Sunday, January 24, 2010

Beatle People: Rusty Anderson

Rusty Anderson (born January 20, 1959 in La Habra, California) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and music producer. He is best known as lead guitarist with Paul McCartney, though he has worked with an extensive list of artists in addition to his own solo career.

Early life

Rusty Anderson grew up in La Habra, California. At the age of 8, his father gave him his first electric guitar. Anderson's mother convinced him to take music lessons. However, after a few weeks he decided to stop formal lessons. Anderson soon formed a hard rock band named Eulogy, when he was only 13.

The band included Dirk Van Tatenhove, Myles Crawley, Ross Holly and Mike Jones (currently recording as Zallen), who were together in various forms for six years. Eulogy won a sizable local following, playing with bands such as The Police, Van Halen, Quiet Riot and The Motels. Eulogy also lent their talent to singer/songwiter/actress Ronee Blakley for the Wim Wenders film I Played It For You. The band's look and following changed after the departure of drummer Jimmy Volpe, who was replaced by Chuck Billings (formerly of Virgin). Eulogy earned an audition with Arista Records head Clive Davis, but the band was never signed and broke up without releasing an album.

Career

After Eulogy broke up, Anderson formed The Living Daylights, a psychedelic and progressive rock band, which put out a record on the Greenworld Label. The Living Daylights also failed to break into the big time, but a copy of their demo tape made its way to producer David Kahne, who invited Anderson to contribute some solos to an album he was producing for the Bangles' 1986 album, Different Light. Also during this time, Anderson worked for several years as a guitar teacher at the now defunct Whittier Music Company.

Anderson was briefly a member of Animal Logic, a short-lived supergroup featuring former Police drummer Stewart Copeland and Return to Forever bassist Stanley Clarke.

In 1993, Anderson was invited by songwriters Scott Cutler and Anne Preven to join a new band - Ednaswap - along with Paul Bushnel and Carla Azar. The band released four major label records on East West/Elektra Records, and penned the worldwide number 1 hit song Torn, covered by Natalie Imbruglia. Imbruglia's version of the song failed to stir up interest in the group's subsequent LP, 1998's Wonderland Park, and the band disbanded in the spring of 1999.

That same year, in 1999, Anderson contributed the guitar solo to Ricky Martin's hit Livin' la Vida Loca.

In 2001, Anderson, along with drummer Abe Laboriel Jr., got a call from producer David Kahne to play and sing on Sir Paul McCartney's record Driving Rain.

Anderson was then signed on as a guitarist with McCartney's road band for his world tour, which was documented on the albums Back in the U.S. and Back in the World. He also appeared on McCartney's 2005 release Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, and again joined the ex-Beatle for his subsequent road work.

Solo career

In December 2003, Rusty Anderson released his first solo album, Undressing Underwater, through his own record label, Oxide Records. The album was re-released by Surfdog Records, iTunes and Amazon in 2005. The album was recorded at Oxide Studios in Southern California, and Sunset Sound and Henson Studios. The album was self-produced by Anderson, along with David Kahne, Mudrock and Parthenon Huxley. The album featured contributions from Paul McCartney, Brian Ray, Paul Wickens, Abe Laboriel Jr. and many others.

The majority "of the recordings were done in between touring" with Paul McCartney. Anderson states that "the songs are mostly about facing one's demons and attempting to bottle them."

Discography

Year Album Artist Notes
1986 Better Than Heaven Stacey Q
1988 Hard Machine Stacey Q
1989 Perfect View The Graces
1991 Animal Logic II Animal Logic

When You're A Boy Susanna Hoffs
1993 Broken Toy Shop E
1994 Arrive All Over You Danielle Brisebois

Human Cradle Melanie Williams
1995 Ednaswap Ednaswap
1997 Wacko Magneto Ednaswap
1998 Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too New Radicals

Wonderland Park Ednaswap
1999 Livin' La Vida Loca Ricky Martin

No Angel Dido

Ricky Martin Ricky Martin

Ultimate Collection The Fixx
2000 Faith and Courage Sinéad O'Connor

Heaven Is A Halfpipe OPM

Invincible Summer k.d. lang

Life Is A Rollercoaster Ronan Keating

Menace to Sobriety OPM
2001 Brand New History Econoline Crush

Driving Rain Paul McCartney

Hunter Dido

Living Proof Cher

Songs From The West Coast Elton John

Ultimate High Carly Hennessy
2002 A Place To Land Dakota Moon

Back in the U.S. Paul McCartney Live DVD; guitars, backing vocals

Destination Ronan Keating

I'm Gonna Blow Your Mind Carly Hennessy

Red Letter Days The Wallflowers

Shaman Santana

Ultimate High Carly Hennessy
2003 0304 Jewel

From The Inside Laura Pausini

Life For Rent Dido

Reason Melanie C

Stand Jewel

To Whom It May Concern Lisa Marie Presley
2004 Éxitos Mikel Erentxun

Escucha Laura Pausini

Love.Angel.Music.Baby. Gwen Stefani

Resta In Ascolto Laura Pausini

Sand In My Shoes Dido
2005 The Secret Life of... The Veronicas

Undressing Underwater Rusty Anderson Debut solo album
2006 Bat Out Of Hell III - The Monster Is Loose Meat Loaf

Begin To Hope Regina Spektor

Loose Nelly Furtado
2007 Memory Almost Full Paul McCartney

Who You Are Cary Brothers
2008 Satisfied Taylor Dayne


Wikipedia

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