| Sara Marsh | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Mini Murray (The Iron Maidens) |
| Origin | Hawthorne, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Heavy Metal Hard rock Tribute |
| Occupations | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1989—2010 |
| Website | sarabaracuda.com |
| Notable instruments | |
| Lush Custom Strat B.C. Rich ST |
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Sara Marsh was one of two guitarists of the all-female tribute band The Iron Maidens (billed as the "World's Only Female Tribute to Iron Maiden"). In addition, she is a former founding member of the Ozzy Osbourne tribute band The Little Dolls (billed as, "All Female, All Ozzy, All The Time...Covering All Eras Of Ozzy"). Sara Marsh was also a guest guitarist for a couple of tours with Mistress of Reality while The Iron Maidens were looking for their second singer. Prior to those works, Marsh was also the guitarist of the band Bandit (1989–1994).
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Born in Hawthorne, CA, Sara Marsh grew up with music, as her father and grandfather both played tenor saxophone while her mother had a collection of Beach Boys records. Following her father's footsteps, Marsh took up alto saxophone and guitar at age 15 following years of taking up private piano lessons. Influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Ritchie Blackmore, Tony Iommi, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton, she switched her focus on playing guitar.[1]
In 1989, Marsh, along with Cathy Montgomery, Sece Foster, Karen Chambers and Robin MacDonnel, formed an all-female metal band called Bandit, whose music had been described by fans as a mix of The Pretenders and Megadeth. After Bandit disbanded in 1994, Marsh moved to Kansas City, KS, to finish her college degree in Special Education teaching. While in Kansas, she worked with several night club bands with musical ranges from Glam metal to Speed metal to Country.[2]
In 2001, Marsh - along with drummer Linda McDonald and guitarist Josephine Soegijanty of Phantom Blue - joined vocalist Jenny Warren and bassist Melanie Sisneros to form The Iron Maidens, an all-female tribute band to Iron Maiden. As a member of The Iron Maidens, Marsh's stage name was "Mini Murray," a parody of Iron Maiden guitarist Dave Murray.[3] Her favorite Iron Maiden songs are "Die With Your Boots On" and The Clairvoyant".[4]
She also performed with members of Phantom Blue on their reunion at the Michelle Meldrum Memorial Concert in Hollywood, CA, on May 26, 2009.[5][6]
When she was touring with The Iron Maidens, Marsh's had several main guitars. Recently (2009) it was a cellophaned green-on-black Lush Custom Strat with DiMarzio Super Distortion and two Super Distortion S pickups. The 5 way toggle is set up to split the pickups for single coil as well. She also acquired a flat black one with identical specs a years later. Her favorite is a yellow B.C. Rich ST with EMG 81/85 Floyd Rose pickups (which she had owned since her early days with Bandit). Marsh also owns an 80'z Charvel/Jackson with EMG's that is tuned a half step down as well as her first black B.C. Rich which is now tuned B-B. Her acoustic guitar is a Martin from the 70's signed by David Crosby. In addition, Marsh own an old analog Roland keyboard (JX-3p) as well as a shamisen she recently acquired in Tokyo in 2010 and has become quite skilled at. For sound amplification, Marsh uses a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier and an arsenal of various stomp boxes as she doesn't favor the digital rack sound. At home, she uses a POD 2.0 for home recording and low volume jams with friends.
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