Mike Riggs
Encyclopedia
Mike Riggs, a.k.a. Riggs, is a heavy-metal guitarist
born April 23, 1971 in Ozark, Arkansas
. Highlights in career include his guitar work for Rob Zombie's
first two solo albums (Hellbilly Deluxe
and The Sinister Urge
) and currently his skills as a guitarist, vocalist, and producer for Scum of the Earth.
which included future Nine Inch Nails
guitarist Danny Lohner
. He toured with Skrew supporting their first album, Burning in Water, Drowning in Flames, then went on to contribute to the recording of their second release, Dusted. After playing with Skrew for several years, Riggs joined Prong after the release of their studio album Rude Awakening and toured with them for some time.
When Riggs was attending a WWF event, he met Rob Zombie
(ex-White Zombie
) who said he was working on a new album, and had yet to find a guitarist. He played guitar for Zombie on "Hellbilly Deluxe
" and "The Sinister Urge
" before he left the band to begin his own project. He founded the band Scum of the Earth for which he plays guitar and sings lead vocals. After signing to Eclipse Records
, the band released their first album entitled Blah...Blah...Blah...Love Songs for the New Millennium
on October 26, 2004 produced by famed producer Ben Burkhardt at Belt of Orion Recording in Los Angeles, California. Songs were featured in National Lampoon's TV: The Movie
, on numerous MTV
shows, and a slew of action sports DVDs. Riggs is best known for playing a Fernandes Vertigo with a sustainer. He also uses a wah pedal.He uses Marshall G100R CD for his amps.
He is also known for playing his see-through Fernandes Vertigo guitar that is filled with fake blood that he pours on himself, drinks or spits into the crowd while playing.
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
born April 23, 1971 in Ozark, Arkansas
Ozark, Arkansas
Ozark is a city in Franklin County, Arkansas, United States, and one of the two county seats of Franklin County. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,525 at the 2000 census, making Ozark the ninth largest municipality in the metro area...
. Highlights in career include his guitar work for Rob Zombie's
Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie is an American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He founded the heavy metal band White Zombie and has been nominated three times as a solo artist for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.Zombie has also established a career as a film director, creating the...
first two solo albums (Hellbilly Deluxe
Hellbilly Deluxe
* Danny Lohner - Additional Guitar on Meet the Creeper.* Tommy Lee - Drums on Meet the Creeper.-Chart positions:AlbumSingles...
and The Sinister Urge
The Sinister Urge (album)
-Credits:* Tom Baker - Mastering* Evelyne Bennu - Female Vocals* Blasko - Bass* Dan Burns - Assistant Engineer* Chris Chaney - Additional Bass* Marina Chavez - Photos* Josh Freese - Additional Drums* Gary Grant - Horns* Emm Gryner - Female Vocals...
) and currently his skills as a guitarist, vocalist, and producer for Scum of the Earth.
Career history
His career as a musician started at the age of 19 in 1990 when he started the band Demiltry in Austin, Texas for whom he played the rhythm guitar and sang lead vocals. The band released only one record, a 4-track demo titled Artist of Misery for which Mike composed the title song on the album. The band split up soon after the release. He went on after this to play for another Austin band called SkrewSkrew
Skrew is an influential industrial metal band. Formed in 1990 and disbanded in 1998, the group announced its return in 2009.-Biography:Skrew was formed in 1990 in Austin, Texas, by Adam Grossman and Danny Lohner...
which included future Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
guitarist Danny Lohner
Danny Lohner
Daniel Patrick "Danny" Lohner , frequently known as Renholdër, is an American rock musician who plays bass guitar, electric guitar, and keyboards. He worked with Trent Reznor on numerous occasions, both with Nine Inch Nails and on the now defunct Tapeworm project...
. He toured with Skrew supporting their first album, Burning in Water, Drowning in Flames, then went on to contribute to the recording of their second release, Dusted. After playing with Skrew for several years, Riggs joined Prong after the release of their studio album Rude Awakening and toured with them for some time.
When Riggs was attending a WWF event, he met Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie is an American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He founded the heavy metal band White Zombie and has been nominated three times as a solo artist for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.Zombie has also established a career as a film director, creating the...
(ex-White Zombie
White Zombie
White Zombie was a Grammy Award-nominated American heavy metal band. Based in New York City, White Zombie was originally a noise rock band. White Zombie are better-known for their later heavy metal-oriented sound...
) who said he was working on a new album, and had yet to find a guitarist. He played guitar for Zombie on "Hellbilly Deluxe
Hellbilly Deluxe
* Danny Lohner - Additional Guitar on Meet the Creeper.* Tommy Lee - Drums on Meet the Creeper.-Chart positions:AlbumSingles...
" and "The Sinister Urge
The Sinister Urge (album)
-Credits:* Tom Baker - Mastering* Evelyne Bennu - Female Vocals* Blasko - Bass* Dan Burns - Assistant Engineer* Chris Chaney - Additional Bass* Marina Chavez - Photos* Josh Freese - Additional Drums* Gary Grant - Horns* Emm Gryner - Female Vocals...
" before he left the band to begin his own project. He founded the band Scum of the Earth for which he plays guitar and sings lead vocals. After signing to Eclipse Records
Eclipse Records
Eclipse Records is an American indie rock record label based in Butler, New Jersey. The label is known for bringing the Cleveland band Mushroomhead to national attention. The current president of the label is Chris Poland.-History:...
, the band released their first album entitled Blah...Blah...Blah...Love Songs for the New Millennium
Blah...Blah...Blah...Love Songs for the New Millennium
Blah...Blah...Blah...Love Songs for the New Millennium is the first album by heavy metal band Scum of the Earth.-Track listing:# "I Am the Scum" – 3:16# "Bloodsukinfreakshow" – 2:33# "Get Your Dead On" – 3:56# "Little Spider" – 3:48...
on October 26, 2004 produced by famed producer Ben Burkhardt at Belt of Orion Recording in Los Angeles, California. Songs were featured in National Lampoon's TV: The Movie
National Lampoon's TV: The Movie
National Lampoon's TV: The Movie is a comedy film that was released in 2007 and features some of the actors from the TV show Jackass.-Plot:...
, on numerous MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
shows, and a slew of action sports DVDs. Riggs is best known for playing a Fernandes Vertigo with a sustainer. He also uses a wah pedal.He uses Marshall G100R CD for his amps.
He is also known for playing his see-through Fernandes Vertigo guitar that is filled with fake blood that he pours on himself, drinks or spits into the crowd while playing.
with Rob Zombie
- 1998: Hellbilly DeluxeHellbilly Deluxe* Danny Lohner - Additional Guitar on Meet the Creeper.* Tommy Lee - Drums on Meet the Creeper.-Chart positions:AlbumSingles...
- 1999: American Made Music to Strip ByAmerican Made Music to Strip By-Personnel:* Rob Zombie - Vocals, Lyricist, Producer, Art Direction* Scott Humphrey - Producer* Frank Gryner - Additional Engineering on Tracks 6 & 9* Riggs - Guitar* Blasko - Bass* Tempesta - Drums-Remixing:* Charlie Clouser - Tracks 1, 4, & 11...
- 2001: The Sinister UrgeThe Sinister Urge (album)-Credits:* Tom Baker - Mastering* Evelyne Bennu - Female Vocals* Blasko - Bass* Dan Burns - Assistant Engineer* Chris Chaney - Additional Bass* Marina Chavez - Photos* Josh Freese - Additional Drums* Gary Grant - Horns* Emm Gryner - Female Vocals...
- 2003: Past, Present & FuturePast, Present & FutureLyrics1 Richard Raymond Finch, Harry Wayne Casey2 Lionel B. Richie, Ronald LaPread, Walter Orange, Milan Williams, Thomas McClary, William King3 Jeffrey Hyman, John Cummings, Douglas Colvin, Thomas Erdelyi...
with Scum of the Earth
- 2004: Blah...Blah...Blah...Love Songs for the New MillenniumBlah...Blah...Blah...Love Songs for the New MillenniumBlah...Blah...Blah...Love Songs for the New Millennium is the first album by heavy metal band Scum of the Earth.-Track listing:# "I Am the Scum" – 3:16# "Bloodsukinfreakshow" – 2:33# "Get Your Dead On" – 3:56# "Little Spider" – 3:48...
- 2007: Sleaze FreakSleaze FreakSleaze Freak is the second studio album by heavy metal band Scum of the Earth. The album was released October 23, 2007. The album sold about 800 copies its first week, failing to chart on the Billboard 200.-Disc 1:#Bombshell from Hell - 3:16...