Chris Poland
A fusion guitar virtuoso whose blistering, jazz-inflected solos defined the early sound of Megadeth before he carved a niche in instrumental rock.
Born 1957 (age 69)·American guitarist·Birthday: December 1·Baby Boomers
Biography
Chris Poland's guitar work is a study in controlled chaos—a fluid, harmonically rich style that stood out in the aggressive world of 1980s thrash metal. His tenure with Megadeth was brief but indelible; his solos on the band's seminal debut 'Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!' and the landmark 'Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?' introduced a level of sophisticated, almost alien melody to the genre. Personal struggles led to his departure, but Poland reinvented himself, battling back from addiction to forge a second act as a respected figure in instrumental fusion. With his band OHM and collaborations like OHMphrey, he shed the metal persona entirely, exploring complex, lyrical instrumentals that showcased his true roots in jazz and rock innovators like Allan Holdsworth. His path is a testament to artistic survival and evolution.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Chris was born in 1957, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1957
#1 Movie
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Best Picture
The Bridge on the River Kwai
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1957Born
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1962Started school
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1970Became a teenager
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Could drive
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1975Could vote
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Turned 21
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1987Turned 30
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 40
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 50
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 60
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 69 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Recorded lead guitar on Megadeth's first two albums, 'Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!' (1985) and 'Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?' (1986).
- Founded the instrumental jazz-rock fusion band OHM, releasing several critically acclaimed albums.
- His playing is frequently cited as a major influence on progressive and technical metal guitarists.
Did You Know?
Before joining Megadeth, he played in a jazz fusion band called The New Yorkers.
Poland is also a skilled tattoo artist and has owned his own tattoo shop.
He nearly lost an arm in a motorcycle accident in the late 1980s, requiring extensive surgery and physical therapy.
He played the guitar solo on 'Moto Psycho' from Megadeth's 2001 album 'The World Needs a Hero' as a session musician.
“I was always chasing a melody, even in the middle of all that speed and aggression.”
