Mike Varney


Mike Varney is an American musician, record producer, music publisher and impresario. He is the founder of the Shrapnel Label Group, which includes Shrapnel Records, Tone Center Records and Blues Bureau International. He also has a 50% stake in Magna Carta Records, a New York-based label. Amazon.com currently lists over 790 albums as being released by record labels founded or owned by Mike Varney. He is often credited with being the individual most responsible for popularizing the mid-1980s shred guitar boom, and has continuously specialized in producing highly acclaimed musicians within the genres of instrumental rock, hard rock, jazz, jazz fusion, blues, blues-rock, progressive metal and speed metal.
Some of the most recognized artists that have been produced by Varney, or have been featured on his labels, include Yngwie Malmsteen, David Lee Roth, Kansas, LA Guns, Brides of Destruction, Great White, Bang Tango, John 5, Steve Stevens, The Outlaws, Pat Travers, Rick Derringer, Leslie West, Chris Duarte, Indigenous, Michael Landau, Neal Schon, Shawn Lane, Scott Mishoe, Victor Wooten, Frank Gambale, Eric Johnson, John Scofield, Dennis Chambers, Warren Haynes, Scott Henderson, Stuart Hamm, Tony MacAlpine, Vinnie Moore, Eric Gales, Marty Friedman, Jason Becker, Steve Smith, Greg Howe, Liquid Tension Experiment, Doug Pinnick, Mike Portnoy, Paul Gilbert, Vicious Rumors, Nicole Couch, Michelle Meldrum, Phantom Blue, Mike Stern, Winger, W.A.S.P., Steeler and Racer X.

Early life

Mike Varney grew up in Novato, California, located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to forming Shrapnel Records, Varney played extensively with the pre-punk San Francisco band, The Nuns. The Nuns were one of the most successful bands in the Bay Area at that time, regularly selling out at the local venues and clubs. He co-wrote and performed "Rock Justice" along with Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship's Marty Balin, released by EMI in 1980. Varney also led his own band, Cinema, which received wide recognition in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was known for searing lead guitar runs performed on his collection of Gibson SG guitars. He also began his collection of one of the world's most extensive LP-record collections of hard rock and heavy metal music, which now includes over 40,000 LPs and CDs.

Shrapnel records

was founded in 1980 by Mike Varney at the age of 22. It was the first record company in the USA strictly dedicated to heavy metal. As other labels followed suit, Shrapnel set itself apart from the pack by focusing on bands featuring guitarists of extraordinary ability and was at the forefront of the neo-classical electric guitar and shred movements. Shrapnel Records was the first label to bring renowned guitarists to world attention such as Yngwie Malmsteen, Marty Friedman, Jason Becker, Paul Gilbert, Racer X, Tony MacAlpine, Vinnie Moore, Greg Howe, Richie Kotzen, John5 and many others. Today Shrapnel continues to record guitarists of extraordinary ability and has also returned, in part, to its metal roots in releasing some classic metal and hard rock records due to a resurgent market interest.

Guitar Player Magazine's Spotlight column

Mike Varney began his "Spotlight" column in Guitar Player magazine in 1982 as a vehicle for discovering preeminent talent among the magazine's readership. His monthly column featured many so-called hometown heroes who sent in demos to showcase their abilities. Several players who were featured received opportunities to record with Shrapnel Records.

Blues Bureau International

, founded in 1991, is a label that has focused its attention on the blues rock genre. Through the years the label has recorded many artists including twelve Pat Travers records, six Rick Derringer records, as well as records by other rock blues artists such as Eric Gales, five records, Scott Henderson, solo records and with his group "Tribal Tech", Glenn Hughes, two records with Black Crowes guitarist Marc Ford, five records with Chris Duarte, Neal Schon, The Outlaws, Joe Louis Walker, etc. The label continues to record artists in the electric blues style.

Tone Center

, founded in 1997, is an independent record company owned by music industry veteran Mike Varney, dedicated to recording high level, jazz, jazz/rock and fusion music. The roster is made up of some the most well known names in the instrumental jazz/rock/fusion world. This labels records include performances by legendary musicians such as Eric Johnson, Warren Haynes, Steve Morse, Victor Wooten, Mike Stern, to name a few.

Music collection and archive

Mike Varney began collecting recordings prior to the beginning of his career in 1980. His current collection includes over 40,000 LPs and CDs, extensively covering the hard rock, metal, progressive rock, blues-rock and jazz-fusion genres and subgenres.

Partial list of artists who have appeared on releases on Mike Varney's record labels

Shrapnel Records

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