Marty Friedman

Born: December 8, 1962
Washington D.C., USA

Marty Friedman spent time in Hawaii as he was growing up, and it was there that he developed a love and lifelong curiosity about the Japanese culture. His love for the guitar, however, is something that he seems to have been born with. Marty has been in such bands as Hawaii, Vixen, and Cacophony, which he formed with the legendary Jason Becker in the mid-80’s. Cacophony released two albums, including the awe-inspiring Speed Metal Symphony. During the late 80’s, Marty lived in Hollywood, California, and taught guitar lessons to students who were attending the Guitar Institute of Technology. All the while, Marty managed to release a solo album in 1988, entitled Dragons Kiss.

It was 1990, however, that Marty truly experienced fame, when he was asked to join Megadeth as their lead guitarist. Marty was in Megadeth throughout the 90’s, and together, they put out four masterful recordings. 1990’s Rust in Peace showcased Marty’s extensive technical training, and is considered a classic in the metal community. In 1992, Countdown to Extinction was released, and again, became an instant metal masterpiece. 1997 saw a much more mainstream, radio-friendly Megadeth, with the release of Cryptic Writings. 1999’s Risk seemed to be exactly the opposite of what the title indicated it to be. Unhappy with the mainstream direction Megadeth was taking, Marty decided to leave the band in the year 2000.

All the while, in between recording with Megadeth, Marty managed to release some solo material. In 1992, he released Scenes, which was virtually ignored by critics and fans. In 1994 he released Introduction, which sold quite well. In 1996 he released True Obsession, and in the winter of 2002, he released Music for Speeding.