackland Air Force Base and technical training at Brooks Air Force Base, both in San Antonio, Texas, Cash was assigned to a U.S. Air Force Security Service unit, assigned as a Morse Code Intercept Operator for Soviet Army transmissions at Landsberg, Germany "where he created his first band named The Landsberg Barbarians."[43] He was the first radio operator to pick up the news of the death of Joseph Stalin.[44] After he was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant on July 3, 1954, he returned to Texas.[45]

[edit] Marriages and family

Lou Reed

Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed[1] (born on March 2, 1942) is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his solo career, which has spanned several decades. Though the Velvet Underground were a commercial failure in the late 1960s, the group has gained a considerable cult following in the years since its demise and has gone on to become one of the most widely cited and influential bands of the era.[2] As the Velvet Underground's principal songwriter, Reed wrote about subjects of personal experience that rarely had been examined so openly in rock and roll, including sexuality and drug culture.

After his departure from the group, Reed began a solo career in 1971. He had a hit the following year with "Walk on the Wild Side", although he subsequently lacked the mainstream commercial success its chart status seemed to indicate.[3] Reed's work as a solo artist frustrated critics wishing for a return of the Velvet Underground. In 1975 Reed released a double album of feedback loops, Metal Machine Music, upon which he later commented: "No one is supposed to be able to do a thing like that and survive."[4]

In 2008, Reed married performance artist Laurie Anderson.[

Reed was born at Beth El Hospital in Brooklyn and grew up in Freeport, Long Island[citation needed]. Contrary to some sources, his birth name was Lewis Allan Reed, not Louis Firbanks,[6] a name that was coined as a joke by Lester Bangs in Creem magazine. Having learned to play the guitar from the radio, he developed an early interest in rock and roll and rhythm and blues, and during high school played in a number of bands.[7] His first recording was as a member of a doo wop-style group called The Jades.

In 1956 Reed received electroconvulsive therapy as a teenager intended to cure his bisexuality;[8] he wrote about the experience in his 1974 song, "Kill Your Sons". In an interview, Reed said of the experience:

"They put the thing down your throat so you don't swallow your tongue, and they put electrodes on your head. That's what was recommended in Rockland County to discourage homosexual feelings. The effect is that you lose your memory and become a vegetable. You can't read a book because you get to page 17 and have to go right back to page one again."

—Lou Reed quoted in Please Kill Me (1996)[9]

Reed began attending Syracuse University in the fall of 1960, studying journalism, film directing, and creative writing. In 1961 he began hosting a late-night radio program on WAER called "Excursions On A Wobbly Rail".[7] Named after a song by pianist Cecil Taylor, the program typically featured doo wop, rhythm and blues and jazz, particularly the free jazz developed in the mid-1950s.[10] Many of Reed's guitar techniques, such as the guitar-drum roll, were inspired by jazz saxophonists, notably Ornette Coleman. Reed graduated from Syracuse University's College of Arts and Sciences with a B.A. in June 1964.[8]

Poet Delmore Schwartz taught at Syracuse University and befriended Reed, who in 1966 dedicated the song "European Son", from the Velvet Underground's debut album The Velvet Underground & Nico, to Schwartz.[11] In 1982, Reed recorded "My House" as a tribute to his late mentor. He later said that his goals as a writer were "to bring the sensitivities of the novel to rock music" or to write the Great American Novel in a record album.[12

5]

Meatloaf

Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday; September 27, 1947), better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor. He is noted for the Bat Out of Hell album trilogy consisting of Bat Out of Hell, Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell and Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster is Loose. Bat Out of Hell has sold more than 43 million copies.[1] After more than 30 years, it still sells an estimated 200,000 copies annually and stayed on the charts for over nine years, making it one of the best selling albums of all time. [2][3]

Although he enjoyed success with Bat Out of Hell and Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell and earned a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo for the song "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" on the latter album, Meat Loaf experienced some initial difficulty establishing a steady career within his native US. However, he has retained iconic status and popularity in Europe, especially the UK, where he ranks 23rd for the number of weeks overall spent on the charts. He ranked 96th on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock".

Meat Loaf has also appeared in over 50 movies and television shows, [4] sometimes as himself or as characters resembling his stage persona. His most notable roles include Eddie in the American premiere of The Rocky Horror Show and The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Robert "Bob" Paulson in Fight Club.

Meat Loaf was born in Dallas, Texas.[5] He was the first child of Wilma Artie (née Hukel), a school teacher and a member of the Vo-di-o-do Girls gospel quartet, and Orvis Wesley Aday, a police officer. His father was an alcoholic who would go on drinking binges for days at a time.[6] Marvin and his mother would drive around to all the bars in Dallas, looking for Orvis to take him home. Because of this, Marvin often stayed with his grandmother, Charlsee Norrod.[6]

Meat Loaf relates a story in his autobiography, To Hell and Back, about how he, a friend, and his friend's father drove out to Love Field to watch John F. Kennedy land. After watching him leave the airport, they went to Market Hall, which was on Kennedy's parade route. On the way they heard that Kennedy had been shot, so they headed to Parkland Hospital, where they saw Jackie Kennedy get out of the car and Governor John Connally get pulled out, although they never saw the president taken out.

In 1965, Marvin graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School, having already started his acting career via school productions such as Where's Charley? and The Music Man.[7] After attending college at Lubbock Christian College, he transferred to North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas in Denton).

After Marvin received his inheritance from his mother's death, he rented an apartment in Dallas and isolated himself for three and a half months. Eventually a friend found him. Marvin bought a car and drove to California. [8]

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan ( /ˈdɪlən/), born Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24, 1941, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist. He has been an influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades.[1][2] Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly reluctant figurehead of social unrest. A number of Dylan's early songs, such as "Blowin' in the Wind" and "The Times They Are a-Changin'", became anthems for the US civil rights[3] and anti-war[4] movements. Leaving his initial base in the culture of folk music behind, Dylan's six-minute single "Like a Rolling Stone" has been described as radically altering the parameters of popular music in 1965.[5] However, his recordings employing electric instruments attracted denunciation and criticism from others in the folk movement.

Dylan's lyrics incorporated a variety of political, social, philosophical, and literary influences. They defied existing pop music conventions and appealed hugely to the then burgeoning counterculture. Initially inspired by the songs of Woody Guthrie,[6] Robert Johnson,[7] and Hank Williams, as well as the music and performance styles of Buddy Holly and Little Richard,[8] Dylan has both amplified and personalized musical genres. His recording career, spanning fifty years, has explored numerous distinct traditions in American song—from folk, blues and country to gospel, rock and roll, and rockabilly to English, Scottish, and Irish folk music, embracing even jazz and swing.[9]

Dylan performs with guitar, keyboards, and harmonica. Backed by a changing line-up of musicians, he has toured steadily since the late 1980s on what has been dubbed the Never Ending Tour. His accomplishments as a recording artist and performer have been central to his career, but his greatest contribution is generally considered to be his songwriting.[1]

Since 1994, Dylan has published three books of drawings and paintings, and his work has been exhibited in major art galleries. [10][11] As a songwriter and musician, Dylan has received numerous awards over the years including Grammy, Golden Globe, and Academy Awards; he has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Songwriters Hall of Fame. The Pulitzer Prize jury in 2008 awarded him a special citation for "his profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power."[12] In April 2012, President Obama named Dylan as a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.[13]

Bob Dylan was born "Robert Allen Zimmerman" (Hebrew name אברהם בן זיסאל in St. Mary's Hospital on May 24, 1941, in [15][14]([Shabtai Zisel ben Avraham] שבתאיDuluth, Minnesota,[16][17] and raised in Hibbing, Minnesota, on the Mesabi Iron Range west of Lake Superior. His paternal grandparents, Zigman and Anna Zimmerman, emigrated from Odessa in the Russian Empire (now Ukraine) to the United States following the anti-Semitic pogroms of 1905.[18] His maternal grandparents, Benjamin and Lybba Edelstein, were Lithuanian Jews who arrived in the United States in 1902.[18] In his autobiography Chronicles: Volume One, Dylan writes that his paternal grandmother's maiden name was Kyrgyz and her family originated from Kars, Turkey.[19]

Dylan's parents, Abram Zimmerman and Beatrice "Beatty" Stone, were part of the area's small but close-knit Jewish community. Robert Zimmerman lived in Duluth until age six, when his father was stricken with polio and the family returned to his mother's home town, Hibbing, where Zimmerman spent the rest of his childhood. Robert Zimmerman spent much of his youth listening to the radio—first to blues and country stations broadcasting from Shreveport, Louisiana and, later, to early rock and roll.[8] He formed several bands while he attended Hibbing High School. The Shadow Blasters was short-lived, but his next, The Golden Chords, lasted longer and played covers of Little Richard rock and roll[20] and other popular songs.[21] Their performance of Danny and the Juniors' "Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay" at their high school talent show was so loud that the principal cut the microphone off.[22] In 1959, his high school yearbook carried, beneath his photo, the caption: "Robert Zimmerman: to join 'Little Richard'."[20][23] The same year, using the name Elston Gunnn [sic], he performed two dates with Bobby Vee, playing piano and providing handclaps.[24][25][26]

Zimmerman moved to Minneapolis in September 1959 and enrolled at the University of Minnesota, where his early focus on rock and roll gave way to an interest in American folk music. In 1985, Dylan explained the attraction that folk music had exerted on him:

Bob Segar

Robert Clark "Bob" Seger (born May 6, 1945) is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.

As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s. By the early 1970s, he had dropped the "System" from his recordings, and he continued to strive for broader success with other various bands. In 1973, he put together The Silver Bullet Band, an evolving group of Detroit-area musicians, with whom he became most successful. In 1976, he achieved a national breakout with the album Night Moves. On his studio albums, he also worked extensively with the Alabama-based Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, appearing on several of Seger's best selling singles and albums.

A roots rocker with a classic raspy, shouting voice, Seger wrote and recorded songs that dealt with blue-collar themes and was an exemplar of heartland rock. Seger has recorded many hits, including "Night Moves", "Turn the Page", "We've Got Tonight", "Against the Wind", and "Like a Rock", and also co-wrote the Eagles' number-one hit "Heartache Tonight". His iconic recording of "Old Time Rock and Roll" was named one of the Songs of the Century in 2001.

With a career spanning five decades, Seger continues to perform and record today. Seger was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

Billy Joel

William Martin "Billy" Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American pianist, singer-songwriter, and composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to the RIAA.[3]

Joel had Top 40 hits in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, achieving 33 Top 40 hits in the United States, all of which he wrote himself. He is also a six-time Grammy Award winner, a 23-time Grammy nominee and has sold over 150 million records worldwide. [4] He was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame (1992), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1999), the Long Island Music Hall of Fame (2006), and the Hit Parade Hall of Fame (2009). In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists to celebrate the US singles chart's 50th anniversary, with Billy Joel positioned at No. 23. With the exception of the 2007 songs "All My Life" and "Christmas in Fallujah," Joel stopped recording pop/rock material after 1993's River of Dreams, but he continued to tour extensively until 2010.[

Joel was born in the Bronx[1] and raised in Hicksville, New York. His father, Howard (born Helmuth), was born in Germany, the son of German merchant and manufacturer Karl Amson Joel, who, after the advent of the Nazi regime, emigrated to Switzerland and later to the United States. Billy Joel's mother, Rosalind Nyman, was born in England to Philip and Rebecca Nyman. Both Joel's parents were Jewish. They divorced in 1960, and his father moved to Vienna, Austria. Billy has a sister, Judith Joel, and a half-brother, Alexander Joel, who is an acclaimed classical conductor in Europe and currently chief musical director of the Staatstheater Braunschweig.[6]

Joel's father was an accomplished classical pianist. Billy reluctantly began piano lessons at an early age, at his mother's insistence; his teachers included the noted American pianist Morton Estrin[7] and musician/songwriter Timothy Ford. His interest in music, rather than sports, was a source of teasing and bullying in his early years. (He has said in interviews that his piano instructor also taught ballet. Her name was Frances Neiman, and she was a Juilliard trained musician. She gave both classic piano and ballet lessons in the studio attached to the rear of her house, leading neighborhood bullies to mistakenly think he was learning to dance.) As a teenager, Joel took up boxing so that he would be able to defend himself. He boxed successfully on the amateur Golden Gloves circuit for a short time, winning twenty-two bouts, but abandoned the sport shortly after having his nose broken in his twenty-fourth boxing match.[8]

Joel attended Hicksville High School with the class of 1967. However, he did not graduate. At the time, he was helping his single mother make ends meet by playing at a piano bar, and this interfered with his school attendance.[9] After his senior year, he still was short of the total number of credits he needed to graduate. Rather than attend summer school, Joel decided to quit high school without a diploma in order to begin a career in music. Joel recounted, "I told them, 'To hell with it. If I'm not going to Columbia University, I'm going to Columbia Records and you don't need a high school diploma over there'."[10] Columbia did, in fact, become the label that eventually signed him. In 1992, he submitted essays to the school board and was awarded his diploma at Hicksville High's annual graduation ceremony, 25 years after he had left.[11]

[edit] Music career 5]

Elton John

Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947) is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor. He has worked with lyricist Bernie Taupin as his songwriter partner since 1967; they have collaborated on more than 30 albums to date.

In his four-decade career John has sold more than 250 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time .[1] His single "Candle in the Wind 1997 " has sold over 33 million copies worldwide, and is the best selling single in Billboard history.[2] He has more than 50 Top 40 hits, including seven consecutive No. 1 US albums, 56 Top 40 singles , 16 Top 10, four No. 2 hits, and nine No. 1 hits. He has won six Grammy Awards , four Brit Awards, an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him Number 49 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.[3]

John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.[4] Having been named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1996, John received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for "services to music and charitable services" in 1998.[5]

He has been heavily involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s.[6] In 1992, he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation and a year later began hosting the annual Academy Award Party , which has since become one of the most high-profile Oscar parties in the Hollywood film industry. Since its inception, the foundation has raised over $200 million.

John entered into a civil partnership with David Furnish [7] on 21 December 2005 and continues to be a champion for LGBT social movements . In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him as the most successful male solo artist on "The Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists " (third overall, behind only The Beatles and Madonna).

John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947, the eldest child of Stanley and only child of Sheila Eileen Dwight (née Harris)[9][10][11] and was raised in Pinner, Middlesex in a council house of his maternal grandparents. His parents did not marry until he was 6 years old, when the family moved to a nearby semi-detached house.[12][13][14] He was educated at Pinner Wood Junior School, Reddiford School and Pinner County Grammar School , until age 17, when he left just prior to his A Level examinations to pursue a career in the music industry.[15][16][17]

When John began to seriously consider a career in music, his father, who served as a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force , tried to steer him toward a more conventional career, such as banking.[15] John has stated that his wild stage costumes and performances were his way of letting go after such a restrictive childhood.[17] Both of John's parents were musically inclined, his father having been a trumpet player with the Bob Millar Band, a semi-professional big band that played at military dances.[17] The Dwights were keen record buyers, exposing John to the popular singers and musicians of the day, and John remembers being immediately hooked on rock and roll when his mother brought home records by Elvis Presley and Bill Haley & His Comets in 1956.[15][16]

John started playing the piano at the age of 3, and within a year, his mother heard him picking out Winifred Atwell 's "The Skater's Waltz" by ear.[15][16] After performing at parties and family gatherings, at the age of 7 he took up formal piano lessons. He showed musical aptitude at school, including the ability to compose melodies, and gained some notoriety by playing like Jerry Lee Lewis at school functions. At the age of 11, he won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music . According to one of his instructors, John promptly played back, like a "gramophone record", a four-page piece by Handel that he heard for the first time.[16]

For the next five years he attended Saturday classes at the Academy in central London, and has stated that he enjoyed playing Chopin and Bach and singing in the choir during Saturday classes, but that he was not otherwise a diligent classical student.[16] "I kind of resented going to the Academy", he says. "I was one of those children who could just about get away without practising and still pass, scrape through the grades."[16] He even claims that he would sometimes skip classes and just ride around on the Tube.[16] However, several instructors have testified that he was a "model student", and during the last few years he was taking lessons from a private tutor in addition to his classes at the Academy.[16]

John's mother, though also strict with her son, was more vivacious than her husband, and something of a free spirit. With Stanley Dwight uninterested in his son and often physically absent, John was raised primarily by his mother and maternal grandmother. When his father was home, the Dwights would have terrible arguments that greatly distressed their son.[16] When John was 14, they divorced.[18] His mother then married a local painter, Fred Farebrother, a caring and supportive stepfather whom John affectionately referred to as "Derf", his first name in reverse.[16] They moved into flat No. 1A in an eight-unit apartment building called Frome Court, not far from both previous homes. It was there that John would write the songs that would launch his career as a rock star; he would live there until he had four albums simultaneously in the American Top 40.[19]

[8]

Tom Petty

Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty (born October 20, 1950) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T. Wilbury, Jr. and Muddy Wilbury.

He has recorded a number of hit singles with the Heartbreakers and as a solo artist, many of which remain heavily played on adult contemporary and classic rock radio. His music, and notably his hits, have become popular among younger generations as he continues to host sold-out shows.[1] Throughout his career, Petty and his collaborators have sold 60 million albums.

Tom Petty was born and raised in Gainesville, Florida, and attended Gainesville High School. His interest in rock and roll music began at age 10 when he met Elvis Presley.[3] In the summer of 1961, his uncle was working on the set of Presley's film Follow That Dream in nearby Ocala, Florida and invited Petty to come down and watch the shoot.[4] He instantly became an Elvis Presley fan and soon traded his Wham-O slingshot for a box of Elvis 45s.[5] In a 2006 interview on the National Public Radio program Fresh Air, Petty said that he knew he wanted to be in a band the moment he saw The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show.[6] One of his first guitar teachers was Don Felder, a fellow Gainesville resident, who would later join the Eagles.[7] As a young man, Petty worked briefly on the grounds crew for the University of Florida, but never attended as a student. An Ogeechee lime tree that he planted while employed at the University is now called the Tom Petty tree.[8][9]

Petty also overcame a difficult relationship with his father, who found it hard to accept that his son was "a mild-mannered kid who was interested in the arts" and subjected him to verbal and physical abuse on a regular basis. Petty was extremely close to his mother, and remains close to his brother Br

Jimi Hendrix

James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942[1][2] – September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter. Even though he was in the "spotlight" for only three years before his death, he is still widely considered to be the greatest electric guitarist in music history, [3][4][5] and one of the most influential musicians of his era.[6][7][8] After initial success in Europe with his group The Jimi Hendrix Experience, he achieved fame in the United States following his 1967 performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. Later, Hendrix headlined the iconic 1969 Woodstock Festival and the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. He often favored raw overdriven amplifiers with high gain and treble and helped develop the previously undesirable technique of guitar amplifier feedback.[9]

Hendrix, as well as his friend Eric Clapton, popularized use of the wah-wah pedal in mainstream rock which he often used to deliver an exaggerated sense of pitch in his solos, particularly with high bends, complex guitar playing, and use of legato. As a record producer, Hendrix also broke new ground in using the recording studio as an extension of his musical ideas. He was one of the first to experiment with stereophonic phasing effects for rock recording.[citation needed] Hendrix was influenced by blues artists such as B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Albert King and Elmore James,[10][11][12][13] rhythm and blues and soul guitarists Curtis Mayfield and Steve Cropper, and the jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery. Hendrix began dressing and wearing a moustache like Little Richard when he performed and recorded in his band from March 1, 1964 through to the spring of 1965.[14][15][16] In 1966, Hendrix stated, "I want to do with my guitar what Little Richard does with his voice". [17]

Hendrix won many prestigious rock music awards in his lifetime, and has been posthumously awarded many more, including being inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. An English Heritage blue plaque was erected in his name on his former residence at Brook Street, London, in September 1997. A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was dedicated in 1994. In 2006, his debut US album, Are You Experienced, was inducted into the United States National Recording Registry, and Rolling Stone named Hendrix the top guitarist on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all-time in 2003. [18]

He was born Johnny Allen Hendrix on November 27, 1942, in Seattle, Washington, the first of five children to James Allen "Al" Hendrix [19] (June 10, 1919, Vancouver, British Columbia – April 17, 2002, Renton, Washington) and Lucille Jeter (October 12, 1925, Seattle, Washington – February 2, 1958, Renton, Washington). [20]

Hendrix's ancestry was of mixed African American, European, and Native American origin. His paternal great grandfather was Bertran Philander Ross, a wealthy white grain dealer from Urbana, Ohio, who was of Irish, German, and English descent. Out of wedlock, Bertran Philander Ross and his slave Fanny Hendricks produced Jimi's paternal grandfather Ross Hendricks (Hendrix).[21] Jimi Hendrix was part Cherokee,[22] his paternal great-great grandmother being a Cherokee from Georgia. [23] His parents met at a dance in Seattle in 1941 when Lucille Jeter was 16. When she married Al Hendrix the next year, on March 13, 1942, she was pregnant. Since Al had been drafted into the United States Army due to World War II, he was shipped out three days later.[24][25] Al Hendrix completed his basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, but was stationed in Alabama when his son was born. Because the commanding officer believed that he would go AWOL to Seattle in order to visit his new son, he was locked up in the stockade as a preventative measure, where he remained to receive the telegram informing him of his son's birth. [26] The baby that would grow up to become the guitarist Jimi Hendrix was born to a father who had six fingers on each hand.[27] Al Hendrix spent the war in the South Pacific Theater mostly in Fiji.[28] During the three years that he was away, Lucille struggled with raising her infant son who was neglected in favor of the nightlife scene.[29] Thus Hendrix was mostly cared for by family members and others during this period.

His father received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army on September 1, 1945, and retrieved his son from a woman who was caring for him in Berkeley. Al legally changed his son’s name to James Marshall Hendrix in memory of his late brother, Leon Marshall Hendrix. [30][31] He was known as "Buster" to friends and family, from birth. [32] After his return, Al reunited with Lucille. He found it difficult to gain steady employment after the Second World War, and the family was impoverished. Like Lucille, Al also struggled with alcohol and the couple had frequent fights. At one point a pimp named John Page who had a history with Lucille even tried to commandeer her out of a movie theater while she was with Al. Al objected and a fight ensued, spilling out into the street. Al had been an amateur boxer and stunned the pimp with a first punch, eventually winning the brawl and they never saw the pimp again.[33]

During the early years of Hendrix’s life, the turmoil caused by his parent's fighting would sometimes cause him to withdraw and hide in a closet in their home. [33] They moved often, staying in cheap hotels and apartments around Seattle. Throughout his childhood Hendrix would periodically be dropped off to be cared for by relatives. This all left an imprint on him as a small child which would remain with him the rest of his life. [34] In addition to the instability of his home life, Hendrix in later years confided to two different girlfriends that as a youth he had been sexually assaulted by a man, although he never elaborated. In one instance while he was living in Harlem, Hendrix broke down crying as his girlfriend related the sexual abuse she had suffered as a child, telling her that the same thing had happened to him. [35]

Hendrix had two brothers, Leon and Joseph, and two sisters, Kathy and Pamela. Joseph was born with physical difficulties and was placed in foster care at age three. His two sisters were also both placed in foster care at a young age. Kathy was born blind and Pamela suffered lesser physical difficulties.

On December 17, 1951, when Hendrix was nine years old, his parents divorced. His mother developed cirrhosis of the liver and died on February 2, 1958, when the state of her liver caused her spleen to rupture.[36] On occasion, he was placed in the care of his paternal grandmother in Vancouver, British Columbia because of the unstable household, and his brother Leon was placed in foster care temporarily. [37] Hendrix was a shy and sensitive boy, deeply affected by the poverty and family disruption he experienced at a young age. Unusual for his era, Hendrix's high school had a relatively even ethnic mix of African, European, and Asian Americans. [38]

First guitar

Elvis Presley

Elvis Aaron Presleya (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".

Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, Presley moved to Memphis, Tennessee, with his family at the age of 13. He began his career there in 1954, working with Sun Records owner Sam Phillips, who wanted to bring the sound of African American music to a wider audience. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Presley was the most important popularizer of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country and rhythm and blues. RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who would manage the singer for over two decades. Presley's first RCA single, "Heartbreak Hotel", released in January 1956, was a number one hit. He became the leading figure of the newly popular sound of rock and roll with a series of network television appearances and chart-topping records. His energized interpretations of songs, many from African American sources, and his uninhibited performance style made him enormously popular—and controversial. In November 1956, he made his film debut in Love Me Tender.

Conscripted into military service in 1958, Presley relaunched his recording career two years later with some of his most commercially successful work. He staged few concerts however, and guided by Parker, proceeded to devote much of the 1960s to making Hollywood movies and soundtrack albums, most of them critically derided. In 1968, after seven years away from the stage, he returned to live performance in a celebrated comeback television special that led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of profitable tours. In 1973 Presley staged the first concert broadcast globally via satellite, Aloha from Hawaii, seen by approximately 1.5 billion viewers. Prescription drug abuse severely compromised his health, and he died suddenly in 1977 at the age of 42.

Presley is regarded as one of the most important figures of 20th-century popular culture. He had a versatile voice and unusually wide success encompassing many genres, including country, pop ballads, gospel, and blues. He is the best-selling solo artist in the history of popular music.[1][2][3][4] Nominated for 14 competitive Grammys, he won three, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36. He has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame.

Rick Emmet

Richard Gordon (Rik) Emmett (born July 10, 1953 in Toronto, Ontario) is a vocalist, guitarist, and founding member of the Canadian rock band Triumph. Emmett left Triumph in 1988 to pursue a solo career. His first solo album, Absolutely, was released in 1990 and became a moderate hit across North America thanks to the hits "When a Heart Breaks" and "Saved by Love". He is also a writer for Guitar Player magazine and teaches songwriting and music business at Humber College in Toronto.

For a time during the 1980s, Rik Emmett also contributed cartoons satirizing the music industry to Hit Parader magazine.

Due to a production error in spelling his name correctly by Gil Moore and Mike Levine on Triumph's first album, Rick Emmett changed the spelling of his name to Rik rather than have the album recalled or cause confusion with fans.

Among his peers, Rik Emmett is widely considered to be one of the most proficient and versatile guitarists of all time.[1] Although he is best known as a premier rock guitarist, his playing style incorporates rock, blues, jazz, classical, bluegrass and flamenco techniques. Similarly, his songwriting and discography demonstrate his ability to employ and blend multiple genres. In April 2005, Emmett was lauded with the Canadian Smooth Jazz Award for Guitarist of the Year.

He is also a skilled vocalist with a wide vocal range. He was the primary singer for most Triumph songs during his time with them, though drummer Gil Moore also wrote and sang many songs. However, most of the songs garnering radio play were Emmett's as he tended to write and sing in a more "commercial" style, while Moore's songwriting and singing were in more of a heavy metal style.

In 2007, Rik Emmett joined former Triumph bandmates Gil Moore and Mike Levine for their induction into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame. And, on Sunday April 6, 2008 at The 2008 JUNO Awards, Triumph was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS).

As of 2008 Rik Emmett, Mike Levine and Gil Moore have agreed to play a rock festival in Sweden in the summer under the Triumph moniker. The group has said that more dates will follow.

As a result of very positive audience response to their dual guitar work in Rik's live shows, Rik and fellow guitarist Dave Dunlop formed the mostly-acoustic duo Strung-Out Troubadours, with two albums so far. In 2007, Strung-Out Troubadours won "Album of the Year" and "Group/Duo of the Year" at the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards, where they were the most heavily-nominated act. Both Rik & Dave were also nominated for "Best Guitarist". Emmett and Dunlop are scheduled to release another Strung-Out Troubadours release in 2009 titled Push & Pull.

Throughout his career, Emmett has been associated with guitars from Framus, Gibson, Dean and Yamaha, particularly as an endorser of the latter two.

Jim Morrison

James Douglas "Jim" Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors, as well as a poet.[1] Following The Doors' explosive rise to fame in 1967, Morrison developed a severe alcohol and drug dependency that culminated in his death at the age of 27 in Paris. He is presumed to have died from a heroin overdose, but as no autopsy was performed, the events surrounding his death and the exact cause of it continue to be disputed by many to this day.

Morrison was well known for often improvising spoken word poetry passages while the band played live. Due to his wild personality and performances, he is regarded by critics and fans as one of the most iconic, charismatic and pioneering frontmen in rock music history.[2] Morrison was ranked number 47 on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time",[3] and number 22 on Classic Rock Magazine's "50 Greatest Singers In Rock".[

James Douglas Morrison was born in Melbourne, Florida, to future Rear Admiral George Stephen Morrison and Clara Morrison. Morrison had a sister, Anne Robin, who was born in 1947 in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and a brother, Andrew Lee Morrison, who was born in 1948 in Los Altos, California. He was of Irish and Scottish descent.[5]

In 1947, Morrison, then four years old, allegedly witnessed a car accident in the desert, in which a family of Native Americans were injured and possibly killed. He referred to this incident in a spoken word performance on the song "Dawn's Highway" from the album An American Prayer, and again in the songs "Peace Frog" and "Ghost Song."

Morrison believed this incident to be the most formative event of his life,[6] and made repeated references to it in the imagery in his songs, poems, and interviews. His family does not recall this incident happening in the way he told it. According to the Morrison biography No One Here Gets Out Alive, Morrison's family did drive past a car accident on an Indian reservation when he was a child, and he was very upset by it. The book The Doors, written by the remaining members of The Doors, explains how different Morrison's account of the incident was from the account of his father. This book quotes his father as saying, "We went by several Indians. It did make an impression on him [the young James]. He always thought about that crying Indian." This is contrasted sharply with Morrison's tale of "Indians scattered all over the highway, bleeding to death." In the same book, his sister is quoted as saying, "He enjoyed telling that story and exaggerating it. He said he saw a dead Indian by the side of the road, and I don't even know if that's true."

With his father in the United States Navy, Morrison's family moved often. He spent part of his childhood in San Diego. While his father was stationed at NAS Kingsville, he attended Flato Elementary in Kingsville, Texas. In 1958 Morrison attended Alameda High School in Alameda, California. He graduated from George Washington High School (now George Washington Middle School) in Alexandria, Virginia in June 1961. His father was also stationed at Mayport Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida.

Morrison was inspired by the writings of philosophers and poets. He was influenced by Friedrich Nietzsche, whose views on aesthetics, morality, and the Apollonian and Dionysian duality would appear in his conversation, poetry and songs. He read Plutarch’s "Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans". He read the works of the French Symbolist poet Arthur Rimbaud, whose style would later influence the form of Morrison’s short prose poems. He was influenced by Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Charles Baudelaire, Molière and Franz Kafka. Honoré de Balzac and Jean Cocteau, along with most of the French existentialist philosophers. His senior-year English teacher said that, "Jim read as much and probably more than any student in class, but everything he read was so offbeat I had another teacher, who was going to the Library of Congress, check to see if the books Jim was reporting on actually existed. I suspected he was making them up, as they were English books on sixteenth- and seventeenth-century demonology. I’d never heard of them, but they existed, and I’m convinced from the paper he wrote that he read them, and the Library of Congress would’ve been the only source." [7]

Morrison was arrested in Tallahassee after pulling a prank while drunk at a football game Morrison went to live with his paternal grandparents in Clearwater, Florida, where he attended classes at St. Petersburg College (then known as a junior college). In 1962, he transferred to

Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee, where he appeared in a school recruitment film.[8] While attending FSU, Morrison was arrested for a prank, following a home football game.[9]

In January 1964 Morrison moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He enrolled in Jack Hirschman's class on Antonin Artaud in the Comparative Literature program within the UCLA English Department. Artaud's brand of surrealist theatre had a profound impact on Morrison's dark poetic sensibility of cinematic theatricality.

Morrison completed his undergraduate degree at UCLA's film school within the Theater Arts department of the College of Fine Arts in 1965. He never went to the graduation ceremony, instead having his degree diploma mailed to him. He made several short films while attending UCLA. First Love, the first of these films, made with Morrison's classmate and roommate Max Schwartz, was released to the public when it appeared in a documentary about the film Obscura. During these years, while living in Venice Beach, he became friends with writers at the Los Angeles Free Press. Morrison was an advocate of the underground newspaper until his death in 1971. He later conducted a lengthy and in-depth interview with Bob Chorush and Andy Kent, both working for the Free Press at the time (January 1971), and was planning on visiting the headquarters of the busy newspaper shortly before leaving for Paris. [10]

[edit] The Doors 4]

Joseph Williams

Joseph Stanley Williams (born September 1, 1960 in Santa Monica, California), is an American rock singer and film score composer best known for his work in the rock band Toto. He is the son of film composer John Williams and actress/singer Barbara Ruick and the grandson of jazz drummer Johnny Williams and actors Melville Ruick and Lurene Tuttle.

Joseph Williams was lead vocalist with Toto during the mid-to-late 1980s and was featured on the albums Fahrenheit (1986) and The Seventh One (1988) before leaving due to personal problems. He can also be heard on the album Toto XX (1998), a compilation of rare and unreleased tracks. He is featured on Toto's last album, Falling in Between, sharing lead vocals with Steve Lukather on Bottom of Your Soul.

In addition to his guest spot on the last Toto album, Williams was a guest singer at several Toto concerts. He was Toto's lead singer during the short tour through Europe in July 2010 and since then has been listed as their

official lead vocalist on the band website.[1][2]

Williams released his first, self-titled solo album in 1982. After his tenure with Toto he has released several more. Many of Toto's members have contributed to his solo work over the years.

In 2003 he released an album called Vertigo, a project he initiated, but where he was not in full charge of the production, only recording and supplying the vocals.[3] The second Vertigo album, "Vertigo 2", was released in 2006.

Williams released an album of cover songs from renowned artists such as Elton John, Bryan Adams, Diane Warren, and Kevin Cronin in 2006, called Two of Us, featuring piano and voice only. He returned with two more voice & piano albums in 2007, Smiles and Tears, also consisting of classic hits by popular artists.

His latest solo album containing original songs, This Fall, was released in November 2008. Joseph Williams has also been busy as a composer of film and drama scores, most notably for episodes of the

science fiction series "Roswell", and "The Lyon's Den" starring Rob Lowe. In 2003 he was nominated for an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Main Title Theme Music" for the TV series Miracles.

[4]

The music to the CBS miniseries Category 7: The End of the World[5] and the TV film Momentum[6] were composed by him.

He was the writer of the original English lyrics for the song Lapti Nek and the Ewok Celebration from the original 1983 release of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi,[7] which was scored and conducted by his father John Williams. He also composed the Max Rebo Band source cues and an unknown source cue for the same film.

Geoff Tate

Geoff Tate (born Jeffrey Wayne Tate, January 14, 1959, in Stuttgart, West Germany) is an American singer and musician, who rose to fame in the 1980s with the progressive metal band, Queensrÿche. Tate is ranked fourteenth on Hit Parader's list of the 100 Greatest Metal Vocalists of All Time. He was voted #2 on That Metal Show top 5 metal vocalists of all time #1 was Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, he beat out singers such as Rob Halford, Axl Rose and Sebastian Bach. He was also voted the #1 greatest metal singer of all time by ragerecords.net[citation

Don Dokken

Donald Maynard "Don" Dokken (born June 29, 1953) is best known for being the lead singer and founder of the band Dokken.[1] He is known for his vibrato-laden, melodic vocal style which has made him an influential figure in American heavy metal. After enjoying mainstream success with Dokken, he parted ways with the band in 1988 and pursued a solo career. His 1990 solo album, Up from the Ashes, featured Europe guitarist John Norum and spawned two singles. He and drummer Mick Brown are the only remaining original members of Dokken.

Don reformed Dokken in the early 1990s and has been continuing on with the band ever since. He released his second solo album, titled Solitary in 2008; it was a stylistic departure from his Dokken material.

the late 1970s, he was playing in a Los Angeles-based band called Airborn, and had the opportunity to reach a record deal in Germany. After seeing the band Xciter, and future bandmates George Lynch and Mick Brown, he knew that they would complete the band that would land the record deal. Although Lynch and Brown were not interested in joining forces with him when he first contacted them, he went ahead to Germany. Don, with the help of one of Xciter's songs, did get the record deal, and he finally convinced Lynch and Brown, along with bassist Juan Croucier, to join him in Dokken soon after he received it.

During his time in Germany, Dokken befriended the German band Scorpions, and sang with them in rehearsals for their Blackout album while lead vocalist Klaus Meine was being treated for nodes on his vocal cords. Meine recovered and returned to record the album, although Dokken's background vocals remained on several tracks.

In 1983, America saw the release of the first Dokken album, Breaking the Chains which had a moderate reception. However Juan Croucier left the band to join Ratt. Jeff Pilson was brought in for their second release, Tooth and Nail, and at this time metal fans and critics began to take notice of the band. Don's strong, melodic vocals, coupled with Lynch's blazing guitar playing, guided Dokken to national fame.

the late 1980s, however, personal tension between Dokken and Lynch took its toll on the band. In 1988, after the Monsters of Rock Tour and a further platinum album, Don Dokken decided to break up the band and they went on their separate ways. Don Dokken originally wanted to continue on with the Dokken name, but since Lynch maintained partial ownership, he was forced to put out his next album under the Don Dokken name, and it became known as his first solo album. The album, titled Up from the Ashes, was released in 1990, and was very similar to the Dokken catalog. This project was a supergroup of sorts, made up of guitarists John Norum (of Europe fame) and Billy White ( of Watchtower fame), bassist Peter Baltes (of Accept fame), guitaris and drummer Mikkey Dee (of King Diamond fame and then Motörhead).

Both Dee and Baltes had previously been members of Dokken during the late 1970s for brief periods. Two music videos were made for the singles "Mirror Mirror" and "Stay". Also, during the late 1980s and early 1990s, Don spent time as a producer for the metal band XYZ.

He also made a guest appearance on the German progressive metal band Vanden Plas's Spirit of Live album as the vocalist for their live performance of Dokken's "Kiss of Death" with which the studio version can be found on Vanden Plas's "Far Off Grace" album.

Around late 1993, Don started to talk with Mick Brown, who had recently left George Lynch's new group, Lynch Mob. They joined up with Jeff Pilson, and started to write new songs. In 1994, they sent what they had written to George Lynch, who was impressed with the material. Together, they decided to reunite and tour again. This reunion lasted for three years and resulted in two new Dokken albums, an acoustic live disc, and a full live concert recorded in Japan in 1995.

In the late-1990s, Dokken once again parted ways with George Lynch, gained guitarist Reb Beach, and later kicked off a new era with guitarist John Norum after the departure of Reb Beach. That union didn't last long as Norum departed quickly to re-unite with Europe. Norum was briefly replaced by Italian guitarist Alex De Rosso for the live tour [1] until Don managed to find a permanent replacement and in 2003 Guitarist/Lawyer Jon Levin filled that position where he continues to this day at Don's side.

Since 1994, Dokken has released six studio albums, two live albums, a Greatest Hits album, as well as their first two DVDs. Don Dokken released a new solo album titled Solitary in 2008 and Dokken released a new album titled Lightning Strikes Again during the same year. On March 1, 2010, the band Dokken's second greatest hits album, aptly titled Greatest Hits, was digitally released to iTunes and Amazon.com. The physical album with additional tracks is set to release from King Records (Japan) on April 21, 2010 and will be available in the United States through Cleopatra Records at a later date.

On September 22, 2010, in an interview with BraveWords.com, Don Dokken revealed that he would be undergoing vocal surgery, to correct problems with nodes and tears in his vocal cords. [2] February 4, 2011 Anchorage, Alaska was Dokken's first show since surgery.

Tom Keifer

Carl Thomas Keifer (born January 26, 1961, in Springfield, Pennsylvania) is an American vocalist for the band Cinderella

Keifer grew up in a musical family and began playing guitar at a young age. Keifer soon fell in love with the blues and was heavily influenced by this kind of music.

Keifer joined his first rock band while in junior high school. He soon learned to play the electric guitar. The young musician struggled with drug and alcohol abuse during this time, and considered dropping out of school to pursue a music career. However, his mother Adrienne bribed her son to stay in school by promising him a Gibson Les Paul guitar upon graduation. Keifer graduated and received the coveted instrument. After graduating Keifer played guitar in bands such as Saints in Hell, Telapath, and Diamonds.

Soon, Keifer conquered his addictions, and began to focus on a career as a musician. He had started writing original material. He also found financial support by walking race horses at tracks and delivering film to developing outlets. Keifer came closer to his dream of being a successful artist by forming the hard rock band, Cinderella with good friend and bassist Eric Brittingham, whom he met on Halloween night in 1980 in a bar bathroom, and also who had been in Saints in Hell. Despite being shy, Keifer took on the role of lead singer because they could not find anyone they liked to sing for the band. In articles, Keifer has said, "I don't feel comfortable when I'm up there singing and not playing guitar. I feel naked when it's just me and the microphoneCinderella was discovered by Jon Bon Jovi in 1985, at the Empire Rock Club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bon Jovi has been quoted as saying "I saw Tommy Keifer onstage delivering some pretty nifty, growling vocals. Then he whipped out this Les Paul and proceeded to lay into some astounding sounds. This guy struck me as a star right then and there." Keifer and company experienced much success with their albums, Night Songs, Long Cold Winter, and Heartbreak Station. Keifer enjoyed the reputation of being a prolific songwriter with hits such as "Shake Me", '"Nobody’s Fool", "Gypsy Road", "Don’t Know What You Got", "Coming Home", "Shelter Me", and "Heartbreak Station". He also enjoyed spending time with his wife, Emily, whom he had married in 1987 after years of dating. She also designed the band's unique logo and often accompanied her husband on tour.

Jack Russel

Jack Russell (born December 5, 1960, Montebello, California), is an American rock vocalist. He is a founding member of the American hard rock band Great White.[1]Russell grew up with influences such as Robert Plant and Steven Tyler, and became a vocalist for many bands in high school and later on. He met Mark Kendall in a concert and began plans to form a band called Dante Fox. Russell and Kendall decided to change their name of the band to Great White because their favorite pastime is shark fishing. Russell has been in the band from 1981 to the present day, except for taking three years off from 1996 to 1999 to record and release a solo album, entitled Shelter Me. He also released a second solo album album entitled For You in 2002. According to Great White's website, Russell's ancestry is English, Irish and Native American.

As of 2010, Jack has been on hiatus from Great White, due to a perforated bowel. Now fully recovered, he formed his own version of Great White with a brand-new lineup in December 2011. To avoid confusion, he named the band "Jack Russell's Great White."

Mark Slaughter

Mark Allen Slaughter (born July 4, 1964, Las Vegas, Nevada) is an American singer and musician. He is one of the founders of hard rock band Slaughter, and he also has worked as a voice actor and composer. He has a family relation to Pantera's Rex Brown.

Prior to the formation of his eponymous band Slaughter, Mark Slaughter was the Lead vocalist in the group Vinnie Vincent Invasion.[1] Vinnie Vincent Invasion had a hit song, "Love Kills", that appeared on the Nightmare on Elm Street 4 movie soundtrack in 1988. After the group disbanded in the late 1980s, (Mark) Slaughter, along with fellow Vinnie Vincent Invasion alumnus Dana Strum, formed the group Slaughter.[1]

Slaughter would go on to sell in excess of five million records in the 1990s. [citation needed] The group garnered a total of four Top 30 hits on the Billboard charts with tunes such as "Fly To the Angels" and "Up All Night",[2] and toured with the likes of Kiss, Poison, Ozzy Osbourne, and Damn Yankees.[1]

Slaughter currently works as a voice-over actor and composes music for television, movies, and sports outlets. Slaughter sang on the Northern Light Orchestra 2010 Celebrate Christmas release. Slaughter's current credits include the ongoing music compositions for Fox Sports,[3] along with voice over ventures in productions like Batman Beyond, Bloodsport, and Animaniacs. He also lent his voice to the song "Granny's Gone Crazy" off the album Babez for Breakfast by Lordi.

In addition to voice-over and composing, Slaughter formed a new band, Scrap Metal. Scrap Metal consists of other platinum-selling singers such as Gunnar Nelson (Nelson), Kelly Keagy (Night Ranger), and Eric Martin (Mr. Big).

Slaughter takes part in charity causes such as his active participation with St. Jude’s Children's Hospital.[

Jeff Keith

Jeffery Lynn Keith (born October 12, 1958 in Texarkana, Arkansas) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer of the band Tesla.[1] He was also the lead singer for the band Bar 7[2].

Before he became part of Tesla, Keith lived in Idabel, Oklahoma with his mother Anita and sister Joey. He attended Idabel High School and eventually moved to Sacramento, California to live with his father. Keith started out singing in the band Troubleshooter with his brother BK, before joining City Kidd (later known as Tesla) in 1983.

He now lives with his wife and son in Granite Bay, CA.

Vince Neil

Vincent Neil Wharton (born February 8, 1961) is an American vocalist and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of heavy metal band Mötley Crüe.

Neil was born in Hollywood, California to Odie and Shirley Wharton. He has Mexican ancestry on his mother's side and Native American ancestry on his father's.[2] During the 1960s, his family moved around Southern California from Inglewood to Watts, before finally settling in Glendora attending Sunflower Intermediate School and later Royal Oak High School. As well as having an interest in music while a teenager, Neil was also interested in surfing, basketball, baseball, football and wrestling.

Music career Neil was discovered while performing with his band Rock Candy in 1980, and joined Mötley Crüe in 1981.[3] Neil

had been friends with Tommy Lee in high school. Mötley Crüe was looking for a lead vocalist at the time and were impressed by Neil after hearing him through Lee. Mötley Crüe released its first album, Too Fast for Love, the same year. In 1983, Mötley Crüe released Shout at the Devil, which established the band as a big act in rock and roll.

In 1985, Neil regrouped with Mötley Crüe to record Theatre of Pain. In 1987, the band recorded the album Girls, Girls, Girls. In 1989, the band released their highest-selling album, Dr. Feelgood.

Neil signed a solo deal with Warner Brothers for $4 million. He received a $2 million advance on his first record. Neil sued Motley Crue for 25% of their future profits and $5 million in damages for being fired. Mötley Crüe from left to right: Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, and Neil. In 1992, Neil released his first single. He stated that the song was written in twenty minutes with his friends

Jack Blades and Tommy Shaw. The single "You're Invited (But Your Friend Can't Come)" was featured on the Encino Man soundtrack. Neil made a video for the song that featured a cameo by Pauly Shore. The video does not feature guitarist Steve Stevens as Stevens was hired after the song and video had been released. Stevens re-recorded the song for Neil's first solo album. Neil performed the song live on the MTV Movie Awards.

Exposed, was Neil's first solo album and was released in 1993. The album debuted at #13 on the Billboard charts. The album featured Stevens, who subsequently played all bass and guitar tracks on "Exposed", Dave Marshall, Robbie Crane, and Vik Foxx. The band eventually went on tour, opening for Van Halen.

Phil Mogg

Phillip John 'Phil' Mogg (born 15 April 1948, in Wood Green, North London) is a vocalist for the band UFO, which he formed with longtime friends Pete Way and Andy Parker. Mogg wrote the majority of the band's lyrics, with the music being written by Way, Schenker, and later, Raymond, but Schenker left to launch his solo career in 1979. In 1997 Mogg and Way put out a solo album called Mogg/Way. With UFO on hiatus, Phil formed the side project $ign of 4. In late 2003, having regained the rights to the UFO name from Schenker, Mogg spoke with Pete Way and Paul Raymond, and ended up having a reunion tour which later brought the band back for good. The band then released several new albums : Showtime, The Monkey Puzzle, You Are Here.

Mogg is the only member of UFO to appear on all of the band's albums.

Phil Mogg is the uncle of Nigel Mogg, bassist with The Quireboys.

Guy Speranza

Guy Speranza (b. March 12, 1956 - November 8, 2003 in Orlando, Florida) was an American singer best known as New York-based metal band Riot's original frontman from 1976-1981.

He played at the first Monsters of Rock festival in 1980 and sang on their first three albums, 1977's Rock City, 1979's Narita and 1981's Fire Down Under, before leaving the band in 1981.

After retiring from music, Speranza worked as an exterminator in Florida until being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, from which he died on November 8, 2003.

Biff Byford

Peter Rodney "Biff" Byford (Honley, West Yorkshire, January 5, 1951) is an English rock singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Saxon. Byford formed Son of a Bitch with guitarists Graham Oliver and Paul Quinn, bassist Steve Dawson and drummer Pete Gill in 1976. Prior to this, Byford had been the vocalist with Blue Condition from about 1970.

In 1978 Son of a Bitch changed its name to Saxon and released a self-titled album in 1979. Co-inciding with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal at the turn of the decade, Saxon had eight UK Top 40 albums and five Top 40 singles between 1980 and 1986. After this, Saxon declined in popularity, eventually leading to a split in 1995 with Oliver and Dawson forming a new band with the same name.[1] Byford's Saxon maintained a recording and touring career centred on Germany for much of the 1990s before coming back into worldwide attention with 2007's The Inner Sanctum.[2] In April the same year, Byford released his autobiography, entitled Never Surrender after the Saxon song of the same name. Since 2003 he has worked part time as the administrator of the Amadeus Orchestra.

Gigwise.com reported on January 18, 2010[3] that Byford was launching a campaign to have Britons declare heavy metal as their religion in the United Kingdom Census 2011, inspired by the Jedi census phenomenon (where 2001 Census results suggested that Jediism was the UK's fourth most popular religion).

Peter Cetera

Peter Paul Cetera ( /səˈtɛrə/ sə-TERR-ə; born September 13, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career.[1] As a solo artist, Cetera has scored six Top 40 singles, including two that reached number 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.

Cetera was born and raised in the Morgan Park section of Chicago, Illinois, located on the far South Side.[2] He was the second of six children and is of Polish descent. According to one source his father worked as a "machinist".[3] Cetera's siblings include two brothers, Tim Cetera[4][5] and Kenny Cetera,[2] who are listed as contributing musicians on some of the recordings he made with Chicago and on some of his solo recordings. Cetera's interest in music began at 11 years of age when his parents bought him an accordion instead of the guitar he wanted. When he was 15, some older students from his high school took him to a club to see a band called The Rebel Rockers, which led to his purchasing an acoustic guitar at Montgomery Ward.[2]

He eventually took up the electric bass, and with some high school friends—a drummer, guitarist and saxophone player—Cetera began playing the local dance circuit, dividing lead vocals with the guitarist. Cetera played in several groups in the Chicago area, including a popular local rock band named The Exceptions, which toured the Midwest in the mid 1960s, releasing two albums and several singles.[2][7] Cetera is quoted as saying, "By the time I was 18 I was making more money than my dad."[2]

In December 1967, Cetera arrived early for a show to watch a band called The Big Thing. Impressed by their use of a horn section combined with rock and roll, Cetera left The Exceptions to join The Big Thing within two weeks. The Big Thing, which soon changed its name to The Chicago Transit Authority (and eventually shortened it to Chicago after complaints by the actual CTA), released their self-titled debut album The Chicago Transit Authority on Columbia Records in 1969. Cetera sang lead vocal on three of the eleven songs on the album, with his tenor voice complementing the baritone voices of the two other lead singers in the group, keyboardist Robert Lamm and guitarist Terry Kath.

His trademark singing style would develop as a result of having to sing for a period of time with a wired-shut jaw after getting into a brawl at a Los Angeles Dodgers game in 1969.[8]

The follow-up album, Chicago, vaulted the band to popular status throughout the world. The song "25 or 6 to 4" was the first major hit single with Cetera singing lead vocals. Chicago is also notable for featuring Cetera's first songwriting effort, "Where Do We Go From Here?"

As the 1970s progressed, Cetera would become a more prolific songwriter for the group, contributing the hits "Wishing You Were Here" (#11) and "Happy Man" from the 1974 album Chicago VII. His biggest singing and songwriting accomplishment with Chicago came in 1976 with their first worldwide No. 1 single, the ballad "If You Leave Me Now." Cetera's next composition in 1977, "Baby, What A Big Surprise" (#4), also became a major hit and cemented the band's status in the late 1970s as a "ballad band."

By the end of the 1970s, with the rise of disco music, Chicago's popularity declined, culminating in the release of the band's poorest-selling album Chicago XIV (#71) in 1980. Columbia Records subsequently bought out the remainder of Chicago's contract.

Peter Cetera, his first solo album, released in 1981 In 1981, Cetera released his first solo album, Peter Cetera, on Warner Bros. Records, after personally buying the rights from his previous contract with

Columbia Records, who would not release the project. The album was, subsequently, a commercial failure, which Cetera attributed to Warner Bros.' refusal to promote him as a solo artist out of fear that he would leave Chicago, who had only recently signed with the label.[1]

In 1982, David Foster was brought in as producer and the resulting group effort was Chicago 16 (#9). The album represented a major comeback for Chicago, and leading the way was the hit single co-written (with Foster) and featured Cetera on lead vocals, "Hard to Say I'm Sorry," which went to #1 in the charts. The song also featured in the movie 'Summer Lovers' starring Daryl Hannah. The second single, "Love Me Tomorrow," was also co-written (again with Foster) and sung by Cetera, reaching No. 22 on the singles chart. The third single, "What You're Missing," was yet again sung by Cetera. In 1983, he took a break from his duties as Chicago frontman to add backing vocals on Paul Anka's final U.S. Top-40 hit Hold Me Til The Mornin' Comes, which debuted in the summer of that year.

When Chicago 17 was released in 1984, it became the veteran band's most successful selling album in their history, eventually going on to sell over 6 million copies in the United States alone. All four singles released from the album were sung by Cetera, including three which he co-wrote, and all of them charted in the top 20: "Stay the Night" (#16), "Hard Habit to Break" (#3), "You're the Inspiration" (#3) and "Along Comes a Woman" (#14).

With the advent of the music video and the growing popularity of MTV, Cetera became the 'face' and public leader of the longtime faceless band that was Chicago.[9]

Peter Frampton

Peter Kenneth Frampton (born 22 April 1950) is an English born naturalized American musician, singer, songwriter, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies in the United States alone and spawned several hits. Since then he has released several major albums.[1] He has also worked with David Bowie and both Matt Cameron and Mike McCready from Pearl Jam, among others. Frampton is best known for such hits as "Breaking All The Rules", "Show Me the Way", "Baby, I Love Your Way", "Do You Feel Like We Do", and "I'm in You", which remain staples on classic-rock radio. He has also appeared as himself in television shows such as The Simpsons and Family Guy. Frampton is known for his work as a guitar player and particularly with a Talkbox and his tenor voice.

Frampton was born in Beckenham, England. He attended Bromley Technical High School,[2] at which his father, Owen Frampton, was a teacher and the head of the Art department.[3] He first became interested in music when he was seven years old. Upon discovering his grandmother's banjolele (a banjo-shaped ukulele) in the attic,[4] he taught himself to play, and later taught himself to play guitar and piano as well. At age eight he started taking classical music lessons.[5][6]

Early influences were Cliff Richard & the Shadows (featuring guitarist Hank Marvin) and American rockers Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran, and then the Ventures, Jimi Hendrix, and The Beatles. His father introduced him to the recordings of Belgian gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt.[4][7]

By the age of twelve, Frampton played in a band called The Little Ravens. Both he and David Bowie were pupils at Bromley Technical School. The Little Ravens played on the same bill at school as Bowie's band, George and the Dragons.[5] Peter and David would spend time together at lunch breaks, playing Buddy Holly songs.[5][8]

At the age of 14, Peter was playing with a band called The Trubeats followed by a band called The Preachers, produced and managed by Bill Wyman of The Rolling Stones.[5]

He became a successful child singer, and in 1966, he became a member of The Herd. He was the lead guitarist and singer, scoring a handful of British pop hits. Frampton was named "The Face of 1968" by teen magazine Rave.[5][7][9]

In early 1969, when Frampton was 18 years old, he joined with Steve Marriott of The Small Faces to form Humble Pie.[5][9]

While playing with Humble Pie, Frampton also did session recording with other artists, including: Harry Nilsson, Jim Price, Jerry Lee Lewis, as well as on George Harrison's solo All Things Must Pass, in 1970, and John Entwistle's Whistle Rymes, in 1972.[9] During the Harrison session he was introduced to the 'talk box' that was to become one of his trademark guitar effects.[

Don Henley

Donald Hugh "Don" Henley (born July 22, 1947, in Gilmer, Texas) is an American singer, songwriter and drummer, best known as a founding member of the Eagles before launching a successful solo career. Henley was the drummer and lead vocalist for the Eagles from 1971–1980, when the band broke up. Henley sings lead vocals on Eagles hits such as "Witchy Woman", "Desperado", "Best of My Love", "One of These Nights", "Hotel California", "Life in the Fast Lane", and "The Long Run". He formed one of the most successful songwriting partnerships with Glenn Frey.

After the Eagles broke up in 1980, Henley pursued a solo career and released his debut album in 1982. He has released four studio albums, two compilation albums, and one live DVD. His solo hits include "Dirty Laundry", "The Boys of Summer", "All She Wants to Do Is Dance", "The Heart of the Matter", "The Last Worthless Evening", "Sunset Grill", "Not Enough Love in the World", "New York Minute" and "The End of the Innocence".

The Eagles have sold over 120 million albums worldwide, won six Grammy Awards, had five #1 singles, 17 Top 40 singles, and six #1 albums. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and are the biggest selling American band in history. As a solo artist, Henley has sold over 10 million albums worldwide, had eight Top 40 singles, won two Grammys and five MTV Video Music Awards. Combined with the Eagles and as a solo artist, Henley has released 25 Top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. He has released seven studio albums with the Eagles and four as a solo artist. In 2008, he was ranked the 87th greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.

Henley has also played a founding role in several environmental and political causes, most notably the Walden Woods Project.[1] Since 1994, he has divided his musical activities between the Eagles and his solo career. He is scheduled to release his fifth studio album in 2011, which will be a country album with covers and originals.

Aldo Capuruscio

Aldo Nova (born Aldo Caporuscio November 13, 1956 Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and producer, Nova gained fame with his self-titled debut album Aldo Nova in 1981, and its accompanying single "Fantasy", which climbed to #23 on the Billboard Hot 100.[

Signing with Portrait Records, Nova released a self-produced album, Aldo Nova, in 1981. It had two singles: "Fantasy" and "Foolin' Yourself". "Fantasy" made him what some would call a one hit wonder.[3] His next album, Subject...Aldo Nova had a minor hit with "Monkey on Your Back," but his solo career flagged and he became a player and songwriter for other bands. He worked with Jon Bon Jovi in both the early and late 1980s and produced some early Céline Dion albums. Nova co-wrote the hit song "A New Day Has Come" for Dion and has been featured playing guitar, synthesizer, and percussion on her records. He also wrote her Your Light and I Can't Fight The Feelin'. He helped write and produce parts of Chantal Condor's 1989 album, Chantal. In 1991, Nova sought the help of Bon Jovi to revive his solo career on his release Blood on the Bricks, but it still only managed to chart at number 124.

As a songwriter, Nova's recent hits include Clay Aiken's "This is the Night" (co-written with Chris Braide and Gary Burr), which in the US was a number one hit and the best selling single of 2003.

2]

Joey Tempest

Joey Tempest (born Rolf Magnus Joakim Larsson; August 19, 1963) is the vocalist and main songwriter in the Swedish rock band Europe. He has written hits like "The Final Countdown", "Rock the Night" and "Superstitious".

Before becoming the artist Joey Tempest, Joakim Larsson learned how to play the piano and the guitar. He played football, ice hockey and competed in go-cart; he once came in fourth place in the Junior Cart Race, a Swedish championship. Like many of the other Europe members, he grew up in Stockholm suburb Upplands Väsby. His biggest idols were Thin Lizzy and Led Zeppelin. During his teens, he played in a number of bands such as Jet, Blazer, Made in Hong Kong and Roxanne. At that time he alternated between playing rhythm guitar and bass, in addition to lead vocalsIn 1979, he formed the band Force with guitarist John Norum, drummer Tony Reno and bassist Peter Olsson.[1] Force immediately began building a reputation and a fanbase in the suburbs of Stockholm. In 1982, they changed their name to Europe and won the music competition Rock-SM. The first prize was a record deal with Hot Records.[1] Europe released five albums between 1983 and 1991, with Joey Tempest as the singer, frontman and songwriter.

[edit] The Final Countdown In 1995, Tempest's solo debut A Place to Call Home was released. He has called it his "singer/songwriter album". The album, which was

produced by Dan Sundquist, was recorded in Stockholm and London using Swedish musicians. Europe band mate John Norum guests on one of the tracks. Tempest also played guitar on the album. A Place to Call Home sold platinum in Sweden and it was a big success internationally.

Later the same year he commenced his first European tour as a solo artist. The following year he was nominated for a "Best Swedish Artist" Grammy. Four singles were taken from the album, "A Place to Call Home", "Under the Influence", "We Come Alive" and "Don't Go Changing On Me".

The next album Azalea Place was released in 1997. The next solo album was recorded in Nashville by producer Richard Dodd, known for producing artists such as The Travelling Wilburys and Tom Petty. Where A Place To Call Home had Tempest writing all the material, the new album was written together with others. Among these were Chris Difford from Squeeze and Will Jennings. "Azalea Place was mostly written in the studio and was therefore more improvised and experimental", Tempest commented on the production[citation needed]. "The Match", "The One In The Glass" and "If I'd Only Known" were released as singles. "The Match" became one of the most played songs on Swedish radio and the album achieved gold status. The following year Tempest participated in Mike Batt's Philarmania, with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as backing. He performed Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run".

In the autumn of 2002 he released his third solo album, Joey Tempest. The producer team behind the album was "DeadMono", consisting of Malcolm Pardon and Fredrik Rinman. The team has also worked with Eskobar, Lisa Miskovsky and Stakka Bo. Also collaborating on the album are Chris Difford, former Europe member Mic Michaeli, and guitarist Adam Lamprell. The first session took place in Konk Studios, The Kinks old London studio, where Tempest jammed with English musicians who had formerly played with Massive Attack. This session produced "Magnificent", "Kill For A Girl Like You" (B-side of the first single "Forgiven") and "Sometimes". Work continued in Stockholm, this time with Swedish musicians, including Mic Michaeli. "Superhuman" originated from this session. After that, Tempest kept on working with Adam Lamprell in a temporary studio in London.

Presently Tempest commutes between London and Dublin. Of his song writing Tempest has said, "Dreamless and Magnificent have a lot of London in them. Losers is influenced by both London and Dublin. Living there can be very intense, almost chaotic. They’re tough cities and I'd never have written the lyrics I did without living there.[citation needed]" Some lyrics can also be related to his homeland, reflections on living abroad, and learning to live with new people.

Paul Rogers

Paul Bernard Rodgers (born 17 December 1949, Middlesbrough)[1] is an English rock singer-songwriter, best known for his success in the 1970s as a member of Free and Bad Company. After stints in two less successful bands in the 1980s and early 1990s, The Firm and The Law, he became a solo artist. He has recently toured and recorded with another 1970s band, Queen. Rodgers has been dubbed "The Voice" by his fans.[2][3] A poll in Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 55 on its list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time".[4]

Rodgers has been cited as a significant influence on a number of notable rock singers, including David Coverdale, John Waite, Steve Overland, Lou Gramm, Jimi Jamison, Eric Martin, Steve Walsh, Joe Lynn Turner, Paul Young, Robin McAuley, Jimmy Barnes, Richie Kotzen and Joe Bonamassa. In 1991, John Mellencamp called Rodgers "the best rock singer ever

Rodgers formed his next band, Bad Company, with Mick Ralphs, former guitarist of Mott the Hoople. Rodgers said: "Mick and I were trying to come up with names for the band. When I called him and said 'Bad Company', he dropped the phone."

Bad Company toured successfully from 1973 to 1982, and had several hits such as "Feel Like Making Love", "Can't Get Enough", "Shooting Star", "Bad Company", and "Run With The Pack". Rodgers also showcased his instrumental talents on several tracks: "Bad Company" and "Run With The Pack" featured him on piano; "Rock And Roll Fantasy" on guitar; and on the ballad "Seagull" Rodgers played all of the instruments. Bad Company earned six platinum albums until Rodgers left in 1982 at the height of their fame stating that he wanted to spend time with his young family.

It was revealed in April 2011 that after Jim Morrison's death, the rest of The Doors wanted Rodgers to replace him. Rodgers has said that he was unreachably rural at the time, and the moment passed. [8]

[edit] 1980s: Solo career and The Firm In the early 1980s, it was rumoured that Rodgers would sing with The Rossington-Collins Band (made up of the

survivors of Lynyrd Skynyrd), In October 1983, Rodgers released his first solo LP Cut Loose. He composed all of the music and played all of the instruments. The album reached number 135 on the Billboard's Pop Albums chart.

When his friend Jimmy Page started to come around to his house, guitar in hand and Led Zeppelin at an end, the duo's first live pairing was on the US ARMS (Action Research into Multiple Sclerosis) Tour, which had first been mooted by Eric Clapton and, besides Rodgers and Page, would include Jeff Beck, Joe Cocker, Steve Winwood and others. The inspiration behind ARMS had been former Small Faces/Faces member Ronnie Lane's own struggle with M.S. This led to Rodgers and Page's further teaming in the group The Firm, which resulted in two albums and two tours. Both Firm world tours managed only average attendance.[citation needed] Despite being panned by critics[citation needed] The Firm's two albums, The Firm and Mean Business, achieved moderate sales success[citation needed] and produced the radio hits "Radioactive", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", and, in the UK, "All The King's Horses".

John Cougar Mellencamp

John Mellencamp,(born October 7, 1951) is an American rock singer-songwriter, musician, painter and occasional actor known for his catchy, populist brand of heartland rock which emphasizes traditional instrumentation. He has sold over 40 million albums worldwide and has amassed 22 Top 40 hits in the United States. In addition, he holds the record for the most tracks by a solo artist to hit number-one on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, with seven, and has been nominated for 13 Grammy Awards, winning one. His latest album, No Better Than This, was released on August 17, 2010 to widespread critical acclaim.

Mellencamp is also one of the founding members of Farm Aid, an organization that began in 1985 with a concert in Champaign, Illinois to raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep farm families on their land. The Farm Aid concerts have remained an annual event over the past 26 years, and as of 2012 the organization has raised over $39 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture.

Mellencamp was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10, 2008 by Billy Joel.[1] His biggest musical influences are Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Buddy Holly and The Rolling Stones.[2] Said longtime Rolling Stone contributor Anthony DeCurtis: "Mellencamp has created an important body of work that has earned him both critical regard and an enormous audience. His songs document the joys and struggles of ordinary people seeking to make their way, and he has consistently brought the fresh air of common experience to the typically glamour-addled world of popular music."[

Mellencamp was born in Seymour, Indiana. He is the son of Richard and the late Marilyn Mellencamp. Mellencamp was born with a mild form of spina bifida that necessitated a lengthy stay in the hospital as a baby.[4] He is descended from German immigrant Johann Herman Möhlenkamp, who came to the White Creek area of Bartholomew County, Indiana, in 1855.[5] He grew up in his hometown of Seymour, Indiana.

He formed his first band, Crepe Soul, at the age of 14[4] and later played in the local bands Trash, Snakepit Banana Barn and the Mason Brothers. He eloped with his pregnant girlfriend Priscilla Esterline at the age of 18[4] and became a father in December 1970, six months after he graduated from high school. His daughter Michelle became a mother at age 19, making John a grandfather at 37.

Mellencamp attended Vincennes University, a two-year college in Vincennes, Indiana, starting in 1972. During this time he experimented with drugs and alcohol, stating in a 1986 Rolling Stone interview, "When I was high on pot, it affected me so drastically that when I was in college there were times when I wouldn't get off the couch. I would lie there, listening to Roxy Music, right next to the record player so I wouldn't have to get up to flip the record over. I'd listen to this record, that record. There would be four or five days like that when I would be completely gone."[2]

Upon graduating from Vincennes University in 1974, Mellencamp played in a couple of local bands, including the aforementioned glitter-band Trash, which was named after a New York Dolls song, and he later got a job in Seymour installing telephones. At this time, Mellencamp, who had given up drugs and alcohol for good before graduating from Vincennes University, decided to pursue a career in music.

After about 18 months of traveling back and forth from Indiana to New York City in 1974 and 1975, Mellencamp finally found someone receptive to his music and image in Tony DeFries of MainMan Management.[2] DeFries insisted that Mellencamp's first album, Chestnut Street Incident, a collection of covers and a handful of original songs, be released under the stage name Johnny Cougar, suggesting that the bumpy German name "Mellencamp" was too hard to market. Mellencamp reluctantly agreed, but the album was a complete failure, selling only 12,000 copies.

Mellencamp recorded The Kid Inside, the follow-up to Chestnut Street Incident, in 1977, but DeFries eventually decided against releasing the album and Mellencamp was dropped from MCA records (DeFries finally released The Kid Inside in early 1983, after Mellencamp broke through to stardom). Mellencamp drew interest from Rod Stewart's manager, Billy Gaff, after parting ways with DeFries and was signed to the tiny Riva Records label. At Gaff's request, Mellencamp moved to London, England for nearly a year to record, promote and tour behind 1978's A Biography. The record wasn't released in the United States, but it yielded a hit in Australia with "I Need a Lover".[2] Riva Records added "I Need a Lover" to Mellencamp's next album released in the United States, 1979's John Cougar, where the song became a No. 28 single in late 1979. Pat Benatar recorded "I Need a Lover" on her debut album In the Heat of the Night.

In 1980, Mellencamp returned with the Steve Cropper-produced Nothin' Matters and What If It Did, which yielded two Top 40 singles — "This Time" (No. 27) and "Ain't Even Done With the Night" (No. 17). "The singles were stupid little pop songs," he told Record Magazine in 1983. "I take no credit for that record. It wasn't like the title was made up — it wasn't supposed to be punky or cocky like some people thought. Toward the end, I didn't even go to the studio. Me and the guys in the band thought we were finished, anyway. It was the most expensive record I ever made. It cost $280,000, do you believe that? The worst thing was that I could have gone on making records like that for hundreds of years. Hell, as long as you sell a few records and the record company isn't putting a lot of money into promotion, you're making money for 'em and that's all they care about. PolyGram loved Nothin' Matters. They thought I was going to turn into the next Neil Diamond."

In 1982, Mellencamp released his breakthrough album, American Fool, which contained the singles "Hurts So Good," an uptempo rock tune that spent four weeks at No. 2 and 16 weeks in the top 10, and "Jack & Diane," which was a No. 1 hit for four weeks. A third single, "Hand to Hold On To," made it to No. 19. "Hurts So Good" went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the 25th Grammys. "To be real honest, there's three good songs on that record, and the rest is just sort of filler," Mellencamp told Creem Magazine of American Fool in 1984. "It was too labored over, too thought about, and it wasn't organic enough. The record company thought it would bomb, but I think the reason it took off was – not that the songs were better than my others – but people liked the sound of it, the 'bam-bam-bam' drums. It was a different sound."

[edit] Performing as John Cougar Mellencamp (1983–1990) 3]

John Waite

John Charles Waite (born 4 July 1952[1]) is an English Muffin and musician. He was lead vocalist for The Babys and Bad English. As a solo artist, he scored several international hits, including 1984's "Missing You", a #1 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and a top ten hit on the UK Singles Chart.

Waite was born in Lancaster, England. He first came to attention as the lead singer and bassist of The Babys, a British group which had moderate chart success, including two pop hits that both coincidentally peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Isn't It Time" (1977) and "Everytime I Think Of You" (1979),[2] and a solid following for their concert tours. Over the course of five years, the band produced five albums ending with the final album On the Edge in October 1980, after which the group broke up.[3]

Waite subsequently launched his solo career with his 1982 debut album Ignition, which produced the hit single "Change". The Chrysalis 45 failed to chart on Billboard's Hot 100 during its initial release but was a top track on AOR radio stations as well as a very popular music video on MTV as the 'new' cable channel celebrated its first full year of operation. The pulsating track was written by Holly Knight (The song was originally recorded in 1981 by Knight's band Spider) and in 1985 was included on the Platinum selling Vision Quest soundtrack. (The single was reissued and this time it reached the Top 50 on the Hot 100.) "Going To The Top" was released as the original follow-up single to "Change".

His next album, No Brakes, resulted in international attention - and was a Top 10 Billboard album in the US - due to the smash hit "Missing You" which went to #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[4] It knocked Tina Turner's "What's Love Got To Do With It?" out of #1. For that very reason, Turner later recorded and released Waite's smash song herself. (Turner's single peaked at a disappointing #84 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 1996.) "Missing You" also hit #1 on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks as well as the Top 10 of Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. No Brakes sold over a million and a half US copies yet has never been certified above the RIAA Gold standard (a record company must apply to the RIAA for such certification). Two more singles from No Brakes followed, including "Tears" which was a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts.

The next album Mask of Smiles followed in 1985 featuring the hit single "Every Step of the Way". Another single, "If Anybody Had a Heart", was released from the soundtrack of the 1986 film About Last Night..., starring Demi Moore. In 1987, "Rover's Return" was released with the single "These Times Are Hard For Lovers". Waite would have another soundtrack appearance in 1990 from Days of Thunder with "Deal for Life", written by Martin Page and Bernie Taupin.

In 1988, Waite joined former Babys bandmates Jonathan Cain and Ricky Phillips along with Neal Schon from Journey and drummer Deen Castronovo, to form the supergroup Bad English. In 1989, the Bad English ballad "When I See You Smile" (penned by Diane Warren) went to #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 and earned a Gold-certified single. Its parent album reached Billboard's Top Five and sold nearly two million copies in the United States alone. Bad English released two albums before tensions amongst the members led to the band's dissolution by 1992.

Waite returned to solo work and since 1995 has produced five solo albums including his latest album Rough And Tumble. He still tours, including in 2003 with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, and as an opening act for Journey in 2005.

In 2006, "Missing You" was released as a duet with Alison Krauss and reached the Top 40 on the Country Charts in the United States. Waite appeared with Krauss on the Tonight Show on February 5, 2007 to perform "Missing You."

In 2008 he recorded as a guest vocal the track "In God's Shadow" from the Keith Reid Project's The Common Thread. Waite appears as himself and performs two songs in the 2010 feature film, New Day, from L'Oiseau Blanc Films. In 2011 the title track from

his tenth solo album " Rough and Tumble " went number one on Classic Rock radio. [edit] Personal life

Steve Walsh

Steve Walsh (born June 15, 1951) is a singer and songwriter best known for his work as a member of the progressive rock band Kansas.[1] He sings lead on Kansas' four best-known hits: "Carry On Wayward Son," "Dust in the Wind", "Point of Know Return", and "All I Wanted", the last two of which he also co-wrote.

Walsh was in a number of local groups prior to his joining Kansas, most notably a group named "White Clover" which ultimately became Kansas. The band White Clover toured relentlessly and sharpened their brand of distinctively American, hard-rocking progressive music. When the group was being signed to Don Kirshner's label their name was changed to Kansas.

During Walsh's time with the band, Kansas recorded two enormously successful albums, 1976's Leftoverture and 1977's Point of Know Return. With Kansas, Walsh has released 12 studio albums, six live albums, and numerous singles. He has had three solo albums thus far.

Walsh left Kansas after 1980's Audio-Visions due to philosophical differences with the band's primary song writer Kerry Livgren. Also in 1980, he released his first solo album, Schemer Dreamer, which included former band mates Kerry Livgren, Rich Williams and Phil Ehart, as well as guitarist Steve Morse (who in 1985 would join the revamped Kansas). It contains the popular song "Every Step Of The Way". In 1982 he formed a rock band called Streets, which released the albums 1st in 1983 and Crimes In Mind in 1985 before disbanding.

As a guest vocalist, Steve Walsh has appeared on numerous other artists' recordings. Kansas (who had obtained a different vocalist, John Elefante) split in 1983, but reformed three

years later with Walsh back on board. He has remained with the band ever since. Walsh released his second solo album, entitled Glossolalia, in 2000. His third, Shadowman followed

in 2005, with the collaboration of such musicians as Joe Franco on drums, Joel Kosche on guitars and bass, and David Ragsdale on violin on the song "After".

Steve continues to tour with Kansas as their lead singer and sole keyboardist. He contributes guest vocals for different acts from time to time.

Robin Zander

Robin Wayne Zander (born 23 January 1953) is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Cheap Trick.

Zander was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, the fourth of five children; he has two older brothers, and older and younger sisters.

Zander reportedly was reading books by age three, and learned to play the guitar by age 12. He played with his first group, The Destinations, while in seventh grade. The next year he was with a group called Butterscotch Sundays, playing summer festivals, and after that formed a band called Robin and the Hoods. In high school, Zander sang for three years in the Madrigals, the most demanding of the three choral groups at his school, played basketball and football, and had a part-time job at a sandwich shop.

In 1972, Zander was offered the lead singer role in a new band called Cheap Trick by the group's drummer, Bun E. Carlos. At the time, Zander was under contract with a resort in Wisconsin Dells, where he sang and played cover songs, and Cheap Trick had a lead vocalist, Randy "Xeno" Hogan. Hogan left the band around the same time Zander's resort contract expired, and Zander joined Cheap Trick as lead singer. Guitarist Rick Nielsen introduces Zander at concerts as his "favorite lead singer in the whole wide world".

In 1993, Zander released a self-titled solo album. Zander and his Cheap Trick band mates had cameo roles in the 2003 Eddie Murphy comedy

Daddy Day Care. Zander continues to perform with Cheap Trick around the world. In 2008, the group played in Japan for the 30th anniversary of their original Budokan album release.

Zander's vocal style has influenced many other rock singers from 1980s hard rockers such as Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe, Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses, Bret Michaels of Poison, and Sebastian Bach of Skid Row, 1990's punk revivalists, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, to alternative icons Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, and Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots[1].

[edit] Solo projects

Sebastian Bach

Sebastian Bach (born April 3, 1968) is a Canadian heavy metal singer who achieved mainstream success as frontman of Skid Row from 1987 to 1996. Since his departure from Skid Row, he has had many television roles, acted within Broadway plays, and leads a successful solo career.

Bach was born Sebastian Philip Bierk on April 3, 1968 in Freeport, Bahamas, and raised in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. He attended nearby Lakefield College School in the same class as Michael Kulas, of the British rock group James, a year behind Felipe, Prince of Asturias and a year ahead of the comedian/actor Will Arnett. He is of Norwegian, French Canadian, and Native American descent. Bach's father was the visual artist David Bierk. He is the brother of retired NHL goaltender Zac Bierk, model/actress Heather Dylan Bierk, and Toronto-based artists Jeff, Nick, Alex, and Charles Bierk.

[edit] Career Skid Row initially formed in the late eighties with lead singer Matt Fallon. They began playing at various New Jersey

clubs. Fallon would soon leave the band in 1987, leaving Skid Row without a singer. Bach was spotted singing at rock photographer Mark Weiss's wedding and the members asked him to join. He turned them down, but changed his mind after hearing the demo tapes of "Youth Gone Wild" and "18 and Life". He sent them a demo of him singing "Saved By Love." They loved it and flew him to New Jersey where they began playing gigs. Sebastian also recorded demos with Bon Jovi & Sabo's friend Jack Ponti. (The song "She's on Top" later came out on Jack Ponti Presents Vol. 1)

In 1989, Bach was criticized for performing wearing a T-shirt reading "AIDS Kills Fags Dead." Later he claimed he wore it without reading it first; it had been thrown to him by a fan. Although he made light of the incident in his original apology (stating that he would've been offended by someone mocking his grandmother's then-recent death with a "Cancer Kills Grandmas Dead" shirt), Bach has since repeatedly apologized for and disavowed the statement, "That was really stupid and wrong for me to wear that for one half-hour in my life. What nobody brings up is in 2000, when I was in Jekyll & Hyde, and at an auction for Broadway Cares, I donated $12,000 of my own money to fight AIDS." [1]

In 1990, Bach performed with Guns N' Roses and Metallica, on the same stage, at a party held by RIP Magazine, the improvised name for the band was: The Gak. In 1992, he sang the Canadian National Anthem at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in San Diego, California.

Bach was eventually fired when he booked a show where Skid Row would have opened for KISS in 1996. Other band members told Bach that Skid Row was too big to be an opening act and that they weren't going to do the show. Bach then left a message on a bandmate's answering machine telling him that you're never too big to open up for KISS, and subsequently left the band. Ironically enough, four years later, Skid Row was one of the opening acts for the 2000 Kiss Farewell Tour sans Bach.

Kevin Cronin

Kevin Cronin (born 6 October 1951) is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and occasional pianist for the American rock band, REO Speedwagon. REO Speedwagon had two #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 written by Cronin, "Keep on Loving You" (1981) and "Can't Fight This Feeling" (1985).

Cronin was born in Evanston, Illinois. He graduated from Brother Rice High School in Chicago, Illinois. REO Speedwagon switched lead vocalists three times for their first three albums. Terry Luttrell left the

band shortly after the group recorded its debut album in 1971, and was replaced by Cronin. Cronin recorded one album with the band, 1972's R.E.O./T.W.O., but left the band soon after, because of missed rehearsals and creative disagreements. Ridin' the Storm Out was the band's third release with as many singers; this time Mike Murphy took the microphone. Murphy stayed on for two more albums, before Cronin returned to the fold in 1976. Cronin's return came after Greg X. Volz turned down the position for lead vocals due to his conversion to Christianity. The band's success hit its peak in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but are still releasing records such as Find Your Own Way Home in 2007. Their most famous album, Hi Infidelity, sold over 10 million copies. Kevin is always in a good mood but has stated in various interviews that they "play for free but get paid for the traveling".

Kevin has written or co-written many of the band's hit songs such as "Keep on Loving You", "Can't Fight This Feeling", "The Key", "Keep Pushin'", "Roll With the Changes", "Time for Me to Fly", "Here With Me", "In My Dreams", "Tough Guys", "Don't Let Him Go" and "Music Man".

Constantine Maroulis, Cronin and Kelli Barrett backstage at Rock of Ages. Cronin was a celebrity contestant on Don't Forget the Lyrics! on March 27, 2008. He reached

$350,000 before forgetting the lyrics to "Last Dance" by Donna Summer. He has a wife named Lisa and an older son named Paris. He also has a 13 year-old daughter, Holly,

and two ten year-old twins, Josh and Shane (ages as of 07/29/2010). He appears on infomercial advertising TimeLife's Ultimate Rock Ballads,[2] which feature tracks by

REO Speedwagon, mostly from the 1980s, when the band enjoyed their greatest success.

Bryan Adams

Bryan Adams, OC OBC (born Bryan Guy Adams, 5 November 1959) is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. For his contributions to music, Adams has many awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations, 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television in 1992. He has also won MTV, ASCAP, and American Music awards. In addition, he has won two Ivor Novello Awards for song composition and has been nominated for several Golden Globe Awards and three times for Academy Awards for his songwriting for films.

Adams was awarded the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia for contributions to popular music and philanthropic work via his own foundation, which helps improve education for people around the world.[1][2]

Adams was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with the 2,435th star in March 2011 and Canada's Walk of Fame in 1998,[3] and in April 2006 he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at Canada's Juno Awards.[4] In 2008, Bryan was ranked 38 on the list of All-Time top artists by the Billboard Hot 100 50th Anniversary Charts. On 13 January 2010, he received the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award for his part in numerous charitable concerts and campaigns during his career,[5] and on 1 May 2010 was given the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for his 30 years of contributions to the arts.[6]

Rod Stewart

Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE (born 10 January 1945)[3] is a British singer-songwriter, born and raised in North London, England, and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English[4] ancestry.

With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart came to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s with The Jeff Beck Group and then Faces. He launched his solo career in 1969 with his debut album An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (US: The Rod Stewart Album). His work with The Jeff Beck Group and Faces proved to influence heavy metal genres.[5][6]

With his career in its fifth decade, Stewart has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best selling artists of all time.[7] In the UK, he has garnered six consecutive number one albums, and his tally of 62 hit singles include 31 that reached the top 10, six of which gained the number one position.[8] He has had 16 top ten singles in the U.S, with four of these reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him the 17th most successful artist on the "The Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists".[9] He was voted at #33 in Q Magazine's list of the top 100 Greatest Singers of all time,[10] and #59 on Rolling Stone 100 Greatest Singers of all time.[11] As a solo artist, Stewart was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, and will be inducted a second time, as a member of Faces, in April 2012.

Roderick David Stewart was born at 507 Archway Road, Highgate, North London, the youngest of the five children of Robert Stewart and Elsie Gilbart.[14] His father was Scottish and had been a master builder in Leith, Edinburgh, while Elsie was English and had grown up in Upper Holloway in North London.[15] Married in 1928,[15] the couple had two sons and two daughters while living in Scotland, then they moved to Highgate.[14] Stewart came after an eight-year gap following his youngest sibling; he was born at home during World War II, half an hour after a German V-2 missile warhead fell on the local Highgate police station.[14][15]

The family was neither affluent nor poor, and by all accounts Stewart was a spoiled child as the youngest;[14][15] Stewart has called his childhood "fantastically happy".[15] He had an undistinguished record at Highgate Primary School and failed the eleven plus exam.[16] He then attended the William Grimshaw Secondary Modern School in Hornsey.[17] His father retired from the building trade at age 65, then opened a newsagent's shop on the Archway Road when Stewart was in his early teens; the family lived over the shop.[14][15] Stewart's main hobby was railway modelling.[18]

The Stewart family was mostly focused on football;[19] Robert had played on a local amateur side and managed some as well, and one of Stewart's earliest memories were the pictures of Scottish players such as George Young and Gordon Smith that his brothers had on the wall.[20][21] Rod was the most talented footballer in the Stewart family and was a strong supporter of Arsenal F.C..[20][22] Combining natural athleticism with near-reckless aggression, he became captain of the school football team and played for Middlesex Schoolboys as centre-half.[20]

The family were also great fans of the singer Al Jolson and would sing and play his hits.[19][23] Stewart collected his records and saw his films, read books about him, and was influenced by his performing style and attitude towards his audience.[19][21][24] His introduction to rock and roll was hearing Little Richard's 1956 hit "The Girl Can't Help It" and seeing Bill Haley & His Comets in concert.[23] His father bought him a guitar in January 1959; the first song he learned was the folk tune "It Takes a Worried Man to Sing a Worried Song" and the first record he bought was Eddie Cochran's "C'mon Everybody".[18] In 1960, he joined a skiffle group with schoolfriends called the Kool Kats, playing Lonnie Donegan and Chas McDevitt hits.[18][25]

Stewart left school at age 15[26] and worked briefly as a silk screen printer.[27] Spurred on by his father, his ambition was to become a professional footballer.[22][26] In 1961 he joined on as an apprentice with Brentford F.C.,[26][28][29] a Third Division club at the time.[30] However, he disliked the early morning travel to West London and the daily assignment to clean the first team's boots.[26] His playing effectiveness at centre-half was hindered by his slight build — 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) but only 9 stone (130 lb; 57 kg) — and he pushed himself so much that he sometimes vomited at the side of the pitch.[26] After up to two months of play in pre-season fixtures,[nb 1] Stewart left the team, to the great disappointment of his father.[26] Stewart later reflected that: "I had the skill but not the enthusiasm."[26] Regarding possible career options, Stewart concluded, "Well, a musician's life is a lot easier and I can also get drunk and make music, and I can't do that and play football. I plumped for music ... They're the only two things I can do actually: play football and sing."[19][26]

[edit] Music career [12][13]

Sting

Sting (born Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner[1] on 2 October 1951), CBE, is an English musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, activist, actor and philanthropist. Prior to starting his solo career, he was the principal songwriter, lead singer and bassist of the New Wave band The Police.

Sting has varied his musical style throughout his career, incorporating distinct elements of jazz, reggae, classical, New Age, and worldbeat into his music.[2] As a solo musician and member of The Police, Sting has received sixteen Grammy Awards for his work, receiving his first Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance in 1981, three Brit Awards — winning Best British Male in 1994, a Golden Globe, an Emmy Award, and several Oscar nominations for Best Original Song. He is a member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Sting was born in Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne, England,[3] the eldest of four children born to Audrey (née Cowell), a hairdresser, and Ernest Matthew Sumner, a milkman and engineer.[4] His siblings were Philip, Angela and Anita. Young Gordon would often assist his father with the early-morning milk-delivery rounds, and by age 10 he became obsessed with an old Spanish guitar that had been left behind by an emigrating friend of his father.[5]

He attended St. Cuthbert's Grammar School in Newcastle upon Tyne. He would often sneak into nightclubs like the Club A Go-Go, where he would watch acts such as Cream and Jimi Hendrix, artists who would later influence his own music. After jobs as a bus conductor, a construction labourer, and a tax officer, he attended Northern Counties College of Education, (which later became part of Northumbria University) from 1971 to 1974 and qualified as a teacher.[6] He then worked as a schoolteacher at St. Paul's First School in Cramlington for two years.[7]

Sting performed in jazz bands on evenings, weekends, and during breaks from college and from teaching. He played with local jazz bands such as the Phoenix Jazzmen, the Newcastle Big Band, and Last Exit. He gained his nickname after he performed wearing a black and yellow sweater with hooped stripes while onstage with the Phoenix Jazzmen. Bandleader Gordon Solomon[8] thought that the sweater made him look like a bee, which prompted the nickname "Sting".[9] In the 1985 documentary Bring on the Night he was addressed by a journalist as "Gordon", and replied: "My children call me Sting, my mother calls me Sting, who is this Gordon character?"[10] In a 2011 interview for Time magazine, he stated: "I was never called Gordon. You could shout Gordon in the street and I would just move out of your way."[11]

Dire Straits

Dire Straits were a British rock band, formed in 1977 by former journalist and teacher Mark Knopfler, initially composed of Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), his younger brother David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals), and Pick Withers (drums and percussion).

Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest to beat music within the context of rock and roll. Despite the prominence of punk rock during the band's early years, the band's stripped-down sound contrasted with punk, demonstrating a more "rootsy" influence that emerged out of pub rock. Many of Dire Straits' compositions were melancholic.[2]

Dire Straits' biggest selling album, Brothers in Arms, has sold over 30 million copies.[3] They also became one of the world's most commercially successful bands, with worldwide album sales of over 120 million.[4] Dire Straits won numerous music awards during their career, including four Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards—winning Best British Group twice, and two MTV Video Music Awards.[4] The band' most popular songs include "Sultans of Swing", "Romeo and Juliet", "Tunnel of Love", "Private Investigations", "Money for Nothing", "Walk of Life", "So Far Away" and "Brothers in Arms".

Dire Straits's career spanned 18 years. There were numerous personnel changes in the group, with Mark Knopfler and John Illsley the only two members who remained throughout the band's career. Dire Straits disbanded in 1995 when Mark Knopfler launched his career as a solo artist.

Mark Knopfler, his younger brother David Knopfler, John Illsley, and Pick Withers formed the band in 1977.[5] In 1977, Dire Straits (a name given to the band by a musician flatmate of drummer Pick Withers), recorded a five-song demo tape which included their future hit single, "Sultans of Swing", as well as "Water of Love", "Down to the Waterline", "Wild West End" and David Knopfler's "Sacred Loving".[6] They took the tape to DJ Charlie Gillett, who had a radio show called "Honky Tonkin" on BBC Radio London. The band simply wanted advice, but Gillett liked the music so much that he played "Sultans of Swing" on his show. Two months later, Dire Straits signed a recording contract with Phonogram Records.[7] In October 1977, the band recorded demo tapes of "Southbound Again", "In the Gallery" and "Six Blade Knife" for BBC Radio London; in November demo tapes were made of "Setting Me Up", "Eastbound Train" and "Real Girl".

The group's first album, Dire Straits, was recorded at Basing Street studios in West London in February 1978, at a cost of £12,500.[8] Produced by Muff Winwood, the album had little promotion when initially released in the United Kingdom on Vertigo Records, a division of Phonogram, and was not well received. However, the album came to the attention of A&R representative Karin Berg, working at Warner Bros. Records in New York City. She felt that it was the kind of music audiences were hungry for, but only one person in her department agreed at first.[8] Many of the songs on the album reflected Mark Knopfler's experiences in Newcastle, Leeds and London. "Down to the Waterline" recalled images of life in Newcastle; "In the Gallery" is a tribute to a Leeds sculptor/artist named Harry Phillips (father of Steve Phillips); "Wild West End" and "Lions" were drawn from Knopfler's early days in the capital.[9][10]

That same year, Dire Straits began a tour as opening band for the Talking Heads after the re-released "Sultans of Swing" finally started to climb the UK charts.[11] This led to a United States recording contract with Warner Bros. Records; before the end of 1978, Dire Straits had released their self-titled debut worldwide. They received more attention in the United States, but also arrived at the top of the charts in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Dire Straits eventually went top 10 in every European country.[7]

The following year, Dire Straits embarked on their first North American tour. They played 51 sold-out concerts over a 38-day period.[12] "Sultans of Swing" scaled the charts to number four in the United States and number eight in the United Kingdom.[11][13] The song was one of Dire Straits' biggest hits and became a fixture in the band's live performances. Bob Dylan, who had seen the band play in Los Angeles, was so impressed that he invited Mark Knopfler and drummer Pick Withers to play on his next album, Slow Train Coming.[14]

Recording sessions for the group's second album, Communiqué, took place in December 1978 at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas. Released in June 1979, Communiqué was produced by Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett and went to #1 on the German album charts, with the debut album Dire Straits simultaneously at #3. Featuring the single "Lady Writer", the second album continued in a similar vein as the first and displayed the expanding scope of Knopfler's lyricism on the opening track, "Once Upon a Time in the West".[15] In the coming year, however, this approach began to change, along with the group's lineup.

Phil Collins

Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO (born 30 January 1951)[1] is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist.

Collins sang the lead vocals on several chart hits in the United Kingdom and the United States between 1975 and 2010, either as a solo artist or with Genesis. His singles, sometimes dealing with lost love, ranged from the drum-heavy "In the Air Tonight", dance pop of "Sussudio", piano-driven "Against All Odds", to the political statements of "Another Day in Paradise".

Collins's professional music career began as a drummer, originally in a band called the Real Thing with his future wife, Andrea. Collins played drums and shared lead vocals (with Brian Chatton) in Flaming Youth which recorded one album, (Ark II). In 1970, he took over drums for Genesis, which had already recorded two albums. In Genesis, Collins originally supplied backing vocals for front man Peter Gabriel, singing lead on only two songs: "For Absent Friends" from 1971's Nursery Cryme album and "More Fool Me" from Selling England by the Pound, which was released in 1973. Following Gabriel's departure in 1975, Collins became the group's lead singer.

His solo career, heavily influenced by his personal life, brought both himself and Genesis commercial success. According to Atlantic Records, Collins's total worldwide sales as a solo artist, as of 2000, were 150 million.[2] Collins has won numerous music awards throughout his career, including seven Grammy Awards, five Brit Awards—winning Best British Male three times, an Academy Award, and two Golden Globes for his solo work.[3][4] He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010.

Collins is one of only three recording artists (along with Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson) who have sold over 100 million albums worldwide both as solo artists and (separately) as principal members of a band.[5] When his work with Genesis, his work with other artists, as well as his solo career is totalled, Collins had more top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the 1980s than any other artist.[6] In 2008, Collins was ranked the 22nd most successful artist on the "The Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists".[7]

His professional training began at 14 when he entered Barbara Speake Stage School.[12] He began a career as a child actor and model, and won his first major role as the Artful Dodger in the London production of Oliver!. He was an extra in the Beatles' A Hard Day's Night, one of hundreds of screaming teenagers during the TV concert sequence and seen fleetingly in a close-up. He was also in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as one of the children who storms the castle at the end of the film, but it was cut.[13] He also auditioned for the role of Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (1968),[14] a role won by fellow Artful Dodger actor Leonard Whiting.[15] Collins was among the last three finalists for the role of I.Q. on the American children's television show The Bugaloos (he lost out to English actor/musician John McIndoe).[16]

Despite the beginnings of an acting career, Collins continued to gravitate towards music. While attending Chiswick Community School he formed a band called the Real Thing and later joined the Freehold. With the latter group, he wrote his first song titled "Lying Crying Dying".[17]

Collins's first record deal came as drummer for Hickory, who changed their name to Flaming Youth by the time of their sole album, Ark 2 (1969).[18] A concept album inspired by the recent media attention surrounding the moon landing, Ark 2 (with Ronnie Caryl, Brian Chatton and Gordon (Flash) Smith), failed to make much commercial success despite positive critical reviews. Melody Maker featured the album as "Pop Album of the Month", describing it as "adult music beautifully played with nice tight harmonies". [19] The album's main single, "From Now On", failed on the radio. After a year of touring, band tensions and the lack of commercial success dissolved the group. In 1970, the 19-year old Collins played percussion on the George Harrison song "The Art of Dying". Harrison credited him in the liner notes to the remastered CD version of the album released in 2000

Paul Stanley

Stanley Harvey Eisen (born January 20, 1952), better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. Also known for his wailing vocals and high-energy on-stage antics. He is of Hungarian and Austrian ancestry.

He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's highest-charting hits. Stanley established the "Starchild" character for his Kiss persona. Hit Parader ranked him 18th on their list of Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time. Gibson.com Readers Poll also named him 13th on their list of Top 25 Frontmen.

Before Kiss, Paul Stanley was in a local band, Rainbow (not to be confused with Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow) and was also a member of Uncle Joe and Post War Baby Boom. Through a mutual friend of Gene Simmons', Stanley joined Simmons' band Wicked Lester in the early 1970s. The band recorded an album in 1972, but as of 2010 it has not been officially released (although songs from the album appeared on Kiss's 2001 box set). Wicked Lester soon fell apart and Stanley and Simmons placed ads for a drummer and a guitarist in various New York papers. This resulted in Peter Criss and Ace Frehley joining the group, and they named themselves Kiss. Kiss released their self-titled debut album in February 1974.

The Starchild Stanley's persona in Kiss was "The Starchild" utilizing one star over his right eye. For a brief time, Stanley changed his make-up

character to "The Bandit", with a "Lone Ranger" style mask design make-up pattern. This make-up design would only be used during a few mid-1973 shows, soon to be replaced by the now famous "The Starchild" make-up design and persona. In his book Sex Money Kiss, Gene Simmons admits that Stanley was the driving force for Kiss during the makeup-free 1980s, while Simmons was feeling lost without his demon makeup and was distanced from the band while attempting to launch a film career.

In 2006, Stanley resumed his association with Washburn Guitars and using the Washburn PS2000. Previously, he has had four signature guitars made by Silvertone, and tweaked the Ibanez Iceman to his specifications, calling it the PS10.

Paul Stanley Singing "Love Gun" in Montreal In 2007 (prior to the final show of the Hit 'N Run Tour on July 27), Stanley was hospitalized with tachycardia. In his absence, Kiss

performed live as a trio for the first time in decades. Previously, Kiss performed as a trio at Studio 54 in New York City for an international satellite broadcast on January 28, 1982, lip-syncing the song "I" from Music from "The Elder" for the Italian Festival della canzone italiana, also known as the San Remo Festival, when Ace Frehley failed to show for the performance due to what was described at the time as a "mystery illness". The July 27, 2007 concert is the first Kiss concert Stanley has missed during his 34-year tenure with the group.[1]

In September 2007, Stanley took part in Rock 'n Roll Fantasy Camp as a guest star for his second time in New York City. In 2009 Paul Stanley recorded 3 voice ads for the charity Kars4Kids. Stanley continues to tour with Kiss; the KISS 2010 The Hottest Show on Earth Tour (a continuation of the Sonic Boom Over Europe Tour which was itself a continuation of the Kiss Alive/35 World Tour) which started March 2010 and ended at Guadalajara, Mexico in October.

Steven Tyler

Steven Tyler (born Steven Victor Tallarico; March 26, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the frontman and lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, and occasional piano and percussion. He is known as the "Demon of Screamin'"[1] due to his high screams and his wide vocal range. He is also known for his on-stage acrobatics. During his high-energy performances, he usually dresses in bright, colorful outfits with his trademark scarves hanging from his microphone stand. In the 1970s, Tyler rose to prominence as the frontman of Aerosmith, which released such milestone hard rock albums as Toys in the Attic and Rocks. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Tyler had a heavy drug and alcohol addiction, and the band's popularity waned.

He completed drug rehabilitation in 1986 and subsequently maintained sobriety for years, but had a relapse with prescription painkillers in the late 2000s, for which he successfully received treatment in 2009.[2] After Aerosmith launched a remarkable comeback in the late 1980s and early 1990s with the albums Permanent Vacation, Pump, and Get a Grip, Tyler became a household name and has remained a relevant rock icon. As a result, he has since embarked on several solo endeavors including guest appearances on other artists' music, film and TV roles (including as a judge on American Idol), authoring a bestselling book, and solo work (including a Top 40 hit single in 2011). However, he has continued to record music and perform with Aerosmith, after more than 41 years in the band. He is included among Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers.[3] He was also ranked 3rd on Hit Parader's Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time. In 2001 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Aerosmith, and he was the presenter when AC/DC was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.

Jimi Jamison

Jimmy Wayne "Jimi" Jamison (born August 23, 1951 in Mississippi) is an American rock vocalist and songwriter, best known as the longtime frontman of Survivor, a position he has held from 1984–1989, 2000–2006 and from 2011 to the present day.

Born in rural Mississippi, Jamison moved with his mother to Memphis, Tennessee, at a very young age, and he considers himself a Memphis native. In addition to honing his vocal abilities, Jamison dabbled in guitar growing up. By middle school, he was playing in a band.[1]

He would later sing for the bands Target and Cobra and provided background vocals for other bands including ZZ Top. After the demise of Cobra in 1983/84, he was invited to audition for Survivor. Although he was initially not adamant about fronting what he considered more of a "pop rock" band, which would contrast significantly with the heavy metal stylings of Cobra to which he had become accustomed, Jamison ultimately got the job and became Survivor's new frontman.[2]

Jamison's first album with Survivor was Vital Signs, which included several major hits. The second album, When Seconds Count, contained a Top 10 hit, "Is This Love?" Jamison co-wrote four of the songs on When Seconds Count. One of the biggest adjustments he had to make performing with Survivor was giving up the right to perform hits by other artists. "Sometimes we'll start to do an encore and somebody will say, 'Let's do a Led Zeppelin song!'" he told Nine-O-One Network Magazine in 1987. "You wanna say 'Yeah. Yeah!' And then right at the very last minute you say, 'Nah, we better do this.'"[3]

Among his best known performances are "Burning Heart", from the Rocky IV movie with Sylvester Stallone, which hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, "High On You" (#8 US), and "The Search Is Over" (#4 US). Jamison also co-wrote and sang "I'm Always Here," the theme from the hit TV show Baywatch.

In 1989, Jamison was briefly considered as the lead vocal replacement for Deep Purple, who had just fired Ian Gillan. Said Purple organist Jon Lord of Jamison in a 1993 interview, "He was an enormous Deep Purple fan and he would happily have taken over the job. But at the time he was afraid of his managers. They didn't want him to leave [Survivor] and he didn't dare to get into a fight with them." Deep Purple instead hired former Rainbow vocalist Joe Lynn Turner.[4] Ironically, Survivor would go on hiatus not long thereafter.

Jamison would later reunite wth Survivor in 2000, and he ended up remaining with the band up through the release of their new album in 2006. In 2005, Jamison was featured with the band in the Emmy-nominated Starbucks commercial which parodied Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger." Also in 2005, Jamison performed a duet on "It Takes Two" with teen singer Whitney Wolanin.

In 2008 Jamison released a new CD in Europe Crossroads Moment, which was also released in the United States in 2009. Jamison is known for his contributions to charities, and has been a participant in the annual Rockin Christmas Fund charity

fundraiser event among others. He participates with the Make-a-Wish Foundation and benefits for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital annually.

On May 7, 2011, Jamison performed "Eye on the Tiger" during boxer Manny Pacquiao's entrance into the ring for his bout against Shane Mosley at MGM Grand Las Vegas.

In October 2011, Jamison released an album with Bobby Kimball (former lead singer of Toto) titled Kimball/Jamison. On November 15, 2011, Jamison announced his return to Survivor.[5]

David Glenn Eisley

Eisley was born in Los Angeles, California, and is the son of Anthony Eisley. While in high school, he played drums for the band Mammoth, an Iron Butterfly cover band. He is most well-known for being the lead singer for the AOR bands Sorcery (1980-1983), Giuffria (1983–1988) and Dirty White Boy (1988–1991). His biggest success came with the band Giuffria, when their hit single Call to the Heart reached #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1985. David has also appeared in the television shows Beverly Hills, 90210 and 7th Heaven, the movie Action Jackson and has acted in various commercials. His song "Sweet Victory" was featured in "Band Geeks", an episode of Nickelodeon's animated series SpongeBob SquarePants.

Axel Rose

W. Axl Rose (born William Bruce Rose, Jr.; raised as William Bruce Bailey; February 6, 1962) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is the lead vocalist and only remaining original member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he enjoyed great success and recognition in the late 1980s and early 1990s, before disappearing from the public eye for several years. In 2001, he resurfaced with a new line-up of Guns N' Roses at Rock in Rio 3, and subsequently played periodic concert tours, before releasing the long-delayed album Chinese Democracy in 2008. Rose has been named one of the greatest singers of all time by various media outlets, including Rolling Stone and NME.[

Rose was born William Bruce Rose, Jr. in Lafayette, Indiana, the oldest child of Sharon E. (née Lintner), then 16 years old, and William Bruce Rose, then 20 years old.[3][4] When Rose was two years old, his father abandoned the family.[5] His mother remarried to Stephen L. Bailey, and his name was changed to William Bruce Bailey.[4][6] He has two younger siblings—a sister, Amy, and a half-brother, Stuart.[7][8] Until the age of 17, Rose believed that Bailey was his real father.[5] He never met his biological father as an adult; William Rose, Sr. was found murdered in Illinois in 1984.[9]

The Bailey household was very religious; Rose and his family attended a Pentecostal church, where he was required to attend services three to eight times per week and even taught Sunday school.[10] Rose later described his upbringing as oppressive, stating, "We'd have televisions one week, then my stepdad would throw them out because they were satanic. I wasn't allowed to listen to music. Women were evil. Everything was evil."[10] In 1992, after undergoing past life regression therapy, Rose claimed he had uncovered memories of being sexually abused by his biological father at the age of two.[4][5][11] He also stated that his stepfather had physically abused him and his siblings, as well as sexually abused his sister.[4][5] Rose found solace in music from an early age. He sang in the church choir from the age of five, and performed at services with his brother and sister under the name the Bailey Trio.[12] At Jefferson High School, he participated in the school chorus and studied piano.[13] A second baritone,[14] Rose began developing "different voices" during chorus practice to confuse his teacher.[12][14][15] He eventually formed a band with his friends, one of whom was Jeff Isbell, later known as Izzy Stradlin.[16]

At the age of 17, while going through insurance papers in his parents' home, Rose learned of his biological father's existence, and he unofficially readopted his birth name.[5][6] However, he referred to himself only as W. Rose, because he did not want to share a first name with his biological father.[5][6] (Four years later, after moving to Los Angeles, he became so engrossed in his band AXL that his friends suggested he call himself Axl Rose;[6][17] he legally changed his name to W. Axl Rose prior to signing his contract with Geffen Records in March 1986.[14][18][19]) Following the discovery of his true family origins, Rose became the local juvenile delinquent in Lafayette; he was arrested over 20 times on charges such as public intoxication and battery, and served as long as three months in jail.[6][19] After Lafayette authorities threatened to charge him as a habitual criminal,[13] Rose moved to Los Angeles, California in December 1982.[19]

1]

Joe Elliot

Joseph Thomas "Joe" Elliott Jr (born 1 August 1959) is an English singer-songwriter, and musician, best known as the lead vocalist and occasional rhythm guitarist of the British rock band Def Leppard. He has also been the lead singer of David Bowie cover band, the Cybernauts and the Mott the Hoople cover band, Down 'n' Outz.[1] He is one of the two original members of Def Leppard and one of the three to perform on every Def Leppard album.

Elliott was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire and was educated at King Edward VII School. Elliott met Pete Willis, a member of a local band called Atomic Mass, in November 1977 when he missed a bus. After finding out that they were both musicians, Elliott met the rest of the band members in Elliott's bedroom. The band spent hours talking and listening to records. The band had not heard Elliott sing, but they were impressed by, "his attitude and his ideas about being in a band," and became the band's vocalist. The other members even took Elliott's suggestion to change their name to "Deaf Leopard." Elliott had invented the name for the band in youth. Tony Kenning suggested they change the name to "Def Leppard" to distinguish them from contemporary punk bands like The Flying Lizards and Boomtown Rats. The band claims that the similar-looking spelling of Led Zeppelin to Def Leppard was unintentional.[2] Elliott soon became an integral part of the band while also contributing his songwriting skills.

As a songwriter, Elliott has drawn from his eclectic tastes in music (ranging from pop-rock to folk) as sources of inspiration. He also often comments that the lyrics to Def Leppard's music are almost never personal; they are meant to be easily accessible to the listener. He also plays guitar and drums as well as piano and electronic keyboard.

Joe Elliott currently hosts a radio show on planetrock.com on Saturday nights.[3]

Elliott has worked with several side projects through his career such as participating in numerous tributes to other artists like Freddie Mercury, Alice Cooper, Mick Ronson, Ian Hunter and David Bowie. He had the honour of opening the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992 by joining the remaining members of Queen and guitarist Slash to perform "Tie Your Mother Down".

He also has worked on several projects like The Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood's solo album Slide on This, Lori Spree's Those Faces, Ricky Warwick, The Almighty, and others.

He and fellow Def Leppard member/guitarist Phil Collen once had a side project together called Cybernauts. The project was short-lived, and the internet album that was available online has been deleted since its 2001 release.

Released in September 2003 through Sanctuary Records, Ricky Warwick's Tattoos & Alibis was produced by Elliott. Joe Elliott sung the vocals in the Mott the Hoople cover band, Down 'n' Outz on their album My ReGeneration Vol. 1. [edit] Personal life

Edward Reekers

Edward Reekers (born 24 May 1957, Hengelo) is a Dutch singer. Most notable is his work as lead singer for Dutch progressive rock band Kayak.

Having been a fan of the band for years, Reekers joined Kayak in 1978. He replaced Max Werner, who became the band's drummer. With Reekers as the new lead singer, Kayak immediately scored their biggest European hit single: "Ruthless Queen". The accompanying album Phantom of the Night reached gold in Holland.

Reekers was with Kayak from 1978 until the split in 1982. He sang on three studio albums, and on the live-album "Eyewitness". During live concerts he played occasional keyboards and electric guitar.

He was not involved in the 1999 reunion of the band, but he did make guest appearances at some concerts in 2003. He even replaced Bert Heerink (Kayak's singer at that time) for an entire concert in 2003, when Heerink had other commitments.

In 2005, Reekers re-joined Kayak as one of the singers on their "Nostradamus"-project. When Bert Heerink left the band after the Nostradamus-tour, Reekers was the band's male lead singer again. By this time, female singer Cindy Oudshoorn was also in the band. During the "Kayakoustic" tour of 2006/2007, Reekers also played recorder, kazoo and various percussion instruments.

Apart from his work with Kayak, Reekers sings backing vocals on many albums from Dutch and Belgian artists. He also lends his voice to commercials and cartoon movies. Reekers is a part-time actor and film director, specializing in the Dutch lip-synchronisation of famous films (incl. the Harry Potter films and some Disney cartoons).

He sings lead vocals -along with many other singers- on some albums by Ayreon, a project of Dutch musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen.

Edward Reekers has released 3 solo albums: "The Last Forest" (1981), "Stages" (1993) and "Child Of The Water" (2008). On "The Last Forest" Reekers was helped by ex-Kayak members Max Werner and Johan Slager. In Brazil he had a huge hit with "The words to say I love you" in 1983, released in the original soundtrack of the soup-opera "Pão pão beijo beijo".

He has released many solo singles in English, German and Dutch.

David Coverdale

Depending who you ask, Whitesnake singer David Coverdale is either almost single-handedly responsible for keeping bluesy hard rock alive in the British charts during the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, or is merely a Robert Plant clone who hit it big in the U.S. later in the ‘80s as an "MTV band" -- by merging familiar Led Zeppelin sounds with pop metal/power ballads, and sexed-up videos. Born on September 22, 1951, in the British town of Saltburn-on-Sea, Yorkshire, Coverdale was born into a family of avid music fans, which resulted in an early interest in the guitar, before switching over to vocals. He soon began fronting local rock outfits, including Denver Mule, the Government, River's Invitation, and the Fabulosa Brothers (from the late ‘60s through the early ‘70s). Looking for a new gig in 1973, Coverdale one day picked up the popular British music mag Melody Maker, and answered an ad for a group looking for a vocalist. Little did he know that the group in question was Deep Purple. Purple had become one of the world's top hard rock/heavy metal bands by 1973 (thanks largely to their massive hit single "Smoke on the Water" and such classic albums as Machine Head and Made in Japan), but when singer Ian Gillan was ousted from the group, a vacancy developed. On the strength of his singing and songwriting talents, Coverdale was welcomed into the group immediately, resembling a true-life "rags to riches" story. The Coverdale-led version of Purple got off to a solid start with another hit album, 1974's Burn, but by the time of its follow-up (and second band release of the year), Stormbringer, cracks began to appear in the Purple armor. Guitarist/bandleader Ritchie Blackmore's interest in the group began to wane around this time -- due to the other member's desire to incorporate funk into their style -- resulting in his exit (Blackmore would go on to form the progressive metal outfit Rainbow).

Dee Snider

Daniel "Dee" Snider (born March 15, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality, and actor. Snider is most famous for his role as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister. He was ranked 83 in the Hit Parader's Top 100 Metal Vocalist of All Time.[

Born in Astoria, Queens, Snider grew up in nearby Baldwin and graduated from Baldwin Senior High School in 1973.[2] His father, Bob, is a retired New York State Trooper and Nassau County court clerk while his mother, Marguerite, is a retired art teacher.[3] As a child he sang in a church choir, several school choruses, and Baldwin HS Concert Choir. He also was selected for the All State Chorus by singing.[4] While in eighth grade, Snider was in a Black Sabbath cover band.[5]

In early 1976, Snider joined Twisted Sister and became the sole songwriter of the band thereafter. The group released their first studio album, Under the Blade , in September 1982 and developed a following in the UK. Less than a year later, Twisted Sister released their sophomore effort, You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll . Their third album, Stay Hungry, hit shelves on May 10, 1984. This would become the band's most successful record with the hits "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock." To emphasize the "twisted sister" image, Snider adopted a trademark persona of metal-inspired drag with long blond hair, an excessive amount of eye shadow and rouge, and bright red lipstick.

Dee Snider testifies before the US Senate, 1985 Testimony continued During the mid 1980s, before the premiere of Headbangers Ball, the first MTV program to consist entirely of heavy metal videos was Heavy Metal Mania. The first episode aired in

June 1985 and was hosted by Dee Snider. It featured metal news, interviews with metal artists, and in-studio co-hosts. That same year in November, Twisted Sister released Come Out and Play which sold over 500,000 copies but was marred by a poor concert tour.

In 1985, a Senate hearing was instigated by the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), who wanted to introduce a parental warning system that would label all albums containing offensive material. The system was to include letters identifying the type of objectionable content to be found in each album (e.g. O for occult themes, S for sex, D for drugs, V for violence, etc.). Dee Snider, John Denver, and Frank Zappa all testified against censorship and the proposed warning system. Such a system was never implemented, but the result of the hearing brought about what is now the generic "Parental Advisory: Explicit Content " label.

The PMRC was initially formed by the wives of Washington, D.C. power brokers Senator Al Gore (D-TN), and Secretary of State James Baker. Tipper Gore in particular became the face of the PMRC and a public foil for Snider in the hearings. Ironically, in the 2000 US Presidential Election cycle, Snider endorsed Vice President Gore for office.

A fifth Twisted Sister album would be made in 1987's Love Is for Suckers . The record was originally planned to be a Dee Snider solo effort, but Atlantic Records encouraged a release under the Twisted Sister name. Touring lasted only into October that year and on the 12th of that month, Snider announced his departure from the band. It was during this time that Snider formed Desperado, a band featuring ex-Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr, ex-Gillan guitarist Bernie Torme, and bassist Marc Russel.[6] The group's only album, Ace, has never been officially released but was heavily bootlegged on CD under the title Bloodied But Unbowed.

In the 1990s, Snider formed Widowmaker with Joe Franco, a good friend to Twisted Sister and drummer on the Love Is for Suckers , as well as Al Pitrelli and Marc Russel. The quartet recorded two albums with limited underground success, titled Blood and Bullets and Stand By For Pain. In the late 1990s, Snider toured with a "self-tribute" band called Dee Snider's SMFs (Sick Mother Fuckers), sometimes featuring ex-Twisted Sister drummer A.J. Pero. The usual line up included Dee Snider, Derek Tailer, Charlie Mills, Keith Alexander, and Spike.

In 1993, he composed the theme song for The Terrible Thunderlizards. In 1997, Dee Snider began hosting the House of Hair , a syndicated 1980s hard rock/heavy metal radio show that airs on over 200 radio stations across North America. It is

syndicated by the United Stations Radio Networks . The show's format runs two hours and features Snider's closing catchphrase, "If it ain't metal, it's crap!" In 1998, Snider had penned a song entitled "The Magic of Christmas Day (God Bless Us Everyone)" which would be recorded in 1998 by Celine Dion for her album

These Are Special Times . According to Snider, Dion at the time was not aware of who wrote the song. Later that year, he also wrote and starred in the horror film Strangeland. Snider has also penned the script to a sequel which has the working title of Strangeland: Disciple. As of January 2008, however, Snider was less than optimistic that it would ever see the light of day, saying in an interview with Bullz-Eye.com that he had reached a point where he should "put a sign on my website that says, 'Y’got ten million dollars? Give me a call. I’ve got the script ready to go, Robert Englund’s attached, I’m attached. If somebody’s serious and wants to make it, call me. But don’t call me ‘til you’re ready to hand the check over.'” In May 2009, Dee Snider revealed on his radio show,"The House Of Hair," that Strangeland: Rising Sons will go ahead and is set to begin shooting in the fall of 2009 and is slated for a 2010 release.

1]

Klaus Meine

Klaus Meine (born May 25, 1948, Hannover, Germany) is a German singer, best known as the lead vocalist and occasional rhythm guitarist of the heavy metal band Scorpions. Besides guitarist Rudolf Schenker, he is the only member of the group to appear on every album, despite the fact that he did not join until 1970.Meine is well-noted for his unique tenor voice, strong German accent and polished delivery which ranges from high notes to soft ballads.Meine writes most of the lyrics to Scorpions' songs. He also shares the authorship of some lyrics with Herman Rarebell (former drummer of Scorpions) on some songs like the major hit "Rock You Like a Hurricane", among others. Meine composed some songs alone like "Wind of Change" and "A Moment in a Million Years".[1]

In 1981, after a world tour and during the recording of the Blackout album, Meine lost his voice so badly he could not even speak properly. Meine was advised by his doctor to consider another profession because of his voice problems. However, Scorpions stuck together and after therapy and 2 vocal cord surgeries, Meine's voice recovered. Meine was ranked by Hit Parader as the twenty-second greatest heavy metal vocalist of all time.[2]

In 1990 Klaus performed in the "Live In Berlin" rendition of Roger Waters' "The Wall." Klaus was a highlight singer during the performance.In 2008, Dommenget released a Klaus Meine signature guitar that was given to him on his 60th birthday. On the Humanity World Tour and the Get Your Sting And Blackout World Tour, Klaus has used this guitar when performing.[3]

After 46 years together, Scorpions announced in January 2010 that they will retire after a final world tour.[4] In the year 2000 he was awarded the city of Hanover plaque.[5]

Ronnie James Dio

Ronald James Padavona (July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010), better known as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser Hear 'n Aid. He was widely hailed as one of the most powerful singers in heavy metal,[1] renowned for his consistently powerful voice. He often ranks as one of the greatest rock vocalists of all time in various online polls and lists. He is credited with popularizing the "metal horns" hand gesture in metal culture. Prior to his death, he was collaborating on a project with former Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Vinny Appice, under the moniker Heaven & Hell, whose only studio album, The Devil You Know, was released on April 28, 2009.[2] Dio died of stomach cancer on May 16, 2010.[3][4] One of the last songs he recorded was titled "Metal Will Never Die".[5]

Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara (Gujarati: ફા�રો�ખ બલ્સા�રો�), 5 September 1946 – 24 November 1991)[2][3] was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range.[4][5][6] As a songwriter, Mercury composed many hits for Queen, including "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Killer Queen", "Somebody to Love", "Don't Stop Me Now", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and "We Are the Champions". In addition to his work with Queen, he led a solo career, and also occasionally served as a producer and guest musician (piano or vocals) for other artists. He died of bronchopneumonia brought on by AIDS on 24 November 1991, only one day after publicly acknowledging he had the disease.

Mercury was a Parsi born in Zanzibar and grew up there and in India until his mid-teens. He has been referred to as "Britain's first Asian rock star".[7] In 2002, Mercury was placed at number 58 in the BBC's poll of the 100 Greatest Britons, in 2006, Time Asia named him one of the most influential Asian heroes of the past 60 years,[8] and he continues to be voted one of the greatest singers in the history of popular music. In 2005, a poll organised by Blender and MTV2 saw Mercury voted the greatest male singer of all time.[9] In 2008, Rolling Stone editors ranked him number 18 on their list of the 100 greatest singers of all time.[6] In 2009, a Classic Rock poll saw him voted the greatest rock singer of all time.[10] Allmusic has characterised Mercury as "one of rock's greatest all-time entertainers", who possessed "one of the greatest voices in all of music".[11]

Steve Perry

Stephen Ray "Steve" Perry[1] (born January 22, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Journey during their most commercially successful periods from 1977–1987 and 1995–1998. Perry had a successful solo career between the mid 1980s and mid 1990s.

Perry's singing has garnered acclaim from prominent musical peers and publications; he has been described as "The Voice", a moniker originally coined by Jon Bon Jovi.[2] He resides in Del Mar, California.[

In 1994, Perry released For the Love of Strange Medicine, his second solo effort. The album enjoyed some success, partly due to the Strange Medicine world tour. Journey's classic 1981–85 lineup reunited in 1996 to record Trial by Fire. The album was a huge success, entering the Billboard charts at #3 and going Platinum before year's end, but its

triumph was short-lived. Before the Trial By Fire tour could begin, Perry suffered a hip injury while hiking in Hawaii and was unable to perform. Perry was diagnosed with a degenerative bone condition and a hip replacement would be required. Reluctant to rush into surgery, Perry wished to postpone the tour. Due to the long wait between the album's release and the tour's postponed kick-off date, as well as the absence of Journey's iconic frontman, Journey fans were losing hope for the band's future.

Meanwhile, long-time Journey drummer Steve Smith resigned, reportedly saying "Journey without Steve Perry was like Jack without his box." (Smith had rejoined, along with original Journey member Ross Valory, to complete what Perry has referred to as the band's wedding band line-up.)[6]

The remaining members waited until 1998, nearly 17 months after Perry's injury, before making a decision on Journey's future. Growing impatient and realizing the window of opportunity was closing to follow up the success of the Platinum-selling Trial By Fire LP with a world tour, Journey members Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon met with Perry and presented an ultimatum that he either undergo hip replacement surgery so the tour could proceed upon his recovery or a replacement singer would be hired.[6] Perry, still hesitant to undergo surgery and now apparently upset at his bandmates' intractability and their perceived meddling in personal health decisions, decided to part ways with Journey. Perry's vocal duties were later taken over by Steve Augeri of Tall Stories, and nearly two years after the album's initial release, Journey began its long-postponed tour.

While being interviewed during Journey's Revelation tour of 2008, Schon and Cain praised Perry's mighty presence in Journey, adding that Perry had "raised the bar" for Journey. Bassist Valory suggested Journey lead singers who sound like him do so in honor of Perry's legacy with Journey.

Herbert had been given a demo of an Alien Project song, "If You Need Me, Call Me," and was told that the young singer would be a great replacement for current frontman, Robert Fleischman. Fleischman had never moved under Herbert's management, preferring to maintain his previous manager and had never in fact integrated well with the band's then progressive rock style. Perry was brought on tour and to avoid alarming Fleischman was introduced clandestinely as roadie John Villanueva's Portuguese cousin and surreptitiously performed a song with Journey during a sound check in Long Beach while Fleischman was away from the stage and Herbert informed the band of the line-up change.

Perry brought a completely new pop sound to the band's music, despite grumblings from his new bandmates and fans of Journey's former progressive rock sound. He made his public debut on October 28, 1977 in San Francisco, and received a mixed reception. Perry determinedly proved the critics wrong, and won over new audiences on his first album with the group, Infinity, which included a song of his own composition called "Lights." The band's style had changed dramatically, but as Journey began to garner radio airplay and media buzz over Infinity, Perry's arrival was accepted.

He provided lead vocals on nine of Journey's albums: Infinity (1978), Evolution (1979), Departure (1980), Dream, After Dream (1980, a Japanese movie soundtrack), Captured (1980, a live album), Escape (1981, which went to #1 on the Billboard charts), Frontiers (1983), Raised on Radio (1986), and Trial By Fire (1996). The single "Open Arms," from Escape, was their biggest hit single, residing for six weeks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Perry had become the unmistakable voice of Journey throughout his time with the band.

During his tenure with Journey, Perry sang backing vocals on several Sammy Hagar songs, including the 1980 track "Run For Your Life," and duetting with Kenny Loggins on the 1982 #17 hit single "Don't Fight It." Perry also worked with other musicians such as Sheena Easton, Clannad and Jon Bon Jovi during the height of his career. A 1983 Gallop poll of people between the ages of 13-25 voted Journey their favorite rock band.

In 1984, following the release of Frontiers and the tour supporting this effort, Perry released his first solo album, entitled Street Talk, named after the original name of Perry's earlier band Alien Project. The record sold more than 2 million units, scoring the hit singles #3 "Oh Sherrie," written for his then-girlfriend Sherrie Swafford, and #18 "Foolish Heart." The music video for "Oh Sherrie" saw heavy rotation on MTV. "She's Mine" and "Strung Out" were also released as singles from this project, which featured former Alien Project drummer Craig Krampf on a few tracks, guitarist Michael Landau, and future American Idol judge Randy Jackson on bass, amongst others.

In 1985, Perry was one of 21 singers in the USA for Africa all-star benefit song "We Are the World." He also recorded a song, "If Only For the Moment, Girl" for the We Are the World album. This song was added to the reissue of his album Street Talk. It was during this period also that Perry worked with the Irish folk-rock group Clannad on their 1987 album Sirius.

Perry debated continuing a solo career or returning to Journey after the success of Street Talk. He left his second solo album Against the Wall unfinished and instead sang on Journey's Raised on Radio album. Perry would revisit his solo project after the Raised On Radio tour but it never saw completion. Several of the songs that were recorded for Against the Wall, however, did appear much later on Perry's 1998 solo compilation, Greatest Hits + Five Unreleased.

While Perry was re-uniting with Journey, his mother became ill. The recording of Raised on Radio, which Perry was producing, was stop-and-go as he frequently returned to the San Joaquin valley to visit his mother, who died during the production of Raised on Radio. It took a major toll on Journey to have intermittent recording sessions and a vocalist who was not with the band much of the time. Eventually, as Perry later said, he was "toasted". Journey disbanded in 1987 after the Raised on Radio tour. Perry then disappeared from the public eye for seven years, taking a break from the music industry.

3]

Lou Gramm

Lou Gramm (born Louis Andrew Grammatico; May 2, 1950) is an American rock vocalist and songwriter best known for his role as the lead vocalist and co-writer of many of the songs for the rock band Foreigner. He also had a successful solo career. Gramm was the vocalist for many top-40 hits including "Cold as Ice", "Waiting for a Girl Like You", "I Want to Know What Love Is" and his solo hit "Midnight Blue". Most recently, the Lou Gramm Band has released a self-titled Christian rock album in 2009.

Bret Michaels

Bret Michaels (born Bret Michael Sychak, March 15, 1963) is an American musician, actor, director, screenwriter, producer and reality television personality. He first gained fame as the lead vocalist of the glam metal band Poison. Besides his career as lead singer, he has several solo albums to his credit, as well as one chart single. He appeared in the VH1 reality show Rock of Love with Bret Michaels and its sequels, and as a judge on the talent show Nashville Star. He was the winning contestant on NBC's reality show Celebrity Apprentice 3.

Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy" and "John Osbourne" redirect here. For similar names, see Ozzie (disambiguation), John Osborn (disambiguation) and John Osborne (disambiguation).

Ozzy OsbourneOsbourne in 2010.Background informationBirth nameJohn Michael OsbourneBorn(1948-12-03) 3 December 1948 (age 63)Aston, Birmingham, EnglandGenresHeavy metal, blues rock, hard rockOccupationsMusician, songwriterInstrumentsvocals, harmonica, synthesizerYears active1968–presentLabelsEpic, CBS, JetAssociated actsBlack Sabbath, Kelly Osbourne, Black Label Society, Alice Cooper, Iommi, Rob Zombie, Slash, FirewindWebsiteozzy.comJohn Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English heavy metal vocalist and songwriter, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English band Black Sabbath, whose dark and hard sound helped spawn the heavy metal genre. Due to Sabbath's dark style, Osbourne became known as the "Prince of Darkness".[1] Osbourne is also known as the "Godfather of Heavy Metal".[2]

In the early 2000s, Osbourne's career expanded when he became a star in his own reality show The Osbournes, alongside wife/manager Sharon and two of their three children, Kelly and Jack. A documentary about his life and career, God Bless Ozzy Osbourne, premiered in April 2011 at the Tribeca Film Festival and was released on DVD in November 2011.[3] Osbourne has achieved multi-platinum status as a solo artist and with Black Sabbath and has sold over 100 million albums worldwide.[4][5]

Bruce Dickinson

Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and former marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden.

Dickinson began his career in music fronting small pub bands at school and University, including Styx (not the American band of the same name) in 1976, Speed, (1977–1978), and Shots in early 1979. He then joined the band Samson later in 1979, where he gained some popularity under the stage name, "Bruce Bruce." He left Samson in 1981 to join Iron Maiden as their new vocalist, replacing Paul Di'Anno, and debuting on their 1982 album The Number of the Beast.[1] During his first tenure in the band, they issued a series of high impact releases,[2] resulting in Dickinson gaining worldwide fame, and becoming one of the most acclaimed heavy metal vocalists of all time.

Dickinson quit Iron Maiden in 1993 in order to pursue his solo career, being replaced by Blaze Bayley, which saw him experiment with a wide variety of heavy metal and rock styles. Dickinson rejoined Iron Maiden in 1999 along with guitarist Adrian Smith, and with whom they have gone on to release four further studio albums. Since then, Dickinson has only released one more solo record, Tyranny of Souls. He is the older cousin of Rob Dickinson, former lead singer of British alternative rock band Catherine Wheel.[3] His son, Austin, is the lead singer in metalcore band Rise to Remain.[4] On 19 July 2011, Dickinson was presented with an honorary music doctorate from Queen Mary College, in honour of his contribution to the music industry.

Paul Bruce Dickinson was born in the small mining town of Worksop, Nottinghamshire.[6] His mother Sonia worked part-time in a shoe shop and his father Bruce was a mechanic in the army.[6] Dickinson's birth hurried the young couple, then just teenagers, into marriage.[6] Initially, he was brought up by his grandparents; his grandfather was a coal-face worker at the local colliery and his grandmother was a housewife.[6] This is referred to in his song "Born In '58" from the album Tattooed Millionaire.[7]

Dickinson started school at Manton Primary in Worksop while his parents moved away to Sheffield.[6] Soon afterwards, when he was six, he was also despatched to Sheffield, [8] where he attended "a notoriously tough local primary school" called Manor Top. [9] After six months, his parents decided to move him to a small private school called Sharrow Vale Junior. [9] Of this period he recalls, "I'm sort of quite grateful for the fact that I didn't have what you would think of as a conventionally sort of happy, uncomplicated childhood. It made me very self-reliant. I grew up in an environment where it struck me that the world was never gonna do you any favours ... And I had very few close friends, because ... I never really met anybody for that long. I was always moving."[10] Dickinson has a younger sister named Helena who was born in 1963. [11][12] He tried to isolate himself from her as much as he could when he was young, supposedly out of spite because she, unlike him, was a planned pregnancy and birth. [13]

Dickinson's first musical experience was dancing in his grandparents' front room to Chubby Checker's "The Twist," back when he still lived with them in Worksop.[14] The first record Dickinson recalls owning was The Beatles single "She Loves You," which he managed to persuade his grandfather to buy him. [14] From then on, he became more interested in music, saying "I remember thinking I liked the B-side better than the A-side, and that's when I started listening to music and deciding what I liked and what I didn't like." [14] He tried to play an acoustic guitar belonging to his father, but it blistered his fingers. [9]

By the time he moved to Sheffield, Dickinson's parents were earning a good living from buying property, refurbishing it and then selling it for a profit. [11] As a result, a lot of Dickinson's childhood was spent living on a building site, until his parents bought a boarding house and a bankrupt garage where his father began selling second-hand cars. [9] The income from their business success gave them the opportunity to give Dickinson—then 13 years old—a boarding school education and they chose Oundle, a public school in Northamptonshire.[9] Dickinson was not opposed to moving away from home, as "I didn't particularly enjoy being with my parents, so I saw it as an escape ... I think it was because I hadn't built any real attachment to them when I was very, very young." [9]

At Oundle, however, Dickinson was picked on and routinely bullied by the older boys of Sidney House, the boarding house that he belonged to, [15] which he described as "like systematic torture" and meant that he became "aware that I was this outsider." [13] His interests at Oundle were often military; he co-founded the school wargames society with Mike Jordan, and he rose to a position of some power in the school's cadet force, [15] with which he was allowed to handle live ammunition, which he used to create explosions as booby-traps.[16]

Oundle was where Dickinson became attracted to heavy rock, after hearing Deep Purple's "Child In Time" being played in another student's room. [16] As a result, the first album he ever bought was Deep Purple's In Rock, "all scratched to fuck but I thought it was great, and that's what started me off on buying albums and getting into rock music." [17] After In Rock, he went on to buy Black Sabbath's debut, Jethro Tull's Aqualung and Tarkus by Emerson, Lake & Palmer.[17] Every term, a band would play at the school, the first of whom Dickinson would see was called Wild Turkey, featuring former Jethro Tull bassist Glenn Cornick.[17] After that, he saw Van der Graaf Generator and Arthur Brown.[17]

Dickinson initially wanted to play the drums,[17] later obtaining a pair of bongo drums from the music room and practised.[18] He remembers playing "Let It Be" with his friend Mike Jordan, during which Dickinson discovered his singing voice while encouraging Jordan to sing the high-notes. [18] Shortly afterwards, however, Dickinson was expelled from Oundle for urinating in the headmaster's dinner.[18]

Returning home to Sheffield in 1976, Dickinson enrolled at a local comprehensive school, at which he joined his first band.[19] He had overheard two other pupils talking about their band and that they needed a singer and so volunteered immediately. [19] They rehearsed in the drummer's father's garage and the band were impressed by Dickinson's singing, encouraging him to buy his first microphone.[19] Their first gig took place at the Broadfield Tavern in Sheffield. [19] Originally called "Paradox," the band changed their name upon Dickinson's suggestion to "Styx", unaware of the American act with the same name.[20] They made local newspaper headlines when a steel worker was awoken by their performance and tried to smash the band's drumkit.[21] Soon after, the band split up.[20]

[5]

Ian Gillan

Ian Gillan (born 19 August 1945 in Hounslow, London) is an English rock music vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple.[1] During his career Gillan also fronted his own band, had a year-long stint as the vocalist for Black Sabbath, and sang the role of Jesus in the original recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. In his prime, Gillan was known for his wide vocal range - particularly the high pitched screams evidenced in the song "Child In Time".

After Deep Purple members Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore saw one of his lead vocal performances with Episode Six, they approached him to replace Rod Evans in Deep Purple.

Gillan was a member of Deep Purple from 1969 through to 1973, appearing on such now-classic Deep Purple albums as In Rock, Fireball, Machine Head, Made In Japan and Who Do We Think We Are. He had initially joined the band for its 1969 Concerto for Group and Orchestra, a one-off show with England's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra that was made into an album. During these years, he also was the voice of Jesus on the original 1970 album recording of Jesus Christ Superstar. He was offered the lead role in the 1973 film adaptation. Ian demanded to be paid not only for his role in the movie but insisted, without the consent of his manager, that the entire band be paid because filming would conflict with a scheduled tour. The producers declined and Ian continued on in the band.[3] Citing exhaustion and a poor working relationship with the band, particularly Blackmore, Gillan left Deep Purple in the summer of 1973, being replaced by David Coverdale.[4]

Joe Lynn Turner

Joe Lynn Turner (August 2, 1951), is an American singer, known for his works with hard rock band Rainbow.[1] During his career, Turner fronted pop rock band Fandango, had the short-lived collaboration as the vocalist for Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force and Deep Purple. From the late 1990s, he continued to perform in a large number of solo albums and other studio projects. He played the accordion as a child, grew up with an appreciation for classic R&B and became an accomplished guitarist in his early teens.

Born Joseph Arthur Mark Linquito to an Italian family, in high school, Joe formed Ezra, performing original material and cover songs by such artists as Jimi Hendrix, Free, Queen, and Deep Purple. In 1976, Turner enjoyed his first taste of national success with Fandango, a band described as an eclectic mix of R&B, pop, country, jazz and melodic rock. He sang and played guitar on all of the band's four albums. Fandango toured with numerous artists including The Allman Brothers, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Beach Boys and Billy Joel.

After Fandango split, He received a phone call from guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. This resulted in an audition and Blackmore was so impressed that he immediately enlisted Joe in Rainbow. Rainbow, while popular in Europe and Japan, had not reached the same level of success in the US before Turner joined. With his contributions (largely considered more rock oriented), the group was catapulted to a new level of American success. Several tracks from albums with Turner reached the Top 20 on rock radio charts in the early- to mid-80's. "Stone Cold" became Rainbow's first Top 40 hit and the band's videos were played on heavy rotation on MTV. Turner recorded three studio albums with Rainbow: Difficult to Cure, Straight Between the Eyes, and Bent Out of Shape, which featured the single "Street of Dreams". Rainbow disbanded in 1984.

In 1985, after the break-up of Rainbow, Turner released a solo album, Rescue You, produced by Roy Thomas Baker, known for his work with Queen and The Cars. He co-wrote most of the songs with keyboardist Al Greenwood (Foreigner). The first single, "Endlessly," received extensive airplay on radio and MTV. Tours with Night Ranger and Pat Benatar and an acting role in the movie Blue Deville followed.

In 1987 Turner also supplied backing vocals to the Michael Bolton album The Hunger. He appeared on the tracks 'Hot Love' and 'Gina'. In 1988, he joined Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force and recorded the album Odyssey. The brief tour that followed the release of the album

included a concert in Leningrad which was recorded and then released as Trial by Fire (1989). In 1989 he left the band to join Deep Purple by replacing Ian Gillan, making him their fourth singer. Turner recorded just one album, Slaves & Masters (1990). The album peaked at #87 on the Billboard Charts, and a relatively successful tour followed in 1991. But Turner was removed from the band in late 1992.

Turner has been working mainly on his prolific solo career since mid-1990 and has worked with the Finnish rock band Brazen Abbot by Bulgarian guitarist Nikolo Kotzev and with Glenn Hughes under the "Hughes Turner Project" name. Turner also participated in Nikolo Kotzev's rock opera Nikolo Kotzev's Nostradamus. He has also put out 3 albums under the band name Mother's Army featuring Jeff Watson, Bob Daisley and Carmine Appice. In 2005 Turner has performed on the Russian studio project Michael Men Project's album Made in Moscow, along with his colleague Glenn Hughes. In 2006 he took on very successful studio project Sunstorm with bassist Dennis Ward of German rock band Pink Cream 69. Turner was a guest in the Voices of Classic Rock shows. Turner also appeared as a headliner with AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson on the Classic Rock Cares charity tour which was organized by long time friend Steve Luongo who was the drummer/producer of The John Entwistle Band.

In 2008 he has formed Over the Rainbow, a tribute band composed of former Rainbow musicians, Paul Morris-Keyboardist/94-97, and Ritchie Blackmore's son Jürgen R. Blackmore on guitar.

He is currently a member of the touring band "Big Noize" featuring alongside guitarist Carlos Cavazo, bassist Phil Soussan, and drummer Vinny Appice.

Turner recently joined Norwegian group "The Jan Holberg Project", will release their new album Sense of Time in 2011.

Jack Blades

Jack Martin Blades (born April 24, 1954) is an American musician.[1] He has worked in several bands: Rubicon, Night Ranger (as bassist and one of the lead vocalists), and Damn Yankees (as one of the founding members). He also recorded with Tommy Shaw under the name Shaw/Blades, and has done work alongside TMG, the Tak Matsumoto Group. His most recent efforts include a second solo CD, and Shaw/Blades is in the process of recording ‘’Influence II’’. Jack has released one self-titled solo CD and a second one is on its way. He has written or co-written songs for Aerosmith, Cher, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Roger Daltrey, and many more artists. Jack has also produced or co-produced CDs for Night Ranger, Shaw/Blades and for several other artists including Great White, Ted Nugent, and Samantha 7, among others. Blades appears on Mötley Crüe's Dr. Feelgood album, which was released in 1989. In the 1990s, Jack co-wrote four Aerosmith songs with Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Tommy Shaw: "Shut Up and Dance" (1993), "Can't Stop Messin'" (1993), "Walk on Water" (1994), "What Kind of Love Are You On" (1998). In 1998 Jack was asked by Ringo Starr to be play bass in Ringo Starr VH1 Storytellers with Joe Walsh and Simon Kirke. In 2006 Jack played the role of an 80’s Sunset Strip club owner in the Las Vegas version of the Broadway musical show “Rock Of Ages.”

[edit] Rubicon

David Lee Roth

David Lee Roth (born October 10, 1954)[1] is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth is one of few vocalists with a larger than 4 octave range in full voice (from G1 to G♯5).[2]

Roth is best known as the original and current lead singer of the Southern California-based hard rock outfit Van Halen. After departing Van Halen in 1985 Roth first enjoyed a successful career as a solo artist, which originated while still a member of that band and yielded several RIAA-certified Gold and Platinum records.[3] After more than two decades apart, Roth rejoined Van Halen in 2006 for a North American tour that became the most successful in the band's history[4] and one of the highest grossing of that year.[5] Roth has remained the lead singer of Van Halen since his 2006 return and has recently completed recording new material with the band for their first album together since 1984.[6]

Sammy Hagar

Sam Roy "Sammy" Hagar (born October 13, 1947),[1] also known as The Red Rocker,[2] is a rock vocalist, guitarist, songwriter and musician. Hagar came to prominence in the 1970s with the hard rock band Montrose. He afterwards launched a successful solo career, scoring an enduring hit in 1984 with "I Can't Drive 55". From 1985 to 1996, and 2003 to 2005, Hagar was the singer for Van Halen. On March 12, 2007, Hagar was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Van Halen.

Outside of music, he founded the Cabo Wabo Tequila brand and restaurant chain, as well as Sammy's Beach Bar Rum[3]. He currently resides in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and also has a residence in Mill Valley, California. His present musical project is as lead singer of Chickenfoot.

Robin McauleyRobin McAuley (born 20 January 1953, County Meath, Ireland) is an Irish rock vocalist known mostly for his work in McAuley Schenker Group and before that Grand Prix recording 2 albums. Between the two, he had also been part of the Far Corporation and released a solo single, a cover of the Paul Ryan-penned song, "Eloise."He was part of the McAuley Schenker Group for three studio albums: Perfect Timing, Save Yourself, M.S.G., the live album Unplugged Live, which also appeared on a Japanese Television broadcast and the Japanese E.P. Nightmare: The Acoustic MSG. He also appeared recently with Schenker on a tribute to Iron Maiden singing Run To The Hills and a re-recorded version of Save Yourself for a Deadline Records compilation.He also released the solo album Business As Usual as a Japanese Import. As well as appearing on numerous tribute albums and 2 albums with The V-Project.He was lead vocalist of American AOR band Survivor from 2006-2011.He performed lead vocals on the American leg of Michael Schenker's 2012 Temple of Rock tour.

Rob Halford

Robert John Arthur "Rob" Halford (born 25 August 1951) is an English singer-songwriter, who is best known as the lead vocalist for the Grammy Award-winning heavy metal band Judas Priest. He is considered one of the most consistently powerful singers in rock,[1] possessing a wide vocal range, and is particularly known for his high-pitched, operatic, soaring screams. His vocal range spans nearly four octaves from C2 (which can be heard in "The Mower) to A5 (which can be heard in the title track to the Ram it Down album). In addition to his work with Judas Priest, he has been involved with several side projects, including Fight, 2wo and Halford. He is credited as the first openly gay heavy metal star, having come out in 1998.

Halford was born in Sutton Coldfield, but raised in Walsall, which was then a part of Staffordshire [2] a town to the northwest of Birmingham, in England's modern day West Midlands. He sang for numerous bands including Athens Wood, Lord Lucifer, Abraxas, Thark and Hiroshima.

[edit] Judas Priest Halford was introduced to co-founding Judas Priest member Ian Hill by his sister who was

dating Hill at the time.[3] Halford, a former cinema manager, joined the band as singer, bringing with him drummer John Hinch from his previous band, Hiroshima. In August 1974, the band debuted with the single "Rocka Rolla", before releasing an album of the same name a month later. The next albums were Sad Wings of Destiny (1976), which included a variety of old material; 1977's Sin After Sin; and 1978's Stained Class and Killing Machine (released in America as Hell Bent for Leather), and 1979's live Unleashed in the East.

Mick Jagger

Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger, (born 26 July 1943) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founder member of The Rolling Stones.

Jagger's career has spanned over fifty years. His performance style has been said to have "opened up definitions of gendered masculinity and so laid the foundations for self-invention and sexual plasticity which are now an integral part of contemporary youth culture".[1] Allmusic has described Jagger as "one of the most popular and influential frontmen in the history of rock & roll".[2] His distinctive voice and performance, along with Keith Richards' guitar style, have been the trademark of The Rolling Stones throughout the career of the band. In 1989, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with The Rolling Stones.

Jagger gained much press notoriety for admitted drug use and romantic involvements, and was often portrayed as a counterculture figure. In the late 1960s Jagger began acting in films (starting with Performance and Ned Kelly), to mixed reception. In 1985, Jagger released his first solo album, She's the Boss, and was knighted in 2003. In early 2009, he joined the eclectic supergroup SuperHeavy.

Jagger was born into a middle class family from Livingstone Hospital, in Dartford, Kent, England.[3] His father, Basil Fanshawe ("Joe") Jagger (13 April 1913 – 11 November 2006), and his grandfather David Ernest Jagger were both teachers. His mother, Eva Ensley Mary (née Scutts; 6 April 1913 – 18 May 2000), born in New South Wales, Australia,[4]

[5] was a hairdresser[6] and an active member of the Conservative Party. Jagger is the elder of two sons (his brother Chris Jagger was born on 19 December 1947)[7] and was raised to follow in his father's career path.

In the book According to the Rolling Stones, Jagger states "I was always a singer. I always sang as a child. I was one of those kids who just liked to sing. Some kids sing in choirs; others like to show off in front of the mirror. I was in the church choir and I also loved listening to singers on the radio – the BBC or Radio Luxembourg – or watching them on TV and in the movies."[8]

From September 1950, Keith Richards and Jagger (known as "Mike" to his friends) were classmates at Wentworth Primary School in Dartford, Kent. In 1954, Jagger passed the eleven-plus, and went to Dartford Grammar School, where there is now the Mick Jagger Centre, as part of the school. Having lost contact with each other when they went to different schools, Richards and Jagger resumed their friendship in July 1960 after a chance encounter and discovered that they had both developed a love for rhythm and blues music, which began for Jagger with Little Richard.[9]

Jagger left school in 1961. He obtained seven O-levels and three A-levels. Jagger and Richards moved into a flat in Edith Grove in Chelsea with a guitarist they had encountered named Brian Jones. While Richards and Jones were making plans to start their own rhythm and blues group, Jagger continued his business courses at the London School of Economics,[10] and had seriously considered becoming either a journalist or a politician. Jagger had compared the latter to a pop star.[11][12]

Lawrence Gowan

Lawrence Gowan (born November 22, 1956) is a Scottish-born Canadian musician. Gowan has been both a solo artist and the current lead vocalist and keyboardist of the band Styx, since May 1999. His musical style is usually classified in the category of progressive rock.

At the age of 19, he earned an ARCT in classical piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music, in Toronto, Ontario. Upon graduation, he enjoyed modest local success with the band Rhinegold in 1976.

After the band broke up five years later, Gowan began what was to become a successful solo career under the stage name Gowan, releasing his first album under that name in 1982, which was produced by Rob Freeman and featured Kim Mitchell of Max Webster on guitar. This album contained the singles "Victory", "Give In" and "Keep Up the Fight". His 1985 album Strange Animal was his commercial breakthrough in Canada, produced by British producer David Tickle and featuring a more 'theatrical' Gowan, backed by Peter Gabriel's rhythm section players Tony Levin and Jerry Marotta. The album spawned the hit singles "A Criminal Mind", "(You're a) Strange Animal", "Guerilla Soldier" and "Cosmetics". His 1987 follow up Great Dirty World gave him another hit single with "Moonlight Desires," featuring Jon Anderson (from Yes) on backing vocals as well as the fan favourite "Dedication".

Lawrence Gowan in 2006 at a Styx show. 1990's Lost Brotherhood had a harder rock sound, and featured such players as Red Rider member Ken Greer, ex Coney Hatch guitarist

Steve Shelski and Rush's Alex Lifeson. It produced the singles "Lost Brotherhood", "All the Lovers in the World", and "Out of a Deeper Hunger". This was Gowan's first album for Anthem Records and his first US release.

He released the more acoustic, adult contemporary ...but you can call me Larry in 1993 under his full name, returning to the Canadian pop charts with "When There's Time for Love", "Soul's Road" and "Dancing on My Own Ground". He subsequently released The Good Catches Up in 1995, which featured the single "Guns and God", which received moderate airplay in Canada. Also that same year, Gowan was part of an all-star lineup at Toronto's Massey Hall to celebrate Ronnie Hawkins' 60th birthday, as documented on the album Let It Rock, sharing the stage with veteran rockers Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and The Band. In 1997, Gowan released two live CDs: Sololive - No Kilt Tonight containing a rendition of Ragtime's classic "King Chanticleer Rag", and Au Québec with a cover of Harmonium's "Pour un instant" as well as his first composition in French, "Stéphanie", for his fan base in Quebec.

In 1997, Gowan released "Healing Waters" as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales after her death. "Healing Waters" was officially an unreleased song from Gowan, though it was used in its original form, in the 1995 Jeff Wincott movie, When the Bullet Hits the Bone.

His song "A Criminal Mind" was covered in 2005 by Canadian hip-hop artist Maestro; Gowan appears in the video and his vocals are sampled on the track. The song was also sampled in a song performed by Akon and Freck Billionaire.

He also guest-starred on the Canadian animated comedy series Chilly Beach. In February 2006, Gowan did four orchestra-accompanied concerts in London, Ontario and Kitchener, Ontario. Also in 2006, his home

was featured on MTV's Cribs. In March 2010, Gowan released "Return of the Strange Animal", a remastered version of 1985's "Strange Animal" plus a making-of

documentary and music videos on DVD.[1] In May 2010, Gowan performed two solo shows in support of the 25th anniversary of the "Strange Animal" album.

According to new photos on his official Facebook page, he is currently recording a new solo album in New York State.

Jon Anderson

Jon Anderson (born John Roy Anderson on 25 October 1944)[1] is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes.[1] He is also an accomplished solo artist and has collaborated with artists such as the Greek musician Vangelis, among others.

Jon Anderson was born John Roy Anderson in Accrington, Lancashire, England, to Albert and Kathleen Anderson. His father was from Scotland whilst his mother was of Irish ancestry.[1] Anderson dropped the "h" from his first name in 1970.[1]

Anderson attended St. John's Infants School in Baxenden, Accrington. There he made a tentative start to a musical career playing the washboard in "Little John's Skiffle Group", which played songs by Lonnie Donegan, among others. Anderson left school at the age of fifteen and went through a series of jobs including farm hand, lorry driver and milkman. Anderson tried to pursue a football career at Accrington Stanley F.C., but at 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m) tall,[2] Anderson was turned down because of his frail constitution. He remains a fan of the club. [1]

In 1962 Anderson joined The Warriors (also known as The Electric Warriors),[1] where he and his brother Tony shared the role of lead vocalist. He quit this band in 1967, released two solo singles in 1968 under the pseudonym Hans Christian, [3] and then briefly sang for the bands The Gun and The Open Mind. One of Anderson's first producers at EMI was songwriter Paul Korda.

In March 1968 Anderson met bassist Chris Squire and joined him in a group called Mabel Greer's Toyshop, which had previously included guitarist Peter Banks. Anderson fronted this band but ended up leaving again before the summer was over. He remarks on his website that his time with the band consisted of "too many drugs, not enough fun!".[1]

[edit] Yes Anderson, Squire and Banks went on to form Yes with drummer Bill Bruford and keyboardist Tony Kaye. Their debut album was released in 1969. Rick

Wakeman joined in 1971, and Anderson stayed with the group until a 'bitter dispute' in 1980. [4] This has been known as the 'classic' period of Yes. Jon was a major creative force and band leader throughout this period. He has described himself as the 'team captain' and was nicknamed by his bandmates "Napoleon" for his diminutive stature and leadership of the band. He is also recognized as the main instigator of a series of epic works produced by Yes at the time. He played an indispensable role in creating such complex pieces as "Close to the Edge", "Awaken" and especially "The Gates of Delirium".[citation needed]

Anderson performing in concert with Yes in 1973. He rejoined a reformed Yes in 1983 which produced their most commercially successful album 90125 with newcomer Trevor Rabin. He departed again in

1988 over creative differences relating to the band's continued pursuit of major commercial success and mainstream radio play. In 1989 Anderson and other former Yes members formed the group Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe (ABWH), augmented by bassist Tony Levin, who had played with drummer Bill Bruford in King Crimson. After the successful first ABWH album, a series of business deals caused ABWH to reunite with the then-current members of Yes, who had been out of the public eye while searching for a new lead singer. The resulting eight-man band assumed the name Yes, and the album Union (1991) was assembled from various pieces of an in-progress second ABWH album, as well as recordings that the "Yes proper" band had been working on without Anderson. A successful tour followed, but the eight-man line-up of Yes never recorded a complete album together before splintering in 1992. Many more personnel changes followed, but Anderson stayed in the band until 2008. He appears on all Yes albums except for their 1980 album Drama, and their 2011 album Fly From Here.

Anderson was fond of experimenting within the band and in so doing contributed to occasionally conflicted relationships within the band and with management. He originally wanted to record the album Tales from Topographic Oceans in the middle of the woods, and instead decided to put hay and animal cut-outs all over the recording studio.[5] In another incident Anderson had tiles installed in the studio to simulate the echo effect of one's vocals in a bathroom.

Jon Anderson performing in 1977. Anderson last performed with Yes in 2004. A tour planned for summer 2008 with Anderson was cancelled when he suffered acute respiratory failure. The

band have since announced a tour without him and he has been replaced by Benoît David,[6] the lead vocalist in Yes tribute act Close to the Edge.[7]

As of mid-2011, Anderson is collaborating with Rabin and Wakeman on a new Anderson-Wakeman-Rabin album, and likely some concerts in 2012. They're writing music, and Wakeman said he hopes the album is completed by the end of 2011. On tour, the group plans to perform Yes songs and new music. [8] The group has unsuccessfully attempted to recruit Bruford to drum on the album. [9]

Eric baziliian

Eric Bazilian was born at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia to a father who was a psychiatrist and a mother who was a concert pianist.

He began playing the piano at age five, and his uncle taught him guitar at nine. He never took formal musical lessons. At the age of 10, while watching The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, Bazilian realized that playing and creating music was what he wished to pursue with his life.

At 16 years old, while attending Germantown Friends School, Bazilian started writing songs for his first band, Evil Seed. This band played all original music at "B-ins" at Belmont Plateau in Fairmount Park.

By the mid 1970s, while attending the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, Bazilian met Rob Hyman and Rick Chertoff, with whom he formed a band called Baby Grand. They would release two albums during their tenure.

After Baby Grand disbanded, Hyman and Bazilian decided to try something new by combining reggae, ska, and rock'n'roll to create The Hooters in 1980.

Nervous Night, The Hooters' 1985 debut on Columbia Records, sold more than 2 million copies and included Billboard Top 40 hits "Day By Day" (#18), "And We Danced" (#21) and "Where Do The Children Go" (#38).

After releasing six albums, The Hooters obtained a large global following throughout the 1980s and 1990s. As a result, they were asked to open three major musical events of the late 20th century: Live Aid in Philadelphia in 1985, Amnesty International Concert at Giants Stadium in 1986, and Roger Waters' The Wall Concert in Berlin in 1990. In 1995, The Hooters went on hiatus, although Hyman and Bazilian would continue to collaborate on musical projects for other artists.

Bazilian reunited with The Hooters on successful headlining European summer tours in 2003, 2004, and 2005.

2007 saw the release of Time Stand Still, their first album of new material since 1993.

Brad Delp

Bradley E. Delp (June 12, 1951 – March 9, 2007) was an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Boston. Delp was known for his vocal histrionics, and especially his high range.

Delp was born on June 12, 1951 in Danvers, Massachusetts[1] to French-Canadian immigrants. While his father played the fiddle at home, Delp was inspired after seeing the Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, and he began learning to play the guitar. He saw the Beatles perform live at Suffolk Downs in East Boston on August 18, 1966. In 1968, Delp discovered the music of a local group from Worcester called Orpheus and became a life long fan, calling them his "favorite band - second only to The Beatles". Delp was greatly influenced by the vocal harmonies and rich arrangements of Orpheus' leader, Bruce Arnold and claimed to have locked himself in his bedroom for several days in order to learn all the guitar and vocal parts from the group's debut album.[2] In 1969 Delp was making heating elements for Mr. Coffee machines at the Danvers company Hot-Watt when he met Boston founding members Tom Scholz, Barry Goudreau and Jim Masdea.

In 1969, guitarist Barry Goudreau introduced Delp to Tom Scholz, who was looking for a singer to complete some demo recordings. Eventually Scholz formed the short-lived band Mother's Milk (1973–74), including Delp and Goudreau. After much toiling and retweaking of tracks these demos were shopped, to considerable disdain[citation needed ], but Epic Records eventually signed the act. Mother's Milk was renamed Boston, and the eponymous debut album - recorded in 1975, although many tracks had been written years before - was released in August 1976. Delp performed all of the lead and backing vocals, including all layered vocal overdubs.Boston's debut release has sold more than 18 million copies, and produced future rock standards such as "More Than a Feeling", "Foreplay/Long Time" and "Peace of Mind". Delp co-wrote "Smokin'" along with Scholz, and wrote the album's closing track, "Let Me Take You Home Tonight".

Their next album, Don't Look Back, was released two years later, in August 1978. Its release spawned new hits such as the title track, "Party" (a sequel of sorts to "Smokin'"), and the poignant ballad "A Man I'll Never Be". As they did with "Smokin'", Delp and Scholz again collaborated on "Party", and Delp penned "Used To Bad News".

Scholz's legendary perfectionism and a legal battle with their record company stalled any further albums until 1986, when the band released the appropriately titled Third Stage. Delp and Scholz were the only two original members, with several new members involved in the production.

Another hiatus between albums forced Delp to part ways with Scholz in 1991 to form a new band called RTZ, but the two eventually reunited in 1994 for another major Boston tour. Delp continued to record vocals on several albums/projects, as well as some new tracks for Boston's 1997 Greatest Hits compilation and their 2002 release Corporate America.

Though well known for his "golden" voice with soaring vocals and range, Delp was also a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, harmonica and keyboards. Additionally he wrote or co-wrote several songs for Boston and many other artists.

From the mid-1990s until his death in 2007, Delp also played in a side project when he had time off from Boston - a Beatles tribute band called Beatlejuice. The Beatles had always been a personal favorite of Delp, and he revered them for their songwriting. During this time Delp also co-wrote with Boston bandmate Barry Goudreau for the 2003 release "Delp and Goudreau".

Tommy Decarlo

Tommy DeCarlo (born April 23, 1965), is an American singer. He is the current lead singer of Boston.

DeCarlo was born in Utica, New York, and became a fan of Boston as a teenager. He began recording covers of their songs and posting them on his MySpace with him on vocals. In March 2007, Boston lead singer Brad Delp committed suicide at the age of 55. As a tribute to Delp, DeCarlo wrote a song and posted it on his Myspace page. Another Boston fan heard DeCarlo's work and suggested that he send his Myspace page link to a Boston associate, offering up an old email address. DeCarlo sent the link, and was approached by Boston leader Tom Scholz to be one of the singers, along with Michael Sweet of Stryper, during the Brad Delp Tribute Concert in the Bank Of America Pavilion in Boston, MA.[1]

Brian Johnson

Brian Johnson (born 5 October 1947) is an English singer and lyricist who has been the lead singer for the rock band AC/DC since 1980. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, along with the other members of the band.

In 1972, Johnson became one of the founding members of the glam rock band Geordie. After a few hit singles, including UK Top 10 "All Because of You" (1973), the band split up in 1978 then to be reformed by Johnson in 1980. But after signing a new record deal, Johnson was asked to audition for AC/DC, whose charismatic frontman, Bon Scott, had died on 19 February 1980. A fan in Cleveland[1] sent a tape of Johnson performing with Geordie to the band's manager Peter Mensch. Mensch recommended him to the band.[2]

AC/DC lead guitarist and co-founder Angus Young later recalled, "I remember Bon playing me Little Richard, and then telling me the story of when he saw Brian singing." He says about that night, "There's this guy up there screaming at the top of his lungs and then the next thing you know he hits the deck. He's on the floor, rolling around and screaming. I thought it was great, and then to top it off—you couldn't get a better encore—they came in and wheeled the guy off!'" Johnson was diagnosed with appendicitis later that night, which was the cause of his writhing around on stage.[3] The band agreed immediately that Johnson's performing style fit AC/DC's music. Johnson's first album with AC/DC, Back in Black, became the third best-selling album of all time.

Brian Johnson was born in Dunston, Gateshead, England. He is of English and Italian descent and is the eldest of four siblings. His father, Alan, was a Sergeant Major of the British Army's Durham Light Infantry and a coal miner; he died during the Ballbreaker tour. Johnson's mother, Esther (née De Luca), was an Italian from Frascati.[4] When he was young, Brian Johnson performed in various shows with the Scouts, and appeared in a play which aired on television, and joined a local church choir.[5]

Rush

Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist and backing vocalist Alex Lifeson, and drummer, percussionist and lyricist Neil Peart. The band and its membership went through a number of re-configurations between 1968 and 1974, achieving their current form when Peart replaced original drummer John Rutsey in July 1974, two weeks before the group's first United States tour. Rutsey's departure stemmed primarily from health concerns regarding his diabetes.

Since the release of the band's self-titled debut album in March 1974, Rush has become known for its musicianship, complex compositions, and eclectic lyrical motifs drawing heavily on science fiction, fantasy, and philosophy. Rush's music style has changed over the years, beginning with blues-inspired heavy metal on their first album, then encompassing hard rock, progressive rock, and a period with heavy use of synthesizers. They have been cited as an influence by various musical artists, including Metallica,[1] Primus,[2] and The Smashing Pumpkins,[2] as well as progressive metal bands such as Dream Theater[1] and Symphony X.[3]

Rush has won a number of Juno Awards, and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994. Over their careers, the members of Rush have been acknowledged as some of the most proficient players on their respective instruments, with each band member winning numerous awards in magazine readers' polls. As a group, Rush possesses 24 gold records and 14 platinum (3 multi-platinum) records. [4] Rush's sales statistics place them third behind The Beatles and The Rolling Stones for the most consecutive gold or platinum studio albums by a rock band.[5] Rush also ranks 79th in U.S. album sales, with 25 million units. [6] Although total worldwide album sales are not calculated by any single entity, as of 2004 several industry sources estimated Rush's total worldwide album sales at over 40 million units.

The band finished the second leg of the Time Machine Tour in July 2011 and are expected to release their next studio album, Clockwork Angels in June 2012[7] with a supporting tour in the fall.

The original line-up formed in the neighbourhood of Willowdale in Toronto, Ontario, by Lifeson, bassist and front man Jeff Jones, and drummer John Rutsey. Within a couple of weeks of forming, and before their second performance, bassist and lead vocalist Jones was replaced by Geddy Lee, a schoolmate of Lifeson. After several line-up reformations, Rush's official incarnation was formed in May 1971 consisting of Lee, Lifeson, and Rutsey. The band was managed by local Toronto resident Ray Danniels, a frequent attendee of Rush's early shows.[8][9]

After gaining stability in the line-up and honing their skills on the local bar/high school dance circuit, the band came to release their first single " Not Fade Away", a cover of the Buddy Holly song, in 1973. Side B contained an original composition, "You Can't Fight It", credited to Lee and Rutsey. The single generated little reaction and, because of record company indifference, the band formed their own independent record label, Moon Records. With the aid of Danniels and the newly enlisted engineer Terry Brown, the band released their self-titled debut album in 1974, which was considered highly derivative of Led Zeppelin. [10] Rush had limited local popularity until the album was picked up by WMMS, a radio station in Cleveland, Ohio. Donna Halper, a DJ working at the station, selected "Working Man" for her regular play list. The song's blue collar theme resonated with hard rock fans and this new found popularity led to the album being re-released by Mercury Records in the U.S.[11][12]

The "starman" logo first appeared on the back cover of the 1976 album 2112. Hugh Syme, creator of graphics on many of Rush's albums, stated in a 1983 interview that the Starman "didn't begin as an identity factor for the band, it just got adopted." [13]

Immediately after the release of the debut album in 1974, Rutsey was forced to leave the band due to health difficulties (stemming from diabetes) and his general distaste for touring. His last performance with the band was on July 25, 1974 at Centennial Hall in London, Ontario. Rush held auditions for a new drummer and eventually selected Neil Peart as Rutsey's replacement. Peart officially joined the band on July 29, 1974, two weeks before the group's first U.S. tour. They performed their first concert together, opening for Uriah Heep and Manfred Mann with an attendance of over 11,000 people at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 14. In addition to becoming the band's drummer, Peart assumed the role of principal lyricist from Lee, who had very little interest in writing, despite penning the lyrics of the band's first album. [14] Instead, Lee, along with Lifeson, focused primarily on the instrumental aspects of Rush. Fly by Night (1975), Rush's first album after recruiting Peart, saw the inclusion of the band's first epic mini-tale "By-Tor and the Snow Dog", replete with complex arrangements and multi-section format. Lyrical themes also underwent dramatic changes after the addition of Peart because of his love for fantasy and science-fiction literature.[15] However, despite these many differences some of the music and songs still closely mirrored the blues style found on Rush's debut. [15][16]

Following quickly on the heels of Fly By Night, the band released 1975's Caress of Steel, a five-track hard rock/heavy metal album featuring two extended multi-chapter songs, "The Necromancer" and "The Fountain of Lamneth." Some critics said Caress of Steel was unfocused and an audacious move for the band because of the placement of two back-to-back protracted songs, as well as a heavier reliance on atmospherics and story-telling, a large deviation from Fly by Night.[17] Intended to be the band's first "break-through" album, Caress of Steel sold below expectations and the promotional tour consisted of smaller venues which led to the moniker the "Down the Tubes Tour". [18] In light of these events, Rush's record label pressured them into moulding their next album in a more commercially friendly and accessible fashion. However, the band ignored the requests and developed their next album, 2112 with a 20-minute title track divided into seven sections. Despite this, the album was the band's first taste of commercial success and their first platinum album in Canada.[19] The supporting tour for the album culminated in a three-night stand at Massey Hall in Toronto, which the band recorded for the release of their first live album titled All the World's a Stage. Allmusic critic Greg Prato summarily reminds listeners and fans of how the album demarcates the boundary between the band's early years and the next era of their music.[20][21]

Geddy Lee

Geddy Lee, OC (born Gary Lee Weinrib; July 29, 1953)[1] is a Canadian musician, best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist for the Canadian rock group Rush. Lee joined what would become Rush in September 1968, at the request of his childhood friend Alex Lifeson, replacing original bassist and frontman Jeff Jones.[2]

An award-winning musician, Lee's style, technique, and skill on the bass guitar have inspired many rock musicians such as Cliff Burton of Metallica,[3] Steve Harris of Iron Maiden,[citation needed] John Myung of Dream Theater,[4] Les Claypool of Primus,[5], Frank Bello of Anthrax,[4] Juan Alderete of The Mars Volta, and Tim Commerford of Rage Against the Machine.[citation needed]

In addition to his composing, arranging, and performing duties for Rush, Lee has produced for various other bands, including Rocket Science. Lee's first solo effort, My Favourite Headache, was released in 2000.

Along with his Rush bandmates – guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer Neil Peart – Lee was made an Officer of the Order of Canada on May 9, 1996. The trio was the first rock band to be so honoured, as a group.[6] Lee is ranked 13th by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal vocalists of all time.[

Geddy Lee was born Gary Lee Weinrib on July 29, 1953 in Willowdale, (North York) Toronto, Ontario, Canada to Morris and Mary Weinrib (née Manya Rubenstein). [1][8] Lee's stage name, Geddy, was inspired by his mother's heavily accented pronunciation of his given first name, Gary, and it later became his high school nickname before he adopted it as his stage name. In an interview written in Bass Frontiers Magazine, Geddy Lee explains; "My born name is Gary. My real name, now, is Geddy. Okay, it's like the same story of Leave it to Beaver. (laughs). The story goes: my mother is Polish and she has a very thick accent. When I was about twelve years old, I had a friend who, whenever he heard my mother pronounce my name, he thought she was calling me, 'Geddy'. He started calling me 'Geddy', and eventually, all of my friends started calling me 'Geddy', and eventually my mother started to call me 'Geddy', for real. And eventually, I changed my name legally to 'Geddy', so that's the story and that's my name, Geddy."[9] Lee's parents were Jewish refugees from Poland who had been survivors of Dachau and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps during World War II. In 2004, Canadian Jewish News featured Lee's reflections on his mother's experiences as a refugee, and of his own Jewish heritage. [8] In an interview with Rob Tannenbaum of Maxim, Lee described the two most Jewish things about him as "[M]y nose and my sense of humor. I'm kind of a Jewish atheist: I bathe in the racial beauty of Judaism, but I don’t really see what that has to do with a belief in God. The only time I pray is on the tennis court." [10]

Lee attended the same elementary school as comedian Rick Moranis.[11] Geddy Lee also attended Willowdale Junior High School with Steve Shutt of the Montreal Canadiens.

Lee married Nancy Young in 1976. They have a son, Julian, and a daughter, Kyla. 7]

Alex Lifeson

Aleksandar Živojinović, OC, (born August 27, 1953) better known by his stage name Alex Lifeson, is a second-generation Serbian-Canadian musician, best known as the guitarist of the Canadian rock band Rush. In the summer of 1968, Lifeson founded the band that would become Rush with friend and drummer John Rutsey. He has been an integral member of the band ever since.

For Rush, Lifeson plays electric and acoustic guitars as well as other stringed instruments such as mandola, mandolin, and bouzouki. He also performs backing vocals in live performances, and occasionally plays keyboards and bass pedal synthesizers. During live performances, Lifeson, like the other members of Rush, performs real-time triggering of sampled instruments, concurrently with his guitar playing.[1] The bulk of Lifeson's work in music has been with Rush, although Lifeson has contributed to a body of work outside of the band as well. Aside from music, Lifeson is part owner of the Toronto restaurant The Orbit Room, and is a licensed aircraft pilot.[2]

Along with his bandmates Geddy Lee and Neil Peart, Lifeson was made an Officer of the Order of Canada on May 9, 1996. The trio was the first rock band to be so honoured, as a group

Lifeson was born as Aleksandar Živojinović in Fernie, British Columbia to Serbian immigrants, Nenad and Melanija Zivojinovich (from Serbian: Живојиновић, Živojinović), and raised in Toronto, Ontario.[2] His assumed stage name of "Lifeson" is a semi-literal translation of the name "Zivojinovich", which means "son of life" in Serbian.[4] His first exposure to formal music training came in the form of the viola, which he renounced for the guitar at the age of 12. His first guitar was a Christmas gift from his father, a six-string Kent classical acoustic which was later upgraded to an electric Japanese model. During his adolescent years, he was influenced primarily by Jimi Hendrix, Pete Townshend, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page[5] and Steve Hackett; he explained in 2011 that "Clapton's solos seemed a little easier and more approachable. I remember sitting at my record player and moving the needle back and forth to get the solo in 'Spoonful.' But there was nothing I could do with Hendrix."[6] In 1963 Lifeson met future Rush drummer John Rutsey in school. Both interested in music, they decided to form a band. Lifeson was primarily a self-taught guitarist with the only formal instruction coming from a high school friend in 1971 who taught classical guitar lessons. This training lasted for roughly a year and a half.

Lifeson recalls what inspired him to play guitar in a 2008 interview: My brother-in-law played flamenco guitar. He lent his guitar to me and I grew to like it. When you're a kid, you don't want to play an

accordion because it would be too boring. But your parents might want you to play one, especially if you're from a Yugoslavian family like me.[7]

Lifeson's first girlfriend, Charlene, gave birth to their eldest son, Justin, in October 1970, and they married in 1975. Their second son, Adrian, who is also involved in music, performed on two tracks from Lifeson's 1996 solo project, Victor.

Lifeson's neighbour John Rutsey began experimenting on a rented drum kit and, in early 1968, Lifeson and Rutsey formed The Projection, which eventually became Rush following the recruitment of original bassist/vocalist Jeff Jones. Geddy Lee assumed this role soon after.[8]

Instrumentally, Lifeson is regarded as a guitarist whose strengths and notability rely primarily on signature riffing, electronic effects and processing, unorthodox chord structures, and a copious arsenal of equipment used over the years.[9][10][11] Despite his esteem, however, Lifeson is often regarded as being overshadowed by his bandmates due to Lee's on-stage multi-instrumental dexterity and Peart's status as a drummer.[12]

Rush was on hiatus for several years starting in 1997 owing to personal tragedies in Neil Peart's life, and Lifeson had not picked up a guitar for at least a year following those events.[13] However, after some work in his home studio and on various side projects, Lifeson returned to the studio with Rush to begin work on 2002's Vapor Trails. Vapor Trails is the first Rush album since the 1970s to lack keyboards—as such, Lifeson used over 50 different guitars in what Shawn Hammond of Guitar Player called "his most rabid and experimental playing ever." Geddy Lee was amenable to leaving keyboards off the album due in part to Lifeson's ongoing concern about their use. Lifeson's approach to the guitar tracks for the album eschewed traditional guitar riffs and solos in favour of "tonality and harmonic quality."[13]

During live performances, he is still responsible for cuing various guitar effects, the use of bass-pedal synthesizers and backing vocals

Kerry Livgren

Kerry Allen Livgren (born September 18, 1949) is an American musician and songwriter, best known as one of the founding members and primary songwriters for the 1970s progressive rock band, Kansas.

Livgren was raised in Topeka, Kansas by his father, Allen Leroy, an industrial engineer, and his mother, Betty (nee McElhiney). He was drawn to music at a young age, his first musical interests developed with classical and jazz influences. His musical odyssey started with an electric guitar he built using a cheap Stella guitar, a Sears amplifier and a low-quality Astatic microphone. Along with learning guitar, Livgren also focused on learning to write songs due to his desire for more creative expression and originality. He attended Washburn University for some time.

Livgren was a member of numerous bands in the late 1960s and early 1970s and quickly developed a reputation for complex compositions and poetic lyrics that explored spiritual themes. His investigations into various religions are reflected in the lyrics of his songs on Kansas' first six albums. He explored themes such as reincarnation, astral travel, apparitions, nihilism and human frailty, among others.

Livgren formed his first band, the Gimlets, with several close friends in high school including John Pribble, drums, Scott Kessler, bass, Tim Strauss, guitar, and Dan Wright keyboards. They soon found themselves booked after school and on weekends throughout Kansas and neighboring Missouri, where they played their original compositions, which were a blend of pop, English and psychedelic rock. After graduating from Topeka West High School in 1967, Livgren continued to perform with the Gimlets through college before joining a predominantly black mainstream rhythm and blues band named the Mellotones, in which he met keyboard player Don Montre in 1969.

Forming a deep friendship, Livgren and Montre decided to leave the Mellotones and join the more commercially viable band The Reasons Why, which included Lynn Meredith and Wright. Though this band was doing well financially, Livgren became frustrated because of his desire for more creative expression, and he and Montre decided to start their own band. They briefly reformed the Gimlets with former members Scott Kessler and Wright along with several new members. A short time later, they renamed the band Saratoga after the name on the pencil that Livgren was using to write songs. Saratoga included Meredith, Montre, Wright, Livgren, Phil Ehart and Dave Hope.

In 1970, Livgren and Ehart decided to form a new group by combining the best members from Saratoga and Phil's band White Clover (which included Steve Walsh, Rich Williams, Hope and Jeff Glixman). While Livgren and Ehart were discussing what to call the new band, Hope walked in on the conversation and suggested they call themselves Kansas. This version of Kansas (referred to as "Kansas I" by fans) was known for its complex musical arrangements and originality, but this lineup lasted for only one year.

In 1971, Ehart and Hope left the group, and Livgren reworked the band and continued it under the name Kansas. (This group later became known by fans as Kansas II and is the lineup that reformed decades later as Proto-Kaw). Kansas II continued to perform Livgren's original works that fused experimental rock with psychedelia and jazz. During this time, Kansas II recorded a demo cassette that was released commercially 30 years later. Kansas II generated a loyal fan following, and the built-in audience helped the band secure concert bookings. However, financial problems plagued the band, and after a record deal with Jefferson Airplane's label failed to materialize and an old school bus broke down while the band was on the road touring, the band dissolved in 1973.

Shortly afterward, Livgren was invited by Ehart to join the reformed White Clover, which also included vocalist Walsh, violinist Robby Steinhardt, bassist Hope, guitarist Williams and Ehart on drums. Prior to Livgren's joining the band, White Clover had sent out a five-song demo tape, which Don Kirshner was interested in for his new label. As part of the effort to sign with Kirshner, the players soon renamed themselves Kansas, becoming the third, and eventually the best-known, lineup to use this name.

Robert Plant

Robert Anthony Plant, CBE (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career. In 2007, Plant released Raising Sand, an album produced by T-Bone Burnett with American bluegrass soprano Alison Krauss, which won the 2009 Grammy Award for Album of the Year at the 51st Grammy Awards.[1]

With a career spanning more than 40 years, Plant is regarded as one of the most significant singers in the history of rock music, and has influenced contemporaries and later singers such as Freddie Mercury and Axl Rose.[2] In 2006, heavy metal magazine Hit Parader named Plant the "Greatest Metal Vocalist of All-Time".[3] In 2009, Plant was voted "the greatest voice in rock" in a poll conducted by Planet Rock.[4][5] In 2011, a Rolling Stone readers' pick placed Plant in first place of the magazine's "Best Lead Singers of All Time".

Plant was born in the Black Country town of West Bromwich (then in Staffordshire now in West Midlands) to parents Robert C. who worked as a civil engineer[7] and Annie C. (Cain) Plant, but grew up in Kidderminster, in Worcester. Plant gained an interest in singing and rock and roll music at an early age.

When I was a kid I used to hide behind the curtains at home at Christmas and I used to try and be Elvis. There was a certain ambience between the curtains and the French windows, there was a certain sound there for a ten year old. That was all the ambience I got at ten years old... I think! And I always wanted to be a curtain, a bit similar to that.[8]

He left King Edward VI Grammar School for Boys in Stourbridge in his mid-teens and developed a strong passion for the blues, mainly through his admiration for Willie Dixon, Robert Johnson and early rendition of songs in this genre.

I suppose I was quite interested in my stamp collection and Romano-British history. I was a little grammar school boy and I could hear this kind of calling through the airwaves[9]

He abandoned training as a chartered accountant after only two weeks to attend college in an effort to gain more GCE passes and to become part of the English Midlands blues scene.[10][11] "I left home at 16", he said "and I started my real education musically, moving from group to group, furthering my knowledge of the blues and of other music which had weight and was worth listening to."[12]

Plant's early blues influences included Johnson, Bukka White, Skip James, Jerry Miller, and Sleepy John Estes. Plant had various jobs while pursuing his music career, one of which was working for the major British construction company Wimpey in Birmingham in 1967 laying tarmac on roads. He also worked at Woolworths in Halesowen town for a short period of time. He cut three obscure singles on CBS Records[13] and sang with a variety of bands, including The Crawling King Snakes, which brought him into contact with drummer John Bonham. They both went on to play in the Band of Joy, merging blues with newer psychedelic trends. Though his early career met with no commercial success, word quickly spread about the "young man with the powerful voice".

[6]

John Bon Jovi

Jon Bon Jovi (born John Francis Bongiovi, Jr.; March 2, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the founder, occasional rhythm guitarist, and lead singer of rock band Bon Jovi, which was named after him. During his career, he has released two solo albums and eleven studio albums with his band, which to date have sold over 130 million albums worldwide. Тhe band was declared the second richest band for 2011, behind U2, earning an approximate $125 million income.[1] In addition, Jon Bon Jovi is one of the majority-owners of the Philadelphia Soul, a team playing in the Arena Football League. In 2010, President Barack Obama named Jon Bon Jovi to the White House Council for Community Solutions.

As a solo artist, Bon Jovi has received numerous awards for his work, including a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination for his solo hit, "Blaze of Glory". He was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Monmouth University in 2001. He campaigned for Al Gore in the 2000 Presidential election, John Kerry in the 2004 Presidential election, and Barack Obama in the 2008 Presidential election.

Alice Cooper

Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier; February 4, 1948)[1] is an American rock singer, songwriter, and musician whose career spans more than four decades. With a stage show that features guillotines, electric chairs, fake blood, boa constrictors, and baby dolls, Cooper has drawn equally from horror movies, vaudeville, and garage rock to pioneer a grandly theatrical and violent brand of heavy metal designed to shock.[2]

Alice Cooper was originally a band consisting of Furnier on vocals and harmonica, lead guitarist Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce on rhythm guitar, Dennis Dunaway on bass guitar, and drummer Neal Smith. The original Alice Cooper band broke into the international music mainstream with the 1971 hit "I'm Eighteen" from the album Love It to Death, which was followed by the even bigger single "School's Out" in 1972. The band reached their commercial peak with the 1973 album Billion Dollar Babies.

Furnier's solo career as Alice Cooper, adopting the band's name as his own name, began with the 1975 concept album Welcome to My Nightmare; in 2011 he released Welcome 2 My Nightmare, his 19th album as a solo artist, and his 26th album in total. Expanding from his Detroit rock roots, in his career Cooper has experimented with a number of musical styles, including conceptual rock, art rock, hard rock, New Wave, pop rock, experimental rock and industrial rock.

Alice Cooper is known for his social and witty persona offstage; The Rolling Stone Album Guide has called him the world's most "beloved heavy metal entertainer".[3] Cooper is credited with helping to shape the sound and look of heavy metal, and he is regarded as being the artist who "first introduced horror imagery to rock'n'roll, and whose stagecraft and showmanship have permanently transformed the genre".[4] Away from music, Cooper is a film actor, a golfing celebrity, a restaurateur and, since 2004, a popular radio DJ with his classic rock show Nights with Alice Cooper.

In 2011 the original Alice Cooper band was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[5]

Bernie Shaw

Bernie Shaw (born June 15, 1956) is a Canadian singer, and since 1986, the lead vocalist for the British rock group Uriah Heep. He was born in Victoria, British Columbia.[

At the beginning of 1970 Shaw dreamed of becoming a rock guitarist. He bought himself a Gibson SG Special and started practising. When the local band Cold Sweat was looking for a second guitarist in 1974, Shaw auditioned but the bass player advised him to buy a vocal gear set and come back the next week. Shaw followed up this advice, and when he auditioned as a singer the band hired him as their new vocalist. The interest in rock music was changing and Cold Sweat changed their name to Buckshot. With this name they toured for some months. In the summer of 1977 the band quit due to lack of success.

His next band was Legend. This formation came from Saskatoon. Shaw played nine months with them before he flew back to Victoria. Also in this year Shaw played with Phil Lanzon (formerly of Romance) in the group Paris.

In December 1978, Paris signed a record deal with RCA and changed their name to Grand Prix. Shaw sang on the album Grand Prix which was released in 1980. When Shaw returned from his sister's wedding in October 1981 he learned he had been replaced by Robin McAuley. Talk started of a 30 something year reunion for Grand Prix following Uriah Heeps acclaimed performance at Childline Rocks (June 1, 2009); several ex-members have spoken for the first time since the unscheduled departure of Shaw, And all decided it was the right move to enlist McAuley as vocalist due to his far superior voice.

In December 1981 Shaw joined Praying Mantis, a band formed in 1978. Other band members were Tino Troy (guitar), Chris Troy (bass), Dave Potts (drums) and John Bavin (keyboards). The band was managed by Deep Purple manager John Coletta but they still had problems getting a record deal. Shaw did not record an album with Praying Mantis but did appear on the EP Turn The Tables, recorded in 1982. Praying Mantis primarily played live in various venues, including the Reading Festival. In 1993 a bootleg was going around called "live + singles" which contained six songs performed at the Reading Festival and other fragments and singles.

From December 1983 to the middle of 1984 Shaw played in Clive Burr's Escape, a band started by ex-Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr. Praying Mantis members Chris and Tino Troy were also in the group. Shortly after Shaw joined, the band went on as Escape.

In July 1984 the band again chose a new name, Stratus. Like Praying Mantis, Stratus played melodic hard rock. The album Throwing Shapes was recorded at the Frankfurter Dreamboat studio with Tino Troy on guitar, Alan Nelson on keyboards, Chris Troy on bass, and Clive Burr on drums. It was released in the summer of 1984. In 1993 the CD version Reborn Classics was released. As a bonus track on this bootleg the Soundhouse Tapes are added. Stratus also had one song as a movie soundtrack. The song "Run For Your Life" is used in Class of Nuke 'Em High (1986, USA).

When Stratus gigged at the London Marquee Club one of the visitors was Uriah Heep guitarist Mick Box. Uriah Heep's singer, Steff Fontaine, had just been fired, and Box was looking for a singer who could reach the high notes. Box asked Shaw to audition for Uriah Heep and then hired him as the band's new front man.

Bernie Shaw and Mick Box, 9 May 2009, Slavonski Brod, Croatia Shaw’s first album with Heep was Live in Moscow. In 1995 Shaw had serious throat problems and it looked for a while as if Shaw would have to quit his

singing career. For concerts in Austria and South Africa former Heep vocalist John Lawton was deputized. Shaw recovered after minor surgery. He is now the band's longest-serving vocalist.

At the end of 1995 Shaw started a hobby band in Victoria, Canada, called In Transit. The band does cover versions of Van Halen, .38 Special, Dan Reed Network, Stage Dolls, Foreigner, Ritchie Sambora, and a few Uriah Heep songs.

In August and September 1997 Shaw was in the Canadian Rock Ridge studios to sing on the album of his friend Kevin Williams, whom he knew from In Transit. It was a tribute album to Williams' wife who died of cancer around Christmas 1996. The CD was released in private by Kevin Williams for the Canadian market only. Bernie Shaw, as, in fact, all the current Uriah Heep's members, collaborated in 2001 with Romanian heavy-metal legends Iris, on a track called "Lady in Black" which had great success in Romania during that year.

John Lennon

John Winston Lennon, MBE (9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. With Paul McCartney, he formed one of the most celebrated songwriting partnerships of the 20th century.

Born and raised in Liverpool, Lennon became involved as a teenager in the skiffle craze; his first band, The Quarrymen, evolved into The Beatles in 1960. As the group disintegrated towards the end of the decade, Lennon embarked on a solo career that produced the critically acclaimed albums John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, and iconic songs such as "Give Peace a Chance" and "Imagine". After his marriage to Yoko Ono in 1969, he changed his name to John Ono Lennon. Lennon disengaged himself from the music business in 1975 to devote time to his infant son Sean, but re-emerged in 1980 with a new album, Double Fantasy. He was murdered three weeks after its release.

Lennon revealed a rebellious nature and acerbic wit in his music, writing, drawings, on film, and in interviews. Controversial through his political and peace activism, he moved to New York City in 1971, where his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a lengthy attempt by Richard Nixon's administration to deport him, while some of his songs were adopted as anthems by the anti-war movement.

As of 2012 Lennon's solo album sales in the United States exceed 14 million units, and as writer, co-writer or performer, he is responsible for 25 number-one singles on the US Hot 100 chart. In 2002 a BBC poll on the 100 Greatest Britons voted him eighth, and in 2008, Rolling Stone ranked him the fifth-greatest singer of all-time. He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Paul Mcartney

Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM (born 18 June 1942) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles (1960–1970) and Wings (1971–1981), McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100 million singles in the United Kingdom alone.[1]

With John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, McCartney gained worldwide fame as a member of The Beatles, and with Lennon formed one of the most influential and successful songwriting partnerships in the history of popular music.[2] After leaving The Beatles, McCartney launched a successful solo career and formed the band Wings with his first wife, Linda Eastman, and singer-songwriter Denny Laine.

BBC News Online readers named McCartney the "greatest composer of the millennium". According to the BBC, his Beatles song "Yesterday" has been covered by over 2,200 artists — more than any other song in the history of recorded music.[3] Since its 1965 release it has been played more than 7,000,000 times on American television and radio.[4] Wings' 1977 single "Mull of Kintyre" became the first single to sell more than two million copies in the United Kingdom and remains the UK's top selling non-charity single.[5] Based on the 93 weeks his compositions have spent at the top spot of the UK chart, and 24 number one singles to his credit, McCartney is the most successful songwriter in UK singles chart history.[6] As a performer or songwriter, McCartney was responsible for 31 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States,[7][8][9][10] and has sold 15.5 million RIAA certified albums in the United States.[11]

McCartney has composed film scores, classical and electronic music, released a large catalogue of songs as a solo artist, and has taken part in projects to help international charities. He is an advocate for animal rights, for vegetarianism, and for music education; he is active in campaigns against landmines, seal hunting, and Third World debt. He is a keen football fan, supporting both Everton and Liverpool football clubs. His company MPL Communications owns the copyrights to more than 3,000 songs,[12] including all songs written by Buddy Holly, along with publishing rights to the musicals Guys and Dolls, A Chorus Line, and Grease. McCartney is one of the UK's wealthiest people, with an estimated fortune of £475 million in 2010.[13]

McCartney was born in Walton Hospital in Liverpool England, where his mother, Mary (née Mohin), had worked as a nurse in the maternity ward.[14] He has one brother, Michael, born 7 January 1944.[15] McCartney was baptised as a Roman Catholic but was raised non-denominationally: his mother was Roman Catholic and his father James, or "Jim" McCartney, was a Protestant turned agnostic.[15]

In 1947 he began attending Stockton Wood Road Primary School. He then attended the Joseph Williams Junior School[16] and passed the 11-plus exam in 1953 with three others out of the 90 examinees, thus gaining admission to the Liverpool Institute.[17] In 1954, while taking the bus from his home in the suburb of Speke to the Institute, he met George Harrison, who lived nearby.[18] Passing the exam meant that McCartney and Harrison could go to a grammar school rather than a secondary modern school, which the majority of pupils attended until they were eligible to work, but as grammar school pupils, they had to find new friends.[19]

20 Forthlin Road now attracts large numbers of tourists. In 1955 the McCartney family moved to 20 Forthlin Road in Allerton.[20] Mary McCartney rode a bicycle to houses where she was needed as a midwife, and an

early McCartney memory is of her leaving when it was snowing heavily.[21] On 31 October 1956, Mary McCartney died of an embolism after a mastectomy operation to stop the spread of her breast cancer.[22] The early loss of his mother was later a point of relation with John Lennon, whose mother Julia died after being struck by a car when Lennon was 17.[23]

McCartney's father was a trumpet player and pianist who had led Jim Mac's Jazz Band in the 1920s and encouraged his son to be musical. [24] Jim had an upright piano in the front room that he had bought from Epstein's North End Music Stores. McCartney's grandfather, Joe McCartney, played an E-flat tuba.[25][26] Jim McCartney used to point out the different instruments in songs on the radio, and often took McCartney to local brass band concerts. [26] McCartney's father gave him a nickel-plated trumpet, but when skiffle music became popular, McCartney swapped the trumpet for a £15 Framus Zenith (model 17) acoustic guitar.[27][28] Being left-handed, McCartney found right-handed guitars difficult to play, but when he saw a poster advertising a Slim Whitman concert, he realised that Whitman played left-handed with his right-handed guitar strung the opposite way.[28][29] McCartney wrote his first song ("I Lost My Little Girl") on the Zenith, and also played his father's Framus Spanish guitar when writing early songs with Lennon.[30] He later learned to play the piano and wrote his second song, "When I'm Sixty-Four".[31] Despite his father's advice, he never took music lessons, preferring instead to learn "by ear".[24]

McCartney was heavily influenced by American Rhythm and Blues music. He has stated that Little Richard was his idol when he was in school and that the first song he ever sang in public was "Long Tall Sally", at a Butlins holiday camp talent competition.[32]

George Harrison

George Harrison,[1] MBE (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001)[2] was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles.[3][4] Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle",[3] Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian culture and mysticism, and introduced it to the other Beatles, as well as their Western audience.[5] Following the band's break-up he was a successful solo artist, and later a founding member of the Traveling Wilburys. Harrison was also a session musician and a film and record producer. He is listed at number 11 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".[6]

Although most of The Beatles' songs were written by Lennon and McCartney, Beatle albums generally included one or two of Harrison's own songs, from With The Beatles onwards.[7] His later compositions with The Beatles include "Here Comes the Sun", "Something" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". By the time of the band's break-up, Harrison had accumulated a backlog of material, which he then released as the triple album All Things Must Pass in 1970, from which two hit singles originated: a double A-side single, "My Sweet Lord" backed with "Isn't It a Pity", and "What Is Life". In addition to his solo work, Harrison co-wrote two hits for former Beatle Ringo Starr, as well as songs for the Traveling Wilburys—the supergroup he formed in 1988 with Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Roy Orbison.

Harrison embraced Indian culture and Hinduism in the mid-1960s, and helped expand Western awareness of sitar music and of the Hare Krishna movement. With Ravi Shankar he organised the first major charity concert with the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh. In addition to his musical accomplishments, he was also a record producer and co-founder of the production company HandMade Films. In his work as a film producer, he collaborated with people as diverse as the members of Monty Python and Madonna.[8]

He was married twice, to model Pattie Boyd from 1966 to 1974, and for 23 years to record company secretary Olivia Trinidad Arias, with whom he had one son, Dhani Harrison. He was a close friend of Eric Clapton. To date, he is the only Beatle to have published an autobiography, with I Me Mine in 1980. Harrison died of lung cancer in 2001.

Harrison was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on 25 February 1943,[9][10] the last of four children to Harold Hargreaves Harrison and his wife Louise, née French.[11]

Harrison's first home – 12 Arnold Grove He had one sister, Louise, born 16 August 1931, and two brothers, Harry, born 1934, and Peter, born 20 July 1940. His mother was a Liverpool shop

assistant, and his father was a bus conductor who had worked as a ship's steward on the White Star Line. His mother's family had Irish roots and were Roman Catholic;[9] his maternal grandfather, John French, was born in County Wexford, Ireland, emigrating to Liverpool where he married a local girl, Louise Woollam.[12]

Harrison was born in the house where he lived for his first six years: 12 Arnold Grove, Wavertree, Liverpool, which was a small 2 up, 2 down terraced house in a cul-de-sac, with an alley to the rear. The only heating was a single coal fire, and the toilet was outside. In 1950 the family were offered a council house,[13] and moved to 25 Upton Green, Speke.[14]

His first school was Dovedale Primary School, very close to Penny Lane,[15] the same school as John Lennon who was a couple of years ahead of him.[16] He passed his 11-plus examination and achieved a place at the Liverpool Institute for Boys (in the building that now houses the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts), which he attended from 1954 to 1959.[17]

Harrison said that, when he was 12 or 13, he had an "epiphany" of sorts – riding a bike around his neighbourhood, he heard Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" playing from a nearby house and was hooked.[18] Even though he had done well enough on his 11-plus examination to get into the city's best high school, from that point on, the former good student lost interest in school.[18]

When Harrison was 14 years old, he sat at the back of the class and tried drawing guitars in his schoolbooks: “I was totally into guitars. I heard about this kid at school who had a guitar at £3 10s, it was just a little acoustic round hole. I got the £3 10s from my mother: that was a lot of money for us then.” Harrison bought a Dutch Egmond flat top acoustic guitar.[19] While at the Liverpool Institute, Harrison formed a skiffle group called the Rebels with his brother Peter and a friend, Arthur Kelly.[20] At this school he met Paul McCartney, who was one year older.[21] McCartney later became a member of John Lennon's band called The Quarrymen, which Harrison joined in 1958.[22]

My Top 30 Favorite Rock and Metal Singers

1. Ronnie James Dio2. Biff Byford-Saxon3. Bruce Dickinson4. Steve Perry5. Freddie Mercury6. Dee snider7. Rob Halford8. Guy Speranza-Riot9. Lawrence Gowan10. Steve walsh11. Don henley12. James hetfield13. Sully Erna14. Chris Cornel15. Joe Elliot16. Myles Kennedy17. David Lee Roth18. Brian Johnson19. Jack Russel20. Brent Smith21. Scott stapp22. Alice Cooper23. David Gilmour24. Ian Gillian25. Ozzy Osbourne26. Klaus Meine27. Uli jon roth28. Rob zander29. Kevin cronin30. Bret Michaels

Top 50 best singers of rock and Metal based on vocal ranges

1. Freddie Mercury-Queen2. Ronnie James Dio- Elf,Rainbow,Black Sabbath,Dio ,and Heaven and Hell3. Rob Halford-Judas priest4. Bruce Dickinson –Iron Maiden5. Ian Gillian-Deep Purple6. Geddy Lee-Rush7. James Hetfield-Metallica8. Bret michaels-Poison9. Brian johnson-AC/DC10. Klaus Meine-Scorpions11. Aldo caparusio-Aldo nova12. Steve Perry-Journey13. Axel rose-Guns N Roses14. Lawrence Gowan-Styx15. Bradley Delp-Boston16. Jack Russel-Great White17. Scott stap-Creed18. Myles kennedy-Alterbridge/Slash19. Alice Cooper20. Johnny Cash21. Jimi hendrix22. Uli jon roth-Electric sun/Sky Academy/Scorpions23. Don Dokken-Dokken24. Geoff Tate-Queensryche25. Neil Young26. Crosby stills and Nash27. Cat Stevens28. Neil Diamond29. Rob Zander-Cheap trick30. Phil Collins31. Bryan Adams32. John Anderson-Yes33. Ian Anderson-Jethro Tull34. Don mchenly- Eagles35. Peter Cetera-Chicago36. Sting-The Police37. Paul Stanley-Kiss38. Joe eliiot-Def Leppard39. Bobby Barth-Axe40. Joe lynn Turner41. Bernie Shaw-Uriah Heep42. Dave mustaine-Megadeth43. David lee roth-Van Halen44. Jimi jamison-Survivor45. Layne staley-Alice in chains46. Chris Cornel-Soundgarden/Audioslave47. Lou reed48. Iggy Pop49. David coverdale-Whitesnake50. John lennon-The beatles51. Steve walsh-Kansas52. Jon Bon jovi-Bon jovi

Top 30 best Rock and Metal Songs

1. When it’s Love-Van Halen2. The search is over-Survivor3. Send me an angel-Scorpions4. Love you Forever-Giuffria5. Electric Sun-Electric Sun6. Sister Christian-Night Ranger7. Were not gonna take it-Twisted

sister8. Don’t stop believing-Journey9. Robot Man-Scorpions

Top 30 best Rock And metal Songs Continued

10. I could have been a dreamer-Dio11. Still loving you-Scorpions12. Catch the rainbow-Rainbow13. I can’t drive 55-Sammy hagar14. Yankee Rose-David lee roth15. Killing the dragon-Dio16. The boys are back in town-Thin

lizzy17.Heart of gold-Neil young18. Ring of fire-Johnny Cash

Top 30 best Rock and metal songs continued

19.Ghost riders in the sky-the outlaws20.Peter gunn theme-the blues brothers21.Im a soul man-The blues brothers22. Black betty-Ram jam23. One-Metallica24. Enter sandman-Metallica25.Losing my religion-Rem26.I wanna be somebody-wasp27.all we are-Warlock28.Johnny cash-Walk the line29. Holy diver-Dio30.The last in line –Dio

A Tribute To Ronnie James Dio(Ronald James Padovona)1942-May 16 2010 Rip Dio The God Of MetalMay his music always be in our hearts

Dio Tribute continued

Tenacious D And The Pick Of Destiny Dio Tribute Clip

Who is Ronald Douglas (Ronnie Montrose)?Ronald Douglas "Ronnie" Montrose[1] (November 29, 1947 – March 3, 2012) was an American rock guitarist who led a number of his own bands as well as performed and did session work with a variety of musicians, including Sammy Hagar, Herbie Hancock, Van Morrison, The Beau Brummels, Boz Scaggs, Beaver & Krause, Gary Wright, Tony Williams, The Neville Brothers, Dan Hartman, Marc Bonilla, Edgar Winter, and Johnny Winter.

A Tribute to Ronnie Montrose Rip 1947- March 3 2012 Lead guitarist for edgar winter, Montrose ,and Van Morrison

A Message to Jason Becker please help this genius musician feel better he has been through a very rough time battling with ALS ( Lou Gehrig’s Disease) a very rare disease he is still alive and in good health he has had this terrible disease since he was 19 years old and it has left him handicapped and has weakened him all around he can’t play his guitar anymore I hope any of his fans pray that he gets better he keeps making good music through a computer system and he can only communicate with his eyes I feel so bad for him but he is in his 30’s still making music today it is a miracle because they said he only had 5 years to live when he was diagnosed a limp in his leg was the only symptom he had when he was diagnosed please donate money to help him if you can Jason you are an inspiration to all of us

Don’t let Rock Turn into this kind of music jk it already will in the next few years

but hope not hope mtv and vh1 bring some real rock and metal music back

Or even worse don’t let it have dumb lyrics like this listen to dio and real music to try to bring it back

Or even worse don’t write songs or party under the influence of alcohol like this video

Or even worse than that jk What could be worse than that?

Lady gaga Bad romance

Steel Panther Death to all but Metalthis is a parody music video on why rock should stay or people get crazy like these guys

Some Funny Rock and roll Cartoons

Rock and Metal Band Members that look like other people?

Top 10 Most Inspirational Songs of Rock and Roll and Metal

1. Cheap Trick-The Flame2. Elton John-Your Song3. Journey-Open Arms4. Night Ranger-Sister Christian5. Def Leppard-Hysteria6. Aerosmith-I Don’t want to miss a thing7. Kiss-Forever8. Survivor-The Search is over9. Peter Cetera-The glory of love10.Jeff Buckley-Hallelujah

Some Rock and metal Jokes I came up with

1. Why couldn’t a guitarist go on a date? Because he had no strings attached2. Why did the guitarist cross the road? To get to the other gig3. What do you call lady gaga and Ronnie james dio in a relationship? A bad

romance that will never kill a dragon4. What do you call a maiden of metal? An Iron Maiden5. What does lemmy kilmister say when he beats lady gaga to a game of

poker? I got a ace of spades and you just got pokerfaced6. What would Bruce Dickinson do if he ever had to listen to justin bieber? He

would run to the hills 7. What do you call a rock song that is mixed with Lmfao’s im sexy and I

know it ? Im Dio and I know it8. Why wouldn’t pop stars listen to Jethro tull? Because they have aqualungs

and locomotive breath9. What do you call music that is disturbing and flies away? A flock of seagulls10. What would uli jon roth’s line be if he was harry in harry potter?

Voldemonte stop killing and give life a chance you obviously don’t know the magic word

11. What do you call a bridge of heaven in the sky that has a bunch of pegases? A bridge to uli

Thanks for Watching Music used from ItunesFeaturing Some of the famous rock stars of the worldAlso A tribute to Ronnie James Dio who lost his life to stomach

cancer and Ronnie Montrose who died from a gunshot wound

Biographies are from wikipedia and allmusicCreated by Laura ThompsonMusic By Dio , Poison, Judas Priest,Scorpions,Led Zeppelin,Neil

Young,George Thorogood, Papa Roach,Greenday, Yngwie Malmsteen, Eric Johnson ,Joe Satriani,Uli Jon Roth,Korn and Skrillex,Evanescence,Aerosmith,Bob Segar, Journey,Avenged Sevenfold,James Durbin,Korpiklaani, Rainbow, Kiss, Alice Cooper,Train, Paul Stanley,Def Leppard, Kutless,The Buggles,Van Halen,Iron Maiden and Many Other Bands

Powerpoint Quiz on Rock And Metal

1. How many genres of Rock And Roll And Metal Are There?2. Name a Canadian ,German,British,and American Rock Band?3. Which Rock Star created the Rock and Roll Symbol?4. What Factors led to The creation of Rock And Metal Music?5. What Song was Steve Vai Playing in Where the wild things are?6. Name 25 Famous Guitarists?7. Name 25 Famous Singers of Rock?8. What was Ronnie James Dio’s Real Name?9. Ronnie James Dio was in 5 Bands What were they?10. What Musical artists started rock and roll?11. Which Famous Rockstars were in reality shows?12. The very first woodstock concert was in what year?13. What was the deal with rock and roll and religion?14. What does all the music in the powerpoint have in common?15. Who was the first German hard rock band?16. Which Rockstars passed away in the last few years and how ?17. What Music was presented in the powerpoint?18. Name a band from each genre?19. In Ronnie James Dio’s quote how did he make the rock and roll symbol popular?20. How did the classic Rock led to our modern rock of today?21. Who created the Sky Guitar?22. Why did rock stars do reality shows and name a few?23. Rock and roll should never turn into what?24. Which of these rock bands in the powerpoint are inducted in the rock and roll hall of fame name 25 bands along with

their genres?25. Name some careers that these rock and metal singers did for a living outside of their bands?26. Which famous rock bands have changed faces over the years and name a few?27. What are the names of some of the special gutiars that are played by rockstars?28. Which artist brought on neoclassical metal?29. Who was Kerry Livgren?30. Name a few rockstars by their real names?

Powerpoint Quiz Continued31.Why was censorship such a big deal in music?32. Name Some of the top chart albums by 25 rock bands?33. Name some famous Shredder guitar Players?34. Name a few famous models of guitars and some musicians that play them?35. What was the name of Scorpions first album?36. Why was Rock and heavy metal a turning point in history?37. Name 50 Singers that were very influential to rock and metal?38. Besides being the current lead singer of Iron Maiden Bruce Dickinson has a few other jobs what are

they?39. Name a few of the most underrrated guitarists of history?40. Name some famous movies that rockstars starred in?41. What was the name of the rock and roll band in the Kia Commericial during the 2012 superbowl?42. What are some the techniques that famous guitarists use in soloing?

43. Why doesn’t regular Mtv and vh1 show Rock and metal music videos anymore?44. Name some of the jobs that singers and musicians did outside their musical careers?

45. Name some of the top 100 guitar solos of all time on the list? 46. What does Peace Love and Music have to do with the Woodstock?

47. What factors contributed to the beginning of Heavy Metal? 48. Name a few of the most popular albums of the 1960’s,70’s,80’s , and 90’s? 49. Freddie mercury of Queen had what kind of voice range? 50. Which Bands created Heavy Metal?