Michael Angelo Batio
A heavy metal virtuoso who combined blinding technical speed with theatrical flair, becoming a guitar hero for the shred generation.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American guitarist·Birthday: June 12·Baby Boomers
Biography
Michael Angelo Batio turned guitar playing into an Olympic sport. In the 1980s, when hair metal ruled, Batio stood out not just for his musicianship but for his sheer physical spectacle. As the lead guitarist for the band Nitro, he became famous for his 'over-the-top' performances, most notably playing a custom double-neck guitar that allowed for ambidextrous, simultaneous shredding. His instructional videos, like 'Speed Kills,' became essential viewing for aspiring metal guitarists, demystifying his revolutionary techniques. While his work with Nitro was commercially cult, Batio's influence was vast, pushing the boundaries of what was physically possible on the instrument and inspiring a global community of players obsessed with precision, speed, and showmanship.
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.
Michael was born in 1956, 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 Michael Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Michael's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Pioneered the use of the custom double-guitar (the 'Double Guitar') and other unique instruments for ambidextrous, high-speed playing.
- Released the influential instructional video 'Speed Kills' in 1992, which became a benchmark for guitar technique education.
- Served as the lead guitarist for the glam metal band Nitro, known for its extreme musical and visual style.
- Was named 'The World's Fastest Guitarist' by Guitar One magazine in 2003.
Did You Know?
He is ambidextrous and can play guitar with both hands equally well, leading to his signature double-neck performances.
He holds a degree in music theory and composition from Northeastern Illinois University.
He designed his famous 'Double Guitar' himself, which features two necks that can be played independently.
He has worked as a guitar columnist for magazines like Guitar World and Guitar One.
“I don't practice. I play. And when I play, I play hard.”
