Jason Becker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jason Becker
|
|
|---|---|
Jason Becker (right) with Cacophony bandmate Marty Friedman in 1989
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jason Eli Becker |
| Born | July 22, 1969 Richmond, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Instrumental rock, neoclassical metal, heavy metal |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Labels | Shrapnel |
Jason Eli Becker (born July 22, 1969) is an American musician and composer. He is famous for his amazing guitar playing. When he was 16, he joined a band called Cacophony with his friend Marty Friedman. They released two albums together.
After Cacophony, Jason started his own solo career. He released many albums, starting with Perpetual Burn in 1988. He also played with the famous singer David Lee Roth.
In 1989, Jason was diagnosed with a serious illness called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This disease affects the muscles and makes it hard to move. By 1996, he could no longer speak. He now communicates using his eyes, with a special system his father helped create. Even with ALS, Jason continues to compose music using a computer. He released Collection in 2008 and Triumphant Hearts in 2018.
Contents
Jason Becker's Life and Music
Early Life and Musical Start
Jason Becker was born in Richmond, California, on July 22, 1969. His parents were Gary and Patricia Becker. His grandfather was an actor named Wayne Heffley.
Jason started playing guitar at a young age. Both his father and uncle played the guitar. He listened to many different types of music from all over the world. He learned from artists like Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and Eddie Van Halen.
Joining Cacophony and Solo Albums
Jason Becker began his career playing with Marty Friedman in their band, Cacophony. They released two albums: Speed Metal Symphony and Go Off!. They even toured in Japan and the U.S.
In 1989, Jason joined David Lee Roth's band. Before that, in 1988, he released his first solo album, Perpetual Burn. Marty Friedman later joined the band Megadeth. Jason has released other solo albums like Perspective, Collection, and Triumphant Hearts. He also released two albums of demo songs called The Raspberry Jams and The Blackberry Jams.
Living with ALS
In 1989, while preparing to record with David Lee Roth, Jason noticed a weakness in his left leg. He was soon diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This disease weakens muscles and affects movement. Doctors told him he might only live for a few more years.
Despite this, Jason finished recording the album A Little Ain't Enough. He used special techniques to make it easier to play the guitar. He couldn't join the tour because of his illness.
ALS slowly made it impossible for him to play guitar, walk, or speak. Today, he uses his eyes to communicate. His father created a special system for him. Even though his body is affected, his mind is still very sharp. He continues to compose music with the help of a computer. Jason once said, "I have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. It has crippled my body and speech, but not my mind." His health has been stable since 1997.
Perspective and Raspberry Jams
In 1996, Jason released an instrumental album called Perspective. He composed all the music himself, except for one song by Bob Dylan. He started writing this music before ALS made it impossible to use his hands.
When he could no longer play the keyboard, his friend Mike Bemesderfer helped him. They used a computer program that reads his head and eye movements. This allowed Jason to keep composing music.
Later, he released Raspberry Jams (1999) and Blackberry Jams (2003). These albums included demo songs and different versions of his music.
Other guitarists have made tribute albums to Jason Becker. These albums, called Warmth in the Wilderness I and Warmth in the Wilderness II, feature famous guitarists like Steve Vai and Marty Friedman. The money from these albums helps Jason with his medical costs.
Collection Album
On November 4, 2008, a new album by Jason Becker called Collection was released. This album has three new songs. It also includes older recordings, some of which had never been released before. Many famous guitarists played on this album, including Marty Friedman, Joe Satriani, and Steve Vai.
Boy Meets Guitar and Triumphant Hearts
In 2010, Jason announced he was thinking about releasing music he recorded when he was a teenager. This album, called Boy Meets Guitar, was released in 2012.
In October 2016, Jason started a campaign to raise money for a new album. He raised over $100,000! This album, Triumphant Hearts, was released on December 7, 2018.
Jason Becker's Musical Style
Jason Becker is known as a very skilled guitarist. He studied the works of the famous violinist Niccolò Paganini. Jason's songs often have very fast and complex guitar parts. This is part of his "shred" style of playing. He used advanced techniques like sweep picking and tapping. He was one of the top guitarists in the 1980s. Many musicians still respect him today. The song "Serrana" from his album Perspective shows his amazing sweep-picking skills.
Influence on Other Guitarists
Many guitarists say that Jason Becker's playing has influenced them. Some of these guitarists include Nita Strauss, Guthrie Govan, Herman Li, and Chris Broderick.
Media Appearances
Jason Becker has been on the covers of many music magazines. These include Guitar for the Practicing Musician in 1991 and Guitar Player in 2012. He was also interviewed for a book about speed guitar players called Shredders!: The Oral History Of Speed Guitar (And More) in 2017.
Musical Equipment
Jason Becker used many different guitars and amplifiers throughout his career. His first guitar was a Franciscan acoustic. He later used a black Fender Stratocaster with a special pickup.
For his first Cacophony album, he used a Hurricane guitar. He said it was like a Stratocaster but "beefier." For his album Perpetual Burn, he used a white and black Hurricane guitar. He used a Marshall amplifier with a Boss Super Overdrive pedal for his distorted sound.
For the second Cacophony album, Jason switched to Carvin guitars. He used two DC Series models. He used these until he was diagnosed with ALS in 1989.
When recording with David Lee Roth, Jason used various guitars. These included Carvin, Ibanez, ESP, and Valley Arts guitars. He also used a Les Paul and a Gibson acoustic guitar. He was also seen with a custom Peavey guitar.
Jason Becker used different amplifiers. He used a small Peavey Studio Pro 40 and a red Marshall JCM800. For the first Cacophony album, he used an ADA MP1 preamp. He recorded Perpetual Burn with a borrowed 1970s Marshall amplifier. For the David Lee Roth album, he used "eight different Marshall amps."
Jason usually used Dean Markley and SIT guitar strings.
Paradise Guitar
In 2008, Paradise Guitars worked with Jason to create a special Jason Becker signature guitar. It looks similar to his Peavey guitar with colored numbers on the fretboard. It has a maple neck and a Floyd Rose tremolo system. It also has colorful DiMarzio pickups. These colors make the guitar look like a rainbow.
Kiesel/Carvin Tribute Guitars
In 2012, Carvin worked with Jason to design the JB200C Jason Becker Tribute guitar. This guitar is based on the original Carvin DC200 guitar he used.
In 2015, Kiesel Guitars (which took over Carvin's guitar making) released another tribute model. It's called the JB24 "Numbers" guitar. This is the third version of his "Numbers" guitar.
Danny Young was chosen to play these new guitars for their official launch. He played the Perpetual Burn Humbucker and the Carvin JB24 numbers guitar.
Documentary Film
A documentary film about Jason Becker was released in 2012. It is called Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet. The film includes interviews with Jason, his family, friends, and other musicians. Some of the musicians interviewed are Marty Friedman, Steve Vai, and Joe Satriani.
Discography
Cacophony
- Speed Metal Symphony (1987)
- Go Off! (1988)
Solo Albums
- Perpetual Burn (1988)
- Perspective (1996)
- The Raspberry Jams (1999)
- The Blackberry Jams (2003)
- Collection (2008)
- Boy Meets Guitar, Vol. 1 of the Youngster Tapes (2012)
- Triumphant Hearts (2018)
With David Lee Roth
- A Little Ain't Enough (1991)
Images for kids
-
Jason Becker (right) with Cacophony bandmate Marty Friedman in 1989
See also
In Spanish: Jason Becker para niños
