The Great Kat

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The Great Kat
Background information
Birth name	Katherine Thomas
Origin	United States
Occupation(s)	Speed metal Heavy metal Thrash metal
Instrument(s)	Guitar Violin
Years active	1986 – present
Label(s)	Roadrunner
Website	http://www.greatkat.com

The Great Kat is the stage name of Katherine Thomas, an English-born, Long Island NY raised, musician best known for her thrash metal interpretations of well-known pieces of classical music. Most feature her using the electric guitar, but some have her on violin. Thomas is in fact a classically-trained violinist, graduating from the Juilliard School and touring for a time playing conventional classical music before crossing over to metal .

According to her website, Guitar One magazine listed her as one of the "Ten Fastest Shredders of All Time" [1], and many media reviews of her work have praised the speed and clarity of her playing. Her classical background, technical skills and self-promotion are sometimes compared to Yngwie Malmsteen.

Kat's public persona, as portrayed in her publicity photos and videos, is mainly that of a dominatrix, albeit in a somewhat over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek manner.