'Metalocalypse' Co-Creator To Host GUITAR PLAYER's Guitar Hero 2007 Competition

Ten finalists will battle for the international title of "Guitar Hero" at Guitar Player's Guitar Hero 2007 competition to be held Friday, October 12, at 8 p.m. at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco.

Hosting the guitarfest will be "Metalocalypse" co-creator Brendon Small. Now in its second season on Adult Swim, "Metalocalypse" documents the exploits and mayhem unleashed by Nathan Explosion and his DETHKLOK band mates, Skwisgaar Skwigelf and Toki Wartooth (the two fastest guitarists alive),bassist William Murderface, and drummer Pickles.

The tremendously popular and utterly mythical Norwegian heavy metal outfit had one of its songs ("Thunderhorse") included in Guitar Hero II, and recently released its latest album, "The Dethalbum", and single, "Bloodrocuted", as well as booking a college tour (where Small will lead a real-life DETHKLOK band with co-guitarist Mike Keneally, bassist Bryan Beller, and drummer Gene Hoglan).

Before skewering heavy rock with "Metalocalypse", Small was the co-creator, star, writer, and composer for the Adult Swim cartoon "Home Movies". The Los Angeles-based standup comedian has also lent his voice talents to "Aqua Teen Hunger Force", "Squidbillies", "The Venture Bros." and "Frisky Dingo".

Comedy duties aside, Small is also a serious guitarist who graduated from the renowned Berklee College of Music in 1997. He often records all the instruments for his shows, although he collaborated with Gene Hoglan (who did the "insane drumming") for "The Dethalbum".

"Guitar Player is absolutely delighted to welcome Brendon Small — and all the heavy-metal voices in his head — as host of GH07," says Guitar Player Editor in Chief Michael Molenda. "We are certain that, in true DETHKLOK fashion, that the GH07 audience will be vanquished by his genius!"

Activision, Microsoft and Digidesign are partnering to present the third annual Guitar Player's Guitar Hero competition. Activision produces the red-hot video game Guitar Hero and will be on hand with pre-launch demos of their new release, Guitar Hero III on XBox 360-outfitted kiosks on the show floor. The event will be webcast using Microsoft’s "Silverlight" medium on www.GuitarPlayer.com.

The ten finalists — representing a wide range of guitar styles including latin shred, rockabilly, country and rock — are: Jamie Robinson (Toronto, Ontario),Juan Coronado (Whitby, Ontario) Tony Smotherman (Jacksonville, Florida),Taka Minamino (Hollywood, CA ),Danny B. Harvey (Canyon County, CA),Curtis Fornadley (Playa Del Rey, CA),Casey Harshbarger (Indianapolis, Indiana),Ladd Smith (Nashville, Tennessee),Les Robot (real name: Cory Melnychuk) (Edmonton, Alberta),and Chris Peters (Orlando, Florida).

Celebrity judges including San Francisco's legendary Joe Satriani, TOTO axeman Steve Lukather, Elliot Easton of THE CARS, prog-rock icon Greg Howe, Shrapnel Records' Mike Varney, and virtuoso Nuno Bettencourt will evaluate each five-minute original performance and select the winner and first and second runner-up finalists.

The competition takes place Friday, October 12, 2007 at 8:00 p.m. at Great American Music Hall, 859 O'Farrell Street, San Francisco, CA. Admission $15.00 in advance, $20.00 at the door. Tickets can be ordered online at www.gamh.com.