Tony MacAlpine (born August 29, 1960) is an American musician and composer. In a career spanning four decades, he has released twelve studio albums. MacAlpine is best known as an instrumental rock and heavy metal solo guitarist, although he has worked with many different bands and musicians in guest appearances and collaborations.
Biography Having started playing piano at the age of fiveProkofiev, Dane (2012-10-06). An Interview with Tony MacAlpine (6th October, 2012)" . YouTube. Retrieved 2012-10-19."Tony MacAlpine Interview" . The Prog Report. 2014-04-09. Retrieved 2014-04-10. and guitar at twelve, MacAlpine studied classical piano and violin for a number of years at the Springfield Conservatory of Music in Massachusetts, as well as various music programs at the University of Hartford in Connecticut."Tony MacAlpine Biography" . tonymacalpine.com. Retrieved 2012-10-11.Reffett, Dave (2011-10-08). "Interview: Tony MacAlpine Discusses Gear and Tone and Answers Readers' Questions" . Guitar World. NewBay Media. Retrieved 2012-10-11. One of his musical influences is Frédéric Chopin, to whom he pays homage in his interpretations of the latter's études, which are featured on the majority of his studio albums.
Together with his first studio releases, Edge of Insanity (1986) and Maximum Security (1987), he had a prominent role on other works during the popular shred era, including keyboard performances on the debut albums of fellow guitarists Vinnie Moore (Mind's Eye, 1986) and Joey Tafolla (Out of the Sun, 1987). Soon after his own debut, he played guitar in a heavy metal supergroup named M.A.R.S. (MacAlpine/Aldridge/Rock/Sarzo), which resulted in the 1986 album Project: Driver.
As part of a band effort named 'MacAlpine', Eyes of the World was released in 1990 as a more commercially oriented attempt to emulate other hard rock acts at the time.Sword, Brian (2014-07-27). "Tony MacAlpine Interview - The Double Stop Podcast Episode 24" . The Double Stop. Event occurs at time 15:54–18:51. Retrieved 2014-08-04 The venture was short-lived, and his subsequent album Freedom to Fly (1992) was a return to his instrumental-based work. A further consecutive string of instrumental albums followed throughout the 1990s, most of them through the renowned Shrapnel Records label: Madness (1993), Premonition (1994), Evolution (1995) and Violent Machine (1996). For his last album of the decade, Master of Paradise (1999), MacAlpine briefly assumed singing duties in an effort to experiment with different styles. After the release of Chromaticity in August 2001, he took an extended hiatus from recording solo albums and worked with a variety of other musicians and bands, most notably with supergroups CAB and Ring of Fire. Nearly a decade later, in June 2011, he released his self-titled eleventh studio album through guitarist Steve Vai's Favored Nations label.
From 2001 to 2005, MacAlpine played both guitar and keyboards in Vai's touring band The Breed. He is featured on the band's DVD release Live at the Astoria London (2003), along with two DVDs of the G3 tour: G3: Live in Denver (2004) and G3: Live in Tokyo (2005). During that time, he was also the guitarist for progressive metal supergroup Planet X, alongside keyboardist Derek Sherinian and drummer Virgil Donati. He played with them for three albums in the first part of the decade—Universe (2000), Live from Oz (2002) and MoonBabies (2002)—and rejoined them in 2009 for a string of live performances, and at that time a possible new album.Pavlichko, Matt (2011-07-07). "Interview: Tony MacAlpine on His New Self-Titled Solo Album" . Guitar World. NewBay Media. Retrieved 2012-10-11. His most recent collaborations have included Seven the Hardway, a progressive metal group with whom he released their self-titled album in 2010,Hodgson, Peter (2010-08-10). "Interview: Tony MacAlpine of Seven The Hardway" . I Heart Guitar. Retrieved 2012-10-11. and a guest appearance on Sherinian's seventh studio album Oceana (2011). In the second half of 2012, MacAlpine toured Europe and Asia as part of PSMS (Portnoy/Sheehan/MacAlpine/Sherinian), an instrumental supergroup."Portnoy, Sheehan, MacAlpine, Sherinian To Tour Europe and Asia, Fall 2012" . tonymacalpine.com. 2012-07-27. Retrieved 2012-10-11.Cavuoto, Rob (December 2013). "Tony MacAlpine Interview: New DVD Release Live In Tokyo" . Guitar International. Retrieved 2014-03-01. Instrumental Inspirations, a DVD of their live material, was released October 21, 2012."Portnoy, Sheehan, MacAlpine, Sherinian DVD – Coming Oct 21!" tonymacalpine.com. Retrieved 2013-02-19. Additionally, in an October 2012 interview, he stated that he was working on new studio material (one of them being a "strictly classical record" recorded solely on piano), as well as a new album with Ring of Fire. Battle of Leningrad, Ring of Fire's fourth studio album, was released on January 28, 2014."Virtuoso Supergroup Ring Of Fire Returns With Brand New Album" . Blabbermouth. 2013-11-12. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
MacAlpine's twelfth studio album, Concrete Gardens, was released on April 21, 2015.""Concrete Gardens" - Out Now!" . tonymacalpine.com. 2015-02-21. Retrieved 2015-04-25.
Style and influence MacAlpine was highly influential in the neoclassical metal genre, becoming known for his instrumental rock style of playing that displays highly advanced shred techniques;Ramirez, Carlos (2011-06-21). "Tony MacAlpine: Still Shredding After All These Years" . Noisecreep. Retrieved 2012-10-11. one of his most oft-used techniques being 'sweep tapping', a variation of sweep picking. He has incorporated elements of classical, jazz, fusion, hard rock and heavy metal on both guitar and keyboard, and has been described as a virtuoso by Jason Ankeny at AllMusic.Ankeny, Jason. "Tony MacAlpine" . AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-10-11.
Equipment Edge of Insanity: Kramer guitars, DiMarzio pickups, Peavey amplificationEdge of Insanity (CD edition liner notes). Project: Driver: B.C. Rich guitars, DiMarzio pickups, GHS strings, Peavey and Rockman amplificationProject: Driver (CD edition liner notes). Maximum Security: B.C. Rich guitars, DiMarzio pickups, Peavey amplification, Ibanez effectsMaximum Security (CD edition liner notes). Eyes of the World: Mason Bernard guitars, DiMarzio pickups, Dean Markley strings, Peavey amplification, Baldwin keyboardsEyes of the World (CD edition liner notes). Freedom to Fly: Peavey guitars, Seymour Duncan pickups, GHS strings, Peavey amplification, Baldwin pianosFreedom to Fly (CD edition liner notes). Madness: Washburn Mercury series guitars, Seymour Duncan pickups, Dean Markley strings, Hughes & Kettner amplificationMadness (CD edition liner notes). Premonition: Washburn guitars, Seymour Duncan pickups, Dean Markley strings, Hughes & Kettner amplificationPremonition (CD edition liner notes). Evolution: B.C. Rich guitars, Seymour Duncan pickups, Hughes & Kettner amplificationEvolution (CD edition liner notes). Chromaticity: Carvin guitars and amplificationChromaticity (CD edition liner notes). Tony MacAlpine: Ibanez guitars, DiMarzio pickups, Ernie Ball strings, Hughes & Kettner amplification, Source Audio effects, Toontrack softwareTony MacAlpine (CD edition liner notes).
MacAlpine became a prominent user of seven-string guitars after joining Planet XSherinian, Derek. (2002-09-12). "Virgil & Derek AOL Chat" . xplanetx.com. Retrieved 2012-10-11. and still plays them regularly, along with eight-string guitars. A long-time endorsee of Carvin guitars (notably the T-Mac and DC series), he switched to Ibanez in 2010. Since 2011 he has played a customized RG Prestige eight-string model with EMG pickups, while his seven- and six-string models use DiMarzios. For amplification, he uses the Hughes & Kettner TriAmp for studio recording and the Coreblade model for live touring. An Ernie Ball wah and volume pedal completes his live setup. A detailed diagram of his 2011 gear can be found at Guitar Geek.Cooper, Adam (2011-07-14). "Tony MacAlpine's 2011 Guitar Rig" . Guitar Geek. Retrieved 2012-10-11.
Personal life MacAlpine currently resides in Pasadena, California. On August 25, 2015, he posted on his Facebook profile that he may have developed colon cancer, which forced cancellation of some dates on his tour to promote Concrete Gardens."Guitar Virtuoso Tony MacAlpine Likely Battling Colon Cancer, Forced to Postpone Tour" . Ultimate Guitar. 2015-08-25. Retrieved 2015-08-25. In August 2016 he wrote on his personal website, "I have been feeling back to normal and tests indicate that all is well in medical land. Deep and sincere thanks to you all for your wonderful support through this very difficult last 12 months."MacAlpine, Tony (2016-08-17). "West Coast Tour Supporting Steve Vai" . tonymacalpine.com. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
MacAlpine also revealed in an interview with Herman Li that, among his traumatic experiences, his wife had died and the release of his new record was a way for him to get back into creativity.Li, Herman & Macalpine, Tony (17-03-2022). Herman Li x Tony Macalpine Shred Session. Dragonforce | Facebook
Discography Solo studio albums 1986: Edge of Insanity 1987: Maximum Security 1992: Freedom to Fly 1993: Madness 1994: Premonition 1995: Evolution 1996: Violent Machine 1999: Master of Paradise 2001: Chromaticity 2011: Tony MacAlpine 2015: Concrete Gardens 2017: Death of Roses 2021: Equilibrium
Solo live albums 1997: Live Insanity
Solo compilation albums 2006: Collection: The Shrapnel Years
MacAlpine 1990: Eyes of the World
Vinnie Moore 1986: Mind's Eye 1999: The Maze 2006: Collection: The Shrapnel Years (compilation)
Planet X 2000: Universe 2002: Live from Oz (live) 2002: MoonBabies
CAB 2000: CAB 2001: CAB 2 2002: CAB Live at The Baked Potato 2003: CAB 4 2008: Theatre de Marionnettes 2010: Live on Sunset 2001: CAB Live at the Baked Potato: First and Second Set (DVD) 2002: CAB Live at The Musician Institute (DVD)
Mark Boals 2000: Ring of Fire 2002: Edge of the World
Steve Vai 2003: Live at the Astoria London 2004: G3: Live in Denver 2005: G3: Live in Tokyo
Ring of Fire (band) 2003: Dreamtower 2004: Burning Live in Tokyo (live) 2004: Lapse of Reality 2014: Battle of Leningrad
Other appearances 1986: Project: Driver – M.A.R.S. (with Tommy Aldridge, Rob Rock and Rudy Sarzo) 1987: Out of the Sun – Joey Tafolla 1998: The Quest - Damir Šimić-Shime 1999: VK3 – Vitalij Kuprij 2004: Eric Clapton's Guitar Festival - "I'm the Hell Out of Here" (with Steve Vai) 2007: Clinophobia – Devil's Slingshot (with Virgil Donati and Billy Sheehan) 2007: Ze re Tour 2007 – Michel Polnareff 2010: On Revolute – Dave Weiner 2010: Seven the Hardway – Seven the Hardway (with Virgil Donati and Mark Boals) 2011: Oceana – Derek Sherinian 2012: Plains of Oblivion – Jeff Loomis 2012: Instrumental Inspirations – PSMS (with Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan and Derek Sherinian) (DVD) 2013: Live in Tokyo – PSMS (with Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan and Derek Sherinian) 2018: Enfin! – Michel Polnareff
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