Derek Sherinian
Encyclopedia
Derek Sherinian is a rock
keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper
, Billy Idol
, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kiss
, and Alice In Chains
. He was also a member of Dream Theater
and is the founder of the instrumental metal-fusion band Planet X
. His solo albums feature several prominent artists, including Slash
, Yngwie Malmsteen, Allan Holdsworth
, Steve Lukather
, John Sykes
, Billy Sheehan
, Zakk Wylde
and Al Di Meola
. Sherinian is a founding member of the supergroup Black Country Communion
.
Sherinian has distinguished himself by his aggressive "guitaristic" approach to his keyboard style. He has appeared on the cover keyboard magazines across the world, including Keyboard Magazine
November 2011 issue. Keyboard declared Sherinian a "Keyboard hero for a new generation." Sherinian has also been called the "King of the Keys" by Guitar World
magazine and the "Caligula of Keyboards" by Alice Cooper. His main musical influences include Elton John
, Van Halen
,and Jeff Beck
.
of Greek-Armenian
descent. He began taking piano lessons at age five in Santa Cruz, California
. After his junior year at Soquel High School
, he received a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music
in Boston where he was the roommate of future Megadeth
guitarist and Trans-Siberian Orchestra
musical director Al Pitrelli
. He has since studied with other keyboard players, including Mitchel Forman
, T Lavitz
and Russell Ferrante
. His first professional gig after leaving Boston was with ex-Jimi Hendrix
Band of Gypsies drummer Buddy Miles
. Sherinian got his first big break with Alice Cooper
in 1989 to tour in support of the platinum selling "Trash" album. After touring with Alice Cooper, Sherinian played offstage keyboards on the 1992 KISS
Revenge tour.
In 1994, Derek replaced Kevin Moore
in the progressive metal
band Dream Theater
, originally just for the band's promotional tour for Awake
. On February 1995, however, he was made a full-time member of the band. He recorded the albums A Change of Seasons
(1995), Falling Into Infinity
(1997), and Once In A LIVEtime
(1998) with Dream Theater before being replaced in January 1999 by Jordan Rudess
due to creative differences and turmoil within the band. Sherinian remained on good terms with the band, and reunited with Dream Theater for a one-off concert in 2004, which was recorded and released as When Dream and Day Reunite
(2004). The band's performance of "Metropolis Pt. 1
" featured an extended improvisation between Sherinian, Rudess, and guitarist John Petrucci
.
During the late 1990s, Sherinian released two albums with the progressive rock supergroup Platypus
, which also featured Dream Theater bassist John Myung
, Dregs drummer Rod Morgenstein
, and King's X guitarist Ty Tabor
. The group released two albums, When Pus Comes to Shove
(1998) and Ice Cycles
(2000), before disbanding in 2000.
Sherinian's first solo album, Planet X
(1999), written and recorded with Australian drummer Virgil Donati
, led to the formation of a band of the same name (Planet X
). Guitar virtuoso Tony MacAlpine
was recruited to complete the band. Sherinian has stated that his intention when forming Planet X was to create a group of musicians that "played their instruments so fiercely, that they would strike fear in the hearts of all musicians".
In 2001, Derek teamed with drummer Simon Phillips
and guitarists Steve Lukather
and Zakk Wylde
to record Inertia
, followed by Black Utopia
(2003). For Black Utopia, three new faces joined Sherinian’s group: bassist Billy Sheehan
, rock guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, and jazz fusion
guitarist Al Di Meola
. With respect to this fusion-influenced lineup, Sherinian stated:
Sherinian also calls the album "a lot darker and heavier than [Inertia]". In Japan
, the cover of Black Utopia was altered to remove the cross in the title without Sherinian's consent; Sherinian has commented that the cross "meant nothing" and was added for aesthetic purposes.
Sherinian extended further into the fusion realm by collaborating with guitarist Allan Holdsworth
and violinist Jerry Goodman
(formerly of the Mahavishnu Orchestra) on Mythology
(2004). In addition to another appearance by Phillips, other musicians appearing on this recording were Zakk Wylde
, John Sykes
, Steve Stevens
, and Tony Franklin
.
Since 2002, Sherinian has toured with several well-known artists, including Billy Idol
and Yngwie Malmsteen. Derek's fifth solo album, Blood of the Snake
(2006), features contributions from Idol, as well as former Guns N' Roses
guitarist Slash
, John Petrucci
of Dream Theater, and Brian Tichy
; Phillips, Franklin and Lukather make return appearances. A video for a cover version
of Mungo Jerry
's "In the Summertime" was released along with the album. Sherinian also worked with duduk
master Djivan Gasparyan
on the song "Prelude To Battle" on the release, written for his great grandmother who survived the Armenian genocide
. In 2009, Sherinian released his sixth solo album, Molecular Heinosity
, again featuring Zakk Wylde, Tony Franklin and Brian Tichy. Later that year, Sherinian also performed a one-off acoustic gig with Alice In Chains
to launch their Black Gives Way To Blue
album.
In 2010, Sherinian became a founding member of supergroup Black Country Communion
with Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham
, and Joe Bonamassa
. releasing their eponymous debut.
1n 2011, Sherinian performed on a second Black Country Communion record titiled "2", followed with a nine week tour of the United States and Europe. In September of that year, Sherinian released his seventh solo album titled " Oceana" reuniting with Simon Phillips and Steve Lukather, and featuring a guest appearance from BCC bandmate Joe Bonamassa.
(Mahavishnu Orchestra), Keith Emerson
(Emerson, Lake & Palmer
and The Nice
), Rick Wakeman
(Yes
), and Elton John
. Other influences include guitarists Allan Holdsworth
, Jeff Beck
, and Eddie Van Halen
. Sherinian enjoys co-writing material with fellow musicians, and often finds that he writes better material with drummers. Sherinian cites Van Halen's guitar playing as having a direct influence on his aggressive unique approach to keyboards in terms of technique as well as tone; his unique signature lead patch contains numerous elements of guitar sounds such as distortion, harmonics, and palm-muting, eventually leading to playing a gig with Eddie for a party at Van Halen's home in 2006, of which Sherinian said "It was the highlight of my career, it was completely surreal." Sherinian's work with noted Toto
guitarist Steve Lukather
on the 2001 solo CD Inertia was cited by Lukather as "probably my best recorded work in my whole career. Great record! I'm very proud of it!".
Sherinian's collaborations with top musicians were featured in a 2007 article in Guitar World
magazine, where guitarist Zakk Wylde
offered "People want to play with him because he’s that good. He can play everything from the easiest licks on a piano to the most complex Beethoven sonata
s with ease." Dream Theater
guitarist John Petrucci
added "...Derek -considering the fact that he’s heavily into guitarists and rock music, his history, and the range of all the great guitarists he’s worked with —plays with a fire unheard of from most keyboardists.” Sherinian explains that he enlists a variety of guitarists because he "[does not] think there is one guitarist who can cover all the styles featured on [the] albums." Sherinian often tailors songs for specific guitarists, such as Holdsworth and Wylde for "Day of the Dead" (off Mythology); in this respect, he seeks to take certain aspects of genres and make them "collide in an eloquent way".
Derek Sherinian currently uses and endorses Clavia, Korg, Moog and Roland keyboards. Sherinian was presented the G2 Modular synth serial number 001 by Clavia
representative Bengt Lilja in January 2004. As an KORG endorsee, Sherinian was one of the first artists to adopt the Korg Trinity
keyboard series in 1996. In collaboration with KORG sound designer Jack Hotop, they created Sherinian's signature "guitaristic" lead sound (the "Monster Lead", made famous on the Dream Theater album "Falling Into Infinity") on the Trinity, as well as other, more "modern" and "aggressive" keyboard patches, owing to his fondness of guitar tones and technique. Derek is currently using the KORG Kronos in the studio and live.
Derek also uses the Hammond B3 organ; he thinks that "every rock keyboardist should have a distorted Leslie and a Hammond as part of their sound."
Derek is also known for being one of the first keyboardists to use vertical keyboard stands, influencing a new generation of keyboardists. A more detailed list of equipment can be found at Sherinian's Web site (http://www.dereksherinian.com/gear.htm).
Sherinian currently uses the following gear: Korg Kronos 61
, Moog Voyager XL, Clavia Nord Lead 3
, Clavia Nord Elerctro 3
, Clavia Nord Stage 2 88. His vintage gear includes: 1977 Yamaha C9 Conservatory Series Grand Piano.Moog
Taurus Pedals, 1962 fruitwood Hammond B3, two Leslie 147, modified by Ken Rich Sound Services. Sherinian also owns Beachwood Manor Studios, located in Burbank, California
.In the studio, Derek also has a Muse Research Receptor 2 ProMax loaded with Omnisphere,Trillian, M Tron 2, B4 2, Ivory 2, Predator, Massive, and many other soft synths.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
, Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
, Yngwie Malmsteen, 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,...
, and Alice In Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
. He was also a member of Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
and is the founder of the instrumental metal-fusion band Planet X
Planet X (band)
Planet X is an instrumental rock/progressive metal supergroup, founded by keyboardist Derek Sherinian and drummer Virgil Donati. Throughout a decade of activity, they have released three studio albums and one live album, each with a variety of guest musicians and oft-changing...
. His solo albums feature several prominent artists, including Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
, Yngwie Malmsteen, Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth is an English guitarist and composer. He has released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played many different styles of music over a period of four decades, but first drew attention for his work in jazz fusion...
, Steve Lukather
Steve Lukather
Steve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...
, John Sykes
John Sykes
John James Sykes , is an English rock guitarist, who has played with Streetfighter, Tygers of Pan Tang, John Sloman's Badlands, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, and Blue Murder, in addition to having a notable solo career....
, Billy Sheehan
Billy Sheehan
William "Billy" Sheehan is an American bassist known for his work with Talas, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, and Niacin. Sheehan has won the "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll from Guitar Player Magazine five times for his "lead bass" playing style...
, Zakk Wylde
Zakk Wylde
Zachary Phillip Wylde , best known by the stage name Zakk Wylde, is an American musician, songwriter, and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society. He was the lead guitarist and vocalist in Pride & Glory,...
and Al Di Meola
Al Di Meola
Al Di Meola is an acclaimed American jazz fusion and Latin guitarist, composer, and record producer of Italian origin. With a musical career that has spanned more than three decades, he has become respected as one of the most influential guitarists in jazz to date...
. Sherinian is a founding member of the supergroup Black Country Communion
Black Country Communion
Black Country Communion is an English-American rock supergroup featuring Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham, Derek Sherinian, and Joe Bonamassa.-Formation and Black Country :...
.
Sherinian has distinguished himself by his aggressive "guitaristic" approach to his keyboard style. He has appeared on the cover keyboard magazines across the world, including Keyboard Magazine
Keyboard Magazine
Keyboard Magazine is a magazine that originally covered electronic keyboard instruments and keyboardists, though with the advent of computer based recording and audio technology, they have added digital music technology to their regular coverage, including those not strictly pertaining to the...
November 2011 issue. Keyboard declared Sherinian a "Keyboard hero for a new generation." Sherinian has also been called the "King of the Keys" by Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
magazine and the "Caligula of Keyboards" by Alice Cooper. His main musical influences include Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
,and Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
.
1966–1999
Sherinian was born in Laguna Beach, CaliforniaLaguna Beach, California
Laguna Beach is a seaside resort city and artist community located in southern Orange County, California, United States, approximately southwest of the county seat of Santa Ana...
of Greek-Armenian
Armenians in Greece
The Armenians in Greece are Greek citizens of Armenian descent. The Armenian presence in Greece began centuries ago when Armenians, for various reasons, left Armenia and settled in the wider area of Thessaly, Macedonia and Thrace. Traces of Armenians can also be found on the Greek islands of Crete...
descent. He began taking piano lessons at age five in Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
. After his junior year at Soquel High School
Soquel High School
Soquel High School is a high school in Soquel, California, located on Old San Jose Road. It currently has 1,200 students and was established in 1962. The school is operated by the Santa Cruz City High School District. The school mascot is the Knight....
, he received a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
in Boston where he was the roommate of future Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
guitarist and Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Trans-Siberian Orchestra is an American progressive metal band founded in 1993 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel to form the core of the creative team. Since then, TSO sold nearly 8...
musical director Al Pitrelli
Al Pitrelli
Al Pitrelli is a guitarist, best known for his work with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Megadeth, Alice Cooper, Joe Lynn Turner, Asia and Savatage.-Early career :...
. He has since studied with other keyboard players, including Mitchel Forman
Mitchel Forman
Mitchel Forman is a jazz and fusion keyboard player currently residing in Southern California.-Biography & Music Career:...
, T Lavitz
T Lavitz
Terry "T" Lavitz was an American jazz-rock/fusion keyboardist, composer and producer. He is best known for his work with the Dixie Dregs and Jazz Is Dead.-Biography:Born on April 16, 1956, Lavitz grew up in New Jersey...
and Russell Ferrante
Russell Ferrante
Russell Keith Ferrante is a jazz pianist from San Jose, California who is a founding member of the group Yellowjackets. During his early career, Ferrante performed with American blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon and guitarist Robben Ford. He also toured with Joni Mitchell. The group Yellowjackets...
. His first professional gig after leaving Boston was with ex-Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
Band of Gypsies drummer Buddy Miles
Buddy Miles
George Allen Miles, Jr. , known as Buddy Miles, was an American rock and funk drummer, most known as a founding member of The Electric Flag in 1967, then as a member of Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys from 1969 through to January 1970.-Early life:George Allen Miles was born in Omaha, Nebraska on...
. Sherinian got his first big break with Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
in 1989 to tour in support of the platinum selling "Trash" album. After touring with Alice Cooper, Sherinian played offstage keyboards on the 1992 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,...
Revenge tour.
In 1994, Derek replaced Kevin Moore
Kevin Moore
For the blues singer, see Keb' Mo'.Kevin Moore is a keyboardist, vocalist and composer and founder of the Chroma Key music project. He is also a former member of the American progressive metal band Dream Theater, co-founder of the progressive rock supergroup O.S.I. and has composed film soundtracks...
in the progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
, originally just for the band's promotional tour for Awake
Awake (Dream Theater album)
Awake is the third studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on October 4, 1994 by East West Records. It was the last Dream Theater album to feature keyboardist Kevin Moore, who announced his decision to leave the band during the recording of the album.Much of the...
. On February 1995, however, he was made a full-time member of the band. He recorded the albums A Change of Seasons
A Change of Seasons
-Credits:* James LaBrie – Vocals* John Myung – bass* John Petrucci – guitars* Mike Portnoy – drums* Derek Sherinian – keyboards-Chart performance:Billboard 200:* A Change of Seasons – #58UK Albums Chart...
(1995), Falling Into Infinity
Falling into Infinity
-Personnel:* James LaBrie – vocals* John Myung – bass, Chapman Stick* John Petrucci – guitars, backing vocals* Mike Portnoy – drums, backing vocals* Derek Sherinian – keyboards, backing vocals-Chart performance:Billboard 200:* Falling Into Infinity - #52...
(1997), and Once In A LIVEtime
Once in a LIVEtime
-Disc two:-Covers and tributes:Dream Theater have often placed riffs or parts of other band's songs into their songs when playing live. On this album, there are several examples of this....
(1998) with Dream Theater before being replaced in January 1999 by Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess is an American keyboardist best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the progressive rock supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.-Biography:...
due to creative differences and turmoil within the band. Sherinian remained on good terms with the band, and reunited with Dream Theater for a one-off concert in 2004, which was recorded and released as When Dream and Day Reunite
When Dream and Day Unite
-The Killing Hand:The lyrics of the song describe a man who wakes up unaware of where he is. He looks around to see walls covered in names of people who have died. He wants to find out why, and travels back in time to find out...
(2004). The band's performance of "Metropolis Pt. 1
Images and Words
Images and Words is currently ranked #2 on Digital Dream Door's list of the top 100 progressive metal albums of all time. Music critic Piero Scaruffi includes the album at number 8, just after Fear Factory's Demanufacture and before Sepultura's Roots, in his classification of the best metal albums...
" featured an extended improvisation between Sherinian, Rudess, and guitarist John Petrucci
John Petrucci
John Peter Petrucci is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Along with his former bandmate Mike Portnoy, he has produced all Dream Theater albums since their 1999 release, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory...
.
During the late 1990s, Sherinian released two albums with the progressive rock supergroup Platypus
Platypus (band)
Platypus was a progressive rock / jazz-fusion supergroup that consisted of members from Dream Theater, King's X and Dixie Dregs. The group was formed in 1997 and disbanded in 2000.-History:...
, which also featured Dream Theater bassist John Myung
John Myung
John Ro Myung is an American bassist, Chapman Stick player and a founding member of the progressive metal group Dream Theater. He is considered a virtuoso player who is widely recognized for his technical proficiency....
, Dregs drummer Rod Morgenstein
Rod Morgenstein
Rod Morgenstein is an American drummer and music educator. He is best known for his work with the late '80s Heavy metal band Winger and with the Jazz fusion band Dixie Dregs. He also played with Fiona, Platypus, The Steve Morse Band, and Jelly Jam...
, and King's X guitarist Ty Tabor
Ty Tabor
Ty Tabor is the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-lead vocalist for the progressive metal band, King's X....
. The group released two albums, When Pus Comes to Shove
When Pus Comes to Shove
When Pus Comes to Shove is the debut album of the band Platypus.- Track listing :# Standing In Line - # Nothing To Say - # Rock Balls/Destination Unknown - # Platt Opus - # I'm With You - # Blue Plate Special -...
(1998) and Ice Cycles
Ice Cycles
Ice Cycles is the second album by the progressive metal group Platypus, released in 2000.-Track listing:# Oh God – 4:16# Better Left Unsaid – 5:24# The Tower – 3:30# Cry – 6:15# I Need You – 4:17# 25 – 5:09# Gone – 6:42...
(2000), before disbanding in 2000.
1999 – present
Since 1999, Sherinian has recorded seven solo albums, featuring performances by numerous highly acclaimed musicians.Sherinian's first solo album, Planet X
Planet X (album)
Planet X is the first studio album by keyboardist Derek Sherinian, released in 1999 through Magna Carta Records. The album was co-written by Sherinian and drummer Virgil Donati on the recommendation of Shrapnel Records founder Mike Varney...
(1999), written and recorded with Australian drummer Virgil Donati
Virgil Donati
Virgil Donati is an Australian drummer, frequent drum clinician and a producer. He is currently playing with the band Planet X and Seven the Hardway among other projects. Virgil is perhaps most well known for his fast, highly technical drumming skills...
, led to the formation of a band of the same name (Planet X
Planet X (band)
Planet X is an instrumental rock/progressive metal supergroup, founded by keyboardist Derek Sherinian and drummer Virgil Donati. Throughout a decade of activity, they have released three studio albums and one live album, each with a variety of guest musicians and oft-changing...
). Guitar virtuoso Tony MacAlpine
Tony MacAlpine
Tony Jeff MacAlpine is an American guitarist and keyboardist. Having released ten studio albums over a career spanning more than two decades, he is best known as an instrumental solo guitarist, although he has worked with many different bands and musicians in the form of guest appearances and...
was recruited to complete the band. Sherinian has stated that his intention when forming Planet X was to create a group of musicians that "played their instruments so fiercely, that they would strike fear in the hearts of all musicians".
In 2001, Derek teamed with drummer Simon Phillips
Simon Phillips
Simon Phillips is an English jazz, pop and rock drummer.-Career:Phillips began to play professionally at the age of twelve in his father's Dixieland band for four years. He was then offered the chance to play in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar...
and guitarists Steve Lukather
Steve Lukather
Steve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...
and Zakk Wylde
Zakk Wylde
Zachary Phillip Wylde , best known by the stage name Zakk Wylde, is an American musician, songwriter, and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society. He was the lead guitarist and vocalist in Pride & Glory,...
to record Inertia
Inertia (Derek Sherinian album)
Inertia is the second solo album by keyboard player Derek Sherinian. It features many guest musicians including Steve Lukather, Simon Phillips, Jerry Goodman, Zakk Wylde and Tony Franklin. Lukather was quoted at the time as saying that Inertia contained "the best guitar work I've ever recorded"...
, followed by Black Utopia
Black Utopia
Black Utopia is the third solo album by keyboard player Derek Sherinian. In addition to the returning members Zakk Wylde, Simon Phillips and Steve Lukather, three new musicians joined Sherinian: bass guitarist Billy Sheehan and guitarists Yngwie Malmsteen – with whom Sherinian had toured in 2001 –...
(2003). For Black Utopia, three new faces joined Sherinian’s group: bassist Billy Sheehan
Billy Sheehan
William "Billy" Sheehan is an American bassist known for his work with Talas, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, and Niacin. Sheehan has won the "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll from Guitar Player Magazine five times for his "lead bass" playing style...
, rock guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, and jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
guitarist Al Di Meola
Al Di Meola
Al Di Meola is an acclaimed American jazz fusion and Latin guitarist, composer, and record producer of Italian origin. With a musical career that has spanned more than three decades, he has become respected as one of the most influential guitarists in jazz to date...
. With respect to this fusion-influenced lineup, Sherinian stated:
Sherinian also calls the album "a lot darker and heavier than [Inertia]". In Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the cover of Black Utopia was altered to remove the cross in the title without Sherinian's consent; Sherinian has commented that the cross "meant nothing" and was added for aesthetic purposes.
Sherinian extended further into the fusion realm by collaborating with guitarist Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth is an English guitarist and composer. He has released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played many different styles of music over a period of four decades, but first drew attention for his work in jazz fusion...
and violinist Jerry Goodman
Jerry Goodman
Jerry Goodman is an American violinist best known for playing electric violin in the bands The Flock and the jazz fusion Mahavishnu Orchestra. Goodman actually began his musical career as The Flock's roadie before joining the band on violin. Trained in the conservatory, both of his parents were...
(formerly of the Mahavishnu Orchestra) on Mythology
Mythology (Derek Sherinian album)
Mythology is the fourth solo album by keyboard player Derek Sherinian. Sherinian again draws upon some of the greatest talent from the worlds of rock and jazz music...
(2004). In addition to another appearance by Phillips, other musicians appearing on this recording were Zakk Wylde
Zakk Wylde
Zachary Phillip Wylde , best known by the stage name Zakk Wylde, is an American musician, songwriter, and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society. He was the lead guitarist and vocalist in Pride & Glory,...
, John Sykes
John Sykes
John James Sykes , is an English rock guitarist, who has played with Streetfighter, Tygers of Pan Tang, John Sloman's Badlands, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, and Blue Murder, in addition to having a notable solo career....
, Steve Stevens
Steve Stevens
Steve Stevens is an American guitarist and songwriter.He is best known for playing for other artists and less known for his critically acclaimed solo efforts , collaborations Steve Stevens (born as Steven Schneider on May 5, 1959, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American guitarist and songwriter.He...
, and Tony Franklin
Tony Franklin (musician)
Anthony James "Tony" Franklin is an English rock musician, best known for his work on the fretless bass guitar with Roy Harper, The Firm, Jimmy Page, John Sykes' Blue Murder, Whitesnake and briefly, with Quiet Riot.-Fretless bass:...
.
Since 2002, Sherinian has toured with several well-known artists, including Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
and Yngwie Malmsteen. Derek's fifth solo album, Blood of the Snake
Blood of the Snake
Blood of the Snake is the fifth solo album by keyboard player Derek Sherinian. It has contributions from Billy Idol, Zakk Wylde, Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash, John Petrucci of Dream Theater, in addition to previous collaborators Simon Phillips, Yngwie Malmsteen, Tony Franklin, Steve Lukather and...
(2006), features contributions from Idol, as well as former Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
guitarist Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
, John Petrucci
John Petrucci
John Peter Petrucci is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Along with his former bandmate Mike Portnoy, he has produced all Dream Theater albums since their 1999 release, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory...
of Dream Theater, and Brian Tichy
Brian Tichy
Brian Tichy is a drummer, guitar player, vocalist and songwriter. He is currently the drummer with Whitesnake. Previously he was the drummer for Foreigner from 2009 until 2010, when he was replaced by Jason Sutter. Tichy began playing drums at age eight and started playing guitar at age 12...
; Phillips, Franklin and Lukather make return appearances. A video for a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry is an English rock group whose greatest success was in the early 1970s, though they have continued throughout the years with an ever-changing line-up, always fronted by Ray Dorset. They are remembered above all for their hit "In the Summertime". It remains their most successful and most...
's "In the Summertime" was released along with the album. Sherinian also worked with duduk
Duduk
The duduk , traditionally known since antiquity as a Ծիրանափող is a traditional woodwind instrument indigenous to Armenia. Variations of it are popular in the Middle East and Central Asia...
master Djivan Gasparyan
Djivan Gasparyan
Djivan Gasparyan is an Armenian musician and composer. He plays the duduk, a double reed woodwind instrument related to the orchestral oboe. Gasparyan is known as the Master of the duduk.-Biography:...
on the song "Prelude To Battle" on the release, written for his great grandmother who survived the Armenian genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
. In 2009, Sherinian released his sixth solo album, Molecular Heinosity
Molecular Heinosity
Molecular Heinosity is the sixth solo album by keyborad player Derek Sherinian. Like Sherinian's first record Planet X, Molecular Heinosity opens with a trilogy. Titled "Antarctica", it features drummer Virgil Donati, guitarist Brett Garsed and bass guitarist Jimmy Johnson...
, again featuring Zakk Wylde, Tony Franklin and Brian Tichy. Later that year, Sherinian also performed a one-off acoustic gig with Alice In Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
to launch their Black Gives Way To Blue
Black Gives Way to Blue
Black Gives Way to Blue is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Alice in Chains, released in September 2009. The first Alice in Chains album in nearly fourteen years, Black Gives Way to Blue is their first release with new vocalist/guitarist William DuVall, who took over from the late...
album.
In 2010, Sherinian became a founding member of supergroup Black Country Communion
Black Country Communion
Black Country Communion is an English-American rock supergroup featuring Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham, Derek Sherinian, and Joe Bonamassa.-Formation and Black Country :...
with Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham
Jason Bonham
Jason John Bonham is an English drummer. Jason's parents are Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham and his wife Pat Phillips. After his father's death in 1980, he has played with Led Zeppelin on different occasions, including the Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert at The O2 Arena in London in...
, and Joe Bonamassa
Joe Bonamassa
Joe Bonamassa is an American blues rock guitarist and singer.-Early life:Bonamassa was born and raised in New Hartford, United States. His parents owned and ran a guitar shop. He is a fourth-generation musician...
. releasing their eponymous debut.
1n 2011, Sherinian performed on a second Black Country Communion record titiled "2", followed with a nine week tour of the United States and Europe. In September of that year, Sherinian released his seventh solo album titled " Oceana" reuniting with Simon Phillips and Steve Lukather, and featuring a guest appearance from BCC bandmate Joe Bonamassa.
Influences and collaborations
In a 2000 interview, Sherinian cited his early keyboard influences as being Jan HammerJan Hammer
Jan Hammer is a composer, pianist and keyboardist. He first gained his most visible audience while playing keyboards with the Mahavishnu Orchestra in the early 1970s, as well as his film scores for television and film including "Miami Vice Theme" and "Crockett's Theme", from the popular 1980s...
(Mahavishnu Orchestra), Keith Emerson
Keith Emerson
Keith Noel Emerson is an English keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of the Keith Emerson Trio, John Brown's Bodies, The T-Bones, V.I.P.s, P.P. Arnold's backing band, and The Nice , he was a founder of Emerson, Lake & Palmer , one of the early supergroups, in 1970...
(Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
and The Nice
The Nice
The Nice were an English progressive rock band from the 1960s, known for their blend of rock, jazz and classical music. Their debut album, The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack was released in 1967 to immediate acclaim. It is often considered the first progressive rock album...
), Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman
Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...
(Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
), and Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
. Other influences include guitarists Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth is an English guitarist and composer. He has released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played many different styles of music over a period of four decades, but first drew attention for his work in jazz fusion...
, Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
, 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...
. Sherinian enjoys co-writing material with fellow musicians, and often finds that he writes better material with drummers. Sherinian cites Van Halen's guitar playing as having a direct influence on his aggressive unique approach to keyboards in terms of technique as well as tone; his unique signature lead patch contains numerous elements of guitar sounds such as distortion, harmonics, and palm-muting, eventually leading to playing a gig with Eddie for a party at Van Halen's home in 2006, of which Sherinian said "It was the highlight of my career, it was completely surreal." Sherinian's work with noted Toto
Toto (band)
Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...
guitarist Steve Lukather
Steve Lukather
Steve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...
on the 2001 solo CD Inertia was cited by Lukather as "probably my best recorded work in my whole career. Great record! I'm very proud of it!".
Sherinian's collaborations with top musicians were featured in a 2007 article in Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
magazine, where guitarist Zakk Wylde
Zakk Wylde
Zachary Phillip Wylde , best known by the stage name Zakk Wylde, is an American musician, songwriter, and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society. He was the lead guitarist and vocalist in Pride & Glory,...
offered "People want to play with him because he’s that good. He can play everything from the easiest licks on a piano to the most complex Beethoven sonata
Sonata
Sonata , in music, literally means a piece played as opposed to a cantata , a piece sung. The term, being vague, naturally evolved through the history of music, designating a variety of forms prior to the Classical era...
s with ease." Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
guitarist John Petrucci
John Petrucci
John Peter Petrucci is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Along with his former bandmate Mike Portnoy, he has produced all Dream Theater albums since their 1999 release, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory...
added "...Derek -considering the fact that he’s heavily into guitarists and rock music, his history, and the range of all the great guitarists he’s worked with —plays with a fire unheard of from most keyboardists.” Sherinian explains that he enlists a variety of guitarists because he "[does not] think there is one guitarist who can cover all the styles featured on [the] albums." Sherinian often tailors songs for specific guitarists, such as Holdsworth and Wylde for "Day of the Dead" (off Mythology); in this respect, he seeks to take certain aspects of genres and make them "collide in an eloquent way".
Equipment
Clavia
Clavia Digital Musical Instruments is a Swedish manufacturer of virtual analog synthesizers, virtual electromechanical pianos and stage pianos, founded in Stockholm, Sweden in 1983 by Hans Nordelius and Mikael Carlsson.-The Company:...
representative Bengt Lilja in January 2004. As an KORG endorsee, Sherinian was one of the first artists to adopt the Korg Trinity
Korg Trinity
Korg Trinity is a commercially successful synthesizer music workstation released by Korg in 1996. It was also the first workstation to offer modular expansion for not only sounds, but also studio-grade feature such as SCSI, ADAT, various sound engine processors, audio recording capability, and more...
keyboard series in 1996. In collaboration with KORG sound designer Jack Hotop, they created Sherinian's signature "guitaristic" lead sound (the "Monster Lead", made famous on the Dream Theater album "Falling Into Infinity") on the Trinity, as well as other, more "modern" and "aggressive" keyboard patches, owing to his fondness of guitar tones and technique. Derek is currently using the KORG Kronos in the studio and live.
Derek also uses the Hammond B3 organ; he thinks that "every rock keyboardist should have a distorted Leslie and a Hammond as part of their sound."
Derek is also known for being one of the first keyboardists to use vertical keyboard stands, influencing a new generation of keyboardists. A more detailed list of equipment can be found at Sherinian's Web site (http://www.dereksherinian.com/gear.htm).
Sherinian currently uses the following gear: Korg Kronos 61
Korg Kronos
The Kronos is a music workstation manufactured by Korg that combines nine different synthesizer sound engines with a sequencer, digital recorder, effects, a color touchscreen display and a keyboard...
, Moog Voyager XL, Clavia Nord Lead 3
Clavia
Clavia Digital Musical Instruments is a Swedish manufacturer of virtual analog synthesizers, virtual electromechanical pianos and stage pianos, founded in Stockholm, Sweden in 1983 by Hans Nordelius and Mikael Carlsson.-The Company:...
, Clavia Nord Elerctro 3
Clavia
Clavia Digital Musical Instruments is a Swedish manufacturer of virtual analog synthesizers, virtual electromechanical pianos and stage pianos, founded in Stockholm, Sweden in 1983 by Hans Nordelius and Mikael Carlsson.-The Company:...
, Clavia Nord Stage 2 88. His vintage gear includes: 1977 Yamaha C9 Conservatory Series Grand Piano.Moog
Moog Music
Moog Music is an American company based in Asheville, North Carolina which manufactures electronic musical instruments. The current Moog Music is the second company to trade under that name.-R.A. Moog Co. and the original Moog Music:...
Taurus Pedals, 1962 fruitwood Hammond B3, two Leslie 147, modified by Ken Rich Sound Services. Sherinian also owns Beachwood Manor Studios, located in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
.In the studio, Derek also has a Muse Research Receptor 2 ProMax loaded with Omnisphere,Trillian, M Tron 2, B4 2, Ivory 2, Predator, Massive, and many other soft synths.
Solo albums
| Date of release | Title | Label | Type | Allmusic rating | US Sales |
| 1999 | Planet X Planet X (album) Planet X is the first studio album by keyboardist Derek Sherinian, released in 1999 through Magna Carta Records. The album was co-written by Sherinian and drummer Virgil Donati on the recommendation of Shrapnel Records founder Mike Varney... |
Magna Carta Magna Carta Records Magna Carta Records is an independent record label located in Rochester, New York. Magna Carta was formed in 1989 and is owned by Peter Morticelli and his partner Mike Varney. The label has a diverse line-up consisting of musicians from many different genres, but is best known for many of its... |
Studio | N/A | |
| 2001 | Inertia Inertia (Derek Sherinian album) Inertia is the second solo album by keyboard player Derek Sherinian. It features many guest musicians including Steve Lukather, Simon Phillips, Jerry Goodman, Zakk Wylde and Tony Franklin. Lukather was quoted at the time as saying that Inertia contained "the best guitar work I've ever recorded"... |
InsideOut InsideOut Music Inside Out Music is a German independent record label based in Kleve, in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, and dedicated to the publication of progressive rock, progressive metal and related styles music albums.-History:... |
Studio | N/A | |
| April 22, 2003 | Black Utopia Black Utopia Black Utopia is the third solo album by keyboard player Derek Sherinian. In addition to the returning members Zakk Wylde, Simon Phillips and Steve Lukather, three new musicians joined Sherinian: bass guitarist Billy Sheehan and guitarists Yngwie Malmsteen – with whom Sherinian had toured in 2001 –... |
InsideOut | Studio | N/A | |
| November 9, 2004 | Mythology Mythology (Derek Sherinian album) Mythology is the fourth solo album by keyboard player Derek Sherinian. Sherinian again draws upon some of the greatest talent from the worlds of rock and jazz music... |
InsideOut | Studio | N/A | N/A |
| August 1, 2006 | Blood of the Snake Blood of the Snake Blood of the Snake is the fifth solo album by keyboard player Derek Sherinian. It has contributions from Billy Idol, Zakk Wylde, Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash, John Petrucci of Dream Theater, in addition to previous collaborators Simon Phillips, Yngwie Malmsteen, Tony Franklin, Steve Lukather and... |
InsideOut | Studio | N/A | |
| March 24, 2009 | Molecular Heinosity Molecular Heinosity Molecular Heinosity is the sixth solo album by keyborad player Derek Sherinian. Like Sherinian's first record Planet X, Molecular Heinosity opens with a trilogy. Titled "Antarctica", it features drummer Virgil Donati, guitarist Brett Garsed and bass guitarist Jimmy Johnson... |
InsideOut | Studio | N/A | |
| September 5, 2011 | Oceana | Mascot Label Group | Studio |
With Dream Theater
| Date of release | Title | Label | Type | Allmusic rating | US Sales |
| September 19, 1995 | A Change of Seasons A Change of Seasons -Credits:* James LaBrie – Vocals* John Myung – bass* John Petrucci – guitars* Mike Portnoy – drums* Derek Sherinian – keyboards-Chart performance:Billboard 200:* A Change of Seasons – #58UK Albums Chart... |
EastWest | Studio/Live EP | 188,000+ | |
| September 23, 1997 | Falling into Infinity Falling into Infinity -Personnel:* James LaBrie – vocals* John Myung – bass, Chapman Stick* John Petrucci – guitars, backing vocals* Mike Portnoy – drums, backing vocals* Derek Sherinian – keyboards, backing vocals-Chart performance:Billboard 200:* Falling Into Infinity - #52... |
EastWest | Studio | 160,000+ | |
| October 27, 1998 | Once in a LIVEtime Once in a LIVEtime -Disc two:-Covers and tributes:Dream Theater have often placed riffs or parts of other band's songs into their songs when playing live. On this album, there are several examples of this.... |
EastWest | Live | 75,000+ | |
| 1998 | 5 Years in a LIVEtime 5 Years in a Livetime 5 Years in a LIVEtime is the second home video release by Dream Theater. The video contains a mix of concert footage, promotional video clips, and behind-the-scenes and interview footage from the five years in between the release of their previous home video, Images and Words: Live in Tokyo, and... |
EastWest | VHS/DVD | N/A |
With Planet X
| Date of release | Title | Label | Type | Allmusic rating | US Sales |
| June 6, 2000 | Universe Universe (Planet X album) Universe is the first studio album by Planet X, released on June 6, 2000 through InsideOut Music. It is essentially a continuation of keyboardist Derek Sherinian's first solo album, Planet X , but this time as a full band effort.-Track listing:... |
InsideOut | Studio | N/A | |
| April 3, 2002 | Live from Oz Live From Oz -Personnel:*Tony MacAlpine – electric guitar, production*Derek Sherinian – keyboard, production*Virgil Donati – drums, production*Dave LaRue – bass guitar*Albert Law – engineering*Simon Phillips – mixing*Brad Vance – mastering-Release history:... |
InsideOut | Live | N/A | |
| July 29, 2002 | MoonBabies MoonBabies - Personnel :* Tony MacAlpine – electric guitar* Derek Sherinian – keyboard* Virgil Donati – drums* Tom Kennedy – bass guitar * Billy Sheehan – bass guitar * Jimmy Johnson – bass guitar... |
InsideOut | Studio | N/A | |
| May 18, 2007 | Quantum Quantum (album) -Personnel:*Brett Garsed – electric guitar, production*Allan Holdsworth – additional guitar solos *Derek Sherinian – keyboard, production*Virgil Donati – drums, orchestration, production*Jimmy Johnson – bass guitar... |
InsideOut | Studio | N/A |
With other musicians
- A complete list of projects is at Sherinian's website and the [ Allmusic credits page].
Date of release Artist Title Label Type Allmusic rating US Sales May 18, 1993 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,...Alive III Alive III"Take It Off" originally was a bonus track on the Japanese, European and South American CD releases and the US vinyl release only, being placed between "Forever" and "I Love It Loud"...Mercury Mercury RecordsMercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...Live N/A 1994 Alice Cooper Alice CooperAlice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...The Last Temptation Epic Epic RecordsEpic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...Studio N/A August 22, 1995 Alice Cooper Alice CooperAlice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...Classicks Epic Compilation N/A August 25, 1998 Platypus Platypus (band)Platypus was a progressive rock / jazz-fusion supergroup that consisted of members from Dream Theater, King's X and Dixie Dregs. The group was formed in 1997 and disbanded in 2000.-History:...When Pus Comes to Shove When Pus Comes to ShoveWhen Pus Comes to Shove is the debut album of the band Platypus.- Track listing :# Standing In Line - # Nothing To Say - # Rock Balls/Destination Unknown - # Platt Opus - # I'm With You - # Blue Plate Special -...Velvel Studio N/A March 14, 2000 Platypus Platypus (band)Platypus was a progressive rock / jazz-fusion supergroup that consisted of members from Dream Theater, King's X and Dixie Dregs. The group was formed in 1997 and disbanded in 2000.-History:...Ice Cycles Ice CyclesIce Cycles is the second album by the progressive metal group Platypus, released in 2000.-Track listing:# Oh God – 4:16# Better Left Unsaid – 5:24# The Tower – 3:30# Cry – 6:15# I Need You – 4:17# 25 – 5:09# Gone – 6:42...InsideOut Music InsideOut MusicInside Out Music is a German independent record label based in Kleve, in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, and dedicated to the publication of progressive rock, progressive metal and related styles music albums.-History:...Studio N/A October 15, 2002 Yngwie Malmsteen Attack!! Import Studio N/A March 22, 2005 Billy Idol Billy IdolWilliam Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...Devil's Playground Devil's Playground (album)-Chart performance:-Personnel:*Billy Idol — vocals*Steve Stevens — guitar*Stephen McGrath — bass*Derek Sherinian — keyboards*Brian Tichy — percussion, drums*Julian Beeston — drum programming...Sanctuary Sanctuary RecordsSanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...Studio N/A June 24, 2008 Billy Idol Billy IdolWilliam Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself Capitol Records Capitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...Compilation N/A October 14, 2008 Yngwie Malmsteen Perpetual Flame Perpetual FlamePerpetual Flame is a studio album by guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen and his group Rising Force, released on October 13, 2008 in Europe and on October 14, 2008 in the U.S.A. and Canada. It was his first album since 2005's Unleash the Fury and the first with ex-Judas Priest and Iced Earth singer Tim...Koch Studio N/A September 10, 2010 Black Country Communion Black Country CommunionBlack Country Communion is an English-American rock supergroup featuring Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham, Derek Sherinian, and Joe Bonamassa.-Formation and Black Country :...Black Country Black Country (album)Black Country is the debut release by the English-American rock supergroup Black Country Communion. The album was released in Europe on 20 September 2010, and in the US one day later.-Overview:...Mascot MascotThe term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...Studio N/A June 14, 2011 Black Country Communion Black Country CommunionBlack Country Communion is an English-American rock supergroup featuring Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham, Derek Sherinian, and Joe Bonamassa.-Formation and Black Country :...2 2 (Black Country Communion album)2 is the second studio album by the English-American rock band Black Country Communion. The album was released on June 13, 2011 in Europe, and in the United States one day later.-Overview:...Mascot MascotThe term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...Studio N/A
Multimedia
- Video for Dream Theater - "Hollow Years"
- Live version of "Atlantis : Apocalypse 1470 BC"
- http://www.clavia.se/MP3s/MP3%20files/MoonBabies1.mp3Clavia Nord sample 1 from Planet XPlanet X (band)Planet X is an instrumental rock/progressive metal supergroup, founded by keyboardist Derek Sherinian and drummer Virgil Donati. Throughout a decade of activity, they have released three studio albums and one live album, each with a variety of guest musicians and oft-changing...
"MoonBabiesMoonBabies- Personnel :* Tony MacAlpine – electric guitar* Derek Sherinian – keyboard* Virgil Donati – drums* Tom Kennedy – bass guitar * Billy Sheehan – bass guitar * Jimmy Johnson – bass guitar...
"] - http://www.clavia.se/MP3s/MP3%20files/MoonBabies2.mp3Clavia Nord sample 2 from Planet XPlanet X (band)Planet X is an instrumental rock/progressive metal supergroup, founded by keyboardist Derek Sherinian and drummer Virgil Donati. Throughout a decade of activity, they have released three studio albums and one live album, each with a variety of guest musicians and oft-changing...
"MoonBabiesMoonBabies- Personnel :* Tony MacAlpine – electric guitar* Derek Sherinian – keyboard* Virgil Donati – drums* Tom Kennedy – bass guitar * Billy Sheehan – bass guitar * Jimmy Johnson – bass guitar...
"]