Joe Stump (Reign of Terror)

Name: Joe Stump
Born: 18th September, 1960

Profile: He is an American guitarist and composer and has released albums with his band, "Reign of Terror" and as a solo artist. He also plays the lead guitar for the symphonic metal band "HolyHell". Joe is a professional shredder, who has taught for many years at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

History: Originally picking up the guitar at age 10, Joe didn’t get serious until he was 13. His first guitar was a Gibson SG copy, then a year later he got a brand new 1974 Fender Stratocaster, black with a maple neck and big tilted headstock, just like Rithie Blackmore’s.

In 1979, Joe enrolled as a student at Berklee College Of Music and completing his degree in 1982. During the same time Joe started listening to a lot of classical music, hearing the way his favourite players used this influence and incorporating into his own style.

The mid 80’s saw Joe being part of rock/metal band "Trash Broadway" and in addition to the band album Joe planned to do a solo record with the same label. In 1993, Joe joined the faculty at Berklee becoming head of metal guitar.

In 1996, Joe formed a band "Reign of Terror" with the album "Lighting The Sky" getting release in North America, Europe and Asia. On the new band outlet Joe states, "The music is a natural extension of what I do on my solo records with the heavy Blackmore/Malmsteen influences mixed with some good doses of speed, thrash and European power metal". In mid 2000's, Joe then got an offer from Magic Circle Music to join a new power metal band called "Holy Hell". This new gig saw Joe play to large audiences with "Manowar" and "Rhadsody Of Fire" playing big venues in Europe in addition to some huge outdoor metal festivals with them.

Influences: Jimi Hendrix, Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple), Al DiMeola, Gary Moore, Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions), Michael Schenker and Yngwie Malmsteen - Classical Influences; Johann Sebastian Bach, Vivaldi, Carl Philip Emmanuel Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Paganini

Axology: ESP guitars, Fender Stratocaster guitars, MC guitars, BOSS FX, Marshall amplifiers, Rhino amplifiers, Engl amplifiers and Voodoo amplifiers

Link(s):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Dhn-3ZLR9g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIcIZ4xJIVM

"I loved that guitar (Fender Stratocaster), and I was lucky my parents were very supportive of my musical endeavours when I was young" - Joe Stump