Kiko Loureiro

Kiko Loureiro
Loureiro performing in 2016
Background information
Born (1972-06-16) 16 June 1972
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Genres Heavy metal, power metal, progressive metal, thrash metal, neoclassical metal, jazz fusion, Eurobeat
Instruments Guitar
Years active 1988–present
Associated acts Angra, Megadeth, Tarja Turunen, Neural Code
Website kikoloureiro.net

Pedro Henrique "Kiko" Loureiro (born 16 June 1972) is a Brazilian heavy metal guitarist, best known as a member of the bands Angra and Megadeth. Along with Angra's other guitarist and primary songwriter Rafael Bittencourt, Loureiro has appeared on all of the band's releases.

Career

Loureiro began studying music and playing acoustic guitar at age 11. He studied with two big famous Brazilian musicians: Pedro Bueno and Mozart Mello. Inspired by various artists, mainly Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, and Randy Rhoads, he moved to the electric guitar at 13 and by 16 had already joined two bands, Legalize (with Edu Mello on vocals, Dennis Belik on bass and Alja on drums) and A Chave, and was playing in nightclubs in São Paulo. At 19, he helped co-found Brazilian power metal band Angra.[1]

Due to the increase in popularity of power metal, Loureiro has become quite successful, both playing in Angra and as a solo artist.

In addition to his rock/metal achievements, Loureiro has also played guitars on several eurobeat songs in collaboration with Dave Rodgers, including "Fevernova", "Ring of Fire" and "The Road is on Fire".

On 2 April 2015 it was announced that Loureiro had joined the American thrash metal band Megadeth, replacing Chris Broderick.[2]

On 12 February 2017 Loureiro won his first Grammy Award for the Megadeth song "Dystopia" which won "Best Metal Performance" at the 59th Grammy Awards along with Dave Mustaine, David Ellefson and Chris Adler.

Musical style

Loureiro is known for his tremendous technical skill on the guitar, frequently incorporating such techniques as two handed tapping, sweep picking (full swept arpeggios), alternate picking, hybrid picking, artificial & natural harmonics and combining legato & staccato in the same run or phrase. He is also well known for both his instructional and demonstration videos as well as for writing columns for and appearing on the cover of magazines Cover Guitarra, Guitar & Bass, and Young Guitar.

Despite being a right-handed guitarist, Loureiro is naturally left-handed. As such, he spends most of his pre-warmups focusing on his right-hand techniques.[3]

Personal life

Loureiro speaks some French, Spanish, and English in addition to his native Portuguese.

Kiko is married to Finnish pianist and keyboardist Maria Ilmoniemi since 2011, having met her during his tenure in Tarja Turunen's Storm World Tour in 2008. Their first daughter, Livia, was born on 29 September 2011. On 21 November 2016 they welcomed twins in the family, Dante and Stella.[4]

Discography

Solo

Video lesson and instructional

  • Guitarra Rock (1993)
  • Os Melhores Solos e Riffs do Angra (2003)
  • Tecnica e Versatilidade (2003)
  • Guitarra Tecnica Para Iniciantes (2009)
  • Rock Fusion Brasileiro (2009)
  • Creative Fusion (2010)

Angra

Tribuzy

Tarja

Neural Code

  • Neural Code (2009)

Paco Ventura Black Moon

  • Arabestia (2015)

Megadeth

References

  1. ↑ Angra.net Biography
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
  3. ↑ Reverb.com. "Reverb Interview: Kiko Loureiro of Megadeth & Angra Talks Ibanez and Pre-Show Warmups". YouTube. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  4. ↑ http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/megadeth-guitarist-kiko-loureiro-welcomes-twins-with-finnish-wife/
Preceded by
Chris Broderick		 Megadeth lead guitarist
2015–present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
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