Walter Giardino

Walter Giardino

Héctor Walter Giardino (born March 6,1960) is an Argentine guitarist, composer and leader of the heavy metal and hard rock band Rata Blanca. He is very influenced by Ritchie Blackmore and Yngwie Malmsteen.

Career

Beginnings and V8 (1981 - 1985)

Walter Giardino during his first play in V8.

In 1981 Walter Giardino enter as a guitarist and vocalist in a hard rock band named Punto Rojo with Gustavo Andino (drums) and Roberto Cosseddu (bass) the band progress on the under scene but never record an album. The band was dissolved in 1984. In 1985 one of the best band of the times in Argentina, named V8 need a new guitarist and drummer to sustitute Osvaldo Civile and Gustavo Rowek and the band recruit both Giardino and Andino. In V8 Giardino wrote some songs but the band never accepted it. After six months in V8 the bassist Ricardo Iorio fire up Giardino. Giardino began a new project with another former V8, the drummer Gustavo Rowek.

Rata Blanca (1986 -1998)

In 1986, after his departure from V8, Giardino founded Rata Blanca with Gustavo Rowek (drums), Rodolfo Cava (vocals) and Yulie Ruth (bass), under this line-up the band record a demo in England. After two years of essays the band debut at Teatro Luz y Fuerza in Argentina on this times the band recruit Sergio Berdichevsky (Rhythm guitar), Saul Blanch (vocals) and a new bassist Guillermo Sanchez, and record his first album Rata Blanca. In 1990 the band record Magos, Espadas y Rosas with Adrian Barilari on the vocals and Hugo Bistolfi has an official member in the keyboards. This times was the best for Giardino and the band, in 1992 record Guerrero del Arco Iris and 1993 the EP El Libro Oculto. After this Walter Giardino wish to carry the band into a heavy level, opinion that Barilari and Bistolfi doesn't share, and they decide to leave Rata Blanca. In there place enter Mario Ian (vocals) and Javier Retamozo (keyboards) and record in 1994 Entre el cielo y el infierno an album marked with a heavy sound like Accept and Judas Priest. Ian leaves in 1996 after musical differences with the band, and Giardino was searching for a new vocalist with same register of Barilari. Finally recruit Gabriel Marian for VII this album doesn't receive acceptance of the fans and in 1998 Giardino decide to split Rata Blanca.

Temple (1998 - 2000)

Giardino started a new project named Walter Giardino Temple which only recorded one album (1998) The band included Norberto Rodriguez (vocals) Ruben Trombini (bass), Pablo Catania (keyboards) and Martin Carrizo (drums) later replaced by Fernando Scarcella. The band break-up after play with Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath) when Walter Giardino want to play alone allegedly because the band doesn't know how to play the song 'Burn'. After this event the members of the band except Scarcella create his own band, ironically named Quemar (Spanish translation of Burn). Temple was on a hiatus and Giardino collaborate with Spain metal band Mago de Oz and then return to Argentina. Giardino invites Adrian Barilari and Hugo Bistolfi to act for some nights with Temple, the bassist Daniel Leonetti leaves the band and his place was taken by Guillermo Sanchez (another Rata Blanca member) and this was the beginning of the return of Rata Blanca.

Rata Blanca: The Second Era (2001 - Present)

Temple officially have four of the six members of the most successful line-up of Rata Blanca and Giardino decide that this was the return of Rata Blanca. Giardino called Gustavo Rowek and Sergio Berdichevsky but they decide to continue with his own band Nativo. Fernando Scarcella stay has the drummer of Rata Blanca and Giardino become the only guitarist of the group. Since the return the band record three studio albums. In 2002 record the return album El Camino de Fuego who have an English version named Highway on Fire with three themes, in 2003 Glenn Hughes was Rata Blanca guest musician in one concerts. In 2005 Rata Blanca presents La Llave de la Puerta Secreta and in 2008 El Reino Olvidado who have an English version with Doogie White (Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen) on vocals.

Discography

With Rata Blanca

• Rata Blanca - 1988
• Magos, espadas y rosas - 1990
• Guerrero del Arco Iris - 1992
• El Libro Oculto - 1993
• Entre El Cielo y El Infierno - 1994
• En Vivo en Buenos Aires - 1996
• Rata Blanca VII - 1997
• Grandes Canciones - 2000
• El Camino del Fuego (Highway on Fire) - 2002
• Poder Vivo - 2002
• En Vivo con Gleen Hughes (DVD) - 2003
• La Llave de la Puerta Secreta - 2005
• El Reino Olvidado (The Forgotten Kingdom) - 2008 - 2009

With Walter Giardino Temple

• Walter Giardino Temple - 1998

With Others

• Gaia - Mago de Oz - 2003
• Barilari - Barilari - 2003
• Canciones Doradas - Barilari - 2007
• Sabbath Crosses( tribute to Black Sabbath )
• Larga vida al... Volumen Brutal,song "Los Rockeros Van Al Infierno",( tribute to Baron Rojo )
• Tierra Firme of Ars Amandi, guitar solo on " Tierra Firme "
• Cuerdas Vitales ( Carina Alfie )

References

Gaspar Muntwyler - Pegasus Fantasy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9KrSRdEba4

• http:www.rataweb.com.ar
• ↑ [1]Rata Web, página web de Rata Blanca, sección "La Banda: Walter Giardino".