Synyster Gates

Brian Elwin Haner Junior was born the 7th of July in 1981 to Jan and Brian Haner (Sr.) Brian has an older brother: Brent and a younger sister, McKenna. He also has a half brother named Johnny Gera.
Brian was the only member of Avenged Sevenfold to not attend Huntington Beach High School, but rather Ocean View High School. According to Brian, he met the rest of the band through The Rev (Jimmy Sullivan). The Rev and Brian met in metal shop back in 8th grade when Jimmy started to make fun of Brian, but when the two actually started talking, they realized they both played music and became almost inseparable.
He openly admits that he didn't do well in school. Brian was expelled but mostly likely acquired a GED and was accepted into the Musicians Institute in Hollywood in their GIT program (guitar program) where he studied jazz guitar. After six or so months of being there, he got a phone call from Jimmy (and the rest of the current line up of Avenged Sevenfold) asking him he wanted to come and be their lead guitarist. Brian joined up with them rather than continuing his education and becoming a studio musician.
Music and Playing Guitar
Brian was accepted into the Musicians Institute in Hollywood in their GIT program (guitar program) where he studied jazz guitar. Up until that time he was primarily self taught by watching music videos and reading books, which is surprising because his father (Brian Haner Senior) was/is a songwriter and guitar player, having played with Frank Zappa during his career.
His influences include: Dimebag Darrell (Pantera, Damageplan), Slash (Guns N Roses, Velvet Revolver) and John Petrucci (Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment)
His first guitar was given to him by his grandparents and his father showed him some of the ropes. One of the first songs he learned was "Stairway to Heaven". He transcribed most songs by himself and by sixth grade, he was playing by ear.
Claims to have come up with his stage name when he was 17 years old while out with Jimmy while drinking and driving around. Saying “I am Synyster Gates and I am awesome!!!" I don't know why I said it (laughs) but now that's my name!!!"
Joined Jimmy on a side project known as Pinkly Smooth, where he played guitar. Due to the success of Avenged Sevenfold, Pinkly Smooth is now retired.
Tattoos
Unlike most of the other members, Brian's tattoos have a general theme. Both of his arms are done with various monsters (“I just like monsters” is the only reason given for this) that are experiencing some type of torture. There is a head monster that is in charge, that resides on his right arm.
His first tattoo was when he was fifteen years old. It's of the number one and it's on the knuckle of his thumb.
He has a VII tattooed behind his left ear (like the one Jimmy has)
He has Haner across his upper back but doesn't like it due to the poor quality & rough design, which is why he doesn't go shirtless often. He does have a tattoo on his left pectoral that says "blue blood".
Quick Facts
• He is a gun enthusiast.
• Mostly seen with a fedora on.
• Has designed his own guitars, one of which is now available for purchase.
• Recently had a custom long low rider motorcycle built by the people who do American Chopper. It has a metallic snakeskin paint job and SYN on the gas tank.
• Generally stays on the left side of the stage (audiences' right)
• Brian admits that he wants to start a family.
• Has a recording studio in his house, which is where he spends most of his time.
• He's allergic to bees
• He has so many hats that he has a hat box that often takes Jimmy's seat when they're traveling.
Memorable Quotes
• "Boom I got yo boyfriend!!! I got yo man!!! And she was so sad and I laughed so hard"
• SKRATCH: I was talking to you guys a little about this earlier, and I know you don't consider yourselves a scene band—but how do you feel about the direction the hardcore scene is headed these days???
• GATES: I hope they realize that music is music, and that music is not a scene, not a style. Music is a beautiful fucking thing to listen to. It is not a thing to fucking preach to others about, it's not a fucking cause. It is what it is—and that's a beautiful artform.
The Others On Brian
Why do The Reverend and Synyster act so mean in interviews??? Is it to try to contradict the boy band atmosphere surrounding Avenged Sevenfold on account of the song "Warmness on the Soul"???
They are mean because we get interviews and I print them out for us to answer and we sit there and laugh at all the stupid questions. So we just start writing shit down and they won't give serious answers, so I just edit it all and let them keep some of their answers. If I printed it all 99% of people would be truly offended. So when the live interviews come we are fucked. Oh well, thats them. *Matt*

Brian has written a song with James Hart of Burn Halo. The title is Dirty Lil Girl.

Brian’s custom chopper was created by Lucky 7 Choppers.

Brian’s grandpa rode from Arizona on a personally made custom bike to California and joined the Air Force. Brian is very close to his grandfather.

Susie Haner is not Brian’s mother. His mom and dad are divorced. He has one brother, Brent, a half sister, McKenna, (father) and a half brother, Johnny (mother). Brian’s real mothers name is Jan Gera.

Brian has an allergy to Bees.

Brian’s favorite color is Purple. He decided he liked the color in elementary school.

Brian’s guitar tech is Kevin "Za" Zazzara.

At last count, Brian reported having in excess of 268 total assorted hats. The guys joke about having to wait to check the hats on airplanes and that his hat collection has to have its own seat during travel. Jimmy says the hat box often takes his seat.

Brian married Michelle Dibennedetto (Twin to Val Sanders) in Mexico on May 7th, 2010. He had his bachelor party in Las Vegas.

A few years ago Brian developed an infection of the pericardium also known as pericarditis (The sac around his heart). He had all the classic symptoms of a heart attack but, did not actually have one, and he was very sick. He of course made a full recovery.

Brian has a dog that goes by Pinkly.

Brian is sponsored by Schecter Guitars and has his own line of guitars including the Syn Custom which looks identical to the black and white one he plays regularly on stage.


Brian hates to restring his guitars and this fact has delayed production on their albums in the past. He says he would rather they be put on right so he sends them back to Schecter Guitars for restringing.

Brian stands 5'10 and has brown eyes.

Brian would like to make a song with Trevor Roy Dunn, Paul McCartney, and Jonathan Taylor

Brian probably started playing the guitar at 9 years old but didn't get serious about it until he was 11.

Up until 2007 Brian had his left nostril pierced. He has since removed it.

Brian was chosen Guitar hero's 50 fasted guitarist

Brian played with Danny Elfman on the Wanted Soundtrack Score.

In 2010, Guitar World Listed Brian as on of the 30 greatest shredders of all time. They discribed him as being able to perform finger-twisting licks, acrobatic sweeps, devilish chromatics and towering dual-harmonys

Quotes:



"I am an intelligent drunk because an intelligent drunk carries his liquor with him" House of Blues Myrtle Beach, SC 11-28-2008

"I really pride myself that my band has not changed. We're still the same group of guys that goes home and has dinner together and gets drunk together and does the same stuff. When we bought our homes, our nice, big houses, we still moved close to mom's house. Mentally, we're the same; it's just what we do for a living."

"I think all of our personalities in the band are pretty eccentric, in a way. Just a little bit out there."

"I've never heard the man not be able to talk. We actually flew out to do the gig knowing there was some underlying problem. He made it through the first show and was a bad ass about it. But woke up the next morning and couldn't physically talk. So he pushed himself way too far and went home and he was really rough for a couple of days. And his vocal coach and his doctors and different propel prescribed him four weeks of vocal rest. So he walked around with a chalk board. He would write letters to us." referencing Matt’s Vocal strain and subsequent cancellation of tour dates in October 2008

"We worked out asses off for this record we were in the studio for three months working 12 to 14 hour days until our fingers were falling off, or until our vocal cords were toast. That's just how we do things. The DVD (All Excess) represents us perfectly, because it has excerpts from the last 10 years of our lives, being with friends in the biggest partying situations and the biggest workaholic situations that we put ourselves in. If you take that and listen to our music, you can tell we are a dead serious band. We grew up together and we love hanging out with each other. Things get a little wild sometimes but that’s what you get" Referencing Avenged Sevenfold the album

"Oh I love illegal down loading! It's brought us awareness, enabling us to go on tour. Where kids have no money to buy music, they download it, and that helps to spread the word."

"When people tell me I am better than I think I am I feel good about myself."

"I think we have just become a really fearless band that pretty much does what we want to do. Now we are not afraid to experiment with anything"

"I do my best to concentrate on the day. Even if it's kind of a bad day. I don't spend the time wishing for the next day to come. Cause if the next day is fucking bad, then I’m just wasting my life wishing for death."

"This is a tight unit-we'll hang-out with you but......"

"There have been physical assaults. I've been kicked and called names."

"There are definitely people out there that would kill us."

"I've been awake for 4 days straight on drugs. That was the longest."

"We are so passionate about this band that we don't want to fuck up".

If I had to do anything else in this world I would be a failure. I was an honor student until 4th grade, when I got a guitar in my hand. Then I quickly became an educational failure. This is all I can do now and I want to do the best."

"I'm totally going to do a big line of coke off my first gold record".

"Our biggest fear is to be lumped into one category. We first got labeled as a metalcore band. So we quit screaming. Now we're bringing all these influences together to forge an A7X style."

"When we started out on "City of Evil" we were like if it happens, but we didn't expect any of this stuff. I'm just really proud that we wrote the album that we did and that it did cross-over, because it's pretty ridiculous, crazy, ambitious album. For it to be accepted in the world of radio and MTV and to win the VMA. It's pretty insane!

When you play A7X music, your fingers are going to get sore and your drummer is going to have leg spasms."

"Being different is curtail these days but it gets harder all the time to get there sanely".

"I love jazz from a metal stand point crazy arpeggios with tons of altered holes but equally palatable as the straight ahead stuff. Anything to make it heavier, goofier, funnier. I'm a big climax guy. I want every song to be a roller coaster ride, but to never forget about structure and melody. You broaden fans horizons if you do it right."

"The .50 caliber is the loudest, craziest thing I've ever shot or heard or seen in my entire life. That and the .45 are my 2 dream guns. I've got tons of other guns from my grandpa but those are my babies. Some people give you shit about having guns but I don't give a fuck. It's my right and responsibility." Note* Syn's Smith & Wesson .50 Caliber hand cannon, a revolver has 3x the stopping power of a .44 magnum.

"When I joined the band I couldn't play rhythm guitar worth a shit".

"Playing with a good drummer like the Rev makes out lives easier. We've been playing with the Rev practically our whole lives and he's always had a great groove."

"We can lay back and play a great show for ourselves and our fans, without having to look back at the dickhead ruining the song".

"We seem to know the difference between polishing a turd and having something really good".

"As a band, we think similarly even though we come from such vastly different genres".

"My number-one favorite metal lead guitar player of all time is Dimebag Darrell. Slash is also one of the tastiest players ever".

"Welcome to Casa de la Syn"
.

"I know we have this reputation of partying but I think we have all grown up alot over the last few years".

“We work our fucking asses off and then partying comes second".

"I've been with my girlfriend for 3 years and I decided that I wasn't going to do anymore fucking around because this girl’s rad. God bless the groupies but I'm in a different stage of my life now. I feel bad for them. They'll be waiting a lot longer than they thought they were gonna".

"When you're out there riding fast and you feel the wind in your face it's so exciting and invigorating. I'm all about it."

"Harley-Davidson is the epitome of cool. That H-D Logo has always represented the American bad-ass."

"We never slide by unnoticed, that's for sure. People either hate everything about us-the full 10 minute songs, all the guitar solos, the singing, and the lyrics, the crazy drumming-or they have absolute undying love for us. There's no middle ground."

"Were just so fuckin proud of what we accomplished with this record. We really worked together as a
group, as songwriters, as players. To come up with the best and most diverse stuff we have ever done.
What anyone else says doesn't really matter.-referencing "Avenged Sevenfold" the album-

"Music is pretty much in my blood and it’s definitely in my environment."

"I like fingering as opposed to palming, it was the smart choice to make." -Quote provided by Rachel Gates-

"I thought it went down great. It was a very difficult show, it’s one of our bigger ones so they put us in places not so acoustic friendly so it’s really hard to hear shit, but listening back I think we’re all pretty much in tune, solos turned down alright, Shad sounds awesome, and drumming’s amazing. I mean, I’m pretty proud of it ‘cause up there I had to drink a little bit more to make things a little more comfortable ‘cause the in-ears where definitely a little ambient."-Commenting on the Live in the LBC DVD-