Bor… Read Full Bio ↴Richie Kotzen is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter.
Born in Reading, Pennsylvania on February 3, 1970, Richie Kotzen was soon taken by music and first began playing piano at the age of five. At the age of seven he was inspired by New York City band KISS to learn the electric guitar. Relentlessly developing chops and his own unique voice on the guitar, Kotzen was eventually discovered by Shrapnel Records' Mike Varney, and he recorded his first album by the age of 18. During that same year, he also graced the cover of several publications including Guitar World Magazine. He created the video Rock Chops for REH video in 1989, highlighting many of his formative techniques, including using wide-intervals and fluid sweeping.
In 1993, Kotzen made his big break when he joined the rock band Poison at age 20, co-writing and performing on the album Native Tongue. This album produced two top twenty singles which Richie wrote, Stand and Until You Suffer Some. Kotzen was subsequently fired from the band when it was discovered that he had been romantically involved with Deanna Eve, the ex-fiance of Poison drummer Rikki Rockett. Kotzen and Eve later married and divorced. In 1999 Kotzen replaced Paul Gilbert as guitarist in the mainstream rock band Mr. Big. Kotzen maintained the band's enormous success, performing on the Mr. Big record Get Over It, which sold more than 1,975,000 copies in its first two weeks in Japan, eventually reaching platinum status. Kotzen also contributed guitars to Mr. Big's subsequent release Actual Size. The record included the Kotzen song Shine, which debuted at number one on Japanese radio charts. Following the disbanding of Mr. Big, Kotzen released the solo album Change, in 2003. The title track, and the song Get A Life were featured in TV commercials throughout Japan.
In mid 2002 Kotzen established a recording Studio/Production company in Los Angeles, California. He has since been producing acclaimed solo albums and collaborating with various figures in rock, jazz, and fusion. He now has formed a band called Forty Deuce which recently released a new album entitled Nothing to Lose.
Richie has a unique style, which he has described as a mix of rock, jazz fusion, and soul music. Of his albums, he claims he is most proud of Vertu. Kotzen utilizes a heavy amount of legato playing into his solos.
Richie is now living in Los Angeles, California. Besides playing the guitar, his hobbies include exercise and sports, especially basketball. Richie has said that if he had'nt become a professional musician, he would have liked to play professional basketball.
In 2008, Kotzen released his first official live album, "Live In São Paulo", which featured Johnny Griparic on bass and Dan Potruch on Drums.
Discography
* (1989) Richie Kotzen
* (1990) Fever Dream
* (1991) Electric Joy
* (1991) Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey (Soundtrack)
* (1993) Native Tongue (Poison)
* (1994) Mother Head's Family Reunion
* (1995) Inner Galactic Fusion Experience
* (1995) Tilt (with Greg Howe)
* (1996) Wave of Emotion
* (1996) Times Gonna Tell (EP)
* (1997) Kotzen/Howe Project (with Greg Howe)
* (1997) Something to Say
* (1998) What Is
* (1999) Break It All Down
* (1999) BiPolar Blues
* (1999) Vertu (project with Stanley Clarke and Lenny White)
* (1999) Get Over It (Mr. Big)
* (2000) Deep Cuts (Mr. Big)
* (2001) Actual Size (Mr. Big)
* (2001) Slow
* (2002) In Japan (Mr. Big)
* (2003) Change
* (2003) Acoustic Cuts
* (2004) Get Up
* (2004) The Best of Richie Kotzen
* (2005) Nothing to Lose (Forty-Deuce)
* (2006) ZxR Ai Senshi
* (2006) Into the Black
* (2007) ''Return Of The Mother Head's Family Reunion'' (Japan & Europe)
* (2007) ''Go Faster'' (US only)
* (2008) ''Live In São Paulo''
* (2009) ''Peace Sign''
* (2011) ''24 Hours''
* (2013) ''The Winery Dogs'' (The Winery Dogs)
* (2014) ''Unleashed In Japan: The Second Show'' (The Winery Dogs) Released only In Japan (DVD/2CD)
* (2014) ''The Essential''
* (2015) ''Cannibals''
* (2015) ''Hot Streak'' (The Winery Dogs)
* (2017) ''Salting Earth''
Videography
* (1989) Rock Chops
* (1994) Mother Head's family Reunion (Videoclip from the Mother Head's family Reunion Album)
* (1996) Wave of Emotion (Videoclip from the Wave of Emotion Album)
* (2001) Don't Wanna Lie (Videoclip from the Slow Album)
* (2001) Shine (Videoclip from Mr. Big's Actual Size Album)
* (2002) ''Hi-Tech Rock Guitar''
* (2005) ''Live In South America''
* (2008) ''Chase It'' (Videoclip from the R.O.T.M.F.R. Album)
* (2008) ''Bootlegged in Brazil''
* (2014) ''Unleashed In Japan: The Second Show'' (The Winery Dogs) Released only In Japan (DVD/2CD)'
* (2015) ''Live''
such a shame
Richie Kotzen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Echoes in my head
I can see you dying see you dying and your
Walking with the dead
All the lies all the lies all the lies that you live
Truth is the truth that you can't admit
Day in and day out you put in on me
It's such a shame , such a shame ,such a shame
But you do it to yourself it's the things you do
Its such a shame , such a shame ,such a shame
But its you nobody else and you know is true
I can feel you hurting feel you hurting
But its deeper than my pain
I can see you're worried yeah you're worried
It will never be the same
All the night all the night all the night
Spent aware
Days all the days all the days spent under covers
All you ever wanted was a moment of free
You gotta figure out who you wanna be
All you ever wanted was a moment of free
Now your a prisoner and there's no key
You gotta figure out who wanna be
The lyrics to Richie Kotzen's song "Such a Shame" talk about a person who is struggling with self-discovery, truth, and acceptance. The song begins with the singer hearing and seeing the person they are addressing hurting and crying, but it seems that they are not willing to admit their true feelings.
The chorus of the song highlights the fact that the person is causing their own pain and shame. The singer acknowledges that the individual may be hurting deep down, but their actions and choices have led them to this place. The singer encourages them to figure out who they want to be and to take ownership of their life.
The bridge of the song provides more backstory, with lyrics about the individual spending nights and days under covers, wanting a moment of freedom, but now feeling like a prisoner. It is clear that this person is struggling to find their place in the world and to accept themselves for who they truly are.
Overall, "Such a Shame" is a song that delves into the human struggle of self-discovery and acceptance. It emphasizes the importance of taking ownership of our lives, making choices that align with our values, and being true to ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
I can hear you cryin hear you cryin yea it
Echoes in my head
I can sense your overwhelming sadness and sorrow, it keeps ringing in my mind
I can see you dying see you dying and your
Walking with the dead
I can tell that you are slowly losing your spirit, while constantly being consumed by negativity
All the lies all the lies all the lies that you live
Truth is the truth that you can't admit
Despite the numerous false impressions that you put forward, the reality becomes more and more obscure because you refuse to acknowledge the truth
Day in and day out you put in on me
Oh you gotta figure out who you wanna be
You constantly impose your problems on me every single day, and need to take responsibility and answer the crucial question of who you truly are
It's such a shame , such a shame ,such a shame
But you do it to yourself it's the things you do
Its such a shame , such a shame ,such a shame
But its you nobody else and you know is true
It is regretful that your actions are self-destructive and shameful, you need to accept that you are the root cause of your own struggles
I can feel you hurting feel you hurting
But its deeper than my pain
I can empathize with the pain you are going through, however, it is much deeper and severe than what I can feel
I can see you're worried yeah you're worried
It will never be the same
I can tell that you are anxious and concerned, and that your life will never be the same after certain events
All the night all the night all the night
Spent aware
Countless nights spent wide awake, lost in thought and contemplation
Days all the days all the days spent under covers
Days spent in bed, trying to hide and escape from reality
All you ever wanted was a moment of free
You gotta figure out who you wanna be
Your entire life, you have been yearning for a moment of liberation and freedom, but this can only be achieved by identifying and understanding your true self
Now your a prisoner and there's no key
You gotta figure out who wanna be
You are now a captive of your own mind, and the only way out is to make the conscious decision of who you want to become
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Mark David Hollis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind