Joe Holmes

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Joe Holmes (* 11. June 1963 in New Jersey ) is an American rock - and Heavy Metal - guitarist , known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne , whose band he belonged between 1995 and 2001. He also worked with Van Halen front man David Lee Roth and the heavy metal band Lizzy Borden . He started his own band projects such as Terriff and finally Farmikos .

Joe Holmes during an appearance at Ozzfest with Ozzy Osbourne in June 1998

Life

Holmes was born in New Jersey and grew up in Los Angeles . In 1979 he took guitar lessons a few times from Randy Rhoads , who at that time joined Ozzy Osbourne. Holmes formed Terriff in 1983 , but left the band in 1987 to join Lizzy Borden . His guitar playing can be heard on the Visual Lies album . In 1988 Holmes left Lizzy Borden and worked again with Terriff until 1990 .

David Lee Roth

Holmes rose in 1991 with David Lee Roth in order to to AS affected Jason Becker on the A Little Is not Enough to replace tour. After the tour, Holmes rehearsed with Terriff and tried out several singers. Such was Badlands singer Ray Gillen short time frontman. Eventually Jeff Biebuyck became the new vocalist and the band changed their name to Dogma and then to Alien Ink .

Ozzy Osbourne

In 1995 Ozzy Osbourne was looking for a replacement for Zakk Wylde after completing the Ozzmosis album in order to be able to go on tour. Holmes was rehearsing with his own band when he received a call from Deen Castronovo , then the drummer in Ozzy Osbourne's band, to learn that Osbourne was looking for a guitarist. Castronovo and Sharon Osbourne visited Holmes at a rehearsal and invited him to an audition at Audible Studios in Los Angeles, which Holmes passed. Holmes did not mention that he had taken lessons from Randy Rhoads in the past as he thought this would reduce his chances of passing the audition. Still, Osbourne noted the similarities between the two guitarists: "It's really scary because when Joe plays Randy's stuff, he plays it like Randy - it's like I can see Randy's fingers."

Holmes played on the Ozzmosis tour and was Osbourne's guitarist from 1996 to 2001. He left the band when songwriting and recording began for the follow-up to Ozzmosi's Down to Earth . Holmes' guitar playing can not be heard on any Ozzy Osbourne studio album, but he wrote the songs Can You Hear Them? , Junkie , and That I Never Had , which were published on Down to Earth . Published pieces on which Holmes is heard are, Walk on Water , which was originally on the Beavis and Butt-Head Do America - Soundtrack was released and later on the compilation Prince of Darkness was published, and a live version of "Perry Mason" on the 1997 album Ozzfest Live .

After Holmes left Osbourne's band, it became quiet for several years and he took a break from the music business. Holmes gives family reasons for his withdrawal.

Farmikos

In December 2012, Holmes' new band project Farmikos was announced, in which the former Laidlaw singer Robert Locke participates. The name of the band has no specific meaning and originated from the word "Pharmikos", the original title of the song Scapegoat . The spelling has been changed to Farmikos for aesthetic reasons . Soon after, a number of singles were released that included guest musical appearances from Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo , whom Holmes knew from his time with Ozzy Osbourne, and Bad Religion drummer Brooks Wackerman . Farmikos continued to record new music with producer Rich Mouser. In July 2013, a short video clip for the song Exit Stencils was published on YouTube. The video shows Holmes recording the guitar solo in the studio. Similar video clips were uploaded for other songs as well. Instead of an announced EP , a debut album was released in January 2015 that contains the previously released singles.

The band plans to perform live, record and release new music.

Equipment, sound and style

Holmes plays various modified Fender Stratocasters from the early 1970s. These guitars are old Floyd Rose - tremolo systems and humbucker in the bridge position equipped. In addition, the are necks of the guitars with a compound radius and 22 jumbo - frets provided, as they tend to instruments of the brand Gibson finds. An often-played Strat is nicknamed The Fork , as Ozzy Osbourne used a fork to scrape off the paint on this guitar . This makes the guitar look very individual and worn. Holmes also owns old Charvel guitars and uses old Marshall amplifiers from the late 1960s and 70s that he had Jose Arredondo modified.

He names Michael Schenker and Randy Rhoads as his main influences. The live album Strangers In The Night by UFO with Michael Schenker on guitar had great influence on him. Holmes' personal style of play is characterized by a very good alternating stroke technique.

Discography (selection)

Lizzy Borden

  • Visual Lies (1987)

Ozzy Osbourne

  • Ozzfest Live (1997)
  • Prince of Darkness (2005)

Farmikos

  • Farmikos (2015)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e In-depth interview with Joe Holmes about Farmikos, his time as a student of Randy Rhoads, his stints in Lizzy Borden, David Lee Roth and Ozzy as well as the impact his Dad had on his life as a musician | Legendary rock interviews
  2. ↑ Zakk Wylde To Ozzy: 'If You're Gonna Can My Ass, Say It To My Face' - Blabbermouth.net
  3. ↑ Ozzy Osbourne Family FAQ / Biography
  4. ↑ See Carol Clerk: Diary of a Madman: Ozzy Osbourne - The Stories Behind the Songs, pp. 124, 135.
  5. ↑ Down to Earth - Ozzy Osbourne | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic
  6. ↑ http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/former-ozzy-osbourne-guitarist-joe-holmes-returns-with-farmikos/
  7. ↑ Metallica Bassist, Bad Religion Drummer To Guest On Farmiko's Debut - Blabbermouth.net
  8. ↑ Former Ozzy Osbourne Guitarist Joe Holmes' Farmikos: Another New Song Posted Online - Blabbermouth.net
  9. ^ Former Ozzy Osbourne Guitarist Joe Holmes' Farmikos: Video Footage From The Studio - Blabbermouth.net
  10. ^ Former Ozzy Osbourne Guitarist Joe Holmes' Farmikos To Release Debut Ep - Blabbermouth.net
  11. ↑ Former Ozzy Osbourne Guitarist Joe Holmes To Release Debut Farmiko's Album In January - Blabbermouth.net
personal data
SURNAME Holmes, Joe
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American rock guitarist
DATE OF BIRTH June 11, 1963
PLACE OF BIRTH New Jersey