Richard Shaw - Guitars

Name: Richard Shaw

Birthday: 28/04/85

Places of residence: Derbyshire, UK

Facebook: Richard Shaw's Official Facebook

Hobbies: Playing and listening to music, films, swimming, and more music.

Musical Background: I started playing guitar at age 11. After years of lessons with local teachers I studied at The Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford, Surrey, UK where I graduated my degree in 2006. I have been a guitar teacher and session guitarist ever since. I have two other bands outside of Cradle of Filth, rock/metal bands Emperor Chung and NG26.

Equipment: PRS Guitars. On the European tour in February 2014 I used a PRS Singlecut as the main axe, while having a PRS Singlecut Trem as a backup and for warming up backstage. After our equipment didn't arrive in time for the show at Amnesia Rockfest in Canada, I ended up buying a PRS S2 SC250, that is now my main guitar for my work with Cradle of Filth.

Idols in life and music: My friends and family who are incredibly supportive of this crazy life. Musically, there are so many. My favourite musicians are the ones who always push the boundaries of their own playing and song writing. The more eclectic the better. My top five guitar players are Brian May, Richie Kotzen, John Petrucci, Nuno Bettencourt and Steve Vai. Mike Portnoy is a huge influence. As well as being an incredible musician, he juggles so many bands of different styles.

Best COF show so far: Weirdly enough I was at the show at Nottingham Rock City that was captured on film for the 'Heavy, Left Handed and Candid' DVD. That was pretty cool. But the best show I've played with them must be between Amnesia Rockfest in Canada in June 2014 (playing to 20,000 people is quite a rush), but personally the London Forum show in February 2014 was insane. It was fantastic to have friends and family in the audience to see how cool that show was.

Favourite COF songs to play live: 'Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids', 'Her Ghost In The Fog', 'Funeral In Carpathia'.

Songs you'd like to perform live: 'Honey and Sulphur', 'Shat Out of Hell', 'Ebony Dressed For Sunset', 'Nemesis', 'Lord Abortion'.

How do you kill time on tour: Reading, listening to music, playing guitar, sight-seeing, facebook.

Strangest experience on tour: Being one of the new guys, it's all a bit strange! Maybe signing copies of Midian, an album I listened to so much when I was 15. That, and signing the odd skull here and there.

Places you would like to visit but haven't: South America and Asia (fingers crossed for the world tour).

Pet hates: Poor grammar, and when people don't indicate while driving at roundabouts. Other than that, I like to think I'm quite easy going.

Favourite bands: Dream Theater, Queen, Alter Bridge, Metallica, The Winery Dogs, Transatlantic, Extreme, Bigelf, Tesseract, Periphery, Opeth, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden.

Top ten favourite albums:

Queen - A Night At The Opera
Pink Floyd - The Wall
Dream Theater - Scenes From A Memory
Extreme - Pornograffitti
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
Metallica - Master Of Puppets
Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland
The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Bigelf - Cheat The Gallows

Favourite food/drink: Cheesecake and Jack Daniels. Not together though.

Favourite books to take on a desert island: 'High Fidelity' by Nick Hornby, 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker, 'The Vampire Lestat' by Anne Rice, 'Wicked' by Gregory Maquire and 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' by Steig Larsson.

Message to the fans: I would like to thank the fans for welcoming me into the band. It's been an incredible experience so far and I'm going to give my blood, sweat and tears to make sure the legacy that this band has created continues. I promise I will give you 100%, live and in the studio. Like my facebook page at www.facebook.com/richardshawguitarist and stay in touch.