Randy "The Arsonist" Cooper (born ) is the former guitarist for American rock band Emperors and Elephants as well as American red dirt

metal A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...

band

Texas Hippie Coalition Texas Hippie Coalition (often abbreviated to THC) is an American heavy metal band from Denison, Texas. History The band was formed in Denison, Texas by Big Dad Ritch, along with his friend John Exall and other friends. Several lineup changes ...

. Cooper also acted as a session guitarist on American

southern rock Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music and a genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitars and vocals. History 1950s and 1960s: origin ...

band Shotgun Rebellion's debut album'' Train of Pain ''in addition to performing on a limited number of dates with the band.

History

Cooper moved to

Denison, Texas Denison is a city in Grayson County, Texas, United States, south of the Texas–Oklahoma border. Its population was 24,479 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, up from 22,682 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. Denison is pa ...

when he was 16 years of age. Having met

Pantera Pantera () is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Arlington, Texas in 1981 by the Abbott brothers (guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul), and currently composed of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, an ...

shortly thereafter, and opening for them as part of Texas Hippie Coalition, he became attracted to

Dean Guitars Dean Guitars, commonly referred to simply as Dean, is an American importer and maker of stringed instruments and musical products with its headquarters in Tampa, Florida, Tampa, Florida. Its products include solid-body electric guitars, bass gu ...

, and played the same Vintage 82 DEAN from 1989 until at least 2009. In 1991, an automobile accident in

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...

turned the guitarist into a

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, confining him to a wheelchair and forcing him to regain his stride. After regaining motion in his right arm and both legs, Cooper spent additional time in rehab, recovering only one finger on his left hand. This contributes to the musician's unique style of playing.

Texas Hippie Coalition

In mid-2012, Cooper tore a tendon in his right arm, which required extensive rehabilitation. With a pair of cysts under his arm that encircled the tendons, he could only play guitar for a few minutes at a time, which rendered him unable to tour later that year.

Departure from Texas Hippie Coalition

Following Cooper's departure from Texas Hippie Coalition, the veteran guitarist joined rock band Emperors and Elephants. Additionally, Cooper performed a select number of tour dates with

band Shotgun Rebellion while assisting the ensemble with their debut studio album. Randy Cooper's work also includes a guest appearance on Hell Rider Recording Artist, Scattered Hamlet's debut full length, ''Skeleton Dixie'', where he played lead guitar on "Falling Off the Wagon.". He's also been known to make unannounced guest appearances with the band to play that song live. In October 2015, it was announced that Emperors and Elephants would begin the new year by starting work on a new album with producer Scott Wilson. Two months later, Cooper and the band announced that they had decided to part ways. In 2016, Cooper performed a show with American rock band Coming Up Zero. In 2018, the guitarist started a new band called Victory Season. Victory Season : “Victory Season” CD January 2019 Self Released. USA Heavy / Thrash Metal band. Founding former member of Texas Hippie Coalition is back with a band that will get every metal fans moshing for good. A formation to bring you the heaviest Metal tunes you want , having for members son and father on bass Duane Connaughton and drums Tor Connaughton the pounding power needed to fire up this formation. Victory Season is going to blast the world with their kicking tunes. On the guitars Randy Cooper playing those fury lightning shreds to electrify the audience. A groove the texas musicians have the secret to, they have settled a special atmosphere in the whole album that makes you dance and head bang for days. Aaron ‘s vocals are wide with influences and go from nice melodies to harsh growls. Gary Jeffries singing backing vocals on "Be Kind", a track that would hit Number 1in Nashville on 2 radio stations. It also broke the top 10 in Europe.

Influences

Cooper's influences include

Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Hollywood, California, in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, with guitarist Mick Mars and lead vocalist Vince Neil joining right after. The band has sol ...

and

as well as guitarists

Eddie Van Halen Edward Lodewijk Van Halen ( , ; January 26, 1955 – October 6, 2020) was an American musician. He was the guitarist, keyboardist, backing vocalist and primary songwriter of the rock band Van Halen, which he founded with his brother Alex V ...

Randy Rhoads Randall William Rhoads (December 6, 1956 – March 19, 1982) was an American guitarist. He was the co-founder and original guitarist of the heavy metal band Quiet Riot, and the guitarist and co-songwriter for Ozzy Osbourne's first two solo albu ...

Zakk Wylde Zachary Phillip Wylde (born Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt; January 14, 1967) is an American rock musician. He is best known as the lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and as the founder, lead guitarist, lead singer, songwriter and producer of the heav ...

and

Darrell Abbott Darrell Lance Abbott (August 20, 1966 – December 8, 2004), known professionally as Dimebag Darrell, was an American musician. He was the guitarist of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan, both of which he co-founded alongside his br ...

Equipment

Cooper uses Dean Guitars and EMG-81/85 pickups. In 2012, the musician was quoted as using a Dean ML.

Discography

Texas Hippie Coalition

* '' Pride of Texas'' (2008) * '' Rollin'' (2010) * ''

Peacemaker Peacemaker or The Peacemaker may refer to: Individuals and groups * UN Peacemaker, a project of the UN to support international peacemakers and mediators * Peace makers, a list of contemporary individuals and organizations involved in peacemaki ...

'' (2012)

Emperors and Elephants

*'' Devil in the Lake ''(2014) *'' Devil in the Lake – Deluxe Edition ''(2015) *'' Moth ''(2017)

Shotgun Rebellion

*'' Train of Pain ''(2013) (session musician)

Scattered Hamlet

*Skeleton Dixie (2013) (guest appearance)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Randy American heavy metal guitarists 1967 births Living people People from Denison, Texas Guitarists from Texas 20th-century American guitarists