In Chronological order
KISS,Led Zeppelin,Aerosmith,Lynyrd Skynrd,Outlaws,Molly Hatchet,The Beatles,ELP,Yes
Everything changed when I bought Judas Priest's "Hell Bent for Leather",This was my kind of music so I started listening to bands like:
Iron Maiden(Early)Def Leppard,Triumph,UFO,Michael Schenker Group,(David Lee Roth era)Van Halen,Ozzy Osbourne with Randy Rhoads,Jake E Lee,Brad Gillis and Zakk Wylde,Tygers of Pan Tang,Accept,Angelwitch,A to Z,Y and T
Id like to note I never was into learning other guitarists music, a whole lot
Around 10-12th grade I had a band that played covers by all of our favorite bands,but soon after I started writing originals and thats been my focus ever since!!
My biggest accomplishments back then was learning some Michael Schenker/UFO stuff and "Mr Crowley",featuring the late,great Randy Rhoads
Ive never learned any Yngwie,Satch or Vai stuff
I just listen to what they are doing as I never want to sound like a carbon copy Shredder
Everything changed again when I heard Al DiMeola,thats the fastest Id ever heard anybody play guitar and that kind of playing attracted me immediately
Around this time period,I started listening to and trying to emulate Classical Music(Bach,Mozart,Paganini,Beethoven and Hayden)
Then,I heard Steeler,with Yngwie Malmsteen fo the first time...OMG,I was floored,This guy was better than everybody else out there and he sounded exactly like I wanted to sound!!!
He became a HUGE influence on my playing(but I sound nothing like Yngwie)
Later influences or just guys/bands I like their guitar playing and music are:Doug Doppler,Michael Angelo Batio
Joe Satriani,Steve Vai,Tony MacAlpine,Chris Poland,Paul Gilbert,Buckethead,Marty Friedman,Metallica,Megadeth,Destruction,Pantera,Testament,Exodus,Sacred Reich,Damage Plan,Godsmack(older),Disturbed,(older)Mudvayne,Sevendust,Fight,Lords of Acid,The Crystal Method,KMFDM,Die Krupps,Static-X,Circle of Dust
Ostrander is super-duper fast and precise,and he attacks this shred workout like a bazillion pirahnas blowing blood geysers around a herd of drowning cows,This impressive player uses his song as an opportunity to blow chops-MICHAEL MOLENDA-GUITAR PLAYER magazine........
Wow,Maybe I should take some lessons from that guy!!-ANDY TIMMONS.........
............From Guitar Nine.com 1999
Speedy Melodic Shredder Releases New CD
Tomb Of The Unknown Shredder is the new CD from top-notch shredder Michael Lee Ostrander, a 12-track blast of heaviness that impresses with its originality and expressiveness. Blending elements of industrial, metal and Middle-Eastern music, Ostrander ties his instrumental compositions together with his highly developed technique, ripping out one dazzling solo after another on tracks such as "Phrygian Domination", "Horroriffic", and "Den Of Iniquity". Warning! The latter cut features a throbbing, dropped-tuned rhythm track that will have you driving way over 55 if you happen to turn it up on the interstate highway! Tomb Of The Unknown Shredder will get a lot of airtime in your favorite stereo as there are a lot of elements that catch your ear after repeated listenings. Ostrander is a shredder with a future
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Michael Lee Ostrander
Origin-Born in Jersey City,NJ and raised in Cresskill,NJ until age 16
Location-Albuquerque,NM
Style-Metal and Blues/Rock Rhythms,Synths meets Techno,Metal and Rock beats combined with Shredding/Melodic solos
Endorsed by DAVA picks and DIMARZIO pickups
Ive been described as Joe Satriani on Acid by 1 fanzine author and
Andy Timmons was quoted as saying when he took the stage after my set at Grandmas Music and Sound Sept of 2006 "Wow,Maybe I should take lessons from that guy" That meant alot coming from a player of his caliber
Andy was a super cool guy,very dow to earth and Im honored to have shared the stage with him!!
I am an accomplished Guitarist with 25 years of Metal/Shred/Industrial/Rock Band,Studio and Live Performance experience
I have won 2 Guitar competitions in Albuquerque in 1989 and 1993 and 3 New Mexico Music Industry Coalition Awards in 1995,1998 and 1999,two of which were for songs from my first Instrumental CD...the other being from the band ENFORCER which I was a member of from 1987-1995
I have also had my song "Digital Web" from the "Tomb" CD featured on Guitar 2001's Compilation CD entitled "Lick This" that also featured the likes of RUSTY COOLEY and TERRY SYREK
Ive opened Live as a One-Man Band for GREAT WHITE(1995)and ANDY TIMMONS(Sept 2006)
I have 1 Instrumental CD available for listen/download on my Official website www.theunknownshredder.com and 1 track here on MySpace from my upcoming CD "I Shred Therefore I Am" as well as some Shredding videos on You Tube
"Tomb of the Unknown Shredder" which I released 500 copies of in 1998,garnered tons of plays on mp3.com and some great reviews in the underground fanzine network
You can purchase "Tomb" for .99 a song right here on MySpace
I was also featured in"The Undiscovered" column on GuitarNine.com and for the month of May 2008 they ran the feature again as "The Rediscovered" with the original reviews
I have recorded a new CD entitled "I Shred,Therefore,I Am" which is slated for a Summer 2009 release on MYSTERIA Records
I have played in various Metal bands since arriving in Albuquerque at 16 and have contributed guitar work to DATUM NOIR and some guitar and screaming/growling vocals for DIVERJE Both of those were Industrial/Metal projects in the late 90's
My last band SYSTEMIC formed in 2000 was very popular in the Albuquerque Metal scene and regionally but ended up disbanding in 2004,but not before releasing 2 CD's which sold 2000 copies+ locally and internationally,received over 10,000 plays on mp3.com,played many Live shows in New Mexico, LA,Scottsdale,El Paso,Denver and New Orleans,The band also had an MTV style video made by drummer Mike C. as the kick-off video on Heavycore's Nationally released DVD "Roasting Posers"
SYSTEMIC also opened for DROWNING POOL,MOTORHEAD,ADEMA,AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE,ULI JON ROTH,MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP and BLUES SARACENOS TRANSMISSION OK
On the upcoming CD Michael is expanding his style and sound,with 2 Blues/Rock instrumentals,an Egyptian sounding Wood Flute solo(courtesy of engineer Donn H)on the title track and "Hookah Lounge" a tune that sounds like actual Middle Eastern/Arabic music but was all done with a guitar and a Digitech Whammy pedal.....Michael has moved beyond Metal and Shred with his upcoming release and has forged a very unique voice as an up and coming Guitar Hero
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Just wanna leave you a Happy Halloween comment just in case they shut off my internet this week!!!! Have a good one and take it sleazy! Check out the pumpkins Me, David and Devin carved!
What's going on Mike. I checked on ESP, just to mess around. I picked basically a blank piece of wood with nothing but the electronics, seven strings of cours. Dude, the price was like 8600, waaayyy to much for a guitar.
The guitar is ooookkkaaay, hahahahaha. I guess the way to go is to just get a full custom one made. Hahahahaha. Instead of getting someone else's own, take on what one should be?
Hey, Whats up? thanks for your support. we would love to see you add one of our songs to your page. Send me your email and get a free download, all we ask is that you Please request Farehaven song "Capsule" by email frog@webn.com or call 513-749-ROCK.
Monster Cruefest VOTING BEGINS SEPT6, WE NEED U ARMY OF PAIN PLEASE HELP TRAVELER IN PAIN REPRESENT THE GREAT ROCKING STATE OF NEW MEXICO IN MONSTER ENERGY'S CRUEFEST 2 BATTLE OF THE CRUEFEST TITANS BEGINNING SEPT 6TH. FOR VOTING INFO CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK http://cruefest2.monsterenergy.com fOR MORE INFO, VISIT www.travelerinpain.com or www.myspace.com/travelerinpain Starting Sunday Sept 6th, you can vote for us in the National competition of the Cruefest2 Winning bands, in which we hope to proudly represent New Mexico through your love and Support, as always. Beginning Next Sat night at midnight go to http://cruefest2.monsterenergy.com and let the games begin...
Thank you all for a wonderful summer of Pain 10!!! This ten years of Pain, summer of Pain is finally over, as summer winds down and leaves turn brown. We want to personally thank each and every one of you for all your support and encouragement at the shows, in the Cruefest Voting, at Cruefest, on the radio and for ten and a half years of rocking with us. We were anticipating co-headlining the Atomic City Jam next weekend but others failed to keep their word to the promotional team of Juan and Annie, so the event was cancelled. So, After 7 straight weeks at it, we finally get a bittersweet weekend off. Although we won't be playing live, we will be getting the opportunity to share the ideas James, Tom, Todd and I have been writing and hopefully bounce enough ideas for a soon to be released DVD/CD with three new tunes, the live at 94rock tunes, the cruefest set and some bonus live footage with all your beautiful voices and faces in it!!! Additionally, and more importantly, Starting next Sunday Sept 6th, you can vote for us in the National competition of the Cruefest2 Winning bands, in which we hope to proudly represent New Mexico through your love and Support, as always. Beginning Next Sat night at midnight go to http://cruefest2.monsterenergy.com or check out our website www.travelerinpain.com and www.myspace.com/travelerinpain for more info and let the games begin...
