Jon Schaffer
Encyclopedia
Jon Ryan Schaffer is a heavy metal
guitarist
and songwriter
. He is the founder of the heavy metal band Iced Earth
. He was nominated for the title "Riff Lord" at the 2008 Metal Hammer
Golden Gods Awards.
in Fort Wayne, Indiana
and moved out of his parents' home to Tampa
, Florida
, in order to start up a band and play music. In 1985 Schaffer founded the power
/thrash metal
band Purgatory, which quickly changed its name to become Iced Earth
. He is now the only remaining member of the first line-up.
Schaffer has also recorded and toured with Demons and Wizards, his side project with Blind Guardian
vocalist Hansi Kürsch
.
Schaffer also sings lead on the Iced Earth songs "Stormrider" from Night of the Stormrider
and on "God of Thunder", a cover of the Kiss
song, on Tribute to the Gods
. He also shares lead vocals with Matt Barlow on "A Gift or a Curse?" from The Crucible of Man and "Winter Nights" from Days of Purgatory
, and on "Desert Rain" from Night of the Stormrider with John Greely in a call-and-answer style. In various other songs, he has been known for being given brief sections to sing unaccompanied, easily distinguishable with his low growls. However, he nonetheless has served as the band's main live backing vocalist for the band's entire career, doing all backing parts from his original growls to the melodic opera sections of songs.
In December 2009, Schaffer released his politically themed solo project Sons Of Liberty's album Brush-fires of the Mind
, in which Schaffer sings lead in addition to playing all guitars. Not to be confused with the Philadelphia, PA based patriotic punk band Sons Of Liberty which was formed in 2001, released 2 full length albums and 3 EPs and still exists to this day. The Philadelphia S.O.L.'s 2nd LP / CD "Join Or Die" (Dim Records, 2007) features the Benjamin Franklin drawn rattlesnake picture and they were the first to use that artwork with the Sons Of Liberty name. There has been talk of a lawsuit pending on behalf of the Philadelphia S.O.L.
, as Matt is married to Jon's stepsister. In 2005 Jon and his wife, Wendi, became parents with the birth of their first daughter. He has suffered from neck injuries, some of which resulted in surgery, that still plague him today.
, Kiss
, Judas Priest
, Metallica
, Blue Öyster Cult
, Alice Cooper
, Black Sabbath
, and AC/DC
. His non-musical hobbies include motorcycles and Schaffer is also an avid American Civil War
enthusiast, with particular interest in the Battle of Gettysburg
, which inspired his longest song to date, the 32 minute opus, "Gettysburg (1863)" from the 2004 Iced Earth album, The Glorious Burden
, a concept album about various historical topics. Lyrically, Jon is inspired by fantasy, science fiction and horror stories (his Something Wicked Saga
is a series of two and a half science-fiction concept albums), and is known to be an avid collector of Star Wars merchandise.
His favorite album is Iron Maiden's The Number of the Beast
, and Iced Earth covered two songs from the album on their cover album Tribute to the Gods
.
In September 2007 he signed an official endorsement deal with Gibson Guitars. See the announcement posted on the official Iced Earth website here .
's albums, including Something Wicked This Way Comes, Dark Genesis
, Horror Show
, Tribute to the Gods
, and Alive in Athens
. On September 11, 2007, Iced Earth released the first part of a double concept album based on the Set Abominae character and story, entitled Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1), which was followed by The Crucible of Man (Something Wicked Part 2) in September 2008.
In December 2009, Schaffer presented his solo-project "Sons of Liberty" by releasing the online available album Brush-fires of the Mind
.
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. He is the founder of the heavy metal band Iced Earth
Iced Earth
Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band from Tampa, Florida. Originally formed under the name "Purgatory" in 1984, Iced Earth has released a total of ten studio albums, one live album, three EP's, two compilations and boxsets...
. He was nominated for the title "Riff Lord" at the 2008 Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
Golden Gods Awards.
Biography
At the age of 14 Jon got his first guitar and began writing music. At the age of 16 he dropped out of Northrop High SchoolNorthrop High School
Northrop High School is a Fort Wayne Community Schools high school situated in the northern suburbs of Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana.-Curriculum:...
in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
and moved out of his parents' home to Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, in order to start up a band and play music. In 1985 Schaffer founded the power
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
/thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band Purgatory, which quickly changed its name to become Iced Earth
Iced Earth
Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band from Tampa, Florida. Originally formed under the name "Purgatory" in 1984, Iced Earth has released a total of ten studio albums, one live album, three EP's, two compilations and boxsets...
. He is now the only remaining member of the first line-up.
Schaffer has also recorded and toured with Demons and Wizards, his side project with Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres...
vocalist Hansi Kürsch
Hansi Kürsch
Hans Jürgen Kürsch, better known as Hansi Kürsch is a German musician, the lead vocalist and lyricist of power metal band Blind Guardian. Together with André Olbrich, he is also the principal songwriter for the band. He was also the bassist in Blind Guardian until the 1998 album Nightfall in...
.
Schaffer also sings lead on the Iced Earth songs "Stormrider" from Night of the Stormrider
Night of the Stormrider
-Personnel:*Jon Schaffer – rhythm guitar, backing vocals, producer*John Greely – vocals*Randall Shawver – lead guitar, solo*Dave Abell – bass guitar*Rick Secchiari – drumsAdditional personnel*Roger "The Hammer" Huff – keyboardsProduction...
and on "God of Thunder", a cover of the Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
song, on Tribute to the Gods
Tribute to the Gods
Tribute to the Gods is a tribute/cover album by heavy metal band Iced Earth. It is notable as the last Iced Earth album featuring Larry Tarnowski on lead guitar, and the last featuring singer Matt Barlow on vocals until his 2007 return, and their last album with Century Media...
. He also shares lead vocals with Matt Barlow on "A Gift or a Curse?" from The Crucible of Man and "Winter Nights" from Days of Purgatory
Days of Purgatory
Days of Purgatory is an American heavy metal album by Iced Earth. It is a collection of remixes and remakes from previous albums. Most of the songs from the Enter the Realm EP, Iced Earth, and Night of the Stormrider were re-sung by Matt Barlow, and on some of the songs the drums and bass redone...
, and on "Desert Rain" from Night of the Stormrider with John Greely in a call-and-answer style. In various other songs, he has been known for being given brief sections to sing unaccompanied, easily distinguishable with his low growls. However, he nonetheless has served as the band's main live backing vocalist for the band's entire career, doing all backing parts from his original growls to the melodic opera sections of songs.
In December 2009, Schaffer released his politically themed solo project Sons Of Liberty's album Brush-fires of the Mind
Brush-fires of the Mind
Brush-fires of the Mind is the only album by Jon Schaffer's heavy metal solo-project Sons of Liberty. The album was released on the project's website on December 18, 2009, to download for free if you sign up for the Sons of Liberty newsletter. It is also available as a high quality download,...
, in which Schaffer sings lead in addition to playing all guitars. Not to be confused with the Philadelphia, PA based patriotic punk band Sons Of Liberty which was formed in 2001, released 2 full length albums and 3 EPs and still exists to this day. The Philadelphia S.O.L.'s 2nd LP / CD "Join Or Die" (Dim Records, 2007) features the Benjamin Franklin drawn rattlesnake picture and they were the first to use that artwork with the Sons Of Liberty name. There has been talk of a lawsuit pending on behalf of the Philadelphia S.O.L.
Personal life
He is brother-in-law of former Iced Earth singer Matt BarlowMatt Barlow
Matthew Barlow is an American heavy metal singer and police officer. He is the former lead singer for Iced Earth. He is Jon Schaffer's brother-in-law.-History:...
, as Matt is married to Jon's stepsister. In 2005 Jon and his wife, Wendi, became parents with the birth of their first daughter. He has suffered from neck injuries, some of which resulted in surgery, that still plague him today.
Influences
Jon Schaffer's primary musical influences were Iron MaidenIron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...
, Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
, Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
, and AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
. His non-musical hobbies include motorcycles and Schaffer is also an avid American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
enthusiast, with particular interest in the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
, which inspired his longest song to date, the 32 minute opus, "Gettysburg (1863)" from the 2004 Iced Earth album, The Glorious Burden
The Glorious Burden
-Disc 2: Gettysburg :-American version:-European version:-Iced Earth:* Jon Schaffer − rhythm guitar, backing vocals* Tim 'Ripper' Owens − lead vocals* Ralph Santolla − lead guitar* James MacDonough − bass guitar* Richard Christy − drums...
, a concept album about various historical topics. Lyrically, Jon is inspired by fantasy, science fiction and horror stories (his Something Wicked Saga
Something Wicked Saga
The Something Wicked Saga is a fictional story featured in the works of American heavy metal guitarist Jon Schaffer from the band Iced Earth. The saga is a tale that begins with the origins of man, by way of descension upon the primitive Setian race, all the way to its downfall as paved by the...
is a series of two and a half science-fiction concept albums), and is known to be an avid collector of Star Wars merchandise.
His favorite album is Iron Maiden's The Number of the Beast
The Number of the Beast (album)
The Number of the Beast is the third studio album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 March 1982 through EMI and on its sister label Capitol the US. The 1998 re-issue was released by EMI and Sanctuary/Columbia in the US...
, and Iced Earth covered two songs from the album on their cover album Tribute to the Gods
Tribute to the Gods
Tribute to the Gods is a tribute/cover album by heavy metal band Iced Earth. It is notable as the last Iced Earth album featuring Larry Tarnowski on lead guitar, and the last featuring singer Matt Barlow on vocals until his 2007 return, and their last album with Century Media...
.
In September 2007 he signed an official endorsement deal with Gibson Guitars. See the announcement posted on the official Iced Earth website here .
Other works
Aside from performing music, Jon Schaffer owns a historical collectibles store called "Spirit of '76 Collectibles", formerly located in Columbus, Indiana. The showroom is now closed in favor of online sales only. Jon has also stated that he started a comic featuring his character, Set Abominae, who is featured in some of Iced EarthIced Earth
Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band from Tampa, Florida. Originally formed under the name "Purgatory" in 1984, Iced Earth has released a total of ten studio albums, one live album, three EP's, two compilations and boxsets...
's albums, including Something Wicked This Way Comes, Dark Genesis
Dark Genesis
-Disc two:Iced Earth remastered, 1991-Disc three:Night of the Stormrider remastered, 1992-Disc four:Burnt Offerings remastered, 1995-Disc five:Tribute to the Gods, 2002-Personnel:...
, Horror Show
Horror Show
-Limited Edition:The Initial Pressing was presented in a standard 2-CD jewel case with no reference to the tracks on the bonus disc except for a sticker on the front.-Disc one:-Disc two:- Personnel :...
, Tribute to the Gods
Tribute to the Gods
Tribute to the Gods is a tribute/cover album by heavy metal band Iced Earth. It is notable as the last Iced Earth album featuring Larry Tarnowski on lead guitar, and the last featuring singer Matt Barlow on vocals until his 2007 return, and their last album with Century Media...
, and Alive in Athens
Alive in Athens
-Disc II:Bonus track -Disc III:-Personnel:* Jon Schaffer − rhythm guitar, vocals* Matthew Barlow − vocals* James MacDonough − bass guitar* Larry Tarnowski − lead guitar* Rick Risberg − keyboards* Brent Smedley − drums...
. On September 11, 2007, Iced Earth released the first part of a double concept album based on the Set Abominae character and story, entitled Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1), which was followed by The Crucible of Man (Something Wicked Part 2) in September 2008.
In December 2009, Schaffer presented his solo-project "Sons of Liberty" by releasing the online available album Brush-fires of the Mind
Brush-fires of the Mind
Brush-fires of the Mind is the only album by Jon Schaffer's heavy metal solo-project Sons of Liberty. The album was released on the project's website on December 18, 2009, to download for free if you sign up for the Sons of Liberty newsletter. It is also available as a high quality download,...
.
With Iced Earth
- 1991: Iced EarthIced Earth (album)Iced Earth is the eponymous debut album by American heavy metal band Iced Earth. It was released in November 1990 internationally and February 1991 in North America. The original release of this album had three different covers . This album was Mike McGill's only album with Iced Earth, as well as...
- 1992: Night of the StormriderNight of the Stormrider-Personnel:*Jon Schaffer – rhythm guitar, backing vocals, producer*John Greely – vocals*Randall Shawver – lead guitar, solo*Dave Abell – bass guitar*Rick Secchiari – drumsAdditional personnel*Roger "The Hammer" Huff – keyboardsProduction...
- 1995: Burnt OfferingsBurnt Offerings (album)Burnt Offerings is American heavy metal band Iced Earth's third album, released April 18, 1995, by Century Media Records. This album marked the introduction of vocalist Matt Barlow and was the only Iced Earth album featuring drummer Rodney Beasley...
- 1996: The Dark SagaThe Dark Saga-European Limited Digipak bonus track:-2008 Slave to the Dark bonus tracks:-Credits :*Jon Schaffer – rhythm guitar, vocals*Matt Barlow – lead vocals*Randall Shawver – lead guitar*Dave Abell – bass guitar*Mark Prator – drums...
- 1998: Something Wicked This Way Comes
- 2001: Horror ShowHorror Show (album)Horror Show is the debut EP by Springfield, IL rock band The Graduate. The album was self-produced and released independently in May 2006. After the CD's release, The Graduate were signed to Icon MES Records.- Track listing :# "Sit & Sink" - 3:34...
- 2004: The Glorious BurdenThe Glorious Burden-Disc 2: Gettysburg :-American version:-European version:-Iced Earth:* Jon Schaffer − rhythm guitar, backing vocals* Tim 'Ripper' Owens − lead vocals* Ralph Santolla − lead guitar* James MacDonough − bass guitar* Richard Christy − drums...
- 2007: Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1- Personnel :*Jon Schaffer - Lead/Rhythm/Acoustic Guitars; Bass Guitars; Backing Vocals*Tim "Ripper" Owens - Lead/Backing Vocals*Brent Smedley - Drums/Backing Vocals-Additional personnel:*Troy Seele - Guitar Solos...
- 2008: The Crucible of Man: Something Wicked Part 2The Crucible of Man: Something Wicked Part 2- Additional information :* The booklet that came with the album included lyrics and illustrations for each song, except for the song "The Revealing", which was altogether not included in the booklet....
- 2011: DystopiaDystopia (Iced Earth album)Dystopia is the tenth studio album from American heavy metal band Iced Earth. Released on October 17, 2011, it's the band's first album with vocalist Stu Block, who joined after former vocalist Matt Barlow left the band for a second time on August 6, 2011....
With Demons and Wizards
- 2000: Demons and Wizards
- 2005: Touched by the Crimson KingTouched by the Crimson KingTouched by the Crimson King is the second album of power metal/heavy metal band Demons and Wizards and was released in June 2005. The album contains a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song." It was also released as a limited edition digipak in Europe with an alternate cover and four bonus tracks...