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Roy Z
Roy Z Ramirez (born February 1968) is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Bruce Dickinson (from Iron Maiden), Halford, and Judas Priest. He also is the founder of Tribe of Gypsies, a Latin-influenced hard rock band. Roy also helped write and produce the band Life After Death in 1996. Biography Roy Z was born Roy Ramirez in Pacoima, Los Angeles, California, United States, but changed his name in the 1980s because he felt "ethnic names were not trendy at the time". Roy reversed Ramirez and became 'Roy Zerimar', though people began calling him 'Roy Z' for short. Roy began playing guitar and studying music at a young age, influenced by players such as Peter Green, Uli Roth, Jimmy Page, Frank Marino, Carlos Santana, Michael Schenker, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jeff Beck, and Robin Trower. He was featured in Mike Varney's "Spotlight" column in Guitar Player magazine. A regular on the Southern California hard rock scene in the late 1980s, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pacoima, Los Angeles
Pacoima (Tataviam language: ''Pakoinga'', meaning "entrance") is a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California. It is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the San Fernando Valley region of LA. Geography Location Pacoima is bordered by the Los Angeles districts of Mission Hills on the west, Arleta on the south, Sun Valley on the southeast, Lake View Terrace on the northeast, and by the city of San Fernando on the north. It covers an area of . Landscape Ed Meagher of the ''Los Angeles Times'' wrote in 1955 that the 110-block area on the north side of San Fernando Road in Pacoima consisted of what he described as a "smear of sagging, leaning shacks and backhouses framed by disintegrating fences and clutter of tin cans, old lumber, stripped automobiles, bottles, rusted water heaters and other bric-a-brac of the back alleys."Meagher, Ed.Pacoima Area Revamped by Awakened Citizenry" ''Los Angeles Times''. May 18, 1955. A1. Two Pages Local News. Retrieved on March 18, 2010. In 1955 Pac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Schenker
Michael Schenker (born 10 January 1955) is a German guitarist. He played in the rock band UFO and leads the Michael Schenker Group (MSG). He was an early member of the hard rock band Scorpions, a band co-founded by his elder brother Rudolf Schenker. In the mid-1970s, Schenker joined UFO, playing lead and rhythm guitar. He left the band in 1978 to briefly rejoin Scorpions for the recording of '' Lovedrive'', and then to form MSG. He has rejoined UFO three times, producing an album each time. Schenker continues to perform and record. He is regarded as one of the most influential guitarists of the 1970s, and has been called "a legendary figure in the history of metal guitar." Career Early career and rise to fame: Scorpions and UFO Schenker started playing guitar at nine years old. His brother Rudolf got a Gibson Flying V guitar for his birthday, which captured his imagination. His main influences were Jimmy Page, George Harrison, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Leslie West, Joh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Adrian Smith (musician)
Adrian Frederick Smith (born 27 February 1957) is an English guitarist and singer best known as a member of Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Iron Maiden, for whom he also writes songs and performs backing vocals both live and in the studio. Smith grew up in London and became interested in rock music at 15. He soon formed a friendship with future Iron Maiden guitarist Dave Murray (musician), Dave Murray, who inspired him to take up the guitar. After leaving school at 16, he formed the band Urchin (band), Urchin, which he led until their demise in 1980. He joined Iron Maiden in November 1980, replacing Dennis Stratton. Following a short-lived solo project called ASAP (band), ASAP, he left Iron Maiden in 1990 and, after a year-long hiatus, formed the band The Untouchables which later became Psycho Motel. In 1997, Psycho Motel was put on hold when Smith joined the band of former Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson. Smith and Dickinson would both return to Iron Maiden in 1999, after ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Accident Of Birth
''Accident of Birth'' is the fourth studio album by Bruce Dickinson, released on 3June 1997 through Castle Communications' sublabel Raw Power in the UK and through CMC International in the US. Dickinson's second collaboration with guitarist/producer Roy Z, the album is markedly different in style from his previous effort, ''Skunkworks''. As well as RoyZ, Dickinson was joined for the album by fellow former Iron Maiden member Adrian Smith; both Dickinson and Smith would later return to their former band in early 1999. Thanks to the slightly bigger success of this album than his previous solo releases, Dickinson would continue to work with RoyZ on his subsequent albums, '' The Chemical Wedding'' (1998) and ''Tyranny of Souls'' (2005) and '' The Mandrake Project'' (2024) Album artwork The cover art was produced by Derek Riggs, best known for being the creator of Iron Maiden's mascot, Eddie, and the artwork on all of Iron Maiden's albums, singles, posters and tour brochures th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Skunkworks (album)
''Skunkworks'' is the third solo studio album by English heavy metal vocalist Bruce Dickinson, released in 1996. It is the first and only studio album recorded with the musicians Dickinson put together for the tour supporting the album '' Balls to Picasso'' (1994). They disbanded by the end of 1996. Overview Bruce Dickinson had intended ''Skunkworks'' to be the debut album of a band by the same name. However, his label would not issue the record under any name other than Bruce Dickinson. The album moved from Iron Maiden's traditional heavy metal style to a sound similar to that of bands such as Rush and Soundgarden. The album name refers to the Lockheed code name for an elite military design group. It was produced by Jack Endino, best known for Nirvana's debut album ''Bleach''. "I had this argument with (my manager) Rod," Dickinson recalled, "and he told me, 'You're a heavy metal singer. You can't change. You can try, but you're stuck with it.' I object to that… I don't ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alternative Rock
Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s with the likes of the grunge subgenre in the United States, and the Britpop and shoegaze subgenres in the United Kingdom and Ireland. During this period, many record labels were looking for "alternatives", as many Arena rock, corporate rock, hard rock, and glam metal acts from the 1980s were beginning to grow stale throughout the music industry. The emergence of Generation X as a Culture, cultural force in the 1990s also contributed greatly to the rise of alternative music. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or arena rock, commercial rock or pop. The term's original meaning was broader, referring to musicians influenced by the musical style or independent, DIY ethic, DIY ethos of late-1970s punk rock.di Perna, A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Supernatural (Santana Album)
''Supernatural'' is the eighteenth studio album by American rock band Santana, released on June 15, 1999, on Arista Records. After Santana found themselves without a label in the mid-1990s, founding member and guitarist Carlos Santana began talks with Arista president Clive Davis, who had originally signed the group to Columbia Records in 1969. Santana and Davis worked with A&R man Pete Ganbarg, as Santana wanted to focus on pop and radio-friendly material. The album features collaborations with several contemporary guest artists, including Rob Thomas, Eric Clapton, Eagle-Eye Cherry, Lauryn Hill, Dave Matthews, Maná, and CeeLo Green. ''Supernatural'' was a huge commercial success worldwide, generating renewed interest in Santana's music. It reached No. 1 in eleven countries, including the US for 12 non-consecutive weeks, where it is certified 15× platinum. The first of six singles from the album, " Smooth" featuring Matchbox Twenty singer Rob Thomas, and co-written by Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Santana (band)
Santana is an American Rock Music, rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1966 by Mexican-born guitarist Carlos Santana. The band has undergone various recording and performing line-ups in its history, with Santana being the only consistent member. After signing with Columbia Records, the band's appearance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 increased their profile and they went on to record the critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums ''Santana (1969 album), Santana'' (1969), ''Abraxas (album), Abraxas'' (1970) and ''Santana (1971 album), Santana III'' (1971). These were recorded by the group's "classic" line-up, comprising lead vocalist Gregg Rolie, percussionists José Areas, José "Chepito" Areas and Michael Carabello, drummer Michael Shrieve and bassist David Brown (American musician), David Brown. Hit songs of this period include "Evil Ways (Santana song), Evil Ways" (1970), "Black Magic Woman" (1970), "Oye Como Va" (1971) and the instrumental "Samba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Balls To Picasso (album)
''Balls to Picasso'' is the second solo album by Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson, released in 1994. It is the first album in Dickinson's solo career that was released after he had officially left Iron Maiden (although he rejoined again in 1999). This record marked the beginning of Dickinson's collaborations with guitarist Roy Z, who would work on many of Dickinson's later albums including ''Accident of Birth'', '' The Chemical Wedding'' and ''Tyranny of Souls''. Stylistically it departs from '' Tattooed Millionaire'' but is still more traditional-sounding than the follow-up album ''Skunkworks'' released in 1996. Later, Dickinson said that he and Roy Z were talked into making the album less heavy than it should have been. Overview Dickinson started working on his second solo album while still in Iron Maiden. For the very first recording sessions he recruited the British band Skin. Not satisfied with the style of the effort, Dickinson aborted the recording. His next attempt a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Warrior (band)
Warrior is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 1982. Best known for their 1985 debut album, '' Fighting for the Earth'', the band has released a total of four studio albums. Guitarist and co-founder Joe Floyd is the only Warrior member to appear on every album. Floyd is also a notable engineer and producer and has worked with Bruce Dickinson, Halford, Earl Slick, Tribe of Gypsies, Rob Rock, downset, Godhead, Jake E. Lee, Ratt, Riot, Malice, Odin, World War III, Helstar, and Steel Prophet, among others. In addition, Floyd is the CEO of ElectroPhonic Innovations, a guitar company. History As was the case with contemporaries Ratt and Rough Cutt, the group's core – guitarists Joe Floyd and Tommy Asakawa, bassist Rick Bennett and vocalist Parramore McCarty – was made up of San Diego, California transplants in search of fame and fortune. Prior to Warrior, McCarty had fronted the band Phenomenon, active during 1977 to 1978, which also featured futur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guitar Player
''Guitar Player'' was an American magazine for guitarists, founded in 1967 in San Jose, California San Jose, officially the City of San José ( ; ), is a cultural, commercial, and political center within Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. With a city population of 997,368 and a metropolitan area population of 1.95 million, it is .... It contained articles, interviews, reviews and lessons covering artists, genres and products. The magazine was last edited by Christopher Scapelliti. The print magazine ceased publication by the end of 2024, with December 2024 being the final issue. Contents A typical issue of ''Guitar Player'' includes in-depth artist features, extensive lessons, gear and music reviews, letters to the magazine, and various front-of-book articles. Guitar Player TV In May 2006, the Music Player Network partnered with TrueFire TV to launch an internet-based television station for guitarists. It provides content similar to that of the magazine such ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Varney
Michael Varney (born 1958) is an American record producer and music publisher. He is the founder of the Shrapnel Label Group, which includes Shrapnel Records, Tone Center Records, and Blues Bureau International. He also owns 50% of Magna Carta Records, a New York–based label. Varney is often credited with popularizing the mid-1980s shred guitar boom, and has continuously specialized in producing musicians within the genres of instrumental rock, hard rock, jazz, jazz fusion, blues, blues-rock, progressive metal, and speed metal. Early life Mike Varney grew up in Novato, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Before forming Shrapnel Records, Varney played extensively with the pre-punk band, The Nuns. The Nuns were one of the most successful bands in the Bay Area at that time, regularly selling out at the local venues and clubs. He co-wrote and performed "Rock Justice" along with Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship's Marty Balin, released by EMI in 1980. Varney a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
