Jason Becker


Location: Point Richmond, CA

Challenge: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Website: www.jasonbeckerguitar.com

Jason Becker is an American neo-classical metal guitarist and composer.

At the age of 16, he became part of the Mike Varney-produced duo Cacophony with his friend Marty Friedman. They released Speed Metal Symphony in 1987 and Go Off! in 1988. Cacophony broke up in 1989 and Jason started on solo work. His first solo album Perpetual Burn was released in 1988.

At the age of 20, Jason Becker joined David Lee Roth's band, replacing Steve Vai. While recording the A Little Ain't Enough album in 1989 and managed to win the coveted Best New Guitarist award from Guitar Magazine in the process.

Preparing for the subsequent tour, he began to feel what he called a "lazy limp" in his left leg.

After visiting doctors, he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's Disease) and given three to five years to live.

Jason could barely finish the recording, using light gauge (thin) guitar strings and other techniques, which would make it easier to play with his weakening hands. Although he managed to finish the album, which was released in 1991, he did not join the supporting tour due to his inability to perform on stage;

Due to his illness, he eventually lost the ability to speak and now communicates with his eyes via a system developed by his father. Although his ALS gradually robbed him of his ability to play guitar, to walk, and eventually even to speak, he still remains mentally sharp and, with the aid of a computer, continues composing.

Jason says "The writing came easy because whole pieces came into my head without any effort".

In 1996, Jason released an album entitled Perspective, an instrumental album composed by him (with the exception of Bob Dylan's song Meet Me in the Morning"). The writing of the music had been started before ALS completely crippled his abilities. By using guitar, and, later, when he was unable to use both hands, a keyboard, he continued to compose while his disease worsened. However, when Jason could no longer physically play even a keyboard, his friend and music producer Mike Bemesderfer helped him with a music-composing computer program which could read the movements of his head and eyes, enabling him to continue to compose after he lost control of the rest of his body.

In the back of the Perspective CD case, Jason states "I have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. It has crippled my body and speech, but not my mind." His medical condition has remained stable since 1997.

Several years later, in 1999 Jason released Raspberry Jams and in 2003 he released Blackberry Jams; which both contained some demo and un-released material.

There were 2 tribute albums to Jason Becker released. Entitled Warmth in the Wilderness I and Warmth in the Wilderness II, the albums feature guitarists such as Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, Marty Friedman, Joe Becker, Rusty Cooley, and Mattias Eklundh. Any proceeds from the album were sent to Jason to assist him with his on-going medical costs.

In 2008, Jason released an album "Collection" which includes three new songs in addition to some older recordings and features Marty Friedman, Greg Howe, Joe Satriani, Michael Lee Firkins, Steve Vai, and Steve Hunter.

In 2008, guitar makers Paradise Guitars created the Jason Becker Signature Guitar. The design was based on the Peavy guitar design with coloured number fret inlays. In 2012, Carvin worked with Jason to design a Jason Becker Tribute Guitar that is modeled after the original DC-series guitar he used toward the latter part of his career. The guitar features an Alder body with flamed maple top, maple neck with a flamed maple fingerboard, a Floyd Rose tremolo, jumbo frets, 2 humbuckers, active electronics, and comes standard in a transparent blue finish.

In 2012, a documentary movie premiered in cinemas across the world. Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet includes interviews with Becker, his family and friends, and the various world-class musicians he has worked with. It has won nine awards, two at the 2012 Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, CA : Audience Award for Best Documentary and Special Jury Prize for Documentary.

Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet is available at amazon.com and his albums are available through Itunes.

Jason is currently working on a new CD which will feature many great guitarists.


Jason Becker Movie Trailer "Not Dead Yet"