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Mike Spreitzer

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Mike Spreitzer
Spreitzer performing with DevilDriver in 2016
Spreitzer performing with DevilDriver in 2016
Background information
Birth nameMichael Colin Spreitzer
Born (1981-02-10) February 10, 1981 (age 43)
Torrance, California, U.S.
OriginSanta Barbara, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician, record producer, engineer
InstrumentGuitar
Formerly ofDevilDriver, No Love Lost
Websiteveronaonvenus.com

Michael Colin Spreitzer (born February 10, 1981) is an American musician and record producer, best known as the former lead guitarist of heavy metal band DevilDriver. He was the second-longest lasting member following the departures of all original members except vocalist Dez Fafara. He replaced original lead guitarist Evan Pitts in 2004. Spreitzer performed on DevilDriver's albums The Fury of Our Maker's Hand (2005), The Last Kind Words (2007), Pray for Villains (2009), Beast (2011) Winter Kills (2013) Trust No One (2016), Outlaws 'til the End: Vol. 1 (2018), Dealing with Demons Vol. 1 (2020), and Dealing with Demons Vol. 2 (2023)

Career

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In 2001, Spreitzer joined a local heavy metal band from Santa Barbara called Grolby alongside future DevilDriver band mates John Boecklin, Jon Miller, and Jeff Kendrick. Unfortunately, Grolby broke up eight months after Spreitzer joined. At this point, Spreitzer went on to form an industrial metal band called No Love Lost with friends Cliff Ross and Dan Bellinger. Although an album's worth of material was written and recorded, nothing was ever released.

In April 2004, DevilDriver was about to embark on their first European tour opening for Swedish heavy metal band In Flames. Two days before the tour began, DevilDriver's guitarist Evan Pitts was forced to withdraw from the tour for personal reasons, leaving the band without a second guitar player. At the time, Jon Miller and Jeff Kendrick lived with Spreitzer when not touring with DevilDriver. When Spreitzer heard that Pitts would not be going on the European tour he immediately offered to fill in temporarily for the duration of the tour. Shortly after DevilDriver returned to Santa Barbara, Pitts had decided not to continue with the band and Spreitzer became a permanent member.

After Spreitzer joined DevilDriver in 2004, he would tour with the band and contribute on the albums The Fury of Our Maker's Hand, The Last Kind Words, Pray for Villains, Beast, Winter Kills, Trust No One, Outlaws 'til the End: Vol. 1 and Dealing with Demons Vol. 1 and 2.

On November 20, 2023, Michael announced his new musical project Verona on Venus. The debut album Popular Delusions was released on January 19, 2024.

On September 3, 2024, Mike Spreitzer announced that he left the band after 20 years.[1]

Equipment

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Spreitzer and Dez Fafara with DevilDriver
  • ESP Guitars
  • Fractal Axe FX
  • Fishman Pickups
  • EMG Pickups
  • SIT Strings
  • REVV Speaker Cabinets
  • Mesa Boogie Speaker Cabinets
  • Driftwood Amplifiers
  • Maxon Effect Pedals
  • Get'm Get'm Guitar Straps
  • Pig Hog Cables

Discography

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DevilDriver

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Verona on Venus

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  • Popular Delusions (2024)

Other work

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Studio albums

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Year Artist Title Label Role Notes
2012 Esoterica Nothing Left to Loose Esoterica & Trak Records Guest guitarist Track 8
2012 Give Zombies the Vote Dominions Producer, mixer, mastering
2012 Final Curse Way of the Accursed Mixer
2013 Collapse Arms and the Covenant Transcend Music Mixer
2013 Vendetta of the Fallen Malice Mastering
2018 Heaven Below Good Morning Apocalypse Broken Halo Engineer
2018 DevilDriver Outlaws 'til the End: Vol. 1 Napalm Engineer
2018 Tortured Saint Message to the Throne Mixer, mastering
2019 PIG Stripped & Whipped Armalyte Industries Guest guitarist Track 4
2019 Wednesday 13 Necrophaze Nuclear Blast Producer, mixer, engineer

EPs

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Year Artist Title Label Role Notes
2012 Synthetic Breed Zero Degrees Freedom Rogue Records America Mastering
2013 Thrown into Exile Thrown into Exile Producer

Singles

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Year Artist Title Label Role Notes
2013 Synthetic Breed Xenogenesis Rogue Records America Mastering

Compilations

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Year Artist Title Label Role
2012 Various artists Terror Metal Extreme Music Producer, engineer, mixer, writer

References

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  1. ^ "Longtime DEVILDRIVER Guitarist MIKE SPREITZER Announces His Departure: 'I Have Decided It Is Time To Go My Own Way'". Blabbermouth.net. September 3, 2024. Retrieved September 3, 2024.