Reb Beach, 22 October 2024

Reb Beach is one of the most talented and technically proficient axemen in hard rock and heavy metal history. With a career spanning over three decades, Beach has left his mark on the music world with not only his work with iconic bands such as Winger and Whitesnake but also as a solo artist. His guitar playing is both blisteringly virtuosic-with solos that tend to consume everything in their path-and full of catchy riffs, which is why he is respected and admired by both fans and other musicians.
Hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Reb Beach is one of the most sought-after guitarists to emerge during the late 1980s. He showcases a perfect blend of melodic lines while being tech-savvy in his musical approaches. Outside of his band work, Beach has contributed to many other musical projects, showing his full versatility across genres.

The Early Days: Winger and Commercial Success

Reb Beach's big break came when he joined the hard rock band Winger in the late 1980s. Formed by bassist and lead vocalist Kip Winger, the band's self-named first album "Winger" was released in the year 1988, and overnight it made them quite a commercial success. With hit singles such as "Seventeen" and "Headed for a Heartbreak", it went platinum in the United States, making Winger one of the biggest bands of the glam metal era.
Beach's contribution to Winger was quite important. His technical playing of the guitar along with his strong sense of melody played a big role in defining the sound of the band. Often, his solos would be complex yet accessible, which would please the casual listener and musician alike. "Seventeen" showed Beach's shredding skills, while on "Headed for a Heartbreak", it would show him focusing on melodic solos, more or less, that touched the hearts of listeners.
The band's second album, "In the Heart of the Young" (1990), further cemented the success with hit tracks such as "Miles Away" and "Can't Get Enuff". These hits sealed Beach's reputation as one of the era's great guitarists. His fluid playing-styled from the virtuosos of Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai-played speed and precision with a bit of emotion that only a few had been able to execute.

Collaborations and Other Projects

Reb Beach was, and has been throughout his career, one of the most in-demand session guitarists due to his great playing skills. In the early 1990s, following the breakup of Winger, Beach teamed up with Alice Cooper on the 1991 album "Hey Stoopid", providing guitar solos that fit perfectly into Cooper's dark, theatrical style. This exposure introduced him to a wider audience and further solidified his standing as one of the more versatile session guitarists.
In 1994 Beach teamed up with Dokken-a band known for its powerful melodic hard rock and metalVoice replacing the iconic axe George Lynch. Even though the time he spent with Dokken was rather short, Beach's contribution kept them razor-sharp, and he had an opportunity to show his talents in a more straightforward metal context. His joining with Dokken furthered his own reputation for stepping into high-pressure situations and delivering top-tier performances.
He also collaborated with the likes of Night Ranger, one of the most iconic bands from the 1980s rock scene. For Night Ranger, Beach was in a position to input his signature guitar style into their live performances, further expanding his musical scope and showing that his talents were not limited by the glam metal genre constraint.

Joining Whitesnake: A New Chapter

Reb Beach joined the British rock band Whitesnake in 2002, which was still headed by David Coverdale. Whitesnake had dominated the hard rock scene through most of the 1980s and had hits with songs such as "Here I Go Again" and "Is This Love" that catapulted them to international stars. The arrival of Beach into Whitesnake really began a new era for both the band and himself, as he took on the challenge of filling in the shoes of some of rock's most legendary guitarists-including John Sykes and Steve Vai.
Beach's first studio album with Whitesnake was "Good to Be Bad" (2008), the first release by the band in over a decade. The album was very well received by both the audience and the critics, and it became a victorious return for Whitesnake. Beach's guitar playing for the album showed a balance between power and finesse. Songs such as "Lay Down Your Love" and "Can You Hear the Wind Blow" featured Beach performing his characteristic intricate solos amidst heavy riffs.
In 2011, Whitesnake issued "Forevermore", another album featuring Beach's stunning guitar work. Songs like "Love Will Set You Free" and "Steal Your Heart Away" found Beach blending in the bluesy roots of the Whitesnake sound with his own technical flourishes. His collaboration with Whitesnake has been one of the longest-lasting and most productive collaborations in his career, and he had grown more as a guitarist while making a big contribution to the storied legacy of the band.

Solo Career and "Masquerade"

In addition to work in various bands, Reb Beach has carried out parallel work as a solo artist, which has given him the opportunity to put his ideas across outside specific group work. In 2001, he released his first solo album, "Masquerade", where, aside from being a talented guitar player, his skills as a composer and vocalist become palpable.
"Masquerade" is an album with both purely instrumental compositions and vocal-performed songs, reflecting the full richness of Beach's wide-ranging musical influences from hard rock to progressive rock and even funk. Songs such as "Bleed" and "Ghost" display his sense of melody and technical ability, yet reveal a far more introspective side to his writing. "Masquerade" was critically acclaimed for its profound creativity and Beach's uniqueness as a solo artist.
Although "Masquerade" would not achieve the same commercial heights as with Winger or Whitesnake, it solidified Beach's reputation as a versatile and innovative musician who could hold his own both as a member of a band and as a solo artist.

Legacy and Continued Success

Reb Beach may be a never-sung hero, but his influence in circles of rock and metal is simply unequivocal. His contributions to bands like Winger and Whitesnake-and several others he has participated in-always grant him a secured placement in the pantheon of great guitarists. Throughout his career, Beach made a name for himself with his technical prowess, melodic touch, and the aptitude to fit into different musical environs.
In 2020, Beach released his second solo album, "A View from the Inside", another instrumental album full of his virtuosity on the guitar. The album included cuts like "Aurora Borealis" and "Whiplash" that were well-received by critics and fans alike. It showed Beach's continued commitment to his craft and his readiness to push the boundaries of his playing. "A View from the Inside" really allowed Beach to flex his muscles both technically and creatively, while it was hailed as a master class in instrumental guitar work.
Along with his solo work, Beach has continued to tour and record steadily with Whitesnake, also joining in on reunion tours with Winger. To say that he has been able to remain relevant within the ever-changing music landscape speaks highly of his talent and work ethic.
Reb Beach has built an exceptional career as one of the most talented and diverse guitarists in the history of rock. From his early days with Winger, where his incendiary solos helped define the sound of glam metal, to his work with Whitesnake, where he was instrumental in breathing new life into a legendary band, Beach has consistently proven his musical prowess. Because of his ability to easily merge technical virtuosity with melodic sensibility, he has gained a devoted following and the admiration of his peers.
An album such as "Masquerade" or "A View from the Inside" really showcases his talent as a solo artist, where complex compositions are performed by themselves. Meanwhile, his work within bands such as Winger and Whitesnake continues to find relevance for fans of classic hard rock.
With Reb Beach still touring, recording, and continuing on a musical exploratory path, his legacy as a guitar virtuoso remains intact. Through his collaborations with iconic rock bands, the influence that Beach has had within the world of rock music is sure to continue for many years to come.