ALEX MASI

Alex Masi biography
Alex MASI is an Italian guitarist, who first came to prominence in the early 80's when he founded Italian hard rock band Dark Lord. In 1986 US label Metal Blade wanted him to be the driving force of a band project, and he subsequently moved to the US - which has been his base of operations since.

Rather than fronting an existing outfit Masi was pretty soon given the opportunity to form his own band, Masi, who released two albums in the second half of the eighties; and later on two more albums was to be issued under this moniker.

But it is as a solo artist Alex Masi is most interesting from a progressive point of view. Although he is famous for his technical and shredding abilities, his long lasting love for progressive artists such as Yes, Genesis and Gentle Giant and almost as long lasting fascination for fusion and experimental rock was highlighted more and more in his solo productions. It wasn't by mere chance that saw Allan Holdsworth participating on his Grammy-nominated solo debut Attack Of The Neon Shark in 1989 to put it that way.

Over the years Masi have released a number of solo albums. Vertical Invader came in 1990, hot on the heels of his solo debut. Tales From The North followed in 1995; and then in 1999 the first of a trio of releases saw the light that got much positive attention. Masi decided to tribute the classical composers that had influenced him, which resulted in the productions In The Name Of Bach! in 1999, In The Name Of Mozart in 2004 and In The Name Of Beethoven in 2005. In between those three productions Steel String Bach saw the light in 2000; where Masi treats Bach with a more metal approach.

The latest in Masi's solo productions so far is the 2006 release Late Nights At Desert's Rimrock; where he explores musical territories pretty similar to his side project MCM - but with slightly more of a progressive rock approach and slightly less of an improvisational one.