shredding top guitar

Phil Brodie Band "Muso" Information Page TOP GUITARISTS . . ROCK GUITAR SOLOS . . ROCK GUITAR RIFFS ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ THE 10 FASTEST SHRED GUITARISTS (with courtesy of Guitar One Magazine ~ NOT my list or choice) + SHRED GUITAR ROOTS + "YOUR CHOICES"

Voted the world's fastest shred guitarists 'Guitar One Magazine' readers vote: 2005 VOTED No 1 OF ALL TIME MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO Michael invented the Dean Double-Guitar and was the first person in the world to successfully play it. AWESOME!! Michael started playing piano and composing at age 5, started playing guitar at age 10. Michael has performed over 1100 shows in 31 different countries since 1993. He tours the world performing guitar workshops, also records, tours and plays with various bands and solo. He also invented and successfully played the very first 'quad' guitar. However, the instrument was stolen during a Nitro show in El Paso, Texas, and only two of the four parts required for its assembly have ever been recovered. However, Dean Guitars recently finished production on a new quad guitar for Michael. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ voted No 2 CHRIS IMPELLITTERI Chris Impellitteri is one of the most unique, intense, and dynamic guitarists in heavy rock today. His influences range from Al Di Meola to Uli John Roth to Edward Van Halen. Chris has been releasing some of the best progressive, neo-classical guitar work around since the mid-'80's, inspiring countless musicians. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ voted No 3 YNGWIE J. MALMSTEEN When he was young, Yngwie didn't want much to do with music. Music was soft, a thing for wimps, and Yngwie was into all things destructive. An unruly child, Yngwie took delight in anything that went against the grain. But, one night while watching television, 7-year-old Yngwie saw guitar maestro Jimi Hendrix burning his guitar. Jimi's death had spurred the birth of a new guitar hero: Yngwie J. Malmsteen. He cites Jimi Hendrix, Uli Jon Roth, Brian May, Steve Hackett and Ritchie Blackmore as his influences. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ No 4 PAUL GILBERT Guitarist Paul Gilbert has sold over three million records in the United States stemming from his brilliant work with Racer X, Mr. Big and as a solo artist. Long known as one of the top shredders in the business, Gilbert sometimes returns to his blues rock roots as on his Raw Blues Power album ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ No 5 THE LATE SHAWN LANE Lane began his musical interests very young, studying piano and cello from the age of four. He took up the guitar at eight, and it remained his principal instrument from then on. He quickly became a legend in Memphis' music scene as the feisty young kid, began his professional playing and recording career when he was 12. The teen wonder shocked and amazed audiences at stadium shows across the USA. Before becoming a world renown guitarist. Tragically Shawn died of a lung disease Sept 26th 2003 at the age of 40. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ No 6 JOE STUMP Joe Stump is one of the leading guitarists of the shred genre. Having released numerous solo albums and four with his band project Reign Of Terror, Stump has a reputation of for combining guitar virtuosity with strong hooks and killer riffs. Joe is also Berklee School Of Music's head authority on shred guitar. His main influeneces in his career are Ritchie Blackmore, Jimi Hendrix, Gary Moore, Yngwie Malmsteen, Michael Schenker, Uli- Jon Roth, David Chastain, classical music too - Bach, Paganini, Vivaldi, Mendelson etc. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ No 7 RUSTY COOLEY Rusty’s early influences included: Rhoads, Malmsteen, Becker, Gilbert, Holdsworth, Paganini, Bach, Vai, Gambale, Moore, MacAlpine, Taffolla, Friedman. He was also influenced by many styles including: Jazz, Classical, Funk, Blues and even Country. There where times when Rusty was pulled in so many different directions by music, he didn’t know if he wanted to be a Classical Conductor or a Jazz guitarist. “Remember play from your heart and never be swayed by the current trends.” Rusty Cooley ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ No 8 BUCKETHEAD Buckethead is one of the most bizarre and enigmatic figures in American underground. Real name Brian Carroll says he was raised by hens in a henhouse!. He got the idea of a bucket and mask one day when he was eating fried chicken. He stands about 7 Feet tall with his bucket on. He has robotic movements. Not much is known about Buckethead, but one things for sure, this greased lightin' is finger lickin' fast. Well the Colonel hasn't caught him yet! His bands include: Deli Creeps, Cornbugs, Praxis, Cobra Strike, Buckethead (Solo), Primus (Ozzfest 1999), Guns N' Roses. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ No 9 JOHN PETRUCCI John Petrucci grew up on Long Island, Kings Park He started playing guitar at the age of 12 (After a brief fling at age 8 when he noticed his sister got to stay up late for her organ lessons. His little plan didn’t work out being that his guitar lesson was after school, and soon lost interest.) He quickly realized his influences and was determined to reach their level of ability. Some early influences include Yngwie Malmsteen, Randy Rhoads, Iron Maiden, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Yes, Rush etc. As the rise of thrash & metal hit John expanded his influences to include bands like Metallica & Queensryche. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ No 10 THE GREAT KAT The Great Kat was born Katherine Thomas in Swindon, England (on a U.S. Air Force Base Military Hospital), moved to USA aged 3. After touring the world as a violinist, she realised that Classical music was dead, so she began updating Classical Music with Speed Metal and transcribed intricate violin solos to the guitar. The Great Kat is the only musician taking note-for-note authentic Classical Music scores (from Vivaldi, Beethoven, Bach, Wagner, Liszt, and Rossini) and re-orchestrating the entire scores with Shred Guitar virtuosity and mixing it with Speed Metal band and Classical orchestra. :~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~: WORLD RECORD GUITAR SPEED Guinness World Record ~ 2008 TIAGO DELLA VEGA The Guinness Book has recognised Tiago Della Vega as the "guitarist with the biggest number of strokes per second" Brazilian guitarist Tiago started taking acoustic guitar lessons at aged 5, changing to electric guitar at the age of 6. By the time he was 10 he was studying 14 to 16 hours a day and by 16 he was giving guitar lessons. He played in the bands After Dark, then Fermatha with who he recorded the album "Adventh of the Truth, before becoming lead guitarist for the band Burning In Hell, recording the album "Believe". He has also recorded a solo CD "Lost". More recently he tours attending clinics, work shops, making special appearances, writes a column for the magazine "Chops from Hell", as well as being in the process of recording his own video class, where he teaches stroke techniques, arpeggios, leggatos and tapping. The video (link below) shows him playing at 170bps working up to 320 bps, precise supersonic tempo, but please remember this is purely for "speed", so do not judge it or him for musical value, listen to Tiago elsewhere for that. LISTEN & WATCH :~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~: Here is a guitarist who's actual guitar playing career was very short, so he may get passed over by the younger generations and the media; but in many peoples minds .. he should have been in that top 10 list A VERY SPECIAL MENTION ~ to one of the greatest ~ JASON BECKER Jason Becker started playing guitar at the age of 5, by sixth grade he was playing local gigs and at 16 was in his first professional band "Cacophony", a neoclassical speed metal/shred band, which he formed with fellow guitarist Marty Friedman. Their debute album 'Speed Metal Symphony' features some of the most incredible, fast, complex and melodic guitar playing ever recorded. Some of Jason's influences have been his father, his uncle, Jimi Hendrix, Niccolò Paganini, Bob Dylan, Django Reinhart, Yngwie Malmsteen & Jeff Beck. 1988 see's his first solo album, 'Perpetual Burn'. At the age of 20 he joined David Lee Roth's legendary band. 1990, he won a readers' poll for best new guitarist in "Guitar Magazine". But tragidy struck whilst recording the album 'A Little Ain't Enough' he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and given only five years to live. This did not deter this true virtuoso, he managed to complete the album. Robbed of his speech, crippled in body, breathing via a machine, Jason has never given up his love of music. He communicates via eye movements and composes many magnificent works with his computer. His medical condition has remained stable since 1997. Jason's life as an artist and person should be inspirational not only to fellow guitarists but every musician. In his own words "If you have control over your mind, you can do anything."