Jackson's guitarist to join Slash

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SHREDDER: Guitarist Jennifer Batten, who once played riffs for Michael Jackson and is heading to New Zealand in August for G-Taranaki 2010 International Music Week.

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A hobby born out of jealousy saw American guitarist Jennifer Batten tour the world with Michael Jackson.

Now the musician is on her way to New Zealand in August to join rock guitarist Slash, of Guns 'n' Roses fame, as part of the line-up at G-Taranaki 2010 International Music Week.

Batten, a lead guitarist for Michael Jackson on three world tours, is best known for her collaborations with Jackson and with British musician Jeff Beck.

"My first big name was Michael Jackson and before that I played for a bunch of no name bands," Batten said on the phone from Beijing.

"I just kind of went from being a nobody to being a somebody."

At one point Batten was in six different bands, playing everything from straight-ahead rock to metal, fusion and funk.

But the guitar slasher had humble beginnings, choosing only to the play the instrument that made her famous because she was jealous of her sister.

"I started playing guitar when I was 8 years old because my sister had a guitar and I didn't, so I wanted one," Batten says.

"I enticed my parents for my next birthday to get me my own and they got me lessons. I liked it and stuck with it and have been playing for years."

In 1987 she was selected from over a hundred guitarists to play in Jackson's band for the 18-month world tour supporting his Bad album. When the tour ended, Batten recorded her own album, Above, Below and Beyond , with producer and Stevie Wonder guitarist Michael Sembello. In the spring of 1992, Batten rejoined Jackson for his Dangerous tour and again in 1997 for his two-year tour supporting HIStory.

She describes the 10-year, three-tour stint with Jackson as "like a paid vacation".

"We were so unbelievably spoilt. I never had to change my own strings or make my bed and I made more money in two or three days of work than I would normally make in seven days a week.

"It was just a joy to be able to work that way and to see the places that I was at."

Batten says Jackson was great to work with and enthusiastic about performing for the masses.

"He was great, really even tempered, he was full of joy and he was very excited about being able to present something new to an audience so each time things were very, very different and fresh."

Despite playing with some of the world's most talented musicians Batten says she has not lived the rock 'n' roll life style.

"I have gone through feast and famine and have seen the world but I have never thrown a television out of a hotel window or trashed a hotel room," she laughs.

During her stint at G-Taranaki, Batten will present a multi-media show, as well as performing in the concert headlined by Slash and in an all-star jam organised by former Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth.

- © Fairfax NZ News