In 1988, Shrapnel Records released a whole slew of shred guitar albums. Having already listened to guitarists the likes of Joe Satriani and Yngwie Malmsteen, I started discovering these new axemen when I got the “Guitar Masters” sampler CD1A little silvery disc that used to be the main way to get your hands on music before soulless streaming services too over, containing tracks by Joey Tafolla, Marty Friedman, Greg Howe and Jason Becker, among others. Jason Becker’s debut album “Perpetual Burn”, which was one of several CDs I bought because of this sampler, struck a chord in particular. All tunes were technically amazing, but also just plain awesome to listen to. Instrumental guitar rock at its finest. “Mabel’s Fatal Fable” became one of my favourite tracks – I once even dreamt that Jason himself taught me the neo-classical run from starting at 01’15”. Jason had also teamed up with Marty Friedman to deliver shred-tastic music on Cacophony’s “Speed Metal Symphony” and “Go Off!” Fantastic times.
Both Cacophony players eventually struck it big, when Marty Friedman joined the ranks of Megadeth (delivering their best album ever, “Rust in Peace”) and Jason Becker became the new guitarist in David Lee Roth’s band (recording “A Little Ain’t Enough”). Around that time, sadly, Jason discovered a numbness in his leg, which eventually turned out to be the beginning of Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, a.k.a. Lou Gehrig’s disease), a debilitating nerve disease that Stephen Hawking (RIP) also had. Gone would be his prodigious talent, and I feared he would probably not be of this earth for long. Loving his music so much, and feeling rotten to the core of my being, I decided to send a letter to the address on the back of his album, explaining that I would like to dedicate my forthcoming Atari ST disk magazine issue to him, and asking if he wouldn’t mind.
On 16 September 1991, exactly 35 years ago, I got the reply below, which cemented Jason Becker as an all-round amazing guy in my mind.
Needless to say, I am listening to his “Perpetual Burn” album while typing this. Tears are stinging in my eyes when thinking back of how the world could have been this man’s oyster. Despite ALS being a killing disease, however, extensive care by friends and family has assured that Jason’s still among us. In fact, there have been several benefit concerts under the “Jason Becker’s Not Dead Yet” monicker, and he has even recorded two more full-length albums (laboriously composed using his eyes and special software, then recorded by talented fellow musicians). “Perspective”, released in 1995, has a song (“End of the Beginning”) that is so hauntingly beautiful that I can’t even listen to it without tearing up. Yeah, I guess I am a soppy git.
Jason is probably the most awesome guy on the planet, showing all and sundry that you can still do amazing stuff even if just about literally everything conspires against you. Indomitable perseverance and a positive attitude such as his I have never seen before or since.
Cool links:
Sam Fairless actually teaching that run in “Mabel’s Fatal Fable”
Jason Becker’s Facebook page
The Atari ST Disk Magazine “ST NEWS” Jason Becker dedication article
Video of Jason Becker’s guitar solo back in the day