James LoMenzo

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James LoMenzo
Onstage in the Katowice, Poland, March 2008
Background information
Also known as	JLo
Born	January 13, 1959 (1959-01-13) (age 50)
Origin	Brooklyn, New York, USA
Genres	Hard rock Glam metal Heavy metal Thrash metal Speed metal
Occupations	Bassist
Instruments	Bass, Guitar
Years active	1980 - present
Associated acts	Clockwork Rondinelli White Lion Pride & Glory Slash's Snakepit Black Label Society Ozzy Osbourne David Lee Roth Megadeth
Website	James LoMenzo's official website Megadeth official site
Notable instruments
Warwick Stryker Alembic

James "JLo" LoMenzo (born January 13, 1959 in Brooklyn, New York) is a metal bassist. He currently plays in the thrash metal band Megadeth.

Past Bands & Other Works

In the late 1970s, he started in a band called "Empty Sky," a rock band with hints of jazz. The band was based out of Brooklyn and was one of the biggest up-and-coming young bands. James was the lead singer and bass guitarist. The band consisted of Robert Littera at lead guitar, Julie Pontecorvo on Trumpet, Marco Lagana on trombone, Frank Bonanno on tenor saxophone, Oscar Olivera on drums, Vincent Chirico on rhythm guitar and John Buccellato on electric piano. The band broke up as the members began to mature and take their separate career paths.

He played bass with Clockwork, his first original hard rock band in 1980 to 1983. He then went on to play in the band Rondinelli with Ray Gillen before joining White Lion in 1984.

He played bass with White Lion from 1984 to 1991, and later with Zakk Wylde's side-project Lynyrd Skynhead who evolved into Pride & Glory and released one 1994 album. Although he left the band during their 1994 tour, he returned to play on Zakk Wylde's 1996 solo album Book of Shadows. He had a brief stint in the recording studio with Ozzy Osbourne in 1994 but the sessions were not used, and Ozzmosis was re-recorded by different musicians the next year. In 1995, James, along with Pride & Glory drummer Brian Tichy joined Slash's Snakepit as touring musicians.He was a member of David Lee Roth's band in the late '90s and early '00s and performed on his album Diamond Dave.

In 2004, James rejoined Zakk Wylde in his band Black Label Society until October 2005 when he was replaced by Black Label Society's original bassist John DeServio.

James is also part of the band "Hideous Sun Demons."

Megadeth (2006-Present)

As of February 10, 2006, LoMenzo was hired as bassist of thrash metal band Megadeth. He and the band released United Abominations with Guitarist/Singer Dave Mustaine, then Guitarist Glen Drover and his brother on drums, Shawn Drover. Lomenzo has also recorded bass for Megadeth's upcoming 12th album Endgame featuring guitarist Chris Broderick in place of Glen Drover. Lomenzo will also be featured on Megadeth's upcoming DVD Blood in the Water: Live in San Diego filmed during Gigantour 2008.

Other

LoMenzo is also a graphic artist and did the art work for Gilby Clarke's solo album Rubber in 1998.

Gear

James LoMenzo is best known for his frequent use of the Warwick Buzzard bass and Warwick Stryker bass. His amplification section is dominated by Ashdown amps and cabinets. His effects pedals include Dunlop Crybaby, MXR Chorus, MXR Distortion, and Aphex Punch as well as other pedals. Interestingly, his rig bears a strong resemblance to that of John Entwistle, who also used Ashdown amps and Buzzard basses (which he designed himself). LoMenzo's live rig can be seen here. He is an endorser of RotoSound bass strings. He is also known to play Alembic bass guitar, or more specifically the spyder model. He was also seen playing a Fender Marcus Miller Jazz Bass for the entirety of the 2007 Megadeth Tour of Duty. As of September 2008, James has been seen playing a Yamaha BB Custom Shop model; which in itself, has a slightly smaller body than a standard BB, two pairs of P bass pick-ups (one reversed), a neck pick-up based on a Gibson Model One, a maple neck and a Hipshot D-Tuner.

Discography

With Rondinelli

• Wardance (Recorded circa 1985, released 1996)

With White Lion

• Fight to Survive (1985)
• Pride (1987)
• Big Game (1989)
• Mane Attraction (1991)
• The Best Of (1992)

With Pride & Glory

• Pride & Glory (1994)

With Zakk Wylde

• Book of Shadows (1996)

With David Lee Roth

• Diamond Dave (2003)

With Black Label Society

• Hangover Music Vol. VI (2004)
• Mafia (2005)

With Megadeth

• United Abominations (2007)
• Endgame (2009)
• Blood in the Water: Live in San Diego (2010)

With Tim "Ripper" Owens

• Play My Game (2009)

External links

• Megadeth Official Website