I was 10
years old in 1980 and my uncle took me to see KISS at the Forum in
Inglewood, California on their Dynasty tour. It was the last
tour with original members and with makeup! Their stage was
huge, and it had as many fire works as the Fourth of July.
This band breathed fire, rose up on 40 foot risers, had more lights
than NASA, and a sound system that probably used as much power as a
small city. It was amazing (as a spectator) to witness this
event and yet it wasn't enough to make me pick up a
guitar. Three short years later that would change when my ears
heard a new style of music dubbed Neo-Classical
guitar.
Southern
California circa 1983, pop music was dominated by the likes of
Madonna and pale guys in skinny ties (i.e. Rick
Springfield, The Cars, etc.) But, then guitarists' saw the meteoric
rise of a new genre of guitar playing based on the gothic sounding
productions, minor based keys, and closely identified with the
thematic elements of classical music.
Neo-classical
artists that released music in this vein were Randy Rhoads (with
Ozzy), Eddie Van Halen(with Van Halen), Michael Schenker (MSG), and
Yngwie Malmsteen (Alcatrazz) to name a few.
The olympian skill level and
technique to perform this music was set higher than
anything you could hear on the radio. I wanted this stuff so
bad I could already hear how it would go. So I began my
pursuit of this style of music.
This is what
this web site is dedicated to is the music of my heart.
Enjoy!
