Katherine Thomas (born June 6, 1966), best known by her stage name The Great Kat, is an American musician best known for her

thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...

interpretations of well-known pieces of

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...

. Most feature her using the electric guitar, but on some she uses the violin. Thomas is a classically trained violinist, graduating from the

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most el ...

and touring for a time playing conventional classical music before crossing over to metal. ''Guitar One'' magazine listed her as one of the "Fastest Shredders of All Time". Her classical background, technical skills and self-promotion are sometimes compared to

Yngwie Malmsteen Yngwie Johan Malmsteen ( ; born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck, 30 June 1963) is a Swedish guitarist. He first became known in the 1980s for his neoclassical playing style in heavy metal, and has released 22 studio albums in a career spanning ov ...

. In an interview in metallian.com she claimed to be the reincarnation of

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...

. Her public persona, as portrayed in her publicity photos and videos, is mainly compared to that of a

dominatrix A dominatrix (; ) or femdom is a woman who takes the dominant role in BDSM activities. A dominatrix can be of any sexual orientation, but this does not necessarily limit the genders of her submissive partners. Dominatrices are known for inflic ...

, albeit in an over-the-top,

tongue-in-cheek The idiom tongue-in-cheek refers to a humorous or sarcastic statement expressed in a serious manner. History The phrase originally expressed contempt, but by 1842 had acquired its modern meaning. Early users of the phrase include Sir Walter Scott ...

manner. In 1990, Swiss

black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...

band

Mordor In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional world of Middle-earth, Mordor (pronounced ; from Sindarin ''Black Land'' and Quenya ''Land of Shadow'') is the realm and base of the evil Sauron. It lay to the east of Gondor and the great river Anduin, and to t ...

recorded for their first demo tape "Odes" a tribute song for Thomas, titled "The Great Kat Is God".

Discography

* 1986 – ''Satan Says'' (

demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...

) * 1987 – ''

Worship Me or Die! Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. It may involve one or more of activities such as veneration, adoration, praise, and praying. For many, worship is not about an emotion, it is more about a recognition ...

'' * 1990 – ''

Beethoven on Speed ''Beethoven on Speed'' is an album by The Great Kat, released in 1990. Track listing The album is divided into two opuses : ;Opus One : # "Beethoven on Speed (Beethoven's 5th Symphony in C Minor)" — 1:54 # "Ultra-Dead" — 3:19 # " ...

'' * 1996 – ''Digital Beethoven on Cyberspeed'' ( EP) * 1997 – ''Guitar Goddess'' (EP) * 1998 – ''Bloody Vivaldi'' (EP) * 2000 – ''Rossini's Rape'' (EP) * 2002 – ''Wagner's War'' (EP) * 2005 – ''Extreme Guitar Shred'' (

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...

) * 2008 – ''Total Insanity'' (compilation)

References

External links

Official website

'Favourable' listener review of Wagner's War

UnRated Magazine Beethoven's Guitar Shred

Interview from Tuned-Out.com in Detroit. Reviews of Castration video with Kat's responses

Music Legends Interview with The Great Kat
{{DEFAULTSORT:Great Kat, The Living people American women heavy metal singers American heavy metal guitarists American violinists Juilliard School alumni 1966 births Lead guitarists English emigrants to the United States People from Swindon 20th-century American guitarists 21st-century violinists 20th-century American women guitarists 21st-century American women