Lee Malia

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Lee Malia
Malia in 2019
Malia in 2019
Background information
Birth nameLee David Malia[1]
Born (1984-06-04) 4 June 1984 (age 39)[2]
Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar
Years active2004–present
Member ofBring Me the Horizon
Spouse(s)
Deni Marie McGonigle
​
​
(m. 2017)​

Lee David Malia (born 4 June 1984) is a British guitarist and songwriter. He is best known as the lead guitarist of the British rock band Bring Me the Horizon. With the band, he has released six studio albums. He cites influences from Gary Moore, Bon Iver and Metallica among many more.

Early life[edit]

Malia was born and raised in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.[3] He started learning guitar at a young age with the help of his parents who were also musicians.[3] His dad who used to play guitar, left one in Malia's room but he never bothered to play it.[4] However, three months after his dad got rid of the guitar, he began picking up an interest in playing music, so he bought his first guitar at Fox's Music after spending his Christmas money on Boxing Day.[4] He attended Stocksbridge High School where he met Oliver Sykes.[3] Malia played in a cover band where the first song they covered was "All the Small Things" by Blink-182.[5] He also played in a Metallica tribute band before joining Bring Me the Horizon.[6]

Career[edit]

Malia joined Bring Me the Horizon in 2004, and they released their debut EP, This Is What the Edge of Your Seat Was Made For, later that year.[7] The group released their debut studio album Count Your Blessings, on 30 October 2006.[8] The album peaked at number 93 on the UK Albums Chart.[9] Their second studio album, Suicide Season was released in September 2008 and reached number 47 on the UK Albums Chart.[10][9] On 4 October 2010, the group released their third studio album, There Is a Hell Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven Let's Keep It a Secret.[11] The album debuted at number 13 on the UK Albums Chart.[9] Their fourth studio album, Sempiternal was released on 1 April 2013,[12] with the album peaking at number three on the UK Albums Chart.[9] The group's fifth studio album, That's the Spirit was released on 11 September 2015.[13] The album peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart.[9] It also landed the band's first top ten in the US on the Billboard 200, reaching number two.[14] Their sixth studio album, Amo was released on 25 January 2019.[15] The album topped the UK Albums Chart.[16]

Outside from the band, Malia scored music for the 2017 horror thriller film Pyewacket, written and directed by Adam MacDonald.[17] Malia was asked by MacDonald if he wanted to write the music for the film in which he did. Malia also felt that "writing a score was a lot less nerve-wracking than contributing to an album."[17]

Equipment[edit]

Malia played an Ibanez that had thin and flat necks during the group's earlier years. However, as the band "started playing riffy stuff," he switched to Epiphone with a thicker neck because it fit the style he was writing in.[18] In the studio, he plays a Les Paul Standard, the First Act Sheena and a semihollow Rickenbacker, while on stage, he uses his Les Paul Standard and a Les Paul Supreme.[19] His Les Paul Standard is used for drop-A# tuning, whereas his Les Paul Traditional is used for C-standard tuning.[20] His setup also includes a 1982 Gibson Victory MVX and a 1979 Gibson The Paul.[21] Epiphone has created three signature guitars for Malia.[22] In 2014, Epiphone introduced Malia's Les Paul Custom, which was inspired by the Gibson Artisan from the '70s with changes to the pickups.[23][24] Malia revealed that a worker of Gibson made a suggestion to Epiphone to create the custom.[25] In 2017, Epiphone launched Malia's Custom Explorer Artisan, which was inspired by James Hetfield.[26] Epiphone also released Malia's Custom RD Artisan Outfit.[18] On their latest record, Post Human: Survival Horror, Malia used a PRS baritone and an Ibanez.[27] In 2022, Jackson Guitars launched an American Series Soloist custom for Malia.[28]

Malia performing in 2014

Malia uses a variety of Marshall Amplifications. Malia uses a Marshall JCM800 amp and a Marshall speaker cabinet.[19] He also owns a Marshall DSL1C, 1960AV and 1960BV, and a Marshall 1936.[29] Additionally, he has used an Orange Rockerverb 100 and Rockerverb 50 amp.[20] In the past, he used the JCM800 for both clean and distortion[4] but as of 2019, Malia uses the Marshall JTM45 for cleans and the JCM800 for distortion.[18] His pedalboard consists of a Boss DD-7 Delay, an RV-5 Reverb, an Electro-Harmonix Cathedral Reverb and a Tube Screamer.[4] Along with that, he has two Strymon pedals for delay and reverb.[18] On the band's records after Suicide Season, Malia uses a Klon Centaur overdrive pedal, but when performing live, he uses a Fulltone OCD Overdrive, due to the Klon being "hard to get a hold of," according to Malia.[19] He uses an Ernie Ball custom .080-gauge guitar strings.[19] On recording There Is a Hell Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven Let's Keep It a Secret., he used his First Act Custom Sheena guitar, a 5150 rig for distortion and an Orange Rockerverb 100 for cleans.[30]

Musical styles and influences[edit]

Malia listened to a lot of classic rock and metal[31] growing up because of his dad, from the Eagles to Dire Straits and Metallica, which inspired him to start playing guitar.[32] He credits "Enter Sandman" and "Master of Puppets" as the first few songs he wanted to learn when he first started out.[32] He also credited Metallica on how he utilized his picking technique.[33] When the band began playing heavier stuff, his style of playing was influenced by Cannibal Corpse, whose influence can be heard on their early albums such as Count Your Blessings and Suicide Season.[34]

Malia cites early influences from Metallica and Pantera, before drawing heavier influences from Cannibal Corpse.[34] Other influences he has noted include Gary Moore, Bon Iver, Justin Vernon, Sigur Rós[4] and Rage Against the Machine.[3]

Personal life[edit]

In June 2017, he married long-time partner Deni Marie McGonigle.[2][35]

Discography[edit]

Bring Me the Horizon[edit]

Main article: Bring Me the Horizon discography

Accolades[edit]

Publication Accolade Year Rank Ref.
MusicRadar 14 Best Metal Guitarists 2018 6 [36]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Post Human: Survival Horror (Media notes). Bring Me the Horizon. Sony Music and RCA Records. 2020.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ a b Tony Banh (25 March 2023). "Bring Me The Horizon Brochure". Issuu. p. 12-13. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "Lee Malia - Paoletti Guitar". Paoletti Guitars. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e Matt Parker (17 November 2014). "Lee Malia talks Wembley, gear and his guitar roots". MusicRadar. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  5. ^ "The playlist: Lee Malia (Bring Me The Horizon)". MusicRadar. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  6. ^ Patterson, Dayal (April 2011). Alexander Milas (ed.). "The Devil's Rejects". Metal Hammer (216). London, United Kingdom: Future Publishing. ISSN 1422-9048.
  7. ^ Patashnik, Ben (October 2012). Patashnik, B. (ed.). "We Were So Clueless". Rock Sound (166). London, United Kingdom: Freeway Press. ISSN 1465-0185.
  8. ^ Welch, Ben (6 April 2016). Bring Me the Horizon: Heavy Sounds from the Steel City. John Blake Publishing. ISBN 978-1784189860.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Bring Me the Horizon - Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Bring Me The Horizon Signs With Epitaph". Epitaph Records. 11 September 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Bring Me the Horizon: New Album Details Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 12 August 2010. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  12. ^ Martin Kielty (1 March 2013). "Hear The Whole New Bring Me The Horizon Album Sempiternal". Metal Hammer. Archived from the original on 6 March 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Bring Me the Horizon To Release 'That's The Spirit' Album In September". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  14. ^ Keith Caulfield (20 September 2015). "The Weeknd Earns Third Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  15. ^ Connick, Tom (22 August 2018). "Bring Me The Horizon's new album – release date, tour dates and everything we know so far". NME. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  16. ^ "Bring Me The Horizon score first No. 1 album with 'amo'". Alternative Press. 1 February 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  17. ^ a b "BMTH guitarist created horror film score, you may have already heard it". Alternative Press. 21 February 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  18. ^ a b c d Jonathan Horsley (20 February 2019). "Bring Me The Horizon's Lee Malia: 'We realised that songs don't have to have 100 parts, with every single sound you could make'". MusicRadar. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  19. ^ a b c d Kory Grow (19 June 2013). "Dear Guitar Hero: Lee Malia of Bring Me the Horizon Talks Gear, Inspiration, Gary Moore and More". Guitar World. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  20. ^ a b Lee Malia (6 April 2011). "Bring Me the Horizon Tour Blog: Week 2 - Lee Malia's Gear". Guitar World. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  21. ^ Perry Bean (27 March 2014). "Rig Rundown - Bring Me the Horizon's Lee Malia". Premier Guitar. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  22. ^ Chad Childers (18 June 2019). "Bring Me the Horizon's Lee Malia: My Signature Guitar". Loudwire. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  23. ^ "Lee Malia: 'I Stopped Listening to as Much Metal Because I'm Touring With a Metal Band'". Ultimate Guitar. 31 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  24. ^ Richard Purvis (3 February 2015). "Epiphone Lee Malia Les Paul Custom Review". Guitar.com. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  25. ^ Matt Parker (14 November 2014). "Lee Malia on his Epiphone signature guitar". MusicRadar. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  26. ^ "Me and my guitar: Bring Me The Horizon's Lee Malia". MusicRadar. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  27. ^ Ellie Robinson (26 January 2021). "Bring Me The Horizon's Lee Malia: 'I wanted to go as Slayer as I possibly could...'". Guitar World. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  28. ^ Emma Wilkes (16 September 2022). "'If I designed a metal guitar, this would be it': Bring Me The Horizon's Lee Malia on his new Jackson, his old Epiphone, and the band's recent headline shows". Guitar.com. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  29. ^ "Lee Malia - Marshall". Marshall. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  30. ^ Joe Matera. "Bring Me The Horizon: Interview With The Guitarist Lee Malia". Ultimate Guitar. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  31. ^ Greg Kennelty (25 September 2022). ""You're Infiltrating Their Passion": Bring Me the Horizon's Lee Malia Discusses Gatekeeping In Metal". Metal Injection. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  32. ^ a b Chad Childers (21 May 2019). "Bring Me the Horizon's Lee Malia Plays His Favorite Riffs". Loudwire. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  33. ^ "Hooked: Bring Me the Horizon's Lee Malia on Metallica". Premier Guitar. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  34. ^ a b "100 For 100 - Part 6". Marshall. 22 August 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  35. ^ Jon Wiederhorn (28 May 2019). "Bring Me the Horizon's Lee Malia Lifts the Veil on 'Amo,' Their Genre-Jumping New Album". Guitar World. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  36. ^ "The 14 best metal guitarists in the world right now". MusicRadar. 3 December 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
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