Gizz Butt
Encyclopedia
Gizz Butt is a British
musician, best known for playing the guitar
during live performances by band The Prodigy
in the late 1990s.
. Coming from a musical background, Gizz began playing the guitar at the age of eleven, taking lessons with a jazz guitarist in Manchester. In 1978, his family had relocated to Peterborough
, where Butt formed his first school band, The Northern Lights. Within a few months 12 year old Graham changed the band name to The Exits and wrote a whole 40 set of original material including guitar solos. Enjoying this experience he turned the band into a 3 piece called The System and began booking his own shows locally ."I started playing in that way when I was 13 and I heard Motorhead’s “Bomber” back to back with The Damned’s “Love song”. My sister was dating a musician called Harry Sayers, a black guy who was into Heavy Metal and he left his Fender strat and distortion unit at my house. He showed me a bunch of stuff by Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Thin Lizzy and Hendrix. My first goal was to play better than him. It took me 12 months. He was my idol at that time though and stayed that way until I heard Van Halen for the first time and THAT changed my life. Bear in mind that all this time I was in a Punk rock band and learning and writing Punk rock songs. I was adding a metal edge to all of it". He was quickly recruited by another band, The Destructors
. During the years 1981 - 83 Gizz was co-writing and recording the bands stream of singles (Senseless Violence, Religion, Jailbait, Forces of Law, Wild Thing) and albums (Excorcise the demons of youth, Armaggedon in action, Bomb Hanoi, Merry Xmas and F*** off) By 1984 he had left The Destructors to join English Dogs
. While in The English Dogs he toured the USA, and it was at this time Gizz's fusion of punk and metal based guitar playing was started to get him noticed by the likes of Metallica
and helping influence the thrash metal
genre. By 1987 the English Dogs came to a halt and Gizz had moved on again, forming another band, Wardance.
Gizz auditioned for the guitarist position with The Prodigy and within 2 weeks was playing in front of 50,000 people at the T In The Park
Festival. He toured with The Prodigy for 3 years when they were at their most successful. After playing with The Prodigy throughout the 1996–97 period, Gizz formed Janus Stark
in 1998 who had US chart success with ‘Every Little Thing Counts’, and formed another band in 2003, The More I see
, a thrash metal
5 piece.
Butt has performed with British
thrashers Sabbat
since the D.O.D festival, replacing original bassist Fraser Craske. He continued to perform with the band for the remainder of their 2007 festival appearances and all European and American dates in 2008.
In 2006, Butt began working with Steve Ignorant
, founder of anarcho-punk band Crass
on a set based around that band's Feeding of the 5000
album, which was performed in November 2007 in London at Shepherd's Bush Empire. In 2009 they decided to expand the show and tour worldwide, calling the tour The Last Supper. They have announced that final show of this tour will be in London in 2011.
Outside of performance work, Butt teaches, formerly at Stamford School
, now at Hampton College, Peterborough
and also currently at the Voyager School in Peterborough.
'The More I See' released two albums: "The Unholy Feast" on Transcend records and "The Wolves Are Hungry" on SPV.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
musician, best known for playing the 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...
during live performances by band The Prodigy
The Prodigy
The Prodigy are an English electronic dance music group formed by Liam Howlett in 1990 in Braintree, Essex. Along with Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and other acts, The Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s and 2000s...
in the late 1990s.
Early years
Born August 3, 1966 Graham Anthony Butt acquired the nickname "Gizz" from the character 'Gizzard Puke' The Kenny Everett ShowKenny Everett
Kenny Everett was an English comedian, radio DJ and television entertainer. Born Maurice James Christopher Cole, Everett is best known for his career as a radio DJ and for the Kenny Everett television shows.-Early life:...
. Coming from a musical background, Gizz began playing the guitar at the age of eleven, taking lessons with a jazz guitarist in Manchester. In 1978, his family had relocated to Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
, where Butt formed his first school band, The Northern Lights. Within a few months 12 year old Graham changed the band name to The Exits and wrote a whole 40 set of original material including guitar solos. Enjoying this experience he turned the band into a 3 piece called The System and began booking his own shows locally ."I started playing in that way when I was 13 and I heard Motorhead’s “Bomber” back to back with The Damned’s “Love song”. My sister was dating a musician called Harry Sayers, a black guy who was into Heavy Metal and he left his Fender strat and distortion unit at my house. He showed me a bunch of stuff by Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Thin Lizzy and Hendrix. My first goal was to play better than him. It took me 12 months. He was my idol at that time though and stayed that way until I heard Van Halen for the first time and THAT changed my life. Bear in mind that all this time I was in a Punk rock band and learning and writing Punk rock songs. I was adding a metal edge to all of it". He was quickly recruited by another band, The Destructors
The Destructors (band)
The Destructors are a punk rock band from Peterborough, England, 1977-1979 then 1980 until 1984. They re-formed as Destructors 666 in 2006.-History:...
. During the years 1981 - 83 Gizz was co-writing and recording the bands stream of singles (Senseless Violence, Religion, Jailbait, Forces of Law, Wild Thing) and albums (Excorcise the demons of youth, Armaggedon in action, Bomb Hanoi, Merry Xmas and F*** off) By 1984 he had left The Destructors to join English Dogs
English Dogs
English Dogs are a British crossover punk rock/heavy metal band that began life in the early eighties.-History:English Dogs formed in October 1981 in Grantham and produced two demos during 1982 entitled 'Show No Mercy' and 'Free To Kill'. The band toured as support to fellow punk band Charged GBH...
. While in The English Dogs he toured the USA, and it was at this time Gizz's fusion of punk and metal based guitar playing was started to get him noticed by the likes of Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
and helping influence the thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
genre. By 1987 the English Dogs came to a halt and Gizz had moved on again, forming another band, Wardance.
Gizz auditioned for the guitarist position with The Prodigy and within 2 weeks was playing in front of 50,000 people at the T In The Park
T in the Park
T in the Park is a major British music festival that has been held annually since 1994. It is named after its main sponsor, the brewing company Tennents. It was originally held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire but since 1997 has been held at a disused airfield in Balado, Kinross-shire...
Festival. He toured with The Prodigy for 3 years when they were at their most successful. After playing with The Prodigy throughout the 1996–97 period, Gizz formed Janus Stark
Janus Stark
Janus Stark were an experimental punk rock band from Peterborough, England. Their album "Great Adventure Cigar" was highly rated by The Foo Fighters and Die Toten Hosen and was a fusion of Punk, Hard rock, Heavy Metal and Alternative with influences from Helmet to Radiohead to The Beatles to...
in 1998 who had US chart success with ‘Every Little Thing Counts’, and formed another band in 2003, The More I see
The More I See
-Formation:The More I See were formed by guitarist Graham 'Gizz' Butt, formerly of Punk Metal band English Dogs and the Prodigy.Formed in Cambridgeshire in 2002 with vocalist Chad Sunderland, guitarist Gavin King and bassist Lee Churchill.-Personnel changes:To speed the musical pace up, both live...
, a thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
5 piece.
Butt has performed with British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
thrashers Sabbat
Sabbat (band)
Sabbat are a thrash metal band from Nottingham, England, currently consisting of Martin Walkyier , Andy Sneap , Simon Jones , Gizz Butt and Simon Negus . Over the years Sabbat have released three studio albums, four demos, two split singles/compilation albums, two singles and a live VHS...
since the D.O.D festival, replacing original bassist Fraser Craske. He continued to perform with the band for the remainder of their 2007 festival appearances and all European and American dates in 2008.
In 2006, Butt began working with Steve Ignorant
Steve Ignorant
Steve Ignorant is a singer and artist. He co-founded the anarcho-punk band Crass with Penny Rimbaud in 1977. After Crass stopped performing in 1984, he has worked with other groups including Conflict, Schwartzeneggar, The Stratford Mercenaries, Current 93 , US punk band Thought Crime, as well as...
, founder of anarcho-punk band Crass
Crass
Crass are an English punk rock band that was formed in 1977, which promoted anarchism as a political ideology, way of living, and as a resistance movement. Crass popularised the seminal anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, and advocated direct action, animal rights, and environmentalism...
on a set based around that band's Feeding of the 5000
The Feeding of the 5000 (album)
The Feeding of the 5000 is the first album by Crass, released in 1978. Crass never gained a large mainstream audience, but their virulently anti-establishment lyrics and anarchist politics brought the band a committed following upon the record’s release....
album, which was performed in November 2007 in London at Shepherd's Bush Empire. In 2009 they decided to expand the show and tour worldwide, calling the tour The Last Supper. They have announced that final show of this tour will be in London in 2011.
Outside of performance work, Butt teaches, formerly at Stamford School
Stamford School
Stamford School is an English independent school situated in the market town of Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. It has been a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference since 1920.-History:...
, now at Hampton College, Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
and also currently at the Voyager School in Peterborough.
'The More I See' released two albums: "The Unholy Feast" on Transcend records and "The Wolves Are Hungry" on SPV.