BIO

 

A little about me

Stephen Long is a session guitar player. He has been playing guitar ever since he was 7 years old. Thanks to bands like Thin Lizzy, Angel, Whitesnake, Journey etc Stephen's playing developed very quickly. When the school day ended he would get home as quick as possible, go straight up to his room and play along to 'Live and Dangerous' Possibly one of 'Lizzys' finest live CD's and is a must for every guitar players collection.

As Stephen grew older he needed more. He was like a sponge soaking up any CD with a guitar solo or nice riff. At that stage he was just grabbing CD's and learning solo's but what he didn't know , he was training his ear to an extremely high standard to be able to put on any cd, pick out the chords and solo's at a very young age.

Stephen then became very interested in the Classical side of the Guitar. This was completely new to him as he was getting to a stage where it was becoming very hard to find a musical challenge. Classical was that breath of fresh air that he needed. Of-course at that time it was incredibly un-cool to be playing classical guitar. But he stuck with it...... Best decision ever with so many amazing guitar players out there who have brought classical guitar to a screaming electric guitar. People like the great Yngwie Malmsteen who introduced the world to 'Neo Classical' rock.

At this stage we should try to explain Stephen's style. This is something we find extremely hard to do. As he grew up listening to Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Van halen, Metallica, Megadeth and Classical guitar his style is very wide and varied. Being a session musician he had to cater for the musician he was sessioning for. His solo's would be very melodic and sweet to very fast and shredding in true Megadeth/Van halen style with some classical type scales thrown in for good measure. Thanks to Stephen's fathers CD collection for his ability to play whatever he needed to play. He's still asking for his CD's back!!

As for gigging.... well the thanks has to go to his father again. He started gigging when he was 14 years of age. Stephen's father was gigging in a covers band when the lead guitar player left. Stephen was already well able for the gig but was very young for pubs and clubs etc. They held auditions but couldn't find the right person. They were stuck, and Stephen's father decided to chance having him in the band. Now this was the tricky bit. Learning the set was fine but a 14 year old in a pub/club after 7:00 pm was and still is a big no. Stephen and his father would arrive at the gig a little earlier than 7. Set up the gear, sound check then he would have to disappear to the bus. When the time came his father would bring stephen in the back way..... the song would start and Stephen would start playing. Now what pub/club is going to throw out a band without a replacement. That was how he got his start in the amazing world of gigging. When Stephen turned 16 he wanted more. He wanted to play with as many people as possible. When he was out gigging with his fathers band he was seeing many other bands and getting to know all the other people on the scene. A position had come up with one of Irelands top covers band which were doing heavy touring around Ireland. When Stephen got the phone call to see if he was interested in playing lead guitar with them he jumped at the offer. This really should have been a big decision for him as he was only 16, just finished school and was about to go touring with a band that were more than double his age. He explained to his father that he wanted to gig with as many people as possible. His father was just as excited as him. Stephen was delighted that some other band had seen him gigging somewhere and wanted him to gig with them. That was it, he was hooked. He wanted to gig with everyone! Word got around and he started gigging with everyone when ever he was free from his own band. Ever since Stephen has been taking every opportunity he can get to work with as many different people playing as many different styles as possible.

 

 

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