Racer X

• Genre: Instrumental Guitar Rock
• Hometown: Los Angeles

About

Instrumental guitar fans, the buck for speed stops here. What Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) member, teacher, and future sell-out (Mr. Big) Paul Gilbert did in his Racer X was set the limits for how fast it is possible to speed pick, sweep pick -- you name the picking, he can pick it faster. With the addition of his student Bruce Bouillet on second guitar, the two went on to see how fast two guitars could do all those things together, setting synchronized speed records matched only by Marty Friedman and Jason Becker in the somewhat similar Cacophony. While Cacophony drew critical comparisons to Stravinsky with their Speed Metal Symphony, Racer X had a decidedly poppier image, what with the fringe on their neon Ibanez guitars, stabs at commercial hard rock radio ("Living the Hard Way"), and covers of David Bowie's "Moonage Daydream."

- Jessy Terry