Shredders!: The Oral History Of Speed Guitar (And More) featuring foreword by Alex Lifeson

Music journalist Greg Prato has published a new book titled Shredders!: The Oral History Of Speed Guitar (And More) which features a foreword by Alex Lifeson.  "How fast can you play? What guitar do you have? Who is better, Van Halen or Steve Vai? For metal fans in the 80s, these were common and important questions. Tune in to MTV, pick up a magazine, or walk into an instrument store, and more often than not you'd be exposed to what is now known as shredding - the fast, virtuoso soloing popularized by musicians like Vai and Van Halen, Joe Satriani and Yngwie Malmsteen, Randy Rhoads and Dimebag Darrell. Inspired by these pioneering guitarists, thousands of young musicians would spend hours at home in their bedrooms, perfecting both their playing and their poses. Though shredding fell out of favor during the grunge/alternative rock era, it has become increasingly popular again in recent years, spurred by the rise in popularity of bands like Children Of Bodom, DragonForce, and Trivium. Drawing on more than 70 exclusive interviews with key shredders past and present, author and guitarist Greg Prato has assembled the definitive guide to the fastest players of them all."  Click here to order.  For Lifeson's forward, see below.

On these pages, Greg Prato has delivered a fascinating presentation of not only the history but the personal observations of all things rock guitar from many of the great guitarists of the past half-century, in their own words.

A clear, in-depth chronicle told honestly from the perspective of the players who have learned and showcased their skills from a long line of talented predecessors and providing an insight that frankly could not come from a casual observer.

In these chapters, the reader will glean a bounty of information regarding individual players and their impact on the music scene of the time - opinions on technique and gear, the value and differing forms of practice, support from the industry, and many other points of interest.

For anyone with a deep interest in the role rock guitar and its diverse myriad of players hae played, Shredders! will satisfy completely. - ALEX LIFESON, NOVEMBER 2016