Michael Wilton

Michael F. Wilton (born February 23, 1962) also known as The Whip, for how fast his fingers "whip" around the guitar fretboard, is an American musician, best known for being a guitarist and songwriter in the progressive metal band Queensrÿche, which he co-founded in 1982.

Childhood Wilton was born in San Francisco, California, His father took him to concerts from an early age and introduced him to many musical styles, especially jazz, and Interlake High School, Wilton began to explore the guitar world further by listening to hard rock and heavy metal music such as Judas Priest, UFO, Iron Maiden, Van Halen, and Deep Purple,

Career

Queensrÿche After high school, Wilton attended the Cornish Institute of Allied Arts in Seattle (now known as Cornish College of the Arts), where he studied among others music theory, jazz improvisation, gamelan music and classical music (piano and guitar). The quartet began to play at parties, by which time they called themselves The Mob. The band changed its name to Queensrÿche, and the demo was released in 1983 as the eponymous EP Queensrÿche. Wilton gradually began performing most of the songs that previously featured DeGarmo doing the main solo live, including "Silent Lucidity", "The Mission", "En Force", "I Am I", "Take Hold of the Flame", "Best I Can", "The Killing Words", "Bridge", "The Lady Wore Black" and "Anybody Listening?", among others. Queensrÿche had first taken in Kelly Gray as guitarist, who was replaced in 2002 by Mike Stone, initially as a touring guitarist but mainly as a rhythm guitarist only joining in for dual guitar solos in songs like "Neue Regel" and "London". After the band's 2009 American Soldier tour, Wilton took over all of the solos.

Soulbender In 2002, Wilton started a side-band with former Alice N' Chains guitarist and My Sister's Machine vocalist Nick Pollock, called Soulbender.

Wratchet Head In 2010, Wilton released the single "Coming for You" with his hard rock project Wratchet Head, which was intended for those Queensrÿche fans, "whose ears have longed to once again be filled with the classic, melodic and sometimes haunting sounds of 'the earlier years'". In 2012, he continued making music with Wratchet Head.

Personal life Wilton is an avid sports fan and guitar collector. In high school, he was better known for being a star athlete in football, baseball and basketball than as a musician. He was among others in an all-star youth baseball team that toured through Europe.

Discography

Queensrÿche

Aury Moore Just A Taste (2002)

Soulbender Soulbender (2004)

Pamela Moore Stories from a Blue Room (2006)

Ronnie Munroe The Fire Within (2009)

Wratchet Head "Coming For You" (2010)

Solo Whip Vol. 1 (2024)

Soundtrack appearances Title Release With Soundtrack "Prophecy" 1988Queensrÿche The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years "Last Time in Paris" 1990 The Adventures of Ford Fairlane "Real World" 1993 Last Action Hero