Guy Picciotto
Background information
Born (1965-09-17) September 17, 1965 (age 46), Washington D.C.[1]
Genres Punk rock
Occupations Songwriter, Musician, Producer
Instruments Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drum machine, Clarinet, Thumb piano, Percussion
Years active 1984–present
Labels Dischord
Associated acts Fugazi, Rites of Spring, Happy Go Licky, One Last Wish
Notable instruments
Rickenbacker 330

Guy Picciotto (pronounced [ˈɡi piˈtʃotto] or "Gee Pitch-oh-toe") is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, musician, and producer from Washington, DC.[2]

He is most widely known for his role as one of the guitarists and vocalists of Fugazi, as well as Rites of Spring.[3]

Contents

Career [link]

Rites of Spring & Early Projects [link]

Main article: Rites of Spring

Picciotto's musical career began in 1985, with the group Rites of Spring. A part of the D.C. post-hardcore scene, Rites of Spring increased the frenetic violence and visceral passion of hardcore while simultaneously experimenting with its compositional rules. Picciotto, as the band's lyricist, as well as singer & guitarist also shifted hardcore into intensely personal realms and, in doing so, is generally credited with creating emo.[4]

Picciotto's early musical resume also includes the bands One Last Wish (1986), Happy Go Licky (1987–1988), Brief Weeds (EPs released circa 1991 - 1992), and The Black Light Panthers (ongoing sporadic project since 1982), the last two bands both being projects with Brendan Canty. He also created a record label called Peterbilt Records, which released limited-quantity vinyl record albums for the bands Rain, Happy Go Licky, and Deadline, then years later was involved in releasing the album 1986 by One Last Wish, along with Dischord Records.

Fugazi [link]

Main article: Fugazi

Though not in the original line up of Fugazi, Picciotto joined very early in the group's career, singing with them by their second show and appearing on all the band's studio recordings.

From the Margin Walker EP on, he also took up 2nd guitar duties, playing characteristically trebly Rickenbacker guitars. After seven albums (13 Songs, Repeater, Steady Diet of Nothing, In on the Kill Taker, Red Medicine, End Hits, The Argument), and several tours, Fugazi went on "indefinite hiatus" in 2003.

Side Projects & Production Work [link]

Picciotto has collaborated and performed with Mats Gustafsson, Vic Chesnutt, and members of the Ex among others. He co-produced Gossip's breakthrough record Standing in the Way of Control.

He also produced Blonde Redhead's Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons (2000) and Misery Is a Butterfly (2004) as well as The Blood Brothers final album, Young Machetes. Picciotto played on the Vic Chesnutt albums North Star Deserter (2007) and At the Cut (2009), and accompanied him on a 2009 Fall/Winter North American Tour. He co-produced the film Chain with Jem Cohen (who made the Fugazi film Instrument).

Equipment [link]

Guitars [link]

  • Rickenbacker 330 - Picciotto's main guitars are a sunburst Rickenbacker 330 and 2 identical black Rickenbacker 330's all equipped with RIC HB1 humbuckers. He has also occasionally been seen playing a natural-finish 330. The characteristically trebly Rickenbackers allowed Piccotto to make use of sonic space not taken by Mackaye's chunkier, rhythmic guitar playing in Fugazi.[5]
  • Gibson Les Paul Jr. - During Picciotto's time with Rites of Spring and during the early days of Fugazi he could also be seen playing Les Paul Junior's.

Amplification [link]

  • Park 100 Watt heads
  • Marshall JCM 800 2203 heads
  • Red or Black Marshall JCM 800 4x12 cabinets fitted with 75-watt celestion speakers

Effects [link]

  • MXR Distortion+
  • Vox 847 Wah or Buddah Budwah
  • Echo Park Echoplex
  • Diamond Memory Lane Delay (first edition)
  • Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Plus
  • Z.Vex Seek Tremolo
  • Z.Vex Fuzz Factory
  • Z.Vex Ringtone
  • Frantone Cream Puff Fuzz
  • Ernie Ball Volume Pedal
  • Boss TU-2 Tuner

Misc [link]

  • Guy uses Bullet Cables for all pedal and guitar/amplifier connections live and in-studio.[6]

Personal [link]

He holds a B.A. degree in English from Georgetown University and is a graduate of the Washington, DC private school, the Georgetown Day School.[7]

Discography [link]

Rites of Spring [link]

One Last Wish [link]

  • 1986 (1999)

Happy Go Licky [link]

Black Light Panthers [link]

Brief Weeds [link]

Fugazi [link]

References [link]

  1. ^ "Fugazi Biography." Worldoffugazi.org. Last accessed January 27th, 2012.
  2. ^ Picciotto's first name is French, while his last name is Sicilian
  3. ^ Prato, Greg. "Biography: Guy Picciotto". AMG. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p179914. Retrieved 15 May 2010. 
  4. ^ DeRogatis, Jim (1999). "Emo (The Genre That Dare Not Speak Its Name)". Guitar World (Future US, Inc.). https://www.jimdero.com/OtherWritings/Other%20emo.htm. Retrieved 16 November 2008. 
  5. ^ "FUGAZI: A guitar gear summary." Effects Bay. Last accessed February 10th, 2011.
  6. ^ "Bullet Cables: Artist Roster." Bullet Cables Official Website. Last accessed October 9th, 2011.
  7. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=bfPuzbXZdJAC&pg=PA33&lpg=PA33&dq=%22guy+picciotto%22+%22georgetown+day+school%22&source=bl&ots=A-Eblh3x0P&sig=AlhGo-HmCyoUc95ZobAzlQmu_Wk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1lIST8KWMq240gHKz5H4CQ&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22guy%20picciotto%22%20%22georgetown%20day%20school%22&f=false

External links [link]

Fugazi
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilation albums
Soundtrack albums
EPs
Related articles

https://wn.com/Guy_Picciotto

Podcasts:

Email this Page Play all in Full Screen Show More Related Videos
PLAYLIST TIME:
×
×
×
×