Melissa Reese
Melissa Reese | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | [1][2] Seattle, Washington, U.S. | March 1, 1990
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
|
Instrument(s) |
|
Years active | 2006–present |
Labels | Geffen |
Member of | Guns N' Roses |
Website | melissareesemusic |
Melissa Reese (born March 1, 1990) is an American musician who has collaborated frequently with Bryan "Brain" Mantia and is a current member of hard rock band Guns N' Roses.[3]
Early life
Reese was born in Seattle, Washington.[4] She is the youngest of three girls born into a household of Chinese, English, Spanish, Japanese, Filipino, Irish, Scottish and Danish descent.[4]
Reese began singing and playing piano at age 4.
In her early 20s, she moved to Los Angeles to study music full-time.[5]
Career
Her first EP was released under the name Lissa (2007), and featured collaboration with
Reese has worked with funk artist Bootsy Collins, rapper Chuck D, singer Vanessa Carlton, soul artist Goapele and singer Taylor Swift.[5] In addition to composing, Reese has produced work for artists such as Drumma Boy. She also did work on the soundtrack for the movie The Assignment.[6]
In October 2016, Reese sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" before a Seattle Seahawks game.[9]
Brain and Melissa
Reese has worked on several projects with Mantia, a composing team dubbed "Brain and Melissa".
The duo performed at a Houston Rockets halftime show on November 10, 2017, performing remixes of "Sorry" and "If the World" from Chinese Democracy, and a cover of KISS's "Do You Love Me?" from Destroyer.[13] They played another NBA halftime show, this time for the Los Angeles Clippers, on November 27, 2017.[14]
Guns N' Roses
Reese joined Guns N' Roses in March 2016 as the band's second keyboardist, replacing Chris Pitman, while also playing synthesizer, sub-bass, background vocals, and programming for all electronic sounds during live performances. She first performed with the band on the Not in This Lifetime... Tour.[15] Upon joining the band, she had two weeks to learn 50 songs to prepare for the tour, working 15 hours a day to learn them.[5] Reese described how she joined the band, stating "They knew of me as a producer and heard about my poetry work. I knew a lot of people in their camp. It just came up as an idea: what about her? I thought it was a joke." Axl later called her composing partner Brain and asked "Do I have your blessing on this? [...] Can she pull it off?"[1]
As well as singing backing vocals, Reese's role in the band has been described as the "enhancer", using Akai samplers among other tools to produce sounds from Chinese Democracy songs, as well as playing the Moog synthesizer on "Paradise City".[5] Speaking of her role, she stated "I don't want to get in the way of these songs. On the keys, I add sonic layers to thicken our sound, without sticking out like a sore thumb. Anything from synths [to] organic patches and samples."[5] She first appears with the band on "Absurd" and "Hard Skool", released in 2021.[16]
Discography
Solo
EP
- Lissa (2007) (featuring Brain and Pete Scaturro)
- "Feel It" (2:49)
- "Girlfriend" (2:25)
- "Pretty Please" (2:43)
- "Oooh La La" (2:35)
- "Old Skool" (2:56) (featuring Mar Brooks)
- "Remember the Times" (3:18) (feat. Mar Brooks and Buckethead)
Other appearances
- "Modnation Theme" – from ModNation Racers soundtrack (2010)
Other projects
Brain & Melissa
- PlayStation Home – "You and Me", "My World", "Forever" (2008)
- Don King Presents: Prizefighter – "Main Theme" (2008)
- MLB 2K11 – "MLB 2K Theme" (2011)
- Detention soundtrack (2011)
- Infamous 2 – "Infamous 2 Theme", "The Swamp", "Eroico Con Moto" (2011)
- Fear Not – "Fear Not 1&2" (2011)
- The Horror of Barnes Folly – "Main Theme" (2011)
- Twisted Metal – "Race 2 Destruction", "Ready to Die", "Twisted Metal Theme" (2012)
- Power/Rangers soundtrack (2015)
- Bloodborne – "Bloodborne", "The Night Unfurls", "Moonlit Melody" (2015)
- Infamous Second Son – "BadAss Combat", "Double Crossed", "Higher Elevation" (2015)
with Brain and Buckethead
- Best Regards (2010)
- Kind Regards (2010)
- Warm Regards (unreleased)
The Valence Project
- The Valence Project – "No Way", "Future People", "If We Get it – We Know We're Getting Good", "In This Life" (2010) (also featuring Brain)
Other projects
- Eclectic Cinema – "Ride or Die", "Ooh La La", "Feel It", "Girlfriend", "Pretty Please", "Mother Nature", "Old Skool", "Remember the Times" (released 2013, also featuring Paul Tobias)
Session work
- The Assignment – "Tomboy" (Raney Shockne) (2017)
References
- ^ a b Philstar
- ^ "Guns N' Roses Official Page". Facebook.
- ^ a b "Meet Melissa Reese, Guns N' Roses' New Keyboard Player". Ultimate Classic Rock. April 2, 2016. Archived from the original on September 5, 2017. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f Melissa Reese Music: About Archived April 6, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d e f g h Tavana, Art (May 3, 2017). "Guns N' Roses' First Female Member Has Become a Rock Icon". Archived from the original on May 3, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Melissa Reese: On the Road with Guns N' Roses – ROLI". November 11, 2016. Archived from the original on March 22, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
- ^ a b c d "About – Brain and Melissa". Archived from the original on April 5, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
- ^ "Lissa* – Lissa". Discogs. Archived from the original on March 22, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
- ^ "Video: GUNS N' ROSES Keyboardist MELISSA REESE Sings National Anthem At SEAHAWKS Vs. FALCONS Game In Seattle". October 25, 2016. Archived from the original on May 30, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
- ^ "Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- ^ "BBH China brings Legend Bruce Lee back to life in gamechanging campaign for Johnnie Walker". Campaign Brief. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
- ^ "Eclectic Cinema by Various Artists on Apple Music". iTunes. Archived from the original on March 7, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
- ^ Melissa and Brain perform live Archived April 4, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Melissa and Brain perform live 2 Archived April 4, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Brett Buchanan (April 2, 2016). "Guns N' Roses Adds First Female Member". AlternativeNation.net. Archived from the original on April 4, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
- ^ reese about