Greg Howe is the self-titled first studio album by guitarist Greg Howe, released on August 9, 1988 through Shrapnel Records. In a 2009 article by Guitar World magazine, the album was ranked tenth in the all-time top ten list of shred albums. Prior to its recording, Howe had sent a demo tape to Shrapnel founder Mike Varney in 1987, upon which he was signed to the label. As of 2006 it remained Howe's best-selling album – Wiki
During the mid- to late '80s, talent scout and Shrapnel Records owner Mike Varney was the ultimate source for new high-tech guitar virtuosos in the post-Yngwie Malmsteen era (Malmsteen was also one of his finds). Among the dozens of young guns who emerged from Varney's stable, Greg Howe was one of the best. His debut album, Greg Howe, was groove-based, and favored funk and fusion flavors over gothic neo-classicism. It sounded fresh compared to the melodramatic work of peers like, say, Vinnie Moore. Front-loaded with two devastating tracks, "Kick It All Over" and "The Pepper Shake," Greg Howe is immediately engaging. Unlike other music in the note-heavy "shred" genre, these two pieces sound fun rather than academic; the irresistibly slippery grooves provided by the crack rhythm section of Atma Anur (drums) and Billy Sheehan (bass) provide a supple bed for Howe's playful fretwork. Unfortunately, the rest of the album falls off a bit after that. The remaining tracks have some interesting ideas and plenty of enthusiastic performances, but sound more like vamps for Howe's soloing than songs. A few premonitions of Howe's more fusion-based future reveal themselves on Greg Howe, although it's primarily a high-octane, indulgent rock romp. Worth hearing. © Andy Hinds © 2013 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/greg-howe-mw0000197969
Greg Howe established himself as a promising new guitar virtuoso in the hard rock underground with this instrumental, self-titled debut in 1988. The album is a fantastic instrumental mosaic of fusion, blues, jazz, rock, funk, and of course, shred from an incredibly talented guitarist. 25 years after the release of this album, Greg Howe is now recognised as a giant of the rock/fusion world and his contributions to the world of instrumental rock and fusion cannot be underestimated. In an interview speaking about the beginning of his career, Greg said, “Twenty five years ago, I was in a cover band playing the club circuits in the Lehigh Valley and upstate New York. We had done showcases and had gotten some label interest, but nothing had evolved from it. At the same time, Mike Varney was running a monthly column in a guitar magazine where he would spotlight three unknown guitar players. Guitarists would send in cassette tapes of their playing and, if Mike really liked you, he'd sign you to his record label. I decided to send in a tape to his PO box, never really expecting to get a response. But I've always believed that if you really want something, there isn't one "set way" to try to get it. Sometimes you have to be imaginative in order to achieve it. So what I did was also mail another tape to him simultaneously; but this one I sent via Federal Express. I knew that by doing so, my package would be delivered separate from the hundreds of other tapes he'd likely receive. More importantly, someone would have to physically sign for it, and there would be a much better chance of my tape getting delivered to him personally. And that's precisely what happened; I literally got a phone call the next day and was offered a record deal. It was amazing”. This album still ranks as one of Guitar World’s 10 best shred albums of all time and is HR by A.O.O.F.C [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 110 Mb]
TRACKS
1 Kick It All Over 5:04
2 The Pepper Shake 4:12
3 Bad Racket 3:44
4 Super Unleaded 5:39
5 Land Of Ladies 4:25
6 Straight Up 3:59
7 Red Handed 5:24
8 After Hours 3:34
9 Little Rose 5:51
All tracks composed by Greg Howe
MUSICIANS
Greg Howe - Guitar
Billy Sheehan - Bass
Atma Anur - Drums
BIO
Easton, PA's Greg Howe was a breath of fresh air amidst the seemingly never-ending stream of harmonic minor guitar virtuosos pouring forth from the Shrapnel Records label in the late '80s. While other post-Yngwie Malmsteen players of the "shred guitar" genre were pursuing the dramatic neo-classical vein, Howe brought a sense of funk and groove to the table that was sorely needed. Howe paid his dues playing the Easton/Allentown club circuit in the '80s with the band Duke, featuring his brother Al on lead vocals. When one of his instrumental demos grabbed the ear of talent scout and Shrapnel Records owner Mike Varney, Howe was signed to the Shrapnel label in 1987. His all-instrumental debut, Greg Howe, featuring the talents of Billy Sheehan and Atma Anur on bass and drums, respectively, was released in 1988, to considerable acclaim. Howe's second album, High Gear, released under the moniker Howe 2, was less a solo album than a Van Halen-styled band effort, featuring his brother Al Howe on lead vocals. The band broke up after releasing its more commercially minded follow-up, Now Hear This, in 1990 and Greg Howe returned to making all-instrumental albums in his home studio, taking a decidedly more fusion-styled direction. Howe released Introspection in 1993 and Uncertain Terms in 1994 and has continued to produce albums at a prolific rate since then. Aside from releasing Parallax and Five in 1995 and 1996, respectively, Howe collaborated with fellow Pennsylvania virtuoso and Shrapnel labelmate Richie Kotzen on the Tilt album in 1995 and again on 1997's Richie Kotzen/Greg Howe Project. His last Shrapnel album, Ascend, was released in 1999, followed by his debut on the Tone Center label, Hyperacuity, released in 2000.Outside of his solo career, Greg Howe is also a sought-after sideman who has toured with the likes of Michael Jackson and N'Sync. © Andy Hinds © 2013 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/greg-howe-mn0000195552
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