Orianthi

Rock Classic Rock • Los Angeles, CA United States

Orianthi - Heaven In This Hell - cover shot

Orianthi- credit ShootingStarPhotography.com

Featured Audio

"How Do You Sleep"

"Frozen"

"Sex E Bizarre"

Featured Video

Some Kind Of Feeling

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Some Kind Of Feeling

"How Do You Sleep"

"According To You"

"Heaven In This Hell"

About Orianthi

[Legacy alumni tribute] Following an on-stage appearance with Carrie Underwood at the 2009 Grammy Awards, Orianthi was invited by Michael be his guitarist on some arena dates in London ...

About

[Legacy alumni tribute] Orianthi knew when she picked up a guitar at the age of 6, her life would never be the same. Her instant affinity for the instrument quickly grew into a full-blown love affair. Growing up in a Greek family in the southern Australian town of Adelaide, she was already familiar with the piano, which she began to play at age 3. Her father had played in a Greek band and always kept plenty of instruments around the house. But, the day she was introduced to an acoustic guitar was the day she knew what her life’s passion would be. Not many people discover their destiny so early. She was special and determined. She began to scour her dad’s record collection which included many talented guitarists who were also quite accomplished songwriters, including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Santana, Cream and many others. His eclectic tastes exposed her to a wide variety and she developed an appreciation of many different genres. Of course, growing up in the mid 80’s, a decade ripe with many larger than life rock ‘n’ roll guitarists, she also listened to and studied a lot of Van Halen, Whitesnake, Aerosmith, Guns n’ Roses, Satriani, etcetera.

At age 11, her father took her to see Carlos Santana and she was smitten. “That show really affected me,” she recounts. “I begged my dad to get me a second hand electric guitar so I could be like Carlos. And that was it, no more acoustic!” She idolized Carlos and collected all of his videos spending hours learning his solos note for note until the tapes were worn out. At 15, she left school to pursue her passion full time and played in a local cover band in Adelaide. She opened for Steve Vai and ZZ Top and the opportunities really began to blow up. As luck would have it, Carlos Santana toured through Oz again when she was 18. Upon hearing of her, she was invited to his soundcheck to jam with him. He was so impressed that he invited her to join him on stage where she played for 35 minutes and took a solo in front of her hometown audience. By the age of 20, after honing her songwriting skills, she was ready to branch out from the cover band and do her own music. When Orianthi released her first independent record, Violet Journey in 2005, Carlos introduced her to Paul Reed Smith, who quickly granted her a valuable endorsement deal. She was able to realize her dream of moving to America and a year later she signed a major record deal with Geffen.

An on-stage appearance with Carrie Underwood at the 2009 Grammy Awards proved to be a turning point in her career.She went from little-known guitar prodigy to the latest buzz on the internet. One day much to her disbelief, Michael Jackson called her and asked if she would be his guitarist on some arena dates in London and the subsequently ill-fated This Is It concert series. She readily accepted and immediately joined the ranks of prestigious guitarists who worked with Michael, like Eddie Van Halen, Slash, Jennifer Batten and more. Sadly, the world lost one of its most treasured musical icons and the tour never happened. However, Orianthi was present at all the rehearsals leading up to Michael’s death. “Working with Michael was a life changing experience,” she reflects, “one I will never forget. I learned so much from him.”

Orianthi released her major label debut Believe in the fall of 2009. The album produced the platinum single “According To You” which was a worldwide hit. Coming off the success of Believe and headlining shows around the world, Orianthi was asked to join Alice Cooper’s band in 2011. “I love working with Alice. I admire his longevity as an artist and he gives 110% every night,” Orianthi said. “I’ve learned something valuable from all the artists I have had the privilege to work with,” she says. That list is extensive and runs the gamut from Steve Vai, Michael Jackson, Carlos Santana, Michael Bolton, Prince, ZZ Top, Adam Lambert, Carrie Underwood, John Mayer, Dave Stewart and more.

All these experiences have now given her the freedom, credibility, and confidence as an artist to make the kind of records she wants to make. Her eclectic style and versatility belie an exciting and varied career that continues to grow and expand and defies the tendencies of an industry quick to pigeon hole an artist into one linear direction. She found a kindred spirit in producer Dave Stewart (Eurythmics, SuperHeavy). Together they recorded her latest album Heaven In This Hell to be released March 12, 2013. The album is melodic, riff heavy rock, energetic blues, and a sprinkle of country and pop. “We were able to record with musicians I respect, creatively exchanging ideas and playing together live in the studio…the way I want all my records to be made. Dave is my producer but also a friend and collaborator. We had a lot of fun jamming and hashing out a variety of songs and sounds until we found the grooves that inspired us, “ said Orianthi, “I’m really excited to share this record with the world.”

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An Evening with Alice Cooper at the National Theater RVA Rating: Star Star Star Star Star October 23, 2013 Last night at the National the RVA got to have an early Halloween. Rock legend Alice Cooper's latest tour rolled into town and the sell out crowd was treated to all they expected and more. Cooper’s latest tour “An Evening with Alice Cooper” was filled with all the theatrics, great songs and crowd responses you would expect from a legend in his fourth decade of touring and despite his years in the game of rock and metal Cooper is still a force to be reckoned with showing the younger generation of rockers that he is still the standard bearer for live shows. Last night’s concert was filled with hits spanning Cooper’s long career with such songs as “Hello Hooray”, “House of Fire” and “Million Dollar Babies” as well as a very well received tribute to fallen rockers from the past with songs from the Beatles, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix and The Who. The crowd was wowed by the usual showmanship you would expect from and Alice Cooper concert which included a giant Frankenstein like creature, a few executioners, a steam punk demented nurse and of course a snake and giant guillotine. The crowd which spanned the decades of Cooper’s career, had of fans in their sixties to fans as young as five was also wowed by guitar goddess Orianthi Panagaris who is the newest member of Cooper’s band. Orianthi was stellar on solos and her stage presence was an added plus to an already great concert experience for fans of Alice Cooper and all in attendance. For all things Alice Cooper please visit his official website and Twitter as well as Orianthi’s official website and her Twitter, where you will find out tour information and any updates on album news.

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Orianthi and Dave Stewart Discuss BeMyBand, Where Winners Share the Stage for the Gig of a Lifetime (external link)

Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart recently launched a unique performance-based contest called BeMyBand.

The purpose of BeMyBand — which you can check out here — is to ask aspiring musicians to compete for a chance to be part of Orianthi's band.

The resulting band — which will consist of a guitarist, bassist, keyboardist and drummer — will perform with Orianthi, a former Guitar World cover star, for one night at a Valentine’s Day (2014) show at a major venue in Los Angeles.

Interested musicians should submit videos of themselves playing at their very best. Up to 10 finalists for each instrument will be chosen; of those finalists, four will be selected to perform with Orianthi.

The winners' performances also will be shared via Orianthi‘s social-media channels. Winners will receive six nights’ accommodation (and travel). Musicians should submit their work no later than January 24; the voting period runs January 25 to 31, and the winners to be announced February 5. This opportunity is open — globally — to musicians age 21 and older.

Guitar World recently spoke to Orianthi and Stewart about BeMyBand and other upcoming projects.

GUITAR WORLD: Where did the idea for BeMyBand originate?

Stewart: I created this concept because there are so many people who upload YouTube videos of themselves just playing drums in their bedroom or guitars in their living rooms. BeMyBand allows them to put some context on what they do and a reason for them to do it. Of course, it's different to get up there with an artist, but realize that you're going to rehearse and play a whole set on stage with Orianthi. The cool thing is, at the end there's not some sort of empty promise. You really do get to stand on stage with Orianthi and play to a packed house.

Orianthi: Once Dave told me about the idea, I told him that it was something I'd love to do. I'm all about inspiring young musicians to get out there and express themselves through music. For me, just getting to see these audition tapes and the enthusiasm is really cool, and I'm so looking forward to it.

What will the judging process be like?

Stewart: Orianthi will ultimately be the one to choose her band. She knows what she wants in a player as far as look, feel and how they play.

Orianthi, can you give us a hint of some of the things you're looking for in the performances?

Orianthi: So far, the players that have really stood out are the ones who show a different style in their playing. You can see they're really enthusiastic and excited about playing. It's all about the energy.

Any chance that this could be more than just a one-off performance for the winners?

Orianthi: Absolutely! This might not be the only show. I'm looking at having a really good time. If they play their butts off and there's great energy, I'll probably be calling them again for more shows.

Can you give us an update on what else you're up to?

Orianthi: I've been writing a ton of songs and doing some collaboration for the next album. I'll also be heading out with Alice [Cooper] shortly to do a tour of Germany.

What's your writing process like?

Orianthi: Sometimes it starts with just a guitar riff that I have or a beat. Beats are really inspiring. They always make me want to write something over them. Other times I could just be walking down the street when lyrics will suddenly come into my head. Every way is different and that's what so cool about it.

How did you connect with Michael Jackson and what was that experience like?

Orianthi: Michael's music director saw some of my YouTube videos and showed them to him. Afterwards, Michael invited me to come in and play for him. It was an intense, crazy and surreal experience. I'm so grateful that I got the chance to work with him.

Dave, what can you tell us about your reunion with Annie Lennox for the upcoming Grammy Beatles celebration?

Stewart: Ken Ehrlich told me that he'd really love to have the Eurythmics on the show. I told him we hadn't played together in a few years and that he should ask Annie. That's when he told me he already had, and she wanted to do it. It's going to be a great show because it's been 50 years since the Ed Sullivan show, which really rocked people's worlds.

Do you think Sullivan was aware of the Beatles phenomenon?

Stewart: I had interviewed Ringo on my Internet show, The Ringmaster, where he told me the story. He told me Ed Sullivan didn't even know who the Beatles were at the time. He just saw all of these kids screaming at the airport in New York and asked who they were screaming at. Then he booked them there on the spot!

Do you think your performance with Annie may lead to a Eurythmics reunion?

Stewart: Annie will be here for 10 days so we'll have some discussion. We've got a huge legacy of work and haven't done much about it for years. So there are a lot of things to talk about.

Orianthi, what do you think makes for a great guitar solo?

Orianthi: A great guitar solo is really a song within a song. You can always go off and do your pageantry, but it has to be structured. My favorite solos are all very melodic. Those are the ones that are the most memorable.

For more information on Orianthi's BeMyBand contest, visit talenthouse.com.

Orianthi to Headline 2014 Soundwave Festival with Richie Sambora (external link)

Adelaide for the win!

Former-Adelaide-girl-turned-international superstar, Orianthi, guitarist for Alice Cooper and the late Michael Jackson will join the already massive lineup. Adelaide legends I Killed The Prom Queen, off the release of their new album Beloved (set for release February 14)have also been added to the bill.

Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora is also set to grace the stage and will be joined by a rocking backing band (featuring none other than Orianthi). Sambora was not present at the recent Bon Jovi concert at AAMI stadium but the songwriter/guitarist has stated he will be playing all the Bon Jovi hits when he hits the Soundwave stage. Nine Inch Nail associates Filter also let slip on their official Facebook page that they will be heading to our shores for Soundwave.

Aside from major international acts added including California melodic hardcore band The Ghost Inside, Reggae/Punk rockers Authority Zero, London's finest The Defiled, Ohio metal band The Dangerkids and DarkC3II, the third announcement from Soundwave shows Adelaide well represented.

Dave Stewart and Orianthi discuss their BeMyBand competition (external link)

Dave Stewart isn't exactly sure when the aha! moment struck, but he's thinks that it happened at some point while channel-surfing between vocal competition shows. "I was watching all these things before I left Britain – the Pop Idols, X Factor and all that stuff," he says. "And I started to think, 'Hey, what about all the great kids out there who play guitar or drums? Why can't we have something where the players can do their thing?'"

Stewart put his idea into motion, partnering his multi-faceted company Weapons Of Mass Entertainment with TalentHouse to launch BeMyBand, a quarterly competition in which musicians from around the world can audition for a chance to perform with high-profile artists.

The inaugural artist for BeMyBand is Alice Cooper guitarist and solo star Orianthi, who has worked with Stewart on a variety of projects including her most recent album, Heaven In This Hell. Drummers, bassists, keyboard players and guitarists can submit performance videos to BeMyBand no later than January 25, 2014 (by 10am PST) for consideration. Up to 10 finalists for each instrument will be asked to play original tracks from Orianthi herself, and of those finalists, four will then be chosen to perform live with Orianthi as her band in Los Angeles this coming Valentine's Day. (Click here for more complete information, rules and to enter.)

Stewart and Orianthi sat down with MusicRadar the other day to talk about BeMyBand.

It's interesting, Dave, you wanting to put a spin on the talent competition shows by getting players involved.

Dave Stewart: "Yeah, well, those other shows are great for the singers, but I don't know how inspired a keyboardist or bass player would get from them, you know? So with BeMyBand, artists, starting with Orianthi, can use it as a way of finding people to perform with. There's a lot of unknown players who are looking to be discovered. They'd love to be on stage with somebody like Orianthi, so for them this is a dream come true. And you know, there's nothing more inspiring than being put through the ropes – rehearsing with the proper person MDing – and suddenly, the artist comes in and you're on stage with them, playing a whole show. It's great."

Orianthi: "For me, this is going to be so much fun. When Dave told me about it, I said, 'Definitely. Count me in.' Anything to get kids inspired, you know? Just watching their videos and seeing how excited they are – whether they're doing original songs, covers, whatever – it's so amazing. I'm really excited about this. It's gonna be such a fun night."

Stewart: "It's hard times for musicians out there, what with the advent of free downloading and all those things. That makes one side of being a musician extremely difficult to get going; on the other side of it, though, you have live performances, and that's still alive and kicking.

"See, I'm interested in helping in any way I can. There's that 1.1 percent of artists out there who manage to make it, but it's a very, very complicated process; you need luck and tenacity and magic and the whole thing. But even with all of the variables, there's still an amazing life you can have playing dates with a band or with an orchestra or whatever. Creativity as a living is still a pretty good option. Think about it: It's never sold at school; there's never anybody saying, 'Hey, why don't you go in for Creativity as your career?' [Laughs] You know what I mean?"

If you can put it into words, what are you looking for from any of these submissions? What's that one thing you're hoping to find?

Stewart: "The thing is, I have actually found musicians on YouTube; I've flown them in and worked with them. Having your videos out there is really important. YouTube is where I first saw this girl Nik West, a bass player. And Orianthi herself – Michael Jackson saw her on MySpace, right, Orianthi?"

Orianthi: "Yeah, it was kind of on MySpace, and then he saw me on YouTube – that's where my videos were. And also through Steve Vai and Santana. But sure, Michael saw my videos on YouTube. It's got such a huge following. Things take on a life all their own if you have something cool on there. If somebody likes your videos, they're gonna tell their friends. They're gonna send e-mails about you, and before you know it, your name is getting around."

Stewart: "I think I'm setting up something pretty cool. After Orianthi, there'll be another artist and another artist, and BeMyBand will become a regular thing. What it does is, it puts into context all of those kids who are playing drums along to tracks in their bedrooms. There's thousands of those kids out there – thousands and thousands.

"I'm really excited to see what happens. Ori might find an amazing band that's all Australian or an amazing band that's in Russia, or it could be an American band; it could even be a person from each country. For the artists who join BeMyBand, they might find the people they've always wanted to play with, and for the musicians who get discovered, think of what a morale booster this will be for them. To me, this is a win-win on both sides.

"Talenthouse is a great platform. They allow you to upload your portfolio and videos, and everybody else can go in and see them. It's got 2.5 million members, with all of these bands and brands. It's outside of everything in the normal system, yet it's a nice little eco-system in and of itself."

Orianthi, is there the possibility of musicians continuing with you, or will this just be a one-night-only gig?

Orianthi: "I've been borrowing Alice Cooper's for my own thing – I usually do shows during off days. We do it as a three piece. But yeah, with this, if they're great, there's definitely the chance of doing more shows with me – hell yeah. I'm looking for people who have fire and are very passionate about playing. If they come together and everybody's really cool, sure, we could do more. Vibe is really important to me. I want to find somebody who, if they're following me while I solo and then there's that moment when I point to them, they're gonna know what to do."

You two could potentially be wading through a heck of a lot of videos. How are you going to sort through them all?

Stewart: "We've already gotten a lot of videos, Ori and I. We're the only ones that can see them at the moment, but there's a point during this where they'll be available for the public to see, and there will be voting. I think we have something like 180 videos already. It'll probably go up to 1000 by the time we're done."

Ori, do you have the perfect band in your head?

Orianthi: "It's hard to say. You know, I'm influenced by so much – I love rock, country, blues, really anything – so I'm hoping to find musicians who aren't just into one thing. I want people who can appreciate it all and can play it all. So if you're a jazz keyboard player but you're really into rock, so much the better."

Stewart: "And a lot of times you can tell that about a person just from watching the videos. We were talking about a kid from Russia who's playing Little Wing, and then we switch to another video and it's somebody in South America. It's really good fun watching these. There was another clip of a girl just shredding on her sofa.

"The problem is that we have to make the contest 21 and over – the American laws and regulations; plus, the winners are being flown in and everything. Of the four people that are chosen, they're going to fly in and stay at a hotel for six nights. We'll rehearse at SIR Studios, and I'm going to MD them a bit. Then Orianthi will come in on the last days of rehearsal, and after that everybody will play live. It'll be an intense week. Another crazy adventure." [Laughs]

Orianthi Announces Release Date for New Solo CD, 'Heaven in this Hell' (external link)

Hotshot Australian guitarist Orianthi is getting ready for the release of her new album, Heaven in this Hell. The album, produced by Dave Stewart, is scheduled for release on Robo Records on March 12, 2013.

On the new disc, it's reported that Orianthi will be delivering heavy duty rock with elements of modern country and swampy blues.

[[--Click here to read our interview with Orianthi about Heaven in this Hell.--]]

Track Listing:
1. Heaven in this Hell 4:32
2. You Don't Wanna Know 3:40
3. Fire 2:54
4. If You Think You Know Me 3:35
5. How Do You Sleep? 4:15
6. Frozen 3:41
7. Rock 4:34
8. Another You 3:43
9. How Does That Feel? 3:09
10. Filthy Blues 3:17
12. If You Were Here With Me 4:11

Take a peek at this behind-the-scenes video of the making of Heaven in this Hell:

More about Orianthi:

From writing her first song at the age of 6, to being discovered and playing alongside her idols Carlos Santana and Steve Vai early in her career, Orianthi has made an enduring mark on the music industry. While many were introduced to this timid guitar goddess when she played the Grammy Awards in 2009 as part of Carrie Underwood’s band, it was being selected for Michael Jackson’s ill-fated “This Is It Tour” that exposed her to mainstream audiences. In the Fall of 2009, Orianthi released “According To You,” her first solo single, which went platinum in the U.S. and abroad. More than just a gifted guitarist, this success showed she had serious vocal chops as well.

In late 2011, between legs of Alice Cooper's world tour (where she played lead guitar), she began work on her forthcoming project. “I am so proud of this album because it really showcases my style of riff heavy rock and energetic blues,” Orianthi remarks. “The success of Believe [her previous CD] helped give me credibility and afforded me the freedom to create the kind of album I have been wanting to make, with musicians I respect, playing together live in a studio, creatively exchanging ideas...the way I want all my records to be made. My friend, collaborator and producer, Dave Stewart and I just jammed and hashed out a variety of songs and sounds until we found the grooves that inspired us” she continued.

While Orianthi recorded a majority of Heaven In This Hell at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, she also recorded several songs and overdubs at Dave Stewart's (of The Eurythmics) Hollywood Studio. “Working with Ori over the last year has been an inspiring experience for me,” said Stewart . “She is such a dedicated guitarist and focused songwriter; her enthusiasm is infectious and all the musicians who worked on the record were motivated to give her their best. When we went to Nashville, we knew we were about to embark on something exciting, something career altering,” he continued.

The time spent in Nashville left an indelible impression that can be heard in several of the tracks, which were mixed by Nashville resident John McBride. New tracks like "Rock” and “Another You” are examples of crossover country-AC songs that blend heartfelt harmonies and melodies with lyrics that showcase a more vulnerable, exposed emotional side, often veiled by her signature PRS axe. “Heaven In This Hell” the title track, is a blues-rooted rock song which features swampy guitar riffs with an edgy Zeppelin-esque vibe. Songs like “Frozen”, the first single, and “You Don’t Wanna Know” provide listeners with some insight into a couple of her primary musical influences with raw, crunchy guitar riffs reminiscent of Hendrix and Stevie Ray

Vaughn. “If You Think You Know Me” is an arousing anthem with thunderous drums, meant to inspire and empower anyone who has ever felt alone. This track, which begs to be played in a large arena, asks listeners: “Have you ever felt like you didn’t fit in?/Like there's somebody else inside your skin?/ Well you’re not alone/We all came here for something."

"To say that we are excited about this record is a complete understatement" said Rob Christie, founder of Robo Records. "Not only is Orianthi one of the most gifted musicians I've heard, but she also has a heart of gold. She is extremely passionate about music, animals, family and her fans. She truly is an inspiration to adults and children, literally around the globe."

“I’m so excited to share Heaven In This Hell with the fans! It’s been a long time coming for me,” says Orianthi.

Orianthi: Guitar Queen on Working With Alice Cooper and Michael Jackson + Her New Album Read More: Orianthi: Guitar Queen on Working With Alice Cooper and Michael Jackson + Her New Album (VIDEO EXCLUSIVE) | http://noisecreep.com/orianthi-alice-cooper-michael-jackson-video/?trackback=tsmclip (external link)

The annual NAMM show in Anaheim, Calif. does not lack for superstar wanderings. Throughout the hall each day there are dozens of little moments when people clamor around somebody that they can’t believe they’re all of a sudden standing next to. This is no more evident than when the striking blonde guitarist Orianthi makes the rounds.

Her mystique and killer playing make her one of the most interesting musicians around today. Of Greek and Australian heritage, she is soft-spoken and provocative, choosing to let her music do the talking. And good thing for all of us as the music is amazing.

Though she may be most famous for being handpicked by Michael Jackson for the now ill-fated This Is It concert tour (where he died during rehearsals), Oriathi has racked up serious rock ‘n’ roll credentials. Most notable is her current role as lead guitarist in the Alice Cooper band.

Noisecreep sat down with Orianthi at the Dean Markley Booth at this year’s NAMM convention. Sure, we talked about the great strings that Dean Markley provides her with, but we also had a surprise in that she shared her upcoming new album with us. It’s called Heaven in This Hell and is scheduled to drop on March 12. We’ll have a lot more on it once it hits we can tell you right now after listening, this woman absolutely rocks. Recorded both in Nashville and Los Angeles, Orianthi has delivered a truly special set of songs that run the range from riff-thick rockers to even some country-tinged roots rock.

Watch Noisecreep’s Chat with Orianthi

Watch Orianthi Perform ‘School’s Out’ with Alice Cooper on American Idol

Read More: Orianthi: Guitar Queen on Working With Alice Cooper and Michael Jackson + Her New Album (VIDEO EXCLUSIVE) | http://noisecreep.com/orianthi-alice-cooper-michael-jackson-video/?trackback=tsmclip

Orianthi on Michael Jackson, Alice Cooper and her new album Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/news/orianthi-on-michael-jackson-alice-cooper-and-her-new-album#ULVumm2a4ZS36P7W.99 (external link)

As Orianthi signed autographs for a long line of fans Monday night at Los Angeles’ Grammy Museum, a teenage girl, her hair dyed the same blonde shade as Orianthi’s, shyly approached and asked her to inscribe her signature PRS SE Orianthi guitar, a Christmas gift from her parents.

Orianthi, 28, took her time with the girl, giving her plenty of encouragement. When she started playing more than 15 years ago, her guitar heroes were all male, so she knows how special it is that young girls now have someone like her to light the way.

“You could just tell she had a passion for it, that’s what I was like,” Orianthi told Hitfix the next morning. “I want to inspire more girls to play guitar. It’s not easy to be a female musician. To be a role model in any way is awesome.”

When she was growing up in Australia, her life changed when she saw Carlos Santana on his “Dance of the Rainbow Serpent” tour. She turned to her father and said that was her career path. By the time she was 15, Orianthi had quit school and was playing in cover bands in Adelaide area bars, “putting guitar solos in Kylie Minogue songs.”

In short order, she was opening for Steve Vai and Santana, then playing with Carrie Underwood, and, most notably, rehearsing with Michael Jackson for the ill-fated “This Is It” tour after being hand picked by the King of Pop as lead guitarist.

Orianthi, who is on this month’s cover of Guitar World (only the third woman to accomplish that feat) now splits her time between her solo career and playing in Alice Cooper’s band.

After our interview today, she was headed to Switzerland for a date with Cooper, before returning to the U.S. for her own show March 17 at the Whisky on L.A.’s Sunset Strip.

The guitar wizard’s latest solo album, “Heaven In This Hell,” came out March 12. The set, produced by Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart, allows her to show off her full embrace of rock and blues much more than her previous efforts. “This album is totally me,” she says. “I’m just hoping that all the fans really dig it. It’s a little different.”

Indeed, the set is much grittier than her last full length album, 2009’s “Believe,” which included the pop hit, “According to You.” “I didn’t want to be boxed in,” she says. “Some of the songs have rock, some have a country vibe some pop, and R&B vibe.”

She admits that leaving Geffen Records after “Believe” was a low point. “It was kind of, ‘I don’t have a record deal, what can I do?’ I just fell into writing an album, you meet people, you find contacts.”

Ultimately, she signed with Robo Records, who gave her the freedom to make the album she wanted. “You compromise a lot when you try to do a song for radio,” she says. “I want to make music that I can play live.”

Though she only played with Jackson for three months before his death, she learned a tremendous amount from the superstar. “Just watching him, the way he was. He really wanted to give the audience a show, make them feel like they were part of it,” she says. “He was very much of a perfectionist. It was about just putting yourself out there. He was just the best at what he did.”

She’s gleaned something from all her mentors. From Santana, “it’s all about transcending and getting to that zone. He has the same kind of childlike enthusiasm that he had when he was younger. A lot of people that you meet get very jaded and turn off their lights and they don’t see everything brightly.”

On stage with Cooper, she’s learned to stay on her toes: “Lots of things are happening, whips and swords, balloons burst above my head,” she says. “There’s also a confetti cannon. I wasn’t aware it was behind me. It was right [behind] my butt. The sound guys were screaming that I had to [move]. I moved just in time. That would have been very painful.”

Orianthi isn’t sure just how many guitars she owns, adding only “I have a very healthy collection. Some are in Nashville, some in Los Angeles, some in Australia. I use them all.” Like B.B. King and his beloved Lucille, she gives them all names as well. Among her favorites are Pepper, a red-toned axe which she used when she auditioned for Jackson, and a green beauty named Frank. “When I want that heavier tone, I go use Frank....There’s a different energy that comes from them all, whether it’s the different wood or whoever put them together,” she says. “They’re all so great and different.”

While she finds if “comforting” to having a guitar within arm’s reach, she says the longest she’s ever gone without picking one up is probably a week: “Sometimes, I play better if I leave it alone for a bit.”
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/news/orianthi-on-michael-jackson-alice-cooper-and-her-new-album#ULVumm2a4ZS36P7W.99

ORIANTHI Interviewed On 95.5 KLOS 'The Heidi & Frank Show' (external link)

Solo artist and iconic guitarist Orianthi was interviewed yesterday (Tuesday, March 12) on "The Heidi & Frank Show" on KLOS 95.5 FM radio station in Los Angeles, California. You can now watch the chat below.

Orianthi's new album, "Heaven In This Hell", was released on March 12 via Robo Records (distributed by Universal/Fontana). The CD, which delivers a mega-dose of rock and weaves elements of modern country and swampy blues, was produced by Dave Stewart. The first single, "Frozen", was serviced to rock and classic rock radio on January 28.

From writing her first song at the age of 6, to being discovered and playing alongside her idols Carlos Santana and Steve Vai early in her career, Orianthi has made an enduring mark on the music industry. While many were introduced to this timid guitar goddess when she played the Grammy Awards in 2009 as part of Carrie Underwood's band, it was being selected for Michael Jackson's ill-fated "This Is It Tour" that exposed her to mainstream audiences. In the fall of 2009, Orianthi released "According To You", her first solo single, which went platinum in the U.S. and abroad. More than just a gifted guitarist, this success showed she had serious vocal chops as well.

In late 2011, between legs of Alice Cooper's world tour (where she played lead guitar), she began work on her forthcoming project.

"I am so proud of this album because it really showcases my style of riff heavy rock and energetic blues," Orianthi remarks. "The success of 'Believe' [her previous CD] helped give me credibility and afforded me the freedom to create the kind of album I have been wanting to make, with musicians I respect, playing together live in a studio, creatively exchanging ideas...the way I want all my records to be made. My friend, collaborator and producer, Dave Stewart, and I just jammed and hashed out a variety of songs and sounds until we found the grooves that inspired us," she continues.

While Orianthi recorded a majority of "Heaven In This Hell" at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, she also recorded several songs and overdubs at Dave Stewart's (of THE EURYTHMICS) Hollywood studio.

"Working with Ori over the last year has been an inspiring experience for me," said Stewart. "She is such a dedicated guitarist and focused songwriter; her enthusiasm is infectious and all the musicians who worked on the record were motivated to give her their best. When we went to Nashville, we knew we were about to embark on something exciting, something career altering."

The time spent in Nashville left an indelible impression that can be heard in several of the tracks, which were mixed by Nashville resident John McBride. New tracks like "Rock" and "Another You" are examples of crossover country-AC songs that blend heartfelt harmonies and melodies with lyrics that showcase a more vulnerable, exposed emotional side, often veiled by her signature PRS axe. "Heaven In This Hell", the title track, is a blues-rooted rock song which features swampy guitar riffs with an edgy ZEPPELIN-esque vibe. Songs like "Frozen", the first single, and "You Don't Wanna Know" provide listeners with some insight into a couple of her primary musical influences with raw, crunchy guitar riffs reminiscent of Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn. "If You Think You Know Me" is an arousing anthem with thunderous drums, meant to inspire and empower anyone who has ever felt alone. This track, which begs to be played in a large arena, asks listeners: "Have you ever felt like you didn't fit in?/Like there's somebody else inside your skin?/ Well you're not alone/We all came here for something."

"I'm so excited to share 'Heaven In This Hell' with the fans! It's been a long time coming for me," says Orianthi.

Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/orianthi-interviewed-on-the-heidi-frank-show-video/#UfQQSlsT7vH7lDPP.99

Video: Richie Sambora and Orianthi talk Midnight Misson benefit concert (external link)

The Hollywood with Love benefit concert took place on Saturday, January 11th at the Musicians Institute (MI). The show which was hosted by comedian Kevin Nealon was presented by Musicians Institute (MI), and Norman's Rare Guitars and benefited the Midnight Mission.
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Performing at the concert were musicians Robben Ford, Joe Bonamassa, Jimmy Vivino, John Jorgenson, Freebo, Jason Sinay, Jimmy Vivino, Tony Galla, Kirk Fletcher, Grant Geissman, Jimmy Earl, Del Casher and Richie Sambora with Orianthi.

The benefit concert donated 100% of the event's proceeds to The Midnight Mission. The Midnight Mission is Southern California’s premier homeless center. The organization is celebrating a full century of offering emergency services, drug and alcohol recovery and transitional programs for homeless men, women and children in the Los Angeles area.

Sambora was honored at the 12th Annual Golden Heart Awards for his philanthropic work with The Midnight Mission in 2012.

I spoked with Sambora and Orianthi before the event. Click on the video link to hear what they had to say about the Midnight Mission. The two were a perfect match together on stage with Orianthi joining Sambora and his band for his set which included songs from Bon Jovi and his solo albums. The two already performed together when Sambora performed on the Alice Cooper and friends benefit concert on New Year's Eve in Hawaii. Orianthi is a guitarist in Alice Cooper's band. Sambora shared with me that he and Orianthi are set to perform together again with dates to be announced shortly.

For more information on Midnight Mission: www.midnightmission.org

Check back to this page for more reports and interviews from the benefit concert.

#BeMyBand Orianthi (external link)

(Written by Kafi) Dear drummers, bassists, guitarists and keyboard players,

Would you like to spend Valentine’s day sharing the love of your life (music) with the world?

Picture this: It’s February 14, and you’re at a packed concert venue in Los Angeles. A show producer grabs you and leads you on stage in front of an amped up crowd. Then multi-award-winning platinum recording rock singer, songwriter and guitarist Orianthi steps up to the mic. She introduces her band and…guess what? YOU’RE in it!

Orianthi

You could make this vision a reality and perform live with legendary guitarist Orianthi’s through her #BeMyBand Talenthouse invite, which was conceived by Talenthouse Creative Director and esteemed singer- songwriter-guitarist Dave Stewart.

Hear what Orianthi has to say about her #BeMyBand invite:

Best known for her guitar collaborations with music industry giants like Michael Jackson, Carlos Santana, Alice Cooper and Carrie Underwood, Orianthi can’t wait to work with the selected Talenthouse #BeMyBand artists, “I’m definitely looking forward to meeting four ace musicians who can rock my world.”

This one is about the players in the band. The guys and girls who help create that magic.

Dave Stewart is equally excited about being able to offer this new type of performance opportunity, “This one is about the players in the band. The guys and girls who help create that magic.”

Orianthi nominated for best rock guitarist (external link)

Orianthi, the Greek Australian guitar goddess, has been nominated for Best Rock Guitarist of 2013 by Guitar World magazine, going up against guitaring big guns such as Eric Clapton, Mark Tremonti, Jerry Cantrell and Josh Homme. She was also voted by the publication for Favourite Guitar World Cover when she appeared on their front page in April 2013.
The 28-year-old musician released her third studio album Heaven in This Hell earlier this year is competing with iconic bands and musicians for Favourite Guitar World Cover, including Led Zeppelin, The Who, Stevie Rae Vaughan, Nirvana and Black Sabbath.
Orianthi is also the first act to participate in #BeMyBand, which gives aspiring musicians the opportunity to play alongside a headlining artist in a legendary venue. Drummers, guitarists, keyboard players and bassists are asked to submit a short video of their best live performances for a chance to perform with Orianthi onstage in Los Angeles.
To vote for Orianthi in the Guitar World poll, visit guitarworld.polldaddy.com.

More Highlights from 36th ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS Read more about VIDEO: More Highlights from 36th ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS - BWWTVWorld by www.broadwayworld.com (external link)

Star of stage and screen Shirley MacLaine, opera singer Martina Arroyo, pianist, keyboardist, bandleader and composer Herbie Hancock, pianist, singer and songwriter Billy Joel and musician and songwriter Carlos Santana were honored at the 36th Annual KENNEDY CENTER HONORS, which was broadcast Sunday, December 29th on the CBS Network.

Below, check out highlights from the tribute performances including:

Steve Winwood and Sheila E., Orianthi pay tribute to Carlos Santana with 'Everybody's Everything.'

Buddy Guy pays tribute to Carlos Santana with 'I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man.'

Rufus Wainwright pays tribute to Billy Joel with 'New York State Of Mind' and 'Piano Man.'

Panic! at the Disco's Brendon Urie pays tribute to Billy Joel with 'Big Shot.'

Legends of jazz pay tribute to Herbie Hancock.

Anna Kendrick pays tribute to Shirley MacLaine with 'It's Not Where You Start, It's Where You Finish,' from Broadway's Seesaw.

Rapper Snoop Dogg and friends pay tribute to Herbie Hancock.

Click here to watch a Broadway salute to MacLaine, featuring Sutton Foster, Karen Olivo and Patina Miller.

Click here to watch an all-star tribute to Billy Joel featuring performances by Garth Brooks and Don Henley.

The Honors recipients are recognized for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts - whether in dance, music, theater, opera, motion pictures or television - and are selected by the Center's Board of Trustees. The primary criterion in the selection process is excellence. The Honors are not designated by art form or category of artistic achievement; the selection process, over the years, has produced a balance among the various arts and artistic disciplines.

Kennedy Center President Michael M. Kaiser expressed the national cultural center's continued gratitude to the many individuals involved in the success of the Honors program. "In addition to recognizing some of the world's most treasured artists, The Kennedy Center Honors supports a wide variety of artistic programming, as well as the Center's educational and national outreach efforts."

Photo: Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS

Read more about VIDEO: More Highlights from 36th ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS - BWWTVWorld by www.broadwayworld.com

Steve Winwood Leads Carlos Santana Tribute at Kennedy Center Honors (external link)

Steve Winwood Leads Carlos Santana Tribute at Kennedy Center Honors
by Michael Gallucci December 30, 2013 9:41 AM
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Steve Winwood led a percussion-stuffed musical tribute to Carlos Santana, who was one of five performers to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor in 2013. The gala, which took place on Dec. 8, was televised on CBS last night.

Winwood, percussionist Sheila E. and Australian guitarist Orianthi performed Santana’s ‘Everybody’s Everything’ with a full band that included expanded horn and percussion sections. You can see the performance above.

Popular Latin-music artists Juanes and Fher Olvera joined guitarist Tom Morello for a medley of ‘Black Magic Woman’ and ‘Oye Coma Va,’ and bluesman Buddy Guy played ‘I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man.’ You can see both performances below.

Musicians Martina Arroyo, Herbie Hancock and Billy Joel were also honored at the gala, as was actress Shirley MacLaine.
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-5Rm-3pHlw&feature=player_embedded

Read More: Steve Winwood Leads Carlos Santana Tribute at Kennedy Center Honors | http://ultimateclassicrock.com/carlos-santana-kennedy-center-2013/?trackback=tsmclip

Day 9 of 12 Days of Guitarists goes to Orianthi (external link)

Today is our Day 9 of 12 Days of Guitarists and we are pleased to announce Orianthi as our feature. Orianthi has had a long history shredding on the guitar and is absolutely amazing. She first picked up the acoustic guitar when she six years old and at age 11 she moved on to the electric and the rest is history.

At the young of 28, this Greek Australian guitar virtuoso has led quite a successful career as a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and an amazingly all around talented musician. Many might know her as the guitarist for late Michael Jackson and his ill-fated “This is It “Tour. She went on to not only perform with Alice Cooper’s live band, but her own highly successful solo career.

Orianthi is amazing to watch. She makes it look so easy as she shreds on her PRS guitars. You are completely mesmerized as she displays her impeccable technique. This guitar rock goddess not only plays some bad ass guitar but she has an undeniable charismatic stage presence. You can check out Orianthi in the following video where she performed at the 100 Club in London earlier this year:
View: http://youtu.be/jA_VF21ymCA

Orianthi Invites Four Musicians to Be Her Band for the Night (external link)

Multi-award-winning rocker Orianthi has teamed up with artist collaboration platform Talenthouse to recruit four aspiring musicians to be her band for one night at a Valentine’s Day show. This chance marks the launch of “BeMyBand,” a first-of-its-kind performance opportunity created by Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart. Musicians from around the world can audition through TalentHouse.com to be selected to collaborate and support their favorite artists live onstage in a high-profile show.

“I’m definitely looking forward to meeting four ace musicians who can rock my world,” Orianthi said. See her discuss the competition here.

Orianthi Nominated for Best Rock Guitarist (external link)

Orianthi Nominated for Best Rock Guitarist

By Joanna Varikos on December 18, 2013

http://hollywood.greekreporter.com/2013 ... guitarist/

Greek-Australian rock goddess Orianthi has been nominated for Best Rock Guitarist of 2013 by Guitar World magazine. The publication also nominated her for Favorite Guitar World Cover (she appeared on the front page of their April 2013 issue).

The 28-year-old musician, who released her third studio album Heaven in This Hell earlier this year, is up against Eric Clapton, Mark Tremonti, Jerry Cantrell and Josh Homme in the popular guitar magazine’s Best Rock Guitarist category. She’s competing with various bands and musicians for Favorite Guitar World Cover, including Led Zeppelin, The Who, Stevie Rae Vaughan, Nirvana and Black Sabbath.

RELATED: Guitarist to the Legends Orianthi in an Exclusive Interview

It was also recently announced that Orianthi is the first act to participate in #BeMyBand, which gives aspiring musicians the opportunity to play alongside a headlining artist in a legendary venue. Drummers, guitarists, keyboard players and bassists are asked to submit a short video of their best live performances for a chance to perform with Orianthi onstage in Los Angeles.

To vote for Orianthi in the Guitar World poll, visit guitarworld.polldaddy.com. To get more info on entering for a chance to perform with her in Los Angeles, check out talenthouse.com/perform-be-my-band-orianthi
- See more at: http://hollywood.greekreporter.com/2013 ... 39pIZ.dpuf

Alice welcomes us to his nightmare (external link)

Contrary to popular belief, Rock is not dead. Rock is very much alive, in fact, as demonstrated by an ageless Alice Cooper, who brought his "Raise The Dead" tour to Cranbrook Wednesday night, blowing the doors off Western Financial Place.

Alice showed the boisterous crowd why he is still at the top of the pile after five decades in the rock world. He was in fine voice, full of humour, fully engaged and breathing fire into his songbook, helped along by a fiery hot band — the best band he's ever had, by his own admission — a three-guitar attack.

An Alice Cooper show is a ritual, and the crowd were treated to a ritual in three chapters. Following "The Underture," Alice and the band opened with a series of classics — "Hello Hurray," "House of Fire," "No More Mr. Nice Guy," "Under My Wheels" — the glam, hard rock Alice, replete with the nice theatrical touches. "Billion Dollar Babies" featured Alice brandishing a spit loaded with dollar bills. "Caffeine" a giant coffee mug.

Alice, as adept at costume changes as a Shakespearian actor, segued into Chapter 2, the Nightmare Alice. As dry ice fog flooded the stage, Alice woke up in hell, a dreamscape populated by fleeting nightmare figures and overseen by a demonic nurse, subduing our hero with strange drugs and sending him to the guillotine (the guillotine is de rigueur at an Alice Cooper show). One would think the segment would end with a demon proffering Alice's severed head, spitting Alice's blood on the front rows. But no, he came back, the Man Behind The Mask.

Chapter 3 was Alice's tribute to his "dead, drunk friends" — Jim Morrison, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix and Keith Moon. The band played four faithful covers, one from each of The Doors, The Beatles, Hendrix and The Who.

The band never stopped roaring. The three-guitar attack featured Ryan Roxie, Tommy Henriksen and Orianthi. Chuck Garric wielded the bass. Alice introduced drummer Glen Sobel as hailing from Cranbrook, B.C., to the delight of the crowd (Sobel is actually from Los Angeles).

Each band member got plenty of time in the spotlight, along with the star.

As Alice opened with his hits, so he closed his show. The crowd sang along with "I'm Eighteen" and "Poison." "School's Out" was the encore.

All in all, though everyone's ears were ringing by the end, everyone felt welcome at Alice Cooper's nightmare. They were all reluctant to wake up.

Exclusive Examiner interview with Orianthi Panagaris (external link)

Anyone who attended the October 22 Alice Cooper concert at the National Theater in Richmond, VA saw the unique stage show and great music that an Alice Cooper concert brings but they were also able to see the talent of his current tour guitarist Orianthi Panagaris. This week we were lucky enough to catch up with the Australian guitar goddess herself while on an off day while on tour in Edmonton, Canada.
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Examiner (Keith Ashley): Hi Ori, thank you for doing this interview with us, for the casual fan or reader tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in playing music?"

Orianthi: I got started in music when I was about three,started playing piano, picked up a guitar when I was about six, wrote my first song when I was about six or seven, played in front of the school, I left school when I was fifteen, joined a lot of cover bands until I was twenty one, moved over to America, played the NAM shows, made my third album, I made two in Australia, I’ve been collaborating, I’m on tour with Alice Cooper, it’s a lot to put in one paragraph but it’s been an amazing journey, getting to collaborate with some amazing artist. We’re in tour in Canada, its freezing.

Examiner: Well that’s one of the perks of traveling with Alice. (both Ashley & Orianthi laugh) How’s the tour been going so far?

Orianthi: Well we started this tour in Russia, we went to Estonia, then we flew to New York, we’ve been driving around the country ever since. We’re almost done with this leg of the tour then we start up again with Alice in Germany, we’ll do a rock meets classic thing for about a month.

Examiner: What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the music or entertainment business, what are the best and worst things about being a touring musician?

Orianthi: Advice? You know just go and find your own voice, whether its playing guitar, singing, song writing, working hard, I love what I do, I love playing guitar, I love performing, you have to love it, there’s just so many hours you have to put into it, you can’t be in this industry if you don’t love it. It’s a real passion of mine; if I’m not creating I’m not happy. You just have to keep on with it. Touring it’s not what people expect, on stage is what you do it for, you almost get travel amnesia, the travel, I don’t really like that, you see movies, play a lot of poker, you have to do a lot of things to keep yourself occupied, I write, every show I try to do interesting things, Alice changes things up to keep it interesting on the road. It’s never what people expect it to be. It’s a lot of waiting around, you don’t sleep that much since you’re on the bus, you drive five or six hours to the next hotel, then its sound check, a lot of the same things, BUT when you go out and see the people, feel their energy, you meet them they’re so excited, I love it!

Examiner: You have influenced so many people with your guitar playing and style, what musicians influenced you and made you want to pick up a guitar?

Orianthi: Santana definitely influenced me to play electric guitar, I went with my Dad to see him, we were up in the nose bleed section area, yeah Santana started playing Europa and it really affected me. His notes, his tone, it was definitely a turning point to me, It’s pretty crazy, Carlos is now a friend, I’ve known him and jammed with him since I was eighteen, he’s someone I’ll always be inspired by. He’s always that main artist I go to. You need to sometimes in life clean the slate, be inspired, I also go to Steve Vai, Jimi Hendrix, my iPod’s pretty eclectic, I have so much different stuff on there. Sometimes I get in to a country music mood, or just rock, or blues, I get obsessed with different genres, there’s so many different styles to draw from.

Examiner: What was your first guitar and how did you start your relationship with the PRS brand as well as getting your own signature guitar?

Orianthi: My first guitar was an acoustic guitar, it was my dad’s it was a left handed, he had to restring it for me, I tried to play it left handed but there’s not many good left handed guitars so he said you probably should learn to play right handed, it was an acoustic Yamaha then it was a 125 Gibson, which I would strum on which was my dad’s, I would play that at school, take it to school every day, my dad definitely inspired me to play, he had a great record collection, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, all the legends. With PRS guitars, it was after seeing Santana, we were looking around for a PRS, second hand from the old factory, I got it when I was eleven, I never put it down, then I did a record like a demo at home, I recorded it and sent it to PRS, to Paul, they were like I love your playing and they invited me to the NAMM show, I was about nineteen, I headed over with my mum, met Paul, playing his booth, I was at the show one night and the A&R for Interscope Geffen record gave me a deal, then PRS talked to me about doing my own model. It was going to the booth and seeing Santana’s model, then seeing your own model it’s a great honor. It was really awesome, really really cool moment for me. We’re working on some new models coming out in the next year. I have two models out, the sparkly red one and the scarlet red one, the tone, the way the guitar looks, they pay a lot of attention to detail on their guitars. All the people that work there are guitar players and it shows.

Examiner: You recently released the deluxe edition of your new solo album “Heaven in the Hell”, can you tell us a little about the writing process of this album and how the duet with rock legend and Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler for “Sex E Bizarre” came about?

Orianthi: The process of making this record was pretty different from the last record I made “Believe” I went to Nashville with Dave Stewart, an amazing song writer, musician, a great friend, he helped me write the record, produced it all. He made his record there at Blackbird Studios, I just wanted to make a record that really captured a live energy, just record it, we recorded like eight songs in one day, we captured that live feel to it. I really enjoyed making it. I worked with Marty Frederickson who works with Aerosmith, we wrote “Sex E Bizarre”, then I went over to Maui for New Years, Steven Tyler was there, I played a show with Alice, even Weird AL, after the show we went to Steven’s place, Marty was there, we played the demo, he loved the song, put his vocals down, he just called me it was really cool, he’s one of my favorite rock and roll singers. I was like that’d be freaking awesome if he’d put his vocals on it and it just worked out. Cool.

Examiner: Alice Cooper has a very unique and theatrical show, what’s your favorite part and is anything challenging with the special effects and stage props?

Orianthi: Well there’s pyro now, especially when you’re outside, and it’s kind of windy, fire getting in your faces, with the hair spray, Alice uses real swords on stage, popping balloons, everyone is dodging the swords, there are huge balloons that are thrown into the crowd, I’m on the microphone, the audience throws them back at you and they hit the mic stand during “Schools out” and you try not to get a chipped tooth, gives me mild anxiety, Alice tries to pop them with his sword, you got to be careful of a couple of things but ..It’s all good though.

Examiner: The year is almost over; this leg of the Alice tour is at an end, what can we expect from you for the rest of 2013 and into 2014?

Orianthi: Well I’m actually working on my new record right now, I’m collaborating with an artist right now, this record will be more beat oriented, very commercial, but rock, lots of solos, actually few instrumentals, just from the material I have right now it’s kind of like Heaven in this Hell and Believe but definitely going to be more rock, bigger beat, bigger riffs, a bit edgy, just different, you have to switch things up and evolve, you can’t always make the same album.

Examiner: We thank you very much for your time; we know you’re busy on the road so we appreciate it. Thanks Ori.

Orianthi: Oh thank you.

For all things Orianthi please check out her official website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts. You can find tour updates, album information and merchandise links and lots more to keep you updated with Orianthi’s career.

Home Guitars Acoustic Bass Drums Tech DJ Guitars News Reviews Tuition Video Forum Magazines Orianthi: the 10 records that changed my life (external link)

If there was any kind of generation gap in Orianthi Panagaris's house, it certainly had nothing to do with music. The Alice Cooper shredder and solo star, who picked up the guitar at the age of six, says that both of her parents kept the stereo humming with a wildly disparate array of artists and genres.

"My dad used to listen to Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton," she says, "and my mom liked Michael Bolton and Roy Orbison. She was pretty big into country music, too. So there was a wealth of music being played in the house, and I kind of took it all in."

Before she was out of her teens, Orianthi's way with a guitar had attracted the attention of idols such as Steve Vai and Carlos Santana, and while she certainly put in the time woodshedding to records by her six-string heroes, she stresses that the music of her youth also inspired equally important talents – like moonwalking.

"Who didn't want to dance like Michael Jackson?" she asks almost rhetorically. "I know I did." Of the late superstar, with whom she rehearsed for his planned This Is It concerts in 2009, she says, "He was everything to the whole world, especially with Thriller. No matter who you were, you wanted to move like Michael. You wanted to be him. Thriller was the record you listened to while you made believe."

These days, Orianthi says that she listens to music for a variety of reasons: "Sometimes I want to hear something fun to cook or bake to; other times, I need specific songs to to lift me up. I'm always amazed at how records can make you feel like somebody else understands you." Several years ago, she released a song called Courage (on the 2009 album Believe), which struck a similar chord with listeners around the world.

"I’ve gotten letters and tweets from fans telling me how that one song helped them through though times," she says. "You just can’t ask for more than that. To think that a song you write – not just the lyrics but the mood, as well, the feeling you’re putting across – can matter that much to somebody, it kind of makes you realize you’re doing your job."

On the following pages read Orianthi: The 10 Records That Changed My Life.
Click to read more: http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/orianthi-the-10-records-that-changed-my-life-586754/1

Alice Cooper rocks the National and gives the RVA an early Halloween (external link)

An Evening with Alice Cooper at the National Theater RVA
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October 23, 2013

Last night at the National the RVA got to have an early Halloween. Rock legend Alice Cooper's latest tour rolled into town and the sell out crowd was treated to all they expected and more. Cooper’s latest tour “An Evening with Alice Cooper” was filled with all the theatrics, great songs and crowd responses you would expect from a legend in his fourth decade of touring and despite his years in the game of rock and metal Cooper is still a force to be reckoned with showing the younger generation of rockers that he is still the standard bearer for live shows. Last night’s concert was filled with hits spanning Cooper’s long career with such songs as “Hello Hooray”, “House of Fire” and “Million Dollar Babies” as well as a very well received tribute to fallen rockers from the past with songs from the Beatles, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix and The Who. The crowd was wowed by the usual showmanship you would expect from and Alice Cooper concert which included a giant Frankenstein like creature, a few executioners, a steam punk demented nurse and of course a snake and giant guillotine. The crowd which spanned the decades of Cooper’s career, had of fans in their sixties to fans as young as five was also wowed by guitar goddess Orianthi Panagaris who is the newest member of Cooper’s band. Orianthi was stellar on solos and her stage presence was an added plus to an already great concert experience for fans of Alice Cooper and all in attendance.

For all things Alice Cooper please visit his official website and Twitter as well as Orianthi’s official website and her Twitter, where you will find out tour information and any updates on album news.

Concert Review (external link)

Remember the classic scene in “Wayne’s World” in which Wayne and Garth meet their hero Alice Cooper, and the king of shock-rock-n-roll greets them with a history lesson about the origins of Milwaukee? It’s a hilarious scene, best known for the now-classic line “We are not worthy!”

On October 13, many of us in the near-capacity crowd at The Capitol Theatre felt the same way. For nearly two hours, Cooper burned through his hard-rock classics with a theatrical show told in three-acts: Alice’s rise to fame, his murder, and his afterlife. Each act was more compelling than the last, starting with Cooper masterfully singing classic songs off his 1975 breakthrough album, “Welcome to My Nightmare,” backed by a band who looked like they’d escaped from the island of misfit toys.

Guitarist Orianthi, in particular, shredded her pretty little head off. The pop star, who became an overnight success after touring on Michael Jackson’s “This is It” tour, nearly stole the show, something that’s hard to do when Cooper’s on stage.

Cooler than anybody’s dad, the dark lord of rock crushed every song he performed, from “No More Mr. Nice Guy” to “I’m 18? to “Feed My Frankenstein.” A highlight of the show was a series of covers of songs by dearly departed friends Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, and Keith Moon. Nothing beats hearing Alice croon “Foxy Lady” or “Break On Through” before unloading into a spot-on rendition of his own 1989 hit “Poison.”

It wasn’t just a concert at The Cap last night, it was an experience. One can only hope that Cooper and his crew make it back to Port Chester and kill us again soon.

The Hot Stuff Orianthi Reveals What It Was Like Working With Steven Tyler On 'Sex E Bizarre' (external link)

Our hosts Maude Garrett and Dave Styles spoke to the amazing Orianthi this week in LA, and she chatted to us about collaborating with Steven Tyler from Aerosmith!

Australian super-guitarist Orianthi has worked with Steven on a new duet called ‘Sex E Bizarre,’ which will feature on her upcoming digital deluxe edition of her album Heaven In This Hell.

She spoke to The Hot Hits about how it came about, revealing 'I’m very excited Steven Tyler decided to sing on this song… I asked him probably about 4 or 5 months ago, we were actually up in Maui for New Year’s Eve and we got to jam out.'

'After the show we all went back to Steven’s place… and he kranked (the song) up on his garden stereo… and he’s like “I really dig this” and then he sung on it… It’s a real honour.'

The deluxe digital version of ‘Heaven In This Hell’ will feature three new songs, including "Sex E Bizarre" a duet with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Artist and all round rock god Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) - available September 3rd.

Check out our full chat with Orianthi below, and stay tuned to hear the single 'Sex E Bizarre'!

We unveil a snippet of the bonus track from the new Deluxe Edition of ‘Heaven In This Hell’… (external link)

Rock chick Orianthi has announced the release of the Deluxe Edition of her latest album ‘Heaven In This Hell,’ which features three new bonus tracks including ‘Sex E Bizarre’ with Aerosmith legend Steven Tyler.

MTV is excited to reveal an exclusive one-minute preview video of the track, which Orianthi co-wrote with Tyler and Marti Frederiksen – who has a long history of working with iconic artists including Aerosmith, Faith Hill and Def Leppard.

“I’m excited to share these new songs with fans, especially the rockin’ party track ‘Sex E Bizarre’ which features Steven Tyler,” the Australian-born guitarist dished.

“It was an honour to have one of the greatest and most recognisable voices in music lend his vocals to the song.”

The extended album also features the upbeat rock jam ‘Better With You’ and an alternate mix of the crossover ballad ‘Another You,’ both of which were recorded in Nashville and co-written by Orianthi.

The star, who was hand-picked by Michael Jackson to be his lead guitarist for the ill-fated ‘This Is It’ tour, is currently touring as lead guitarist for Alice Cooper and is playing a few solo shows in the US and UK while on the road.

Orianthi Gets ‘Sex E Bizarre’ in Duet with Steven Tyler - See more at: http://hollywood.greekreporter.com/2013/08/20/orianthi-gets-sex-e-bizarre-in-duet-with-steven-tyler/#sthash.hSC3UB1M.dpuf (external link)

Greek-Australian guitar goddess Orianthi has teamed up with rock god Steven Tyler of Aerosmith for a duet of epic proportions.

The two got together for Orianthi’s single, “Sex E Bizarre,” which is a featured bonus track on the upcoming deluxe edition of her Heaven in This Hell album. Tyler’s infamous vocals combined with Orianthi’s voice and flawless guitar skills seem like a match made, in well, Heaven.

The 28-year-old musician is perhaps best known for being Michael Jackson’s lead guitarist during his This Is It concert series, as well as the lead guitarist in Alice Cooper’s live band. She’s been named one of the 12 Greatest Female Electric Guitarists by Elle magazine, and also won the “Breakthrough Guitarist of the Year” by Guitar International in 2010. That same year, she performed her single, “According to You,” on the “American Idol” stage, and returned to the singing competition this past April to jam out with the contestants during Rock Week.

Here’s Orianthi performing “Sex E Bizarre” live, and check out her duet with Steven Tyler when the album releases on September 3:
- See more at: http://hollywood.greekreporter.com/2013/08/20/orianthi-gets-sex-e-bizarre-in-duet-with-steven-tyler/#sthash.hSC3UB1M.dpuf

Guitar Goddess Orianthi, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler Team Up for 'Sex E' Duet (Audio) (external link)

The pummeling rock track showcases both singers' signature wails.
Orianthi Steven Tyler P
Stephen Holding, ShootingStarsPhotography.com

Australian guitarist extraordinaire Orianthi is gearing up to release the deluxe edition of her third studio album, Heaven in This Hell, on Sept. 3. It will include a duet with Aerosmith frontman and former American Idol judge Steven Tyler.
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The song, called "Sex E Bizarre," is a pummeling rock track that features both singers' signature wails. It's one of three bonus tracks on the deluxe edition.

PHOTOS: Decadence, Incorporated: The Rock Tours of '73

The 28-year-old Orianthi is no stranger to music legends. She was the lead guitar player for Michael Jackson's This Is It tour and has shared the stage with the likes of Alice Cooper and Steve Vai.

Formerly managed by 19 Entertainment and now represented by Fitzgerald-Hartley, Orianthi has stayed close to American Idol, appearing during season 12, when she joined each of the top seven finalists for a rock-themed episode.

Check out a snippet of "Sex E Bizarre" in the video montage below:

Twitter: @THRMusic

Guitar Goddess Orianthi, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler Team Up for 'Sex E' Duet (Audio) (external link)

Heaven In This Hell- #5 U.S. iTunes Rock Chart

Heaven In This Hell hit #5 on the Rock Chart

Heaven In This Hell- iTunes "What's Hot" list

Heaven In This Hell- iTunes "What's Hot" list

Music Connection:

One of five guitarist highlighted in "Guitar Jam 2013".

Orianthi Talks Music, Alice Cooper And Twitter Addictions on HotHIts (external link)

Australian singer Orianthi is back with an awesome new album Heaven In This Hell, and we couldn’t be more excited.

Orianthi dropped by our LA studio a few weeks back to chat to Dave Styles and Maude Garrett, and we’ve got the video from the interview for you to watch.

Check out what she had to say about her album Heaven In This Hell, her Twitter addiction and working with iconic stars like Alice Cooper!

View: http://www.thehothits.com/news/38623/orianthi-talks-music,-alice-cooper-and-twitter-addictions?movideo_m=282391

Orianthi’s “Heaven In This Hell” a departure from her sophomore album (external link)

Orianthi’s third album, Heaven In This Hell is a blatant distant departure from her sophomore release.

Despite her more recent touring with Alice Cooper, or her previous metal licks heard in the film “This Is It,” don’t expect this to be metallic by any means.

This album is produced by Dave Stewart, most known for his work with the Eurythmics.

It is hard to tell whether it was Stewart that brought it out in her, or if touring with Alice Cooper gave her more confidence, but as opposed to the album Believe, Orianthi is no longer aiming for solely a tweeny-bopper audience.

The music and the writing is much more serious here.

When it comes to upgrades heard in the recording studio with Stewart, the album speaks volumes.

On her new release, she shows more confidence in showcasing her guitar skills, but still holds back a bit, as the songwriting and vocals are clearly the main theme here.

When it came to her sophomore platinum-selling album Believe, Orianthi had stated it was her intention to play down her guitar playing, in an effort to achieve a hit pop album.

As opposed to her album Believe, on Heaven in this Hell, Orianthi seems to view herself more of as a guitarist and a contender, rather than merely another replaceable female pop singer.

The songs on the new album are all co-written, primarily with Stewart.

Dan Dugmore on lap steel, and Stewart, who plays rhythm, provide additional guitar playing on the album. With three guitars, it gives Orianthi a lot of freedom as a lead guitarist. While she takes her solos, there is certainly no overkill.

On the album, Orianthi switches between playing lead and rhythm.

She also exchanges guitars, playing both electric and acoustic, as well as taking on nylon strings. On the album, Orianthi also picks up a 12-string, a bass and banjo.

Additional support comes from country bassist Michael Rhodes (Wynona Judd, Dixie Chicks, Randy Travis, Dolly Parton), drummers Chad Cromwell (Neil Young, Mark Knopfler) and Shannon Forest (Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Gretchen Wilson, Rascal Flatts), keyboardist Mike Rojas (Dave Stewart, Blue Sky Riders, Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean), and Jimmy “Z” Zavala on harp, who famously played with Stewart on the Eurythmics track “Missionary Man.” Zavala has recorded or played with an endless “who’s who” list of rockers, ranging from Ronnie Wood to the late Etta James.

The album is mixed by John McBride (Dave Stewart, Martina McBride, Garth Brooks).

Also contributing to the album are Nashville-based back-up singers Drea Rhenee and Wendy Moten.

With this line-up, one has all the elements needed for a country album.

Stewart’s direction is so immersed in the album, that he even shot the album’s front and back cover, and inside photo, as he did with Stevie Nicks’ “In Your Dreams,” which he also produced.

The album is released on Rob Christie’s Robo Records. Christie is heard playing keyboards on the album, as well.

Stewart’s production literally brings out a new voice for Orianthi, which gains far more strength in her lower octave range, than the poppy, higher pitched vocals heard on her Believe album. Her previously demonstrated pop-teen queen voice has shifted. On Heaven in this Hell, she is now vocally a cross of Pat Benatar and country singer Carrie Underwood.

The title track is a hard rock track, with a lyric line that has elements of country crossover. In an interlude, she plays using nylon strings.

The album’s first single “Frozen,” an earthy, hard rock track, is a distant departure from 2009’s “According to You.”

“You Don’t Wanna Know” is a country crossover rock song with a rock solo. Orianthi also plays banjo on this song.

“How Do You Sleep?” is one of the most interesting songs on the album. A keyboard driven song, the focus here is really her voice here as she belts it out. There are a few subtle blues leads, and a driving guitar solo.

The nylon strings at the end are a nice approach, and with the melody line she plays, it make more sense using them as opposed to any other type of stringed approach.

“Rock” is a pop song, but not as light as fare as on her last album. It is here where Jimmy Z’s harmonica becomes highly evident.

“Fire” is another crossover country rock song, as is the ballad “Another You.”

Orianthi offers another ballad with “If You Were Here With Me.”

There is a soulful, R&B feel to the album’s track “How Does that Feel?” in which she offers a guitar solo, which many of her fans are likely looking for from her.

The swampy, dirty “Filthy Blues” is one of the harder rock, country influenced numbers on the album. More country than blues, more L.A than Nashville, here she brings out the 12-string for a short solo, and then breaks into harder rock solo, turning up the distortion, but only for a short while.

One of the songs is aptly titled “If You Think You Know Me." It's hard to tell if this album is truly reflective of who Orianthi really is, but it’s interesting to see this side of her that Stewart has brought out in the studio.

Orianthi

Heaven in This Hell can be purchased on iTunes by clicking here.

Tracklist for Heavin in This Hell:

1. Heaven in This Hell
2. You Don't Wanna Know
3. Fire
4. If YouThink That You Know Me
5. How Do You Sleep?
6. Frozen
7. Rock
8. Another You
9. How Does That Feel?
10. Filthy Blues
11. If You Were Here With Me

For more on Orianthi: Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Orianthi: Lady Plays the Voodoo Blues (external link)

Guitar sensation Orianthi cranks it up on her third studio album Heaven In This Hell, but worldwide audiences first noticed the blonde axe slinger as part of Michael Jackson’s This Is It rehearsals. Today, the Australian-born performer calls L.A. home and is guitar royalty around town, having jammed with everyone from Carlos Santana to Steven Tyler.

Whether she’s wielding a blood-splattered guitar on stage with Alice Cooper or playing alongside Carrie Underwood, Orianthi brings her own style to every situation. Although she’ll tell you her first love is the blues, her music embodies pop-rock, instrumental interludes and guitar-driven crunch.

At age six she strummed her first guitar, at 11 plugged in an electric, and never looked back…

CP: Your Dad is guitar player, too. What were your early experiences with music?

Orianthi: My Dad had a large collection of videos and records, and he’d be watching different videos of Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton. I would go into the living room and always read his Guitar Player magazines. [Then] I was taking the guitar magazines to school and reading them under the desk [laughs] I wasn’t doing any work. At six, he taught me how to strum, initially, and then took me to one of his friends for lessons. My Dad was in a Greek band (I’m half Greek) he used to play at weddings and Christenings and stuff. I would go see him play and occasionally I would go up and jam with him. My Dad loves playing guitar, when I go home he’s playing away and he loves it. He’s a great guitar player. So I learned from him and then I learned off Santana.

When I was 11 I went with my Dad to see one of his shows. [At the time] I was studying classical, I learned how to sight read and a bit of theory. Then, I saw Santana and I was like “I don’t want to play classical guitar anymore because it’s just boring.” It was good though to learn the basics, but when you play the blues all that stuff sort of goes out the window; you don’t want to think too much. Obviously, I really respect a lot of people that know that and everything, but Santana, Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, these players are just very free with their playing, and that’s what I wanted to do. I left school when I was 15 to be in cover bands until I was like 20. Then I moved to America. I kept coming over here to go to NAMM shows and then I got a record deal.

CP: Did you first come to L.A. with your Dad?

Orianthi: Actually my Mom came over first and I would go back and forth doing the NAMM show every year. Then I recorded a CD at home in my studio and brought it over with me and that was in 2005 or 2006, signed a deal and moved. It’s been a long process and a big journey, ups and downs, you gotta find yourself and stick with it, jamming with people and working with people and just being a guitar player. I really enjoy being an artist and having my own band, too.

CP: You’re out promoting your third studio release, Heaven In This Hell, how’s everything going?

Orianthi: Good! I’m in L.A. and I’m looking forward to my album coming out very soon. We issued the single “Frozen” on iTunes today. I’m excited, I haven’t put anything out for an album in about three years.

CP: That song “Frozen” has had an evolution of sorts, it’s really heavy…I love it.

Orianthi: Thank you. I wrote that song with Kevin Griffin a while ago. It was a very acoustic sort of track with a rapper on it. I just felt like that song, something about the lyrics were pretty heavy “soul vampire” and everything, listening to it more, the lightness of the track I thought it should have been a bit heavier. I had this riff, it sort of fit the vocal line and put an octave with a pedal on it and made it sound pretty aggressive. It’s got a bit of a Hendrix vibe to it, because the record kind of does, with Heaven In This Hell and Filthy Blues, it’s definitely got a bit of that voodoo-rock blues thing going on.

CP: What else can fans expect from the recording?

Orianthi: “Heaven In This Hell,” is a song which is pretty heavy. We played it live a ton of times. It’s definitely got that delta blues guitar and [turned] into this heavy sort of riffed-based rock song. With this record we really envisioned all the songs live, so “what would it sound like with a three piece? What would it sound like with a big band?” And we wanted a chorus that the audience could sing along to. It’s definitely riff-based and I’ve definitely gone back to my blues roots with this album.

CP: How was it working with Dave Stewart (The Eurythmics) as a producer?

Orianthi: I love working with Dave, he is like one of the easiest people to work with because he’s just so full of ideas and has great input. He really just said “go with your gut, and do what you do, and don’t try to be anything else.” He’s a great person to work with, and a really great songwriter and guitar player. It was a lot of fun making this album.

CP: Do you have any special approach to the songwriting process?

Orianthi: Songwriting changes, the whole process is always different in collaborating with somebody. Sometimes I’ll bring in an idea, like a riff I’ll have, and I’ll play it for Dave and he’ll be like that’s cool. Then go back to the lyrics and the chorus. Some of the songs were written on piano: “How You Think” and “You’re Here With Me” as well.

Others were written outside on acoustic guitar, some written in studio, I plugged into an amp and played really loud. It’s all different, and I think that’s the thing, you never know when an idea is going to come to you. It’s just what I live for: it’s playing and creating, jamming and listening to music. I love going to see bands as well and getting inspired again. It’s like “yeah, I want to play too I want to write a song.” It never changes because from when I was 11 to now, if I see a big show I want to pick up my guitar when I get home.

CP: You’ve played with some legendary musicians, how do you adapt to each style from Alice Cooper to Steve Vai and Michael Jackson?

Orianthi: I just play the way that I play. Obviously, if I’m learning Alice Cooper songs there are so many different parts to it and you really have to get into his world. Initially, it was pretty daunting because I had a lot of songs to learn, and there are so many parts to his songs. I was a fan before, but I’m the biggest fan now because you really appreciate what goes into the whole recording process of each song and writing pieces as well because there’s just so many guitar parts. It’s funny but it’s a learning process for me. It’s like throwing yourself into the ocean each time.

When you’re working alongside Alice you learn different things as you go along and then you feel more comfortable. The first few shows with Alice I was sort of making sure I didn’t run into Frankenstein or get stabbed [laughs]. Then the music, you know, the crazy parts and songs like “Halo of Flies” is like 11-minutes long, you just learn different things. Alice Cooper is such a great entertainer too, so I love being part of the whole crazy show.

Steve Vai is such an amazing guitar player but such a great songwriter, too, the way that he constructs his songs. That was an amazing experience being in a room [with him] and I just wanted to watch him play guitar. [laughs] I didn’t want to play, you know, because when you’re around someone like that, it’s like, [you’re] sort of “not worthy,” he’s so great. I’ve known him since I was 14, and that was my first support with Steve Vai. I was nervous, it being my first show, but when you’re opening for like the best guitar player, I mean incredible, incredible, he came on stage and he’s like shredding away and playing a beautiful melody, and he’s just a great entertainer as well.

And working with Michael Jackson, too, that was really different as well; played lots of funky different rhythm parts to rock guitar solos--it’s all crazy.

CP: You worked with Michael Jackson rehearsing for what would have been his “This Is It Tour.” What did you learn from him…I can only imagine how that experience was?

Orianthi: You know, it was just like this crazy dream, which I’ll never forget. Obviously, I am very honored to have been chosen by Michael and getting to work with these incredible musicians and dancers and everybody. It was set to be the biggest show, ever. I learned a lot just watching him, the way that he was with everybody. I mean he was such an incredible entertainer, but he knew every part of his songs, and he wanted to make sure the fans would be happy. He was “oh maybe that guitar song can be changed a bit, or this part, and I want you to be over here” just little things that definitely made a big difference. It’s like he had it all stamped in his head [laughs] he kind of knew every part and sound and everything; incredible, incredible person, too.

CP: He sounds very professional and intense?

Orianthi: Really professional, very intense but very personable. He treated everyone the same, very sweet, not completely different to what I though he was going to be, but there was just so much crazy media stuff about that. When I met him (we were with him for three months) but like wow he was very dedicated, very sweet and very childlike.

CP: Was he really as soft spoken like everyone says?

Orianthi: Eh, he had a lot of fun, too, you know, he was very soft spoken but he was like a child at heart, he would be joking around and cussing a lot, and he was really looking forward to putting on the show. So, very sad. I’m very happy that I had the chance to work with him, you know, that was just incredible.

CP: You’ve been touring with Alice Cooper, how did you first cross paths with him?

Orianthi: I played on “Schools Out” which was actually years ago on American Idol, and then we’ve been touring for about a year and a bit, so yeah he’s awesome. He’s just so sweet. You know, big musical family, love the band, and everyone’s just really wonderful; love being part of the show.

CP: What’s it like touring with Alice Cooper? Do you have a favorite part of the show?

Orianthi: I love playing “Halo of Flies” because it’s an 11-minute song, and crazy thing, it has this whole sort choreographed part, as well as the guitars--a lot of fun. We change it up all time. I just toured not too long ago and the whole set list has changed. So, it’s a lot of fun.

CP: What a great show. Also he seems like such a nice family guy?

Orianthi: Oh Yeah, his whole family is just so sweet they come out on the tour--really cool people.

CP: Were you inspired by any other women musically along the way? Or do you remember seeing any women playing that stood out to you?

Orianthi: Yeah definitely, Bonnie Raitt. I love Bonnie Raitt. Great singer, Jennifer Batten, of course. I listened to all of the country singers. You know I don’t know, honestly, mostly guys though. [ha ] That’s the thing, there weren’t that many female guitar players around--Bonnie Raitt, Jennifer Batten, kind of it.

CP: It sounds like you’re an example of all that changing?

Orianthi: Well it’s difficult to see when I am at the NAMM show or on Twitter and I get the messages from girls who are like “I am sticking it out and thank you for inspiring me, I’ve been playing for a few years now.” That’s typical, so whether it’s guitar or drums, or anything that sort of mostly guys do. You know or “you inspired me to play music or write songs or sing,” because music is such a powerful thing and I love to write it, but I also love to listen to it, music has helped me through different times in my life so when people say “your music has helped me” that means a lot, it really does.

CP: Do you enjoy writing lyrics?

Orianthi: Yeah, I like going on long walks, and I bring my phone with me and I am usually typing things, like different lyrics come to me if I’m walking around. I like doing that and putting melody to it and guitar riffs. I enjoy writing lyrics, sometimes they don’t come easy to me because I feel if I force myself to write a song it usually comes out pretty crappy [laughs]. If inspiration comes and the moment is there, you want to take advantage of that, and have your recorder going and go with it. The worst thing is when you get interrupted when you’re in that creative zone and you get that phone call, and you’re like ugh, “really, right now?” You know, “look I’m trying to write this song here.” That’s probably the most frustrating thing, but other than that, I love the whole process of writing.

CP: Tell me about your new signature PRS guitar…Have you been playing Paul Reed Smith guitars for a while?

Orianthi: This guitar is pretty much based on my favorite PRS, which I used for about ten years. It’s a custom 24 with like a wide thin neck. It’s an SE my model, and I wanted to make it obviously affordable for kids. Some of, well all of the PRS are very pricey. This one is a really good quality guitar, it looks super cool I’m a big fan of sparkles, and it was actually all contoured, the body is scarlet red, it’s beautiful. It’s got a three-way blade switch, and HFS pickups, which are high-gain. What I usually do is roll off the volume, have it cranking through the amps, so I kind of control it with the volume, I can turn it down and have that sweet distortion tone, and then crank it up to like 10 and just solo away. Those pickups are great for that. Paul did an awesome job and I just love these guitars. I am a fan of his work, they’re all pieces of art.

CP: Your guitar parts are really diverse. You have an extended solo of sorts called “Lights of Manos” (first studio album Violet Journey). I really like it.

Orianthi: Oh thank you.

CP: Can you tell me a little more about it. Is that something you play at every show?

Orianthi: That song I wrote at home in Adelaide (Australia). I recorded the album myself I produced it and played everything on it. Literally that song came to me really late one night, it was like 2AM or something, and I just had this idea for it. I just wanted a song, I even might make a record like this in the future where it’s just guitar, and maybe a church organ or something, because you just kind of want to make that sort of music where there is no sort of just really free, it’s so instrumental, you can put it on and it’s like meditation. Makes you feel sort of centered. “Lights of Manos” is a song I used to open up the show with that all the time, now I’ve changed it somewhat. I’ll definitely put it back into the set, but yeah maybe in the future I’ll do a whole record kind of like “Lights of Manos.”

CP: A compilation of instrumental pieces?

Orianthi: Yeah, just a whole instrumental album. I was thinking about it the other day and I would like to do something like that in the next few years, or even sooner, that’d be cool.

CP: You’ve performed on a lot of popular TV shows. Is that type of experience different as apposed to your own show? Is it stressful?

Orianthi: Yeah definitely live TV, the most nervous I’ve been actually a couple of times I played the GRAMMYS with Carrie Underwood and when I did American Idol a few times. That’s always nerve-racking because so many people watch it live, you don’t want anything to go wrong. Little things go through your mind like “what if my guitar strap breaks?” Or “what if I go over my heels?” or just stupid things because you don’t have a chance to do it again, and it’s like one song you know? In a show you can make it up if something disastrous happens [laughs]. It’s always nerve racking, but I kind of dig the adrenaline, it’s kind of addictive after a while.

CP: You’ve played with so many incredible artists already, can you envision anyone else you’d still like to perform with?

Orianthi: Um, Eric Clapton, I want to do something with him. I think he’s great, amazing. I would love to do a song with B.B. King or Buddy Guy. Also on the more commercial side of things, I’m a big fan of Pink and her voice. So I would love to do something with her.

CP: She’s got that raspy edgy voice…

Orianthi: Yeah, she’s so bluesy. Yeah just do a blues track with her, like I’m playing guitar and she’s singing. Sort of [just] guitar and vocals would be really cool.

CP: As far as your solo work, do you have a specific band, or do you play with session musicians?

Orianthi: My band is kind of changing because I’ve been on tour with Alice for quite some time. When I come back into town the band I had before are off doing other things, they’re out of town and whatnot, so whoever is in town at the time. We always have a blast jamming. For “Frozen” we recently played on Fox11 with Brian Chiusano, and Tommy Henriksen from Alice Cooper, and then I had Robin (Goodbridge) from the band Bush, he came in on drums. It’s always changing up. Whoever’s around and wants to tour with me. Glen Sobel (drummer from Alice Cooper) played on the track “Frozen.” Shannon Forrest, a Nashville-based player, played on another track, Michael Rhodes, Dan Dugmore, just great players. John McBride mixed it (John McBride’s Blackbird Studio in Nashville) he’s awesome and a great guy, and just great energy in the studio. Really great band and session players.

CP: Does that create a new dynamic working with various performers? Do you enjoy working with different players?

Orianthi: Yeah I do. If I’ve jammed with them before and we get along and sort of have that connection yeah. I just generally text them and say “hey you gonna be in town?” Whoever sort of is able to do it. It’s always great because sometimes when you mix and match different musicians they play differently together. I like it. It’s pretty cool.

CP: Do you live exclusively in L.A. now?

Orianthi: I do. I’ve been living here for quite some time now--definitely my home.

CP: Do you ever get back to Australia?

Orianthi: Once a year at Christmas time, that’s it, unless I tour [there]. You know it’s cool with Alice Cooper our first tour was Australia. Saw the family, then went back for Christmas. I saw my family twice. I just toured with Michael Bolton in Australia. That was great.

CP: I bet you have a big family back in Australia?

Orianthi: I do, yeah. I do because I’m half Greek.

CP: I get it, Greek/Italian, it’s similar?

Orianthi: [laughs] Yeah, the same thing right? Big family, lots of food, definitely.

CP: What are your plans next, touring, etc?

Orianthi: I have the Grammy Music release party on the 11th of March, (at The GRAMMY Museum in downtown Los Angeles). That’s going to be really fun; doing promo around that. Hopefully going to Japan to do a mini tour, and then playing some shows out here in L.A., after promoting this album, I start up again with Alice Cooper.

CP: Even with all the experiences you’ve had already, it seems the whole world is in front of you right now?

Orianthi: You never want to stop creating and there are so many possibilities, so many different things you can do with music, and always changing, always evolving and doing things for yourself, because I don’t want to make the same record twice. You know [laughs], you always want to change it up. My iPod is so eclectic, I listen to all different music, so I don’t want to fit into any mold or anything.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ori's Goddess Gear:

Signature Axe
SE Orianthi Model
Signature PRS 2012 beveled SE carve
Bridge PRS Designed Tremolo
Tuners PRS Designed Tuners
Treble Pickup PRS Designe SE HFS Treble
Pickup Switching
Volume and Tone Control with 3-Way Toggle Pickup Selector.
Push/pull tone control with 3-way blade switch (previously a 3-way toggle with no coil tapping).

PRS Guitars
http://www.prsguitars.com/seorianthi/

Dean Markley strings
TC Electronic effects
EVH amps (by Fender)

Review: Orianthi – ‘Heaven In This Hell’ (external link)

You know, Orianthi is quite a lady. From being Michael Jackson’s guitarist to touring alongside horror rock king Alice Cooper, she’s had her fair share of collaborators to draw influence from on her own music, and ‘Heaven In This Hell’ is one hell of a step forward in her personal progression.

Directly compare the opening track to that of 2009's ‘Believe’ – the sugary sweet rock track ‘According To You’ that pushes Avril Lavigne meets Taylor Swift with a few guitar flaunts; good, yes, but it’s really nothing you haven’t heard before. ‘Heaven In This Hell’ samples a haunting overtone with under-laying screams (we’ll thank Coops for that one, but we may be wrong) before she lurches into a bluesy drawl packed with attitude. It’s a proper foot stomping, head bobbing track, based purely on the beat. Look at her vocals, from the sweet as gumdrops singer to bluesy rocker with a real swagger, and there – right away – is her progression.

“You think that I’m a little angel,” she coos in the acoustic wonders of ‘You Don’t Wanna Know’. Soaring in its chorus, there’s an element of truth in her lyrics in terms of this album – on the surface it’s a nice record, but there’s something a little darker, a little dirtier lurking underneath – and we love it. More so, we get to revel in some brilliant guitar work – sleek and never pushing too hard to show off, despite the fact she really could.

It’s difficult to resist the urge to take it track by track, because it’s actually astounding how enjoyable this album is. Though, many of the compliments repeat themselves. ‘If You Think You Know Me’ leans more towards a country vibe, seeming to hat tip more to the lighter works of ‘Believe’ than the attitude that precedes it on this offering. ’Rock’ seems most likely to do what it says on the tin, but it strikes chords with Lonestar’s ‘Amazed’ more than anything on a first listen.

‘Filthy Blues’ luckily does what the name suggests, throwing the dice towards the end with a distorted blues, brimming with that down and dirty rock ‘n’ roller vibe that sold the first few tracks so highly. And, I guess, that’s the only downside. Personal preference lays with these rockier, bluesy moments, so those outshine the other styles by quite a bit. That will vary, and fans of Orianthi will already be familiar with these lighter styles, so this particular issue is just down to musical tastes. A brilliant progression for Orianthi, and an extremely enjoyable one at that.

Rating: [4.5/5]

GUITAR ICON ORIANTHI PREPARES FOR HEAVEN IN THIS HELL Platinum Selling Australian Solo Artist Announces the Release of Rock Album Set for March 12th (external link)

Hollywood, CA - Platinum selling solo artist and iconic guitarist Orianthi is gearing up for the release of her new album, Heaven In This Hell. Orianthi will captivate fans with a record that delivers a mega-dose of rock and weaves elements of modern country and swampy blues. The album, produced by Dave Stewart, will be released on Robo Records (distributed by Universal/Fontana) and is scheduled to drop on March 12, 2013. The first single, “Frozen”, will be serviced to Rock and Classic Rock radio on January 28th.

From writing her first song at the age of 6, to being discovered and playing alongside her idols Carlos Santana and Steve Vai early in her career, Orianthi has made an enduring mark on the music industry. While many were introduced to this timid guitar goddess when she played the Grammy Awards in 2009 as part of Carrie Underwood’s band, it was being selected for Michael Jackson’s ill-fated “This Is It Tour” that exposed her to mainstream audiences. In the Fall of 2009, Orianthi released “According To You,” her first solo single, which went platinum in the U.S. and abroad.More than just a gifted guitarist, this success showed she had serious vocal chops as well.

In late 2011, between legs of Alice Cooper's world tour (where she played lead guitar), she began work on her forthcoming project. “I am so proud of this album because it really showcases my style of riff heavy rock and energetic blues,” Orianthi remarks. “The success of Believe [her previous CD] helped give me credibility and afforded me the freedom to create the kind of album I have been wanting to make, with musicians I respect, playing together live in a studio, creatively exchanging ideas...the way I want all my records to be made. My friend, collaborator and producer, Dave Stewart and I just jammed and hashed out a variety of songs and sounds until we found the grooves that inspired us” she continued.

While Orianthi recorded a majority of Heaven In This Hell at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, she also recorded several songs and overdubs at Dave Stewart's (of The Eurythmics) Hollywood Studio. “Working with Ori over the last year has been an inspiring experience for me,” said Stewart . “She is such a dedicated guitarist and focused songwriter; her enthusiasm is infectious and all the musicians who worked on the record were motivated to give her their best. When we went to Nashville, we knew we were about to embark on something exciting, something career altering,” he continued.

The time spent in Nashville left an indelible impression that can be heard in several of the tracks, which were mixed by Nashville resident John McBride. New tracks like "Rock” and “Another You” are examples of crossover country-AC songs that blend heartfelt harmonies and melodies with lyrics that showcase a more vulnerable, exposed emotional side, often veiled by her signature PRS axe. “Heaven In This Hell” the title track, is a blues-rooted rock song which features swampy guitar riffs with an edgy Zeppelin-esque vibe. Songs like “Frozen”, the first single, and “You Don’t Wanna Know” provide listeners with some insight into a couple of her primary musical influences with raw, crunchy guitar riffs reminiscent of Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn. “If You Think You Know Me” is an arousing anthem with thunderous drums, meant to inspire and empower anyone who has ever felt alone. This track, which begs to be played in a large arena, asks listeners: “Have you ever felt like you didn’t fit in?/Like there's somebody else inside your skin?/ Well you’re not alone/We all came here for something."

"To say that we are excited about this record is a complete understatement" said Rob Christie, founder of Robo Records. "Not only is Orianthi one of the most gifted musicians I've heard, but she also has a heart of gold. She is extremely passionate about music, animals, family and her fans. She truly is an inspiration to adults and children, literally around the globe."
“I’m so excited to share Heaven In This Hell with the fans! It’s been a long time coming for me,” says Orianthi.
Click here to see a sneak peek into the making of Orianthi's Heaven in This Hell
Track listing:
Heaven in this Hell 4:32
You Don't Wanna Know 3:40
Fire 2:54
If You Think You Know Me 3:35
How Do You Sleep? 4:15
Frozen 3:41
Rock 4:34
Another You 3:43
How Does That Feel? 3:09
Filthy Blues 3:17
If You Were Here With Me 4:11
Heaven In This Hell will be available on March 12, 2013 on Robo Records.
Follow Orianthi on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Orianthi?ref=ts&fref=ts
Twitter:@Orianthi

Orianthi- Heaven In This Hell (external link)

Orianthi Heaven In This Hell review

Girl on Fire: Orianthi Turns Up the Heat on Her New Album, 'Heaven In This Hell' (external link)

Originally posted 2/27/13 and in the April 2013 issue of the magazine-

It’s hard to keep up with Orianthi these days. The guitarist, who hails from the South Australia city of Adelaide, has been touring the world as a member of Alice Cooper’s band for the past year and a half.

When Guitar World finally catches up with her in Los Angeles, she’s just returning to the mainland from a show in Hawaii. Beyond the pleasures of globe trotting, she is clearly enjoying her long-running stint with the celebrated shock-rocker. “We get to celebrate Halloween all year long,” she says. “And I have the best seat in the house every night.”

It’s a pretty good arrangement for Cooper as well, as Orianthi is one of popular music’s most in-demand players. She is the rare modern guitarist who is equally adept at playing rock, pop, country and blues, not to mention capable of standing toe-to-toe with some of today’s best shredders.

Though only 27 years old, she has played alongside everyone from Cooper, Carlos Santana (her first idol) and Steve Vai to Carrie Underwood, Prince and Michael Jackson, whose band she was a member of for his ill-fated This Is It comeback shows in 2009.

In addition to her always-busy schedule with other musicians, Orianthi records and performs her own music. Her self-released solo debut, Violet Journey, came out in 2007, though it was the 2009 follow-up, Believe, which featured the slick pop-rock hit “According to You,” that proved to be her breakthrough.

Now’s she’s back with Heaven in This Hell, perhaps the most accurate representation to date of her varied style as an artist and a player. The record incorporates everything from heavy modern rock (“You Don’t Wanna Know”) to country-inflected balladry (“Another You” and “Rock”) to widescreen, soaring pop (“If You Think You Know Me”). But mostly there is gritty, bluesy hard rock laced with plenty of incendiary six-string work, as evidenced on the slide-guitar-powered “Fire,” the SRV-influenced “Frozen” and the swampy, wah-drenched title track.

“I’d been listening to a lot of Robert Johnson and Howlin’ Wolf,” Orianthi says about the inspiration behind the album, which she recorded in Nashville with former Eurythmics guitarist Dave Stewart at the helm. “I think you can hear the Delta blues thing in something like the intro to ‘Heaven in This Hell,’ which has that down-home acoustic riff.” Still, these aren’t songs meant for front-porch picking. Rather, Orianthi says, “With every track it was like, How is this gonna go down live? That was the main thing I had in mind when writing and recording these songs. We wanted it to be a blast to play onstage.”

The stage is clearly where Orianthi shines, and she has plans to take this material out on the road as a solo act—if she ever finds the time. She has dates booked with Cooper for much of 2013, and there’s no telling who might come knocking on her door after that. When asked which artists she would most welcome an opportunity to play alongside, Orianthi doesn’t hesitate with her answer: “B.B. King or Eric Clapton. I played at the Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2007, but I’d love to actually do something with Eric. And B.B…he hits one note, and that’s all you need. He’s amazing.”

Given Orianthi’s track record, smart money would bet that these collaborations might happen sooner than she thinks. “I don’t know about that,” she says with a laugh. “But it’d be very cool…”

GUITAR WORLD: Heaven in This Hell has much more of a blues-rock vibe than your past work. Is that where your influences lie?

I was inspired to play electric guitar from listening to a lot of Carlos Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan and B.B. King, and that’s always been the kind of music that I gravitate toward. My last record, Believe, was certainly a more commercial record. There was some rock and also a bit of blues, but overall it was more pop. But this time I went back to what I first loved and didn’t overthink it.

Also, Dave [Stewart] is a huge blues fan. We jam a lot of blues on his porch all the time. We started working together because he was making a record at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, and he said, “Come down, check it out.” So I ended up hanging out there for two days and just watching his incredible band, these amazing studio musicians. And I thought, I want to do a record like this. I wanted everyone in a room together, just playing the songs. And we had so much fun. It was really inspiring.

A lot has been made of your relationship with Carlos Santana. How does it feel to have someone who was a childhood idol become a peer and a friend?

It’s pretty crazy. I was actually just out in Seattle with Carlos. He was being honored at the EMP [Experience Music Project] Museum, and I was invited to play. I was doing things like “Jungle Strut” and “Everybody’s Everything” [both from 1971’s Santana] And he was sitting on the couch watching me. I don’t get nervous very often, but I was like, “You’re listening to me play all of your solos. I’m pretty nervous right now.” [laughs] It was surreal. But truthfully, every time I’m around him, I’ll always be in awe. He’s the reason I play electric guitar. His playing is like church. It’s so powerful.

Is it true that you wrote and recorded a song for him when you were 14 years old?

Yes. I did a demo with my dad called Under the Influence. We had this band come over to the house and set up in the kitchen and the living room, and we recorded five songs for a CD. One of them was called “Song for Carlos.” And I sent that CD everywhere, including to Santana’s management.

His brother, Jorge, who works with them, sent me an email that said, “We’ve been playing your CD in our office. We really love it.” That was pretty crazy. Then when I was 18, Carlos came to play in Adelaide and I sent a press kit and CD to his hotel. I just wanted to meet him. I think he probably thought, My gosh, this girl’s insane! But I got to meet him and he said, “Hey, do you want to jam onstage tonight?” And this was in front of, like, 15,000 people. He didn’t even tell me what song we were going to play. We just jammed out for 40 minutes. It was one of those moments I’ll never forget.

It seems you’ve had more than your fair share of unforgettable moments, especially for someone so young. You opened for Steve Vai when you were just 15.

Steve was really the first musician who gave me support. I played with him at a nightclub in Adelaide called Heaven. It was just me. There was no band—I was playing to a track. And all these guys in the audience were just standing there with their arms folded. But Steve was actually watching me from offstage, which felt good. And when he went on that night, he came out with the miner’s light on his head and lasers on his fingers, and I was just like, “Oh, my God.”

It was like Jeff Beck meets Jimi Hendrix. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay for the whole show, because I was underage. [laughs] But after that, we stayed in contact. I would send him demos, and he would actually listen to them and write back and say things like, “I think this part’s really good,” or, “Maybe if you change this part…” Having his guidance has been super-inspiring. He’s been like an uncle to me.

The two of you recorded a guitar instrumental called “Highly Strung” for your last record. There’s some great playing on it.

That was a lot of fun. The guitar parts you hear on that were actually recorded at his house. We did a demo there and it just had the energy, so we kept it. So those are all demo guitars. Really, the whole thing was improvised. It was like, “I have this idea. Let’s play the riff together. And then you do something and I’ll do something. Then we’ll play the riff again.” Just figuring it out. It was a real honor to do that. He’s such an innovator.

Another innovator that you’ve had the opportunity to work with is Michael Jackson. You were the last guitarist to play with him before his death. How did you come to be in his band?

I was recording with Dianne Warren when I got an email from his people. They had watched some of my YouTube videos and wanted me to come in and audition. And I thought, Is this a joke? But my manager reached out to them, and he said, “It’s for real.” Truthfully, I didn’t even think I was going to get it.

Because, I mean, I’ve listened to Van Halen and all that, but I’m not really that style of player; I’m more of a blues person. But I went in there and I played “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” “Dirty Diana”… I played the “Beat It” solo but I did my own take on it. Because I’m not going to fill Eddie Van Halen’s shoes. I’m not going to fill Jennifer Batten’s shoes. They’re amazing at what they do, but I just said, “I’m going to do my own thing.” And I did.

What do you recall of Michael from the audition?

I remember that he wanted to hear it really loud. [laughs] He had them turn everything up. But basically, he just sat on a black couch and watched me play. That was probably the most nervous I’ve been in my life. But really, working with Michael was amazing. I remember the first time he danced. I remember him singing “Billie Jean” in front of me. And it’s funny, because then I would go home to my apartment and I’d be cleaning up dog crap, doing normal things. And I’d be thinking, What just happened? And I couldn’t tell anybody for quite a while. It was a secretive thing. Like, “Hey, what are you doing today?” “Ah, nothing…”

While we’re on the subject of enigmatic characters, you’ve also jammed with Prince. What was that experience like?

I was at home and he called me. Like, “Hey, Orianthi. This is Prince.” And what was weird was I had just watched his performance at the Super Bowl, where he did that Foo Fighters song, “Best of You.” And it was amazing. So I’m thinking, Are you serious? And again, he tells me that he had seen some of my YouTube videos and he wants to jam. He said, “I’m going to be at the Record Plant tomorrow and I’m flying down Shelia E. We’ll jam at one o’clock.” And I was like, “Okay!”

So I showed up with my guitar, and he said, “You play one of your ideas, and I’ll play one of mine.” He played bass, I played guitar, and Shelia played drums. We jammed for, like, two hours. And I remember he put his ear right up to my amp, because he wanted to hear everything I was playing. [laughs] That was pretty crazy.

We wound up hanging out for three or four days. We went to a jazz club one night. Another night he played an unannounced show in a hotel lobby. And it was just full of all these people; I think Terrence Howard was in the front, Penelope Cruz... Crazy. He said to me, “Where’s your guitar?” But I didn’t bring it. I didn’t want to be presumptuous. I thought it’d be weird, like, Yeah, it’s right here on my back.

When you play with musicians in various genres, do you tailor your gear to fit the project?

It depends. I always use PRS guitars, but I might change up which ones. With Alice [Cooper], I’m using Custom 24s with Floyd Rose tremolos and thin necks. And I play heavier-gauge strings, because we detune. I also have a Whammy Pedal. Those are all things I need for Alice’s music. But if I’m doing a small, bluesy gig, I’ll take maybe a Custom 22 and a wah pedal. Then with Michael [Jackson], I had a lot of different guitars because I needed to get that funky tone. For amps, I’ll try different things, but lately I’ve been playing mostly the Fender EVH 5150 III.

What was your main gear setup for Heaven in This Hell?

I brought my PRS 22, and I used my own model [the PRS SE Orianthi] for leads. I actually also used an old Strat for some rhythm parts as well, just for a different texture. For amps, it was mostly an old Fender Twin. Then I had a Cry Baby wah, and also a Boss Octave pedal, which you can hear at the beginning of “Heaven in This Hell,” where it comes in super-heavy.

Do you prefer recording and performing your own music or being a part of someone else’s project?

I love both, and I hope I can continue to do both. Being the frontperson is great, because you’re running the show. And I love the guys who play in my band. But then it’s also so much fun to be part of someone else’s band. And I actually see myself more as a guitar player. So it’s really a cool thing to be able to do all of this. But it’s also a lot of work. Getting ready for a tour is a big process, and I enjoy every part of it. Because you learn so much. With Alice’s tour, we had to learn something like 25 songs in a week.

What would you say is the key to being a good side person?

Just play it like you mean it. You have to be present in the moment and be able to harness that energy and also project that energy out at the listener. With Alice, for instance, he takes his audience on a journey every night. And I want to be a part of that journey, not just somebody onstage watching it happen. So you have to go out there and give it everything you’ve got. No matter what you’re doing, make sure you’re not doing it half-assed.

Exposed: 10 Female Guitarists You Should Know, Part 6 (external link)

To say I’m thrilled to see Orianthi on the cover of the April 2013 issue of Guitar World is an understatement.

But what even I didn't realize (until I dug a bit) was that this is only the third time in Guitar World’s history that a female guitarist has graced this place of honor. The first was Chrissie Hynde in March 1981, followed by Courtney Love in January 1999. That’s more than a decade between covers. So now what?!

Well, in case you’ve been under a rock for the last couple of years, it may be starting to dawn on you that guitar isn't just for boys. Yep, there's a slew of killer female players — veterans, newbies and everything in between, of all genres and styles.

I’ve made it my mission to share some of these artists with you for the past two years, and today is no different. So here, for your reading and listening pleasure, are 10 more female guitarists you should know. And yes, there will be a quiz later!

Orianthi discusses her new album, Heaven In This Hell, track-by-track (external link)

Orianthi discusses her new album, Heaven In This Hell, track-by-track- see link

Orianthi Find Heaven at the Gates of Hell (external link)

Most people only know axe shredder Orianthi for the company she keeps: Carrie Underwood on the 2009 Grammys, Michael Jackson’s doomed This Is It tour and Alice Cooper’s current jaunt around the world. Still, a feverish fanbase shares one of the best worst-kept-secrets in popular music: the blonde bombshell from Australia has also headlined two the best rock records of the past decade: Violet Journey and Believe Vol. #1 and #2. The blistering guitar-powered trilogy concludes when her Dave Stewart-produced third album, Heaven in this Hell, drops March 12.

Popdose caught up with Orianthi — Ms. Panagaris if you Wiki — to discuss her new album, the horrors of touring with Alice Cooper and a musical dalliance she once had with Prince and Sheila E.

POPDOSE: Thanks for taking the time to talk to POPDOSE. Are you calling in from Australia?

ORIANTHI: Oh no. I live in Los Angeles. Though I am leaving for Las Vegas tomorrow. I’m playing a TV special with Michael Bolton. It’s a Motown special that also stars Smokey Robinson and Kelly Rowland. I played on Michael’s past couple of albums including “Steel Bars” from Gems. On this new record I play guitar on a cover of “Money.”

orinathi fireorianthi violet journeyIt’s been more than a year since the Fire EP came out (also produced by Stewart). Heaven in this Hell expands the power of the EP to epic proportions and finally pays off the “guitar goddess” promise of Violet Journey. What inspired you to return to hard rock after two albums (Believe I and II) that were more pop oriented?

I felt like I had a lot of artistic freedom on this album after parting ways with Geffen Records. I wanted to make a record that was more bluesy — the way Violet Journey was — not over thought. Dave Stewart is wonderful, we jammed out and wrote songs over the past couple of years. He invited me to Nashville to record at Blackbird Studios — it’s a big room — the energy’s intense. It was more like capturing a performance than recording an album.

You and Dave co-wrote the songs on this album?

Yeah — quite a few…

orianthi believeWas Geffen forcing you to be a pop artist on Believe — or was that where you were at the time after working with pop superstars like Carrie Underwood and Michael Jackson? Was there a lot of pressure to have a radio hit?

I’m a big pop music fan. I love a good pop song and I want to get on the radio, especially to inspire more girls to pick up a guitar. I felt “According To You” did really well; it got on the radio and went platinum in the US and Australia. The second single (“Shut Up and Kiss Me”) I wasn’t feeling too much — it went too poppy. I wanted the song I wrote with Desmond Child, “Bad News,” to be the second single. There were some rock tracks on that record — “Suffocated,” “Bad News,” “What’s It Gonna Be” — but (the album) kinda went down that poppy path. That’s just not me. I’m more rock/blues. I love pop music and I don’t regret making the album at all. That was me back then and this is me now.

Editor’s aside: Believe should have been a way bigger hit than it was — if you like unabashed, radio-friendly, hair metal, power pop records — like Motley Crue’s Dr. Feelgood and James Durbin’s Memories of a Beautiful Disaster -- even the still awesome, Vixen, it’s well worth picking up and playing very loud.

Orianthi and Alice CooperHow did the tour with Alice Cooper influence the sessions for Heaven in this Hell?

Alice Cooper is such a performer, he’s pretty similar to MJ in a way — more rock of course but such an entertainer. He’s very much about his fans and making them happy. He’s got such a great catalog of songs and he’s always changing it up. Once he gets into character, it’s actually scary on stage — knives, balloons, cannons, Frankenstein. It’s a lot like Rocky Horror show, I really enjoyed being a part of it — I had the best seat in the house every night.

Were you able to let loose with some guitar solos during the show?

All the time — he’s like, go off and solo. I did some long solos during “Eighteen” and “Foxy Lady” — the material we did with Iron Maiden, I’d be soloing on stage for minutes. He loves to bring guitar players on stage: Myself. Ryan Roxy and Tommy Henricksen are great players — we played our parts to make the sound as close to the records as possible.

Will your upcoming tour be a big glamorous stage show — or a bluesy jam session?

The other night we played as a three piece — it had a very Hendrixy vibe. I was playing a show with Mike Campbell and that was the first time we played the new songs live. Chuck Garric (bassist) from Alice’s band joined us. With these songs, you can break the album down as a three piece or play with a big band. I’d love to take a big band on tour — drums, bongos, back-up singers, a horn section, keyboard, harmonica — to make it sound huge. When you listen to “Frozen” and “Heaven in this Hell” there’s a lot going on — there’s violins on “Fire” — so yes, we can do it big or strip it down acoustic.

To promote the record — you gonna do a club tour or open for someone?

We’re talking about it right now. I’ll be heading back out with Alice towards the end of the year, so before that, we’re talking Japan, Australia and the US. I’ve got some guest spots in the works — with Michael Bolton and others — so I’m trying to figure it all out to see what works.

Alison Iraheta OrianthiAny chance you’ll guest on the next Allison Iraheta record since your last collaboration (“Don’t Waste The Pretty”) was so fantastic?

I heard she has a new record out. She was playing the other night and I wanted to see her show, but I had a show the same night. I would love to do something more with her — she’s amazing.

A burning question about “According to You.” I was discussing it during a recent conversation with some readers on POPDOSE. The song is about what your ex and your current boyfriend think about you — but we never hear what you think of yourself.

The whole thing about the song is you want to be treated well. Everyone in a relationship wants to feel they are wanted and not taken for granted. You want it to be mutual — it’s a self-esteem thing. Getting in with a guy who doesn’t treat you well and keeps you down. The song is about stepping away from that and having someone in your life who treats you well.

The song concludes with you asking the abusive ex “Why are you making me decide?” Decide what? Please say your character in the song didn’t go back to him.

She definitely winds up with the guy who treats her better. Like a lot of people in relationships, it’s hard to break up. At the same time, you have to value yourself and not be brought down by someone who’s controlling.

Editor aside: Rihanna — please take note!

OK, back to the music — how’s the tour setlist shaping up?

We’re picking the rockiest songs off the past records and adding some covers like “Voodoo Child.” I’m looking forward to playing a tour — some clubs around LA and then the US. I went to Japan 10 times in 2010 and 2011. I left a few days before the giant earthquake and haven’t been back so I can’t wait to return. I love the fans over there — the audiences are really enthusiastic. Their TV variety shows are crazy.

There’s a really good metal market over there.

Japanese audiences love a lot of different genres of music. When we played at Summer Sonic; Dream Theater, Taylor Swift, Stevie Wonder and so many different bands were on the bill. They just love music — it doesn’t matter if you’re country, rock or pop.

orianthi-cover 600In the advance copy of your new record, there’s a country radio edit of a song called “Another You.” Are you going to try to position a song to country radio this time around?

I am a big fan of country music — since I was like 15. I recorded the album in Nashville, so maybe. This record has a lot of flavors to it, but it’s mainly rock and blues. Rock radio mostly — but if country radio wants to play the song, great.

With Heaven in this Hell, you’ve made the record I’ve been hoping Prince would make in the 20 years since he released his guitar-heavy EP “The Undertaker.” I think you’ve captured the beast on this record, I think it’s gonna do really well.

Thank you.

I’ve heard you’ve collaborated with Prince — was that on stage or in the studio?

We jammed at the Record Plant in LA for about two hours. Sheila E on drums, Prince played bass, I was on guitar. I played him a bunch of demos. We talk about working together in the future. I hope it happens because I’m a big fan of his work. I saw him play the Super Bowl and I think he called me a few days after that. We hung out for four days. I went to his show at the Roosevelt. He’s such a really cool character and amazing musician. I hope we get to do something in the future.

Were they rolling tape during that jam session or was it only enjoyed by the three of you?

I don’t know. That’s the thing, it’s a studio, there are mics around. You never know. There were quite a few people there. It would be kinda cool to see if there is a recording of that. It was quite a few years ago. He played one of his ideas, I’d play mine — we were just jamming out.

I think you’ve just revealed a new holy grail bootleg for Prince collectors and Orianthi fans to search for.

I’m gonna have to ask about that!

It’s amazing what finds its way to the Internet — Prince is apparently leaking many of his own rehearsals — like the Welcome to Australia tour via Dr. Funkenberry.

He’s such a jammer. When I showed up at the Roosevelt show — he didn’t go on until 3:00 AM — so he asked “did you bring your guitar?” I said, “you didn’t ask me to bring my guitar!” I wasn’t going to be presumptuous but he was like “I want to jam!” I just wanted to see the show. He’s such a showman — and that band! Wow.

On the bootleg Small Club — from 1987 or `88 — Prince does a nine minute version of The Temptations’ “Just My Imagination” and launches into a six minute guitar solo that will change your life.

I’ve gotta check that out.

Thanks for taking the time to talk with us. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of the CD the day it comes out. Have a great tour!

Thanks!

Connect with Orianthi on facebook, twitter and online. You can also preview four of her new songs here.

Orianthi Frozen

Pick up the first single, “Frozen,” on iTunes and Amazon MP3.

Orianthi - "I Can't Be Anything Else, Y'know?" (external link)

Orianthi is on fire - as a guitarist, a singer, a songwriter, and a band member, her career is accelerating at a tremendous rate. In addition to playing sizzling leads for Alice Cooper's band, she's an in-demand session player, and she's getting ready to release her new solo album, Heaven In This Hell, on March 12 on Robo Records. The album's first single, Frozen, has just been released.

I caught up with the Adelaide, Australia native just before she electrified the audience at a NAMM show party sponsored by Duesenberg Guitars, and 65amps at the Imperial Ballroom in historic Fullerton, California. In addition to her solo set, in which she was joined by Alice Cooper bandmates Glen Sobel and Chuck Garric, she also took to the boards for a couple of jams with longtime Tom Petty right-hand man Mike Campbell, his side band The Dirty Knobs, and legendary rocker Earl Slick.

Photo by Jason Barr/Revival Photography
You'd think was excitement enough, but she also picked up the prestigious "Inspire" award, given by the Women in Music Network at the She Rocks Awards in partnership with NewBay Media. 2013 is the first year for the awards, but it surely will not be the last - this has been too lacking for too long. I asked the Australian six-stringer how she felt about the award, and her week at NAMM:

"Oh, it's very cool, yeah - really cool! It's the Women in Music Network, and I really hope to inspire more girls to plays guitar - guys too, but it's always really cool to get messages on Facebook and Twitter from fans, 'We saw your video clip,' or 'We heard your song and it inspired me to play guitar,' maybe someone went to one of the Alice Cooper shows, or something, and that's just awesome!"

http://www.thewimn.com/events/she-rocks-awards/

Photo by Jason Barr/Revival Photography
I was curious about how she got on the show at the Duesenberg party, and what we could expect:

"Yeah, that's on Saturday! That's going to be a lot of fun, jamming out - I'll be joined by Glen Sobel from the Alice Cooper band, Chuck Garric of Cooper's band, we're going to rock out some of the songs from the new record, Heaven In This Hell (out March 12 on Robo Records). It's going to be fun to do these songs live!

"Actually, Nathan (Fawley - CEO at Duesenberg USA) put that together, we had met at some of their functions, and we chatted - he's a big music fan and he just asked me to play, so I said, 'Yeah, definitely!' I'll still be playing my PRS at the Duesenberg party, but I think their guitars are great! It's just really cool to be asked to play."

It's a long way to the top, but Orianthi, now a seasoned music business veteran, started out not much differently than anyone - one gig, one song at a time. I asked her to tell me about the early days:

"Y'know, I think playing the guitar, I first picked it up when I was six - it was something I just 'got.' It was never as easy instrument to play, by any means, but I could sort of express myself. So, I wouldn't do homework, after school I'd just be sitting with my guitar for hours and hours and hours. Even at lunch, or recess time, I'd go to the music room. It's just something that....I'll look at the guitar, and most of the time, I pick it up and play it.

"I love cooking, too - I love to cook, but I love playing the guitar more! People ask, 'What would you do if you weren't a musician?,' and I couldn't much see it - I'd be an unhappy chef, because I'd want to be playing music! So I can't be anything else, y'know?

"I played in quite a few cover bands - I had left school when I was fifteen. I actually signed my first management deal when I was fourteen, and started going to ports around Australia. I would come in late for school because I had been at a radio station playing guitar for different shows! Music was just something that....well, it was my life.

"Back then I just thought that school was something that....I remember one time I came in late and the teacher was like, he could see that some of the guys weren't really liking the fact that I was playing my guitar, because I'm going to the same auditions they were, for the school funk band, or whatever, and I'm getting the gigs. The teacher was like, 'I think you should pick up the harp, or a more feminine instrument.' After that point, I just thought, 'This is awful,' it's like being told, 'Hey, you shouldn't play the guitar, it's too masculine, you should go for the harp,' and I'm like, 'No!' I couldn't stay in that environment."

Photo by Jason Barr/Revival Photography

It's a big jump from cover bands to superstardom, and some help from virtuosos like Steve Vai, and Carlos Santana never hurts. It all began with Orianthi having the cheek to send tapes and letters to Vai - she explains:

"At that point, I just started writing a lot of songs. I'd actually send them off to Steve Vai, and he would write back - he'd listened to the songs, my really crappy demos, and he'd write back with ideas on how I could improve certain parts. He actually listened to them, which, God, is amazing! We stayed in contract for some time, from when I was fourteen, I got to record a track with him, High Strung, which was a huge honor - I mean, he is the greatest, just amazing. He's one of the best players - he can shred like there's no tomorrow, and then turn around and play a beautiful melody."

"So, I'm in Australia playing in cover bands as much as I could until I was about 21, when Carlos Santana actually showed Paul Reed Smith a DVD of a show where I had gotten up to jam with him (Santana), when I was about 18. Paul then invited me over to the NAMM show, and from there I just kept coming over for the next three years until 2005. Then Tal Herzberg, who worked at Interscope played my CD to Ron Fair - they signed me to a record deal, and then released my first album."

Photo by Jason Barr/Revival Photography

Of course, it also helps to be surrounded by supportive loved ones - I wondered if Orianthi had gotten a lot of love and support from her parents:

"Y'know, they were really supportive! My dad is a guitar player, and he saw that it was my life, it wasn't like he had to force me to practice. I was at it every day, and my mom, she was behind me all the way, she was like, 'Go for it!' Both of them just gave so much support, just like, 'Do what you love to do, and do your best.' Obviously, I'm all the way over here, and they're in Australia. Initially, they were like, 'Oh wow, that's a big move,' but I come over to visit and I go home as much as I can.

"I get really excited when there's a tour that goes to Australia - I got really excited when I was with Michael Bolton over there touring. They get really excited when I get to go back home!"

The guitar world was taken by surprise a while back when Orianthi was chosen to replace Damon Johnson in Alice Cooper's band. It's a cherished gig, and a highly desirable notch in any player's belt to be 'elected.' I was curious as to how the Cooper connection came to be:

"I had played on America Idol with AC about three years ago to play on School's Out - he invited me to play there, and said he was a fan. It was really, really cool and afterwards chatting with AC and Bob Ezrin - really nice people. After that I did some work for Bob on a track for Fefe Dodson. I did a guitar solo for her song, Hot Breeze. We all stayed in contact via e-mail, and I guess Alice was looking for another guitar player, because he said, 'Will you join my band?'"

"I was making my album in Nashville at the time with my friend Dave Stewart, and I was like, "Yeah, that would be really cool! I didn't know I had to learn twenty-five songs in a week! That was like, 'Oh my God!' My brain hurt for a week after - you have to sort of get into AC's world - his songs aren't just jam songs."

Photo by Jason Barr/Revival Photography

I had to laugh at this point - sure enough, there are no I-IV-V tunes in the Cooper catalog. These are some of the most sophisticated rock to ever light up the charts - I asked about learning the set, and the division of duties amongst the AC band:

"There are three guitar players, and we have to divide all the parts, and figure out the harmonies, so we're not all playing the same thing - it's like a wall of sound. We want it to sound great and sort of interesting - between all that, the harmonies and where I'm going to be on stage, and still not concentrating too much! The first shows were a little daunting, but after that I could really get into the treat of it - and it's so much fun! We celebrate Halloween every night!

"I love it, the guys are like brothers to me, and AC - he's awesome, like an uncle. Just this crazy rock family, yeah! I can't wait for the next tour, which is coming up soon. I think we're playing in Europe for
quite a few months - it's so great to be a part of it. Alice gives 110% every night. It's inspiring to be up there with him.

"He has a lot of ideas, and when he's up on stage he changes things up every night, so you have to watch him all the time - you know, swords and all! And not only visually, but musically he definitely knows what he wants and what parts he wants to hear.

"Tommy Henrickson, he produces a lot of Alice's stuff, and he knows all the parts - he splits up things, 'You should take this, you should play that one....' Solo wise, Ryan (Roxie) and I split up - there's like three solos in every song, so it's very cool!"

Photo by Jason Barr/Revival Photography

Not just a metal maven by any measure, Orianthi is comfortable in many styles of playing, but there is always a heaping dose of the blues. I asked about her blues influences, and leanings:

"Yeah, I grew up listening to Hendrix, B.B. King, Freddie King, Eric Clapton, and my dad had a great vinyl collection. I spent a lot of time listening to them, and Santana was why I wanted to play electric - I had listened to him a lot when I was like eleven, and he's very blues based."

"Those players who can move you with a couple of notes. I really dig the melodies and the choice of notes, like B.B. and Freddie, I love Robert Johnson as well. I was just listening to Eric playing with Howlin' Wolf this morning. I love the blues, they are just great!"

Photo by Jason Barr/Revival Photography

Being one of the most in-demand guitarists in the world is a full time job - I asked her how she went about choosing what offers to take, and when to demur:

"If an artist approaches me, and they have this song that I think is cool, or that I think is especially good, if I feel like my guitar playing would fit, then I'll definitely do it. But, if I feel like it's not going to fit, and I rarely pass on something, but if I feel like it's not the right musical match, I'll turn it down. I've been really fortunate to work on so many amazing things and to jam with so many of these icons - I get to learn so much.

"Sometimes, like when I was auditioning with Michael Jackson - that - I was so nervous doing that! Y'know, I hadn't listened to a lot of Van Halen - I could learn it, but I didn't want to try to fill his shoes, either. I wanted to try and do my own thing. I made the solo (on Beat It) my own kind of blues interpretation of it, and he hired me, but I think when you go into a situation, you want to go into their world. It makes you a better player, a better performer."

Photo by Jason Barr/Revival Photography

I then had to ask her a question she's probably grown long tired of, but I really wanted to hear her talk about what it was like working with Michael Jackson:

"When we started rehearsing, it was a secret, so I couldn't tell anybody! I was like sickly nervous for the first few days - I didn't know what to expect, but he was so sweet and just an incredible dancer and musician. He knew every part to every one of his songs - it was kind of amazing, he had every part programmed in his head, he was like, 'I want this part to sound like this....' Just really hands on - yeah, I really loved working with him, and I wish he was still around. He was one of a kind, for sure!"

Photo by Jason Barr/Revival Photography

At the Duesenberg NAMM party, Orianthi, Glen Sobel, and Chuck Garric played many selections from her new solo album, Heaven In This Hell, and I will say that they rocked. Melodic, bluesy hard rock of the highest caliber, and she had this to say about the new record:

"Heaven In This Hell - this record, I am just so excited about it! We began about a year ago down in Nashville - we recorded at Blackbird Studio with good friend Dave Stewart. We'd been writing songs together for a couple of years now, and he had gone down to Nashville to make his record (The Ringmaster General), and he called me up and said, 'Hey, I'm making this record in Nashville, you should come down and check out this studio - it's amazing, and the musicians are incredible!' So I said, OK, and got on a plane the next day, and went over there - I hung out for a few days, watched him record, and it was so good, the musicians were incredible and they just really vibed off one another. The energy was great, and they were all sweet people - it's just all about the music.

"I really dug that - after spending about three days and listening to them recording and playing - I played some on Girl In The Cat Suit, and drank martinis!

"So, for the next couple of weeks I went over there, and made my record. We actually did eight tracks and then finished it with the guys in LA. We've got Glen Sobel from the Alice Cooper band playing drums on the single, Frozen. We just cut that the other day and I'm super excited about it!

"It's a new sound from the last album, but I think it's important to change things up a bit. It's more sort of rockin' blues, but still commercial."

Photo by Jason Barr/Revival Photography

Even though she was playing at a party for Duesenberg Guitars, she still proudly played her PRS guitars - I asked about her feeling for Paul Reed Smiths:

"I love the guitars - I've been playing them since I was eleven! I picked them up because of Santana, after watching Sacred Fire, and going to his shows. They are pieces of art, every one of them is different. The sound is always great - they have their own personality. I use a Custom 24 a lot, it is really, really versatile, and the Custom 22, as well. It has a bit heavier sound. I love them all, and on tour with Alice Cooper, I'm using one with a Floyd Rose locking term. I just love it - it cuts through.

"Paul has been a huge supporter, and everyone that works at that company, they really listen and they are so passionate about the guitars. When I go to the factory, there is just such great energy there - everyone loves music. I love the instruments, and I love playing them!"

Orianthi also names her every instrument:

"I name them all, yeah! It's a bit like pets - it's like buying a puppy. 'This looks like a Pumba, or this looks like a Harriet.' You look at a guitar, and they all have their own personalities."

Photo by Jason Barr/Revival Photography

Our time was running short, so I wrapped things up by asking what advice she had to offer fledging musicians who may be scratching their heads wondering, 'How's Orianthi done it?':

"Y'know....it's like....you never stop playing, never stop jamming, creating - just play as much as you can. The more you do, the more you grow, and you find your own voice.

"It's not an easy industry by any means. You really have to believe in yourself, as well. Finding your voice, finding out where you fit and who you are is very important. Collaborating, I love, because you learn so much, and the songs often end up sounding more colorful - I think that sometimes when I write something myself, I tend to be a certain way, but collaborating with someone else, whether it's the energy in the room, or whatever it is, you get inspired and you may go down a different path!"

Photo by Jason Barr/Revival Photography

Sage advice from one of the coolest musicians on the planet - given all the fame and adulation, Orianthi could be a mess of ego and bad habits at this point, but she remains firmly tethered to the earth, and as humble and approachable as could be. She has talent, chops, loads of cool, and she has it all under control - I'm guessing she's only just begun.

All photographs by Jason Barr/Revival Photography - Shot at the Duesenberg Guitars/65amps party for NAMM 2013 at the Imperial Ballroom in historic Fullerton, California.

Thanks to Orianthi, Jason and Heather Barr at Revival Photography, and Karen Webb at pr2 public relations!

Interview with Orianthi on the Release of 'Heaven In This Hell' (external link)

Orianthi is excited. With the release of the first single off her new album set to go this month, she’s ready to share her thirst for rock with the world.

Her single, “Heaven in This Hell,” sets the stage for her album of the same name, which is due for release this spring.

Recorded in Nashville with producer Dave Stewart, Heaven in This Hell promises to deliver “a mega-dose of rock that weaves elements of modern country and swampy blues.” The album expands upon her 2011 EP, Fire, which also features "Heaven in This Hell" (It's available on iTunes now).

Orianthi is a triple threat. She looks good, she plays even better. And did I mention she can really belt it out?

Orianthi toured throughout 2012 with Alice Cooper. She joins in on the onstage antics for his shock-rock theatrics, sporting bloody guitars and more. But Orianthi isn’t new to larger-than-life stage shows. Hailing from Adelaide on the southern tip of Australia, Orianthi Panagaris wrote her first song at age 6. She saw Carlos Santana play live when she was 11, and that was it. She begged her dad for an electric guitar and hasn’t put it down since.

Now at 27, she’s checked multiple life goals off of her bucket list and has shared the stage with some of the world's most iconic artists, including Carlos Santana, Steve Vai, Prince and others. While performing at the 2009 Grammy Awards with country superstar Carrie Underwood, Orianthi caught the eye of Michael Jackson and was asked to be a part of his ill-fated This Is It tour. In the fall of 2009, Orianthi released “According To You,” her first solo single, which went platinum in the US and abroad.

We caught up with her just as she came of tour with Cooper and was taking a short break before heading out again.

GUITAR WORLD: Tell me about your new album, Heaven in This Hell. I know you’ve been working on it for a while.

Yeah, I’ve been working on it off and on. I’ve been touring with Alice Cooper, so I actually started this record probably about a year ago with Dave Stewart in Nashville. We had written a bunch of songs and Dave did his record over there. Dave said, “Hey, you should go to Nashville, to Blackbird, to record.” So I went there and just loved the studio, loved the musicians. We went in and got eight songs done in a day, and then mixed it.

I left Nashville, went in to rehearse with Alice and went on tour. After that tour, I came back and started recording some more tracks, then went on tour again. So now the album’s done and we’re looking at releasing it in 2013 — so the single should be coming out in January.

I’m really excited about it. It’s more rock/blues than the last album. I think it’s important to evolve and make a different record every time as an artist. I’m already looking into making the next record.

When you went back and listened to all those recordings you did in that one day, did you still like everything?

Yeah, I did because it wasn’t over-thought. I think when you can hear yourself thinking, it’s too put together. I like the freedom that it has. Musically, you hear it and it sounds very free. It’s a bunch of musicians in a big room, and we’re all just playing off one another. It’s the way records were made quite a long time ago. I kind of wanted to go back to that. Those were the records I grew up listening to — Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton or Santana, you know. They all played off one another. It was just a great environment.

I was just reading a biography of Jimmy Page, and he talked about how they would go in and just have a couple of hours to do their tracks. They’d do three takes, and that’d be it! There was definitely a different energy with that style of recording.

It captures a performance. Sometimes when you’re going in, just doing solo after solo, it’s too structured. Sometimes you want things to be structured. Sometimes you want the verse and chorus to be structured. But maybe work it out beforehand, then go in. The energy’s there. Capture that.

It definitely spotlights your ability because you’re not overdubbing every other measure. You can either do it or you can’t, right?

That’s the thing. These musicians were incredible, top-of-their-game session players, really great guys. The energy was right. I’m all about energy. I think if you can get the right bunch of people together, and you’re in the room and it just feels right, then the music will come.

Did recording in Nashville influence the sound of the record?

Yeah, definitely. It’s not a country record, but it definitely has sort of a Southern flavor to it. It’s dirty, voodoo rock/blues. It’s commercial. It’s not too, sort of, weird or anything. It’s definitely got a Southern flavor to it, which I dig. I’m a big country fan. Having a lap steel player in there, Dan Dugmore — he’s great. We filled spaces with great hooks from the lap steel.

You’ve said this is the kind of album you’ve always wanted to make. Did you feel like you maybe were pushed stylistically in a direction that wasn’t your favorite place to go with the last album? Or was this just the next step?

This is the next step. I think you grow as an artist. The first record I was really proud of. I think that, you know, it kind of went more in a pop direction that I wanted. I’m a rock/blues guitar player, I’m not wanting to be a pop star or anything. I want to be definitely in the rock vein. And with this record I did that. I played it for my friends and they say this is the record you should make. It just feels comfortable for me to write these kind of songs. I think whatever comes naturally, so that you’re not over-thinking things. I’m always writing. I’m thinking about the next record now, and performing, and putting this record out and touring on it. Always creating.

Do you have a plan already in place for recording the next record?

No. I’m just writing. Always writing songs and putting ideas down on my iPhone, you know. It’s a never-ending thing. I just got off tour yesterday and I’m already writing songs. When you’re on tour you’re just thinking about the show, you know, making sure you’ve got that down. It’s really inspiring to be on the road with Alice. I get inspired working with him because he’s such a great performer.

When you perform with Alice, does he let you do your thing? Or do you have to kind or conform to what he’s done in the past?

He gives me a lot of freedom to do what I want to do. We play Hendrix in the set, “Foxy Lady.” That’s a lot of fun. We all have our moments in the show, you know. There are three guitar players, so there are all different parts that we’re playing. I just have a blast. It’s one big family and I love them all. We have a lot of fun.

Are you continuing to tour with him in 2013 as well?

I will be, yes.

Will you be doing any touring in support of your own project at the same time?

Definitely. In between. I think we’re [Alice Cooper] heading out in May, so definitely before then. And then in between, on the days off, I’ll be promoting the record. Yeah, I’m going to stay with Alice until he gets really sick of me.

I know you had to really think about the mix of guitar soloing and melodic pop on your last album, but I’m guessing you were really able to relax for this upcoming project and do a little more guitar work.

Yeah! These songs definitely started with guitar riffs. It wasn’t that the songs on the last record didn’t start with guitar, they were just more about the lyrics and electronics and what not. This is more about starting with a guitar riff and building from that. I wasn’t thinking about the radio too much. I just had a blast working with Dave Stewart, he’s amazing — an incredible songwriter, guitar player and person. We had a blast making this album.

Let’s talk about your gear. I’m guessing you’re using your signature PRS. What else are you using?

Yeah, definitely. I’ve been playing PRS guitars since I was 11. I just love them. To have my own model is pretty crazy. Going into the NAMM Show for quite a few years and walking in one day and seeing your own model up on the wall was definitely a moment. I’m really happy with my signature. I don’t use it on stage with Alice, because I don’t want it covered in blood and what not.

You don’t want your guitar covered in blood? C’mon!

Yeah, I use other models on stage with him, but I use my model in the studio and when I’m doing my own thing. I love it. The new one is scarlet red. The one a couple years ago is actually sparkle finish. This one’s been upgraded. It’s basically modeled after my Custom 24, which is one of my favorite PRS’s. I just love it. Paul did an awesome job on it. It’s a very cool guitar.

What are you plugging into?

I’m plugging into an EVH 150 Mark III. I love the amp. I think it just ties in really well with the PRS. They just go well together. I use a Crybaby Wah pedal and TC Electronics; their Reverb and Flashback Delay. I don’t use that many effects. Occasionally I use an octave pedal and the whammy pedal onstage. But usually just the wah and reverb straight into the amp. You don’t want to interfere with the connection between the guitar and the amp. I think if you put too many pedals in it just crowds it.

And I use Dean Markley Helix strings. You know, I only broke one string on tour, which is amazing for me because I’m always breaking strings. They’re just great, I really dig them. I abuse my guitars nightly, and when I want to reach for that note, I’m not scared that I’m going to break a string. They’re really great.

Is your setup in the studio similar? I saw on your video you played some acoustic.

Yeah, at Blackbird, they have so many different guitars and amps. For some of the rhythm parts, I used a bunch of different guitars and amps. I use my PRS for all the leads, but I think for the rhythm parts, you want to layer it and give it some personality. I used some Fenders and some old Gibson acoustics. They just add a personality to the track.

And man, you can really sing. Have you intentionally downplayed that aspect of your talent so that you’d be more known as a guitar player? Or did that just happen that way?

You know, I’ve been singing and playing guitar since I was 6. But I think playing guitar is definitely more in my comfort zone. I don’t think of myself as a singer, I think of myself as a guitar player. But I like to sing.

When I’m writing songs, I’m always writing lyrics as well. I like fronting my own band. Guesting and playing guitar, weather it be with Alice or another collaboration, definitely gives me more freedom in a way, to sort of support other guitar players. I dig that. So I hope to be able to do both for the rest of my career. Do my own thing, but also collaborate with other artists. It’s definitely a lot of fun. You learn a lot, and it’s a really cool thing to be able to do.

What has your experience been as a female player? Has it been tough? Have you been accepted?

You still get the, “Oh, she’s a girl, that’s why she’s getting attention.” I feel like I get judged more as a female player, because it’s that initial, “Are you just wearing the guitar as an accessory?” sort of thing. You have to prove yourself a little more, which is annoying.

You have to stop thinking about it. That’s what I had to do. A while ago, I used to think that constantly. You think the guys are wondering, "Can she really play?" I just love playing. You know, at the end of the day, we’re all just artists trying to express ourselves, and it’s not a competition. It’s not about who can play the fastest. Everyone plays differently. If you love it, you can play an A chord like you mean it.

I just think that it’s all about the music, and just having a love for something, whatever you do. If that comes across, that’s great. You know, the guitar players I love play with a lot of heart. Santana, Eric Clapton, or Jeff Beck. All these players, you can just tell they love it. When they’re off the road, they’re going to still be in their room playing guitar.

I love performing, because you see the crowd and they get into it. They’re having fun. There’s nothing more addictive than that. I think, just not even thinking about it, I’m just one of the guys. That’s how I sort of look at it.

You’re just a guitar player, whatever else you are.

Well you know, at school I had a really hard time being a guitar player. It’s like being a male ballerina in a way. It’s not the norm. You know, it’s definitely a guys’ thing. There are so many more guy guitar players than there are girls. But being on tour and being the only girl, I just think of myself as one of the guys. Until someone addresses me like, oh you’re that chick guitar player, and I’m like, “Um, I guess I am aren’t I?”

You’re a role model now for young women. Do you get a lot of girls and women reaching out to you?

Yeah! I get a lot of messages through Facebook or Twitter saying you inspired me, I went to your show or I saw your film clip. Especially when the recordings came out on the radio, a lot of kids that listen to top forty were like, “Oh I want to play guitar too!” So that was really cool. Even though it was pop, it still inspired more players. That’s what I’m hoping to do. The joy of having a kid come up and say, “You inspired me to play guitar. I love it so much. Thanks for doing that.” That’s really cool.

When someone sees you play live, what do you want them to walk away thinking?

Just being inspired. You know, I don’t really think too much. Before I used to. Now, I’m just playing and being free onstage. I hope that they think I did a good job, that they dug the songs and were entertained. I think it’s one thing to just be playing, but another thing to be entertaining. Projecting your energy out to the crowd is really important.

Good luck with the new album!

I just would like to thank the fans out there and everyone for their support on Twitter and Facebook. I can’t wait to start touring on this record, and I want everyone to hear it really soon!

Keep up with what’s next at Orianthi.com.

Laura B. Whitmore is a singer/songwriter based in the San Francisco bay area. A veteran music industry marketer, she has spent over two decades doing marketing, PR and artist relations for several guitar-related brands including Marshall and VOX. Her company, Mad Sun Marketing, represents Dean Markley, Agile Partners, Peavey, Jammit, Notion Music, Guitar World and many more. Laura was instrumental in the launch of the Guitar World Lick of the Day app. She is the founder of the Women in Music Network at thewimn.com, producer of the Women's Music Summit and the lead singer for the rock band Summer Music Project. More at mad-sun.com.

Holly Knight, Orianthi to be honored at the She Rocks Awards at NAMM 2013 (external link)

The first annual She Rocks Awards kicks off at the Women in Music Network breakfast at the January NAMM show. The January 25th event will be co-hosted by NewBay Media and the Women in Music Network. The She Rocks Awards honors women who stand out in their field. Awards will be for musicians, producers, manufacturers, retailers, educators, and more.

2013 She Rocks Awards will honor songwriter, producer and Songwriter Hall of Fame nominee, Holly Knight. Knight has be voted as Best Songwriter in Rolling Stone’s 11th annual poll along with Phil Collins, Paul Simon, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen.

Knight is a triple-time Grammy award winner. She has written hits for Pat Benetar, Tina Turner, Heart, Aerosmith, Bonnie Tyler, Rod Stewart, and more, while having her songs featured in countless movies and television shows.

Recently Knight has written with or for Zander Bleck, Antonia Bennett, Cherie Currie, Rev Theory, Hawk Nelson, The Donnas, Katy Perry, Otep, Sick Puppies, Hunter Valentine, Meatloaf, Paul Stanley, Leigh Nash, Less Than Jake, Fefe Dobson, and Sugababes, to name a few. In addition to writing, Holly has been actively pursuing her production career full time. She coproduced tracks for Otep, Porcelain and Fefe Dobson. Recently she finished producing the debut pop record for Antonia Bennett, daughter of legendary singer, Tony Bennett, as well as Antonia’s first jazz EP, Natural, and the eagerly awaited follow-up jazz record of American standards on Universal Records.

The first annual She Rocks awards will also recognize industry leaders Orianthi, guitarist for Michael Jackson & Alice Cooper. At 27 years old, guitarist prodigy Orianthi has already shared the stage with some of the world’s most iconic artists. Orianthi began playing guitar at age 6 in her hometown of Adelaide, Australia, and got her first taste of fame after jamming on stage with Carlos Santana when she was 18. While performing at the 2009 Grammy Awards with country superstar Carrie Underwood, Orianthi caught the eye of Michael Jackson, and was asked to be a part of his ill-fated This Is It tour. In addition to sharing the stage with Steve Vai and Prince, Orianthi is also an artist and songwriter in her own right, having released her most recent EPFire in 2011. Orianthi is currently on touring as the lead guitarist in Alice Cooper’s band.

Other honorees include Mary Peavey, President of Peavey Electronics, Tish Ciravolo, President of Daisy Rock Girl Guitars and Laura Taylor, Guitar Center Senior Vice President of Operations.

The awards will also feature a performance from Ali Handal, author of Guitar For Girls. More award honorees will be announced soon.

Please note that this is an invite only event.

Influences

Carlos Santana, Alice Cooper, Michael Jackson, Steve Vai, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Cream

Orianthi

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