Chris Risola
Encyclopedia
Chris Risola is the lead guitar
ist for the rock
band Steelheart
, sometimes mis-credited as Chris Rizola.
Born June 30, 1958...Chris first started playing guitar at age 13. Listening to Jimi Hendrix along with other great guitar hero's and practicing for endless hours his own style began to take shape. In High School he studied music theory and formed numerous bands. Wanting to perfect his craft he also began to take lessons from Linc Chamberland. Learning from this renowned jazz great provided Chris with the extra ammo he needed to perfect his style.
In 1981 Chris was playing lead guitar with his band consisting of best friends Jimmie Ward on bass and Jack Wilkinson on drums, they then started auditioning singers. After much discussion a young then 15 year old Mike Matijevic was hired. The result was "RAMPAGE" which was soon changed to "RED ALERT". Through nine years and countless hours of playing live at numerous honky tonks and bars, Chris's chops were honed and refined to precision. During those years playing practically every club in southern New England, the band became well known for their showmanship, and instrumental prowess.
In 1989 the band consisting of members Chris Risola, Jimmie Ward, and Mike Matijevic added new drummer John Fowler and rhythm guitarist Frank DiCostanzo to the band. They were signed to MCA Records in 1990 and the name of the band was then changed to "STEELHEART"; Chris played on the first two Steelheart
albums, Steelheart
and Tangled In Reins
. His solos focused on hard blues, rock, speed, tapping
and harmonies
with rhythm guitarist Frank DiCostanzo.
Steelheart released their self-titled debut album in 1990. It sold 33,000 albums on its first day in Japan alone, and quickly hit platinum status. The ballad “She’s Gone” hit #1 on the International Charts, staying there for 17 weeks. The second single “I’ll Never Let You Go (Angel Eyes)” reached #14 on the billboard charts, and was MTV’s 2nd most requested video. The album reached #40 on the billboard charts, making it (albeit just so) officially a ‘hit’. “Everybody Loves Eileen” and its accompanying video also garnered much success.
Steelheart’s next effort, “Tangled In Reins” was a much more mixed combination than the debut, with songs like “Sticky Side Up” to smooth ballads such as “Mama Don’t You Cry”. Also, the song, “Steelheart”, featured Matijevic hitting his highest note of the three albums. The ballad "Mama Don't You Cry" charted #1 in many East Asian Countries, including Hong Kong, prompting their Asian tour in September, 1992. Nearing the end of the “Tangled in Reins” tour, Slaughter asked Steelheart to perform one last show which would occur in Denver, Colorado. The show took place on Halloween night, a night which will forever be remembered by Steelheart fans. While performing, “Dancing in the Fire”, a hit from the “Tangled in Reins” album, Matijevic decided to climb a lighting truss, which was improperly secured. Matijevic tried to evade the fall of the massive rig, but without success. An injured Mike walked off stage that night but would never again front the band in its original form “Steelheart” ended that night. This was the last show the members of Steelheart in this lineup would ever play together.
Post-Steelheart
, After a 13 year hiatus Chris rejoined Steelheart
. To date Chris and Mike/Mili as the only original members in Steelheart are now back and playing; joined by Mike Humbert on drums (the drummer from the Good 2B Alive album), along with Rev Jones on Bass. In 2006 the band did the "Just A Taste" tour. In 2007 and 2008 Steelheart played the Rocklahoma festivals, and 2009 brought the "Good 2B Alive" tour. For the last two years Chris and the band have been playing shows and festivals in many U.S. cities as well as Puerto Rico and around the globe in such places as Sweden, Iceland, Korea, and China.
Chris is well known as a guitar virtuoso not only to fans and students but to other established players in the industry. Chris has taught guitar and music theory to such well known acts as Grammy Nominated musician "Moby", and guitarist Paul Nelson of the "Johnny Winter Band".
Currently teaching guitar in Boca Raton
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
ist for the rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Steelheart
Steelheart
Steelheart is a glam metal band based in Norwalk, Connecticut. Formed in 1990, the band is fronted by vocalist Miljenko Matijevic.- Formation :...
, sometimes mis-credited as Chris Rizola.
Born June 30, 1958...Chris first started playing guitar at age 13. Listening to Jimi Hendrix along with other great guitar hero's and practicing for endless hours his own style began to take shape. In High School he studied music theory and formed numerous bands. Wanting to perfect his craft he also began to take lessons from Linc Chamberland. Learning from this renowned jazz great provided Chris with the extra ammo he needed to perfect his style.
In 1981 Chris was playing lead guitar with his band consisting of best friends Jimmie Ward on bass and Jack Wilkinson on drums, they then started auditioning singers. After much discussion a young then 15 year old Mike Matijevic was hired. The result was "RAMPAGE" which was soon changed to "RED ALERT". Through nine years and countless hours of playing live at numerous honky tonks and bars, Chris's chops were honed and refined to precision. During those years playing practically every club in southern New England, the band became well known for their showmanship, and instrumental prowess.
In 1989 the band consisting of members Chris Risola, Jimmie Ward, and Mike Matijevic added new drummer John Fowler and rhythm guitarist Frank DiCostanzo to the band. They were signed to MCA Records in 1990 and the name of the band was then changed to "STEELHEART"; Chris played on the first two Steelheart
Steelheart
Steelheart is a glam metal band based in Norwalk, Connecticut. Formed in 1990, the band is fronted by vocalist Miljenko Matijevic.- Formation :...
albums, Steelheart
Steelheart (album)
Steelheart was the first full-length album by Steelheart. It was released on May 10, 1990 and later re-released with a new cover in 1991. It reached #40 on the Billboard 200.-Track listing:# "Love Ain't Easy" – 3:41...
and Tangled In Reins
Tangled in Reins
Tangled in Reins is the second album by hard rock band Steelheart, recorded and produced in Los Angeles. It only reached #144 on the Billboard 200. However, the ballad "Mama Don't You Cry" reached #1 in Hong Kong, and Japan, prompting an MTV unplugged show in Hong Kong. The album itself only sold...
. His solos focused on hard blues, rock, speed, tapping
Tapping
Tapping is a guitar playing technique, where a string is fretted and set into vibration as part of a single motion of being pushed onto the fretboard, as opposed to the standard technique being fretted with one hand and picked with the other...
and harmonies
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
with rhythm guitarist Frank DiCostanzo.
Steelheart released their self-titled debut album in 1990. It sold 33,000 albums on its first day in Japan alone, and quickly hit platinum status. The ballad “She’s Gone” hit #1 on the International Charts, staying there for 17 weeks. The second single “I’ll Never Let You Go (Angel Eyes)” reached #14 on the billboard charts, and was MTV’s 2nd most requested video. The album reached #40 on the billboard charts, making it (albeit just so) officially a ‘hit’. “Everybody Loves Eileen” and its accompanying video also garnered much success.
Steelheart’s next effort, “Tangled In Reins” was a much more mixed combination than the debut, with songs like “Sticky Side Up” to smooth ballads such as “Mama Don’t You Cry”. Also, the song, “Steelheart”, featured Matijevic hitting his highest note of the three albums. The ballad "Mama Don't You Cry" charted #1 in many East Asian Countries, including Hong Kong, prompting their Asian tour in September, 1992. Nearing the end of the “Tangled in Reins” tour, Slaughter asked Steelheart to perform one last show which would occur in Denver, Colorado. The show took place on Halloween night, a night which will forever be remembered by Steelheart fans. While performing, “Dancing in the Fire”, a hit from the “Tangled in Reins” album, Matijevic decided to climb a lighting truss, which was improperly secured. Matijevic tried to evade the fall of the massive rig, but without success. An injured Mike walked off stage that night but would never again front the band in its original form “Steelheart” ended that night. This was the last show the members of Steelheart in this lineup would ever play together.
Post-Steelheart
Steelheart
Steelheart is a glam metal band based in Norwalk, Connecticut. Formed in 1990, the band is fronted by vocalist Miljenko Matijevic.- Formation :...
, After a 13 year hiatus Chris rejoined Steelheart
Steelheart
Steelheart is a glam metal band based in Norwalk, Connecticut. Formed in 1990, the band is fronted by vocalist Miljenko Matijevic.- Formation :...
. To date Chris and Mike/Mili as the only original members in Steelheart are now back and playing; joined by Mike Humbert on drums (the drummer from the Good 2B Alive album), along with Rev Jones on Bass. In 2006 the band did the "Just A Taste" tour. In 2007 and 2008 Steelheart played the Rocklahoma festivals, and 2009 brought the "Good 2B Alive" tour. For the last two years Chris and the band have been playing shows and festivals in many U.S. cities as well as Puerto Rico and around the globe in such places as Sweden, Iceland, Korea, and China.
Chris is well known as a guitar virtuoso not only to fans and students but to other established players in the industry. Chris has taught guitar and music theory to such well known acts as Grammy Nominated musician "Moby", and guitarist Paul Nelson of the "Johnny Winter Band".
External links
Currently teaching guitar in Boca Raton