JASON BECKER: New 'Audio' Interview Posted Online

March 22, 2009

On the March 21 edition of "The Classic Metal Show", a special interview conducted with guitarist Jason Becker (DAVID LEE ROTH, CACOPHONY) was presented to fans. Becker submitted written replies to an e-mail interview, which was translated through a speech synthesizer by the guys from "The Classic Metal Show" to produce the first audio interview of sorts from Becker in years.

Listen to the chat below.

Last year, Jason Becker released "Collection" on Shrapnel Records. This pure work of genius contains three new recordings totaling over 20 minutes in length and includes new performances by some of Becker's guitar buddies: Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Michael Lee Firkins, Marty Friedman, Steve Hunter and Greg Howe. In addition, the CD is enhanced and contains some bonus material playable on computer.

Jason Becker began his career as a Shrapnel recording artist by joining forces with guitar virtuoso Marty Friedman to form seminal progressive metal pioneers CACOPHONY. Amassing worldwide acclaim as a guitar virtuoso, Becker came to the attention of David Lee Roth who was looking for a guitarist to replace Steve Vai and the rest is history.

Through his work with CACOPHONY, his groundbreaking solo record "Perpetual Burn", recorded when Jason was just 17, and through his second solo record "Perspective", recorded after Becker came down with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, a.k.a. Lou Gehrig's Disease). Jason earned an international reputation for being one of the best composer/guitarists to emerge from the legendary Shrapnel shredding scene.

Even as paralysis set in from his disease, Becker still had a strong desire to compose and "Collection" not only contains some of Becker's favorite moments from his Shrapnel and David Lee Roth recordings, it also features three new Becker compositions, each as impressive as anything he has recorded in the past. Becker has enlisted some of the largest names in instrumental guitar music to perform the parts that he hears in his head and has as many as three guitarists per track trading off riveting performances.

"Collection" track listing:

01. Rain
02. River of Longing
03. Images
04. Opus Pocus
05. Higher
06. It's Showtime
07. Altitudes
08. End of the Beginning
09. River of Longing (Reprise)
10. Meet Me In the Morning
11. Air
12. Electric Prayer for Peace
13. Mandy's Throbbing Little Heart

Bonus material:

1. Go Off (intro)
2. End Of The Beginning
3. Noodling For Rob And Tony

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