· BRETT ELLIS - THE WARRIORS BEFORE ME (GYR152) ·
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::T R A C K S::
01. EZY RYDER
FORMAT: Audio CD / 4 PANEL WALLET
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Mega-killer, brain-damaging, massive 70s heavy guitar tribute disc by this amazing, bad-ass, heavy guitar axeripper from California. Includes 15 tracks (77 min.) of awesome, powerful, mind-blowing, retro-fied, guitar rock power trio madness of epic proportions. "The Warriors Before Me" features phenomenal cover tracks/jams by the following guitar rock legends: Jimi Hendrix, Robin Trower, Frank Marino, Uli Roth (Scorpions), Ritchie Blackmore (Rainbow), Pat Travers, Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Eddie Van Halen (V.H.), Gary Moore, Michael Schenker (UFO), Johnny Winter, Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Lonesome Dave Peverett & Rod Price (Foghat), Angus Young (AC/DC) & Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin).
Brett Ellis is a bona-fide, legit, kick-ass, guitar hero who speaks the same language as the "greats" and beyond, complete with superman-like strength & focus, attention to detail and insane musical chops from hell which all add up equating to a beautiful overdose of supreme guitar rock love and admiration. On the aptly titled "The Warriors Before Me" disc, Brett Ellis digs deep and pays serious guitar rock tribute to his and the Grooveyard's favorite 70s Guitar Heroes and, in this case, "Warriors." We picked an amazing collection of deep, unpredictable awesome songs by these legendary guitarists that are rarely covered. Staying true to the original versions with an abundance of interesting musical twists & turns, Brett Ellis put's his own killer axemaster take on the tracks. Weighing in heavy with vast amounts of incredible six string musical inspirations & influences, Brett Ellis is a true axemaster who shines deeply with style, class and authority on the awesome "The Warriors Before Me" disc.
"The Warriors Before Me" disc also features the ass-kickin', talented rhythm section of Rick Nash on Bass and Calvin Lakin on Drums - both awesome, seasoned, musicians of high caliber who thoroughly nail down endless amounts of intense, bad-ass, rock solid, power trio "groove machine" mojo from start to finish. Brett Ellis sings on many of the tracks; however, to complete his "musical vision" of this disc, he called upon several outstanding guest vocalists in the form of Jason Edwards, Rick Reed, Graham Heath & Allison Smith to land @ rock god vox. Each vocalist is equally great and does an excellent job on these awesome 70s guitar rock anthems.
The Brett Ellis: "The Warriors Before Me" disc is steeped deep in the true glory of guitar rock majesty. An essential, monumental, retro-70s heavy guitar tribute disc available on Grooveyard Records that is Highly recommended to fans of serious, world-class, "old-school", total heavy guitar rock music.
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And in the words of Brett Ellis about "The Warriors Before Me" disc:
Dear Friends and Inspired Music Listeners,
It is here, and with great pleasure, that i bring forth to you with sonic passion the impact, inspiration and supreme significance the music of my developing years had on me both as a youthful raging rocker and as an aspiring musician. Many of you have your own personal significant story to accompany some of these songs. My hope is that all of you find as much much inspiration, excitement and unexpected turns with these new versions as we did while making them. Joe Romagnola and i spent many hours over a long stretch of time, going back and forth on different song possibilities from the deep well from which to choose. These hours, along with a very special request, is what brought us in the end to these final choices that only scratch the surface. Furthermore, it was only with the help of my exceptional rhythm section and bandmates Calvin and Rick; sonic master Steve “The Chef”; the amazing guest vocalists Allison, Graham, Jay and Rick; along with Joe and Sami Romagnola laying down their famous Nyxian:Drift graphic design that i was able to bring this dream to fruition. So a big thanks to all of them as well as all my family and friends, and with no further ado, here is "The Warriors Before Me"...Enjoy!!! (Brett Ellis - October-2016)
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· reviews ·
It may appear that Brett Ellis has a fight on his hands, what with him facing "The Warriors Before Me". However this latest guitar opus from the American six-string slinger isn't a battle to the death, instead being a tribute to a collection of guitar stars who paved the way for fret-firers like Ellis to master their art.
The selections Ellis makes for this look over his shoulder are clever, instantly recognisable names, Jimi Hendrix, Billy Gibbons, Robin Trower, Ritchie Blackmore, Michael Schenker, Frank Marino, Uli Jon Roth, Jimmy Page, Tony Iommi, Eddie Van Halen, Gary Moore, Pat Travers, Johnny Winter, Angus Young and the pairing of Lonesome Dave Peverett and Rob Price, all revisited, but not always through the tracks you'd maybe expect. Instead Ellis digs a little deeper into these catalogues, before expertly walking a fine line between faithful and individual. For all the songs presented here, some fifteen in all, sound exactly as they should and yet to the uninitiated, they could believe that each and every one came from the same songwriter. That in itself is rare, but with Ellis and his band of Rick Nash on bass and Calvin Lakin on drums being specialists in a deep, rich American blues rock style, they take the likes of Gary Moore's "Bad News", or AC/DC's "Whole Lotta Rosie" and twist them into a more Ellis like being. Add in some serious fret histrionics that aren't afraid to step quite a distance from the original arrangements and you're left with fresh, fiery takes on some old classics.
Genuinely there isn't a missed step as UFO's "Ain't No Baby" is torn through, ZZ Top's "Neighbor Neighbor" is cranked up, or Rainbow's "Self Portrait" is given a fresh new coat of rich bluesy energy. Ellis is also a top notch singer and again his willingness – and ability – to stay true to the original songs, while adding his own personality is a major element in making this album so engaging. Something that can also be said for the guest vocal contributions from Jason Edwards, Rick Reed, Graham Heath and Allison Smith (it's a real kick to hear Smith's take on Sabbath's "Supernaut"!), who all provide superb, genuine performances.
I'm often quite cynical about covers albums, seeing them as little more than cheap time fillers. However when they are done properly and with the care and attention they deserve, the results can be something special. I'm pleased to say Brett Ellis has given these songs not just the required amount of care and attention but also a hefty injection of energy and attitude. Allowing "The Warriors Before Me" to become a real unexpected pleasure.
Steven Reid / The Sea Of Tranquility (February 2017)
This time ace guitarist Brett Ellis visits a bunch of tracks penned by others, a tribute album if you will. He starts off with the obvious choice of one James Marshall Hendrix and 'Ezy Rider'. A highly flammable version with some explosive and impressive guitar work. Moving on to usual suspect #2: Robin Trower and yet another killer interpretation of 'Twice Removed From Yesterday'. For me, personally, Brett's vocals have been the weak link, but damn, the cat has really improved. Killer vocals, indeed! 'Tryin' Anyway' by Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush also gets the proper Ellis treatment. Stellar guitar work with the unmistakable Marino wah-vibe nicely in place. Love the jazzy piece in the middle! Next up, maybe not that obvious, but an outstanding sadly overlooked track by Uli era Scorpions, 'Living And Dying', sung by Rick Reed with Allison Smith handling the harmonies. Wow, Brett does hand us some outstanding un-obvious classics, clearly proven by his stellar version of Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow's 'Self Portrait'. Damn good job, I must say. Lovely guitar work and killer vocals (Graham Heath handles the harmony vocals on this one)! I always love me some funky Pat Travers, obviously Brett and I share a similar taste. It clearly shows in his explosive interpretation of 'Go All Night'. Not that obvious, but it is also on my list of "awesome timeless classics"; Black Sabbath's 'Supernaut', here given a new dimension by killer female singer Allison Smith. Next up, a highly unexpected track! 'Outta Love Again' by Van Halen! Didn't see that one coming! Any good? You betcha ass! Better drum sound than the original and Brett puts his own twist on the guitar solos, which I like! Oh yeah!! The next track I used to fiddle around with myself, trying to learn the intro solo, which Brett has done a great job with. He's also given the track the proper heaviness it deserves. Which track it is? 'Bad New', originally recorded by G-Force, the short lived side project of Gary Moore featuring ex-Truk/Captain Beyond, now ZoomLenz singer Willy Daffern. Graham Heath, who handles the lead vocals on this one, sure has a strong touch of Daffern. Ellis also gives proper treatment to tracks by UFO, Johnny Winter, Foghat, AC/DC and Led Zeppelin, but before finishing off I have to mention the brick heavy outstanding version of ZZ Top's 'Neighbor Neighbor'. Damn, it ROCKS big time!
Janne Stark / Stark Music Reviews (February 2017)
San Diego native and all around guitar extraordinaire, Brett Ellis packs a wallop with the passionate 'The Warriors Before Me'. As the title indicates, this is Mr. Ellis pulling back the pages of time and exploring his roots or as he says in the liner notes, “exploring the inspiration and supreme significance the music my developing years had on me”. Fifteen songs parade through 70-plus minutes of music with Ellis scorching through his favorite tunes including highlights ‘Ezy Ryder’ (Hendrix), ‘Supernaut’ (Black Sabbath) and ‘Whole Lotta Rosie’ (ACDC). Rhythm section Rick Nash (bass) and Calvin Lakin (drums) stoke the fires of the engine room giving Ellis plenty of bedrock as he roars through the FM dial. Deep cuts from Rock God’s Blackmore, Schenker and Page are given full attention as the power-trio harvest deep tracks seldom covered. Though unpredictable, the song selection allows Ellis to take interesting musical twists and turns putting his own stamp on them with authority and class.
Starting the disc with explosive Stratocaster covers from ‘Ezy Ryder’ (Hendrix) to the passionate ‘Twice Removed From Yesterday’ (Robin Trower), the band land squarely on the riff-o-mania that is ‘Tryin’ Anyway’ were they capture the full eruption of the Mahogany Rush cult classic. A taste of old school German metal comes with “Living and Dying’ (Scorpions) and ‘Ain’t No Baby’ (UFO) celebrating the proper note bending techniques of Uli Jon Roth and Michael Schenker. For rapid-note overload, look no further than ‘Outta Love Again’ (Van Halen) and the killer ‘Bad News’ (Gary Moore) where the guitarist is absolutely on fire. Yet, it’s the barnstorming boogie of ‘Neighbor Neighbor’ (ZZ Top), ‘Bad Luck Situation’ (Johnny Winter) and ‘Road Fever’ (Foghat) that fit the band perfectly. Ellis’ big and beefy guitar tone nails the grittiness of electric blues with bass and drums pushing sonic thunder. Top the whole thing off with an eleven-minute Zeppelin jam ‘We’re Gonna Groove’ and you have one of the best, most original cover albums out there. A guitar monster!!!
Todd K. Smith / The Electric Beard (February 2017)
BRETT ELLIS is a guitarist’s guitarist with insane chops. He takes his cue from the blues-rock masters of old but also from the intricate post-Satriani metal/neo-classical genre that came after it. “THE WARRIORS BEFORE ME,” a covers CD of phenomenal proportions, features RICK NASH on bass and CALVIN LAKIN on drums — but Ellis, make no mistake, is front and center. His choice of cover tracks — through which he honors the “warriors” before him — tells us much about his musical tastes and the style highlighted on this rip-roaring six-string extravaganza. He deftly moves from Hendrix, Winter, Marino, Page, Blackmore, Trower, and ZZ Top to Black Sabbath, the Scorpions, Foghat, AC/DC, and others. The result is HEAVY MUSIC, top-level guitar madness that enters your mind and heart and takes you to a realm of supreme delight. This CD is a must for guitar fans.
Steven J. Rosen / Author + Journalist (December 2016)
San Diego based axeslinger, Brett Ellis is back with his latest release, ' The Warriors Before Me', a homage to the guitar legends of rock. Jimi Hendrix, Robin Trower, Frank Marino, Uli Roth, Ritchie Blackmore, Pat Travers, Tony Iommi, Eddie Van Halen, Gary Moore, Michael Schenker, Johnny Winter, Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Lonesome Dave Peverett & Rod Price (Foghat), Angus Young (AC/DC) and Jimmy Page. Every song on this album has the Brett Ellis touch and there's not one track that falls short. Brett and his band the talented rhythm section of Rick Nash on bass and Calvin Lakin on drums do an an insanely incredible job. Whether it be serving up smoking takes on classics like, Jimi Hendrix "Ezy Ryder", Robin Trower, "Twice Removed From Yesterday", Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush "Tryin’ Anyway", Pat Travers "Go All Night", Foghat "Road Fever" or any of the other guitar gods he covers here, each and every song simply smokes! Brett Ellis is simply brilliant. His technique, vibe and unique approach to the guitar sets him as one of the greatest players in the modern era. The bottom line here is, if you are a fan of guitar albums that are loaded with six string intensity, 'The Warriors Before Me' by Brett Ellis, is a must have for your collection. Highly Recommended.
Tony Sison / The Dedicated Rocker Society (December 2016)
The American "extraordinaire" singer-songwriter and blues rock guitarist named Brett Ellis, belonging to the music scene in San Diego is long-standing at twenty years as the frontman of his eponymous band. The line-up of The Brett Ellis Band also consists of bassist Rick Nash & drummer Calvin Lakin.
Brett Ellis collaborated with / opened include Eric Johnson, Edgar Winter, Foghat, Sammy Hagar, Glen Hughes (Deep Purple), German guitarist Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions), drummer Carl Palmer, the American metal rock band King's X, Bad Company and the Canadian rock guitarist Pat Travers.
On "The Warriors Before Me" (2016), the new studio album, Ellis is looking for examples, to the artists who inspired him in his youth. It's an album with no less than fifteen tracks, with interpretations of songs by & among others: Jimi Hendrix ("Ezy Ryder" - 1970), Robin Trower ("Twice Removed From Yesterday" - 1973), Scorpions ("Living and Dying" - 1975), Rainbow ("Self Portrait" - 1975), Pat Travers ("Go All Night" - 1979), Black Sabath ("Supernaut" - 1972), Van Halen ("Outta Love Again" - 1979), Gary Moore ("Dirty Fingers' Guitar Solo"-"Bad News" - 1983), Johnny Winter ("Bad Luck Situation" - 1974), ZZ Top ("Neighbor Neighbor" - 1971), AC/DC ("Whole Lotta Rosie" - 1977) and Led Zeppelin ("We're Gonna Groove (Zep Jam)" - 1982).
Brett Ellis is a brilliant guitarist on "The Warriors Before Me". His technique and unique approach to detail clearly define the difference. The bottom line: If you're a fan of rock guitar, "The Warriors Before Me" disc by Brett Ellis is a "must have" for your music collection.
Eric Schuurmans / Rootstime-Belgium (January 2016)
Here we have the new cover disc from guitar God Brett Ellis....if you like 70's hard bluesy guitar rock (Trower, Marino, Travers) with extended jamming and OTT but tasty guitar work this disc will have you reaching for the volume knob. His smokin' but tasteful reworked versions on Twice Removed From Yesterday (Robin Trower) and Trying Anyway (Mahogany Rush) are worth the price of this disc alone but there is so much more...77 minutes worth. There's the rippin' intro to the Gary Moore tune Bad News would have Gary smiling down from heaven. His version of the Pat Travers tune Go All Night flat out rips and he also does an amazingly cool version of the song Self Portrait a tune I really love on the first Rainbow disc. So what you have here is some amazing versions of classic but obscure songs that hardly ever get covered with tons of excellent extended guitar workouts...if you like any of the above artist or simply love classy OTT but tasty guitar work you need buy this disc asap.
Steve Albanese / President of the Guitar Rock Appreciation Society (November 2016)
Brett Ellis "The Warriors Before Me" - Great title, perfect for this covers project. Extreme Kudos out to you and brother Brett on this magnificent, 100% perfect disc. In some ways, even better than the previously released "Mountains of Power" Grooveyard releases. I attribute this to the consistency and overall talent of the players involved in this "work of audio art". You can't find 3 better musicians, who are all on the same page and who's heads are in the same musical space as Brett and the boys on this disc. Outstanding drums, bass and guitar....of the highest order! Plus the guest vocalists all fit the material perfectly and give the collection some nice variety to the ears. The songs selections and sometimes unique but subtle arrangement tweaks all were perfect as well. Great collection of well known and lesser known tracks by all the greats from all our glorious bluesy, riff-rockin' past. I'm serious about this next statement....a couple of these "covers" actually exceed the awesomeness of the originals....which is nearly impossible to do. A brilliant, brilliant labor of love... ...totally enjoyed and appreciated by the blown away Dogman. I hope you can convince brother Brett to make a 2nd "Warriors" tribute cd in the not too distant future. Loved it, loved it, loved it.
Dogman Dave Dietrich (Long-Time Good Musical Brother of the Grooveyard) (December-2016)
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