Prog Rock

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(Vocal group, 1972–95) A multi-skilled foursome who operated from the self-owned Strawberry Studios, Stockport. Eric Stewart, Lol Creme, (both guitar, keyboards) Graham Gouldman, (bass) and Kevin Godley (drums) wrote, sang and produced four albums of inventive pop/rock from 1973–76. Their 1975 No. 1 ‘I’m Not In Love’ was also a Stateside smash. 10cc split in two in 1976 with Gouldman and Stewart retaining the name whilst Godley and Creme recorded as ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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Alternative-metal guitarist Adam Jones (b. 1965) was born in Park Ridge, Illinois. He learned violin in elementary school, continuing with the instrument in high school, before playing acoustic bass for three years in an orchestra and later teaching himself guitar by ear. Jones studied art and sculpture in Los Angeles before working in a Hollywood character shop sculpting models. His work appeared in several movies, including Ghostbusters 2 and Predator 2. ...

Source: Rock Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin
390 Words Read More

Master of guitar-generated sound effects, Adrian Belew (b. 1949) makes his Parker Deluxe guitar not only sing but also scream, squawk, roar, tweet and talk in elephant tongue. Best known for his time in King Crimson during the early Eighties as comic foil to Robert Fripp’s relatively nerdy straight man, Belew is one of the most underrated six-stringers in the world today. Adrian was born Robert Steven Belew in Covington, Kentucky. ...

Source: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin
399 Words Read More

With the exception of Judas Priest, no metal band has been more influential than Iron Maiden. And it is no coincidence that Maiden first took flight when guitarist Adrian Smith joined the band one month into recording their second album, Killers, in 1981. Adrian Frederik ‘H’ Smith was born in Hackney, East London, in February 1957. At school, he was drawn to the rock-guitar sounds of Jimi Hendrix and Ritchie Blackmore, ...

Source: Rock Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin
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(Vocal/instrumental group, 1977–90) Studio engineer Parsons (b. 1948) had been involved with the engineering of The Beatles’ Abbey Road (1969) and Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon (1973) before he became a producer and, briefly, artist in conjunction with songwriter Eric Woolfson. A string of immaculately played and produced concept albums featuring guest singers and musicians, notably 1977’s I Robot and 1982’s Eye In The Sky, charted big in ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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For over 30 years, guitarist Alex Lifeson has quietly served as the cohesive key to success for progressive rockers Rush – arguably the most enduring and successful hard-rock band of all time. A guitarist always more interested in finding the right chord voicing or textural effect to make a chorus work than in shredding the frets off his axe du jour, it’s no wonder every one of his power trio’s ...

Source: Rock Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin
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Of all the guitar players of the last 40 years, none produce music as confounding yet beautiful as Allan Holdsworth (b. 1946). His blinding speed, fluid legato, impossible intervallic leaps, perplexing chord voicings and unpredictable melodies have made his style one of the most mystifying to guitarists everywhere. Allan Holdsworth was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. His father was a pianist, and thus taught young Allan, who picked up the ...

Source: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin
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One of the greatest achievements any guitar player can attain is an immediately recognizable signature tone and style. And though many guitarists have realized this goal, few have done it as emphatically as Police guitarist Andy Summers (b. 1942). From the chord stabs of ‘Roxanne’ and ‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me’ to the arpeggios of ‘Message In A Bottle’ and ‘Every Breath You Take’, Summers’s chiming, shimmering Telecaster tones are ...

Source: Rock Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin
741 Words Read More

(Vocal group, 1969–73, 1980–83) A British progressive rock band founded by ex-Crazy World Of Arthur Brown members Vincent Crane (organ) and Carl Palmer (drums), plus bassist Nick Graham. After one self-titled album in 1970, Palmer and Graham left and were replaced by John Cann (guitar, vocals) and Paul Hammond (drums), scoring two UK hit singles ‘Tomorrow Night’ and ‘Devil’s Answer’ but fragmenting after two albums, Atomic Rooster finally folded after one ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocal/instrumental group, 1976–present) A mainstream American rock band whose meticulously layered music was largely the brainchild of songwriter, guitarist and producer Tom Scholz, Boston’s line-up was completed by Brad Delp (vocals), Barry Goudreau (guitar), Sib Hashian (drums) and Fran Sheehan (bass). The all-conquering first album Boston released in 1976 became the biggest-selling debut of all time and yielded the hit single ‘More Than A Feeling’. Ever the perfectionist, Scholz considered the ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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As the guitarist in Pink Floyd, David Gilmour’s place in the pantheon of guitar heroes is guaranteed. But it’s not simply his playing on albums like The Dark Side Of The Moon that has assured his status. His meticulous attention to the sound and tone of his guitar in the studio and in concert has earned the universal admiration of guitarists, as well as millions of Pink Floyd fans. Gilmour was ...

Source: Rock Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin
876 Words Read More

(Vocal/instrumental group, 1968–76, 1984–present) Deep Purple have sold over 100 million records in a 38-year career – continuous apart from a hiatus between 1976 and 1984 – so are one of the more commercially successful rock bands in history. Though classed as contemporaries of fellow early 1970s trailblazers Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, Purple were distinctly different, drawing on classical, jazz, R&B and (later) funk roots. They let live performance spread ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocal/instrumental group, 1970–83, 1985–86, 2000–01, 2012) Devised by Roy Wood (various instruments, vocals) to provide an alternative outlet to The Move, ELO consisted of that group’s remaining members, Jeff Lynne (guitar, piano, vocals) and Bev Bevan (drums). ELO aimed to combine rock with classical instrumentation. Bill Hunt (French horn) and Steve Woolam (violin) were brought in for Electric Light Orchestra (1971) (known as No Answer in the US), after which Wood ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
171 Words Read More

(Vocal/instrumental group, 1970–79, 1991–98) A British supergroup, who pioneered progressive rock in the early 1970s, comprising former Nice keyboardist Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, latterly of King Crimson (guitar, bass, vocals) and ex-Atomic Rooster drummer Carl Palmer. ELP’s music was a fusion of classical music and rock, which Emerson had begun to explore in The Nice. Most of the band’s lyrics were written by former King Crimson wordsmith Peter Sinfield. ELP made ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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Defying categorization with his blend of rock, blues, country and melodic pop styles, Eric Johnson is highly revered by guitarists of all genres for his skill and perfectionism on stage and in the studio, and for his uniquely rich, overdriven tone. Born in 1954, Johnson grew up in Austin, Texas. Encouraged by his parents, he started playing piano aged five and guitar at the age of 11. After hearing Jimi Hendrix’s ...

Source: Rock Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin
407 Words Read More
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