Michael Angelo Batio
Encyclopedia
Michael Angelo Batio also known as Mike Batio or MAB, is a guitarist
and columnist
from Chicago, Illinois. His work has encompassed many genres, notably metal
and its subgenres. Batio was voted the "No. 1 Shredder of All Time" by Guitar One Magazine in 2003. He was also listed as one of the "Top 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists of All Time" by Guitar World Magazine, for which he wrote the column Time to Burn, and one of the "20 Greatest Shredders of All Time" by Total Guitar Magazine, both in April 2008. Batio also won the 2009 Guitar World Magazine Readers Choice award in the "Best Shredder" category. In November 2011, Michael won the Guitar World Magazine Readers Choice Award and was voted the "Fastest Guitarist of All Time." Over 440,000 votes were cast.
and composing music at the age of five, and first played guitar
at the age of ten, reportedly playing faster than his teacher within two years. At the age of fourteen he started playing jazz guitar
, and within two years he had won the Chicago-based "All-State Jazz Solo Award". He attended Northeastern Illinois University
and achieved a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Music Theory
and Composition
. After he had graduated, Batio looked to become a session guitarist
in his hometown. When he asked for a job at a nearby studio, he was given a piece of music and simply asked to play it. He managed to play it adding his own improvisations and fills, making him the studio's primary call-out guitarist. As a session player, Batio recorded music for such companies as Burger King
, Pizza Hut
, Taco Bell
, KFC
, United Airlines
, United Way, McDonalds, Beatrice Corp.
and the Chicago Wolves
hockey team.
-based heavy metal
band Holland
, an eponymous project set up by ex-Steppenwolf
singer
Tommy Holland. With major label
Atlantic Records
, the band released their debut studio album
in 1985 entitled Little Monsters
, which saw moderate success in the United States
. The band split up soon after, and a compilation of material from the Little Monsters sessions, Wake Up the Neighbourhood
, was released in 1999 through Batio's label M.A.C.E. Music
.
After the breakup of Holland, Batio started his own eponymous band with singer Michael Cordet, bassist
Allen Hearn and drummer
Paul Cammarata. The Band did not release any albums, though three of their songs appeared on the 1998 Nitro compilation Gunnin' for Glory
.
In 1987 Batio joined glam metal
artist Jim Gillette
on his solo album Proud to Be Loud, before founding the band Nitro
with bassist T.J. Racer and drummer Bobby Rock
. In 1989 Nitro released their first studio album, O.F.R.
, from which they released two singles, "Freight Train" and "Long Way From Home". The music video
for "Freight Train", which received much airplay on MTV
, was notable for featuring Batio playing his now famous 'Quad Guitar', a notion which FHM
Magazine voted one of the "50 most outrageous moments in rock history".
1987 was also the year Batio released his first instructional video with "Star Licks Productions
" as part of the "Masters Series" and was one of the first recognized rock guitarists to make the jump into video instructional material. This video was the very first "shred" instructional program showing many modern guitar concepts for the first time.
By 1992, Comet and Racer had been replaced by Johnny Thunder and Ralph Carter respectively, and it was in this year that they released their second studio album entitled Nitro II: H.W.D.W.S.. Included on the album was a cover of Ted Nugent
's "Cat Scratch Fever", which the band also recorded a music video for. Nitro disbanded shortly afterwards.
, which became one of the first labels online in 1996. He used this label when he began recording his first album, No Boundaries
, which he released in 1995. Batio's second studio release was Planet Gemini
in 1997, which showed a very progressive, experimental side to his playing. In 1999, Batio released his second instructional video, Jam With Angelo, which came with his third studio album as a companion CD: Tradition. This was quickly followed by a fourth full-length album in 2000, Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity
, which was credited to "Mike Batio and Rob Ross", the latter being the drummer.
In 2001, Batio released a CD with his band "C4," covering songs from his Holland years and including the original "Call to Arms." It was his 1st all vocal CD since recording with Nitro.
In 2003, Batio released his first DVD, the title release in his Speed Kills series, followed by the second, Speed Lives, in 2004. It was also in this year that Batio released a compilation album, Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity Part 2
, which featured songs from Tradition and Lucid Intervals.
In 2005, Michael released his highly anticipated cover/tribute/studio album, Hands Without Shadows
, which featured guest appearances from such musicians as Mark Tremonti
(of Alter Bridge
fame), Rudy Sarzo
(of Ozzy Osbourne
, Quiet Riot
, Whitesnake
and Dio
fame) and virtuoso newcomer Bill Peck
. In 2006, DVD Speed Kills 2 was released, in addition to the first in the new Hands Without Shadows series, Performance. Batio's latest release came in 2007, when his first two albums - No Boundaries and Planet Gemini - were remixed and remastered with additional drums, for an album entitled 2 X Again
; the title of a song from the first album. Angelo also released three DVDs in 2007: Speed Kills 3, 25 Jazz Progressions and MAB Jam Session.
, recording tracks for the soundtrack as well as playing the guitar parts of the demonically possessed main character Angel Martin in close ups.
Batio gave lessons to guitarist Tom Morello
(of Rage Against the Machine
and Audioslave
fame) while at college. Morello has credited MAB with teaching him in a feature article in Guitar World Magazine in 2005. Michael also gave lessons to guitarist Mark Tremonti
after Creed
broke up and Tremonti wanted to learn more techniques. Batio is also widely known for his extremely fast and well articulated alternate picking, which he credits to his use of anchoring, or planting the fingers he does not use while picking on the body of the guitar to restrict motion.
Batio has an advanced knowledge of music theory, having a deep understanding of complex scale combinations and time signatures which assist him in his compositions. Batio has cited F-sharp minor and F-sharp phrygian dominant as one of his favorite keys. He has described F sharp minor as a "demonic" key, giving a dark, evil sound.
), a mint condition 1968 Fender Mustang
, a 1986 Fender Stratocaster
1962 re-issue and several other vintage and custombuilt guitars. Among his custom made guitars is a 29 fret guitar made of military grade Aluminium
, which makes the guitar very light. He stated in a Guitar World Magazine video interview (featuring his recording studio in 2008) that he has "around 67 guitars" and he humorously added that he would like 67 more. Batio currently has over 100 guitars in his collection. For live performances Batio is an exclusive user of Dean Guitars
, both electric and acoustic. In 2007 he designed and developed a signature guitar with Dean, known as the MAB1 Armorflame
. Another signature piece of equipment Batio developed is the "MAB Hands Without Shadows" pickup, which he uses in his Double Guitar when touring. The pickup is specially designed for shred guitar
, and provides the clean tone Batio is accustomed to. The Armorflame, Batio's signature guitar, uses EMG 81
, 85
and SA pickups, as his signature Dimarzio
pickups were still being developed at that time.
Earlier on in his career when he was first endorsed by Dean guitars he also embraced Dean's tradition of popularising Dimarzio pickups and had used Dimarzios in his guitars. These include the Dimarzio PAF, Super Distortion (sometimes using the Super Distortion both in the neck and bridge position, as he did in his Gibson Charvel Circuit Board double guitar. This was the main setup during the recording of No Boundaries
). Batio has also used pickups of other brands including Seymour Duncan
, namely the Pearly Gates and JB models and also Bill Lawrence pickups. Currently other than using EMGs in his signature guitar he also has a collection of the other brand pickups in his Dean limited edition collectors' models, such as Dimarzio Custom Super Distortions (based on the Super 2 and Super Distortion) in his USA Dean Time capsule Blue Burst ML and the Seymour Duncan pair he used (refer to above) in his USA Dean Collectors edition Hardtail.
The Double-Guitar
Batio was the inventor of the Double-Guitar, a V-shaped, twin-neck guitar which can be played both right- and left-handed. The first version of this instrument was actually two separate guitars simply played together, as opposed to being one entity. A Flying V
was fastened to a snare drum
in a left-handed position, while another one was strapped around his shoulder. The next version of the guitar, as designed by Batio and guitar technician Kenny Breit, featured a flight case latch attached to the back of each guitar, which could reportedly be assembled in five seconds. In October 2003, Dean designed and built the "Mach 7 Jet", and on March 6, 2007, the newest version was delivered to Batio. The original Double went on display at the Chicago Hard Rock Cafe
'wall of fame' before it was relocated to a HRC
in Egypt. Its whereabouts are currently unknown.
When the Double-Guitar was first used in concert, Batio noticed that the guitars created a lot of feedback when played together. He decided that he needed to invent a way to 'dampen' the strings when both guitars were played at the same time, hence the invention of the "MAB String Dampener", which is now available to buy from M.A.C.E. Music.
The Double-Guitar was recently named as the 8th "coolest guitar in rock" by online music magazine Gigwise
.
The Quad Guitar
As well as the Double Guitar, Michael Angelo also invented and designed the Quad Guitar. The guitar was originally built in conjunction with Gibson, and built by Wayne Charvel in California
. The top two guitars have seven strings, while the bottom two have the regular six. The first Quad, as used in the video for Nitro's "Freight Train", was stolen in El Paso, Texas
after the second show of Nitro's O.F.R. tour. When Batio was performing in November 2004, a young fan named Simon Jones and his father turned up with a guitar case which held inside the two top guitars of the Quad, as found by Mick Seymour. Dean designed and built a new Quad Guitar in 2007.
The Quad Guitar was recently named as the 2nd "coolest guitar in rock" by online music magazine Gigwise
.
, with whom he has also developed a signature model, the "MAB Overdrive". In his years with Nitro, Batio used Boss
overdrive (DS-1, SD-1) pedals.
In the studio, Michael also uses the following effects pedals:
JCM 2000 amps on tour and for newer studio records. In the studio, he also uses the Marshall JMP-1 preamp and Rocktron Chameleon and Voodoo Valve preamps. During his years with Nitro, Batio used Randall amplifiers. He has been an avid Marshall amp user throughout his career and has used the JCM 800 (mostly Jose Arrendondo modified circuitry, very early in his career) and JCM 900 (especially when recording No Boundaries). Batio's cabinet setup consists of 4x12 Marshall cabinets loaded with Celeston vintage 30s and Greenbacks in mono and stereo.
Batio uses Ernie Ball
guitar strings, favouring the .009 to .042 models for soloing and most rhythm guitar parts while thicker gauge strings are used for detuned guitars. The acoustic
gauge is normally .010 to .046 or .011 to .052.
Picks
Michael uses black Dunlop
Jazz IIIs as his guitar pick
of choice, and has used the 'teardrop' shape of pick since he first started playing. Different picks are sometimes used for acoustic work.
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 columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
from Chicago, Illinois. His work has encompassed many genres, notably metal
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...
and its subgenres. Batio was voted the "No. 1 Shredder of All Time" by Guitar One Magazine in 2003. He was also listed as one of the "Top 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists of All Time" by Guitar World Magazine, for which he wrote the column Time to Burn, and one of the "20 Greatest Shredders of All Time" by Total Guitar Magazine, both in April 2008. Batio also won the 2009 Guitar World Magazine Readers Choice award in the "Best Shredder" category. In November 2011, Michael won the Guitar World Magazine Readers Choice Award and was voted the "Fastest Guitarist of All Time." Over 440,000 votes were cast.
Early life and career
Michael Angelo Batio started playing the pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and composing music at the age of five, and first played guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
at the age of ten, reportedly playing faster than his teacher within two years. At the age of fourteen he started playing jazz guitar
Jazz guitar
The term jazz guitar may refer to either a type of guitar or to the variety of guitar playing styles used in the various genres which are commonly termed "jazz"...
, and within two years he had won the Chicago-based "All-State Jazz Solo Award". He attended Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University is a public state university located in Chicago, Illinois. The main campus is located in the community area of North Park with three additional campuses in the metropolitan area. Tracing its founding to 1867, it was first established as a separate branch of a...
and achieved a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in Music Theory
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
and Composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
. After he had graduated, Batio looked to become a session guitarist
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
in his hometown. When he asked for a job at a nearby studio, he was given a piece of music and simply asked to play it. He managed to play it adding his own improvisations and fills, making him the studio's primary call-out guitarist. As a session player, Batio recorded music for such companies as Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
, Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
, Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
, KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
, United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, United Way, McDonalds, Beatrice Corp.
Beatrice Foods
Beatrice Foods Company was a major American food processing company. In 1987, its smaller international food operations were sold to Reginald Lewis, a corporate attorney creating TLC Beatrice International, after which the majority of its domestic brands and assets were acquired by Kohlberg,...
and the Chicago Wolves
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...
hockey team.
Holland, the Michael Angelo Band and Nitro (1984–1993)
Batio began his recording career in 1984 when he joined new ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
-based heavy metal
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...
band Holland
Holland (band)
Holland was an American heavy metal band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1984. The short-lived band comprised vocalist Tommy Holland, guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, bassist Joey Cetner and drummer Brad Rohrssen.-History:...
, an eponymous project set up by ex-Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf (band)
Steppenwolf are a Canadian-American rock group that was prominent in the late 1960s. The group was formed in 1967 in Los Angeles by vocalist John Kay, guitarist Michael Monarch, bassist Rushton Moreve, keyboardist Goldy McJohn and drummer Jerry Edmonton after the dissolution of Toronto group The...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
Tommy Holland. With major label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, the band released their debut studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
in 1985 entitled Little Monsters
Little Monsters (album)
-Personnel:*Tommy Holland – vocals*Michael Angelo Batio – guitars*Joey Cetner – bass*Brad Rohrssen – drums...
, which saw moderate success in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The band split up soon after, and a compilation of material from the Little Monsters sessions, Wake Up the Neighbourhood
Wake Up the Neighbourhood
Wake Up the Neighbourhood is a compilation album by American heavy metal band Holland, released in 1999. The album contains early demos recorded during the Little Monsters sessions, including five which were released on the album...
, was released in 1999 through Batio's label M.A.C.E. Music
M.A.C.E. Music
M.A.C.E. Music, Inc. is an American record label founded by Michael Angelo Batio in April 1993. Currently based in Gurnee, Illinois, the label's main job is that of selling material and merchandise of Batio's, including his albums, videos and accessories such as the "MAB String Dampener". The label...
.
After the breakup of Holland, Batio started his own eponymous band with singer Michael Cordet, bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Allen Hearn and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Paul Cammarata. The Band did not release any albums, though three of their songs appeared on the 1998 Nitro compilation Gunnin' for Glory
Gunnin' for Glory
-Personnel:Nitro*Jim Gillette – vocals*Michael Angelo – guitars, bass, backing vocals, production, executive production*T.J. Racer – bass*Paul Cammarata – drums*Bobby Rock – drums on "Freight Train"...
.
In 1987 Batio joined glam metal
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
artist Jim Gillette
Jim Gillette
*2001: Carnivore Soundtrack#"Freight Train Demo" – 4:27*2003: Hollywood Hairspray Volume 2#"B.O.M.B. Also Called " – 3:20-with Organ Donor:*2001: The Ultra Violent#"Organ Donor" – 3:36#"Ultra Violent" – 5:55...
on his solo album Proud to Be Loud, before founding the band Nitro
Nitro (band)
Nitro was an American glam metal band that formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California in 1987. Formed by vocalist Jim Gillette and guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, the band released two studio albums – O.F.R. and Nitro II: H.W.D.W.S. .-History:Nitro was officially formed in 1987 after the...
with bassist T.J. Racer and drummer Bobby Rock
Bobby Rock
Bob Brock is a Los Angeles based rock drummer. He was a student of the Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts and has worked with several bands....
. In 1989 Nitro released their first studio album, O.F.R.
O.F.R.
O.F.R. is the 1989 debut album by American glam metal band Nitro. Two singles were released from the album: "Freight Train" and "Long Way From Home". The band became famous for the music video to the former, which featured guitarist Michael Angelo Batio playing his famous "Quad Guitar"...
, from which they released two singles, "Freight Train" and "Long Way From Home". The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Freight Train", which received much airplay on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, was notable for featuring Batio playing his now famous 'Quad Guitar', a notion which FHM
FHM
FHM, originally published as For Him Magazine, is an international monthly men's lifestyle magazine.- History :The magazine began publication in 1985 in the United Kingdom under the name For Him and changed its title to FHM in 1994 when Emap Consumer Media bought the magazine, although the full For...
Magazine voted one of the "50 most outrageous moments in rock history".
1987 was also the year Batio released his first instructional video with "Star Licks Productions
Star Licks Productions
Star Licks Productions was an instructional music publishing company conceived by Mark Freed and co-founded by Andrew Cross and Robert Decker...
" as part of the "Masters Series" and was one of the first recognized rock guitarists to make the jump into video instructional material. This video was the very first "shred" instructional program showing many modern guitar concepts for the first time.
By 1992, Comet and Racer had been replaced by Johnny Thunder and Ralph Carter respectively, and it was in this year that they released their second studio album entitled Nitro II: H.W.D.W.S.. Included on the album was a cover of Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...
's "Cat Scratch Fever", which the band also recorded a music video for. Nitro disbanded shortly afterwards.
Solo career (1993–present)
In April 1993, Batio founded his own record label, M.A.C.E. MusicM.A.C.E. Music
M.A.C.E. Music, Inc. is an American record label founded by Michael Angelo Batio in April 1993. Currently based in Gurnee, Illinois, the label's main job is that of selling material and merchandise of Batio's, including his albums, videos and accessories such as the "MAB String Dampener". The label...
, which became one of the first labels online in 1996. He used this label when he began recording his first album, No Boundaries
No Boundaries (Michael Angelo Batio album)
No Boundaries is the first studio album by guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, released in 1995 through Thermometer Sound Surface and reissued in 2002 through M.A.C.E. Music...
, which he released in 1995. Batio's second studio release was Planet Gemini
Planet Gemini (album)
Planet Gemini is the second studio album by guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, released in 1997 through M.A.C.E. Music; a second edition was reissued in 2002, containing a revised track listing and alternative instrumental versions of "So Much to Live For" and "These Four Walls"...
in 1997, which showed a very progressive, experimental side to his playing. In 1999, Batio released his second instructional video, Jam With Angelo, which came with his third studio album as a companion CD: Tradition. This was quickly followed by a fourth full-length album in 2000, Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity
Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity
Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity is the fourth studio album by guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, released in 2000 through M.A.C.E. Music and reissued in 2002 through Rock Empire Music...
, which was credited to "Mike Batio and Rob Ross", the latter being the drummer.
In 2001, Batio released a CD with his band "C4," covering songs from his Holland years and including the original "Call to Arms." It was his 1st all vocal CD since recording with Nitro.
In 2003, Batio released his first DVD, the title release in his Speed Kills series, followed by the second, Speed Lives, in 2004. It was also in this year that Batio released a compilation album, Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity Part 2
Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity Part 2
Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity Part 2 is a compilation album by American shred guitarist Michael Angelo Batio. The album features songs from Batio's third and fourth studio albums , remastered and repackaged onto one CD.-Track listing:All songs written and arranged by Michael Angelo Batio,...
, which featured songs from Tradition and Lucid Intervals.
In 2005, Michael released his highly anticipated cover/tribute/studio album, Hands Without Shadows
Hands Without Shadows
-Credits:* Michael Angelo Batio – lead guitar, rhythm guitars, keyboards, production, arrangements* William Kopecky – five-string bass, fretless bass* Bobby Rock – drums* Mark Tremonti – guitar solo on "Burn"...
, which featured guest appearances from such musicians as Mark Tremonti
Mark Tremonti
Mark Thomas Tremonti is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist of the American rock bands Creed and Alter Bridge. He is a founding member of both bands...
(of Alter Bridge
Alter Bridge
Alter Bridge is an American rock band that was formed in 2004 in Orlando, Florida by lead guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall, and drummer Scott Phillips, who are all also members of Creed. Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Myles Kennedy, formerly of The Mayfield Four and the frontman...
fame), Rudy Sarzo
Rudy Sarzo
Rudy Sarzo is a Cuban American hard rock/heavy metal bassist. Sarzo has played with many well known heavy metal acts including Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Manic Eden, Dio and Blue Öyster Cult.-Early life:...
(of Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
, Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot is an American Heavy Metal band. They are best known for their hit singles "Metal Health" and "Cum On Feel the Noize". They were founded in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni, under the original name Mach 1, before changing the name to Little Women and finally Quiet...
, Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
and Dio
Dio (band)
Dio was an American heavy metal band from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Formed in 1982 and led by vocalist Ronnie James Dio, after he left Black Sabbath with intentions to form a new band with fellow former Black Sabbath member, drummer Vinny Appice. Naming the band Dio made sense from a commercial...
fame) and virtuoso newcomer Bill Peck
Bill Peck
William "Bill" Peck is a guitarist from Orlando, Florida. Peck is best known for being a close friend with musician Mark Tremonti and for being featured in Guitar One Magazine several times....
. In 2006, DVD Speed Kills 2 was released, in addition to the first in the new Hands Without Shadows series, Performance. Batio's latest release came in 2007, when his first two albums - No Boundaries and Planet Gemini - were remixed and remastered with additional drums, for an album entitled 2 X Again
2 X Again
-Personnel:*Michael Angelo Batio – electric guitars, acoustic guitars, bass, keyboards, production, engineering*Joe Babiak – drums*Chris Djuricic – mixing, drum engineering*James Murphy – mastering*Paul Kuhr – design, concept, layout...
; the title of a song from the first album. Angelo also released three DVDs in 2007: Speed Kills 3, 25 Jazz Progressions and MAB Jam Session.
Film Appearance
In 1991, Batio's guitar work appeared in the low budget horror film Shock 'Em DeadShock 'Em Dead
Shock ‘Em Dead , is a 1990 comedic horror film directed by .-Plot:Angel Martin has just made the deal of a lifetime. Fame, fortune and beautiful women will all be his - for a price. To become a rock star Martin must give his soul, and to survive he must feed on the souls of others...
, recording tracks for the soundtrack as well as playing the guitar parts of the demonically possessed main character Angel Martin in close ups.
Style
Batio is ambidextrous, a skill he taught himself. This enables him to play two guitars at the same time either in synchronization or using separate harmonies. This includes playing completely different parts at once, as shown while playing his famous Double-Guitar. Though naturally left-handed, he plays as right-handed when playing one guitar. Batio invented and often demonstrates the "Over-Under" technique, which involves flipping his fretting hand over and under the neck rapidly, playing the guitar both regularly and like a piano.Batio gave lessons to guitarist Tom Morello
Tom Morello
Thomas Baptiste "Tom" Morello is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist best known for his tenure with the bands Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his acoustic solo act The Nightwatchman, and his newest group, Street Sweeper Social Club...
(of Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
and Audioslave
Audioslave
Audioslave was an American rock supergroup that formed in Los Angeles, California in 2001. It consisted of former Soundgarden lead singer/rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell and the former instrumentalists of Rage Against the Machine: Tom Morello , Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk...
fame) while at college. Morello has credited MAB with teaching him in a feature article in Guitar World Magazine in 2005. Michael also gave lessons to guitarist Mark Tremonti
Mark Tremonti
Mark Thomas Tremonti is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist of the American rock bands Creed and Alter Bridge. He is a founding member of both bands...
after Creed
Creed (band)
Creed is an American rock band formed in 1995 in Tallahassee, Florida. Becoming popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the band has released three consecutive multi-platinum albums, one of which has been certified diamond, and has sold over 28 million records in the United States, with an...
broke up and Tremonti wanted to learn more techniques. Batio is also widely known for his extremely fast and well articulated alternate picking, which he credits to his use of anchoring, or planting the fingers he does not use while picking on the body of the guitar to restrict motion.
Batio has an advanced knowledge of music theory, having a deep understanding of complex scale combinations and time signatures which assist him in his compositions. Batio has cited F-sharp minor and F-sharp phrygian dominant as one of his favorite keys. He has described F sharp minor as a "demonic" key, giving a dark, evil sound.
Guitars
Batio has an extensive collection of guitars, which he has collected since the 1980s including a Dave Bunker "Touch guitar" (double neck with both bass and guitar, similar to the Chapman StickChapman Stick
The Chapman Stick is an electric musical instrument devised by Emmett Chapman in the early 1970s. A member of the guitar family, the Chapman Stick usually has ten or twelve individually tuned strings and has been used on music recordings to play bass lines, melody lines, chords or textures...
), a mint condition 1968 Fender Mustang
Fender Mustang
The Fender Mustang is an electric guitar by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, introduced in 1964 as the basis of a major redesign of Fender's student models then consisting of the Musicmaster and Duo-Sonic. It was produced until 1982 and reissued in 1990.In the 1960s, it was used in Surf...
, a 1986 Fender Stratocaster
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
1962 re-issue and several other vintage and custombuilt guitars. Among his custom made guitars is a 29 fret guitar made of military grade Aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
, which makes the guitar very light. He stated in a Guitar World Magazine video interview (featuring his recording studio in 2008) that he has "around 67 guitars" and he humorously added that he would like 67 more. Batio currently has over 100 guitars in his collection. For live performances Batio is an exclusive user of Dean Guitars
Dean Guitars
Dean Guitars is an American manufacturer of guitars. It was founded in 1976 by Dean Zelinsky in Chicago, Illinois and is currently under the ownership of Armadillo Enterprises in Tampa, Florida.- History :...
, both electric and acoustic. In 2007 he designed and developed a signature guitar with Dean, known as the MAB1 Armorflame
MAB1 Armorflame
The MAB1 Armorflame is Michael Angelo Batio's self-designed signature guitar, manufactured by Dean in 2007.-History:A prototype of the MAB1 was first given to Batio in 2007, which he used at clinics and live shows, before it was mass produced and available to pre-order in 2008...
. Another signature piece of equipment Batio developed is the "MAB Hands Without Shadows" pickup, which he uses in his Double Guitar when touring. The pickup is specially designed for shred guitar
Shred guitar
Shred guitar or shredding is lead electric guitar playing that relies heavily on fast guitar solos. While some critics argue that shred guitar is associated with "... sweep-picked arpeggios, diminished and harmonic minor scales, finger-tapping and ... whammy-bar abuse", several guitar...
, and provides the clean tone Batio is accustomed to. The Armorflame, Batio's signature guitar, uses EMG 81
EMG 81
The EMG 81 is a popular active humbucker guitar pickup manufactured by EMG, Inc.. It is usually considered a lead pickup for use in bridge position, paired with EMG 85 as a rhythm pickup in neck position...
, 85
EMG 85
The EMG 85 is a popular active humbucker guitar pickup manufactured by EMG, Inc.. It is usually installed in a guitar's neck position and often paired with the EMG 81 in the bridge position, but can be used in the bridge position for a different result....
and SA pickups, as his signature Dimarzio
DiMarzio
DiMarzio, Inc. is an United States manufacturer best known for its revolutionary direct-replacement guitar pickups. The company also produces miscellaneous guitar accessories, such as cables, straps and hardware.DiMarzio became known for its Super Distortion model, which was the first after...
pickups were still being developed at that time.
Earlier on in his career when he was first endorsed by Dean guitars he also embraced Dean's tradition of popularising Dimarzio pickups and had used Dimarzios in his guitars. These include the Dimarzio PAF, Super Distortion (sometimes using the Super Distortion both in the neck and bridge position, as he did in his Gibson Charvel Circuit Board double guitar. This was the main setup during the recording of No Boundaries
No Boundaries (Michael Angelo Batio album)
No Boundaries is the first studio album by guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, released in 1995 through Thermometer Sound Surface and reissued in 2002 through M.A.C.E. Music...
). Batio has also used pickups of other brands including Seymour Duncan
Seymour Duncan
Seymour Duncan is a company that is best known for manufacturing of guitar pickups, and currently has a line of effects pedals. The company was founded in 1976 by guitarist and luthier Seymour W. Duncan and his then-wife Cathy Carter Duncan in Goleta, California, USA...
, namely the Pearly Gates and JB models and also Bill Lawrence pickups. Currently other than using EMGs in his signature guitar he also has a collection of the other brand pickups in his Dean limited edition collectors' models, such as Dimarzio Custom Super Distortions (based on the Super 2 and Super Distortion) in his USA Dean Time capsule Blue Burst ML and the Seymour Duncan pair he used (refer to above) in his USA Dean Collectors edition Hardtail.
The Double-Guitar
Batio was the inventor of the Double-Guitar, a V-shaped, twin-neck guitar which can be played both right- and left-handed. The first version of this instrument was actually two separate guitars simply played together, as opposed to being one entity. A 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**...
was fastened to a snare drum
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
in a left-handed position, while another one was strapped around his shoulder. The next version of the guitar, as designed by Batio and guitar technician Kenny Breit, featured a flight case latch attached to the back of each guitar, which could reportedly be assembled in five seconds. In October 2003, Dean designed and built the "Mach 7 Jet", and on March 6, 2007, the newest version was delivered to Batio. The original Double went on display at the Chicago Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton & Isaac Tigrett. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2006, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and...
'wall of fame' before it was relocated to a HRC
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton & Isaac Tigrett. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2006, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and...
in Egypt. Its whereabouts are currently unknown.
When the Double-Guitar was first used in concert, Batio noticed that the guitars created a lot of feedback when played together. He decided that he needed to invent a way to 'dampen' the strings when both guitars were played at the same time, hence the invention of the "MAB String Dampener", which is now available to buy from M.A.C.E. Music.
The Double-Guitar was recently named as the 8th "coolest guitar in rock" by online music magazine Gigwise
Gigwise.com
Gigwise.com is an online music magazine that features music news, photos, album reviews, music festivals, concert tickets, and a community forum. Founded in 2001, the magazine is based in the United Kingdom....
.
The Quad Guitar
As well as the Double Guitar, Michael Angelo also invented and designed the Quad Guitar. The guitar was originally built in conjunction with Gibson, and built by Wayne Charvel in 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...
. The top two guitars have seven strings, while the bottom two have the regular six. The first Quad, as used in the video for Nitro's "Freight Train", was stolen in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
after the second show of Nitro's O.F.R. tour. When Batio was performing in November 2004, a young fan named Simon Jones and his father turned up with a guitar case which held inside the two top guitars of the Quad, as found by Mick Seymour. Dean designed and built a new Quad Guitar in 2007.
The Quad Guitar was recently named as the 2nd "coolest guitar in rock" by online music magazine Gigwise
Gigwise.com
Gigwise.com is an online music magazine that features music news, photos, album reviews, music festivals, concert tickets, and a community forum. Founded in 2001, the magazine is based in the United Kingdom....
.
Effects
Batio's effects pedals are exclusively made by T-RexT-Rex Engineering
T-Rex ApS is a manufacturer of hand-made electric guitar effects pedals.-Company history:Based in the town of Vejle, Denmark, T-Rex Engineering was founded in 1996 by friends Lars Dahl-Jorgensen and Sebastian Jensen....
, with whom he has also developed a signature model, the "MAB Overdrive". In his years with Nitro, Batio used Boss
Boss Corporation
Boss is a manufacturer of effects pedals for electric guitar and bass guitar. It is a division of the Roland Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer that specializes in musical equipment and accessories...
overdrive (DS-1, SD-1) pedals.
In the studio, Michael also uses the following effects pedals:
- Vintage Digitech WhammyDigitech Whammy-Overview:The WH-1 Whammy pedal, the original whammy, first engineered and manufactured in 1989 by IVL Technologies and discontinued in 1993, remains the most sought-after.-Controls:...
- Dunlop Cry BabyDunlop Cry BabyThe Dunlop Cry Baby is a popular wah-wah pedal, manufactured by Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc. It is the best selling guitar pedal of all time. The name Cry Baby was from the original pedal from which it was copied, the Thomas Organ/Vox Cry Baby wah-wah. Thomas Organ/Vox failed to register the name as...
- Vintage Digitech 256 multifx
- Eventide Eclipse
- Rocktron Chameleon Pre ampPreamplifierA preamplifier is an electronic amplifier that prepares a small electrical signal for further amplification or processing. A preamplifier is often placed close to the sensor to reduce the effects of noise and interference. It is used to boost the signal strength to drive the cable to the main...
- Rocktron Voodoo Valve Pre ampPreamplifierA preamplifier is an electronic amplifier that prepares a small electrical signal for further amplification or processing. A preamplifier is often placed close to the sensor to reduce the effects of noise and interference. It is used to boost the signal strength to drive the cable to the main...
- Rocktron Intellifex
- Rocktron Replifex
Amplification
Batio typically uses MarshallMarshall Amplification
Marshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
JCM 2000 amps on tour and for newer studio records. In the studio, he also uses the Marshall JMP-1 preamp and Rocktron Chameleon and Voodoo Valve preamps. During his years with Nitro, Batio used Randall amplifiers. He has been an avid Marshall amp user throughout his career and has used the JCM 800 (mostly Jose Arrendondo modified circuitry, very early in his career) and JCM 900 (especially when recording No Boundaries). Batio's cabinet setup consists of 4x12 Marshall cabinets loaded with Celeston vintage 30s and Greenbacks in mono and stereo.
Other equipment
StringsBatio uses Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball was an American entrepreneur, musician, and innovator, widely acclaimed as a revolutionary in the development of guitar-related products. He began as a club and local television musician and small business entrepreneur, building an international business in guitars and accessories that...
guitar strings, favouring the .009 to .042 models for soloing and most rhythm guitar parts while thicker gauge strings are used for detuned guitars. The acoustic
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
gauge is normally .010 to .046 or .011 to .052.
Picks
Michael uses black Dunlop
Dunlop Manufacturing
Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc., known colloquially as Jim Dunlop, is a manufacturer of musical accessories based in Benicia, California. Originally founded in 1965 by Jim Dunlop, Sr., the company has grown from a small home operation to being a large manufacturer of music gear for over 40 years.- Way...
Jazz IIIs as his guitar pick
Guitar pick
A guitar pick is a plectrum used for guitars. A pick is generally made of one uniform material; examples include plastic, nylon, rubber, felt, tortoiseshell, wood, metal, glass, and stone...
of choice, and has used the 'teardrop' shape of pick since he first started playing. Different picks are sometimes used for acoustic work.
Discography
- No BoundariesNo Boundaries (Michael Angelo Batio album)No Boundaries is the first studio album by guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, released in 1995 through Thermometer Sound Surface and reissued in 2002 through M.A.C.E. Music...
(1995) - Holiday StringsHoliday StringsHoliday Strings is a cover album by American shred guitarist Michael Angelo Batio. The album features classical Christmas songs on acoustic guitar, and for every copy sold, $1.00 was donated to the "Joey's Angels" Children's Leukemia Foundation....
(1996) - Planet GeminiPlanet Gemini (album)Planet Gemini is the second studio album by guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, released in 1997 through M.A.C.E. Music; a second edition was reissued in 2002, containing a revised track listing and alternative instrumental versions of "So Much to Live For" and "These Four Walls"...
(1997) - Tradition (1998)
- Lucid Intervals and Moments of ClarityLucid Intervals and Moments of ClarityLucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity is the fourth studio album by guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, released in 2000 through M.A.C.E. Music and reissued in 2002 through Rock Empire Music...
(2000) - Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity Part 2Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity Part 2Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity Part 2 is a compilation album by American shred guitarist Michael Angelo Batio. The album features songs from Batio's third and fourth studio albums , remastered and repackaged onto one CD.-Track listing:All songs written and arranged by Michael Angelo Batio,...
(2004) - Hands Without ShadowsHands Without Shadows-Credits:* Michael Angelo Batio – lead guitar, rhythm guitars, keyboards, production, arrangements* William Kopecky – five-string bass, fretless bass* Bobby Rock – drums* Mark Tremonti – guitar solo on "Burn"...
(2005) - 2 X Again2 X Again-Personnel:*Michael Angelo Batio – electric guitars, acoustic guitars, bass, keyboards, production, engineering*Joe Babiak – drums*Chris Djuricic – mixing, drum engineering*James Murphy – mastering*Paul Kuhr – design, concept, layout...
(2007) - Hands Without Shadows 2: Voices (2009)
- Backing Tracks (2010)
External links
- Official forum
- Michael Angelo Batio at Dean GuitarsDean GuitarsDean Guitars is an American manufacturer of guitars. It was founded in 1976 by Dean Zelinsky in Chicago, Illinois and is currently under the ownership of Armadillo Enterprises in Tampa, Florida.- History :...
- Michael Angelo Batio at Encyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives is a website which lists bands from various forms of heavy metal music...