About Me
Synyster Gates (born Brian Elwin Haner, Jr. on July 7, 1981) is the lead guitarist and back-up singer for the band Avenged Sevenfold. He usually sports a black Fedora which makes him easily distinguishable when he performs. Son of country guitarist Brian Haner.Synyster came into Avenged Sevenfold in 2002, a year after the release of the band’s first album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. He was featured on their LP Warmness on the Soul, and on the reissue of their first album, only playing on one song, the heavy metal version of "To End The Rapture".
His father, Brian Haner, is a musician and Avenged Sevenfold’s official acoustic guitar player. He attended the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California[2]as part of the GIT program, and studied Jazz guitar. The other band pinkly smooth he plays in Synyster is also a member of the band Pinkly Smooth, a side project with The Rev (Avenged Sevenfold’s drummer), along side members of the now-extinct band Ballistico and former bassist of Avenged Sevenfold Justin Meacham.
He says his biggest influences are Dimebag Darrell (Pantera, Damageplan), Slash (Guns N Roses, Velvet Revolver) and John Petrucci (Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment).[3]
Synyster and Zacky Vengeance often play guitar back-to-back which is visually appealing to the crowd, which works well since Synyster is right handed and Zacky is a lefty.Synyster claims to have come up with his name when he was seventeen years old. "I was out with Jimmy Sullivan (aka The Rev). We were drinking a lot and driving around the park in Jimmy’s car. I was driving and all of a sudden I just blurted out, ’I am Synyster Gates and I am fucking awesome!’ I don’t know why I said it (laughs) but now that’s my name!"how awesome is that!!!! =DSynyster joined Avenged Sevenfold in 1999, before the release of the band’s first album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. He was featured on their EP Warmness on the Soul, and on the reissue of their first album, only playing on one song, the heavy metal version of "To End The Rapture".
His father, Brian Haner Sr, is a musician and often is called Avenged Sevenfold’s official acoustic guitar player for his appearances on their CDs. He attended the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California as part of the GIT program, and studied Jazz guitar, citing Django Reinhardt, Adam Aparicio and Roddy are his favorite as a major influence.
Synyster was also a member of the band Pinkly Smooth, a side project with The Rev (Avenged Sevenfold’s drummer), along side former bassist of Avenged Sevenfold Justin Sane (not to be confused with Justin Sane from Anti-Flag). Pinkly Smooth was disbanded because Gates and The Rev wished to focus full time on Avenged Sevenfold, although when asked recently, The Rev and Syn both said that there was a new side project being planned, featuring the two playing older Pinkly Smooth songs. Synyster also has newly released a clothing line called Syn Gates Clothing.
He has been sponsored by Schecter Guitar Research since 2004, and has custom Avenger models out.Afterlife
