Jason Becker
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Member
Studio musician
Guest musician
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Personal information
Born on: 22.07.1969
Official website
Considered one of the world's greatest guitarists, Jason Becker started playing guitar at the age of 5. Always wanted to become a guitar hero because of his father and uncle who played classic guitar. He constantly practiced and absorbed every kind of music.
At sixteen he meets Marty Friedman who already had a few records and together formed the band Cacophony, recording two albums: Speed Metal Symphony (1987) and Go Off! (1988). He made his first instrumental solo album in 1988: Perpetual Burn, with strong neoclassic influences he demonstraded his composing ability and technique.
In 1989, he left Cacophony and was hired by David Lee Roth to replace Steve Vai in his backup band, appearing on the album A Little Ain't Enough (1991). Shortly after he joined Roth's band, he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, a rare degenerative illness that causes paralysis. While touring with David Lee Roth, Jason starts losing mobility and begins recording on a keyboard and computer with one hand. Nevertheless, he succeeded in completing a second solo album, Perspective, released on his own label in 1996.
In 1997 he could barely breath and had to undergo surgery: tracheostomy and gastrostomy. Becker started communicating with his family by means of an alphabet board invented by his father, each letter indicated by two specific eye movements.
Amazingly an album of demos Raspberry Jams followed in 1999, and in 2001, through Eddie Van Halen's intercession Perspective was given major-label release on Warner Bros.
Jason's life is summarized in the video: The Legendary Guitar of Jason Becker.
Official website
Considered one of the world's greatest guitarists, Jason Becker started playing guitar at the age of 5. Always wanted to become a guitar hero because of his father and uncle who played classic guitar. He constantly practiced and absorbed every kind of music.
At sixteen he meets Marty Friedman who already had a few records and together formed the band Cacophony, recording two albums: Speed Metal Symphony (1987) and Go Off! (1988). He made his first instrumental solo album in 1988: Perpetual Burn, with strong neoclassic influences he demonstraded his composing ability and technique.
In 1989, he left Cacophony and was hired by David Lee Roth to replace Steve Vai in his backup band, appearing on the album A Little Ain't Enough (1991). Shortly after he joined Roth's band, he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, a rare degenerative illness that causes paralysis. While touring with David Lee Roth, Jason starts losing mobility and begins recording on a keyboard and computer with one hand. Nevertheless, he succeeded in completing a second solo album, Perspective, released on his own label in 1996.
In 1997 he could barely breath and had to undergo surgery: tracheostomy and gastrostomy. Becker started communicating with his family by means of an alphabet board invented by his father, each letter indicated by two specific eye movements.
Amazingly an album of demos Raspberry Jams followed in 1999, and in 2001, through Eddie Van Halen's intercession Perspective was given major-label release on Warner Bros.
Jason's life is summarized in the video: The Legendary Guitar of Jason Becker.