Jon Nelson (guitarist)
Encyclopedia
Jonathan D. "Jon" Nelson (born December 15, 1962 in Santa Monica
, California
) is best known for playing lead guitar in the controversial punk band Suicidal Tendencies
.
, that's when his life changed and he then knew that his future would be as a professional guitarist. At age 13 he played his first night club with cousin, Ernie Centeno. After dropping out of school, Jon took several music courses at UCLA and at age 18 started his own record label. He started out in the venice underground punk scene as the manager and producer for the Venice band Neighborhood Watch
on their self-titled eight song EP, which was also released on his Indie label Deeter Deets Records. Jon also produced many demos in his make shift garage studio in the early 1980s, including Entropy, No mercy, The beer Nuts and Crux Ansada. Neighborhood Watch became the opening act for Suicidal Tendencies
and in 1983 Nelson joined Suicidal replacing original guitarist Grant Estes
, who recorded the guitar for their debut album on Frontier Records
. Nelson initially was to join as a second guitarist playing rhythm and Grant Estes would do the leads, but Estes permanently left the band and Nelson got the gig. In February 1984 Jon Nelson appeared on the cover of Flipside Fanzine
#41 with the band who had just been voted Best New Band. (they were voted "worst band and biggest assholes" in 1982). Years later Jon Nelson was erroneously credited in place of Grant Estes when the album was first released to compact disc-format on pressings of the album circa 1987. After a few live performances and the recordings Estes left the group to join the heavy metal band Hostage.
including Alaska
. He co wrote the song "Look Up... (The Boys Are Back)" which appears on the "Welcome to Venice
" album released in 1985 on Suicidal Records. Nelson also co wrote "War Inside My Head" which is featured in the game Guitar Hero: Metallica
, "You Got I Want" and "Human Guinea Pig" which was recorded for Suicidal Tendencies second full length studio album Join The Army
, it also resurfaced on Suicidal Tendencies 1992 F.N.G compilation release. Unfortunately Nelson traded his writers credit and publishing to lead singer Mike Muir
for a Gibson Flying V
guitar that was a prototype made for Eddie Van Halen
, Nelson had initially sold it to Muir while on the road and Mike knew he wanted it back.(something he must of regretted years later). In 1984 Nelson left Suicidal Tendencies teaming up with drummer Amery Smith
who also played on Suicidal's first record and formed the band The Brood
which later changed their name to Uncle Slam
who disbanded in 1995.
and Uncle Slam
amongst other notables. He is well known for playing the guitar with his teeth, a trick that was inspired by Jimi Hendrix
. In 1994 Jon became a Christian and released "Narrow Intercession" on Deeder Deets Records. Other bands in between have been The Tombstone Cowboys with cousin, Ernie Centeno, Mass hysteria, Shrapnel with Dave Estrada on second guitar from local Venice band, N-9 (2 songs on German compilation - Hell Hound Records). LP for Hell Hound Records was scrapped. Most musical activity stopped after Narrow Intercession until 2006 when Nasty Habits was formed. This was at the instigation of some executives that believed Nelson should get back into the music business in his own way.
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) is best known for playing lead guitar in the controversial punk band Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...
.
Early life
Nelson grew up in Culver City and started playing guitar at age 5 when he got his first acoustic guitar. His first band was at age 8 and the band was called "Symbols" and included his sister on maracas. At around age 9 he was introduced to the music of Jimi HendrixJimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, that's when his life changed and he then knew that his future would be as a professional guitarist. At age 13 he played his first night club with cousin, Ernie Centeno. After dropping out of school, Jon took several music courses at UCLA and at age 18 started his own record label. He started out in the venice underground punk scene as the manager and producer for the Venice band Neighborhood Watch
Neighborhood Watch (band)
Neighborhood Watch is a crossover thrash metal and punk band from Palms, Los Angeles, California who defined the "Venice Scene" in the '80's with bands like Suicidal Tendencies, Beowülf, No Mercy and Excel, who all played a mix of skate punk, hardcore, heavy metal and thrash...
on their self-titled eight song EP, which was also released on his Indie label Deeter Deets Records. Jon also produced many demos in his make shift garage studio in the early 1980s, including Entropy, No mercy, The beer Nuts and Crux Ansada. Neighborhood Watch became the opening act for Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...
and in 1983 Nelson joined Suicidal replacing original guitarist Grant Estes
Grant Estes
Grant Estes is an American guitarist from Santa Monica, California. He was one of the guitarists for the highly influential band Suicidal Tendencies, during the band's hardcore punk era.-Suicidal Tendencies/Los Cycos:...
, who recorded the guitar for their debut album on Frontier Records
Frontier Records
Frontier Records is an independent record label, started in 1980 in Los Angeles by Lisa Fancher, a former employee of Bomp! Records and writer of the liner notes for the first album by The Runaways....
. Nelson initially was to join as a second guitarist playing rhythm and Grant Estes would do the leads, but Estes permanently left the band and Nelson got the gig. In February 1984 Jon Nelson appeared on the cover of Flipside Fanzine
Flipside (fanzine)
Flipside was a punk rock fanzine published in Los Angeles, California from 1977 to 2000.As one of the first and longest running US punk rock fanzines, this publication extensively chronicled the world of independent and underground music during this era. Known for its highly opinionated cast of...
#41 with the band who had just been voted Best New Band. (they were voted "worst band and biggest assholes" in 1982). Years later Jon Nelson was erroneously credited in place of Grant Estes when the album was first released to compact disc-format on pressings of the album circa 1987. After a few live performances and the recordings Estes left the group to join the heavy metal band Hostage.
Suicidal Tendencies
Nelson was in Suicidal Tendencies for over a year. He wrote music and played guitar for the 1983 tour of their self titled debut album across the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
including Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. He co wrote the song "Look Up... (The Boys Are Back)" which appears on the "Welcome to Venice
Welcome to Venice
Welcome to Venice is a crossover thrash album that features local Venice Beach, California punk and metal bands. It was released in 1985 on Suicidal Records.-Album History:...
" album released in 1985 on Suicidal Records. Nelson also co wrote "War Inside My Head" which is featured in the game Guitar Hero: Metallica
Guitar Hero: Metallica
Guitar Hero: Metallica is a music video game developed by Neversoft and distributed by Activision. The game was released in North America on the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 on March 29, 2009 and on PlayStation 2 on April 14, 2009, with a European release in May 2009...
, "You Got I Want" and "Human Guinea Pig" which was recorded for Suicidal Tendencies second full length studio album Join The Army
Join the Army
* "War Inside My Head", "Human Guinea Pig", and "You Got, I Want" were originally written by previous guitarist Jon Nelson. He traded the rights for "War Inside My Head" for a Flying V guitar after he left the band....
, it also resurfaced on Suicidal Tendencies 1992 F.N.G compilation release. Unfortunately Nelson traded his writers credit and publishing to lead singer Mike Muir
Mike Muir
Mike Muir is the lead vocalist of the Venice skate punk bands Suicidal Tendencies Los Cycos and the funk rock band Infectious Grooves...
for a Gibson Flying V
Gibson Flying V
-External links:*, , , , and , from the Gibson website*, a June 2001 article from Guitar Collector magazine*, a tribute site that lists all models and re-issues and most notable players**...
guitar that was a prototype made for Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen
Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
, Nelson had initially sold it to Muir while on the road and Mike knew he wanted it back.(something he must of regretted years later). In 1984 Nelson left Suicidal Tendencies teaming up with drummer Amery Smith
Amery Smith
Amery "AWOL" Smith is a drummer from Los Angeles, California. He is best known for playing drums in the Venice punk band "Suicidal Tendencies."-Early Life:...
who also played on Suicidal's first record and formed the band The Brood
The Brood (band)
The Brood was a crossover thrash band from Venice, California featuring former members of Suicidal Tendencies and Neighborhood Watch.-Biography:...
which later changed their name to Uncle Slam
Uncle Slam
Uncle Slam was an American crossover thrash band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1984 under the name The Brood. They were influenced by punk rock bands of the '80s like Suicidal Tendencies , D.R.I., Corrosion of Conformity, Black Flag and the Circle Jerks, as well as heavy metal bands like...
who disbanded in 1995.
Other projects
Although Nelson claims to have been in over 75 bands, his biggest achievement was his writing contributions to Suicidal Tendencies as well as the live shows, some of which can be found on YouTube. Nelson studied jazz and classical music as well as music business courses and when he was 18 years old started his own record company DeederDeets Records. His favorite bands that he has played with includes; "Tears" a band he toured with his cousin and his current band "Nasty Habits". He was also a member of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jackie Lee CochranJackie Lee Cochran
Jackie Lee Cochran was an American rockabilly musician, known as Jack the Cat.-Biography:Cochran had a twin brother who died at the age of two. He began playing guitar at age six...
and Uncle Slam
Uncle Slam
Uncle Slam was an American crossover thrash band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1984 under the name The Brood. They were influenced by punk rock bands of the '80s like Suicidal Tendencies , D.R.I., Corrosion of Conformity, Black Flag and the Circle Jerks, as well as heavy metal bands like...
amongst other notables. He is well known for playing the guitar with his teeth, a trick that was inspired by Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
. In 1994 Jon became a Christian and released "Narrow Intercession" on Deeder Deets Records. Other bands in between have been The Tombstone Cowboys with cousin, Ernie Centeno, Mass hysteria, Shrapnel with Dave Estrada on second guitar from local Venice band, N-9 (2 songs on German compilation - Hell Hound Records). LP for Hell Hound Records was scrapped. Most musical activity stopped after Narrow Intercession until 2006 when Nasty Habits was formed. This was at the instigation of some executives that believed Nelson should get back into the music business in his own way.
Discography
- Demo 1985
- The BroodThe Brood (band)The Brood was a crossover thrash band from Venice, California featuring former members of Suicidal Tendencies and Neighborhood Watch.-Biography:...
Profile Records 1986 - Shrapnel single "Deeder Deets Records" / "Hell Hound Records" compilation in Germany 1990
- Narrow Intercession "Deeder Deets Records" 2002
- Nasty Habits (band) Skinned Alive "Deeder Deets Records" 2008