DJ Ashba | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Daren Jay Ashba |
Born | Monticello, Indiana, U.S. | November 10, 1972
Genres | |
Occupations |
|
Instrument | Guitar |
Years active | 1987–present |
Labels | |
Member of | Pyromantic |
Formerly of | |
Website | djashba |
Daren Jay Ashba (born November 10, 1972) is an American musician, guitarist, songwriter, record producer, and graphic designer. He was the lead guitarist of Sixx:A.M. He is also known for his work with hard rock bands BulletBoys, Beautiful Creatures and Guns N' Roses. He has worked with various artists including Mötley Crüe, Drowning Pool, Marion Raven, Aimee Allen and Neil Diamond. He is the CEO of Ashba Media.
Ashba was born in Monticello, Indiana. He was raised in Fairbury, Illinois. His mother was a classically trained pianist who began teaching him about music as a toddler. Ashba performed in his first piano recital at the age of five, where he played Beethoven's "Ode to Joy". [1] His next ambition was to learn the drums. He built kits out of garbage cans and pots and pans, until he finally acquired a real set at the age of six. [2] When he was eight, he took a job detasseling corn in the fields to earn enough money to buy his first guitar out of the Sears catalog. He would ride to his job in the corn fields on the bus with a guitarist from a local band, who would teach him a new chord each day on a fret that they had carved into the back of a bus seat with a pocket knife. For his 16th birthday, his father took him to his first concert: Mötley Crüe's Girls, Girls, Girls Tour. He later said, "The crowd, the music, the lights! It was the night I realized that no matter what it takes, I was gonna be on that stage one day." [3] At the age of 18, he packed up his possessions and moved to Hollywood to begin his career.
Eventually, he joined the group Barracuda and toured with the band for two years. In 1996, he released his debut instrumental album, Addiction to the Friction. [4] In 1998, Ashba joined BulletBoys as part of the band's new lineup. [5] [6] It was during his time with the band that he met Joe Lesté of Bang Tango. [7] In 1999, he departed the group to start a new band with Lesté, piecing together the band that would become Beautiful Creatures.
After finding former Shake the Faith and No. 9 bassist Kenny Kweens, Ashba and Lesté hired session drummer Anthony Focx to become the group's second guitarist and Glen Sobel, another session drummer, was brought in to take over drums. This was the first lineup under the moniker Beautiful Creatures. Prior to naming, the band opened one show in Detroit, Michigan, for Kiss during their farewell tour after Ted Nugent pulled out. [8] The band then signed with Warner Bros. and released their self-titled debut Beautiful Creatures , produced by Marilyn Manson cohort Sean Beavan, on August 14, 2001. [9] Album track "1 A.M." was featured in the soundtrack for the 2001 horror film Valentine and TV series Smallville . "Ride" was featured on the soundtrack to the 2002 remake of Rollerball . [10] Despite appearing at Ozzfest as part of the Rolling Rock Tour, the band was dropped from their label due to poor album sales. On February 13, 2002, the band announced that Ashba had left the group and the band found a replacement and continued on. [11]
After his departure from Beautiful Creatures, he formed another solo band, ASHBA, with Bones Elias, bassist John Younger, and former Tuff guitarist Michael Thomas, who was Ashba's replacement in Beautiful Creatures before leaving the group in 2003. [12] [13] Also in 2003, Ashba was invited to participate in the group Brides of Destruction with Nikki Sixx and Tracii Guns but turned it down to focus on his solo project. [14] In 2005, a small controversy was caused when it was suggested that neither Tommy Lee nor Mick Mars played on the new tracks for Mötley Crüe's compilation album Red, White & Crüe ; duties were supposedly handled by Vandals drummer Josh Freese and Ashba as well as Mick being replaced by Ashba on their reunion tour. Ashba hit back at the rumors:
Just want to set the record straight. As much as I would love to play on tour with Mötley, it's simply not true...it's a rumor. I'll be in the studio and playing shows with ASHBA. I have all the respect in the world for Mötley Crüe and I can't wait to see Mick kick ass, as always. [15]
In 2006 Ashba had set up Funny Farms Studios with Nikki Sixx. [16] They began writing and producing, and performing music together [17] which included collaborations with singer Marion Raven, whom Sixx had worked with before, on her Heads Will Roll EP [18] and album Set Me Free . James Michael also is credited on the albums. [19] In March 2007, Sixx penned "Reason I'm Alive" for Drowning Pool's new album Full Circle with both Sixx and Ashba co-producing the track. [20]
Ashba released the critically acclaimed album The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack after collaborating with Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx and producer James Michael under the name Sixx:A.M. in August, 2007 serving as a soundtrack to Sixx's autobiography The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star . [21] The single "Life is Beautiful" reached #2 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. Originally the group stated they had no intention of touring. [22] After constant support for the band and interest in a tour, they held a nationwide vote for tour dates. The tour was scheduled to start in spring 2008, but had been postponed to the summer due to unforeseeable circumstances. [23] On April 15, 2008, Sixx:A.M. announced they would be touring as part of Mötley Crüe's Crüe Fest, along with Buckcherry, Papa Roach and Trapt. The tour began on July 1, 2008, in West Palm Beach, Florida. [24] During Crüe Fest, Papa Roach drummer Tony Palermo served as a touring drummer for the band. A deluxe tour edition of The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack was released on November 25, 2008, which included a bonus live EP entitled Live Is Beautiful which features recorded performances from the band's summer tour. In April 2009, both James Michael and Nikki Sixx confirmed that the band was in the studio, recording new material. Sixx added that the new material is "inspiring. it feels like we may have topped ourselves on this album coming up, and can't wait for you to hear what it sounds like." [25]
On March 23, 2009 Ashba was announced as the new lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses replacing Robin Finck, who had left the band to rejoin Nine Inch Nails. [26] [27] He first toured with the band as part of the Chinese Democracy Tour where on December 11, 2009 Guns N' Roses played in Taiwan, and continued with the band for the next five years. [28]
On May 3, 2011 the Sixx:A.M. album This Is Gonna Hurt was released, followed by Modern Vintage in 2014, and their first headlining tour in the spring of 2015. [29]
After balancing Sixx:A.M. and Guns N' Roses duties for years, and only appearing on the Appetite for Democracy 3D video release for the latter band, Ashba announced on July 27, 2015 that he was leaving the band, citing his commitment to his family and his other band. [30] [31] The statement read "I have reached a point in my life where I feel it's time to dedicate myself to my band Sixx:A.M., my adoring wife and family, and to the many new adventures that the future holds for me." [32]
After leaving Guns N' Roses, Sixx A.M. released two albums in 2016, Prayers for the Damned and Prayers for the Blessed , before embarking on a world tour. [33] Subsequent to the tour the group entered a hiatus, confirmed by Ashba and James Michael in February 2018. [34]
In February 2018 Ashba and James Michael announced a collaborative project called Pyromantic, focused on mixing rock with pop and dance influences. By the following year Michael had exited the project.
In 2019 Sixx A.M. reunited to record and release the charity single "Talk to Me", and announced the impending release of several other tracks recorded for a greatest hits album.
By 2020 the Pyromantic project had evolved into a resurrection of the ASHBA name, now a solo project, with the release of the singles "Hypnotic", "Let's Dance", and "A Christmas Storm". The following year he released the cover single "Bella Ciao". [35]
In 2021 Sixx A.M. released Greatest Hits, which featured three new songs. James Michael subsequently said that it was "a good way to kind of wrap of Sixx:A.M.'s body of work", while not ruling out future reunions.
Daren Ashba owns two corporations, Ashba Media, Inc. and Ashbaland Inc. [36] In 2003, he founded Ashba Media, Inc. This creative agency was announced the Agency of Record for Virgin Entertainment. AMI designs the look and feel of every Virgin Megastore. They also have other clients, such as Ovation guitars, Royal Underground and many more. Ashba contributed to Mötley Crüe's 2008 album Saints of Los Angeles penning all tracks with the exception of "This Ain't a Love Song". [37] The title track "Saints of Los Angeles" was nominated for a Grammy the same year.
Guitars: Schecter Guitars with his own signature electric and acoustics, Ernie Ball Music Man Axis guitars Amps: Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier 100W heads, Four straight-front Line 6 4x12 cabinets loaded with celestion vintage 30s, Line 6 Spider Valve 412Vs 240W 4X12 Guitar Speaker Cabinet Straight, Two modified Line 6 POD pro amp modules, Line 6 Vetta HD and Vetta HD II Heads Pedals: Morley Dj Ashba Skeleton Wah Pedal, Digitech Whammy Pitch-Shifting Guitar Effects Pedal, GCX Ground Control PRO Midi Controller, Ernie Ball 6166 Mono Volume Pedal,
As of 2016, now uses his very own Schecter DJ Ashba signature model from the Schecter USA Custom Shop.
Ashba married Nathalia Henao on September 23, 2013 after one year of dating. He was 40 and she was 21. [38]
In 2013, three Las Vegas police officers took Ashba and his girlfriend Nathalia Henao on a ride in a police helicopter, ending with Ashba proposing marriage to Henao. The three police officers involved were punished by the department for improper and unauthorized use of a police vehicle. One officer retired in anticipation of demotion, one was transferred and the pilot was banned from flying for the metro police department. [39]
In February 2023, it was announced Ashba and Henao would be divorcing after nine years of marriage.[ citation needed ]
Year | Album title | Band | Record label | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | I'd Start a Revolution If I Could Get Up in the Morning | Aimee Allen | Elektra Unreleased | Guitars on "Revolution" |
2003 | Welcome to Blue Island | Enuff Z'Nuff | Perris Records | Guitars on "87 Days" |
2003 | Outlaw Volleyball | Original soundtrack | Sumthing Distribution | Composer, Primary Artist on "Feel This" and "Who Am I" |
2005 | Heads Will Roll EP | Marion Raven | Eleven Seven | Co-writer "Spit You Out" |
2007 | Set Me Free | Marion Raven | Eleven Seven/Warner Bros. | Co-writer "Set Me Free" and "Thank You For Loving Me" |
2007 | Full Circle | Drowning Pool | Eleven Seven | Co-producer on "Reason I'm Alive" |
2007 | The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack | Sixx:A.M. | Eleven Seven | Co-writer and producer |
2007 | Saints of Los Angeles | Mötley Crüe | Eleven Seven/Universal Music Group | Co-writer on all tracks except "This Ain't a Love Song" |
2009 | A Cherry Cherry Christmas | Neil Diamond | American, Columbia | Writer on "Meditations on a Winter (instrumental)" [40] |
2009 | Whatever Gets You Off | The Last Vegas | Eleven Seven | Co-producer |
2011 | This Is Gonna Hurt | Sixx:A.M. | Eleven Seven | Co-writer and producer |
2011 | Memories of a Beautiful Disaster | James Durbin | Wind-Up Records | Co-writer "Crawling Home" |
2014 | Modern Vintage | Sixx:A.M. | Eleven Seven Music | Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals |
2016 | Prayers for the Damned | Sixx:A.M. | Eleven Seven Music | Lead Guitar, Composer, Backing Vocals |
2016 | Prayers for the Blessed | Sixx:A.M. | Eleven Seven Music | Lead Guitar, Composer, Backing Vocals |
2021 | The Body Remembers | Debbie Gibson | StarGirl Records | Guitars on "Legendary", "Freedom", and "What Are We Gonna Do?" |
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Hollywood, California, in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, with guitarist Mick Mars and lead vocalist Vince Neil joining right after. The band has sold over 100 million albums worldwide. They have also achieved seven platinum or multi-platinum certifications, nine Top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 chart, twenty-two Top 40 mainstream rock hits, and six Top 20 pop singles.
Nikki Sixx is an American musician, best known as the co-founder, bassist, and primary songwriter of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, being the only member to remain throughout their entire history. Prior to forming Mötley Crüe, Sixx was a member of Sister before going on to form London with his Sister bandmate Lizzie Grey. In 2000, he formed side project group 58 with Dave Darling, Steve Gibb and Bucket Baker, issuing one album, Diet for a New America. Also in 2002, he formed the hard rock supergroup Brides of Destruction with L.A. Guns guitarist Tracii Guns. Formed in 2006, initially to record an audio accompaniment to Sixx's autobiography The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star, his side band Sixx:A.M. featured songwriter, producer, and vocalist James Michael and guitarist DJ Ashba.
Drowning Pool is an American rock band formed in Dallas, Texas, in 1996. The band was named after the 1975 film The Drowning Pool. Since its formation, the band has consisted of guitarist C.J. Pierce, drummer Mike Luce and bassist Stevie Benton, as well as a revolving cast of vocalists.
Robert Alan Deal, known professionally as Mick Mars, is an American musician best known as the former lead guitarist and co-founder of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. He is known for his aggressive, melodic solos and bluesy riffs.
Brides of Destruction was an American hard rock supergroup from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2002. The band's last lineup consisted of singer London LeGrand (vocals), Tracii Guns and Scot Coogan. Previous members of the band were Nikki Sixx (bass), Kris Kohls (drums), Adam Hamilton (keyboard), John Corabi, Scott Sorry (bass) and Ginger.
John Corabi is an American hard rock singer and guitarist. He was the frontman of The Scream during 1989 and the frontman of Mötley Crüe between 1992 and 1996 during original frontman Vince Neil's hiatus from the band.
Beautiful Creatures is an American hard rock band formed in 1999 by guitarist DJ Ashba and singer Joe Lesté of Bang Tango. The group's current lineup is composed of Lesté, Alex Grossi, Anthony Focx, Kenny Kweens (bass) and Timmy Russell (drums). Previously the group featured Michael Thomas and Glen Sobel among others while founder DJ Ashba is currently the lead guitarist for Sixx:A.M.
The Last Vegas are an American hard rock band from Chicago whose style draws from glam, punk, and sleaze metal. Composed of Chad Cherry, John Wator (guitar), Adam Arling (guitar), Danny Smash (bass), and Nate Arling (drums), the band released the album Whatever Gets You Off, in April 2009, on Eleven Seven Music. The album was produced by Nikki Sixx, Sixx:A.M. guitarist DJ Ashba, as well as Marti Frederiksen.
London is an American glam metal band formed in Hollywood, California in 1978. The band included several members that would go on to play in more famous bands, such as Mötley Crüe, Guns N' Roses, W.A.S.P. and Cinderella.
Sixx:A.M. was an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 2007 by Nikki Sixx, DJ Ashba, and James Michael, and was a side project of Sixx, who was also at the time bass guitarist for Mötley Crüe. The group is best known for their songs "Life Is Beautiful" and "Lies of the Beautiful People". The name Sixx:A.M. is a combination of all of the members' last names.
Runaway Brides is the second and final studio album by Brides of Destruction released via Shrapnel Records on September 13, 2005. Nikki Sixx left the band to rejoin Mötley Crüe in January 2005 for a reunion tour supporting a greatest hits compilation but still has writing credits on the album. Amen bassist Scott Sorry was chosen as his replacement. Ginger of The Wildhearts joined as second guitarist but soon left not before contributing writing to four album tracks.
The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack, often referred to as simply The Heroin Diaries, is the debut studio album by Sixx:A.M., a side project of Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx. The band also features lead vocalist James Michael and guitarist DJ Ashba. The concept album serves as the companion soundtrack to Sixx's autobiography, The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star, and is about Sixx's severe heroin addiction in 1987. The first single, "Life Is Beautiful," debuted at number 26 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star is a book co-written by Nikki Sixx, bassist of the rock band Mötley Crüe, and Ian Gittins. Additional reflections on the period from Sixx and others are interspersed throughout the book. The book also includes many black-and-white photographs, lyrics, random thoughts and artwork. The book was designed by Paul Brown, according to page 406. With his other band Sixx:A.M., Sixx recorded a concept album titled The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack as a musical accompaniment for the book. The album was released in 2007.
James Andrew Michael is an American record producer, sound engineer, mixer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was the lead singer of the rock band Sixx:A.M.
Saints of Los Angeles is the ninth and final studio album by the American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on June 24, 2008, by Mötley Records and Eleven Seven Music. This was the only full-length studio album with the band's original lineup since 1997's Generation Swine, following the return of drummer Tommy Lee, the last to feature guitarist Mick Mars before his dismissal from Mötley Crüe in 2022, and the last before their initial dissolution in 2015. Following its release, the band has avoided releasing any further albums in favor of releasing singles.
Live Is Beautiful is a live EP by Sixx:A.M., a side project of Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx, released both with the deluxe edition of The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack and separately, on November 25, 2008. The EP was recorded live during various performances of the band during Mötley Crüe's Crüe Fest in the summer of 2008.
Whatever Gets You Off is the major label debut by Chicago based hard rock band The Last Vegas, released on April 14, 2009, on Nikki Sixx's Eleven Seven Music label. It is the band's fourth full-length album overall.
Glen Sobel is an American drummer who has performed and recorded in many different genres. Mainly known for being the drummer for Alice Cooper since 2011, Sobel has worked with other musicians/groups, including Mötley Crüe, Hollywood Vampires, Richie Sambora, Orianthi, Beautiful Creatures, Chris Impellitteri, Gary Hoey, Tony MacAlpine, Jennifer Batten, Paul Gilbert, Saga and Shark Island.
This Is Gonna Hurt is the second studio album by Sixx:A.M., a side project of Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx, released on May 3, 2011. Like the first album which served as a companion soundtrack to Nikki Sixx's first book The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star, this album is a companion to Sixx's second book, This Is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography, And Life Through The Distorted Lens Of Nikki Sixx, which was released on April 12, 2011. Unlike its predecessor, This Is Gonna Hurt does not feature any spoken word.
"Lies of the Beautiful People" is the first single from Sixx:A.M.'s second studio album This Is Gonna Hurt, released on March 1, 2011.