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Oz Fox

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Oz Fox
Birth name	Richard Alfonso Martínez
Also known as	Oz Fox
Born	June 18 1961 (1961-06-18) (age 46)
Origin	U.S.
Genre(s)	Rock
Occupation(s)	singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer
Instrument(s)	vocals, guitar
Years active	1983-present
Label(s)	Big3 Records, Fifty Three Five Records
Associated acts	Stryper Sindizzy Bloodgood
Website	www.ozfox.com

Oz Fox (b. Richard Alfonso Martinez on June 18, 1961 in Whittier, California to Richard Joseph Martinez and Jessie Maria Martinez. ^[1]) is the lead guitarist of the Christian metal band Stryper. Martinez claimed the name Oz Fox in honor of Ozzy Osbourne due to being able to emulate the vocals of Osbourne while playing Black Sabbath covers in his pre-Stryper days.^[2] He was recruited by the Sweet brothers in 1983 to form what would become Stryper. As a founding member of the band, Fox recorded and toured with Stryper until the band's first break up in 1993. Having been influenced by artists from many styles of music including country, Fox's style can best be described as having been heavily influenced by the style pioneered by Edward Van Halen. In fact, it is a little known fact that Fox would often warm up by playing Van Halen's "I'm The One" note for note before Stryper shows.^[2] He led the trend in LA guitarists to heavily incorporate tapping, sweeping, string skipping and wild tremolo use along with peers such as George Lynch, Warren DeMartini, Jake E. Lee, Mick Mars, and Tony Palacios. Fox recorded half of the guitar solos with Stryper while additionally providing background vocals for the group. He later took up the main vocal duties for a period of four months in 1992 after founding member Michael Sweet decided to leave the band and pursue a solo career. With Fox on lead vocals, the threesome did two short tours in Europe. After Stryper, Fox played in several projects, including his own band, Sindizzy where he played rhythm guitar and sang lead vocals. SinDizzy, which released an album in 1998 titled He's Not Dead, included former Stryper bassist Tim Gaines, drummer John Bocanegra and LA guitarist Bobby MacNeil. SinDizzy was a departure for Fox as it allowed him to explore his writing and playing from a much different perspective than in his prior work. SinDizzy would be put on hiatus however due to Fox and Gaines being asked to rejoin Stryper for their reunion in 2003 in support of the album 7 after the widespread acceptance and excitement generated by the first 'Stryper Expo'. Though Gaines would elect to leave the band, Fox, together with brothers Robert and Michael Sweet and newcomer bassist Tracy Ferrie, is still recording and touring with the group. Fox's latest work is on Stryper's "Reborn" album released in May 2005 on Big 3 Records. Fox has hosted Rewind on JCTV. He recently joined the band Bloodgood. Fox also continues to develop artists and bands in Rancho Cucamonga where he currently resides.

1 See also
2 References
- 2.1 Further reading
3 External links

References

^ George-Warren, Holly, ed; Jon Pareles, Patricia Romanowski Bashe (1995). "Stryper", The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, Second Edition, New York City: Fireside, 962-963. ISBN 0-684-81044-1.
^ ^a ^b Erickson, Sturdevant (2006). Stryper: Loud n' Clear, unabridged audio, Maryland: Classic CD Books. ISBN 0976480549.

External links

This box: • • edit Stryper
Current Members: Michael Sweet • Robert Sweet • Oz Fox • Tracy Ferrie
Former Members: Tim Gaines
Discography
Studio albums: The Yellow and Black Attack • Soldiers Under Command • To Hell with the Devil • In God We Trust • Against the Law • Reborn • The Roxx Regime Demos
Live albums: 7 Weeks: Live in America, 2003 • Extended Versions
Compilations: Can't Stop the Rock • 7: The Best Of Stryper

Persondata
NAME	Oz Fox
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Richard Alfonso Martínez
SHORT DESCRIPTION	musician
DATE OF BIRTH	June 18, 1961
PLACE OF BIRTH	Whittier, California
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH