Stage

Richie has been performing live for over 20 years. Currently, you can hear him on guitar, keyboards, and vocals for the legendary rock band, Blue Öyster Cult. Check out the tour dates section to see when Blue Öyster Cult is playing near you.

Richie also plays with his original power pop band, 2 Part Invention, and the cover band, Hit Me With It.

 

 

 

 

Here's a list of some of the amazing performers Richie has played with:

Blue Öyster Cult Bumblefoot (Guns n Roses) Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge/Rod Stewart) Steve Augeri (Journey) Al Carty (Taylor Hicks) Jeff Cook (Alabama) Paul Crook (Meatloaf) Spencer Davis Liberty Devito (Billy Joel) Mickey Dolenz (The Monkees) Sue Foley Sharon Jones Michael Hill

Bruce Kapler (Late Show with David Letterman) Bobby Kimball (Toto) Chris Kuffner (Regina Spektor/Ingrid Michaelson) The Lounge Brigade Tommy MacDonald (Blues Brother Band) Dave Mason (Traffic) Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden) Mark Meadows (Edgar Winter) John Miceli (Meatloaf/Rainbow) Danny Miranda (Queen) Vinnie Moore (UFO)

Bobby Rondinelli (Black Sabbath/Rainbow) David Santos (Billy Joel) Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osbourne/Quiet Riot/Whitesnake/Dio) Paul Shaffer (Late Show with David Letterman) Chris Slade (AC/DC) Joe Vitale (Joe Walsh) Alan White (Yes) Tommy Zvoncheck (Blue Öyster Cult) Peter Tork (The Monkees) Bernard Purdie

Guitar Gear

I'm very proud to be endorsed by these fantastic companies.

	DiMarzio pickups are on almost every guitar I own. I use Air Norton, Norton, Tone Zone, Fast Track, Cruiser, Chopper, Virtual, Air Classic, HS-2, Acoustic Model, and Custom pickups.
	Axis, Silhouette Special, Eddie Van Halen Model, Axis Super Sport, and Sterling. I also use Ernie Ball strings on all my guitars.
	E 530 Tube Preamp.
	G Force, Nova System, Nova Delay, and Correct.
	M2 Wireless Ear Monitors, AEW 4110D Guitar Wireless, and I also use Audio Technica microphones in the studio.
	X2 XDS Plus Wireless guitar system.
	2/90/2 Power Amp, 2/50/2 Power Amp, and GP3 Preamp.
	Revalver recording software.
	Sony Vegas Pro for Video editing and Mixing in 5.1 surround, and DVD Architect

 

Blue Öyster Cult Rig

	Ernie Ball Music Man Axis DiMarzio Custom Pickups Floyd Rose Locking Tremolo EVH D Tuna Ernie Ball Music Man Silhouette Special DiMarzio Cruiser Neck Pickup DiMarzio Custom Bridge/Middle Pickups Vintage Tremolo
	Line 6 X2 XDS Plus Guitar Wireless Shure P4M Monitor Mixer Audio Technica M2 Wireless In Ear Monitors Fryette Valvuator GP3 MIDI Preamp Freyette 2/90/2 Stereo Power Amp
	TC Electronic Nova System Multi-effects Processor MIDI controller Tuner

Signal Flow

The X2 wireless transmitter pack is plugged into the guitar. The XDS receiver is plugged into the rear input of the GP3 preamp. The output of the GP3 goes to the line input of the Nova System floor pedal. The line output of the Nova System goes into the input of 2/50/2 power amp. I'm only using one side of the amp and sending it to a 4x12 bottom.

Effects and Switching

The Nova System handles everything for me. It can do every effect you can imagine with the exception of Wah. I don't use Wah with BOC so it isn't a problem at all. This unit handles my delays, choruses, flanges, and even intelligent pitch shifting. This unit also has a variable volume boost and built in tuner that are both extremely useful.

I'm also using the Nova System as a MIDI foot controller. The MIDI out of the Nova System goes into the MIDI in of the GP3 preamp. From the Nova I can switch between the 3 channels on the GP3. The GP3 also has MIDI switchable boosts in Gain, Brightness and Fatness. I can also control the GP3's Graphic EQ and Buffered effects loop from the Nova System.

On some occasions where I don't get to use my own amp, the Nova System has it's own Analog drive block with 2 different kinds of distortion. This turns a single channel amp into a 3 channel amp all from the pedal.

Monitoring

My vocal microphone, guitar amp microphone, keyboard microphone, and an aux out from the keyboard rig gets sent to the inputs on the P4M mixer. The stereo outputs of the P4M go into the Audio Technica M2 transmitter. I wear the M2 beltpack receiver and hear it with Shure SCL3 earphones with Sensaphonic molded sleeves. Since I only have my guitar keyboards, and vocals in my in ears, I depend on stage volume and wedges to make up the rest of the mix. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because it makes me keep the volume down on the beltpack so I can still hear what's going on around me.

Home Rig

Specs

(Rack gear shown in signal flow order)

Ernie Ball Music Man Silhouette Special

• Blue Pearl Finish
• Custom Dimarzio Pickups ('Cruiser' in the neck position)
• 5 way switching
• Music Man Tremolo
• Maple neck/fretboard

Ernie Ball Music Man Eddie Van Halen

• Translucent Black Finish
• Custom Dimarzio Pickups
• 3 way switching
• Floyd Rose Tremolo
• Maple neck/fretboard

VHT Valvulator GP3 Preamp

• 3 All Tube Channels
• Complete MIDI switching functions
• Graphic EQ
• Effects Loop
• Tube Dynamics Control

Digitech IPS-33B Super Harmony Machine

• Intelligent Harmonizing
• MIDI Controllable
• Basic Delay, Pitch & Volume Effects
• Built In Chromatic Tuner

TC Electronic G-Force

• Advanced Effects Processing
• 8 Effect Blocks Per Preset
• Relay Switching
• MIDI Controllable
• Intelligent Harmonizing
• Built In Chromatic Tuner

VHT Two/Fifty/Two Guitar Power Amp

• Two Channels
• 2 EL-34 Tubes per Channel
• Class A & Class A/B
• 50 watts per Channel (class A)
• 62 watts per Channel (class B)
• Voicing, Presence, and Depth Controls

VHT 212A-P50E Speaker Cabinet

• 2 Eminence P50 12" Speakers
• Closed Back

Behringer FCB-1010 MIDI Foot Controller

• Fully Programmable
• 12 MIDI pedals and 2 Real Time Expression Pedals
• Each Preset can control 5 different MIDI parameter
• 2 Analog Switches