Biography All Music Guide Wikipedia
All Music Guide:
Dave Mustaine usually gets all the credit for creating Megadeth's fierce guitar attack on their classic early albums. But guitarist Chris Poland was an integral part of Megadeth's guitar tandem on what is considered by many to be two of thrash metal's first-wave classics (and an obvious influence on countless bands to follow), 1985's Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good! and 1986's Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? Born on December 1, 1957, in Dunkirk, NY, Poland was more influenced by jazz-fusion bands than heavy metal acts early on, which resulted in a relocation to Los Angeles during the late '70s to play in a jazz-fusion band with fellow New York transplant/drummer Gar Samuelson. By 1984, Poland and Samuelson had crossed paths with Mustaine, which resulted in the formation of what many consider the definitive Megadeth lineup (which was rounded out by bassist Dave Ellefson). Along with Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax, Megadeth was one of the trailblazers of the thrash metal genre (which were heavily influenced by Motörhead and early Iron Maiden, and served as a reaction of sorts against the then-thriving hair metal scene). Judging from the aforementioned Megadeth releases, it appeared as though the Mustaine-Poland-Ellefson-Samuelson lineup would go on to become one of metal's all-time greats. This turned out to not be the case, however, as Poland and Samuelson would exit the band in 1987 under less than rosy circumstances (allegedly brought on by rampant drug abuse by all the bandmembers). Poland would resurface briefly as a bass player for punk rockers the Circle Jerks before launching a solo career, with the release of 1990's Return to Metalopolis. Poland would continue to issue sporadic solo albums over the years, as well as one-off releases with such bands as Damn the Machine and Mumbo's Brain, while also working with Megadeth in a sporadic, studio-only capacity (playing on demos for 1990's Rust in Peace, and on 2004's The System Has Failed). Poland continues to work with other acts, including OHM, and has appeared on a pair of releases by Lamb of God (2003's As the Palaces Burn and 2004's Ashes of the Wake).
Wikipedia:
Chris Poland (born December 1, 1957) is an American guitarist, best known for being a former member of heavy metal band Megadeth.
Biography
Early career
Poland began playing the guitar in high school in Dunkirk, New York. He later replaced a former guitar instructor, Dick "Max" Maxfield, in the Cambridge, NY based rock/jazz band Welkin. He moved to Los Angeles in 1977, where from 1977 to 1982 he was the lead guitarist in the New Yorkers, a Jazz/Rock fusion band, with Robert Pagliari on fretless bass, Gar Samuelson on drums, Stu Samuelson on guitar, and Don Roper on saxophone. He says that he learnt timing playing with Gar and also that playing with him made him a better player.
Megadeth
In 1984, Poland's bandmate from the New Yorkers, Gar Samuelson, became the drummer of thrash metal band Megadeth. Megadeth had been formed the previous year by Dave Mustaine, the original lead guitarist of fellow thrash metal band Metallica, who had been fired from the band because of his substance abuse. After seeing Samuelson perform live with Megadeth, Poland went backstage and suggested an impromptu audition as a lead guitarist. Poland thereafter became a full member of the band, along with Samuelson, Mustaine, and bass player David Ellefson.
In 1985, Megadeth released their first album Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!, which showcased Poland's dynamic style of playing. However, he was arrested by Police for trying to score heroin, Poland left the band during the tour to support the album, and was replaced temporarily by guitarist Mike Albert. Poland later rejoined the band to record their second album Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? in 1986. The album was highly acclaimed critically for both its instrumental and lyrical complexity, and is today considered widely to be one of the defining records of thrash metal. Allmusic referred to Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? as "One of the most influential metal albums of its decade, and certainly one of the few truly definitive thrash albums".
Mustaine later referred to Poland as "an amazing guitar player—he can play circles around me". However, Poland and Samuelson's relations with Mustaine and Ellefson worsened, due in part to the former's increasing drug dependencies which led to the pair pawning the band's equipment to fund their drug habits.
In July 1987, a conflict arose between Mustaine and Poland regarding a t-shirt contract that Poland claimed to have been left out of. Poland quit the band in protest leading to an ongoing feud between the two musicians. For Megadeth's third album So Far, So Good... So What! Mustaine wrote a song called "Liar" about Poland's drug use and lifestyle. Mustaine would regularly dedicate it to Poland during live performances.
Post-Megadeth
After leaving Megadeth, Poland was treated successfully for substance abuse, and joined punk rock legends The Circle Jerks as a bass player. In 1990, he released Return to Metalopolis a solo heavy metal/jazz fusion album. Shortly beforehand, he agreed to record demos for Megadeth's fourth album, Rust in Peace, but declined what would be the first of two offers to re-join the band permanently (in this instance partly because of his concentration on his solo album, and the fact that, since most of the album's music and arrangements had already been written, Poland felt that the scope for his input would be limited). Guitarist Marty Friedman joined Megadeth later that year, and adapted some of Poland's guitar solos for the release version of Rust in Peace, which would go on to be one of Megadeth's most critically praised albums.
In the mid to late 1990s, Poland worked on other collaborative musical projects, including the progressive rock band Damn the Machine, with David Randi on bass, and Dave Clemmons as vocalist and co-guitarist. In 1993, the band released their eponymous debut album (on A and M Records), with strongly political lyrical content. They also released a promotional record, Silence, featuring covers of "I'd Love to Change the World" by blues-rock band Ten Years After, and "Cat Food" by progressive rock/jazz fusion band King Crimson.
Upon Dave Clemmons' departure from the band, the remaining members recruited a new vocalist, John Skipp, and re-formed as Mumbo's Brain, recording Excerpts From The Book Of Mumbo in 1995. The band disbanded following the departures of David Randi, and John Skipp.
2000s
In 2000, ten years after the release of Return to Metalopolis, Poland released his second solo album, Chasing the Sun, as well as a solo compilation album Rare Trax. In 2007, he released Return to Metalopolis - Live, featuring a live performance of the titular album.
Poland is currently a member of the primarily jazz fusion band OHM, formed in 2002, with Poland on guitar, Kofi Baker on drums and Robertino Pagliari on bass guitar. They released their self-titled debut album in 2003, followed by Amino Acid Flashback in 2005, and Circus of Sound in 2008. The band also released a live album in 2004, and a DVD, Live at the New Brookland Tavern, in 2006.
In 2003, Poland performed a solo on Purified from the Lamb of God album As The Palaces Burn. The following year, he contributed to Lamb of God's next album, Ashes of the Wake, with a guitar solo on the album's instrumental title-track (beginning at 3:45 and ending at 4:15).
In a surprise turn in 2004, Dave Mustaine requested Poland to record guitar solos for the Megadeth record The System Has Failed, the first Megadeth album not to feature original bass player and founding member David Ellefson. Poland recorded the solos on a contractual basis, but did not re-join the band. Poland and Mustaine subsequently came into dispute with one another over payments relating to the album, however, they appear to have made amends once more as Poland began posting on the official Megadeth online message board.
In 2008, Poland appeared on Misty Mountain Hop: A Millennium Tribute to Led Zeppelin by heavy metal/hard rock band Harry Slash & The Slashtones. The following year, he recorded a track for the compilation record Guitars That Ate My Brain (which also includes a track by Guns N' Roses' guitarist Bumblefoot).
In 2009, Poland formed OHMphrey, a side-project with Robby Pagliari of OHM, and Jake Cinninger, Kris Myers, and Joel Cummins of progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee. OHMphrey's debut album, OHMphrey, was released through Magna Carta Records on May 19, 2009.
Playing style
Poland has a severed tendon on the index finger on his fret hand, which allows him to stretch unusually far with his finger. He has partially attributed the greater flexibility that this affords him to the evolution of his signature guitar playing style, defined by smoothly phrased passages and wide intervallic leaps.
