Paul Hanson (guitarist)
Encyclopedia
Paul Hanson is an American guitarist (born January 17, 1957) Paul started playing guitar at the age of 8. He formed bands in his hometown of Seattle, Washington
, most notably Krakatoa, Silverload and Max. He is best known for his instructional series of books, CDs and videos.
in Hollywood, California. After graduating he joined the Brooklyn Brats, a popular band in the Hollywood club circuit.
Paul began working at Musicians Institute and taught a performance class with Tim Bogert
the legendary bassist who was also a teacher at MI. In 1984 he created an instructional audio tape series called "Hard Rock Solos for Guitar" on REH Publishing. It was hugely successful and advertised with full page ads in the guitar magazines for years.
In 1986 Paul was asked to tour with Tim Bogert's band The Vanilla Fudge
along with Carmine Appice
and Mark Stein
. During the tour, an album entitled "The Best of Vanilla Fudge Live" was recorded at the Hollywood Palace and released on Rhino Records.
Paul was featured in a guitar instructional video directed by Don Mock called Metal and Rock Improvising (Video, REH). Paul then toured as lead guitarist on Andy Taylor's Thunder World tour and appeared on the music video of "Don’t Let me Die Young". On the Japanese leg of the tour, a concert at NHK Hall in Tokyo was recorded and broadcast live in Japan.
In Hollywood, Paul became a notable guitar coach teaching actors, George Clooney
, Michael J. Fox
, Eric Stoltz
, Mitch Pileggi
(X-files), María Conchita Alonso
and Charlotte Ross
. Paul had a small role as one of the "Pinheads" in the film Back to the Future.
In 1987 Paul signed with MGI records in Germany and recorded his first solo album The Visitor. Paul also became a clinician for Ampeg, Crate and Westone guitars and toured the USA doing guitar clinics. Paul's neighbor in LA was retired music fan of Big Band era, Paul became fascinated with music from the '30s and '40s and began working on an album of big band music played with heavy metal guitar.
Paul returned to the US in 1992 and taught at Musicians Institute and recorded jingles and music for film. A good example of his music "Conquest of Truth" can be heard on the main menu of the first The Matrix
DVD. In addition, he has composed numerous music cues for TV and movie trailers including recent releases, The Fantastic Four and Talledega Nights.
In the mid 90s Paul wrote the best-selling guitar instructional book and CD set Shred Guitar published by Warner Bros., and now available from Alfred Publishing. He also created Arpeggios for Lead Guitar (Video, Hal Leonard). In 1999 Paul started working for Roland and Boss as a clinician.
As Product and Marketing Specialist for Boss U.S., in 2006 Paul began producing and hosting a guitar talk radio podcast called Boss Tone Radio. Guests so far include Paul Gilbert
, Frank Gambale
, Marty Friedman
, Steve Stevens
, Rusty Anderson
(Paul McCartney's band), Scott Henderson
, Will Ray
, Oz Noy, Michael Ward
, Dave Navarro
, Jeff Baxter
and many others.
Paul is also responsible for the "Pedals That Make the Tone" feature in Guitar World
magazine and can be seen at http://www.BossUS.com/tone replicating the tones of the featured song transcriptions each month in the magazine.
In 2010 Paul started a guitar lessons website called www.ShredGuitarOnline.com as a companion to his book Shred Guitar.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, most notably Krakatoa, Silverload and Max. He is best known for his instructional series of books, CDs and videos.
1980s
Paul moved to Los Angeles in 1980 and attended GIT, Musicians InstituteMusicians Institute
Musicians Institute is a privately owned for-profit music vocational school located in Hollywood, California. Although not a regionally accredited school, the school offers a variety of unaccredited Bachelor Degree, Associate Degree and Certificate programs in fields including contemporary music...
in Hollywood, California. After graduating he joined the Brooklyn Brats, a popular band in the Hollywood club circuit.
Paul began working at Musicians Institute and taught a performance class with Tim Bogert
Tim Bogert
John Voorhis "Tim" Bogert III is an American musician. He graduated from Ridgefield Memorial High School in his hometown in 1963...
the legendary bassist who was also a teacher at MI. In 1984 he created an instructional audio tape series called "Hard Rock Solos for Guitar" on REH Publishing. It was hugely successful and advertised with full page ads in the guitar magazines for years.
In 1986 Paul was asked to tour with Tim Bogert's band The Vanilla Fudge
Vanilla Fudge
Vanilla Fudge is an American rock band. The band's original lineup – vocalist/organist Mark Stein, bassist/vocalist Tim Bogert, lead guitarist/vocalist Vince Martell, and drummer/vocalist Carmine Appice – recorded five albums during the years 1966–69, before disbanding in 1970...
along with Carmine Appice
Carmine Appice
Carmine Appice is an American rock drummer of Italian background and is the older brother of drummer Vinny Appice by 12 years. He received a classical music training and was influenced by the jazz drumming of Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa early on...
and Mark Stein
Mark Stein
Earl Mark Sean Stein , known as Mark Stein, is a South African-born English former footballer who played for numerous English clubs as a striker...
. During the tour, an album entitled "The Best of Vanilla Fudge Live" was recorded at the Hollywood Palace and released on Rhino Records.
Paul was featured in a guitar instructional video directed by Don Mock called Metal and Rock Improvising (Video, REH). Paul then toured as lead guitarist on Andy Taylor's Thunder World tour and appeared on the music video of "Don’t Let me Die Young". On the Japanese leg of the tour, a concert at NHK Hall in Tokyo was recorded and broadcast live in Japan.
In Hollywood, Paul became a notable guitar coach teaching actors, George Clooney
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award...
, Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox, OC is a Canadian American actor, author, producer, activist and voice-over artist. With a film and television career spanning from the late 1970s, Fox's roles have included Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy ; Alex P...
, Eric Stoltz
Eric Stoltz
Eric Hamilton Stoltz is an American actor, director and producer. He is widely known for playing the role of Rocky Dennis in the biographical drama film Mask, which earned him the nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture...
, Mitch Pileggi
Mitch Pileggi
Mitchell Craig "Mitch" Pileggi is an American actor. Pileggi is known for playing FBI assistant director Walter Skinner on the long-running popular series The X-Files. He also had a recurring role on Stargate Atlantis as Col. Steven Caldwell...
(X-files), María Conchita Alonso
Maria Conchita Alonso
María Conchita Alonso , better known as María Conchita, is a Venezuelan Grammy Award-nominated singer and actress.- Early life :...
and Charlotte Ross
Charlotte Ross
Charlotte Ross is an American actress, who is perhaps most widely known as a cast member of NYPD Blue from 2001 to 2004.-Early Years:...
. Paul had a small role as one of the "Pinheads" in the film Back to the Future.
In 1987 Paul signed with MGI records in Germany and recorded his first solo album The Visitor. Paul also became a clinician for Ampeg, Crate and Westone guitars and toured the USA doing guitar clinics. Paul's neighbor in LA was retired music fan of Big Band era, Paul became fascinated with music from the '30s and '40s and began working on an album of big band music played with heavy metal guitar.
1990s and 2000s
In 1990 Paul served as the head of the Rock Department at American Institute of Music in Vienna, Austria. During this time he finished his second solo album The Paul Hanson Orchestra, all big band standards with metal guitar now available on iTunes from Across The Sound Music.Paul returned to the US in 1992 and taught at Musicians Institute and recorded jingles and music for film. A good example of his music "Conquest of Truth" can be heard on the main menu of the first The Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
DVD. In addition, he has composed numerous music cues for TV and movie trailers including recent releases, The Fantastic Four and Talledega Nights.
In the mid 90s Paul wrote the best-selling guitar instructional book and CD set Shred Guitar published by Warner Bros., and now available from Alfred Publishing. He also created Arpeggios for Lead Guitar (Video, Hal Leonard). In 1999 Paul started working for Roland and Boss as a clinician.
2000 and later
Relocating back to his home state of Washington he released his third solo album entitled Rain Dancer featuring all acoustic instrumentation.As Product and Marketing Specialist for Boss U.S., in 2006 Paul began producing and hosting a guitar talk radio podcast called Boss Tone Radio. Guests so far include Paul Gilbert
Paul Gilbert
Paul Brandon Gilbert is an American guitarist. He is well known for his technical guitar work with Racer X and Mr...
, Frank Gambale
Frank Gambale
Frank Gambale is an Australian jazz fusion guitarist. He has released eleven studio albums over a period of more than two decades, and is renowned for his use of the sweep picking and economy picking techniques.-Recording career:...
, Marty Friedman
Marty Friedman
Marty Friedman may refer to:* Marty Friedman , musician* Marty Friedman , basketball player and coach-See also:*Martin Freedman, Canadian judge*Martin Freeman...
, 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...
, Rusty Anderson
Rusty Anderson
Rusty Anderson is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and music producer. He is best known as lead guitarist with Paul McCartney, though he has worked with an extensive list of artists in addition to his own solo career.-Early life:Rusty Anderson grew up in La Habra, California...
(Paul McCartney's band), Scott Henderson
Scott Henderson
Scott Henderson is a fusion and blues guitarist best known for his work with the band Tribal Tech.-Early days:Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, Henderson began playing guitar at an early age...
, Will Ray
Will Ray
CRAIG is a long-time American session guitarist and current member of the Hellecasters. CRAIG has also released a number of solo albums. He is considered an influential player of the Fender Telecaster line of guitars. Fender made two CRAIG signature models in the late 1990s: the Jazz-a-Caster...
, Oz Noy, Michael Ward
Michael Ward
Michael John Ward was a British Labour Party politician.- Background :Ward was educated at Royal Liberty Grammar School, Romford and Manchester University. He became a local government advisor and director of a public relations firm. He was elected to Romford Borough Council in 1958, joining the...
, Dave Navarro
Dave Navarro
David Michael "Dave" Navarro is an American guitarist who plays in the alternative rock band Jane's Addiction and cover band Camp Freddy. He has also played with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Panic Channel, and many others.- Early life :...
, Jeff Baxter
Jeff Baxter
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter is an American guitarist, known for his stints in the rock bands Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers during the 1970s...
and many others.
Paul is also responsible for the "Pedals That Make the Tone" feature 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 and can be seen at http://www.BossUS.com/tone replicating the tones of the featured song transcriptions each month in the magazine.
In 2010 Paul started a guitar lessons website called www.ShredGuitarOnline.com as a companion to his book Shred Guitar.