Page Hamilton | |
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.jpg) Hamilton performing with Helmet in 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1960-05-18)May 18, 1960 (age 64) Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1979–present |
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| Formerly of | |
| Website | pagehamiltonmusic |
Page Nye Hamilton[1] (born May 18, 1960)[2] is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer, mostly noted for his work withalternative metal bandHelmet, which he founded. Most of his work has been in thehard rock and alternative metal styles, though he trained injazz guitar and has substantial connections withavant-garde music and film soundtrack composition.
Hamilton was born on May 18, 1960, inPortland, Oregon,[2][3] and raised inMedford, Oregon. He studied guitar at theUniversity of Oregon before moving toNew York to studyjazzguitar at theManhattan School of Music.[4] While there he played inavant-garde composerGlenn Branca's guitar orchestra, performing the composer'sSymphony No.6 (Devil Choirs at the Gates of Heaven),[5] and joined noise rock bandBand of Susans, performing on theirLove Agenda album[6] andPeel Sessions,[7] before finally forming his own group,Helmet.
Helmet initially signed toAmphetamine Reptile Records, releasing a number of 7" singles and one album, 1990'sStrap It On. The band then signed toInterscope Records, releasingMeantime (1992),Betty (1994) andAftertaste (1997). After a seven-year hiatus, the band returned withSize Matters (2004). A year after the release ofSize Matters, they left Interscope, and the band released the albumsMonochrome (2006),Seeing Eye Dog (2010),Dead to the World (2016) andLeft (2023).
Meantime was the band's principal commercial success, being certified gold by theRecording Industry Association of America.[8] The album was well received by music critics and is seen as an influential metal record and earning aGrammy nomination in the Best Metal Performance category for 1993.[9]
Since 2004, Hamilton has been the only founding member left in Helmet, and after the departure of guitaristChris Traynor in 2006, he has been the only member to have been involved with Helmet during its original run in the 1990s. Hamilton has said that he hopes to keep playing with Helmet until he is "physically incapable".[10]
Following Helmet's temporary dissolution in the late 1990s, Hamilton formed another rock band, Gandhi,[11] with formerLiege Lord guitarist Anthony Truglio, John Andrews (guitar), Christian Bongers (bass), and Matt Flynn (later the drummer forMaroon 5). Though the band did not release any music officially, several demo songs were leaked. Many of these were later recorded for theSize Matters andMonochrome releases by Helmet.
While still active with Helmet, Hamilton embarked on a career composing and performing music for film, working on movies includingHeat,Titus,In Dreams,Catwoman, andChicago Cab. Helmet also contributed to a number of movie soundtracks, includingThe Crow,Feeling Minnesota,Johnny Mnemonic,Judgment Night,Saw 3,Underworld, and appearing inThe Jerky Boys: The Movie (performing a cover of theBlack Sabbath song "Symptom of the Universe").[12]
Hamilton has also worked as arecord producer, most notably producing the albumDistort Yourself by formerBush singerGavin Rossdale's bandInstitute.[13] He has also produced albums for the bandsBullets and Octane (In the Mouth of the Young),Classic Case (Losing at Life), andTotimoshi.
During Helmet's hiatus, Hamilton performed as lead guitarist forDavid Bowie's band on the singer'sHours Tour.[12]
He has collaborated with German avant-garde guitaristCaspar Brötzmann on the live improvisational albumZulutime and performed on a number of other artists' works, including trumpeterBen Neill'sGoldbug, alt-country songwriterJoe Henry'sTrampoline, Northern Irish rock bandTherapy?'sTroublegum and British post-punk groupWire'sObject 47.[14]
As a jazz musician, he has performed with his own groups, the Page Hamilton Quintet[15] and the Jazz Wannabes,[16] and with fellow guitarist and mentorJohn Stowell.[17]
He has also produced a guitar instruction DVD,Sonic Shapes: Expanding Rock Guitar Vocabulary, published byHal Leonard Corporation.[18][19]
During the spring of 2008, Page provided guest vocals on post-hardcore bandNorma Jean's fourth studio albumThe Anti Mother as well as contributed to the writing of track 8, "Opposite of Left and Wrong".
In 2014, Hamilton appeared onLinkin Park's sixth studio albumThe Hunting Party, which he provided additional vocals (on the chorus) and guitars on the album's second track "All for Nothing". The song was self-produced byMike Shinoda andBrad Delson.
Hamilton was married during the 1990s, but later divorced.[20] At the beginning of 2002, he moved to Los Angeles,[21][4][22] citing the rising cost of living in New York as a reason for the move.[10] The following year he entered a year long relationship with American actressWinona Ryder. According to Hamilton, she was a listener of the band, and many of the lyrics on Helmet's 2004 comebackSize Matters were reportedly inspired by their relationship.[23][24] Hamilton has mentioned that he has been mistaken for a woman at times because of his name, which is pronounced the same way as the female namePaige.[25]
Hamilton endorsedESP Guitars in the 1990s, and is best known for playingESP Horizon guitars with either aFloyd Rose or Wilkinson tremolo, andDiMarzio Airzone pickups. In 2006 ESP announced a Page Hamilton signature model, featuring a singleDiMarzio Airzone pickup and Wilkinson tremolo. In 2009, ESP announced a further signature model guitar, this time modeled after Page's ownESP Horizon Custom, featuring a distressed magenta finish emulating the original guitar's road wear and character and, again, a singleDiMarzio Air Zone pickup.[26] He has also used guitars byPRS andG&L.
For live performances, Page Hamilton uses aFryette Pittbull Ultra-Lead into aFryette Fatbottom 4x12 cabinet.[27] In the 1990s, Hamilton used a Harry Kolbe preamp into aMarshall 2204S (small-box head) with its gain all the way up, then into a dummy load, then into a noise gate, then finally into aMesa Boogie Simul-class 290 power amplifier that fed four Harry Kolbe 4x12 cabinets.[28]
