View source for Elliot Easton

{{short description|American musician}}
{{BLP sources|date= March 2013}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name                = Elliot Easton
| image               = Elliot-easton-performs-with-the-new-cars-2006.jpg
| caption             = Easton performing with The New Cars, 2006
| image_size          = 200px
| background          = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name          =
| alias               =
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1953|12|18}} 
| birth_place          = [[Brooklyn, New York]], U.S.
| instrument          = {{hlist|[[Guitar]]<!--- If you think an instrument should be listed, a discussion to reach consensus is needed first per: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Infobox_musical_artist#instrument--->}}
| genre               = {{hlist|[[Rock music|Rock]]|[[New wave music|new wave]]|[[blues rock]]|[[hard rock]]|[[rockabilly]]}}
| occupation          = {{hlist|Musician|guitarist|singer|songwriter}}
| years_active        = 1976–present
| label               =
| associated_acts     = {{hlist|[[The Cars]]|[[The New Cars]]|[[Creedence Clearwater Revisited]]|[[Elliot Easton's Tiki Gods]]|[[The Empty Hearts]]}}
| website             =
}}

'''Elliot Easton''' (born '''Elliot Steinberg''', December 18, 1953)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-cars-the-50000-mile-tune-up |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906002547/https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/the-cars-the-50000-mile-tune-up |title=The Cars: The 50,000 Mile Tune Up |publisher=[[Creem]] (via [[Rock's Backpages]] Magazine Archive) |first=Roy |last=Trakin |date= January 1988 |access-date=2019-12-27 |archive-date=2015-09-06 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/elliot-easton-mn0000794597|title=Elliot Easton {{!}} Biography & History {{!}} AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=2016-05-18}}</ref> is an American musician, guitarist, singer and songwriter. He played lead guitar and sang backing vocals for [[The Cars]]. His [[guitar solos]] are an integral part of the band's [[single (music)|hit singles]].<ref name="classicrock">{{Cite web|url=http://classicrock.about.com/od/artistsae1/a/easton_intvw.htm|title=Elliot Easton Interview|accessdate=July 21, 2010|work=[[About.com]]|first=Dave|last=White|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609073725/http://classicrock.about.com/od/artistsae1/a/easton_intvw.htm|archive-date=June 9, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> He studied music at the [[Berklee College of Music]]. He is a [[left-handed]] guitarist.  After the collapse of the Cars in 1988, Easton played in bands such as [[the New Cars]] and the [[roots rock]] group [[Creedence Clearwater Revisited]].<ref name="classicrock"/> In 2018, Easton was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] as a member of the Cars.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Cars|url=https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/cars|website=Rock & Roll Hall of Fame|accessdate=17 December 2017|language=en}}</ref>

==Solo career==
Easton released one solo album in 1985, ''[[Change No Change]]'', featuring songs co-written with [[Jules Shear]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/change-no-change-mw0000182729|title=Change No Change - Elliot Easton|website=AllMusic|access-date=2016-05-18}}</ref> One single "(Wearing Down) Like a Wheel" was released and became a moderate hit on the rock charts. A later band project, Band of Angels, was formed with singer Danny Malone, and recorded one album, ''Band of Angels'', which was not released, but selections from which were included in the 1996 CD release of ''Change No Change''.

In the mid-1990s, Easton produced and played on the first two albums by [[Amy Rigby]].  He was also the lead guitarist on Jules Shear's 1994 album 'Healing Bones'.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/healing-bones-mw0000626051/credits|title=Healing Bones - Jules Shear {{!}} Credits {{!}} AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=2016-05-18}}</ref>

In 1998, Easton's playing was featured on ''No Cats'', an album from bassist [[Lee Rocker]] of [[Stray Cats]]. He contributed guitar parts for "Rumblin' Bass" and "One Way or Another." According to both Easton and Rocker, the two have known each other since they were young boys growing up in New York.

Easton then joined [[Creedence Clearwater Revisited]].<ref>http://www.guitarplayer.com/miscellaneous/1139/elliot-eastons-new-moves/21696</ref>

He has also played with [[Ric Ocasek]] as a solo artist.

Easton was a member of [[The New Cars]], along with original Cars keyboardist [[Greg Hawkes]], singer/songwriter [[Todd Rundgren]], former [[Utopia (band)|Utopia]] bassist/vocalist [[Kasim Sulton]], and [[The Tubes|Tubes]] drummer [[Prairie Prince]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.guitarplayer.com/miscellaneous/1139/elliot-eastons-new-moves/21696|title=Elliot Easton's New Moves|website=www.guitarplayer.com|access-date=2016-05-18}}</ref> In June 2006, the band released a live album, ''[[It's Alive! (album)|It's Alive!]]'', that includes three new studio tracks.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://m.pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/9109-its-alive/|title=The New Cars: It's Alive Album Review {{!}} Pitchfork|website=m.pitchfork.com|access-date=2016-05-18}}</ref>

He was featured and played the solo in the [[Click Five]] song "Angel To You (Devil To Me)".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.popentertainment.com/clickfive.htm |title=The Click Five Interview about 'Welcome to Imrie House' |last=Jacobs |first=Jay S. |date=September 15, 2005 |publisher=popentertainment.com |accessdate=February 22, 2020 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101127220350/http://popentertainment.com/clickfive.htm |archivedate=November 27, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theclickfive/albums/album/7548544/review/7563352/greetings_from_imrie_house |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090413153924/https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theclickfive/albums/album/7548544/review/7563352/greetings_from_imrie_house |archivedate=April 13, 2009 |url-status=dead |date=August 25, 2005 |accessdate=February 22, 2020 |title=The Click Five: Greetings From Imrie House |work=[[Rolling Stone]] |first=Barry |last=Walters}}</ref>

In 2010, Easton reunited with the surviving original members of The Cars to record their first album in 24 years, entitled ''[[Move Like This]]'', which was released on May 10, 2011.

Easton resurfaced in 2013 with his Tiki Gods project. On February, 13th, 2013, Easton's Tiki Gods released the album "Easton Island" as an mp3 download album only. It was made available through the Amazon and iTunes store. A physical CD was released in May 2013. Easton next became a founding member of [[The Empty Hearts]] supergroup formed in 2014. The band also included [[The Chesterfield Kings]] bassist Andy Babiuk, [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]] drummer [[Clem Burke]], [[The Romantics]] guitarist and vocalist [[Wally Palmar]], and [[Faces (band)|Faces]] pianist [[Ian McLagan]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6084531/empty-hearts-blondie-cars-romantics-chesterfield-kings-album-song-listen|title=Meet The Empty Hearts: Members of Blondie, Cars, Romantics, Chesterfield Kings Form New Band|website=Billboard|access-date=2016-05-18}}</ref> The band's self-titled first album was released 5 August 2014 and produced by [[The Ramones]] producer [[Ed Stasium]].

==Gibson Guitars Signature Model==

In 2013, the Gibson Guitar Company launched the Elliot Easton "Tikibird" Firebird guitar, which is a modified version of their Firebird model.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/elliot-easton-talks-guitars-twang-and-the-tiki-gods-easton-island-576073|title=Elliot Easton talks guitars, twang and the Tiki Gods' Easton Island|website=MusicRadar|access-date=2016-05-18}}</ref>

==Gretsch Guitars Signature Model==
Gretsch Guitars G6128T Elliot Easton Signature Electric Guitar 
2001. The Elliot Easton models were a little different from the standard Duo Jets. They featured a 1 ¾” deep body that’s technically more accurate to the original late 1950s spec. The guitar also features a graphite nut, Sperzel locking tuners, a fixed tunematic style bridge and the B7G Bigsby with tension bar. Another less apparent difference is the scale length. The Easton model has a 25” scale length as opposed to the 24.6” scale length found on nearly all other modern Duo Jets. 
 
The Elliot Easton signature guitar features vintage Duo Jet style with ultra-pro refinements courtesy of Elliot and Gretsch. Its updates include Sperzel locking tuners with small vintage tuning keys, 25" scale length, graphite nut, 2 alnico-magnet Filter'Tron pickups, and a Tune-O-Matic bridge. You also get custom touches like a master volume control with no loss of highs at lower volumes, a pickup selector switch that's closer to the strumming hand, and a tone switch with a distinctive, midrange lead voice. It has the '50s-style narrow headstock, 2-piece maple neck, ebony fingerboard, neoclassical thumbnail position markers, and a semi-hollow mahogany body with an arched maple top. It's a unique hybrid that keeps the vintage Gretsch look and sound with special custom touches and added versatility.

Features
•Elliot Easton signature on trussrod cover
•Single cutaway semi-hollowbody guitar
•13-1/4" wide, 1-3/4" deep mahogany body
•Arched maple top
•2-piece maple neck
•25" scale
•2 High Sensitive FilterTron pickups
•3-position pickup toggle switch
•Neck and bridge pickup volume with master volume
•3-position master tone switch with special midrange lead voicing
•1-11/16" nut width
•12" radius ebony fretboard
•22 frets
•Tune-O-Matic bridge
•Bigsby B7G vibrato tailpiece
•Gold-plated hardware
•Deluxe Sperzel die-cast locking tuners
•Neo classic thumbnail fretboard inlays
•Graphite nut
•Body, headstock, and fingerboard binding
•Gold plexi pickguard
•Adjustable truss rod
•Includes G6238 deluxe hardshell case

==Personal life==
Elliot Easton married twice and is now married to his second wife Jill Easton.<ref>https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/read-the-cars-grateful-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-induction-speeches-628937/</ref> He has a daughter Sydney from his first marriage.<ref>http://www.radioswisspop.ch/en/music-database/musician/208048a1e82ea847fe4be0279152d201f1179/biography</ref>

He lives in [[Bell Canyon, California]].<ref>[http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/license/594758424 Guitarist Elliott Easton, formerly of The Cars, shows off his Gretsch guitar at his home in Bell Canyon. (Photo by Axel Koester/Corbis via Getty Images)] Retrieved 2016-12-09.</ref>

==Legacy==
[[Guns N' Roses]] and [[Velvet Revolver]] guitarist [[Slash (musician)|Slash]] has cited Easton as one of his musical influences.<ref>{{Citation|last=DwaynesGuitarLessons|title=Slash Talks About His Technique and Style|date=2014-12-31|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvrL-sqm05o|accessdate=2016-05-18}}</ref>

==Discography==
===Studio albums===
*''[[Change No Change]]'' (1985) - US #99<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/elliot-easton|title=Elliot Easton|website=Billboard|access-date=2019-09-18}}</ref>

===With the Cars===
*''[[The Cars (album)|The Cars]]'' (1978)
*''[[Candy-O]]'' (1979)
*''[[Panorama (The Cars album)|Panorama]]'' (1980)
*''[[Shake It Up (The Cars album)|Shake It Up]]'' (1981)
*''[[Heartbeat City]]'' (1984)
*''[[Door to Door (album)|Door to Door]]'' (1987)
*''[[Move Like This]]'' (2011)

===With Benjamin Orr===
*''[[The Lace]]'' (1986)<ref>http://popdose.com/lost-cars-week-benjamin-orr-the-lace/</ref>

===With Elliot Easton's Tiki Gods===
*''Easton Island'' (2013)

===Singles===
*"(Wearing Down) Like a Wheel" (1985)
*"Shayla" (1985)
*"Tools of Your Labor" (1985)
*"Monte Carlo Nights" <small>with Elliot Easton's Tiki Gods</small> (1995)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/elliott-easton Elliott Easton Interview] NAMM Oral History Library (2016)

{{commonscat|Elliot Easton}}

{{The Cars}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Easton, Elliot}}
[[Category:The Cars members]]
[[Category:The New Cars members]]
[[Category:Creedence Clearwater Revisited members]]
[[Category:American new wave musicians]]
[[Category:American rock guitarists]]
[[Category:American male guitarists]]
[[Category:Lead guitarists]]
[[Category:Musicians from Brooklyn]]
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Bell Canyon, California]]
[[Category:Guitarists from New York (state)]]
[[Category:20th-century American guitarists]]