Chris Poland

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Chris Poland
Born (1957-12-01) December 1, 1957 (age 63)
Dunkirk, New York, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
InstrumentsGuitar
Years active1977–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitechrispoland.com

Chris Poland (born December 1, 1957) is an American guitarist, best known as the former guitarist of the thrash metal band Megadeth. Since 2002, Poland has been the guitarist of the instrumental rock/jazz fusion bands OHM and OHMphrey, among others, and has appeared on several projects and albums from a variety of different genres.

Biography[]

Megadeth (1984–1987)[]

Frontman Dave Mustaine referred to Poland as "an amazing guitar player—he can play circles around me".[1]

Poland joined Megadeth in 1984, after seeing them play as a three-piece, and after being recommended to Mustaine and Ellefson by Megadeth's then-new drummer Gar Samuelson, a friend and former bandmate of Poland's. According to Mustaine, Poland was temporarily let go before Megadeth embarked on their first tour, but was swiftly brought back. He then remained in the band until he and Samuelson were fired in 1987, due to alleged substance abuse, which had led Poland to sell off Mustaine and Ellefson's guitar gear, along with his own. In response, Mustaine wrote the song Liar for their following album So Far, So Good... So What!, which was partly meant as a callout to Poland.

Rust in Peace demos[]

In 1990, Mustaine asked Poland to record solos for demos that would become songs for Rust In Peace. Poland agreed to play the solos, but did not rejoin the band. Ultimately, Megadeth recruited Marty Friedman to play the solos for the album. Poland's solos can be heard on the 2004 remastered version of Rust In Peace.

Final return to Megadeth[]

He and Mustaine teamed up one final time in 2004 to record Megadeth's comeback album, The System Has Failed, though Poland opted not to rejoin the band full-time.

2000s[]

In 2009, Poland formed OHMphrey, a side-project with Robby Pagliari of OHM, and Jake Cinninger, Kris Myers, and Joel Cummins of progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee.[2]

In 2019, Poland appeared on the track "Hammer (Comes Down)", on Megadeth bassist David Ellefson's solo release Sleeping Giants, with Mark Tremonti, Thom Hazaert, Dave McClain and Joey Radziwill of Sacred Reich, and Flotsam and Jetsam vocalist Eric AK.[3] It was later announced Poland had signed to Ellefson's revived Combat Records, who would release a 30th Anniversary Edition of his landmark solo debut Return to Metalopolis in 2020. The expanded 2 CD/LP configuration, features a remastered version of the original LP, with four new tracks, and material from the independently released, out of print 2007 release Return to Metalopolis Live. It was later announced in 2020 that Poland would tour Australia and Japan, with Ellefson and Hazaert, supporting Ellefson's eponymous solo band.[4][5]

In January 2020, Poland was inducted into the Metal Hall of Fame, alongside Geoff Tate, Don Dokken, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Prong, Graham Bonnet, and more. Poland was inducted by Hazaert and former Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel who joined Poland for a performance of "Peace Sells", with Butcher Babies bassist Ricky Bonazza, and Dead by Wednesday drummer Opus Lawrence and guitarist Dave Sharpe, who also tour with Ellefson and Hazaert in Ellefson's "Sleeping Giants" solo band. Poland also performed "Paranoid" at the induction, with Vai, Satriani, and Tate.[6]

Discography[]

Solo albums[]

With Megadeth[]

With Damn the Machine[]

With Mumbo's Brain[]

  • 1995: Excerpts from the Book of Mumbo
  • 1999: Rare Trax

With Lamb of God[]

With OHM[]

  • 2003: OHM
  • 2004: "Live" On KPFK 90.7 FM, Lion Music
  • 2005: Amino Acid Flashback
  • 2006: Live at the New Brookland Tavern (DVD)
  • 2008: Circus of Sound
  • 2012: Tsunami Jams

With OHMphrey[]

With Polcat[]

  • 2012: Polcat, Ashro Records

Other album appearances[]

  • 2001: Warmth in the Wilderness: A Tribute to Jason Becker, Lion Music
  • 2002: Squadrophenia, Cosmosquad, Marmaduke Records
  • 2004: Give Us Moore! – Gary Moore Tribute, Lion Music
  • 2006: The Longest Night, Pharaoh
  • 2006: Double Heart Project – Human Nature's Fight, Brennus
  • 2006: Jimi Hendrix Tribute – The Spirit Lives On Vol. 1 & 2, Lion Music
  • 2007: Long Live Me, THE SCREAMIN' LORDS, Brannick Records
  • 2008: Innervisions, Tadashi Goto, Progrock
  • 2009: Guitars That Ate My Brain
  • 2009: Misty Mountain Hop: A Millennium Tribute to Led Zeppelin
  • 2009: The Call of the Flames, Shredding the Envelope, Standstill And Scream Music
  • 2011: Metalusion, Glen Drover, Magna Carta
  • 2012: Plains of Oblivion – Jeff Loomis
  • 2012: Two Minutes to Midnight: A Millennium Tribute to Iron Maiden, Versailles Records
  • 2013: Intermezzo, Michael Angelo Batio
  • 2013: Virtue and Vices, Robot Lords of Tokyo, RLoT Records
  • 2013: Frequency Unknown Queensryche(guest appearance), Cleopatra
  • 2013: Belt Buckles and Brass Knuckles, Moccasin Creek, Moccasin Creek Music
  • 2014: Curve of the Earth – Lion Drome
  • 2014: Will to Power – Lord Vulture, Mausoleum Records
  • 2014: Onward to Freedom – Tourniquet
  • 2016: The Art of Loss - Redemption
  • 2018: Gazing at Medusa – Tourniquet
  • 2018: Long Night's Journey into Day - Redemption
  • 2019: Sleeping Giants - David Ellefson
  • 2020: Alive In Color - Redemption

References[]

  1. ^ VH1: Megadeth – Behind the Music DVD – October 2001.
  2. ^ "2009 interview on Outsight Radio Hours". Archive.org. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  3. ^ "HEAR MEGADETH'S DAVID ELLEFSON REUNITE WITH CHRIS POLAND ON RIPPING SOLO SONG". Revolver. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  4. ^ "Former MEGADETH Guitarist CHRIS POLAND Signs To DAVID ELLEFSON's COMBAT RECORDS". Blabbermouth. Blabbermouth. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  5. ^ "MEGADETH Bandmates DAVID ELLEFSON And CHRIS POLAND To Tour Japan And Australia Together In May". Blabbermouth. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  6. ^ "FORMER MEGADETH GUITARIST CHRIS POLAND WILL BE INDUCTED TO THE METAL HALL OF FAME". Guitar.com. Retrieved February 20, 2020.

External links[]

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