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Michael Angelo Batio (), also known as Michael Angelo, Mike Batio or MAB, is an American heavy metal guitarist and
columnist A columnist is a person who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Column (newspaper), Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs. They take the fo ...
from
Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
. He was the lead guitarist for the Los Angeles-based
glam metal Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal that features pop-influenced hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat rock anthems, and slow power ballads. It borrows heavily from the fashion and image of 1970s glam r ...
band
Nitro Nitro may refer to: Chemistry *Nitrogen, a chemical element and a gas except at very low temperatures, with which many compounds are formed: **Nitro compound, an organic compound containing one or more nitro functional groups, -NO2 **Nitroalkene, ...
in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is currently serving as the touring guitarist for the American heavy metal band
Manowar Manowar is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. Formed in 1980, the group is known for lyrics based on fantasy (particularly sword and sorcery) and mythology (particularly Norse mythology and Greco-Roman mythology), as well as ...
. Batio's work has encompassed many genres, but he is best known for playing heavy metal and its subgenres such as
neoclassical metal Neoclassical metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is heavily influenced by classical music and usually features very technical playing,Stephan Forté, "Metal néoclassique" in ''Guitarist Magazine Pedago'', Hors Série #29, "Les secrets du m ...
, and
speed metal Speed metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) roots.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' (Berg Publishers, 2007), , p. 31. It ...
. Batio has an advanced knowledge of music theory, having a deep understanding of complex scale combinations and time signatures which assist him in his compositions. He is widely known for his technical mastery of the fretboard and his extremely fast picking and sweep picked arpeggios. He is also known for his showmanship during performances, particularly his use of the "MAB Over Under" technique, which he invented and for his ability to play a double-necked and quad-necked guitar, using both hands to play. Batio is also noted for his guitar instruction DVDs in the "Speed Kills" series which teach
shred guitar Shred guitar or shredding is a virtuoso lead guitar solo playing style for the guitar, based on various advanced and complex playing techniques, particularly rapid passages and advanced performance effects. Shred guitar includes "fast alternate p ...
techniques and how to "master the art of playing lightning fast". Batio was voted the "No. 1 Fastest Guitar Shredder of All Time" by ''Guitar One Magazine'' in 2003.


Biography


Early life and career

Batio was born and raised in
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
to an Italian father and a German mother. Reffett, Dave (December 12, 2011)
"Interview: Michael Angelo Batio Discusses Tone, Gear and His 'Speed Kills' DVD"
''
Guitar World ''Guitar World'' is a monthly music magazine for guitarists – and fans of guitar-based music and trends – that has been published since July 1980. ''Guitar World'', the best-selling guitar magazine in the United States, contains original art ...
''.
NewBay Media NewBay Media, LLC was a magazine and website publisher founded in 2006 and headquartered in New York City. NewBay Media served five marketplaces — Music, Pro Audio/AV, Video & Broadcast, Consumer Electronics, and Education. In April 2018, Fu ...
. Retrieved 2014-10-28.
He started playing the
piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
and composing music at the age of five, and first played
guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
at the age of ten. By twelve he was playing in bands in youth clubs, churches, and shows, playing for 10–12 hours on the weekends. By the age of thirteen his guitar teacher told him, "I can't teach you any more. You're faster at thirteen than I was at 22." He started listening to and watching professionals and sitting down and trying to work out riffs and tunes. He attended
Northeastern Illinois University Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) is a public university in Chicago, Illinois. NEIU serves approximately 9,000 students in the region and is a Hispanic-serving institution. The main campus is located in the community area of North Park wi ...
and achieved a
Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
degree in
Music Theory Music theory is the study of the practices and possibilities of music. ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' describes three interrelated uses of the term "music theory". The first is the "rudiments", that are needed to understand music notation (ke ...
and
Composition Composition or Compositions may refer to: Arts and literature *Composition (dance), practice and teaching of choreography *Composition (language), in literature and rhetoric, producing a work in spoken tradition and written discourse, to include v ...
. After he had graduated, Batio looked to become a
session guitarist Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a ...
in his hometown. When he asked for a job at a nearby studio, he was given a piece of music and simply asked to play it. He managed to play it adding his own improvisations and fills, making him the studio's primary call-out guitarist. As a session player, Batio recorded music for such companies as
Burger King Burger King (BK) is an American-based multinational chain store, chain of hamburger fast food restaurants. Headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the company was founded in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida–based res ...
,
Pizza Hut Pizza Hut is an American multinational restaurant chain and international franchise founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas by Dan and Frank Carney. They serve their signature pan pizza and other dishes including pasta, breadsticks and dessert at d ...
,
Taco Bell Taco Bell is an American-based chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell (1923–2010) in Downey, California. Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. The restaurants serve a variety of Mexican-inspired foods, includi ...
,
KFC KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is an American fast food restaurant chain headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, that specializes in fried chicken. It is the world's second-largest restaurant chain (as measured by sales) after McDonald's, with 2 ...
,
United Airlines United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois.
,
United Way United Way is an international network of over 1,800 local nonprofit fundraising affiliates. United Way was the largest nonprofit organization in the United States by donations from the public, prior to 2016. United Way organizations raise funds ...
,
McDonald's McDonald's Corporation is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechri ...
, Beatrice Corp. and the
Chicago Wolves The Chicago Wolves are a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League and are the top minor-league affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the C ...
hockey team.


Holland, the Michael Angelo Band and Nitro (1984–1993)

Batio began his recording career in 1984 when he joined new
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
-based heavy metal band
Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...
, an eponymous project set up by ex- Steppenwolf
singer Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
Tommy Holland. With major
label A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item. Information printed dir ...
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
, the band released their debut
studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
in 1985 entitled '' Little Monsters'', which saw moderate success in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. The band split up soon after, and a compilation of material from the ''Little Monsters'' sessions, '' Wake Up the Neighborhood'', was released in 1999 through Batio's label M.A.C.E. Music. After the breakup of Holland, Batio started his own
eponymous An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...
band with singer Michael Cordet,
bassist A bassist (also known as a bass player or bass guitarist) is a musician who plays a Bass (instrument), bass instrument such as a double bass (upright bass, contrabass, wood bass), bass guitar (electric bass, acoustic bass), synthbass, keyboar ...
Allen Hearn and
drummer A drummer is a percussionist who creates music using drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one mem ...
Paul Cammarata. The band did not release any albums, though three of their songs appeared on the 1998 Nitro compilation ''
Gunnin' for Glory ''Gunnin' for Glory'' is a compilation album by American glam metal band Nitro, consisting of older demos from the '' O.F.R.'' and '' H.W.D.W.S.'' sessions, as well as three tracks by Batio's former band, the Michael Angelo Band. Track listing ...
''. In 1987, after the breakup of Holland, Batio joined
glam metal Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal that features pop-influenced hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat rock anthems, and slow power ballads. It borrows heavily from the fashion and image of 1970s glam r ...
artist
Jim Gillette James "Jim" Gillette (born November 10, 1967) is an American singer, notable for being the frontman of glam metal band Nitro. Originally a member of the band Tuff, Gillette released a solo album in 1987 and then formed Nitro with guitarist Mi ...
on his solo album "''Proud to Be Loud"'', before founding the band
Nitro Nitro may refer to: Chemistry *Nitrogen, a chemical element and a gas except at very low temperatures, with which many compounds are formed: **Nitro compound, an organic compound containing one or more nitro functional groups, -NO2 **Nitroalkene, ...
with bassist T.J. Racer and drummer
Bobby Rock Nitro was an American heavy metal band from Hollywood, California. Formed in 1988, the group originally featured vocalist Jim Gillette, guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, bassist T. J. Racer and drummer Bobby Rock. Nitro released its debut album '' ...
. In 1989 Nitro released their first studio album, '' O.F.R.'', from which they released two singles, "Freight Train" and "Long Way From Home". The
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
for "Freight Train", which received much airplay on
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
, was notable for featuring Batio playing his now famous 'Quad Guitar', a notion which ''
FHM ''FHM'' (For Him Magazine) is a British multinational men's lifestyle magazine that was published in several countries. Its master edition contained features such as the ''FHM'' 100 Sexiest Women in the World, which has featured models, actres ...
magazine'' voted one of the "50 most outrageous moments in rock history". 1987 was also the year Batio released his first instructional video with "
Star Licks Productions Star Licks Productions (also known as StarLicks) was an instructional music publishing company conceived by Mark Freed and co-founded by Andrew Cross and Robert Decker. The company was at the forefront of creating instructional videos featuring we ...
" as part of the "Masters Series" and was one of the first recognized metal guitarists to record instructional videos. This video was the very first "shred" instructional program showing many modern guitar concepts for the first time. By 1992, Rock and Racer had been replaced by Johnny Thunder and Ralph Carter respectively, and it was in this year that they released their second studio album entitled '' Nitro II: H.W.D.W.S.''. Included on the album was a cover of
Ted Nugent Theodore Anthony Nugent (; born December 13, 1948) is an American rock musician and activist. He initially gained fame as the lead guitarist and occasional lead vocalist of The Amboy Dukes, a band formed in 1963 that played psychedelic rock an ...
's "
Cat Scratch Fever ''Cat Scratch Fever'' is the third studio album by American rock musician Ted Nugent. It was released on May 13, 1977, by Epic Records. Vocalist Derek St. Holmes, who had left the band during the recording of the album ''Free-for-All'', had com ...
", which the band also integrated into a music video. Nitro disbanded shortly afterwards.


Solo career (1993–present)

In April 1993, Batio founded his own record label, M.A.C.E. Music, which became one of the first labels online in 1996. He used this label when he began recording his first album, '' No Boundaries'', which he released in 1995. Batio's second studio release was '' Planet Gemini'' in 1997, which showed a very progressive, experimental side to his playing. In 1999, Batio released his second instructional video, ''Jam With Angelo'', which came with his third studio album as a companion CD: ''
Tradition A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...
''. This was quickly followed by a fourth full-length album in 2000, '' Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity'', which was credited to "Mike Batio and Rob Ross", the latter being the drummer. In 2001, Batio released a CD with his band "C4," covering songs from his Holland years and including the original "Call to Arms." It was his 1st all vocal CD since recording with Nitro. Batio and C4 were featured on "Rock My Ass", a TV show self-described as "Chicago's live music venue from your couch". This was not Batio's first appearance on the show, having also appeared in 1999 with a band called No Remorse. In 2003, Batio released his first DVD, the title release in his ''Speed Kills'' series, followed by the second, ''Speed Lives'', in 2004. It was also in this year that Batio released a compilation album, '' Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity Part 2'', which featured songs from ''Tradition'' and ''Lucid Intervals''. In 2005, Batio released his highly anticipated cover/tribute/studio album, '' Hands Without Shadows'', which featured guest appearances from such musicians as
Mark Tremonti Mark Thomas Tremonti (born April 18, 1974) is an American guitarist and singer, best known for his tenures with the rock bands Creed and Alter Bridge. He is a founding member of both bands, and has also collaborated with many other artists over ...
(of
Alter Bridge Alter Bridge is an American rock band from Orlando, Florida. The band was formed in 2004 by vocalist and rhythm guitarist Myles Kennedy, lead guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips. After their former band Cr ...
fame),
Rudy Sarzo Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont (born November 18, 1950) is a Cuban American hard rock/ heavy metal bassist. He remains best known for his work with Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, and Whitesnake, and has also played ...
(of
Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...
,
Quiet Riot Quiet Riot is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band founded in Los Angeles in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni. The original lineup featured Rhoads and Garni with lead vocalist Kevin DuBrow and drummer Drew F ...
,
Whitesnake Whitesnake are an English hard rock band formed in London in 1978. The group was originally put together as the backing band for singer David Coverdale, who had recently left Deep Purple. Though the band quickly developed into their own entit ...
and Dio fame) and virtuoso newcomer Bill Peck. In 2006, DVD ''Speed Kills 2'' was released, in addition to the first in the new ''Hands Without Shadows'' series, ''Performance''. Batio's latest release came in 2007, when his first two albums - ''No Boundaries'' and ''Planet Gemini'' - were remixed and remastered with additional drums, for an album entitled '' 2 X Again''; the title of a song from the first album. Angelo also released three DVDs in 2007: ''Speed Kills 3'', ''25 Jazz Progressions'' and ''MAB Jam Session''. In 2011, Batio debuted his multimedia show "Hands Without Shadows - A Tribute to Rock Guitar" in Las Vegas. In 2012 Batio toured the world with this show. It was a chronological tribute to rock guitar. Batio toured the world with the tribute to rock guitar show in 2013 and 2014. Batio is currently performing concerts featuring his original music mixed with several songs from his tribute to rock guitar show. Batio has been listed as one of the "Top 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists of All Time" by ''Guitar World Magazine'', for which he wrote the column ''Time to Burn'', and one of the "20 Greatest Shredders of All Time" by ''Total Guitar Magazine'', both in April 2008. Batio also won the 2009 Guitar World Magazine Readers Choice award in the "Best Shredder" category. In November 2011, Batio won the Guitar World Magazine Readers Choice Award and was voted the "Fastest Guitarist of All Time." Over 440,000 votes were cast. On September 2, 2022, Manowar announced that Batio will join the band for their 2023 world tour.


Film appearance

In 1991, Batio's guitar work appeared in the low budget horror film '' Shock 'Em Dead'', recording tracks for the soundtrack as well as playing the guitar parts of the demonically possessed main character Angel Martin in close ups.


Style

Batio plays extremely fast and well articulated alternate picking, which he credits to his use of anchoring, or planting the fingers he does not use on the body of the guitar while picking to restrict motion. He is also adept at fluid, sweep-picked arpeggios and tapping. Batio has cited
F-sharp minor F-sharp minor is a minor scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has three sharps. Its relative major is A major and its parallel major is F-sharp major (or enharmonically G-flat major). T ...
and F-sharp phrygian dominant as two of his favorite keys. He has described F sharp minor as a "demonic" key, giving a dark, evil sound. Batio invented and often demonstrates the "reach-around" technique, which involves flipping his fretting hand over and under the neck rapidly, playing the guitar both regularly and like a piano. He is
ambidextrous Ambidexterity is the ability to use both the right and left hand equally well. When referring to objects, the term indicates that the object is equally suitable for right-handed and left-handed people. When referring to humans, it indicates that ...
, a skill he taught himself. This enables him to play two guitars at the same time either in synchronization or using separate harmonies. This includes playing completely different parts at once, as shown while playing his famous Double-Guitar. Though naturally left-handed, he plays as right-handed when playing one guitar. Batio gave lessons to guitarist
Tom Morello Thomas Baptist Morello (born May 30, 1964) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and political activist. He is best known for his tenure with the rock band Rage Against the Machine and then with Audioslave. Between 2016 and 2019, Morello ...
(of
Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine (often abbreviated as RATM or shortened to simply Rage) is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerfor ...
and
Audioslave Audioslave was an American Rock music, rock supergroup (music), supergroup formed in Glendale, California, in 2001. The four-piece band consisted of Soundgarden's lead singer and rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell with Rage Against the Machine membe ...
fame) while at college. Morello has credited MAB with teaching him in a feature article in ''Guitar World Magazine'' in 2005. Batio also gave lessons to guitarist
Mark Tremonti Mark Thomas Tremonti (born April 18, 1974) is an American guitarist and singer, best known for his tenures with the rock bands Creed and Alter Bridge. He is a founding member of both bands, and has also collaborated with many other artists over ...
after
Creed A creed, also known as a confession of faith, a symbol, or a statement of faith, is a statement of the shared beliefs of a community (often a religious community) in a form which is structured by subjects which summarize its core tenets. The ea ...
broke up and Tremonti wanted to learn more techniques. Batio has a deep interest in European medieval history, castles and architecture, and is often seen wearing an all-black outfit with chains and other designs related to the medieval period. Many of his guitars have been designed to feature chainmail and flames in the artwork.


Equipment


Guitars

Batio has an extensive collection of around 170 guitars, which he has accumulated since the 1980s. Among his instruments are a
Dave Bunker Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...
"Touch guitar" (double neck with both bass and guitar, similar to the
Chapman Stick The Chapman Stick is an electric musical instrument devised by Emmett Chapman in the early 1970s. A member of the guitar family, the Chapman Stick usually has ten or twelve individually tuned strings and is used to play bass lines, melody lines, ...
), a mint-condition 1968
Fender Mustang The Fender Mustang is a solid body electric guitar produced by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. It was introduced in 1964 as the basis of a major redesign of Fender's student models, the Musicmaster and Duo-Sonic. It was produced ...
, a 1986
Fender Stratocaster The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuously ...
1962 re-issue and several other vintage and custom-built guitars. Among his custom-made guitars is a 29-fret guitar made of military-grade
aluminum Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It has ...
, which makes the guitar very light. For live performances Batio is an exclusive user of
Dean Guitars Dean Guitars, commonly referred to simply as Dean, is an American importer and maker of stringed instruments and musical products with its headquarters in Tampa, Florida. Its products include solid-body electric guitars, bass guitars, and acous ...
, both electric and acoustic. In 2007 he designed and developed a signature guitar with Dean, known as the MAB1 Armor Flame. Another signature piece of equipment Batio developed is the "MAB Hands Without Shadows" pickup, which he uses in his Double Guitar when touring. The pickup is specially designed for
shred guitar Shred guitar or shredding is a virtuoso lead guitar solo playing style for the guitar, based on various advanced and complex playing techniques, particularly rapid passages and advanced performance effects. Shred guitar includes "fast alternate p ...
, and provides the clean tone Batio is accustomed to. The Armor Flame, Batio's signature guitar, uses
EMG 81 The EMG 81 is a popular active humbucker guitar pickup manufactured by EMG, Inc. It is usually considered a lead pickup for use in the bridge position, paired with EMG's 85 as a rhythm pickup in neck position (Zakk Wylde is famous for this configu ...
, 85 and SA pickups, as his signature DMT pickups were still being developed at that time. Earlier on in his career when he was first endorsed by Dean guitars he also embraced Dean's tradition of popularizing Dimarzio pickups and had used Dimarzios in his guitars. These include the Dimarzio PAF, Super Distortion (sometimes using the Super Distortion both in the neck and bridge position, as he did in his Gibson Charvel Circuit Board double guitar. This was the main setup during the recording of No Boundaries). Batio has also used pickups of other brands including
Seymour Duncan Seymour Duncan is an American company best known for manufacturing guitar and bass pickups. They also manufacture effects pedals which are designed and assembled in America. Guitarist and luthier Seymour W. Duncan and Cathy Carter Duncan foun ...
, namely the Pearly Gates and JB models and also Bill Lawrence pickups. Currently other than using EMGs in his signature guitar he also has a collection of the other brand pickups in his Dean limited edition collectors' models, such as Dimarzio Custom Super Distortions (based on the Super 2 and Super Distortion) in his USA Dean Time capsule Blue Burst ML and the Seymour Duncan pair he used (refer to above) in his USA Dean Collectors edition Hardtail.


Double Guitar

Batio was the inventor of the Double Guitar, a V-shaped, twin-neck guitar which can be played both right- and left-handed. The first version of this instrument was actually two separate guitars simply played together, as opposed to being one entity. A
Flying V The Gibson Flying V is an electric guitar model introduced by Gibson in 1958. The Flying V offered a radical, "futuristic" body design, much like its siblings: the Explorer, which was released the same year, and the Moderne, which was designed ...
was fastened to a
snare drum The snare (or side drum) is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when the head is struck with a drum stick, due to the use of a series of stiff wires held under tension against the lower skin. Snare drums are often used ...
in a left-handed position, while another one was strapped around his shoulder. The next version of the guitar, as designed by Batio and guitar technician Kenny Breit, featured a flight case latch attached to the back of each guitar, which could reportedly be assembled in five seconds. By far his most famous and definitely his most photographed double guitar is his USA Dean Mach 7 Jet Double Guitar along with its custom Anvil flight case. One of his inspirations for the radical design was jazz saxophonist
Rahsaan Roland Kirk Rahsaan Roland Kirk (born Ronald Theodore Kirk; August 7, 1935Kernfeld, Barry.Kirk, Roland" ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'', 2nd ed. Ed. Barry Kernfeld. ''Grove Music Online''. ''Oxford Music Online''. Retrieved February 1, 2009-. "The year ...
, who was known for playing two or three instruments simultaneously. Batio saw Kirk in concert during his teens, and said the jazz musician "blew his mind." When the Double Guitar was first used in concert, Batio noticed that the guitars created a lot of feedback when played together. He decided that he needed to invent a way to 'dampen' the strings when both guitars were played at the same time, hence the invention of the "MAB String Dampener", which is now available to buy from M.A.C.E. Music. The Double Guitar was recently named as the 8th "coolest guitar in rock" by online music magazine ''
Gigwise ''Gigwise'' is a British online music news site that features music news, photos, album reviews, music festivals, concert tickets and video content. Founded in June 2001, the site is based in London, England. History Gigwise was launched in 2001 ...
''. His iconic Dean 'Jet' Double Guitar has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum and was put on permanent display in February 2012. This guitar was built by
Mike Lipe Mike Lipe was a master guitar luthier, known for his custom built electric guitar company, Lipe Guitars U.S.A. He worked for over 35 years as a luthier, and has built guitars for many notable players including Brian May, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, ...
for Dean Guitars.


The Quad Guitar

As well as the Double Guitar, Michael Angelo also invented and designed the Quad Guitar. The guitar was originally built in conjunction with
Gibson Gibson may refer to: People * Gibson (surname) Businesses * Gibson Brands, Inc., an American manufacturer of guitars, other musical instruments, and audio equipment * Gibson Technology, and English automotive and motorsport company based * Gi ...
, and built by Wayne Charvel in
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. The top two guitars have seven strings, while the bottom two have the regular six. The first Quad, as used in the video for Nitro's "Freight Train", was stolen in
El Paso, Texas El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the county seat, seat of El Paso County, Texas, El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau w ...
after the second show of Nitro's ''O.F.R.'' tour. When Batio was performing in November 2004, a young fan named Simon Jones and his father turned up with a guitar case which held inside the two top guitars of the Quad, as found by Mick Seymour. Dean designed and had
Mike Lipe Mike Lipe was a master guitar luthier, known for his custom built electric guitar company, Lipe Guitars U.S.A. He worked for over 35 years as a luthier, and has built guitars for many notable players including Brian May, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, ...
build a new Quad Guitar in 2008. The Quad Guitar was recently named as the 2nd "coolest guitar in rock" by online music magazine ''
Gigwise ''Gigwise'' is a British online music news site that features music news, photos, album reviews, music festivals, concert tickets and video content. Founded in June 2001, the site is based in London, England. History Gigwise was launched in 2001 ...
''.


Effects

In his years with Nitro, Batio used
Boss Boss may refer to: Occupations * Supervisor, often referred to as boss * Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier * Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization * Fire boss, a ...
overdrive (DS-1, SD-1) pedals. In his later years, beginning with his first solo album "No Boundaries," Batio used and still uses the original TS-9 Tube Screamer. He has vintage TS-9 pedals in his studio, that are only for recording and newer ones that he uses on tour. In the studio, Batio also uses the following effects pedals: * Vintage Digitech Whammy *
Dunlop Cry Baby The Dunlop Cry Baby is a popular wah-wah pedal, manufactured by Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc. The name Cry Baby was from the original pedal from which it was copied, the Thomas Organ/ Vox Cry Baby wah-wah, first manufactured in 1966. Thomas Organ/ ...
* Vintage Digitech 256 multifx *Eventide Eclipse * Rocktron Chameleon Pre amp * Rocktron Voodoo Valve Pre amp *Rocktron Intellifex *Rocktron Replifex


Amplification

During his years with Nitro, Batio used Randall amplifiers. However, he used a Marshall amp early in his career, a JCM 800 (which was modified, mainly by Jose Arrendondo). In later years he made particular use of the JCM 900, when recording No Boundaries, and has primarily used this and other Marshall amps since. Currently, Batio typically uses
Marshall Marshall may refer to: Places Australia * Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria Canada * Marshall, Saskatchewan * The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia Liberia * Marshall, Liberia Marshall Islands * Marshall Islands, an i ...
JCM 2000 amps on tour, which also appear on his more recent studio records. In the studio, he also uses the Marshall JMP-1 preamp and Rocktron Chameleon and Voodoo Valve preamps. Batio's cabinet setup consists of 4x12 Marshall cabinets loaded with Celestion Vintage 30s and Greenbacks, in mono and stereo.


Other equipment


Strings

Batio uses
Ernie Ball Ernie Ball (born Roland Sherwood Ball; August 30, 1930 – September 9, 2004) was an American entrepreneur and musician who developed guitar-related products. Ball began as a club and local television musician and entrepreneur, building an inte ...
guitar strings, favoring the .009 to .042 models for soloing and most rhythm guitar parts while thicker gauge strings are used for detuned guitars. The acoustic gauge is normally .010 to .047 or .011 to .052.


Picks

For most of his career, Batio used Dunlop Jazz III picks as his
guitar pick A guitar pick (American English) is a plectrum used for guitars. Picks are generally made of one uniform material—such as some kind of plastic (nylon, Delrin, celluloid), rubber, felt, tortoiseshell, wood, metal, glass, tagua, or stone. They ...
of choice, and has used the 'teardrop' shape of pick since he first started playing. However, in 2016, Batio released the "Michael Angelo Batio Signature 1.3mm Dura Picks, Premium Shredder Jazz Shaped Pick" from ChromaCast. These picks are a slightly larger version of his former favorite Dunlop Jazz III picks, made with a different material. For his acoustic work, Batio will sometimes use different picks.


Discography

*'' No Boundaries'' (1995) *'' Planet Gemini'' (1997) *''
Tradition A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...
'' (1999) *'' Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity'' (2000) *'' Holiday Strings'' (2001) *'' Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity Part 2'' (2004) *'' Hands Without Shadows'' (2005) *'' 2 X Again'' (2007) *'' Hands Without Shadows 2 – Voices'' (2009) *''
Backing Tracks A backing track is an audio recording on audiotape, CD or a digital recording medium or a MIDI recording of synthesized instruments, sometimes of purely rhythmic accompaniment, often of a rhythm section or other accompaniment parts that live music ...
'' (2010) *''
Intermezzo In music, an intermezzo (, , plural form: intermezzi), in the most general sense, is a composition which fits between other musical or dramatic entities, such as acts of a play or movements of a larger musical work. In music history, the term ha ...
'' (2013) *'' Shred Force 1: The Essential MAB'' (2015) *'' Soul in Sight'' (2016) *''
More Machine Than Man More Machine Than Man is an American industrial rock / coldwave / goth rock band. It was formed by two musicians under the pseudonyms, Tasha Katrine and Tech (later changed to Robzilla). More Machine Than Man has independently released three f ...
'' (2020)


References


External links


2015 Michael Angelo Batio Interview on Guitar.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Batio, Michael Angelo American heavy metal guitarists Living people Nitro (band) members Northeastern Illinois University alumni Lead guitarists American people of Italian descent American people of German descent American music educators Guitarists from Chicago 20th-century American guitarists Shout (band) members Educators from Illinois 21st-century American guitarists Year of birth missing (living people)