Gerard John "Jerry" Best (born May 8, 1963 in Queens, New York), is a Los Angeles-based
hard rock bassist, songwriter and composer, active since 1984. He has played with bands such as
Lion,
Dio,
Freak of Nature and Heavy Bones. Jerry was first introduced to his instrument by his older brother Tom, who showed him how to play the basic chords.
The most well-known works Best has played in include the theme song for the ''
Transformers
''Transformers'' is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Tomy, Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the Autobots and the Decepticons, two alien robot factions at war that can transform into other forms ...
'' movie and the album ''
Power Love'' with the band Lion. Over the years, Jerry has worked together with artists like
Doug Aldrich
Doug Aldrich (born February 19, 1964) is an American hard rock guitarist. He founded the band Burning Rain with Keith St. John in 1998 and has played with Whitesnake, Dio, Lion, Hurricane, House of Lords, Bad Moon Rising and Revolution Saints. ...
,
Mike Tramp
Michael Trempenau (born 14 January 1961), better known as Mike Tramp, is a Danish singer best known for his work with the glam metal band White Lion. Since 1998, he has also released several solo albums. In 2012, Tramp went on a solo acoustic to ...
,
Courtney Love
Courtney Michelle Love (née Harrison; born July 9, 1964) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and actress. A figure in the alternative and grunge scenes of the 1990s, her career has spanned four decades. She rose to prominence as ...
, Joel Ellis, Frankie Banali and
Chuck Wright.
Personal life
Jerry was born in 1963 as the second child to the Best family. At that time, his family was living in Flushing Meadows in the borough of Queens in New York.
His family moved often after the job of Jerry’s father, and he ended up living in seven states during the first 18 years of his life. When he was around ten years old, his older brother Tom started teaching Jerry some chords, initially with an electronic guitar and later with a bass. Soon, they formed a band called Zeus, and played mostly at school and other local events.
Later, after graduating from high school, Jerry moved to Los Angeles, where his father and mother had already moved. In Los Angeles, Jerry played with bands such as T-zer and Mansfield, together with Pete Preston and Doug Aldrich.
Equipment
Best is currently endorsed by Seymour Duncan and Hipshot. He also uses products from Dunlop, ESP, GK, Fender and Ampeg. One of his previously-used bass guitars is currently on display at the
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe, Inc. is a British-based multinational chain of theme restaurants, memorabilia shops, casinos and museums founded in 1971 by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton in London. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and r ...
in Moscow.
[Interview with Jerry Best, http://jerrybest.com/story/interview-2013.html, retrieved 2013-03-29.]
Discography
Mansfield
*1983: ''Overdrive'', ''Gonna Rock You''
Lion
*1986 – ''
Power Love''
*1987 – ''The Wraith/movie soundtrack''
*1987 – ''
The Transformers The Movie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack''
*1987 – ''
Dangerous Attraction''
*1989 – ''
Trouble in Angel City''
Freak of Nature
*1992 – ''Freak of Nature''
*1993 – ''Rescue me''
*1994 – ''Gathering of Freaks''
*1998 – ''Outcasts''
*2002 – ''Freakology''
Dio
*1996 – ''Angry Machines''
Mike Tramp
*1997 – ''
Capricorn''
*2004 – ''Songs I left behind''
Courtney Love
*2004 – ''
America's Sweetheart''
*2004 – ''Fly'' (Japanese only)
*2005 – ''The Simple Life Soundtrack''
Other works
*2000 – ''Ken Korade'', KGB Records
*2002 – ''Tracy G'', Tracy G records
*2003 – ''The SURGE'', KGB Records
*2013 – Manny Charlton, ''Hellacious'', 4818 Records
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Best, Jerry
American rock bass guitarists
1963 births
Living people
American male bass guitarists
20th-century American bass guitarists
20th-century American male musicians
Scotti Brothers Records artists