Instruments Guitar, vocals, bass Role Guitarist Name Richard Fortus | Years active 1986–present | |
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Born November 17, 1966 (age 58) St. Louis, MissouriUnited States ( 1966-11-17 ) Occupation(s) Musician, guitarist, songwriter, producer Associated acts Website 4tus.com Official Website of Richard Fortus Music groups Similar People Member of Guns N' Roses Formerly of The Dead Daisies, Love Spit Love, The Psychedelic Furs, Thin Lizzy, The Eyes Nationality American | ||
Rig rundown guns n roses richard fortus
Richard Fortus (born November 17, 1966) is an American guitarist. He is best known as a member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he has been a member since 2002, and with whom he has recorded one studio album. Fortus has also collaborated extensively with The Psychedelic Furs frontman Richard Butler and fellow Guns N' Roses bandmate Frank Ferrer.
Contents
- Rig rundown guns n roses richard fortus
- Gretsch featured artist guns n roses guitarist richard fortus
- Early life and beginning career
- The EyesPale Divine 1984 1991
- Love Spit Love and the Psychedelic Furs 1992 2000
- Guns N Roses 2002 present
- The Dead Daisies 2013 2016
- Other projects
- Equipment
- Personal life
- Discography
- References
Alongside his work in Guns N' Roses, Fortus is a former member of Love Spit Love, Thin Lizzy and the Dead Daisies.
Gretsch featured artist guns n roses guitarist richard fortus
Early life and beginning career
Fortus was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He began learning violin at 4 years old and the drums a year later.
Fortus studied at the Conservatory of the Arts in St. Louis and Southern Illinois University and also played in several youth symphonies in the St. Louis area.
The Eyes/Pale Divine (1984-1991)
Fortus founded the band The Eyes in 1984. The four-piece alternative band independently released "Freedom in a Cage", which was produced by David Probst. After signing with Atlantic Records, they changed their name to Pale Divine. They subsequently toured the U.S. in support of their only album, Straight to Goodbye, opening for The Psychedelic Furs.
Love Spit Love and the Psychedelic Furs (1992-2000)
After the Psychedelic Furs split up, Fortus formed Love Spit Love with Richard and Frank Ferrer in 1992. When the Furs reformed in 2000, Fortus joined the group as second guitarist and played on the live album Beautiful Chaos: Greatest Hits Live. Love Spit Love went on an indefinite hiatus soon after.
Guns N' Roses (2002-present)
In 1999, Fortus was contacted by Guns N' Roses to audition as a potential replacement for the departing Robin Finck. However, the spot was ultimately filled by Buckethead. In 2002, guitarist Paul Tobias left Guns N' Roses, citing stress with touring. Fortus was touring Europe as guitarist for Enrique Iglesias in May 2002 when he got a call from his friend (and Guns N' Roses bassist) Tommy Stinson asking him to fly out to audition for the band. Fortus joined Guns N' Roses officially in July 2002.
In Guns N' Roses, Fortus plays both rhythm and occasional lead guitar. Lead singer Axl Rose is very pleased with Fortus's work and has said, "He's an amazing lead player and very technically skilled. He really likes the pocket that Brain sets and the two of them click with Tommy so we finally have the real deal rhythm section, as Richard is a proven professional. Basically, Richard's the guy that we always were looking for."
Fortus recorded guitars for the band's 2008 album Chinese Democracy and appears on the live release Appetite for Democracy 3D.
Fortus has been present at every tour since 2002, most recently at the Not in This Lifetime... Tour, playing alongside classic era members Slash and Duff McKagan.
The Dead Daisies (2013-2016)
In 2013, Fortus joined the Dead Daisies with the likes of Jon Stevens and Dave Lowy as well as Guns N' Roses bandmates Frank Ferrer and Dizzy Reed. Their eponymous debut album was released on August 9, 2013. A second album "Revolucion" was released in 2015. Fortus left the Dead Daisies in 2016 to focus on Guns N' Roses.
Other projects
Fortus was in a group called Honky Toast with Frank Ferrer, singer Eric J. Toast and bassist E.Z. Bake. The group released one album, 1999's Watcha Gonna Do Honky?.
Fortus has collaborated with techno-rock musician BT on several occasions, including touring with him in 2000.
In March 2008 Fortus was one of the guest guitarists for the reunion shows of X Japan at the Tokyo Dome.
In 2008 he joined the Danish rock/pop band, the Storm, on their tour. Fortus played guitar on their first record, "Where the Storm Meets the Ground," and is a personal friend of leadsinger Pernille Rosendahl and lead guitarist Johan Wohlert.
Fortus provided guitar for former The Replacements and Guns N' Roses bassist Tommy Stinson's two solo albums. Fortus also recorded a cover of the James Bond theme for Guitar Hero World Tour and later played the song live as a solo spot during Guns N' Roses's 2012 tour.
He has collaborated with singer-songwriter Lásse Kvernmo in a project called Sáivu. Fortus has also recorded or toured with acts such as Rihanna, N*SYNC, Nena and Ben Folds, among others.
Fortus is a member (alongside Ferrer) of New York-based band The Compulsions.
Fortus briefly joined Thin Lizzy as lead guitarist in 2011.
Equipment
Guitars: Gibson '73 Les Paul Signature, Gretsch White Falcon Effects: Hiwatt tape echo, Lexicon PCM80 Pedals: Klon Centaur, Hermida Mosferatu Amps: 2 channel Cornford, '73 Jose-modded Marshall 100, Plexi Marshalls (modified), Diezel
Personal life
On November 5, 2005, Fortus' partner gave birth to a daughter, Paisley Piper Fortus. She gave birth to a second child, Clover Blue Fortus, on January 6, 2008.
In September 2015, he was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash, causing him to miss dates with the Dead Daisies. Fortus suffered a broken shoulder blade, a broken collar bone, six broken ribs, a broken toe, a bruised lung, a lacerated liver and a concussion.
On December 10, 2016, Fortus married Stephanie Howlett, a St. Louis-based attorney.
Discography
with The Eyes/ Pale Divine
With Love Spit Love
With Tommy Stinson
With Guns N' Roses:
With The Dead Daisies:
With The Compulsions: