Greg Howe

Easton, PA’s Greg Howe was a breathing of oxygen amidst the seemingly never-ending blast of harmonic small electric guitar virtuosos pouring forth in the Shrapnel Information label in the later ’80s. While various other post-Yngwie Malmsteen players from the “shred electric guitar” genre had been seeking the dramatic neo-classical vein, Howe brought a feeling of funk and groove to the desk which was sorely required. Howe paid his dues playing the Easton/Allentown membership circuit within the ’80s using the music group Duke, offering his sibling Al on business lead vocals. When one of is own instrumental demos grabbed the hearing of skill scout and Shrapnel Information owner Mike Varney, Howe was agreed upon to the Shrapnel label in 1987. His all-instrumental debut, Greg Howe, offering the abilities of Billy Sheehan and Atma Anur on bass and drums, respectively, premiered in 1988, to significant acclaim. Howe’s second record, High Equipment, released beneath the moniker Howe 2, was much less a solo record than a Truck Halen-styled music group effort, offering his sibling Al Howe on business lead vocals. The music group split up after launching its even more commercially minded follow-up, Today Listen to This, in 1990 and Greg Howe came back to producing all-instrumental albums in his house studio, going for a decidedly even more fusion-styled path. Howe released Introspection in 1993 and Uncertain Conditions in 1994 and it has continued to create albums in a prolific price since then. Apart from launching Parallax and Five in 1995 and 1996, respectively, Howe collaborated with fellow Pa virtuoso and Shrapnel labelmate Richie Kotzen over the Tilt record in 1995 and once again on 1997’s Richie Kotzen/Greg Howe Task. His last Shrapnel record, Ascend, premiered in 1999, accompanied by his debut over the Build Middle label, Hyperacuity, released in 2000. Beyond his solo profession, Greg Howe can be a sought-after sideman that has toured with famous brands Michael Jackson and N’Sync.