Rock Empire Records is bringing ex-Megadeth lead guitarist Marty Friedman into town Wednesday to teach Taiwan's angst-ridden youth how to vent their frustration through speed-metal guitar licks.
It'll be the second time Friedman has held a clinic in Taiwan. And if the first time around, in November of 2003, is any indication, tickets for the tutorial will sell as if it were a headline concert.
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Friedman first made his mark on the thrash-metal scene with fellow guitarist Jason Becker as Cacophony, a duet that saw both young men move on to bigger acts. Becker signed on as David Lee Roth's new lead guitarist and Friedman moved to Megadeth.
Though he was their fourth lead guitarist in three years, his first two releases with the band, Rust in Peace and Countdown to Extinction, propelled Megadeth to mega-stardom. The band sold over 10 million records during Friedman's decade with them.
He used his status as one of the 1980's ultimate shred guitarists to do something very un-shred-guitarist-like; team up with Japanese star Kitaro for an album of new-age music.
He continued developing a softer sound on 1994's Introduction and True Obsession two years later. He even played a lilting lullaby, Meditation on Thais, for a compilation of seasonal favorites last year titled Acoustic Christmas.
But the rumors of his having gone soft are greatly exaggerated. For next week's guitar clinic, he'll be drawing from his last solo release, 2003's Music for Speeding, an album as fast-driving as its title suggests.
From the sting of Salt in the Wound off of Speeding, to the balm of Meditation on Thais, and with a cache of Megadeth artillery at his disposal, there's no knowing what ace track he might pull from his considerable sleeve of recordings.
Friedman's forte is melody, telling stories with his strings that seem at once epic and unscripted. The depth of his understanding of the instrument comes in no small part from his having explored Asian and Middle Eastern music, adding scales from those traditions rarely heard in hardcore rock.
He is widely considered a premier composer on the guitar despite the fact that he can't read music -- Friedman has always been an ear player.
His exploration also led to a fascination with Japanese culture that would transform his life. He began studying the Japanese language a decade ago and has called the country home for the past two years.
In a phone call from Tokyo, he told the Taipei Times about some of his latest gigs; as a daily columnist for the Tokyo Sports newspaper and a weekly guest on the popular television series Hebimatasan, or "Mr Heavy Metal."
"My segment consists of identifying the links between Japanese folk music and heavy metal," he said. "If you squeeze it hard enough, you can find a link between any two things. But Japanese folk and heavy metal -- man, it's not easy. Especially every week."
His upcoming daily column -- which he'll write in Japanese -- will be about his experience as a foreigner in Japan and a reflection on the culture.
"I don't know about every day," he confided. "I'm hoping I'll get some help from the newspaper."
Marty Friedman will be at The Wall Wednesday. Doors open at 8:30pm. For more information, call Rock Empire Records at (02) 2298 2688. The Wall is located at B1, 200 Roosevelt Rd, Sec 4 (
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