Brian Haner
Encyclopedia
Brian Elwin Haner, Sr. (born April 7, 1958), also known as Guitar Guy or Papa Gates is an American musician. He is a guitarist, songwriter, singer and a stand-up comedian. He married in 1980, and his first son, Brian Haner Jr, better known by his stage name, Synyster Gates
, is the lead guitarist for the metal band Avenged Sevenfold
.
Haner is best known for touring with fellow stand-up comedian Jeff Dunham
. In 2011, Haner announced that he and Dunham have mutually parted ways, and that Haner would begin on his own comedy projects and tours.
perform on The Ed Sullivan Show
. He joined his first band, "The Plastic Mind", when he was ten years old.
After working for several years as a session musician, especially with Motown star Norman Whitfield, Haner signed his first record deal with Polydor under the name of Brian West. They produced his first album "Don't Stop Now". Throughout the 1980s, Haner recorded and toured mainly in Europe. In the early 90s, his composition work extended to scoring television shows and films. From 1998 to 2003, Haner produced his second wife's hypnosis show as well as performing in night clubs; in 2003, he signed with a Nashville music publisher and released two CDs called "My Old Guitar" and "Carney Man". He also developed up a busy program of stand-up comedy and performing his own mainly comic songs.
In 2005, Haner's first novel "Carney Man" was published. After a year spent mostly in Vegas opening for Bobby Slayton, Haner started touring and television specials as "Guitar Guy" with Jeff Dunham. While on tour with Jeff Duhnam, Haner released two solo CDs, "Cougar Bait" and "Fistfight At The Wafflehouse." His most recent mainstream CD is "Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas", featuring Dunham's puppets singing Haner's original songs.
In 2010, Haner Sr. recorded guitar tracks for Avenged Sevenfold
's new album entitled Nightmare
. Among his contributions were guitar solos for the tracks "Tonight the World Dies, and "So Far Away", which was written by his son, Synyster Gates
, in memory of the band's late drummer and Gates' best friend James Sullivan
.
. The videos and songs are often humorous and contain stories of rather abnormal events. He has made songs about the new Arizona
immigration laws, fistfight at a waffle house, being kidnapped and held hostage by an obsessed fan, and most notably, a song called "Saturday" (a parody of Friday
) about him partying on Saturday after killing a transvestite hooker and burying his body.
Synyster Gates
Brian Elwin Haner, Jr. , better known by his stage name Synyster Gates or simply Syn, is an American musician, best known for being the lead guitarist of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life:...
, is the lead guitarist for the metal band Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California. Formed in 1999, the group consists of vocalist M. Shadows, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, bassist Johnny Christ....
.
Haner is best known for touring with fellow stand-up comedian Jeff Dunham
Jeff Dunham
Jeff Dunham is an American ventriloquist and stand-up comedian who has also appeared on numerous television shows, including Late Show with David Letterman, Comedy Central Presents, The Tonight Show and Sonny With a Chance...
. In 2011, Haner announced that he and Dunham have mutually parted ways, and that Haner would begin on his own comedy projects and tours.
Early life
Haner got his first guitar when he was only 5 years old after he saw The BeatlesThe Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
perform on The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
. He joined his first band, "The Plastic Mind", when he was ten years old.
Professional life
A year before finishing high school, Haner got a summer job touring with Sam the Sham and Pharaohs, best known for their hit songs Woolly Bully and Little Red Riding Hood. During the school year, Haner played in night clubs in the LA area. The following year, he applied for a job on tour with Frank Zappa; although Haner didn't make it past the audition, Zappa later called on him for session work.After working for several years as a session musician, especially with Motown star Norman Whitfield, Haner signed his first record deal with Polydor under the name of Brian West. They produced his first album "Don't Stop Now". Throughout the 1980s, Haner recorded and toured mainly in Europe. In the early 90s, his composition work extended to scoring television shows and films. From 1998 to 2003, Haner produced his second wife's hypnosis show as well as performing in night clubs; in 2003, he signed with a Nashville music publisher and released two CDs called "My Old Guitar" and "Carney Man". He also developed up a busy program of stand-up comedy and performing his own mainly comic songs.
In 2005, Haner's first novel "Carney Man" was published. After a year spent mostly in Vegas opening for Bobby Slayton, Haner started touring and television specials as "Guitar Guy" with Jeff Dunham. While on tour with Jeff Duhnam, Haner released two solo CDs, "Cougar Bait" and "Fistfight At The Wafflehouse." His most recent mainstream CD is "Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas", featuring Dunham's puppets singing Haner's original songs.
In 2010, Haner Sr. recorded guitar tracks for Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California. Formed in 1999, the group consists of vocalist M. Shadows, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, bassist Johnny Christ....
's new album entitled Nightmare
Nightmare (Avenged Sevenfold album)
Nightmare is the fifth studio album by American rock band Avenged Sevenfold, released on July 27, 2010 through Warner Bros. Records. It was produced by Mike Elizondo and mixed in New York City by noted engineer Andy Wallace...
. Among his contributions were guitar solos for the tracks "Tonight the World Dies, and "So Far Away", which was written by his son, Synyster Gates
Synyster Gates
Brian Elwin Haner, Jr. , better known by his stage name Synyster Gates or simply Syn, is an American musician, best known for being the lead guitarist of the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold.-Early life:...
, in memory of the band's late drummer and Gates' best friend James Sullivan
The Rev
James Owen Sullivan , more commonly known by his stage name The Reverend Tholomew Plague, often shortened to The Rev, was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold...
.
YouTube
In late 2010, Haner began making a series of songs and music videos and posting them on YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. The videos and songs are often humorous and contain stories of rather abnormal events. He has made songs about the new Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
immigration laws, fistfight at a waffle house, being kidnapped and held hostage by an obsessed fan, and most notably, a song called "Saturday" (a parody of Friday
Rebecca Black
Rebecca Renee Black is an American pop singer who gained extensive media attention with the 2011 single "Friday". Her mother paid $4,000 to have the single and an accompanying music video put out as a vanity release through the record label ARK Music Factory. The song was co-written and produced...
) about him partying on Saturday after killing a transvestite hooker and burying his body.