{{short description|English session guitarist}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''Michael John Casswell''' (18 June 1963 – 30 September 2016) was an English session guitarist, who toured and recorded with numerous artists including Brian May, Joe Bonamassa, Steve Hackett, Wang Chung, Ronan Keating, Rose Royce, Cozy Powell, Tony Hadley, Go West, Dean Friedman, Limahl (Kajagoogoo), Rhinos Revenge Band,<ref>{{cite web|title=Mike Casswell - Special BMG interview|url=http://www.brianmayguitars.co.uk/press-and-reviews/21|publisher=Brian May Guitars|accessdate=25 September 2012}}</ref> Fanfields (Toto tribute project) and Marcus Malone.
==Career== Casswell started playing the guitar from the age of 11. In the mid-1980s he was signed to RCA USA as a part of a band called Heroes.<ref>{{cite book|title=Schwann compact disc catalog, Volume 2, Issues 9-10|year=1987|publisher=Schwann Publications, Inc|pages=20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Heroes-Here We Are|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/here-we-are-mw0000650251|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=26 September 2012}}</ref> From the late 1980s to the early 1990s he was signed to MCA UK with the British rock band Walk on Fire, which released an album ''Blind Faith'' in 1989.<ref>{{cite web|title=Walk on Fire-Blind Faith|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/blind-faith-mw0000201900|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=26 September 2012}}</ref> In 1992, he joined the Brian May Band for the South America tour.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brian May Band|url=http://rokpool.com/content/brian-may-band|publisher=ROKPOOL LTD|accessdate=25 September 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140624050919/http://www.rokpool.com/content/brian-may-band|archivedate=24 June 2014}}</ref> Casswell co-wrote and co-produced Cozy Powell's last solo album, ''Especially for You'', which was released by Polygram Records in 1998.<ref>{{cite web|title=ESPECIALLY FOR YOU, Cozy Powell|url=http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=29368|publisher=Prog Archives|accessdate=25 September 2012}}</ref> From 2006 to 2008, Casswell played in the West End Queen musical, ''We Will Rock You''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Michael Casswell Biography|url=http://www.marcusmalone.com/pages/bio_casswell.html|publisher=Marcus Malone}}</ref> Casswell also taught guitar through many DVDs from Lick Library with an emphatic focus on classic rock and blues styles. Since 2011, he was regularly contributing to the ''Guitar Interactive'' magazine with columns, gear reviews and interviews.<ref>{{cite web|title=Guitar Interactive magazine|url=http://www.iguitarmag.com/|website=Iguitarmag.com|accessdate=26 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Video interview with Steve by iguitarmag.com (* Page 142 *) - September 11|url=http://www.hackettsongs.com/interview.html|publisher=Hackett Songs (Steve Hackett Official Website)|accessdate=26 September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Joe Bonamassa Guitar Jam With Michael Casswell Guitar Interactive Magazine Issue 4 video|url=https://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/jJLD3c8dmJQ|publisher=Nme.com|accessdate=26 September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Brian Tatler now on Lick Library|url=http://www.diamond-head.net/|publisher=Diamond Head (The Diamond Head's Official Website)|accessdate=26 September 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915060822/http://www.diamond-head.net/|archivedate=15 September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Review|url=http://stetsbar.com/reviews.html|publisher=Stets Metal Arts Inc|accessdate=26 September 2012}}</ref>
In 2014, Casswell released a solo album entitled ''Complaints about the Noise''. Casswell's last recordings were his submissions for the Toto tribute Fanfields project, which were released on October 1, 2016, a day after his death.
==Equipment and style== Casswell was a keen user of the guitar's tremolo bar. He was often seen playing pre-Samick Valley Arts guitars,<ref>{{cite web|last=Mattocks|first=Bob|title=VA of the Month (August 2012)|url=http://www.valleyarts.com/vaotm_aug2012.htm|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130205084842/http://www.valleyarts.com/vaotm_aug2012.htm|archivedate=2013-02-05}}</ref> equipped with Floyd Rose and EMG pickups. He also frequently played a Music Man (Luke)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.music-man.com/instruments/guitars/luke.html|title=Luke|website=Music-man.com|accessdate=26 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151221131812/http://www.music-man.com/instruments/guitars/luke.html|archive-date=21 December 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> guitar, as well as various Fender Stratocasters and James Tyler guitars. For amplifiers, he mainly used Mesa-Boogie, or Marshall Amplification.
==Death== In September 2016, Casswell drowned whilst swimming off Las Negras beach in the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in Níjar, Spain. He was 53 years old.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pressreader.com/spain/costa-almer%C3%ADa-news/20161006/282475708331899|title=|via=PressReader|accessdate=7 April 2018}}</ref>
==Discography== '''Solo''' *''Complaints about the Noise'' (2014)
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Casswell, Michael}} Category:1963 births Category:2016 deaths Category:English session musicians Category:English rock guitarists Category:English male guitarists Category:The Brian May Band members
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