Amir Derakh
Encyclopedia
Amir Davidson (born June 20, 1963) is an American
musician. He is currently guitar/synthesizer
player for the band
Orgy
and guitar player for the band Dead by Sunrise
. He was once a guitar
player in the bands Rough Cutt
and Jailhouse.
to replace Craig Goldy
in Rough Cutt.
Besides Orgy, he has a side band called Julien-K
, and made a guest appearance on Crazy Town
's The Gift of Game
album. Julien-K released a remix
of Chester Bennington
's solo song "The Morning After" which appeared exclusively on the soundtrack for the 2006 film Underworld: Evolution
. Derakh describes the sound of Julien-K as Depeche Mode
meets Chemical Brothers.
Derakh performed backing for Chester Bennington
when he performed his song "Let Down" during 2005's ReAct Now: Music & Relief
televised concert. He also made an appearance in the 2003 version of the film Freaky Friday
and has worked with many other bands, including Coal Chamber and Red Tape.
, Irish
, Austrian
, Hungarian, and Russian
ancestry. He attended UCLA and earned his certificate in producing/engineering.
Derakh also is an avid guitar designer. He has worked with Grover Jackson of Jackson Guitars
and has personally designed several of the guitars he currently plays (the most famous being The Disruptor). One of his motivations for designing his own guitars is his desire to create something unique yet functional, and having the public wonder "Wow, what is that guy playing?" Derakh also has a son named Michael Melody Davidson.
According to Metal Sludge, his stage name is meant to imply the phrase "I'm Here to Rock." By his 40s, he began following the emo fashion that is popular with teenagers by painting his nails black, coloring his hair black with a streak of blonde and wearing slim fit jeans, a variety of wrist bracelets and eye liner
.
Valentine
pre-production & engineering - Warner Bros. - 2001
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician. He is currently guitar/synthesizer
Guitar/synthesizer
A guitar synthesizer is any one of a number of musical instrument systems that allow a guitar player to play synthesizer sound. While the term "MIDI guitar" is often used as a synonym for the field of guitar/synthesis or for a guitar/synthesizer, MIDI is not always used...
player for the band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
Orgy
Orgy (band)
Orgy is an American synth rock band formed in 1996, from Los Angeles, California. Orgy described their music as "death pop".-History:Orgy was formed in 1996 by vocalist Jay Gordon and guitarist Ryan Shuck. Bassist Paige Haley, guitarist Amir Derakh, and drummer Bobby Hewitt soon completed the line-up...
and guitar player for the band Dead by Sunrise
Dead by Sunrise
Dead by Sunrise is an American rock band. It is the side project of Linkin Park's lead vocalist and songwriter, Chester Bennington. The band also features Amir Derakh, Ryan Shuck, Brandon Belsky, Elias Andra, and Anthony "Fu" Valcic from Julien-K and Orgy...
. He was once a 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...
player in the bands Rough Cutt
Rough Cutt
Rough Cutt was an American heavy metal band from San Diego, California in the 1980s. They were based in Los Angeles after signing a recording contract with Warner Brothers...
and Jailhouse.
Career
After graduating in 1981 from Mission Bay High School in San Diego, California, Derakh played lead guitar for local bands Armed & Ready and Emerald. He moved to Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to replace Craig Goldy
Craig Goldy
Craig Goldy is an American guitarist, mostly notably of the band Dio.Before Dio, he played in the bands Vengeance, Rough Cutt, and Giuffria. He replaced Jake E. Lee in Rough Cutt and was himself replaced by Amir Derakh in this group. Prior to joining Rough Cutt, he had played in the band Vengeance...
in Rough Cutt.
Besides Orgy, he has a side band called Julien-K
Julien-K
Julien-K is a music group that began as a side project for electronic music created by Amir Derakh and Ryan Shuck from Orgy, with the later addition of Elias Andra, and Anthony 'Fu' Valcic....
, and made a guest appearance on Crazy Town
Crazy Town
Crazy Town is a rap rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1995 by Bret Mazur and Seth Binzer. The band is best known for their 2001 single, "Butterfly", which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart...
's The Gift of Game
The Gift of Game
-Certifications:-Singles:-Personnel:*Bret Mazur – vocals, keyboard*Shifty Shellshock – vocals*DJ AM – turntables*James Bradley Jr. – drums*Rust Epique – guitar*Anthony Valli – guitar*Doug Miller – bass*Troy Van Leeuwen - Guitar on "Darkside"...
album. Julien-K released a remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of Chester Bennington
Chester Bennington
Chester Charles Bennington is an American musician, singer-songwriter and actor. He is best known as the lead vocalist and songwriter of the rock band Linkin Park....
's solo song "The Morning After" which appeared exclusively on the soundtrack for the 2006 film Underworld: Evolution
Underworld: Evolution
Underworld: Evolution is the second installment in the Underworld series, following Underworld in 2003...
. Derakh describes the sound of Julien-K as Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
meets Chemical Brothers.
Derakh performed backing for Chester Bennington
Chester Bennington
Chester Charles Bennington is an American musician, singer-songwriter and actor. He is best known as the lead vocalist and songwriter of the rock band Linkin Park....
when he performed his song "Let Down" during 2005's ReAct Now: Music & Relief
ReAct Now: Music & Relief
ReAct Now: Music & Relief was a four and a half hour long benefit concert which aired on September 10, 2005. MTV, VH1, CMT, MTV2, MTVU, VH1 Classic and The N broadcast the concert, which raised about $30 million for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts via the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army,...
televised concert. He also made an appearance in the 2003 version of the film Freaky Friday
Freaky Friday (2003 film)
Freaky Friday is a 2003 film based on the novel of the same name by Mary Rodgers. It stars Lindsay Lohan as Anna Coleman and Jamie Lee Curtis as her mother. In the film their bodies are switched due to an enchanted Chinese fortune cookie...
and has worked with many other bands, including Coal Chamber and Red Tape.
Personal life
Derakh is of IranianIranian peoples
The Iranian peoples are an Indo-European ethnic-linguistic group, consisting of the speakers of Iranian languages, a major branch of the Indo-European language family, as such forming a branch of Indo-European-speaking peoples...
, Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, Austrian
Austrians
Austrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....
, Hungarian, and Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
ancestry. He attended UCLA and earned his certificate in producing/engineering.
Derakh also is an avid guitar designer. He has worked with Grover Jackson of Jackson Guitars
Jackson Guitars
__FORCETOC__Jackson is a renowned brand of electric guitar that bears the name of its founder, Grover Jackson.-Early years:Grover Jackson obtained ownership in Charvel's Guitar Repair of Glendora, California in the 1970s with a promise to bolster Charvel's business...
and has personally designed several of the guitars he currently plays (the most famous being The Disruptor). One of his motivations for designing his own guitars is his desire to create something unique yet functional, and having the public wonder "Wow, what is that guy playing?" Derakh also has a son named Michael Melody Davidson.
According to Metal Sludge, his stage name is meant to imply the phrase "I'm Here to Rock." By his 40s, he began following the emo fashion that is popular with teenagers by painting his nails black, coloring his hair black with a streak of blonde and wearing slim fit jeans, a variety of wrist bracelets and eye liner
Eye liner
Eye liner is a cosmetic used to define the eyes. It is applied around the contours of the eye to create a variety of aesthetic illusions. Although primarily aimed at females, it has broadened its appeal to the male market, known commonly by the portmanteau guyliner.-History:Eyeliner was first used...
.
Discography (Producer/Engineer/Mixing and Arranging)
- True Colors: The Best of Sonic the Hedgehog Part 2True Colors: The Best of Sonic the Hedgehog Part 2True Colors: The Best of Sonic the Hedgehog Part 2, also known as Waking Up: The Best of Sonic the Hedgehog Part 2, is a compilation album of various songs from the Sonic the Hedgehog gaming franchise, a sequel to True Blue: The Best of Sonic the Hedgehog...
- Soundtrack - producer/engineer/mixer for Julien-K - Sega - 2009 - Dead by SunriseDead by SunriseDead by Sunrise is an American rock band. It is the side project of Linkin Park's lead vocalist and songwriter, Chester Bennington. The band also features Amir Derakh, Ryan Shuck, Brandon Belsky, Elias Andra, and Anthony "Fu" Valcic from Julien-K and Orgy...
- Out of AshesOut of AshesOut of Ashes is the debut studio album by American rock band Dead by Sunrise, which consists of Linkin Park lead vocalist Chester Bennington and the band members of Julien-K. It was released on October 13, 2009 through Warner Bros. Records, to mixed reception. The album was produced by Howard Benson...
- pre-production & engineering - Warner Bros. - 2009 - Transformers Revenge Of The Fallen - Video Game - producer/engineer/mixer for Julien-K score - Activision - 2009
- Julien-KJulien-KJulien-K is a music group that began as a side project for electronic music created by Amir Derakh and Ryan Shuck from Orgy, with the later addition of Elias Andra, and Anthony 'Fu' Valcic....
- Death to AnalogDeath to Analog- Death to Digital :- References :* * *...
- producer/engineer/mixer - Level 7/Metropolis - 2009 - Transformers - soundtrack - producer/engineer for Julien-K - Warner Bros. - 2007
- Underworld:Evolution - soundtrack - producer/engineer/mixer for Chester Bennington vs. Julien-K - Sony - 2007
- Shadow the Hedgehog - soundtrack - producer/engineer/mixer for Julien-K - Sega - 2005
- Orgy - Punk Statik ParanoiaPunk Statik ParanoiaPunk Statik Paranoia is the third album by the synth rock band Orgy. It was released on February 24, 2004.The album's style is a big departure from the industrial and electronic sound that was present in Candyass and Vapor Transmission, leaning more to a nu-metal sound similar to bands like Korn...
- co-producer/engineer - D1 - 2004 - Red Tape - Radioactivist - producer/mixer - roadrunner - 2004
- Sonic HeroesSonic Heroesis a 2004 platforming single-player/multiplayer video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series developed by Sonic Team USA. It is the first multiplatform title in the Sonic series, developed for Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox and released in Japan in December 2003, in North America in...
- Soundtrack - producer/engineer/mixer for Julien-K - Sega - 2004 - Freaky Friday - Soundtrack - producer/engineer for Halo Friendlies - Hollywood - 2003 - Gold
- Coal Chamber - Giving the Devil His DueGiving the Devil His DueGiving the Devil His Due is a 2003 compilation album of remixes and previously unreleased songs by the nu metal band Coal Chamber. "Blisters" and "Wishes" had been on soundtrack albums prior to this album.-Track listing:...
- engineer/mixer - Roadrunner -2003 - Coal ChamberCoal ChamberCoal Chamber is an American alternative metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1993. Prior to Coal Chamber, Dez Fafara and Meegs Rascón formed the band She's In Pain in 1992. The two decided to create Coal Chamber. They disbanded in 2003 after ten years together, but announced a reunion in...
- Dark Days - pre-production & song arrangements - Roadrunner - 2002
Valentine
Valentine (film)
Valentine is a 2001 horror film directed by Jamie Blanks, and starring Denise Richards, David Boreanaz, Marley Shelton, Jessica Capshaw, Hedy Burress, and Katherine Heigl. It is a slasher film with a Valentine's Day theme...
pre-production & engineering - Warner Bros. - 2001
- ZoolanderZoolanderZoolander is a 2001 American satirical comedy film directed by and starring Ben Stiller. The film contains elements from a pair of short films directed by Russell Bates and written by Drake Sather and Stiller for the VH1 Fashion Awards television specials in 1996 and 1997. The short films and the...
] - Soundtrack - co-producer/engineer/mixer for Orgy - Hollywood - 2001 - SpineshankSpineshankSpineshank is an American Grammy-nominated alternative metal band. The band has sold over 540,000 records, and has released 3 studio albums.-Formation, Roadrunner Records years :...
- The Height of CallousnessThe Height of CallousnessThe Height of Callousness is the second album by the American industrial metal band Spineshank. It was released on October 10, 2000 by Roadrunner Records...
- pre-production & song arrangements - Roadrunner - 2000 - Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
Nominated - Scream 3Scream 3Scream 3 is a 2000 American slasher film created by Kevin Williamson, directed by Wes Craven and written by Ehren Kruger, starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox Arquette and David Arquette, released on February 4, 2000 as the third, and originally, concluding installment in the Scream film series...
- Soundtrack - remixer for Orgy - Wind-Up - 2000 - Gold - OrgyOrgyIn modern usage, an orgy is a sex party where guests engage in promiscuous or multifarious sexual activity or group sex. An orgy is similar to debauchery, which refers to excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures....
- Vapor Transmission - co-producer/engineer - Reprise - 2000 - Gold - DanzigDanzig (band)Danzig is an American heavy metal band, formed in 1987 in Lodi, New Jersey. The band serves as a musical outlet for the singer/songwriter Glenn Danzig. Danzig can be seen as the third stage in Glenn Danzig's musical career, preceded by the horror punk bands The Misfits and Samhain...
- Satan's Child - mixer - E-Magine - 1999 - Coal ChamberCoal ChamberCoal Chamber is an American alternative metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1993. Prior to Coal Chamber, Dez Fafara and Meegs Rascón formed the band She's In Pain in 1992. The two decided to create Coal Chamber. They disbanded in 2003 after ten years together, but announced a reunion in...
- Chamber Music - mixer - Roadrunner - 1999 - SpineshankSpineshankSpineshank is an American Grammy-nominated alternative metal band. The band has sold over 540,000 records, and has released 3 studio albums.-Formation, Roadrunner Records years :...
- Strictly DieselStrictly DieselStrictly Diesel is the debut album by the American industrial metal band Spineshank. It was released on September 22, 1998 by Roadrunner Records, it sold 75,000 units in the U.S.-Track listing:# "Intake" – 2:47# "Stovebolt" – 3:02...
- producer/engineer/mixer - Roadrunner - 1998 - Orgy - Candyass - co-producer/engineer - RepriseRepriseReprise is a fundamental device in the history of art. In literature, a reprise consists of the rewriting of another work; in music, a reprise is the repetition or reiteration of the opening material later in a composition as occurs in the recapitulation of sonata form, though—originally in the...
- 1998 - Platinum - StrangelandStrangelandStrangeland is an American horror film released in 1998. The movie was directed by John Pieplow and written by Dee Snider. The film focuses on the body modification underground culture's rituals.-Plot:...
- Soundtrack - mixer for Coal Chamber - TVTTVTTVT may mean:*TVT: Canine transmissible venereal tumour*TVT Records*TVT: The callsign of a TV station in Tasmania, Australia.*Televisheni ya Taifa: The state broadcaster of Tanzania.*Télévision Togolaise: The state broadcaster of Togo....
- 1998 - Bride of ChuckyBride of ChuckyBride of Chucky is a 1998 American comedy horror film directed by Chinese director Ronny Yu. It is the fourth entry in the Child's Play series. The film stars Jennifer Tilly and Brad Dourif...
- Soundtrack - mixer for Coal Chamber - CMC - 1998 - Rod Stewart tribute album - Forever Mod - Portrait of a Storyteller - producer/engineer/mixer/arranger - DeRock - 1997
- Coal ChamberCoal ChamberCoal Chamber is an American alternative metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1993. Prior to Coal Chamber, Dez Fafara and Meegs Rascón formed the band She's In Pain in 1992. The two decided to create Coal Chamber. They disbanded in 2003 after ten years together, but announced a reunion in...
- Coal Chamber - engineer/mixer - Roadrunner - 1997 - Gold - Eels - Beautiful FreakBeautiful FreakBeautiful Freak is a 1996 album by musician Mark Oliver Everett, his first using a full band and the name Eels...
- engineer - Dreamworks - 1996 - Gold
