Mike Spreitzer
Encyclopedia
Michael Colin Spreitzer is one of the guitarists of the American heavy metal band DevilDriver
. He replaced guitarist Evan Pitts in 2004. Michael co-wrote and performed on DevilDriver’s albums The Fury of Our Maker's Hand
(2005), The Last Kind Words
(2007), Pray For Villains
(2009) and Beast (DevilDriver album)
(2011)
for the following three years. Shortly after moving, Mike began playing in a progressive
death metal
band called Cystrot alongside guitarist/vocalist Sam Williams. Williams was currently enrolled in the music program at Santa Barbara City College and influenced Spreitzer to do the same. In 2001, while still in attendance at Santa Barbara City College, Michael decided to pursue a degree in music. In 2002, he transferred to UCSB to continue his studies.
Halfway through 2001, Mike decided to quit Cystrot due to the lack of motivation from the other members and joined another local heavy metal
band from Santa Barbara called Grolby alongside future DevilDriver band mates John Boecklin, Jon Miller
, and Jeff Kendrick. Unfortunately, Grolby broke-up eight months after Spreitzer joined. At this point, Mike went on to form an industrial-metal
band called No Love Lost with friends Cliff Ross and Dan Bellinger. Although an album’s worth of material was written and recorded, nothing was ever released.
In April 2004, DevilDriver
was about to embark on their first European tour opening for Swedish heavy metal band In Flames
. Two days before the tour began, DevilDriver’s guitarist Evan Pitts was forced to withdraw from the tour due to personal reasons, leaving the band without a second guitar player. At the time, Jon Miller
and Jeff Kendrick lived with Spreitzer when not touring with DevilDriver
. When Mike heard that Pitts would not be going on the European tour he immediately offered to fill in temporarily for the duration of the tour. Shortly after DevilDriver
returned to Santa Barbara, Pitts had decided not to continue with the band and Spreitzer became a permanent member.
Since joining DevilDriver
in 2004, Mike has continued to tour with the band and contribute on the albums The Fury of Our Maker's Hand
, The Last Kind Words
, and Pray For Villains
. He has also written and recorded music for small movie projects including the documentary Tokyo Comedy Store (Director: Brian Christopher Anderson) that has been featured on the Documentary Channel in the United States. In 2009, Mike co-wrote three songs featured on the video game MX vs ATV Reflex soundtrack alongside Raymond Herrera, Christian Olde Wolbers, and Jeff Kendrick. Mike is currently working with DevilDriver on their 5th studio album that is due for release late 2010 / early 2011.
guitars, Randall
amplification, Blackstar
and Maxon pedals. Here`s his rig :
DevilDriver
DevilDriver is an American heavy metal band from Santa Barbara, California, formed in 2002. The band was originally named Deathride, however, due to copyright issues and the name being taken by several bands, Deathride changed its name to DevilDriver, which refers to bells Italian witches used to...
. He replaced guitarist Evan Pitts in 2004. Michael co-wrote and performed on DevilDriver’s albums The Fury of Our Maker's Hand
The Fury of Our Maker's Hand
-Notes:* "Unlucky 13" and "Guilty As Sin" were tracks recorded during the sessions for The Fury of Our Maker's Hand.* "Digging Up the Corpses" is an outtake from their self-titled DevilDriver album...
(2005), The Last Kind Words
The Last Kind Words
*Note: Dez Fafara's 9 year old son Simon Fafara provides guest vocals in "Tirades of Truth".-Personnel:* Dez Fafara – Vocals* Mike Spreitzer – Guitar* Jeff Kendrick – Guitar* Jon Miller – Bass* John Boecklin – Drums...
(2007), Pray For Villains
Pray for Villains
-Notes:* "Self-Affliction" and "Dust Be the Destiny" were recorded during the album's sessions.* "Damning the Heavens" is a bonus track from The Last Kind Words that was available on the US Hot Topic Only Edition of that album....
(2009) and Beast (DevilDriver album)
Beast (DevilDriver album)
Beast is the fifth studio album by groove metal band DevilDriver. It was released on February 22, 2011 in the US. It is also their last album to feature longtime bassist Jon Miller who left in 2011.-Recording and production:...
(2011)
Biography
Mike was 10 years old when he began playing guitar. During his high school years, he played quads in the marching band and became co-captain of the drum line his junior and senior year. In 1999, he moved to Santa Barbara where he attended Santa Barbara City CollegeSanta Barbara City College
Santa Barbara City College is a two-year community college founded in 1909. It is located on a campus right over the beach in the city of Santa Barbara, California, USA. SBCC offers associate degrees in English, Social Sciences, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, and occupational and...
for the following three years. Shortly after moving, Mike began playing in a progressive
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band called Cystrot alongside guitarist/vocalist Sam Williams. Williams was currently enrolled in the music program at Santa Barbara City College and influenced Spreitzer to do the same. In 2001, while still in attendance at Santa Barbara City College, Michael decided to pursue a degree in music. In 2002, he transferred to UCSB to continue his studies.
Halfway through 2001, Mike decided to quit Cystrot due to the lack of motivation from the other members and joined another local heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from Santa Barbara called Grolby alongside future DevilDriver band mates John Boecklin, Jon Miller
Jon Miller
Jon Wallace Miller is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his broadcasts of Major League Baseball. He is currently employed as a play-by-play announcer for the San Francisco Giants. He was also a baseball announcer on ESPN until the network chose not to renew his contract following the...
, and Jeff Kendrick. Unfortunately, Grolby broke-up eight months after Spreitzer joined. At this point, Mike went on to form an industrial-metal
Industrial metal
Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...
band called No Love Lost with friends Cliff Ross and Dan Bellinger. Although an album’s worth of material was written and recorded, nothing was ever released.
In April 2004, DevilDriver
DevilDriver
DevilDriver is an American heavy metal band from Santa Barbara, California, formed in 2002. The band was originally named Deathride, however, due to copyright issues and the name being taken by several bands, Deathride changed its name to DevilDriver, which refers to bells Italian witches used to...
was about to embark on their first European tour opening for Swedish heavy metal band In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
. Two days before the tour began, DevilDriver’s guitarist Evan Pitts was forced to withdraw from the tour due to personal reasons, leaving the band without a second guitar player. At the time, Jon Miller
Jon Miller
Jon Wallace Miller is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his broadcasts of Major League Baseball. He is currently employed as a play-by-play announcer for the San Francisco Giants. He was also a baseball announcer on ESPN until the network chose not to renew his contract following the...
and Jeff Kendrick lived with Spreitzer when not touring with DevilDriver
DevilDriver
DevilDriver is an American heavy metal band from Santa Barbara, California, formed in 2002. The band was originally named Deathride, however, due to copyright issues and the name being taken by several bands, Deathride changed its name to DevilDriver, which refers to bells Italian witches used to...
. When Mike heard that Pitts would not be going on the European tour he immediately offered to fill in temporarily for the duration of the tour. Shortly after DevilDriver
DevilDriver
DevilDriver is an American heavy metal band from Santa Barbara, California, formed in 2002. The band was originally named Deathride, however, due to copyright issues and the name being taken by several bands, Deathride changed its name to DevilDriver, which refers to bells Italian witches used to...
returned to Santa Barbara, Pitts had decided not to continue with the band and Spreitzer became a permanent member.
Since joining DevilDriver
DevilDriver
DevilDriver is an American heavy metal band from Santa Barbara, California, formed in 2002. The band was originally named Deathride, however, due to copyright issues and the name being taken by several bands, Deathride changed its name to DevilDriver, which refers to bells Italian witches used to...
in 2004, Mike has continued to tour with the band and contribute on the albums The Fury of Our Maker's Hand
The Fury of Our Maker's Hand
-Notes:* "Unlucky 13" and "Guilty As Sin" were tracks recorded during the sessions for The Fury of Our Maker's Hand.* "Digging Up the Corpses" is an outtake from their self-titled DevilDriver album...
, The Last Kind Words
The Last Kind Words
*Note: Dez Fafara's 9 year old son Simon Fafara provides guest vocals in "Tirades of Truth".-Personnel:* Dez Fafara – Vocals* Mike Spreitzer – Guitar* Jeff Kendrick – Guitar* Jon Miller – Bass* John Boecklin – Drums...
, and Pray For Villains
Pray for Villains
-Notes:* "Self-Affliction" and "Dust Be the Destiny" were recorded during the album's sessions.* "Damning the Heavens" is a bonus track from The Last Kind Words that was available on the US Hot Topic Only Edition of that album....
. He has also written and recorded music for small movie projects including the documentary Tokyo Comedy Store (Director: Brian Christopher Anderson) that has been featured on the Documentary Channel in the United States. In 2009, Mike co-wrote three songs featured on the video game MX vs ATV Reflex soundtrack alongside Raymond Herrera, Christian Olde Wolbers, and Jeff Kendrick. Mike is currently working with DevilDriver on their 5th studio album that is due for release late 2010 / early 2011.
Equipment
Mike use ESPESP Guitars
, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
guitars, Randall
Randall Amplifiers
Randall Amplifiers is a manufacturer of guitar amplifiers, a subsidiary of U.S. Music Corporation. Its products are/were used by artists such as Chuck Schuldiner, Dimebag Darrell, Metallica, King's X, Nirvana and Anthrax...
amplification, Blackstar
Blackstar Amplification
Blackstar Amplification is a UK-based manufacturer of guitar amplifiers and effects, largely made up of ex-Marshall employees. Their products include the hand-wired, boutique "Artisan" series, the Series One series, and a range of pedals and amplifiers in the HT line...
and Maxon pedals. Here`s his rig :
- ESP Ltd signature sv (new for 2011);
- ESP Sv custom w/ seymour duncan blackout pickups (main guitar);
- ESP V custom ;
- ESP Eclipse custom;
- Randall Rm100 (mr.scary/grail/super v modules);
- Blackstar series one 200;
- Boss volume pedal;
- Ernie ball volume pedal;
- Maxon Od-808(he runs this pedal all the time);
- Dean markley strings (10-63).
DevilDriver
- The Fury of Our Maker's HandThe Fury of Our Maker's Hand-Notes:* "Unlucky 13" and "Guilty As Sin" were tracks recorded during the sessions for The Fury of Our Maker's Hand.* "Digging Up the Corpses" is an outtake from their self-titled DevilDriver album...
(2005) - The Last Kind WordsThe Last Kind Words*Note: Dez Fafara's 9 year old son Simon Fafara provides guest vocals in "Tirades of Truth".-Personnel:* Dez Fafara – Vocals* Mike Spreitzer – Guitar* Jeff Kendrick – Guitar* Jon Miller – Bass* John Boecklin – Drums...
(2007) - Pray For VillainsPray for Villains-Notes:* "Self-Affliction" and "Dust Be the Destiny" were recorded during the album's sessions.* "Damning the Heavens" is a bonus track from The Last Kind Words that was available on the US Hot Topic Only Edition of that album....
(2009) - BeastBeast (DevilDriver album)Beast is the fifth studio album by groove metal band DevilDriver. It was released on February 22, 2011 in the US. It is also their last album to feature longtime bassist Jon Miller who left in 2011.-Recording and production:...
(2011)
Other
- Tokyo Comedy StoreTokyo Comedy StoreThe Tokyo Comedy Store is an English-language comedy show held in central Tokyo, which features stand-up comedians and improvised comedy.The Tokyo Comedy Store was founded in 1994 as the "Tokyo Comedy Club" by Kevin Burns. Burns gathered together stand up comics and even a hypnotist by placing...
(2008) - MX vs ATV Reflex (2009)