Ira Black (musician)

Ira Black is an American heavy metal guitarist and songwriter. Black has played in over 60 bands since the early 1980s and is best known for his work with Metal Church, Vicious Rumors, Heathen and Lizzy Borden. Black has been a strict vegan foryears. While in LA County jail in 2009 on a traffic violation, Black garnered national media attention by going on a 10day hunger strike when he was refused vegan meals. Black is also known for his silver painted mountain lion cat spine attached to his beard and his below the waist mane of hair. Black was featured on the cover of Rockdetectors A to Z Thrash Metal book, banging his head at the Bang Your Head Festival in Germany 2001 showcasing Blacks thrashing metal presence.

Black was born in Sacramento, California. He started playing the guitar at eight years old. He lived half of his early childhood in Rhode Island before moving to California in 1985. Black is a selftaught guitarist. His father, Gary Black, also a guitarist in Sacramento, was an early inspiration in his life.

Source: Wikipedia