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Steve Rothery (born November 25, 1959) is the guitarist of the neo-progressive rock band Marillion. He was born in Brampton, South Yorkshire, England. From the age of six he lived in Whitby, North Yorkshire.
[edit] Biography
Rothery began to play the guitar at the age of 15. In 1979, he saw an ad in the music press for a band called Silmarillion that needed a guitarist. He auditioned successfully for the band (August 19, 1979). From this point he concentrated more on melody, composition and mood and less on his technique (similarly like The Edge of U2 does). Later, Silmarillion shortened its name to Marillion. Rothery is the only member of Marillion's original lineup who remains in the band to this day. As well as work with Marillion, he started a solo project under the name The Wishing Tree (with Hannah Stobart providing vocals), and released an album called Carnival of Souls.
In 1995, Rothery performed the Marillion song Easter with American progressive metal band Dream Theater (and fellow band member Steve Hogarth) at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London.
Rothery is regarded by many fans of the band as providing their defining sound - with his signature clean toned, high-sustain Stratocaster soloing. His style of playing is heavily influenced by that of Pink Floyd's David Gilmour. In a 2001 interview with Total Guitar Magazine, Rothery named Jeff Beck and Larry Carlton as his favourite guitarists. Like Gilmour, Rothery is very tonal and is considerate of every note, as opposed to extreme speed and other forms of technical wizardry. When required, Rothery can still pull out all the stops. It has also been said of him that he knows, importantly, 'what not to play'...a case of 'less is more'.
[edit] Some of his important personal quotes
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My wife to be, Jo, asked me to explain how I came up with my musical ideas, picking up a nearby guitar I started improvising what later became the "Kayleigh" riff whilst explaining that I tried to combine melody and rhythm. I sometimes wonder if we would still have written "Kayleigh" if she had asked me if there was anything good on the telly instead! |
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We still sell a lot of records. It's just people's perceptions that have changed. Unless you have a single in the charts, people don't know you're around. |
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Some people have already made up their minds about what the band stands for. The only way to get round that is radio play. We've had more airplay than in years, but on digital, so most people can't hear it. |
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The thing about the guitar is that it's such an emotional instrument, and I'm sure that people would much rather hear a guitar if it's played with emotion and feeling than just racing up and down the fret-board. |
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[edit] Equipment
- Steve Rothery uses Laney Amplification
- Laney VC50 & TT50 Heads
- Laney 4x12 cabinet
- Groove Tubes Dual 75 power amp
- Groove Tubes Trio valve pre-amp
- Roland Jazz Chorus 120 Amp
- TC Electronic 2290 effects processor
- Ground Control Pro MIDI foot controller
- Lexicon MPX G2 effects processor
- Roland GP16 effects processor
- Adrena-Linn effects processor
- Analogman distortion pedal
- Rockman sustainer/stereo chorus & delay
- Sound Sculpture switchblade 16 controller
- Alesis quadraverb effects processor
- Ebtech hum eliminator
- Sennheiser wireless system
- Hughes and Kettner Rotosphere
- Jim Dunlop Crybaby Wah
- Ernie Ball volume pedal
- Ernie Ball super slinky 9-42 strings
- Blade RH4 Classic Stratocaster
- Blade Delta Telecaster
- Blade Texas Standard Stratocaster
- Steinberger Custom made double neck 12/6
- Takamine 12 string acoustic
- Takamine Santa Fe 6 string acoustic
- Squier Stratocaster
- Khaler Pro Tremolo System
- Lindy Fralin Pickups
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
[edit] Compilations
- Brief Encounter (USA Mini LP, 1986)
- B'Sides Themselves (1988)
- From Stoke Row To Ipanema (1990)
- A Singles Collection (1992) (also known as Six of One, Half Dozen of the Other)
- Marillion Music Collection (Italy, 1993)
- Kayleigh (The Netherlands, 1996)
- Essential Collection (United Kingdom, 1996)
- The Best of Marillion (Russia, 1996)
- The Best Of Both Worlds (1997)
- Real to Reel and Brief Encounter reissued as a double CD set (1997)
- Kayleigh - The essential collection (United Kingdom, 1998)
- The Singles '82-88' - Box with 12 CD-singles containing all UK single tracks. (2000)
- The Singles '89-95' - Box with 12 CD-singles containing all UK single tracks. (2002)
- Warm Wet Circles (The Netherlands, 2003)
[edit] Remixes
- Remixomatosis (2005, Retail album different from 2004 Racket Records album) This release, meant to highlight the more "danceable" numbers from the 2004 releases and two new remixes of the Marbles singles, was planned and a track list selected, but was abandoned.
[edit] Live albums
- Real to Reel (1984) (UK sales 100,000 Gold)
- The Thieving Magpie (2 CDs, 1988)
- Made Again (1996)
- Anorak in the UK (2 CDs, 2002)
- Brave Live 2002 (2002)
- Popular Music (2 CDs, 2005, same show in Wish You Were Here DVD)
- Marbles Live (2005)
- Marbles by the Sea (2005)
[edit] Videos / DVDs
- Recital of the Script (1983, Reissued on DVD 2003)
- Grendel/The Web EP (1984) - OUT OF PRINT
- 1982-1986 The Videos (1986) - OUT OF PRINT
- Sugar Mice/Incommunicado (1987)
- Live from Loreley (1987, Reissued on DVD 2004)
- From Stoke Row To Ipanema ('A Year in the Life...') (1990, Reissued on DVD 2003)
- Six of one half a dozen the others (1992)
- A Singles Collection (1992)
- Brave, the Movie (1995, Reissued on DVD 2004)
- Shot in the Dark (2000, Reissued on DVD 2002) - OUT OF PRINT
- The EMI Singles Collection (DVD) (2002)
- Brave Live 2002 (DVD) (2002) - SHORTLY OUT OF PRINT
- A Piss-Up in a Brewery (DVD) (2002) - OUT OF PRINT
- Before First Light (DVD) (2003)
- Christmas in the Chapel (DVD) (2003)
- Marbles on the Road (2 DVDs) (2004)
- Wish You Were Here (4 DVDs, 2005)
- Colours and Sound (2 DVDs, 2006)
- Bootleg Butlins (2007)
[edit] As "The Wishing Tree"
[edit] Other Guest Appearances
- Jadis - Jadis (1989, production)
- Arrakeen - Patchwork (1990, guitar)
- Rock Against Repatriation - Sailing (1990, guitar)
- Enchant - A Blueprint of the World (1994, production, guitar)
- John Wesley - Under the Red and White Sky (1994, guitar)
- Arena - Crying for Help, The Cry (1994, guitar)
- Mr. So and So - The Overlap (1998, production, guitar)
- John Wesley - The Emperor Falls (1999, guitar)
- Ian Mosley & Ben Castle - Postmankind (2001, guitar)
[edit] External links
