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Paul Crook | |
|---|---|
 Crook in 2007 with his Brian May signature guitar | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Paul Matthew Crook |
| Born | (1966-02-12)February 12, 1966 (age 59) Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Genres | Hard rock,heavy metal,progressive rock |
| Occupation | Guitarist |
| Years active | 1993–present |
Paul Crook (born February 12, 1966) is an American guitarist known for recording and performing withMeat Loaf. He has also recorded and toured withAnthrax,Sebastian Bach andMarya Roxx.
Growing up inGreen Brook Township, New Jersey, Crook started playing guitar at the age of 10 when his parents (Dennis & Carol) bought him a basic acoustic as a Christmas gift.[1] Crook took to the guitar quickly and found himself practicing hours-on-end. His father, after seeing this for a few years, then bought him his first "real" guitar: a blackGibson Les Paul Custom.
Years later Crook teamed up with Jack Secret (aka Tony Geranios), the keyboard tech forRush. They wrote and recorded several songs together. Some of which were Produced byAlex Lifeson atElectric Lady Studios, in New York City. Secret introduced Crook to the members ofBlue Öyster Cult (BOC), who took Crook out on the road in 1986 as a keyboard/guitar tech.
While in Germany with BOC, Crook metBernie Marsden of Whitesnake fame. The two began to work together, writing and recording in the United Kingdom.
In 1989 Crook metAnthrax through Rick Downey. Crook became guitar tech forDan Spitz, and, in 1995, replaced Spitz (although not an official member). Crook toured with Anthrax for the rest of the decade and performed on two records,Stomp 442 andVolume 8: The Threat Is Real, which he also co-produced and engineered.
In 1999,Sebastian Bach ofSkid Row fame asked Crook to join his band. They did shows together, touring around the world until 2004. Their only recording was "Rock Bottom", on aKISS tribute record.
In 1999 Crook teamed up withGlenn Hughes. Together, they composed the ballad "Feels Like Home" for Glenn's solo recordBuilding The Machine.
In 2000 Crook teamed up with Scott Metaxas fromProphet andNuclear Assault fame. The two of them Co-producedBilly Milano'sM.O.D. recordThe Rebel You Love to Hate.
In 2003Kasim Sulton asked Crook to joinMeat Loaf'sNeverland Express. Crook appeared in the music video "Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself" and then hit the road for a long world tour including television appearances.
A live DVD was filmed at the end of the tour (in Australia):Bat out of Hell: Live with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
In 2004 Crook auditioned for the musicalWe Will Rock You, featuring the music ofQueen. He had to audition forBrian May, one of his main influences. May trained Crook personally for the position. Crook relocated toLas Vegas to perform his favorite Queen songs. After a 16-month run the show moved toToronto,Canada. To this day Crook remains in Las Vegas and still calls it his home.
In 2006 Crook hit the studio with Meat Loaf and the Neverland Express to recordBat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose. The album was produced byDesmond Child.
While touringBat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose a camera crew was called in to record every move the band made. This footage later became known as the documentary film:Meat Loaf In Search Of Paradise.
In 2007 (while on a tour break) Crook received a text message from famed producerKevin Shirley, who asked Crook to play on aheavy metal record forMarya Roxx. Shirley assembled a solid band: Crook (guitars), Scott Metaxas (bass),Derek Sherinian (keyboards) andBrian Tichy (drums). They re-wrote and recorded 12 songs in 10 days at The Document Room inMalibu, California.
2008 brought Crook out on the road for Meat Loaf's Casa De Carne tour.
2009 was a very busy year. After a tour of Europe with Marya Roxx, Crook jumped back in the studio with Meat Loaf. This timeRob Cavallo was called in to produce. They began recording on June 1 in Calabasas, California. Many stellar musicians were brought in to create the massive sound. Sharing guitar duties alongside Crook wereBrian May,Steve Vai,Justin Hawkins, Randy Flowers andTim Pierce.
While recording Meat Loaf'sHang Cool, Teddy Bear album Crook was asked byRob Cavallo to record on a song withAdam Lambert fromAmerican Idol fame. The song was "Time for Miracles". It was released and went to #9 on iTunes. "Time for Miracles" was a part of the motion picture soundtrack for2012.
In 2010 Meat Loaf asked Crook to produce the albumHell In A Handbasket. The album was released on September 30, 2011.
Crook spent most of 2011/2012 on the road with Meat Loaf.
Meat Loaf asked Crook to mix theGuilty Pleasure Tour, Live From Sydney.
In early 2013 Meat Loaf and Crook began song editing and video creation for theLast At Bat Tour. All of the video media used in the show was put together by the two of them. The tour mounted in April 2013 and took them through the UK, Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands.
After the Last At Bat Tour, Crook began working with Meat Loaf on song arrangements and video production for a Las Vegas residency... Rocktellz And Cocktails had a successful 26-week run at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.
Summer 2014, Crook began production work on Meat Loaf's upcoming albumBraver Than We Are.
While on break from recordingBraver Than We Are, Crook began production for Frank DiMino's albumOld Habits Die Hard. It was released on Frontiers Records in July 2015.
July 2015 Crook found himself back in the studio with Meat Loaf, recording vocals onBraver Than We Are. A majority of the work was done during an 11-week period in a rental house just outside ofNashville. Vocal overdubs and mixing were completed in Las Vegas (December 2015 - February 2016). Release date is slated for September 2016.
| Studio albums | |
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| Related articles | |
