Richie Kotzen
Encyclopedia
Richie Kotzen is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter.

At a young age, Richie Kotzen was taken by music and first began playing piano at the age of five. At the age of seven he was inspired by the band 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,...

 to learn the electric guitar. Relentlessly developing chops and his own unique voice on the guitar, he started his career in a band named Arthurs Museum. Kotzen was eventually discovered by Shrapnel Records
Shrapnel Records
Shrapnel Records is a guitar-oriented record label started in 1980 by record producer Mike Varney. Guitarist Marty Friedman , one of the label's most successful artists, first appeared on the album Unsung Guitar Heroes II in 1980 with the band Vixen. Vixen would later change their name to Hawaii...

' Mike Varney
Mike Varney
Mike Varney is an American musician, record producer, music publisher and impresario. He is the founder of the Shrapnel Label Group, which includes Shrapnel Records, Tone Center Records and Blues Bureau International. He also has a 50% stake in Magna Carta Records, a New York-based label...

, and he recorded his first solo album by the age of 19. He created the video Rock Chops for REH video in 1989, highlighting many of his formative techniques, including using wide-intervals and fluid sweeping
Sweep-picking
Sweep picking is a guitar playing technique in which a 'sweeping' motion of the pick is combined with a matching fret hand technique in order to produce a specific series of notes which are fast and fluid in sound. Despite being commonly known as sweep picking, both hands essentially perform an...

.

In 1991, Kotzen made his big break when he joined the rock band Poison
Poison (band)
Poison is an American glam metal band that achieved great success in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. To date, Poison has sold over 30 million records worldwide and have sold 15 million records in the United States alone. The band has also charted ten singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,...

 at age 21, co-writing and performing on the album Native Tongue
Native Tongue (album)
Native Tongue is the fourth studio album by American hard rock band Poison, released in 1993 through Capitol Records. It peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200, #20 on the UK Albums Chartand was certified Gold by the RIAA on April 21, 1993....

. This album produced two top twenty singles which Richie co-wrote, "Stand
Stand (Poison song)
"Stand" is a song by American Hard rock band Poison, it was the 1st single from their 1993 Native Tongue album. The song reached number 15 on the Mainstream rock chart, #35 on the top 40 mainstream chart and #50 on the Billboard Hot 100...

" and "Until You Suffer Some (Fire & Ice)
Until You Suffer Some
"Until You Suffer Some " is a song by American Hard rock band Poison, it was the 2nd single from their 1993 Native Tongue album. The song peaked at number 32 on the UK Singles chart The single features a mix version called as a b-side track...

". In late-1993, Rikki Rockett, the drummer of Poison, discovered that Kotzen was having a relationship with Rockett's former fiancee, Deanna Eve. Kotzen was bought out due to this incident. In 1999 Kotzen replaced Paul Gilbert
Paul Gilbert
Paul Brandon Gilbert is an American guitarist. He is well known for his technical guitar work with Racer X and Mr...

 as guitarist in the mainstream rock band Mr. Big
Mr. Big (band)
Mr. Big is an American rock supergroup, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1988. The band is a quartet composed of Eric Martin , Paul Gilbert , Billy Sheehan , and Pat Torpey ; Mr. Big also included Richie Kotzen, a reputable blues-based guitarist who replaced Gilbert in 1999...

. Kotzen maintained the band's success, performing on the Mr. Big record Get Over It
Get Over It (album)
Get Over It is the fifth studio album by the hard rock band Mr. Big.It is their first studio album to feature guitarist Richie Kotzen.-Track listing:# "Electrified" – 4:12 # "Static" – 3:07...

, which sold more than 175,000 copies in its first two weeks in Japan, eventually reaching platinum status. Kotzen also contributed guitars to Mr. Big's subsequent release Actual Size
Actual Size
Actual Size is the sixth album by the hard rock band Mr. Big released in August 2001. It was their second and last studio album to feature guitarist Richie Kotzen. Actual Size would be Mr. Big's final album for 10 years, until What If.....

. The record included the Kotzen song Shine, which debuted at number one on Japanese radio charts. Following the disbanding of Mr. Big, Kotzen released the solo album Change, in 2003. The title track, and the song Get A Life were featured in TV commercials throughout Japan.

In 2002 Kotzen bought a commercial building in Los Angeles and established a recording Studio/Production company. He has since been producing acclaimed solo albums and collaborating with various figures in rock (Gene Simmons), jazz, and fusion including jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

 legend Stanley Clarke
Stanley Clarke
Stanley Clarke is an American jazz musician and composer known for his innovative and influential work on double bass and electric bass guitar as well as for his numerous film and television scores...

.

In mid-2006 Kotzen was the opening act in Japan for The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...

 on their Bigger Bang tour
A Bigger Bang Tour
A Bigger Bang Tour was a worldwide concert tour by The Rolling Stones which took place between August 2005 and August 2007, in support of their album A Bigger Bang...

.

He has also covered various songs from the Gundam
Gundam
The is a metaseries of anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots called "Mobile Suits" ; usually the protagonist's MS will carry the name Gundam....

 franchise including Soldiers of Sorrow, The Beginning, The Winner, Blue Star, and Fly! Gundam.

Guitar playing style

Kotzen has described his style as a mix of rock, blues, jazz, fusion, and soul music. Of his albums, he claims he is most proud of Vertú
Vertú
Vertú is a jazz fusion band consisting of bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White , keyboardist Rachel Z, violinist Karen Briggs and guitarist Richie Kotzen. The band released one eponymous album in 1999....

. Kotzen utilizes a heavy amount of legato
Legato
In musical notation the Italian word legato indicates that musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. That is, in transitioning from note to note, there should be no intervening silence...

 and sweeping
Sweep-picking
Sweep picking is a guitar playing technique in which a 'sweeping' motion of the pick is combined with a matching fret hand technique in order to produce a specific series of notes which are fast and fluid in sound. Despite being commonly known as sweep picking, both hands essentially perform an...

 in his playing. Has a very strong left hand and really good picking. His main influence were Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...

, Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stephen Ray "Stevie Ray" Vaughan was an American electric blues guitarist and singer. He was the younger brother of Jimmie Vaughan and frontman for Double Trouble, a band that included bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton. Born in Dallas, Vaughan moved to Austin at the age of 17 and...

, 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...

, Jason Becker
Jason Becker
Jason Eli Becker is an American virtuoso neo-classical metal guitarist and composer. At the age of 16, he became part of the Mike Varney-produced duo Cacophony with his friend Marty Friedman. They released Speed Metal Symphony in 1987 and Go Off! in 1988...

 - who produced his first album, and many other jazz/fusion players.

Instruments and equipment

Kotzen has used Fender electric guitars for most of his career, most notably his signature model Telecasters and Stratocasters, as well as other custom made models. Currently, there are two Richie Kotzen signature models, made by Fender Japan – a Stratocaster (STR-145RK) and a Telecaster (TLR-155RK). Both guitars feature ash bodies with laminated flame maple caps, maple necks and one piece maple fretboards with abalone dot inlays and 22 super jumbo frets. The Telecaster model features a DiMarzio Chopper T pickup in the bridge position (single spaced humbucker) and a DiMarzio Twang King in the neck position. The Stratocaster is fitted with three custom made DiMarzio single coil pickups.

At the beginning of his career, Richie Kotzen used Ibanez
Ibanez
is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass produce...

 guitars and Laney
Laney Amplification
Laney Amplification is a British brand of guitar/bass guitar amplifiers and cabinets, and also public address systems.-History:Laney Amplification officially began on September 1st, 1967....

 amplifiers before switching to Fender guitars and Marshall
Marshall 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...

 amplifiers in the early 1990s. He used Marshall Super Lead, JCM800 and JCM900 models as well as Yamaha DG Series amps in the late 90's. Yamaha DG1000 preamp with Marshall EL34 100/100 poweramp, and Yamaha DG130H, Yamaha DG100 combo etc.

In 2005, Cornford Amplification issued a Richie Kotzen signature model – RK100, a single channel tube amp head developed and designed in collaboration with Kotzen to suit his expansive playing style. There is also a matching signature model speaker cabinet, equipped with four Celestion
Celestion
Celestion is a British maker of loudspeakers.-History:The work of what would become Celestion started in Hampton Wick in 1924. Celestion Radio Company and Celestion Limited were formed in 1927, and two years later the company moved across the Thames to Kingston. The company grew rapidly, but was...

 Vintage 30 12" speakers. Both the amplifier head and the speaker cabinet are the only Cornford models fit with Kotzen-style black tolex covering.

Kotzen prefers not to use many pedals (effects in general) when playing live. However, when not playing with the Cornford, he's been using over the years several versions of Sobbat Drivebraker and Glowvibe pedals on top of marshall amps. He also uses reverb and delay effects of his signature series Zoom G2R effects processor, which is connected in the effects loop of the amplifier.

Discography

Solo albums

  • (1989) Richie Kotzen
    Richie Kotzen (album)
    Richie Kotzen is the self-titled first studio album by guitarist Richie Kotzen, released in 1989 through Shrapnel Records.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Richie Kotzen – electric guitar, keyboard*Steve Smith – drums*Stuart Hamm – bass guitar...

  • (1990) Fever Dream
  • (1991) Electric Joy
    Electric Joy
    -Personnel:* Richie Kotzen – electric guitar, bass guitar* Atma Anur – drums* Mooka Rennick – engineering...

  • (1994) Mother Head's Family Reunion
    Mother Head's Family Reunion
    Mother Head's Family Reunion is the Richie Kotzen's first post-Poison solo album.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Richie Kotzen – lead vocals, background vocals, guitar, hammond organ, piano, wurlitzer piano, clavinet and bass...

  • (1995) The Inner Galactic Fusion Experience
    The Inner Galactic Fusion Experience
    -Track listing:-Personnel:*Richie Kotzen – lead vocals, electric guitar, wurlitzer piano, organ, bass guitar, drums *Jeff Berlin – bass guitar *Gregg Bissonette – drums...

  • (1996) Wave Of Emotion
    Wave of Emotion
    -Track listing:*The japanese version has the songs in distinct order and includes the tracks "Fool" and "Strobe" instead of "Times Gonna Tell" and "No Reason".-Personnel:...

  • (1996) Times Gonna Tell (EP)
    Times Gonna Tell (EP)
    Times Gonna Tell is an EP release only in Japan with Wave Of Emotion's songs, is very hard to find, also it's the only Kotzen's EP.-Track listing:-Personnel:* Richie Kotzen – lead vocals, electric guitar, bass guitar, piano, organ, drums...

  • (1997) Something To Say
  • (1998) What Is...
    What Is...
    -Track listing:-Personnel:*Richie Kotzen – lead vocals, background vocals, guitar, mandolin, bass, wurlitzer piano, piano, additional keyboards, drums , B3 and whirly solos , B3...

  • (1999) Bi-Polar Blues
    Bi-Polar Blues (album)
    Bi-Polar Blues is the seventh album by guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Richie Kotzen – lead vocals, guitar, wurlitzer piano, bass, drums*Rob Harrington – bass...

  • (2000) Break It All Down
    Break It All Down
    Break It All Down is the eighth album by guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Richie Kotzen – all instruments*Doyle Bramhall – backing vocal, acoustic guitar, drums, bass, end lead trade off left side and additional rhythm guitars *Troy Lush – wurlitzer piano *Matt Luneau –...

  • (2001) Slow
    Slow (Richie Kotzen album)
    Slow is the ninth album by guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen.-Track listing:*In Russian version "All I Can" is listed as bonus track 14.-Personnel:*Richie Kotzen – all instruments*Richie Kotzen – recorder*Tom Baker – mastering...

  • (2003) Change
    Change (Richie Kotzen album)
    Change is the tenth album by guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Richie Kotzen – all instruments*Pat Torpey – drums *Billy Sheehan – bass...

  • (2003) Acoustic Cuts
    Acoustic Cuts
    -Track listing:...

  • (2004) Get Up
    Get Up (album)
    -Track listing:*In Korean version "Blame On Me" is listed as bonus track 11.*In digipak version "Feel Good" is listed as bonus track 11.-Personnel:*Richie Kotzen – all instruments*Stevie Salas – bass...

  • (2004) The Best Of Richie Kotzen
    The Best Of Richie Kotzen
    The best of is a Richie Kotzen's 2004 greatest hits compilation album released only in Japan. Along with the guitarist/singer most well known songs the album also features a new version of the song "Socialite".-Track listing:-Personnel:...

     (Greatest Hits)
  • (2005) Ai Senshi Z×R
    Ai Senshi Z×R
    Ai Senshi Z×R is a cover album by guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen. The album is a compilation of several English language covers of theme songs from the Gundam anime franchise.-Track listing:-Personnel:...

     (Music from the animation series Gundam
    Gundam
    The is a metaseries of anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots called "Mobile Suits" ; usually the protagonist's MS will carry the name Gundam....

    )
  • (2006) Instrumental Collection: The Shrapnel Years
    Instrumental Collection: The Shrapnel Years
    Instrumental Collection: The Shrapnel Years is a compilation album by guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen, including instrumental songs from several albums through his career.-Track listing:-Personnel:...

  • (2006) Into The Black
    Into the Black (album)
    Into The Black is the twelfth album by guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen. It's the only Kotzen's album with a parental advisory sticker on it.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Richie Kotzen – all instruments*Alex Todorov – mixing, recorder...

  • (2007) Go Faster/Return Of The Mother Head's Family Reunion
    Go Faster
    Go Faster is a album by guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen.A video of "Chase It" was shot in the summer of 2008 in Venice, Italy.-Track listing:*This version of the album was released only in the US.-Return Of The Mother Head's Family Reunion:...

  • (2008) Live In São Paulo
    Live in São Paulo (Richie Kotzen album)
    Live In São Paulo is a live album by guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen. This is the first official live album by Kotzen and was recorded live in São Paulo, Brazil.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Richie Kotzen – lead vocals, guitar...

  • (2009) Peace Sign
    Peace Sign (Richie Kotzen album)
    Peace Sign is the thirteenth album by guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen.-Track listing:-Japanese version:The album was also released in Japan, but with the songs in distinct order and a bonus track.-Track listing:-Personnel:...

  • (2010) A Best of Collection
  • (2010) A Ballads Collection
  • (2011) 24 Hours
    24 Hours
    24 Hours and 24 Heures is a chain of free daily newspapers published in Canada by Sun Media, a subsidiary of Quebecor Media...


Mr. Big

  • (1999) Get Over It
    Get Over It (album)
    Get Over It is the fifth studio album by the hard rock band Mr. Big.It is their first studio album to feature guitarist Richie Kotzen.-Track listing:# "Electrified" – 4:12 # "Static" – 3:07...

  • (2000) Deep Cuts
    Deep Cuts (Mr. Big album)
    Deep Cuts: The Best Of The Ballads is a compilation album by hard rock band Mr. Big. It was released in 2000. The two opening tracks "Where Are They Now" and "I'll Leave It Up to You" are previously unreleased. Tracks 3, 4 & 5 "Had Enough", "Promise Her the Moon" and "Just Take My Heart" are songs...

  • (2001) Actual Size
    Actual Size
    Actual Size is the sixth album by the hard rock band Mr. Big released in August 2001. It was their second and last studio album to feature guitarist Richie Kotzen. Actual Size would be Mr. Big's final album for 10 years, until What If.....

  • (2002) In Japan
  • (2004) Influences & Connections – Vol. 1

Collaborations

  • (1995) Tilt
    Tilt (Greg Howe and Richie Kotzen album)
    Tilt is a collaborative studio album by guitarists Greg Howe and Richie Kotzen, released in 1995 through Shrapnel Records. According to Howe, Shrapnel founder Mike Varney organised the collaboration due to his enthusiasm for both guitarists' stylistic similarities...

     (with Greg Howe
    Greg Howe
    Gregory "Greg" Howe is an American guitarist and composer. As an active musician for nearly thirty years, he has released nine studio albums in addition to collaborating with a wide variety of artists.-Recording career:...

    )
  • (1996) Sticky Wicked (with TM Stevens)
  • (1996) Ground Zero (with TM Stevens)
  • (1996) Only You (with TM Stevens)
  • (1997) Project
    Project (album)
    Project is the second collaborative studio album by guitarists Greg Howe and Richie Kotzen, released in 1997 through Shrapnel Records. According to Howe, his previous collaboration with Kotzen, Tilt , had sold well and thus resulted in a second album.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Greg Howe – electric...

     (with Greg Howe)
  • (1999) Not So Innocent (with Jesse's Powertrip)
  • (2000) Mikazuki in Rock (with Mikazuki Tekkodan)
  • (2000) Submarine (with Gregg Bissonette)
  • (2003) All That I'd Be (with Steve Saluto)
  • (2004) Nowhere To Go (with Takayoshi Ohmura
    Takayoshi Ohmura
    ' is a Japanese musician popular as a rock guitarist. He was born on December 26, 1983 in Osaka. He started learning piano at the age of three. By the age of 11 he had started to play acoustic guitar moving to electric guitar at the age of 14...

    )
  • (2004) ***Hole (with Gene Simmons
    Gene Simmons
    Gene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...

    )
  • (2006) Rough Beat (with Steve Saluto)
  • (2006) Avalon (with Richie Zito
    Richie Zito
    Richie Zito is a session guitarist and record producer from Los Angeles.He has worked with Poison, Neil Sedaka, Yvonne Elliman, Eric Carmen, Art Garfunkel, Leo Sayer, Diana Ross, Marc Tanner, Elton John, the Motels, as well as The Cult, White Lion, Eddie Money, Heart, and Bad English...

    )
  • (2006) Erotic Cakes (with Guthrie Govan
    Guthrie Govan
    Guthrie Govan is a guitarist known for his work with the bands Asia , GPS, The Young Punx and The Fellowship as well as Erotic Cakes...

    )
  • (2007) Emotions in Motion (with Takayoshi Ohmura)
  • (2007) Live For Tomorrow (with Marco Mendoza)
  • (2010) Resurrection (with Steve Saluto)
  • (2010) You Can't Save Me – Remix (with Clarence Jey
    Clarence Jey
    Clarence Jey is an Australian record producer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and songwriter of Sri Lankan origin now established in the United States...

     & Steve Mcleod)

Various artists albums

  • (1991) Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey: Music from the Motion Picture
    Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey: Music from the Motion Picture
    Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey: Music from the Motion Picture is the licensed soundtrack to the 1991 Orion Pictures film Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. It was released by Interscope Records on July 9, 1991 on CD and cassette formats...

  • (1992) L.A. Blues Authority – "L.A. Blues Authority"
  • (1992) The Guitars That Rule The World – Vol. 1
  • (1994) L.A. Blues Authority Volume V: Cream Of The Crop
  • (1996) Crossfire – (A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan)
  • (1997) Black Nigtht – Deep Purple Tribute According To New York
  • (2000) Bat Head Soup: A Tribute to Ozzy
  • (2001) Stone Cold Queen: A Tribute to Queen
  • (2002) One Way Street: A Tribute To Aerosmith CD
  • (2002) An All Star Lineup Performing The Songs Of Pink Floyd
  • (2004) Spirit Lives On: The Music Of Jimi Hendrix Revisited Vol. 1
  • (2005) Numbers From The Beast – An All Stars Salute To Iron Maiden
  • (2010) Siam Shade Tribute
    Siam Shade Tribute
    Siam Shade Tribute is a tribute album to Siam Shade, released on October 27, 2010. It is composed of covers of their songs by Western artists and is produced by well-known American producer Marti Frederiksen.- Track listing :...


Videography

  • (1989) Rock Chops
  • (1993) 7 Days Live
    7 Days Live
    Seven Days Live is the fourth video/DVD album from the rock band Poison, featuring a live concert from the Native Tongue world tour in 1993, in support of the fourth Poison studio album Native Tongue, which was certified Gold by the RIAA on April 21, 1993....

     (Live shot concert with Poison)(re-released 2006)
  • (1994) Mother Head's Family Reunion DVD
  • (1994) Mother Head's family Reunion (Video-clip from the Mother Head's family Reunion Album)
  • (1996) Wave of Emotion (Video-clip from the Wave of Emotion Album)
  • (1997) Something To Say (Video-clip from the Something To Say Album)
  • (2001) Don't Wanna Lie (Video-clip from the Slow Album)
  • (2001) Shine (Video-clip from Mr. Big's Actual Size Album)
  • (2002) Hi-Tech Rock Guitar
  • (2005) Live In South America
  • (2008) Chase It (Video-clip from the R.O.T.M.F.R. Album)
  • (2008) Bootlegged in Brazil
  • (2009) Everything Good (Video-clip from Wilson Hawk 'The Road' Album)
  • (2009) Paying Dues (Video-clip from 'Peace Sign' Album filmed by Kotzen's daughter at home)
  • (2010) Larger Than Life (Video-clip from 'Peace Sign' Album filmed by Kotzen's)
  • (2011) Behind Blue Eyes (Acoustic Video-clip filmed by Kotzen's)
  • (2011) 24 Hours (Video-clip from '24 Hours' Album filmed by Kotzen's)

External links

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