#18- JASON BECKER

Jason Becker, (born July 22, 1969) is an American neo-classical metal guitarist. At the age of 16 he became part of the Mike Varney-produced duo Cacophony with his friend Marty Friedman. They released Speed Metal Symphony (1987) and Go Off! (1988) which would eventually make them famous for their world-class technique.

Style
Like many neo-classical guitarists, Becker studied the works of virtuoso violinist Nicolò Paganini. He later composed a rendition of Paganini's 5th Caprice, performing it during an instructional guitar video of his. Becker's works often include high speed scalar and arpeggio passages that are supported by expressive melodies. The song Serrana, appearing in the album Perspective, is an example of his mastery of sweep-picking. While the version heard on the album was not recorded by Becker, he demonstrated the arpeggio sequence during a clinic at the Atlanta Institute Of Music. The video of this performance first appeared on his Hot Licks video and can now be viewed on Youtube. Jason grew up musically playing with Marty Friedman, with whom he co-wrote many songs and by whose sense of melody he was influenced while spurring him to greater heights of guitar technique. Their 'by ear' harmonisation of melody lines remains today as their trademark.

Jason and Marty toured together with Cacophony in Japan and across the U.S. In 1989 Jason left to pursue a solo career, releasing his first solo album titled Perpetual Burn in 1988.

ALS
At the age of 20, he joined David Lee Roth's band, which was considered an excellent gig for an up and coming guitarist (i.e. Steve Vai, who Becker replaced). Whilst recording the album A Little Ain't Enough and preparing for the respective tour, he began to feel what he called a "lazy limp" on his left leg. He was soon diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS - aka Lou Gehrig's Disease) and given five years to live. He could barely finish the recording, using low-gauge (thin) guitar strings and other techniques to make it easier to play with his weakened hand. No one knew of his illness at the time except for his friend Steve Hunter. Although he managed to finish the album (which later went gold), he was forced to depart from the tour due to his inability to perform on stage.

He eventually lost the ability to speak (since he could not move his mouth) and now communicates with his eyes via a system developed by his father. Although his ALS gradually robbed him of his ability to play guitar, to walk, and eventually even to speak, he still remains mentally sharp and, with the aid of a computer, continues composing. In the back of the Perspective CD case, Jason states

"I have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease). It has crippled my body and speech, but not my mind".

In his 30s, his medical condition has remained stable since 1997, which is rare for ALS. In 2003, Jason posted on his website that he was feeling better and had gained some weight. There have been no updates since then.

Perspective and The Berry Jams
In 1996 Becker released an album entitled "Perspective", an instrumental album composed by him (with the exception of Bob Dylan's song Meet Me in the Morning featured as the last track). The composing of the record's music had begun before ALS completely crippled his ability. By using guitar and later, when he was unable to use both hands, a keyboard, he continued to compose while his disease worsened. However, when Becker could no longer physically play even a keyboard, his friend and music producer Mike Bemesderfer helped him with a music-composing computer program which could read the movements of his head and eyes. This enabled Becker to continue to compose after he lost control of his entire body.

Several years later Becker released Raspberry Jams (1999) and Blackberry Jams (2003), the first contained various unreleased demo-tracks and the latter contained demo-tracks and alternate versions of songs that were later reworked and published into other albums.

Two tribute albums have come out for Jason Becker entitled Warmth in the Wilderness I and Warmth in the Wilderness II, featuring such guitarists as Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, Marty Friedman, Rusty Cooley, Mattias "IA" Eklundh. These players pay tribute to Jason by playing the songs that he played throughout his career, and some of them even wrote their own tribute songs in honor of him. The albums profits were sent to Jason to help him with his disease.

Collection
On November 4, 2008, Shrapnel Records released a new Jason Becker album entitled "Collection". The album includes three new songs in addition to some older recordings (some never before released) and features Marty Friedman, Greg Howe, Joe Satriani, Michael Lee Firkins, Steve Vai, and Steve Hunter.

Equipment

In the early days of Cacophony, Jason used Hurricane Guitars. The first Cacophony album was recorded with a white Hurricane EX Series model [apparently a Limited Edition] with a DiMarzio Steve Morse model humbucker pickup in the bridge position and a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard with 22 frets.

For "Perpetual Burn" he used another Hurricane EX Series model with unknown model DiMarzio pickups, maple neck with maple fretboard and 24 frets.

For the 2nd Cacophony album, Jason switched over to Carvin gear, utilizing 2 DC127 models, one in a trans blue finish, one in a burgandy finish. Both have double cutaway bodies, Kahler locking tremolo systems, 6 in line headstocks and 2 Carvin humbucker pickups. He used these up until he contracted ALS in 1990. During the period of 1989-1991, Jason used various guitars, most notably a Peavey custom model with the numbered fretboard markers. There are a few of these around. Also used were an Ibanez unknown model [probably an RG], a custom from Performence Guitars, a couple of unknown Strat style guitars and a black Hurricane EX Series with 3 pickups.

As of very recently, Jason has allowed Paradise Guitars USA to release a Jason Becker signature guitar. It is similar in appearance to the numbered Peavey but with a different headstock shape.

In his earliest days of playing, Jason used an unknown model acoustic and a black stratocaster type guitar [possibly a MIJ Fender].

Amp wise, Jason used various pieces. In his pre Cacophony days, he used a small Peavey practice amp [possibly a backstage or an audition with the older style Peavey stripes].

For the first Cacophony album, Jason used an ADAMP1 preamp.

"Perpetual Burn" was a 70s Marshall half stack and a BOSS Super Overdrive and Cacophony second album was a Carvin X100B stack. He also used the SX300H head at some point during that era.

After Cacophony, Jason used various amps, including a "Fender M80", an unknown Marshall amp, an ADA Preamp and possibly the aforementioned Peavey combo.

Paradise Guitar

In 2008 Paradise Guitars worked with Jason to design a Jason Becker signature guitar. The design is based on the wooden Peavey with colored number fret inlays. Features include a genuine alder body, maple neck with steel 2-way truss rod, maple 16" radius fingerboard, 24 jumbo thin frets with colored number fret marker inlays, black Floyd Rose Pro Style floating Tremolo with Floyd Rose Tremolo stop, Sperzel red satin tuners, 14 degree tilt-back headstock with black Paradise logo and matching tremolo and electronics plates. The pickups are DiMarzio pickups; a P.A.F. Pro-Custom in the neck colored yellow and red, a DP116 HS-2 in the neck colored green, and a Tone Zone-Custom in the bridge colored pink and blue. These colored frets compliment the colored inlays and seem to give the guitar a rainbow effect. There is also a red 5-way switch and purple 1-11 volume knob.

Source: Wikipedia

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