Darren Housholder was at the heart of the ’80s guitar boom era alongside Paul Gilbert and Greg Howe, rubbing elbows with everyone from John Petrucci and Marty Friedman to Jason Becker. But he’s not often mentioned among those leading names.It’s probably because he dropped out of the biz in ’96 after starting a family and a successful supplement company, Psycho Pharma. But his passion for guitar never waned. “Music is cosmic and magical,” he says. “We musicians are so fortunate to do what we do.”His three shred-heavy albums from the early-to-mid-90s have never quite been forgotten. “No other Shrapnel guy was doing what I did,” he says. “The funky metal, big band sound was my own thing.”In 2017, Housholder hooked up with Love/Hate vocalist Jizzy Pearl for his first recordings in years. Then last year he released fourth solo album, A Vision for You. “Each track has such meaning and purpose,” he says. “There’s depth and emotion to these songs. They're well-crafted. You can hear the passion and desire.”While his passion for the instrument and for creation has been reignited, he admits his goals are different now. “My priority is growing Psycho Pharma globally and taking care of my family. I don’t have time to devote to music like I once did. But my life as a guitarist has no relevance without published original music. Releasing A Vision for You 30 years after Symphonic Aggression gives me a sense of being a tree in the forest of successful guitarists.”
