Jeff Loomis

Ripping for Nevermore

Jeff Loomis (photo)

While Jeff Loomis is best known as the ripping, sweep picking, award-winning lead guitarist for the Seattle based band Nevermore, his musical journey actually started at the age of about 10 playing drums. In fact, he credits jamming along on drums to his father’s extensive collection of Queen, Fleetwood Mac, and other 70s artists’ records for his strong sense of rhythm, and tendency to use rhythmic patterns, accents and syncopations in his guitar playing. Frustrated over the limitations of his little three-piece kit, Jeff picked up a guitar his father had around the house, but didn't get serious about it until about the age of 15.

With influences like Yngwie Malmsteen, Jason Becker and Marty Friedman, he won the Guitar Wars contest in Wisconsin at age 16, which gave him the confidence to audition for Megadeth when their guitarist Jeff Young left the band. Megadeth’s other guitarist, Dave Mustaine told Jeff that one day he would become a great player, but at that point (age 16) he was too young to be in the band. Soon after, Jeff saw Cacophony on tour, and told Marty Friedman about the Megadeth auditions; Marty tried out for Megadeth and got the job. Years later in 2005, Jeff and Nevermore shared the stage with Friedman and Mustaine as part of the Gigantour festival. Ironically, during the time that Jeff was working on his solo album “Zero Order Phase.” Megadeth was again looking for a guitar player and this time invited Jeff to join. He turned them down so he could keep working on the album, only to have Jeff’s co-guitarist in Nevermore, Chris Broderick, take the gig.

Jeff Loomis (photo)

Jeff formed Nevermore when the band he was in, Sanctuary, broke up in the early 1990s. He and two other Sanctuary members became the core of Nevermore, with Jeff doing the lion’s share of the songwriting and lead guitar work. With his groundbreaking seven-string guitar playing and stunning technique, Jeff helped define the sound Nevermore is known for to this day. Jeff remained with Nevermore until early 2011, when he and drummer Van Williams left the band. He is currently working on a new solo album, showcasing his brilliant guitar playing and unique concepts of using scales, rhythms and his hi-tech gear to provide the unique heavy sounds he is known for.

Jeff is very attuned to his gear, and has always looked for ways to create his own distinct sound. He is well known for using effects, and has recently begun to incorporate Roland’s newest and most advanced guitar processor, the awesome GR-55 Guitar Synthesizer, into his rig. With its ability to combine instant alternate tunings and a huge array of virtual guitar sounds with two PCM based synthesizers and his original guitar tones, he is looking forward to exploring its unparalleled variety of sonic possibilities into his new music.