About Friedman And Becker

[ABQShredHead]

No, but I've heard plenty of horror stories to never want to have any dealings with him.

That's interesting, because most of the stuff that came from his stable seemed to be from a "family" environment. Maybe that was only because all his "kids" were in fact kids who were only happy to be able to put out instrumental CDs that featured their ripping guitars.

On another note, I bought a DVD off eBay with Friedman & Becker playing at a NAMM show and some shots of a live Cacophony gig. The vid quality is absolute dirt, but it is very cool to watch them play live. The NAMM part is mostly mindless noodling over a blues progression, but it's still Jason Fucking Becker! The live Cacophony stuff was (possibly) from a Japanese TV show; so, it's quality isn't too bad - there just isn't enough of it on the DVD.

Too bad Marty left Megadeth - I really liked his stuff with Mustaine.

 

[Bear]

Not to piss people off or anything but I was lucky enough to see Cacaphony 5 or 6 times back in the day. An old friend and the guy that got me into sweep picking Marshall McMahon I used to guitar tech for was a student of both Marty and Jason and grew up down the street from them in the North Bay. Cacaphony used to play The Stone in SF and The Omni quite a bit back then, ahhhhhh the memories!!!

Bear

 

[ABQShredHead]

Not to piss people off or anything but I was lucky enough to see Cacaphony 5 or 6 times back in the day. An old friend and the guy that got me into sweep picking Marshall McMahon I used to guitar tech for was a student of both Marty and Jason and grew up down the street from them in the North Bay. Cacaphony used to play The Stone in SF and The Omni quite a bit back then, ahhhhhh the memories!!!

Bear

Yeah, well, I think you pretty much pissed me off. At least made me very envious... You dog!

 

[Julz]

You are lucky that you got to see all of those guys back in the day....Vinnie Moore did a guitar clinic down here in 88 or 89 and thats the only contact we got with any of the shred scene in Australia.

I saw Michael Angelo on Hey Hey it's Saturday in the early 90's what a trip that was!

 

[Yngvai X]

That's interesting, because most of the stuff that came from his stable seemed to be from a "family" environment. Maybe that was only because all his "kids" were in fact kids who were only happy to be able to put out instrumental CDs that featured their ripping guitars.

I seriously doubt someone like Ron Thal would ever consider Shrapnel a "family" environment, unless we're talking about a father who likes to fuck his kids up the ass.

 

[Yngvai X]

BTW I figure I'd elaborate on some of the Varney stories I've heard.

Non-specific stuff:

He takes 80% of the artists' share from the albums

Provides NO promotion

There is actually a clause in the contract you sign with him stating that he gets a cut of any money you make from albums AFTER YOU'VE LEFT Shrapnel. Because "he helped you jumpstart your career." (wanna know why Varney is so rich now? Something called "To Be With you" comes to mind)...

As far as the thing with Ron goes, I didn't hear too much detail, only that Ron does not own any of the music he recorded for Varney and has no control over releasing it again.

The biggest Varney horror story I've heard tho, is with Mike Portnoy (don't forget Varney owns Magna Carta too, and they're just as bad a Shrapnel). Varney somehow "lost" the masters of the jam sessions Portnoy, Rudess, and Levin had while Petrucci was away during the original LTE2 sessions that Portnoy wanted to make a 3rd LTE album from. Also, Varney told Portnoy that every time Portnoy wanted to play a LTE song either live with Dream Theater or at a clinic, he would have to *pay Varney royalties* for it. Portnoy basically said "fuck you, I'm on Elektra records and our lawyers will kick the shit out of your lawyers if you try to sue me over it" so Varney dropped it.

 

[ABQShredHead]

BTW I figure I'd elaborate on some of the Varney stories I've heard.

Non-specific stuff:

He takes 80% of the artists' share from the albums

Provides NO promotion

There is actually a clause in the contract you sign with him stating that he gets a cut of any money you make from albums AFTER YOU'VE LEFT Shrapnel. Because "he helped you jumpstart your career." (wanna know why Varney is so rich now? Something called "To Be With you" comes to mind)...

As far as the thing with Ron goes, I didn't hear too much detail, only that Ron does not own any of the music he recorded for Varney and has no control over releasing it again.

The biggest Varney horror story I've heard tho, is with Mike Portnoy (don't forget Varney owns Magna Carta too, and they're just as bad a Shrapnel). Varney somehow "lost" the masters of the jam sessions Portnoy, Rudess, and Levin had while Petrucci was away during the original LTE2 sessions that Portnoy wanted to make a 3rd LTE album from. Also, Varney told Portnoy that every time Portnoy wanted to play a LTE song either live with Dream Theater or at a clinic, he would have to *pay Varney royalties* for it. Portnoy basically said "fuck you, I'm on Elektra records and our lawyers will kick the shit out of your lawyers if you try to sue me over it" so Varney dropped it.

Wow, that's a real eye opener. I hadn't heard any of that stuff before; but, then again, I live in podunk Albuquerque, NM, where we're famous for floating a bunch of hot-air balloons into the air in October and not our music scene.