Ziazine Magazine March 2010 : Page 14

What’s Up Metalheads!? I would like to introduce you to The Alien Blakk! The Alien Blakk is a Metal super group containing Joshua Craig (Guitar, Vox) Dave Ellefson (Bass) and Craig Nielsen (Drums). Alien Blakk is the brainchild of Joshua Craig. Josh is a super talented guitarist, producer, writer and composer. The list of projects (composing for video games, and TV ) as well session work and collaborations with artists like Dr. DRE, CKY, Christina Aguilera, Death, Rob Halford and many more are beyond impressive. Along with Ellefson (Megadeth) and Nielsen (Flotsam and Jetsam), Josh has his own musical outlet and it is an impressive display of musicianship! I sat down with Josh for an interview recently and here is part one. Zak: Josh, you have a very interesting career in music: composer, writer, session musician and author can you give us a little history? Josh: Uh yeah my history as far as the music industry goes (it’s weird to think that you can actually have a career in music, but I’ve never had a day job) I have written a book that’s coming out in March called “Advance Lead Guitar Concepts” which deals with how with the left side of your brain co-exists with the right side of your brain while you’re improvising and playing music. It deals with who how you get the things out emotionally from one side if your brain and how you deal with it technically on the other side and how they work together to create one cohesive, unique piece of orchestral istrumentation. I also have a series of instructional DVDs and CDs as well as monthly guitar columns. In addition, I teach Guitar lessons in Scottsdale on a weekly basis. I also score on a regular basis for quite a few video game companies. Mainly Horror, Metal and Aggressive Techno type music for them. Also done a lot of soundtrack for MTV shows (Fit Club, Punked, Next). In addition to all that I’m a session musician who has worked with everyone from Xzibit, Coolio, and Rob Halford to Mark Hammill. Zak: How did The Alien Blakk come about? Josh: I had been working with so many other bands as a session musician and guitar player that I never really had a full outlet for my own material so I wanted to put something together so I could have one dedicated outlet for all the emotional caustic approaches that I have for music. at’s Up Metalheads!? I would like to Up Metalheads!? I would like to introduce you to The Alien Blakk! The Alien Blakk is a Metal super group containing Joshua Craig (Guitar, Vox) Dave Ellefson (Bass) and Craig Nielsen (Drums). Alien Blakk is the brainchild of Joshua Craig. Josh is a super talented guitarist, producer, writer and composer. The list of projects (composing for video games, and TV ) as well session work and collaborations with artists like Dr. DRE, CKY, Christina Aguilera, Death, Rob Halford and many more are beyond impressive. Along with Ellefson (Megadeth) and Nielsen (Flotsam and Jetsam), Josh has his own musical outlet and it is an impressive display of musicianship! I sat down with Josh for an interview recently and here is part one. Zak: Josh, you have a very interesting career in music: composer, writer, session musician and author can you give us a little history? Josh: Uh yeah my history as far as the music industry goes (it’s weird to think that you can actually have a career in music, but I’ve never had a day job) I have written a book that’s coming out in March called “Advance Lead Guitar Concepts” which deals with how with the left side of your brain co-exists with the right side of your brain while you’re improvising and playing music. It deals with who how you get the things out emotionally from one side if your brain and how you deal with it technically on the other side and how they work together to create one cohesive, unique piece of orchestral istrumentation. I also have a series of instructional DVDs and CDs as well as monthly guitar columns. In addition, I teach Guitar lessons in Scottsdale on a weekly basis. I also score on a regular basis for quite a few video game companies. Mainly Horror, Metal and Aggressive Techno type music for them. Also done a lot of soundtrack for MTV shows (Fit Club, Punked, Next). In addition to all that I’m a session musician who has worked with everyone from Xzibit, Coolio, and Rob Halford to Mark Hammill. Zak: How did The Alien Blakk come about? Josh: I had been working with so many other bands as a session musician and guitar player that I never really had a full outlet for my own material so I wanted to put something together so I could have one dedicated outlet for all the emotional caustic approaches that I have for music. Written Written by Zak Frankel continuted...

The Alian Blakk

What’s Up Metalheads!? I would like to introduce you to The Alien Blakk! The Alien Blakk is a Metal super group containing Joshua Craig (Guitar, Vox) Dave Ellefson (Bass) and Craig Nielsen (Drums). Alien Blakk is the brainchild of Joshua Craig. Josh is a super talented guitarist, producer, writer and composer. The list of projects (composing for video games, and TV ) as well session work and collaborations with artists like Dr. DRE, CKY, Christina Aguilera, Death, Rob Halford and many more are beyond impressive. Along with Ellefson (Megadeth) and Nielsen (Flotsam and Jetsam), Josh has his own musical outlet and it is an impressive display of musicianship! I sat down with Josh for an interview recently and here is part one.

Zak: Josh, you have a very interesting career in music: composer, writer, session musician and author can you give us a little history?

Josh: Uh yeah my history as far as the music industry goes (it’s weird to think that you can actually have a career in music, but I’ve never had a day job) I have written a book that’s coming out in March called “Advance Lead Guitar Concepts” which deals with how with the left side of your brain co-exists with the right side of your brain while you’re improvising and playing music. It deals with who how you get the things out emotionally from one side if your brain and how you deal with it technically on the other side and how they work together to create one cohesive, unique piece of orchestral istrumentation. I also have a series of instructional DVDs and Cds as well as monthly guitar columns. In addition, I teach Guitar lessons in Scottsdale on a weekly basis. I also score on a regular basis for quite a few video game companies. Mainly Horror, Metal and Aggressive Techno type music for them. Also done a lot of soundtrack for MTV shows (Fit Club, Punked, Next). In addition to all that I’m a session musician who has worked with everyone from Xzibit, Coolio, and Rob Halford to Mark Hammill.

Zak: How did The Alien Blakk come about?

Josh: I had been working with so many other bands as a session musician and guitar player that I never really had a full outlet for my own material so I wanted to put something together so I could have one dedicated outlet for all the emotional caustic approaches that I have for music.

Zak: How did The Alien Blakk come about?

Josh: I had been working with so many other bands as a session musician and guitar player that I never really had a full outlet for my own material so I wanted to put something together so I could have one dedicated outlet for all the emotional caustic approaches that I have for music.

Zak: How did you hook up with Dave and Craig initially?

Josh: Dave I first met at Peavey event in California where I was the music director for Coolio and Dave was working for Peavey. We exchanged info to see if we could collaborate on some project together.

Later I talked to Dave about some projects and this is the one decided on. I came out to Arizona and we started recording a demo that eventually evolved into The Alien Blakk. Craig I met while jamming with Flotsam in ’96 and ’97 and we played four or five times together and nothing ever came to fruition.

About 6 months later we were both in LA and I did a Megadeth tribute with Craig for $50 and $5 for gas.

Zak: The record is called “Becoming” when does it come out?

Josh: It comes out Tuesday April 6!

Zak: For those that haven’t heard how would you describe the sound?

Josh: I wouldn’t! I would say it’s got a bit of eclecticism that draws across the board from Zappa to Buckethead to Korn. All the guitars I used (I used like 45!) A lot were built for me to handle the tuning I used on “Becoming”.

Zak: Speaking of 4/6, we are also doing a CD release party/instore performance at Zia Record Exchange in Chandler at 6PM. What can people expect when they come out and see you guys? Is this first performance of “Becoming” live?

Josh: Yeaaah, that’s the way it looks right now. It will be the first or the second. We will have some cool people coming out to perform with us. Dave is a member of The Alien Blakk Family and may do a Sabbath cover with us.

Zak: Very cool!

So this is the end of Part 1. Check us out next month for our 2nd interview in the April issue and join Josh and me on the Zia Podcast on 3/26 as we go through and discuss tracks off The Alien Blakk’s CD “The Becoming”!

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