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Jackson at Download!

Posted on June 3, 2010 by Jeff Owens
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Lamb of God’s Mark Morton onstage at Download ’09.

The Download Festival in England is not only one of metal’s biggest festivals, it’s also one of the genre’s most famous—and rightfully so. Held at Donington Park, this year’s three-day extravaganza of metal mayhem marks the 30th anniversary of hard-rock festivals held at this world-renowned motorsport racetrack in Leicestershire.

Download 2010 kicks off on Friday, June 11, and Jackson will be there with live updates from the metal marathon, where more than 100 bands will play on five stages. Bands boasting Jackson-wielding axemen at Download include Lamb of God, Job For a Cowboy, The Damned Things, Megadeth and Bullet For My Valentine (who headline the Ronnie James Dio Stage on Friday).

Throughout the weekend Jackson will be everywhere—backstage, onstage, in the crowd and, of course, in the bar—delivering live Download updates and photos on Facebook and Twitter. We’ll also be joined by a Jackson and Download favorite, the one and only Phil Demmel of the mighty Machine Head. And, on the Monday after Download, we’ll be heading down to the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards in London, where Demmel will present the Jackson-sponsored “Best Shredder Award.” We’ll also be crashing the pre-awards boat ride down the Thames, with Mr. Demmel at our helm. Bands and an open bar on a boat? Should be a blast …

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Machine Head's Phil Demmel Rig Video

Posted on June 3, 2010 by Jackson WEB ADMIN
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Machine Head’s Phil Demmel takes us through his current live rig during the band’s Black Procession tour at Brixton Academy, London, UK.

P.S. Demmel got a huge laugh over his F-up in the video. See if you can catch his slip of the tongue!

Metal Mourns a Master

Posted on May 19, 2010 by Jeff Owens
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Ronnie James Dio, 1942-2010


Ronnie James Dio, 1942-2010, as seen on the cover of 1998 live album Inferno: Last in Live.

Along with the rest of the metal-loving world, we at Jackson Guitars mourn the passing of one of the genre’s greatest ever singers, Ronnie James Dio. From Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow to Black Sabbath to Dio to Heaven & Hell, the little man with the giant voice blessed us all with his amazing vocal talents for well over 30 years.

We were honored to participate in the standing ovation he received from his fans and peers at the recent Revolver magazine Golden Gods Awards in Los Angeles, where he was deservedly crowned “Best Metal Vocalist.” Sadly just over month later though, after a courageous battle with cancer, Dio was taken from us on Sunday, May 16.  

Since the heart-wrenching news of Dio’s passing, countless condolences and tributes have poured in from all over the world. One of the most apt comes from Jackson signature artist Scott Ian of Anthrax, who toured with Dio in 2004.

“Horns at half mast,” Ian said, simply. “Such a huge loss.”

The fact that the organizers of the massive Download Festival in England immediately renamed its pivotal second stage as the “Ronnie James Dio Stage” speaks volumes regarding the massive and indelible impact the singer’s amazing talent had on the hard rock and metal community.

Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with the legendary singer’s wife, Wendy, and, of course, his family and friends. Rest in peace Ronnie James Dio—your memory, music and amazing voice will always live on.

The 30th Anniversary RR5FR Rhoads

Posted on April 9, 2010 by Jeff Owens
Category | Product News | Tags , | 1 Comment

The 30th Anniversary RR5FR Rhoads, in white with black graphics.

As the Bloodline celebrates its 30th sonically sinister year, Jackson is very proud to unveil a very special limited edition model of the guitar that started it all, specifically designed and decorated to commemorate the occasion—the 30th Anniversary RR5FR Rhoads.

Only 150 of these guitars have been made—30 apiece in five different combinations of colors and Jackson 30th anniversary graphics (black with red, gold or white graphics; white with black or red graphics). Each of the five versions is hand-numbered 1 through 30 on the back of the headstock.

A formidable instrument in its own right, the RR5FR arms the famous asymmetrical V-shaped body of the Rhoads with a rock maple through-body neck, compound-radius rosewood fingerboard, a pair of DiMarzio® Tone Zone™ pickups, a Floyd Rose® double-locking tremolo, black hardware and a Jackson guitar case.

Jackson began in 1980 with the slashing form of what would become the Rhoads guitar sketched on paper by the great Randy Rhoads himself. Now, three decades later, the limited edition 30th Anniversary RR5FR Rhoads pays homage to the very heart from which the Bloodline pumps—Randy Rhoads.

From left, the 30th Anniversary RR5FR Rhoads in black with red graphics, black with yellow graphics, black with white graphics and white with red graphics.

Landmine Marathon Blasts Scion Fest and SXSW, Appears in New York Times

Posted on April 2, 2010 by Jeff Owens
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Landmine Marathon’s Matt Martinez onstage.
Photo by Denise Elfenbein

The members of Jackson-wielding Arizona death metal quintet Landmine Marathon are accustomed to seeing themselves in the pages of metal’s biggest magazines in the United States and abroad; features about the band and solid reviews for latest album Sovereign Descent have appeared in recent issues of Decibel, Revolver, Rocksound, Metal Hammer, Kerrang, Terrorizer, Outburn and other publications.

Imagine bassist Matt Martinez’s surprise, however, when Landmine Marathon recently found its photo splashed across the prestigious pages of a publication the group hadn’t appeared in before—the mighty New York Times. In its coverage of the March 13, 2010, Scion Rock Fest in Columbus, Ohio, the Monday, March 15 edition of the Times prominently included a photo of Landmine Marathon in mid-set at the Newport Music Hall.

“That was beyond belief,” said Martinez, who works for Jackson parent company Fender Musical Instruments Corp. when he’s not touring. “When the photographer said he was from the Times, I thought he meant the Columbus Times, or something. Then he said, ‘Check the New York Times on Monday.’ It was definitely bigger than we expected. Something to show the family.”

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Job For a Cowboy: Spring Tour Dates, Guitar World Album Accolade

Posted on March 22, 2010 by Jeff Owens
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Job For a Cowboy’s Al Glassman.

Glendale, Ariz.-based heavy music powerhouse Job For a Cowboy (JFAC) has announced spring 2010 North American tour dates supporting critically acclaimed second album Ruination. JFAC launches the massive five-week, 27-city headlining run on April 21 in Newport, Ky., with guests including Whitechapel, Cattle Decapitation, Gaza and Revocation.

Guitar World readers voted Ruination as “Best Extreme Metal Album” in the magazine’s March 2010 issue. The poll put the latest album by JFAC—dubbed the “new wave of extreme” by the publication—atop a list of albums by Behemoth, Immortal and Cannibal Corpse. Ruination reached #42 on the Billboard Top 200 chart in its first week of release in July 2009.

Formed in 2003, Job For a Cowboy consists of vocalist Jonny Davy, bassist Brent Riggs, drummer Jon “the Charn” Rice and Jackson-wielding guitarists Bobby Thompson and Al Glassman. Since the 2007 release of full-length debut Genesis, the quintet has become a death metal heavyweight, touring worldwide and racking up notable concert appearances at the U.K. Download Festival, Germany’s Wacken Open Air Festival and previous North American tours with Slayer and Marilyn Manson.

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