
Marty Friedman with his Jackson signature model, the double-EMF-humbucker MF-1.
Now big in Japan, the ex-Megadeth fret-burner takes his axe to that country's modern megahits for a collection of instrumental guitar rock, Tokyo Jukebox 3.
Over a career that spans almost four decades, Marty Friedman made his mark as a guitar hero with his playing on Megadeth's iconic albums, including the classics Rust in Peace and Countdown to Extinction, and as the co-founder of Cacophony—a shred-metal duo with Jason Becker (whose career was tragically cut short after he was diagnosed with ALS). But there's a whole 'nother side of Friedman that many might not be aware of. In the Land of the Rising Sun, where he's lived since 2003, Friedman is a huge television personality who has appeared on over 700 TV shows. In fact, Friedman has even been dubbed "the Ryan Seacrest of Japan."
Essentially, Friedman is having his cake and eating it, too. He's still a guitarist par excellence, and his latest release, Tokyo Jukebox 3, features exciting instrumental arrangements of popular hits from Japanese idol culture. To put this rather strange marriage of influences in context for a Western perspective, it would be akin to someone like Steve Vai covering Backstreet Boys hits. "Nothing wrong with being strange [laughs]," says Friedman. "But yeah, that's a very good American analogy. I'd love to hear Steve Vai cover a Backstreet Boys song. Those Backstreet Boys songs are absolutely wonderfully crafted pieces of music, and Steve Vai is an absolutely wonderful guitarist, so to hear him play those kinds of great pieces of pop music, his interpretation, would be of very high interest to me. If you notice, the music that I chose is very well crafted in the first place, and then I totally destroy it and build it back up from the beginning, keeping the essence of what I like about it very much intact."
Tokyo Jukebox 3 is the third in Friedman's Tokyo Jukebox series, which showcases his affinity for J-Pop. "In Japanese pop music, there's absolutely no genre laws at all," he explains. "You might have a totally sappy ballad right next to a totally dark, gruesome heavy metal song, and then a real cheerful disco-type song, all within the same artist. I like that freedom and the lack of stigma to a particular genre. In American music, it's either heavy metal, pop, dance music, R&B, or hip-hop. The genres might collaborate but they don't really collaborate in the mainstream very much. The other thing I like about Japanese music, as compared to American music, is the melody is top priority—it takes an even higher priority than the abilities of the singer! In America, many times in mainstream music, a vocalist is a super-vocalist, and you wouldn't even want to attempt to try to sing like that because you'd just be making a fool of yourself. You don't have people dancing around the house trying to sing like Adele, because she's too amazing of a singer. But in Japanese music, it's the magic of the voice, not the technique of the voice, so anybody can sing the song. It's kind of doable."
The recording of Tokyo Jukebox 3 began in January 2020, and Friedman had hoped to release it by May. Then the pandemic hit. This setback turned out to be a blessing in disguise. "I was like, 'Oh yes, I can always find something to polish up, something to throw out and replace with something better,'" recalls Friedman. "When I'm actually playing and recording, it's hard to really listen objectively, but after you've done a few mixes of something, you listen to it while you're jogging and you hear things that are just not there when you have your instrument in your hands. Just because you played something that is difficult or maybe feels like a big achievement doesn't mean listening to it is any good at all. The proof is in the listening—when you listen back to it, do you get chills or not?"
"The other thing I like about Japanese music, as compared to American music, is the melody is top priority."
Friedman was appointed a Japan Heritage Ambassador by the country's government in 2017 and has played the opening ceremony of the annual Tokyo Marathon since. In an unofficial capacity as ambassador, his albums like Tokyo Jukebox 3 serve to bridge a cultural gap. "I think it might be a way to introduce [my fans] to certain Japanese artists and songs that I like," he says. "By the time I'm done with my arrangements of the songs, they just sound like my music anyway. It's kind of all through my filter, so even if you don't know the origin of the song, you could listen to it on face value as just another one of my songs. If they hear it and if they like it, they might be interested in the origin of it."
Of course, as an ambassador of heritage, Friedman does have more responsibilities than just being a figurehead. He was commissioned by the Japanese government to compose the "Japan Heritage Official Theme Song," which he performed with the Tokyo Philharmonic. This composition—which features a cello solo that Friedman wrote for his wife, Hiyori Okuda—appears on Tokyo Jukebox 3 and was quite an undertaking. "I had to write for a 70- to 80-piece orchestra, and I wanted to come up with something that was kind of everyday Japanese. A lot of times when foreigners try to compose a piece of music that sounds Japanese, they come up with something that sounds like what's in the background of a sushi restaurant or martial arts movies," says Friedman. "I just prayed that the people who asked me to compose it weren't going to turn it down and say, 'Okay, we need a Japanese person to do this. You have no idea what you're doing. Let's scrap it.'"
TIDBIT: Friedman says the photo shoot for his latest album's cover was "a huge undertaking. It was done with so much energy, love, and expertise. There were just so many experts on the scene—the kimono expert, the kabuki makeup expert, regular makeup expert, hair expert, photography expert, graphic designer expert, all in the same room doing this thing."
But composing the piece was only the beginning. After it was completed, Friedman had an even more daunting task: He had to play the song in front of Japanese-government officials. "That was nerve-racking, man," admits Friedman. "It's nothing like playing for record company people. With record company people all you do is turn the volume up in the studio and anything sounds great. But this is different—the government people were there with their suits! Luckily, everybody liked it."
When we spoke, I mentioned the composition's pungent but beautiful and ear-catching bends. "Pungent is a great word," says Friedman. "I'm going to use that from now on. I find that, not only with bending but with any note that you have, especially since I play so many melodies, you have to come up with interesting ways to interpret them. If you're always interpreting them with the same kind of phrasing all the time, all melodies would get redundant. I like to have hundreds of options to approach things and it seems like when I do bends, people respond to them. They notice them more than a lot of the other things that I might put more attention to. That might be a thing that sticks out and is quite pungent [laughs]. It stinks. It really has an aroma, good or bad. I tend to do that and that's one of the things that people pick up on."
Marty Friedman's Gear
Friedman played a variety of Jackson guitars during his tenure with Megadeth, including the Randy Rhoads model in this 1992 photo.
Photo by Frank Forcino/Frank White Agency
Guitars
- Jackson MF-1 with two EMG MF (Marty Friedman Signature) humbuckers
Amps
- ENGL Marty Friedman Inferno E766 (100-watts)
- ENGL 4x12 cabinets
Strings and Picks
- D'Addario NYXL (.010–.046)
- Dunlop 1 mm
Effects
- Boss ES-8 Effects Switching System
- Boss CH-1 Super Chorus
- Boss DD-500 Digital Delay
- Maxon AF-9 Auto Filter
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
- MXR M135 Smart Gate
- MXR Phase 90
- MXR M87 Bass Compressor
"The Perfect World," the sole vocal track on Tokyo Jukebox 3, is a "self cover" and was actually originally released in 2018 as the theme song for the Netflix anime series B: The Beginning. The song went straight to the top of the charts, and then took an unexpected detour. "It was one of those music business things that happens, and when it happened it was a drag," says Friedman. "Between myself, Netflix, and the creators of that anime, the song took a year in production to get to where it was just right. Then all the stars aligned, and it was perfect—it hit No. 1 on the iTunes chart the day it came out, and everybody was just fantastically happy. The very next day, there was a shakedown at the record label and the team working on my record was all gone. There was a whole new staff and whole new plans for everything, and all promotion for the record was completely shelved. So, I really felt like there was unfinished business with that song. It was almost like a revenge version."
The latest version of Friedman's signature model Jackson has the same MF-1 appointments but comes with a prismatic purple mirror finish.
Photo by Susumu Miyawaki
The cover image for Tokyo Jukebox 3 features Friedman in kabuki makeup, decked out in a traditional Japanese Kimono. "It came out like one of these wonderful album covers from the '70s," says Friedman. "I'm just really proud of that cover." Now, in advance of any pitchfork-wielding wokesters ready for their next "cultural appropriation" hit piece, Friedman is quick to point out that the album cover was the brainchild of a Japanese crew, and has been very well received in Japan. "They love it—it was their idea," he recalls. "It was the product of many meetings with the best graphic designers in Japan. It was a huge project, a huge undertaking. It was done with so much energy, love, and expertise. There were just so many experts on the scene—the kimono expert, the kabuki makeup expert, regular makeup expert, hair expert, photography expert, graphic designer expert, all in the same room doing this thing."
Marty Friedman on Black Sabbath's "Into the Void" - Hooked
The former Megadeth lead guitarist and shredmeister remembers being dumbstruck by Master of Reality's imposing sound.
As both a guitar god of the highest order and a mega-celeb TV star in Japan, Friedman still refuses to simply rest on his laurels. "I always say the best thing is the thing I haven't done yet," he confesses. "I'm trying to raise the bar on my own work, so it's like a personal best kind of thing. I'm really proud of the most recent video I did for 'Makenaide.'" That particular video features a super tearjerker ending with Jason Becker, in the center of a massive Zoom collage of over 120 people from Friedman's Facebook fan group, holding a sign that reads "Never Give Up On Yourself."
Bach, Sarasate and "Japan Heritage Official Theme Song" - Marty Friedman / Gen Ohta / OEK
Marty Friedman is one of the few electric guitarists that has the experience and technical ability to successfully perform with a full orchestra—a task fraught with an endless array of potential landmines. Here, he performs the music of Bach and Pablo Sarasate in addition to his own composition, "Japan Heritage Official Theme Song," on which he imbues the uplifting melody with some pungent yet beautiful bends. He's accompanied by the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa in this April 2021 performance.
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The author, middle, with bassist Ross Valory (left) and Steve Smith (right) of Journey.
Do you know who’s hanging around your gigs? Our columnist shares a story about the time Journey’s bassist was in the audience during soundcheck.
I’ve always loved what I do for a living. Even long before it became a career, doing the work every day to get better was something I fell in love with right away. As a result, I’ve never had any issues with stage fright or nerves when it comes to performing—even if there are some mega-influential or important musical people in the room.
Luckily, throughout my career, I usually only find out if there’s been someone major in the audience after the show. I’m not very social on tour these days. I’m the last one to soundcheck or show and the first one out of the venue afterwards. I’m often asleep in the hotel before some of the rest of the band have even left the venue.
But once in a while, I do get caught off guard—and this little story from a night on tour last week highlights how you just never know who’s listening … or watching.
I’ve been playing with Steve Smith (former drummer of Journey and inductee of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame) for over 10 years, first as sidemen with Mike Stern in a band with Randy Brecker, and for the past five years as a member of Steve’s band Vital Information. Throughout that entire time—hundreds of shows, rehearsals, soundchecks, recording sessions, and clinics—I haven’t once played a Journey bass line around him.
It’s that thing of being way too on the nose to even hint at. Knowing that the Journey chapter of Steve’s life is musically very much in the past, it honestly just never crossed my mind. So, what on earth possessed me to start playing the bass line to “Any Way You Want It” during soundcheck in Oakland last week?!
I don’t even get through the first two bars of the song when I hear, “Looks like I’ve been rumbled….” I look up, and there’s Ross Valory, the original bass player for Journey.
I had never met him. I had no idea anyone besides the band and the crew were even in the venue during soundcheck. Aside from the embarrassment of doing that in front of one of your bass heroes, it really got me thinking about how you just never know who is listening.
I don’t know who the phrase “be ready when the luck happens” should be credited to—or if that’s exactly how it was originally said—but I’ve thought about little else since my Ross Valory moment. If you’re considering a career in music, or working to further the one you already have, it might be something worth thinking about for yourself.
“I had no idea anyone besides the band and the crew were even in the venue during soundcheck. Aside from the embarrassment of doing that in front of one of your bass heroes, it really got me thinking about how you just never know who is listening.”
Like I said before, I’ve been in love with the work since the beginning. I still set aside vast amounts of time every day to practice and work on my music. I’m constantly tinkering with my goals, large and small. I’m realistic about the time it will take to reach them, the work I need to do to get there, and the fact that some goals may well change over time—and I have to be totally okay with that and adapt as quickly as possible.
The success of the work and the attainment of the goal is also going to rely at least a little bit (and if I’m being honest, sometimes a lot) on luck. Being ready to capitalize on luck involves constantly updating my daily routine. I have to find the balance between working on very specific elements of my playing for long periods of time, and letting them go once I know they’re an internal part of my vocabulary.
Jazz pianist Chick Corea talked about memorizing versus knowing a piece of music. When you read through a chart and start to memorize it, you’re essentially just taking the music from the sheet and creating a picture of it in your brain. You then end up looking for that picture the next time you want to play it—and all you’ve done is take away the physical paper while keeping the concept of reading. That’s not knowing the material like it’s a natural part of your vocabulary. The repetition I aim for in my daily routine is what helps me play the language of music as fluently as I speak English.
The confidence gained by putting in the work can make you so much more ready for your moment than you’ve ever been before.
Set goals, love the work, and always be ready.
You never know who’s listening….
The veteran Florida-born metalcore outfit proves that you don’t need humbuckers to pull off high gain.
Last August, metalcore giants Poison the Well gave the world a gift: They announced they were working on their first studio album in 15 years. They unleashed the first taste, single “Trembling Level,” back in January, and set off on a spring North American tour during which they played their debut record, The Opposite of December… A Season of Separation, in full every night.
PG’s Perry Bean caught up with guitarists Ryan Primack and Vadim Taver, and bassist Noah Harmon, ahead of the band’s show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl for this new Rig Rundown.
Brought to you by D’Addario.Not-So-Quiet As a Mouse
Primack started his playing career on Telecasters, then switched to Les Pauls, but when his prized LPs were stolen, he jumped back to Teles, and now owns nine of them.
His No. 1 is this white one (left). Seymour Duncan made him a JB Model pickup in a single-coil size for the bridge position, while the neck is a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Staggered. He ripped out all the electronics, added a Gibson-style toggle switch, flipped the control plate orientation thanks to an obsession with Danny Gatton, and included just one steel knob to control tone. Primack also installed string trees with foam to control extra noise.
This one has Ernie Ball Papa Het’s Hardwired strings, .011–.050.
Here, Kitty, Kitty
Primack runs both a PRS Archon and a Bad Cat Lynx at the same time, covering both 6L6 and EL34 territories. The Lynx goes into a Friedman 4x12 cab that’s been rebadged in honor of its nickname, “Donkey,” while the Archon, which is like a “refined 5150,” runs through an Orange 4x12.
Ryan Primack’s Pedalboard
Primack’s board sports a Saturnworks True Bypass Multi Looper, plus two Saturnworks boost pedals. The rest includes a Boss TU-3w, DOD Bifet Boost 410, Caroline Electronics Hawaiian Pizza, Fortin ZUUL +, MXR Phase 100, JHS Series 3 Tremolo, Boss DM-2w, DOD Rubberneck, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Walrus Slo, and SolidGoldFX Surf Rider III.
Taver’s Teles
Vadim Taver’s go-to is this cherryburst Fender Telecaster, which he scored in the early 2000s and has been upgraded to Seymour Duncan pickups on Primack’s recommendation. His white Balaguer T-style has been treated to the same upgrade. The Balaguer is tuned to drop C, and the Fender stays in D standard. Both have D’Addario strings, with a slightly heavier gauge on the Balaguer.
Dual-Channel Chugger
Taver loves his 2-channel Orange Rockerverb 100s, one of which lives in a case made right in Nashville.
Vadim Taver’s Pedalboard
Taver’s board includes an MXR Joshua, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Empress Tremolo, Walrus ARP-87, Old Blood Noise Endeavors Reflector, MXR Phase 90, Boss CE-2w, and Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200, all powered by a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus.
Big Duff
Harmon’s favorite these days is this Fender Duff McKagan Deluxe Precision Bass, which he’s outfitted with a Leo Quan Badass bridge. His backup is a Mexico-made Fender Classic Series ’70s Jazz Bass. This one also sports Primack-picked pickups.
Rental Rockers
Harmon rented this Orange AD200B MK III head, which runs through a 1x15 cab on top and a 4x10 on the bottom.
Noah Harmon’s Pedalboard
Harmon’s board carries a Boss TU-2, Boss ODB-3, MXR Dyna Comp, Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra, and a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus. His signal from the Vintage Ultra runs right to the front-of-house, and Harmon estimates that that signal accounts for about half of what people hear on any given night.
Kiesel Guitars has introduced their newest solid body electric guitar: the Kyber.
With its modern performance specs and competitive pricing, the Kyber is Kiesel's most forward-thinking design yet, engineered for comfort, quick playing, and precision with every note.
Introducing the Kiesel Kyber Guitar
- Engineered with a lightweight body to reduce fatigue during long performances without sacrificing tone. Six-string Kybers, configured with the standard woods and a fixed bridge, weigh in at 6 pounds or under on average
- Unique shape made for ergonomic comfort in any playing position and enhanced classical position
- The Kyber features Kiesel's most extreme arm contour and a uniquely shaped body that enhances classical position support while still excelling in standard position.
- The new minimalist yet aggressive headstock pairs perfectly with the body's sleek lines, giving the Kyber a balanced, modern silhouette.
- Hidden strap buttons mounted on rear for excellent balance while giving a clean, ultra-modern look to the front
- Lower horn cutaway design for maximum access to the upper frets
- Sculpted neck heel for seamless playing
- Available in 6 or 7 strings, fixed or tremolo in both standard and multiscale configurations Choose between fixed bridges, tremolos, or multiscale configurations for your perfect setup.
Pricing for the Kyber starts at $1599 and will vary depending on options and features. Learn more about Kiesel’s new Kyber model at kieselguitars.com
The Sunset is a fully analog, zero latency bass amplifier simulator. It features a ¼” input, XLR and ¼” outputs, gain and volume controls and extensive equalization. It’s intended to replace your bass amp both live and in the studio.
If you need a full sounding amp simulator with a lot of EQ, the Sunset is for you. It features a five band equalizer with Treble, Bass, Parametric Midrange (with frequency and level controls), Resonance (for ultra lows), and Presence (for ultra highs). All are carefully tuned for bass guitar. But don’t let that hold you back if you’re a keyboard player. Pianos and synthesizers sound great with the Sunset!
The Sunset includes Gain and master Volume controls which allow you to add compression and classic tube amp growl. It has both ¼” phone and balanced XLR outputs - which lets you use it as a high quality active direct box. Finally, the Sunset features zero latency all analog circuitry – important for the instrument most responsible for the band’s groove.
Introducing the Sunset Bass Amp Simulator
- Zero Latency bass amp simulator.
- Go direct into the PA or DAW.
- Five Band EQ:
- Treble and Bass controls.
- Parametric midrange with level and frequency controls.
- Presence control for extreme highs.
- Resonance control for extreme lows.
- Gain control to add compression and harmonics.
- Master Volume.
- XLR and 1/4" outputs.
- Full bypass.
- 9VDC, 200mA.
Artwork by Aaron Cheney
MAP price: $210 USD ($299 CAD).