Happy birthday, DJ Ashba

Posted on November 10 2014 by Candy Rock

Categories: #Hard Rock, #Heavy Metal, #1972, #November

DJ Ashba, Lead Guitarist of Guns N' Roses & Sixx:A.M

Happy birthday, DJ Ashba...
Born Daren Jay Ashba on November 10 1972 in Monticello, Indiana, US, DJ Ashba is a musician, songwriter, producer and CEO of Ashba Media. He is best known as one of the lead guitarists of Guns N' Roses, alongside Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, and as the lead guitarist of Sixx:A.M..
When he was a child, his mother taught him to play the piano. He performed his first recital when he was 5, playing Beethoven's Ode to Joy.
In the years that followed, he learnt to play the drums and the guitar. When he was a teenager, he sometimes spent 17 hours a day practicing guitar.
He saw his first concert when he was 16, it was a show of Mötley Crüe Girls, Girls, Girls tour. It's seeing this concert that made him want to become a rock star.
In 1996, he released his debut instrumental album, Addiction to the Friction.
He joined BulletBoys in 1998 (lineup in 1998: Marq Torien (vocals, guitar, bass, congas), DJ Ashba (guitar), Steven Adler (drums, percussion)).
Not long after, he met Joe Lesté of Bang Tango.
In 1999, he left BulletBoys and formed Beautiful Creatures with Lesté (original lineup: Joe Lesté (vocals), DJ Ashba (lead guitar), Anthony Focx (rhythm guitar, drums), Kenny Kweens (bass), Glen Sobel (drums)). The band released his debut album, Beautiful Creatures, in 2001.
In 2002, he left the band and formed a solo band called ASHBA.
In 2003, Nikki Sixx and Tracii Guns invited him to participate in their group Brides of Destruction but he refused in order to focus on his solo project.
In 2007, along with Nikki Sixx and James Michael, he formed the band Sixx:A.M.. The band released its first album, The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack (a soundtrack to Nikki Sixx's autobiography, The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star), the same year.
He also contributed to Mötley Crüe's album Saints of Los Angeles (2008).
In 2009, DJ joined Axl Rose and Guns N' Roses to replace Robin Finck who had left to rejoin Nine Inch Nails.
Sixx:A.M.'s third album, Modern Vintage, was released on October 7 2014.
To conclude, we wish a happy birthday and years of rock to DJ Ashba!

DJ Ashba, Guns N' Roses guitarist - credit: AP

DJ Ashba

[french version :
Joyeux anniversaire, DJ Ashba ...
Né Daren Jay Ashba le 10 novembre 1972 à Monticello, Indiana, US, DJ Ashba est un musicien, auteur-compositeur, producteur et directeur général de Ashba Media. Il est plus connu en tant qu'un des lead guitaristes de Guns N' Roses, aux côtés de Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, et en tant que lead guitarist de Sixx:A.M..
Quand il est enfant, sa mère lui apprend à jouer du piano. Il participe à son premier récital à l'âge de 5 ans, jouant l'Ode a la Joie de Beethoven.
Durant les années qui suivent, il apprend à jouer de la batterie et de la guitare. Adolescent, il lui arrive de passer 17 heures dans sa chambre à jouer de la guitare.
Il assiste à son premier concert à l'age de 16 ans, un concert de la tournée Girls, Girls, Girls de Mötley Crüe. C'est ce jour-là qu'il commence à vouloir devenir une rock star.
En 1996, il sort son premier album instrumental, Addiction to the Friction.
Il rejoint BulletBoys en 1998 (lineup en 1998 : Marq Torien (chant, guitare, basse, congas), DJ Ashba (guitare), Steven Adler (batterie, percussions)).
Peu après, il rencontre Joe Lesté de Bang Tango.
En 1999, il quitte BulletBoys et forme Beautiful Creatures avec Lesté (lineup original : Joe Lesté (chant), DJ Ashba (lead guitare), Anthony Focx (guitare rythmique, batterie), Kenny Kweens (basse), Glen Sobel (batterie)). Le groupe sort son premier album, Beautiful Creatures, en 2001.
En 2002, il part du groupe et commence à travailler sur un projet solo appelé ASHBA.
En 2003, Nikki Sixx et Tracii Guns l'invite à se joindre à leur groupe Brides of Destructions mais il refuse afin de se concentrer sur ASHBA.
En 2007, avec Nikki Sixx et James Michael, il forme Sixx:A.M.. Le groupe sort son premier album, The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack (un bande son pour l'autobiographie de Nikki Sixx The Heroin Diaries: Une année dans la vie d'une rock star brisée), la même année.
Il contribue aussi à l'album de Mötley Crüe Saints of Los Angeles (2008).
En 2009, il rejoint Axl Rose et Guns N' Roses pour remplacer Robin Finck qui a quitté le groupe pour retourner dans Nine Inch Nails.
Le troisième album de Sixx:A.M., Modern Vintage, est sorti le 7 octobre 2014.
Pour conclure, nous souhaitons un heureux anniversaire et des années de rock à DJ Ashba !]