Marty Friedman (guitarist)
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Born in Washington, DC, Marty Friedman has become recognized worldwide as a guitarist and composer of consumate skill and a style of playing that is instantly recognizable as uniquely his. Going beyond traditional scales, Marty often arpeggiates the chords he is playing over. His bends are distinctive, and his vibrato is considered among the best in the business.
He was the lead guitarist for the thrash metal band Megadeth for a period of nine years (1990-1999). During this period, perhaps its most successful, Megadeth released a string of gold and platinum albums. At the same time, Megadeth's musical style became less Thrash, and more melodic, which many attribute primarily to Marty's creative influence.
Prior to joining Megadeth, he formed and played lead guitar in several bands that attained loyal and faithful followings, including Deuce, Hawaii, Vixen, and notably Cacophony. Marty collaborated with Jason Becker on two albums, "Go Off" and "Speed Metal Symphony" that even today set the standard for pure speed metal guitar. His solo albums, including one in conjunction with Japanese maestro Kitaro, reveal the wide range of Marty's musical genius, from the achingly beautiful melodies of "Scenes" and "Introduction" to the hard driving rock of "Music for Speeding", to the variety of styles presented in "True Obsessions".
Currently living in Tokyo, Marty travels the world giving eagerly anticipated clincs, performances and master classes in dozens of countries in Asia Europe, and North and South America. He has become a major force in the Japanese music scene, playing lead guitar in the bands of the some of the country's most famous performerss. He is also making his mark as a popular versatile and talented performer on several hit shows on Japaneses television.
External Links
- Marty's official site (http://www.martyfriedman.com)
- Interview with Marty, Jason, & other players (http://www.skinnydevil.com/GuitarGods.html)
- Official Jason Becker web-site (http://www.jasonbecker.com)
- Official Megadeth site (http://www.megadeth.com)
- Marty interview (http://music.tinfoil.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=586)