"The original idea Josh put forward was to to work together on a song for my own album," Strauss shares. "We poured through lots of Jason's demos until we landed on this track, which was originally recorded with Gregg and Matt Bissonette. However, as the idea materialized, we realized this could be a much bigger project and more importantly, have a bigger impact to help Jason raise awareness and funds. From there, it took on a life of its own! The incredible Billy Sheehan came down to the studio and played bass, and we reached out to tons of Jason's friends and peers, from all genres and eras, and amassed an army of friends to trade solos on this track. We left Jason's original demo solo where it was, where it shines to this day alongside so many of the players that love and look up to him. We were able to send this video to Jason on Christmas Day and bring some holiday cheer to him and his family! He loved it and christened it with the name we have today — 'Some Assembly Required.'"
For an insider's look on how Becker's guitar family came together for this harrowing tribute, allow Strauss to explain in this exclusive short!
For those who may not know of Jason Becker's legacy, we'd have to travel back to 1985 when 16-year-old guitarist, Becker, partnered up with Marty Friedman as the duo Cacophony. His success at such an early age was no coincidence, his metal mastery becoming a talking point amongst his peers, going on to support some of the biggest names in rock including David Lee Roth and create some huge guitar moments as a solo artist.
As Becker's career began to blossom, Jason was diagnosed with ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease) in 1989 — at just 20 years old. As the disease progressed, Jason no longer could hold on to the instrument, but the urge to continue pushed on as he, amazingly, engineered his own way of writing music, a technique using "eye geometry" and chin movements, described further in the documentary on Becker's journey.
Head here to be fully inspired by the trailer for the film, Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet, a compilation of interviews, live footage, and more on the unbreakable spirit and the ingenious songwriting ability of the guitarist that influenced so many.
The guitar community has spoken and is asking for all of us to stand up and be an ally to Jason Becker and his family as he continues fighting this battle. There is an ongoing struggle to find a full-time caregiver, making proper help seem a hugely daunting challenge. Already saddled with the daily task of staying alive against all odds, there comes additional stress and worry for Jason and his family for all of the many out-of-pocket medical fees.
Keeping positive and consistently creating is essential for Becker, so we invite you to keep up with his latest creations through his website, www.JasonBecker.com and to visit here if you are able to donate to the Jason Becker Special Needs Trust.
A full list of guitarists and friends included in the creation of "Some Assembly Required":
Chris Broderick, Joe Bonamassa, Gus G, Paul Gilbert, Angel Vivaldi, Steve Vai, Steve Stevens, Rob Scallon, Jennifer Batten, Nili Brosh, Richie Kotzen, Marc Rizzo, Lari Basilio, Zakk Wylde, Alex Skolnick, Phil Demmel, NITA STRAUSS, Jason Becker, Marty Friedman, Herman Li, Steve Lukather, Jared Dines.
Drums were recorded by Josh Villalta; Bass by Billy Sheehan; Mixed + Mastered by Nick Sampson.
