In a new feature at Goldmine, former Megadeth guitarist, Marty Friedman, picks five albums that have showcased his favourite guitar playing and should open the minds of any young guitar slinger.
One of Friedman’s picks is Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush’s “Live” album, originally released by Columbia Records in March, 1978.
Says Marty: “For someone like me who is not particularly a Jimi Hendrix fan, I would agree that it is odd that three of my all-time favorite guitar players are Uli Jon Roth, Robin Trower and Frank Marino. These guys have undoubtedly been influenced by Hendrix, and to such an extent that all three of them have (quite unfairly) been labeled “Hendrix clones” by short-sighted journalists and fair weather fans. All three of them took their early influence from Hendrix, but then springboarded their playing into the stratosphere, creating unique and extremely beautiful and enjoyable offshoots of the Hendrix school of distortion-soaked blues soloing. Frank Marino’s playing on this live album bristled with so much intensity, urgency and excitement, it is impossible for me to compare it to the laid-back, sloppy and druggy guitar style that likely inspired him. His sense of melody, particularly on the stately ‘The World Anthem’, was something I never musically imagined before hearing Frank Marino, and something I have tried to emulate over my career.”
Find out which other albums Marty selected at Goldmine.
Friedman has announced 2025 US tour dates supporting his most recent studio album, Drama, out now on Frontiers Music. The tour will kick off on January 25 in Las Vegas and wraps up on February 22 in Los Angeles. Tickets are on sale now.
Marty comments on the tour: “My three band members from Japan, Chargeeeeee, Wakazaemon, and Naoki have created the ultimate setting to perform music from all stages of my career. If you’ve seen us live before, you know what to expect. If not, you are in for a unique treat. You will remember my band’s performances on this Drama tour for a long time. Our last two USA tours have left an unforgettable impact on them. We are all beyond excited to cross the pond and play for my home country again!”
The dynamic acoustic duo of Nikki Stringfield & Patrick Kennison will perform as special guests for these dates.
About the tour, Nikki shared this: “We are thrilled to be warming up the stage for the incomparable Marty Friedman on his upcoming tour with our acoustic duo! We’ll be rocking a variety of originals with a splash of some of your favorite metal songs in a way you’ve never heard before.. see you on the road!”
Marty Friedman Live Drama 2025 dates:
January
25 – Las Vegas, NV – Count’s Vamp’d
27 – Denver, CO – HQ Live
29 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway
30 – St. Charles, IL – Arcada Theater
31 – Westland, MI – Token Lounge
February
1 – Columbus, OH – The King of Clubs
2 – Cleveland, OH – The Winchester
4 – New York, NY – The Loft at City Winery
5 – Boston, MA – City Winery
6 – Derry, NH – Tupelo Music Hall
7 – Annapolis, MD – Ram’s Head on Stage
8 – Pawling, NY – Daryl’s House
10 – Philadelphia, PA – City Winery
11 – Leesburg, VA – Tally Ho Theater
13 – Greenville, SC – Radio Room
14 – Nashville, TN – The Basement
16 – Houston, TX – Bronze Peacock at House of Blues
17 – Austin, TX – Antone’s
18 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater
20 – Albuquerque, NM – Launch Pad
21 – Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room
22 – Los Angeles, CA – The Whisky
Tickets, Exclusive Meet and Greet VIP Packages, Stage Played Guitars, and more are available at MartyFriedman.com.
Marty Friedman’s presence in the world of music, the world of guitar, and Japanese pop culture is mystifying, bizarre, and nothing short of inspiring. On his new solo album, Drama, he only slightly revisits the atmospheric elements of his legendary 1992 release, Scenes, elevating them to a modern and exotic collection of epic, extravagant, and unapologetically emotional mini-symphonies.
Recorded in Verona, Italy, where Marty had access to a treasure trove of extremely rare vintage guitars along with his modern signature models, he has achieved a sonic depth unlike anything else. Drama is a pure, uplifting musical experience.
Order Drama here.
Since moving to Japan in 2003, Marty Friedman has become a household name even beyond the world of music. Fluent in Japanese, he has appeared on over 900 Japanese TV shows of every variety, as well as motion pictures and commercials, including an ad campaign for Coca-Cola / Fanta that ran for over two years. He was recently appointed an Ambassador of Japan Heritage by the Japanese government, who also commissioned him to compose the “Japan Heritage Theme Song,” recorded by Marty and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and is played at official government-related events. He has played the Opening Ceremony at the Tokyo Marathon 5 times, most recently in March 2024. Marty has written three books in Japanese that were released in Japan, and a brand-new full autobiography in English, Dreaming Japanese, that will be released worldwide on December 3, 2025. Pre-orders and signed limited editions are available now at DreamingJapaneseBook.com.
In addition to his legendary work with Cacophony and Megadeth, Marty has released fifteen solo albums, starting with the guitar-game-changing ‘Dragon’s Kiss,’ and has had multi-platinum, platinum, and gold album sales awards in twenty-seven countries, achieving seven Grammy nominations to date. Before the Drama album, Friedman put out the distinguished, ongoing Tokyo Jukebox line, which, as the title suggests, is a series of albums featuring “Marty-fied” covers of Japanese songs starting with Tokyo Jukebox in 2009, Tokyo Jukebox 2 in 2011, and most recently, Tokyo Jukebox 3 in 2020. This series has become a go-to set for people all around the world who are fast becoming fascinated with Japan and its music.
Marty has played the Tokyo Dome, Budokan, and every major Japanese venue multiple times. He has toured Japan countless times with his solo music as well as alongside many legendary Japanese stars. Marty performed as a soloist with five major symphony orchestras in concert as well as on Japanese television.