26 Facts About Richie Kotzen

Richie Kotzen was signed to California-based Shrapnel Records from 1988 to 1991, and again from 1995 to 1997.

Richie Kotzen was a member of glam metal band Poison from 1991 to 1993, Mr Big from 1999 to 2002, and since 2012, has been the frontman of the band The Winery Dogs.

Richie Kotzen started his career in a band named Arthur's Museum.

Richie Kotzen created the video Rock Chops for REH video in 1989, highlighting many of his formative techniques, including using wide-intervals and fluid sweeping.

In 1991, at age 21, Richie Kotzen joined glam metal band Poison, co-writing and performing on the album Native Tongue.

Richie Kotzen was fired from Poison in 1993 when it was discovered that he had become romantically involved with Rockett's then-fiancee Deanna Eve,[1].

In 1999, Richie Kotzen replaced Paul Gilbert as guitarist in the mainstream hard rock band Mr Big, performing on their album Get Over It.

Richie Kotzen contributed guitars and songwriting to their subsequent release Actual Size.

In 2001, while still in Mr Big, Richie Kotzen recorded and released another solo album called Slow, which contains a mix of bluesy rock for which a music video was filmed.

On some of the songs on Slow Richie Kotzen experimented with the use of a drum computer, while on others he played drums.

Richie Kotzen released his next solo album Change, in 2003.

In 2002, Richie Kotzen established a recording studio and production company.

In 2005, Richie Kotzen teamed up with three Japanese punk rockers to form the short-lived Forty Deuce-Project, which only lasted long enough to record and release one album.

Later in the same year, Richie Kotzen collaborated with Funk Rock Fusion guitarist Steve Saluto on his album Rough Beat.

In 2006, Richie Kotzen was the opening act for The Rolling Stones in Japan on their Bigger Bang tour.

In 2011, Richie Kotzen released a full-length Solo album titled 24 Hours.

On January 25,2018, Richie Kotzen released a video for his new single called The Damned, a heavy blues rocker, via YouTube, which was filmed at Paramount Ranch in Agoura, California by director Vicente Cordero.

On December 11,2018, Richie Kotzen announced a Winery Dogs Tour through the US for May 2019, via his official Facebook page, which they completed successfully then.

In June 2024 Richie Kotzen toured Europe and played at the Sweden Rock Festival.

Richie Kotzen has described his style as a mix of rock, blues, heavy metal, jazz, fusion, and soul music.

Richie Kotzen utilizes a heavy amount of legato and sweeping in his playing.

Richie Kotzen has used Fender electric guitars for most of his career, most notably his signature model Telecasters and Stratocasters, as well as other custom-made models.

At the beginning of his career, Richie Kotzen used Ibanez guitars and Laney amplifiers before switching to Fender guitars and Marshall amplifiers in the early 1990s.

Richie Kotzen used Marshall Super Lead, JCM800 and JCM900 models as well as Yamaha DG Series amps in the late 1990s.

Richie Kotzen prefers not to use many pedals when playing live.

Richie Kotzen uses reverb and delay effects of his signature series Zoom G2R effects processor, which is connected in the effects loop of the amplifier.