BallBuster Contributor

NAME: Gregory Stephen Koch Esq. PLAYING (YEARS): 24 STYLE: Koch N Roll GEAR: Fender Guitars (Strat’s, Tele’s etc) Fender Amps (Cyber Twin, Cyber Deluxe, ’65 Super Reverb Reissue, Custom Shop ’64 Vibroverb) ENDORSEMENTS: Fender, Hal Leonard PublishingPAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Mastering the A7 chord, releasing “The Grip!” on Favored Nations in 2001, traveling the world for Fender as clinicianman, surviving countless years behind […]

Cradle of Filth, London Astoria, London, England

NAME: David T. Chastain PLAYING (YEARS): Somewhere around 30! Time flies when you are rocking!! STYLE: All it seems. Metal, Hard Rock, Fusion, Blues Rock, Acoustic and Improvisational. All with the David T. slant to it. GEAR: Karmer guitars through either a Marshall Valvestate with Marshall cabs or recently I have been using a POD for recording. ENDORSEMENTS: Kramer guitars […]

NAME: Steve TheadoPLAYING (YEARS): Alot longer than the born on date of my bottle!!STYLE: Drunken,bloozy,southern fried hard rock.GEAR: Beat up JCM 800 half stack and a couple of old Gibson Melody Makers. Got a clutter of stomp boxes(what ever makes the most noise)ENDORSEMENTS: GHS Strings and a few drunken slobs!!!PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Finally guitting kamikazees and moving up to Jagermeister(now I don’t […]

NAME: MICHAEL HARRISPLAYING (YEARS): 25+STYLE: ProgressiveGEAR: Hamer Guitars, Mesa Boogie, Ampeg, Line 6 amps, Digitech, Line 6 effectsENDORSEMENTS: GHS stringsPAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS: over 15 recordings with solo and various groupsCURRENT & UPCOMING PROJECTS:1st solo vocal CD upcoming Spring’03FAVORITE GUITARIST: Too many to mention, but today it’s Michael SchenkerMOST UNDERATED PLAYERS: Michael Schenker, Brett GarsedBEST MUSICIAN YOU’VE EVER SEEN: Allan Holdsworth, Carlos MontoyaFOUR WORDS THAT BEST […]

NAME: LUCA TURILLI PLAYING (YEARS): 15STYLE: NEOCLASSICAL INFLUENCED GEAR: LUCA TURILLI HANDMADE GUITARS ENDORSEMENTS: LINE 6 PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS: MORE THAN 700.000 COPIES SOLD THROUGHOUT THE WORLD CURRENT UPCOMING PROJECTS: RHAPSODY, LUCA TURILLI SOLO CAREER, COLLABORATION WITH CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA FOR FUTURE PROJECTS FAVORITE GUITARIST: JASON BECKER, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, MICHAEL ROMEO MOST UNDERRATED PLAYERS: SYMPHONY X BEST MUSICIAN YOU’VE EVER SEEN: MICHAEL ANGELO FOUR WORDS […]

NAME: Ken Tamplin PLAYING (YEARS): 33 years STYLE: Flash Blues, Melodic Rock, Flamenco GEAR: Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier, Marshall, Fender Strat, Sustainiac, Laravee’ Acoustic, Goya Flamenco. ENDORSEMENTS: Fernandes Guitars, SKB Cases, LR Baggs Acoustic Pre-Amps PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS: KEN TAMPLIN Film / Television Composition MAJOR MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACKS. INSPECTOR GADGET/THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY (Re-Record The Good, The Bad, The Ugly) PERFECT STORM […]

NAME: JESSE DAMON PLAYING (YEARS): 25 YEARS + STYLE: ROCK/ BLUES/ POP GEAR: MARSHALL AMPLIFICATION/ ANDERSON & FENDER STRATS/ CONKLIN GUITARS/NADYWIRELESS/ ROCKTRON HUSH II C/ KORG RACKTUNER/ HEAVEY PICS/ D’ADDARIO STRINGS ENDORSEMENTS: CONKLIN GUITARS Springfield, MI PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS: SILENT RAGE / KISS / JESSE DAMON CD’S 1 GOLD ALBUM/ 4 RECORDED CD’S/ 3 COMPILATIONS/SOUNDTRACKS SILENT RAGE/SHATTERED HEARTS 1987 Chameleon Records) SILENT […]

Marcel De Jong, goth illustrator, born 1967 in Amsterdam. Called the Skeleton Man at the age of eight, not only for being extremely skinny, but also for his obsession for drawing nothing but skulls. Institutionalized at 21 years of age by a broken heart and therefore put his pens & brushes to rest for six […]

What would you get if you took Megadeth, Corrosion of Conformity, and Godsmack, and threw ’em in a pot and cooked ’em up??? What you’d get is a raw & rugged sound called VooDoo Lordz VooDoo Lordz is a power trio from the outskirts of Detroit currently pandering it’s “Life’s Games” disc.

With the release of 1997’s ‘New Jersey Hate Core’ demo, Sludge! managed to create a swelling buzz around the band. They sold / traded nearly 4,000 demos in a very short period of time. Bolstered by a frequent and well-attended live performances. In 1998, they released their second demo entitled ‘Alone & Twisted’. This release […]

For more info on Joe Petagno & his works write:Vejlands Alle 135- 2300Copenhagen S. Denmark- Petagno works has graced album covers from Motorhead to Avulsed to Led Zepplin to Incanatation,including graceing covers or being featured in many well known METAL magazines world wide. “A TRUE TALENT”-BallBuster Magazine-

NAME: Rob Sbar PLAYING (YEARS): Since consciousness STYLE: A blend of rock, modern, and avant-garde jazz and fusion along with contemporary chromatic and post-tonal forms, resulting in some form of progressive rock/fusion. GEAR: Guitars- Tom Anderson Drop-Top, Ibanez RG series, Fender Stratocaster Amps-Mesa/Boogie Mark IV, Marshall JMP-1 Preamp, Mesa/Boogie 290 Power Amp, Marshall 2000 DSL head, Bruno custom amp […]

NAME: Joe Candelario PLAYING (YEARS): 20 years STYLE: Rock, Blues, Metal, Classical, & Jazz GEAR: Fender HM Strats, Peavey Amplification, Digitech Effects, and Morley Wha ENDORSEMENTS: D’Addario StringsPAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS: In 2001 I was listed as one of Colorado’s top 3 guitarists in the Rock/Metal category by coloradometal (yahoo) groups. CURRENT & UPCOMING PROJECTS: Currently supporting Joe C. Wails release “Reign Dance”, and […]

Issue 1 : Interview with FLAWReviews on : TORNICADE / ASSISTING SORROW & News – Now Available -OUTSPOKEN “Bitter Shovel” *Southern fried angry rock. Five-piece from right here in your own back yard Louisville KY. Not a single bad song on their debut produced by veteran rock czar Rick Parashar (3 Doors Down, Pearl Jam). […]

NAME: Francesco Fareri PLAYING (YEARS): since late 1994 early 1995 STYLE: Shred with Progressive influences and Melodic keyboards lines GEAR: Ibanez 7 strings, Dimarzio pickups, Line6 pod pro, Peavy Equalizer, Marshall power amp, and case ENDORSEMENTS: none as of yet but if someone is interested I’m very happy to collaborate! PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS: The releasing of […]

NAME: Tristan ‘1690’ Grigsby PLAYING (YEARS): 23 STYLE: METAL! GEAR: Sarricola Guitars (Signature Series), Black Amps, Roland Delay, Lexicon Reverb, Rocktron, Furman, Dunlop picks ENDORSEMENTS: Sarricola Guitars, Seymour Duncan, D’Addario, Rocktron, Monster Cable, Dunop PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS: PanterA & Skid Row home videos and DVDs, National Anthem for the Chicago Bulls, CD sales in 16 countries CURRENT & UPCOMING PROJECTS: Statagem (2003 release), […]

NAME: Joe Stump PLAYING (YEARS): 28 STYLE: Neo-Classical speed metal-Shred-European influenced hard rock GEAR: ESP custom built strat-style guitars, with scallopped fretboards,Dimarzio pickups. Amps-Early 70`s 50 watt MarkII Marshalls,ENGL Ritchie Blackmore signature model 100 watt head,Rhino Beast.Marshall early 70`s basket weave cabs with 30 watt greenback celestions.DOD overdrive 250,Korg and boss delays,Dunlop Cry Baby and […]

NAME: Cat Rood PLAYING (YEARS): 39 STYLE: Hard Rock, Instrumental Hard Rock GEAR: (on stage) Peavey Bandit 75, Washburn JB100 midi guitar, Gibson SG, Roland GR33 guitar synth, various effects pedals (Studio) Fostex VF-16 digital recorder, Ibanez RG570 guitar, Fender Squire P-bass, DOD RP100 effect, Roland GR33 guitar synth, Korg Poly 9 synth, Alesis Nanosynth, Alesis SR16 drum machine, […]

Igor Mugerza, born in 1974 in Bilbao, (Basque Land) since beginning he has been attracted by the warrior imaginery images, later by woman figures and finally by The Almighty Metal. Totally self-taught, Some of his heavy & violence comic art can be found in zines in Spain. Currently, he is trying to perfectionate the color […]

NAME: Michael Knight PLAYING (YEARS): Too many to count! STYLE: Metal – instrumental and traditional. GEAR: Guitars:1980 Charvel/Jackson, 1975 Gibson Les Paul Custom, 1978 Ibanez Destroyer. Amps: Marshal Valvestate. Effects: Memory Man Delay, Crybaby Wah-Wah. ENDORSEMENTS: None. Sports figures get paid thousands of dollars to endorse products. I decided I wasn’t going to pursue endorsements until I was in a […]

Name: Ben Jackson Playing (years): 24 years Style: Hard rock, heavy melodic metal Gear: Guitars I use are Jackson soloists mainly plus a Jackson King V, also an Ovation acoutic I use quite a lot. I’m using a Johnson Millenium amp right now but I like to use different amps to record like Marshall 50 watt Jcm 900’s […]

NAME: ALEX SKOLNICK YEARS PLAYING: 23 STYLE:Many styles, mainly jazz, worldmusic, fusion, but have played a lot of metal & rock. GEAR : Depending ont he gig GUITARS: jazz-Heritage H575 (Hollowbody Electric) rock-Gibson les Paul (reissue 1960 Goldtop) acoustic-Martin JC16GTE (Steel Sring) Montalvo Flamenco (Nylon String) Most practicing done on Gibson 1976 Blond L5 (HollowBody Electric) AMPS Tech […]

David Robert was born in Cambridge, England. During his youth, he developed a fascination with cemeteries; during his teen years, he melded that fascination with photography, and started taking pictures of various graveyards in England and Wales. These days, living in Reno, Nevada, David has expanded his subject matter to include another fascination: music. He […]

NAME: Slav Simanic PLAYING (YEARS): 20+  STYLE: Christian Rock with use of spoken words from the Bible  GEAR: Guibson Flying V, Slav V-7 Seven String Guitar,  Marshall Amplification, Jim Dunlop Cry Baby Wah Wah Pedal,  Digitech Whammy Pedal, Boss DD-5, D’Addario Strings…  ENDORSEMENTS: GIM Custom made guitars:  Guitar Model SLAV V-7 Seven String Guitar.  PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS:Solo Albums:  “Let It Go” […]

NAME: Michael Staertow PLAYING (YEARS): 23  STYLE: Rock, Blues Rock, Hard Rock  GEAR: Gibson Les Paul Standards, Marshall Amplification, Hendrix Wah, Taylor Acoustics.  ENDORSEMENTS: GHS Strings, Marshall Amplification, Groove Tubes, EMG.  PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS:Replaced one of my guitar teachers in a band then later playing with him in another band.  CURRENT & UPCOMING PROJECTS: Currently supporting my CD “Oxygen”, and playing in […]

NAME: Mark Schuster PLAYING (YEARS): 22  STYLE: Hard Rock/Metal  GEAR: Jackson Guitars, Boss tools/COSM, Marshall amplification  ENDORSEMENTS: None  PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS:2 independent CDs: “Too Little, Too Late” and “Mark Schuster”  CURRENT & UPCOMING PROJECTS: Writing and recording material for the next CD.  FAVORITE GUITARIST: 3-way tie: Ed Van Halen, Joe Satriani, George Lynch  MOST UNDERATED PLAYERS:  Most of my independent friends on MP3.com  BEST […]

NAME: Barry Bernhardt PLAYING (YEARS): 25 STYLE: rock w/ a huge dose of fusion, jazz, funk, blues, new-age  GEAR: Warmoth custom-designed soloist w/ Floyd Rose, P.R.S. custom, Fender “fat Tele”, custom maple “strat-type”, Charvel 1-p/u strat-type, Heritage arch top. Rivera 100w 2×12 combo, Fender “ultra chorus” 2×12 combo, Soldano midi preamp, Mesa Boogie 50/50 power amp, Bag End 2×10 […]

Liegelord Guitarist Paul Nelson Talk’s Hard with Halford Guitarist METAL MIKE CHLASCIAK

Metal Mike: Paul, here is my first compliment to you. I have really enjoyed your “look” solo release and I do not particularly like fusion type based music. There I said it, Metal Mike likes a fusion album …. I thought the CD was very well arranged and interesting to listen to. You still showed […]