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Dj Ashba has a sound as unique as his Swedish/Cherokee looks. Growing up in the farmlands of Monticello, Indiana without a television, Dj used music to entertain himself. Influenced by his mother, a classically trained musician, he started with piano, performing his first recital at age four. By six, he was playing drums. At age nine Dj picked up his first guitar and instantly knew that this was the instrument through which he could truly express his musicality and ideas. Dj taught himself to play, spending up to seventeen hours a day holed up in his room, practicing til his fingers bled. He continues to live, breathe and eat music 24/7 in his home studio, 'Chrome Bone'. Currently he is working on his solo debut album. Along with singing the lead vocals, Dj says he's got enough driving guitars on it to skin every deer within a three mile radius. Dj describes his style as music to move by. The songs for his upcoming recordings are experiential, digging deep into some troubling times in his life to find a positive outcome. Dj points out that his own last name, 'Ashba' the Indian word for "light of knowledge" reflects his belief that no matter what cards life deals, it is up to every person to make their own life good. It is this optimism that he emphasizes in his music. But it is his guitar playing that truly sets him apart, pushing his instruments to make sounds that seem almost impossible. Recent editorials have compared him to a modern day Eddie Van Halen. No stranger to the music scene, Dj was a co-founder of Warner Bros. recording artists Beautiful Creatures. He wrote all the music and played lead guitar on their debut album, Beautiful Creatures. Dj's self-taught, lightning finger work was credited as key to Beautiful Creatures' popularity. Two songs from the album gained soundtrack status on the films Valentine and Roller Ball. As a member of Beautiful Creatures, he toured with Ozzfest 2001, the KISS Farewell Tour, the Rolling Rock Tour and opened for acts including Marilyn Manson, Staind, and Buckcherry. Dj's musical credibility is further confirmed by his numerous 'Best Guitarist' awards and his current endorsement relationships with Ernie Ball/Music Man and Ovation Guitars. Dj has earned a legion of devoted fans, evidenced by the success of his website, www.djashba.com, which launched in March 2002. In its first month alone, the site gained hundreds of registered members declaring their loyalty with page views exceeding 1,000,000 and currently the posts on the message board have exceeded 60,000. The fans devotion is reciprocated. Dj not only designs, hosts and manages the website, but also personally answers over 200 fan e-mails a day. He is a self-proclaimed sponge when it comes to music and fans, spending his time on the road observing the crowds and their reaction to what's happening on stage. He says "It's all about staying in touch with the audience and the fans." Those fans are eagerly awaiting his debut CD, and as Dj said,"It'll rock you like a motherfucker!" Bio Provided my Katie! Thx! :) |