Roy Z is a guitarist, songwriter and producer known for his work with Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), Rob Halford and Judas Priest. He also is the founder of Tribe of Gypsies, a hard rock band with Latin influences.

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Roy Z was born Roy Ramirez in Los Angeles, CA, but changed his name in the 1980s because "ethnic names were not trendy at the time". Roy reversed Ramirez and became 'Roy Zerimar', though people began calling him 'Roy Z' for short. Roy began playing guitar and studying music at a young age, influenced by players such as Peter Green, Uli Roth, Jimmy Page, Frank Marino, Carlos Santana, Michael Schenker, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jeff Beck, and Robin Trower.

A regular on the Southern California hard rock scene in the 1980s, Roy played with many bands, including Seventh Thunder, Gypsy Moreno, Royal Flush, Driver, Warrior, and Mike Vescera. In 1991, Roy formed Tribe of Gypsies.

When Bruce Dickinson split with Iron Maiden in 1993, he hand picked Roy and Tribe Of Gypsies members Dave Ingraham (drums) and Eddie Casillas (bass) to complete his solo band. Adding a Latin feel to the metal legend's distinctive voice, the resulting album Balls to Picasso is a somewhat eclectic affair, ranging from the power ballad "Tears of the Dragon" (which also received a music video) to the doomy rocker "Cyclops". Roy immediately went into the studio with Tribe of Gypsies to record their self titled debut, released in Japan on JVC/Victor Records in 1996.

Bruce would go on to record his alternative Skunkworks album in 1996, but later returned to his heavier roots and reformed with Roy on 1997's Accident of Birth. Also featuring guitarist and songwriter Adrian Smith (of Iron Maiden) , the album was a critical success, winning "album of the year" polls in the metal press, many fans cite Accident of Birth as Bruce's best solo effort. The band would follow up strongly with 1998's The Chemical Wedding, a concept album with a darker feel, the album contained no ballads, but is equally praised along with Accident of Birth as a fan favorite, even jokingly called by some "The best Iron Maiden album since Seventh Son."

Roy gained industry acclaim for also producing the Dickinson albums, and in 2000 he was tapped to produce the Rob Halford solo album Resurrection. The album featured tight, pristine production and led to other hard rock/metal production jobs, including Rob Rock and Helloween's The Dark Ride.

Roy and Bruce again teamed up in 2003 to write and record Tyranny of Souls, released on Sanctuary Records. The pair could not find time to write the album, so Roy would send riffs to Bruce, who was on the road with Iron Maiden, and Bruce would write melodies and lyrics. The album was recorded in Roy's basement studio, and featured session players on drums and bass. Roy himself took a turn on bass for 2 songs - Believil and Power of the Sun. Vocals for the album were done in less than 2 weeks, with Bruce sleeping on a cot in the studio to maximize time. Dickinson had also been injured during a fall at an Iron Maiden show and was all but unable to stand. The album had to be shelved for more than eight months (later released in 2005), however, when in 2004, Roy got the call to produce and mix Judas Priest's reunion album Angel of Retribution.

Today Roy Z is a highly sought after hard rock/metal producer, working with some of the genre's top acts. He is currently working alongside of Metal Mike and Rob Halford in the band, Halford. His most recent release is Halford's newest single, "Forgotten Generation", where he is playing his signature custom made red and white Kon Flying V in the video. Roy Z's most recent work is producing for the upcoming twelfth Sepultura album, Kairos, which should be released in the spring or summer of 2011.

Discography:

With Bruce Dickinson

1994 - Balls to Picasso

1997 - Accident of Birth

1998 - The Chemical Wedding

1999 - Scream for Me Brazil

2002 - The Best of Bruce Dickinson

2005 - Tyranny of Souls

2006 - Anthology (DVD)

With Tribe of Gypsies

1996 - Tribe Of Gypsies

1997 - Nothing Lasts Forever

1998 - Revolucion 13

2000 - Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants aka Tribe Of Gypsies III

2006 - Dweller On The Threshold

With Rob Rock

2000 - Rage of Creation

2003 - Eyes of Eternity

2005 - Holy Hell

2007 - Garden of Chaos

With Driver

2008 - Sons of Thunder (Driver album)

With Glenn Hughes

2000 - From the Archives Volume I - Incense & Peaches

With W.A.S.P.

2001- Unholy Terror (lead guitar on "Who Slayed Baby Jane?" and "Wasted White Boys").

With Massacration

2009 - Good Blood Headbanguers

With Halford

2009 - Halford III: Winter Songs

2010 - Halford IV: Made of Metal

Production Discography:

1994 downset. - Downset

1995 Klover - Beginning to End (EP)

1995 Klover - Feel Lucky Punk

1996 Life After Death - Life After Death

1996 Tribe of Gypsies - Tribe of Gypsies

1997 Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth

1997 Downset - Do We Speak a Dead Language ?

1997 Last Temptation - Last Temptation Sonic

1997 Roadsaw - Nationwide

1997 Tribe of Gypsies - Nothing Lasts Forever

1998 Bruce Dickinson - The Chemical Wedding

1998 Tribe of Gypsies - Revolucion 13

1999 Bruce Dickinson - Scream for me Brazil

2000 Downset - Check Your People

2000 Halford - Resurrection

2000 Helloween - The Dark Ride

2000 Rob Rock - Rage of Creation

2000 Tribe of Gypsies - Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

2001 Halford - Live Insurrection

2002 Halford - Crucible

2002 Bruce Dickinson - The Best of

2003 Rob Rock - Eyes of Eternity

2005 Judas Priest - Angel of Retribution

2005 Bruce Dickinson - Tyranny of Souls

2005 Rob Rock - Holy Hell

2007 Sebastian Bach - Angel Down

2007 André Matos - Time to Be Free

2007 Rob Rock - Garden of Chaos

2008 Yngwie Malmsteen - Perpetual Flame

2008 Driver - Sons of Thunder (Driver album)

2009 Wolf - Ravenous

2009 Massacration - Good Blood Headbanguers

2009 Halford - Halford III - Winter Songs

2010 Halford - Halford IV: Made of Metal

2011 Sepultura - Kairos

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