Marty Friedman Guitars

Marty Friedman has sold over 10 million albums with the multi-platinum band Megadeth. He has also a dedicated following for his own solo albums which stylistically range from orchestral soundtrack style music to furious aggressive rock, with the common thread being Marty`s unique and tasty sense of melody. His latest album is called `Music For Speeding` and it marks his solo debut with the heavy hitting major label Universal Japan as well as Steve Vai`s Favored Nations label in the US. Marty has toured the world several times over very successfully with Megadeth. Along with touring, he has done many music/guitar seminars and clinics all over the U.S., Japan, Europe and South America. Marty is also a regular columnist for Guitar World magazine, Young Guitar magazine (Japan) and Burrn Magazine in which he writes a column in Japanese, a reader favorite. Marty has designed his own signature model guitar with Jackson Guitars (the KE-1) that has been selling consistently since it was put on the market.

Besides time spent on the rock and roll battlefield with Megadeth (27 gold and platinum records to their credit), the acclaimed indie-band, Cacophony (an outfit that included future David Lee Roth guitarist, Jason Becker ) plus his trailblazing work as a solo artist, Friedman endeavors to share his profound love and knowledge of guitar playing with the world. Celebrated internationally for his pioneering six-string work, Friedman has participated in numerous music/guitar seminars and clinics all over the U.S., Japan, Europe and South America. In addition, Friedman spreads his gospel of guitar gallantry with a regular column for Guitar World, Young Guitar (Japan) and Burrn. A guitar player’s guitarist, Marty has also designed his own signature model axe with Jackson Guitars (the KE-1) that has been selling consistently since it was put on the market. Most recently, Friedman has inked an endorsement relationship with Ibanez.
Marty is from Washington D.C. originally but has lived in many places including Hawaii, Germany and California, giving him an odd and interesting approach to making his music. He currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona as well as in Tokyo, Japan.

Before joining Megadeth in Feb.1990, Marty was in a band called Cacophony, which released 2 albums (among their indie label's highest selling) and toured the U.S. and Japan. This band highlighted the potent guitar playing of Marty and fellow guitarist Jason Becker (who was to join David Lee Roth's band and record an album with him in 1990 and seen next to Marty on the picture to the left). Marty has received extremely high acclaim and many awards around the world for his unmistakably `Marty-esque` way of playing the guitar.

CAREER POINTS

Received 27 gold and platinum records from around the world

Received 5 Grammy nominations

Headlined 'Rock in Rio' in front of 140,000 in Brazil

Sold out Madison Square Garden (along with many other venues) on the 'Clash of the Titans' Tour

Co-produced his 2nd solo album,' Scenes', with Golden Globe award winner Kitaro

Megadeth's 'Countdown to Extinction' debuts at #2 and reaches double platinum in the U.S.

Countless worldwide TV performances including Britain's "Top of the Pops", live TV on Arsenio Hall (twice), David Letterman (twice), Jon Stewart show, many MTV and VH1 specials,
Japan`s most popular daytime TV show, `Waratte iitomo` as well as `Love Love Ais#!teiru`.

Megadeth does a sold out stadium tour of Europe with Metallica

'Youthanasia' is the band's best seller worldwide and the tour was a huge success, extending to new territory like Tel Aviv and Prague

Receives first 'solo' major label deal (with EMI Japan) for his solo album,' True Obsessions'.

3 top ten radio singles for Megadeth in 1997-98. 2 more in '99

Headlined Woodstock 1999 (third night)

Forms new band in 2000, "Red Dye #2"creating a buzz at HITS magazine

Produced Japanese pop singer Angelina Esparza`s debut demo leading to signing a contract with Columbia Records (single to be released in late '03)

Marty makes a yearly appearance at National Guitar Workshop in the US, and is also preparing to do an all-country tour of the campuses of MI Japan in March `03.

A full-on tour of Japan as well as other countries will include ex-Megadeth members David Ellefson and Jimmy DeGrasso. This will mark the first time ever that Marty`s solo music will be played live.

Marty produced, engineered, wrote and played guitar on his most anticipated solo album yet, `Music For Speeding` which is receiving outstanding initial reviews

His latest promo of Japan in 2003 featured Marty playing guitar live on a media blitzkrieg of nationwide broadcasts as well as enthralling the listeners with the unusual outlook of an American rock and roll guitarist; spoken in their mother tongue by the man himself-not by a translator.

Marty is currently in the band of Japanese mega-star Aikawa Nanase.

FACTS
Marty speaks Japanese well and when in Japan, does all of his TV and radio interviews in fluent Japanese.

In September, 2000 he hosted a documentary about the Kiss farewell tour on NHK, (a major Japanese network similar to America's PBS) .

The first major concert Marty did was with his group,' Hawaii' at the Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu,HI. supporting Deep Purple.

Marty has around 40 guitars in his collection, the majority of them being variations of his signature series (Jackson KE-1 Marty Friedman model) guitar.

Prior to joining Megadeth, Marty produced a handful of albums for indie labels, some of which to lead to major label releases. He has also produced or co-produced all of his solo albums.

In his spare time on the road, Marty likes to give music seminars or sit in and jam with the local bands at clubs around the country.

When at home off the road, he often plays the national anthem at Phoenix hockey games.

A major Elvis fan, Marty has collected Elvis stuff since elementary school.

In 2001 Marty played all the lead guitar on "Explorers Club 2" with Terry Bozzio

Marty played lead guitar as a guest on the major label debut (indie debut sold double platinum) of "Mr. Orange", a wildly popular band in Japan.

Besides the arduous task of creating `Music For Speeding` Marty has laid down tracks for ESPN, a NYC charity album, as well as 2 tribute albums to his pal Jason Becker.