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MP3 Craig Collins Turner - Coming Home
1 MP3 Songs in this album (6:51) !
Related styles: Rock: Instrumental Rock, Featuring Guitar
People who are interested in Allan Holdsworth Joe Satriani Randy Rhoads should consider this download.
Details:
Craig started playing guitar at age 10, and within a few years was serious about the instrument and music in general. He got his first “real” guitar at age 15. That 1974 Gibson Les Paul became CCT’s main guitar for the rest of his career.
He studied privately with guitar legends Bud Dashiell, Ted Greene, and finally Randy Rhoads.
Craig was a music major at Cal State University Northridge, then attended and graduated from GIT(Musicians Institute).
Prior to attending GIT, CCT had been teaching at Musonia Music where he ultimately took over teaching Randy''s students when RR went to play with Ozzy Osbourne. Craig continued teaching at Musonia for many years instructing up to 50 students a week.
In 1987, Craig was hired on as an instructor at GIT and became a full time staff instructor within a short period of time. At GIT, he taught private lessons, Harmony and Theory classes and multiple weekly open counseling sessions. He also gave seminars in improvisation and elements of his personal technique and style. CCT continued to teach at GIT until the beginning of 1996.
During his 15+ years as an instructor, it’s estimated that Craig taught between 2500 to 3000 students. Some feel that estimate is conservative. “I loved teaching and feel truly fortunate to have had that opportunity to teach at both Musonia and Musicians Institute as well as my private students on the side. To all those students: Thanks so much for the great times and support for all those years”.
Press:
Craig was featured in numerous magazines during that period.
In the April ’85 Spotlight column in Guitar Player Magazine, Mike Varney wrote,” Craig’s style falls somewhere between Randy Rhoads and Edward Van Halen, utilizing an extensive vocabulary of pyrotechnic licks, including grinding harmonic squeals, fast melodic scales, and wide-stretching legato trills that are highly arranged”.
In the February ’91 issue of Guitar For The Practicing Musician, their comment was “Be it arrangement, accompaniment or solos, Craig is a true professional, in control of every moment even as he roars and rocks out. He is one of the best modern metal guitarists I’ve run across…”
UK’s Metals Forces magazine wrote, “All in all a true guitar hero. Someone should pick up on this guy and make him famous… Craig’s name will be on the tips of everyone’s tongues”
Metal Mania’s Feb/88 issue stated that “Craig Turner is a guitarist to reckon with. He is truly one of tomorrow’s superstars”.
Express magazine’s Lemmi Loud wrote “Craig Turner will soon be listed next to the Van Halen’s and Malmsteen’s”.
LA Rocker Magazine had an issue titled L.A.’s Guitar Heroes in which they said, “Despite the similarity in sound, Craig does not use any right hand technique (tapping), but rather uses wide interval stretch licks to create a similar effect… He has developed a trademark with his sure hit pick harmonics and has developed them to a science… His wide vibrato and pick harmonics have caused a lot of people to infer that he uses a tremolo but he does not”.
Craig also wrote instructional “Master Class” and “Metal Shop” columns for Guitar School magazine in ‘90/’91 teaching aspects of his unique style and technique.
CCT was also featured and written about in quite a few international magazines such as Burrn/Japan, Le Ame Du Fonde/France, etc.
Influences:
“There were many phenomenal guitar players that I admired and respected obviously, but I’d have to say that the three that had the biggest impact on my style, i.e. the one’s that I can hear their influence in my playing would be Robin Trower early on, then Randy Rhoads, and finally Allan Holdsworth".
Bands and Sessions:
Craig played in and with Network, Quiet Riot, Highlander, Judgement day as well as numerous other projects.
Craig recorded for diverse acts ranging from Bonnie Pointer (Pointer Sisters) to Quiet Riot. With QR, he was initially called in to redo all the guitar tracks on the demo that QR was recording for Pasha Records. But, more often than not, Craig was called in to do solos for a particular artist’s songs, and did so for international artists as well as US acts. One of those solos was featured in the Bonnie Pointer song “The Beast In Me” which was part of the “Heavenly Bodies” movie soundtrack and video.
Craig’s playing also came to the attention (for the first time) of the Ozzy Osbourne camp by pure accident hearing that Craig was indeed a guitar player that Ozzy needed to hear. That "first time" Ozzy''s top three choices were CCT, George Lynch, and Jake E. Lee who ultimately got the job.
Although not getting the guitar slot in Ozzy’s band was a huge disappointment, Craig’s being a top contender didn’t hurt in name recognition and interest among those that followed Rock’s up and coming guitar heroes.
Network had gone through numerous member changes and had reformed as Highlander. The new band set out to build a following in the LA club scene and once again became a headlining act. A street buzz and demo brought the attention of Warner Bros records and a private showcase was requested. The first comment of Warner’s A&R exec at this showcase was “wow, you guys can really play”. The Highlander demo was brought to the table at WB, but was ultimately passed on as Warner’s had two hard rock acts at the time (Van Halen and the Bulletboys) and had no budget for another hard rock act.
Another surprise phone call came in… this time from Ozzy’s road manager. Since Craig had been a top contender that last time around, they wanted to see him again.
“This time I was asked to come to a rehearsal studio in North Hollywood to play with the band minus Ozzy. I was told which songs I would need to know and that, if the band liked my playing, they would record the session. We did the first tune and bass player Phil Soussan walked over and hit the record button. We did a couple more of Oz’s songs and I got along well with both Phil and drummer Randy Castillo.
I got a call back telling me that I was the first guitar player Ozzy wanted to see, was given the date, the next set of songs that we’d be playing and was told to have a “guitar solo” prepared. The first song we did was Crazy Train. I never was one to learn other peoples licks per say, but if I had to play someone else’s stuff… well, Randy’s was about as good as it got for me.
If memory serves, we did Bark At The Moon next and then I was asked to do my “guitar solo”. I was about half way through and Ozzy walked up and motioned for me to stop. I did and he gestured two handed tapping technique and said “don’t you do any of that Van Halen stuff?” I replied that I didn’t really because everyone else did. I’ll never forget the perplexed look he had. He turned to walk away with bassist Phil asking, “Oz, don’t you want to do any more songs with Craig?”
Craig was still a full time staff instructor at MI and decided that a different approach was needed. He bought some recording gear and set up a small studio in his home with the intent of focusing on recording as opposed to live playing as the days of building a following to attract label attention were no longer a viable means to the elusive record deal.
After recording a couple of "band oriented" demos and not having much luck due to the lack of interest in Hard Rock/Metal during the 90''s, Craig started writing and recording instrumental songs for the first time.
Now, 15 years later, CCT has returned to playing and recording just finishing his first in a new batch of instrumental tunes.
This should make lots of people happy as the interest in Craig''s unique playing has never waned....all we can say is- alright, it''s about time!!
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