Tallying sales of over 10 million albums with multi-platinum hard rock avatars, Megadeth, Grammy nominated guitarist Marty Friedman is recognized as one of rock’s most accomplished and inventive axemen. Renowned for his freewheeling solo work, stylistically mining a broad canvas of musical vistas including orchestral soundtrack music to furious aggressive rock, Friedman has just unveiled his fifth solo release, Music For Speeding.
Marking his debut on Steve Vai’s Favored Nations label, Music For Speeding is 100% prime Marty Friedman. The record was conceived, written, played, produced and sweated over in Friedman’s desert oasis studio, Quaa Sound in Phoenix, Arizona. With songs that combine a new aggressive direction, the record resonates with a fiery passion, kinetic power and breadth for which Friedman’s exotic melodic style of writing and playing is well suited.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with such brutal epics as “Gimme A Dose” and “Catfight” is “Lovesorrow,” sporting what may arguably be Friedman’s most delicate, tear-jerking melody yet. An album full of sharp contrasts, Music For Speeding puts the pedal to the metal, taking the listener on a no-holds barred, feel-good rollercoaster ride of high-octane guitars and mod musical backdrops.
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.
