Jon Schaffer
Jon Schaffer was born in Franklin, Indiana, United States on March 15th, 1968 and is the Guitarist. At the age of 56, Jon Schaffer biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
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Jon Ryan Schaffer (born March 15, 1968) is an American heavy metal musician.
He is best known as the rhythm guitarist and last remaining original member of the Florida-based heavy metal band Iced Earth, which appeared in 1985 under the name "Purgatory."
In addition, he appears on Sons of Liberty as a member of the Blind Guardian's Hansi Kürsch, and he plays guitar for Demons and Wizards.
Early life
Schaffer was first introduced to rock music at the age of three. Jon's older sister introduced him to acts like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, and Blue Yster Cult. Schaffer and his father appeared at a Kiss concert in 1979 at the age of 11. Since then, he has said that this was the time he figured out what he wanted to do for a living.
Schaffer attended a Lutheran school for five years, during which he expressed a lot of apathy and indignation as a result of the pastors' abusive behavior. On one occasion, one of the pastors "shove a bar of soap down Schaffer's throat," because the pastor was threatened by his refusal to reveal because he was unable to respond Schaffer's concerns regarding evolution versus creationism. According to Schaffer, this had an effect on him as he formed a band so he could "prove these people wrong."
Schaffer, a 16-year-old boy, moved to Tampa, Florida, in 1984. Schaffer was made even more determined to move to Florida and start a band shortly before he left. Schaffer slept in his car until he nearly died in a car crash, after which he obtained an apartment and a roofer.
Personal life
Schaffer fractured his neck in 1996, which required surgery in 2000. In the early 2000s, he underwent surgery again, this time for lower-back pain. Schaffer's daughter was born in 2005, whom he credits for his "perception" that he "never had before."
Schaffer, in addition to playing music, enjoys researching history and recent events, as well as "standing against, and exposing, tyranny." He also likes riding motorcycles, scuba diving, white water rafting, and running. Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, Stephen Toboz, Ronnie James Dio, Hansi Kürsch, Aaron Russo, G. Edward Griffin, and Ron Paul are among Thomas Schaffer's inspirations.
Schaffer revealed that "My father was a John Birch guy" in an interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones in 2011. I can recall things that he and his peers would talk about, especially concerning the United Nations and stuff" as a youth. In the same interview, he also revealed that he has a younger brother who had served in Iraq.
Career
Schaffer formed "the Rose" in 1984, a short-lived band. The band disbanded quickly, after Jon founded what would later become Iced Earth under the name "Purgatory" on January 20, 1985. Schaffer performed rhythm guitar and also designed the band's emblem. The logo had been used for the Rose but Schaffer redesigned it for Purgatory and later for Iced Earth.
The band, now known as Iced Earth, debuted their self-titled debut album in 1990, after some line-up changes. Jon also served as co-producer on the album, as he had on all Iced Earth albums since. The band's new album, Night of the Stormrider, was released the following year, with Jon also appearing lead vocals on the song "Stormrider."
Iced Earth re-emerged with a new lineup, which included singer Matt Barlow, who would remain with the band until 2003. Burnt Offerings and The Dark Saga appeared on both 1995 and 1996, respectively, until Iced Earth released "Some Wicked" and "The Coming Curse"), which were based on Jon Schaffer's "something Wicked" and "The Coming Curse" in 1998. The songs tell the tale of a man made by Jon, named Set Abominae, who also appears on the album's front cover.
Iced Earth first opened the album Horror Show in 2001, after which work on the sequel, The Glorious Burden, began. Matt Barlow had recorded the album's vocal tracks but, due to a lack of interest in the band after the 9/11 attacks, he left the band in 2003 and joined the Georgetown Police Department in Georgetown, Delaware. Matt was replaced by former Judas Priest-singer Tim "Ripper" Owens, who resung the entire album. The Glorious Burden was first published in January 2004, after which Jon began to produce two concept albums based on his Something Wicked storyline. Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1 was released on September 11, 2007, following which it was announced that Matt Barlow would return to Iced Earth in December 2007. Matt was on vocals on his second album, The Crucible of Man: Something Wicked Part 2 on September 5, 2008.
Matt Barlow released a statement in 2011 that he left Iced Earth in order to spend more time with his family. Matt Barlow was later replaced by Stu Block of Into Eternity, who had opened for Iced Earth in 2008. The band produced the album Dystopia, which was released on October 17, 2011. Iced Earth Toured in favor of Dystopia from October 2011 to December 2012, the time when they recorded the album Live in Ancient Kourion.
Demons & Wizards was a side project for Schaffer that brought together blind Guardian frontman Hansi Kürsch. Schaffer and Hansi had met in the early 1990s, when Iced Earth and Blind Guardian toured together. In 2000, Demons & Wizards debuted their self-titled debut album. In addition to Jon and Hansi, the album also featured Mark Prator on drums and Jim Morris on lead guitar. Touched by the Crimson King, the group's second album, was released in 2005 and featured a number of guest artists, including Bobby Jarzombek, Jim Morris, Rubin Drake, Kathy Helm, Tori Fuson, Jesse Morris, and Krystyna Kolaczynski.
Schaffer and Kürsch talked about the future of Demons & Wizards in a video update in 2011 and said that it was only a matter of their plans coordinating when they would begin work on a new album. In 2020, III was then announced.
Following Schaffer's appearance in the tumultuous congress of the United States Capitol, Kürsch declared that he was leaving the group in 2021.
Sons of Liberty is a political side project that Schaffer initiated in 2009. In December 2009, Sons of Liberty's debut album, Brushfires of the Mind, was released as a free download on the band's website (and later became available on CD and vinyl as well). Schaffer performed guitar and programmed the drums, but the album also featured a number of guests, including Jim Morris, Ruben Drake, Troy Seele, Howard Helm, and Jeff Brandt. During the supporting tour, Jon Schaffer was backed up by Seele, Freddie Vidales, and Brent Smedley.
Sons of Liberty published the EP Spirit of the Times in December 2011. Schaffer appeared on the album, playing guitar, and programming the drums, as well as Jim Morris and Ruben Drake.
Schaffer used to own the "Spirit of '76" store. He also appeared in the film Silver Circle. Schaffer appeared on Anarchadia's album Let Us All Unite in 2012, performing on the track "Reality World Order." Schaffer has also expressed interest in releasing a comic book collection based on the Night of the Stormrider album and the Something Wicked Saga.