Quick Facts
Biography
Michael Casswell (18 June 1963 – 30 September 2016) was an English session guitarist who toured and recorded with numerous artists including Brian May, Joe Bonamassa, Steve Hackett, Wang Chung, Ronan Keating, Rose Royce, Cozy Powell, Tony Hadley, Go West, Dean Friedman, Limahl (Kajagoogoo), Rhinos Revenge Band, and Marcus Malone.
Career
Casswell started playing the guitar from the age of 11. In the mid-1980s he was signed to RCA USA as a part of a band called Heroes. From the late 1980s to the early 1990s he was signed to MCA UK with the British rock band Walk on Fire, which released an album Blind Faith in 1989. In 1992, he joined the Brian May Band for the South America tour. Casswell co-wrote and co-produced Cozy Powell's last solo album Especially for You that was released from Polygram Records in 1998. From 2006 to 2008, Casswell played in the West End Queen musical We Will Rock You. Casswell has also taught guitar through many DVDs from Lick Library with an emphatic focus on classic rock and blues styles. Since 2011, he has been regularly contributing to Guitar Interactive magazine with columns, gear reviews and interviews.
In 2014, Casswell released a solo album entitled Complaints about the noise.
Equipment and style
Casswell was a keen user of the guitar's tremolo bar. He was often seen playing pre-Samick Valley Arts guitarsequipped with Floyd Rose and EMG pickups. He also frequently played a Music Man (Luke) guitar, as well as various Fender Stratocasters and James Tyler guitars. For amplifiers, he mainly used Mesa-Boogie, or Marshall Amplification.
Discography
Solo
- Complaints about the noise (2014)