Nita Strauss

Nita Strauss (born December 7, 1986) is an American rock musician.

She is the current touring guitarist for Alice Cooper and has a
Nita Strauss
successful career as a solo artist.[1][2] Strauss was the first female
signature artist with Ibanez guitars and is regularly featured on the
covers of worldwide print magazines including Guitar World and
Guitar Player. She was ranked No. 1 on Guitar World's list of "10
Female Guitar Players You Should Know."[3]

Contents
Career
Solo artist
Controlled Chaos
WWE
Special appearances
Recognition
Teacher and mentor
Nita Strauss performing with Alice
Health and fitness Cooper in 2017
Personal life Background information
Discography Also known as Mega Murray,
Criticism Hurricane Nita,
See also The Hurricane

References Born December 7,

1986
External links
Los Angeles,
California,
United States
Career
Genres Heavy metal,
Strauss started touring with her own band as a teenager, leaving high hard rock, tribute
school in her junior year to pursue music full time. Although initially music,
known for her work with Iron Maiden all-female tribute band The instrumental
Iron Maidens, Strauss’ career has included performing with several metal, deathcore
rock ensembles including Consume the Fire, Femme Fatale, and the
Occupation(s) Musician
video-game supergroup Critical Hit.[4][5]
Instruments Guitar, backing
In 2014, Strauss was the official in-house guitarist for the Los vocals
Angeles Kiss (LA KISS), the arena football team owned by Paul
Years active 2003—Present
Stanley and Gene Simmons of KISS. The house band played the
national anthem and provided additional music during the games.[6] Labels Sumerian
Records,
In June 2014, Strauss was hired to replace Orianthi as Alice Cooper's Powerslave
touring guitarist and play the remaining 2014 tour dates.[7][8] She has Records
toured with Alice Cooper ever since.[9] Associated acts Alice Cooper
Strauss is featured as the main guitarist for seven songs on Docker's (2014–present)
Guild album called The Heisenberg Diaries – Book A: Sounds of The Guitar
Future Past, released on January 21, 2016.[10] Collective
(2017–present)
Nita Strauss appeared in the 2017 Netflix documentary Hired
Gun.[11][12] We Start Wars
(2017–present)
The Star
Solo artist Breakers (2017–
18)
Controlled Chaos The Iron
Maidens (2011–
In April 2018, Strauss launched a wildly successful Kickstarter 15)
campaign for her debut solo record Controlled Chaos. The campaign
was successfully funded in two hours and eventually raised eight Critical Hit
times its initial goal. Strauss produced the record herself and did the (2013–15)
majority of the engineering, as well as playing all the guitars and bass Femme Fatale
on the record.[13] (2013–15)
LA KISS House
After the record was completed, Strauss signed with Sumerian
Records to release and distribute the album worldwide. The first Band (2014)
single "Our Most Desperate Hour" was released in September 2018 Consume The
along with pre orders for the record on both CD and vinyl, with the Fire (2011–13)
vinyl completely selling out before release. Controlled Chaos debuted Jermaine
on the Billboard charts at No. 1 Top New Artist, No. 3 Label
Jackson (2010)
Independent, No. 4 Top Hard Music, No. 8 Top Rock, No. 8 Top
Internet, No. 20 Top albums, and No. 7 on the iTunes Rock chart.[14] As Blood Runs
The album's second single, "Mariana Trench" was chosen by WWE Black (2009–10)
as the official theme for NXT TakeOver: WarGames (2018). Kill Slowly
(2006–08)
WWE Website Official website
(http://nitastraus
Strauss was introduced to World Wrestling Entertainment by her
s.com/)
boyfriend Josh Villalta. She initially started watching because it was
important to him, but quickly became a fan herself.[15][16]

Strauss started performing live at WWE pay-per-view events in 2018.[17] In April 2018, Strauss played
Shinsuke Nakamura’s entrance music at WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans in front of an audience of 78,000
fans and millions more who watched the worldwide streaming event.[18] On October 28, Strauss performed
with Lzzy Hale at WWE Evolution.[19] Her original song "Mariana Trench" was chosen by Triple H as the
official theme for NXT TakeOver: WarGames.[20][21]

Special appearances

Nita Strauss performed the Star Spangled Banner at the 2017 Rock on the Range in Columbus, Ohio.[22]
As an avid Los Angeles sports fan, Strauss was honored to play "America the Beautiful" at Los Angeles
Rams Salute to Service game in November 2018.

Recognition
In January 2018, Nita Strauss became the first ever female Ibanez signature artist with her own model guitar,
the Ibanez JIVA10.[23] DiMarzio later released their Pandemonium humbuckers, signature pickups that
were developed especially for her JIVA Ibanez guitar.[24][25]

On January 26, 2019 Strauss was honored at the 7th Annual She Rocks Awards with Inspire Award,
presented to her by Nick Bowcott and her personal hero, Steve Vai.[26]

Teacher and mentor

Nita Strauss is one of the most sought after clinicians in the industry and has done extensive teaching tours
across multiple continents. She has taught guitar clinics in the United States, Canada, UK, Europe, South
America, and Asia.

Strauss has written articles and recorded companion videos for Guitar World and Premier Guitar
magazines.[27][28]

She is a counselor at Rock ’n' Roll Fantasy Camp and was featured in the 2018 documentary Rock Camp:
The Movie.[29]

Strauss and fellow musicians Rabea Massaad and Plini were tapped as celebrity judges to choose the 2019
Young Guitarist of the Year at the UK Guitar Show.[30][31]

Health and fitness

Strauss is passionate about health and fitness. She works out daily, both strength training and practicing Muay
Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. She uses her wide social media reach to teach and inspire musicians (and others)
to maintain healthy lifestyles while traveling on tour. She has been featured in Muscle and Fitness
and Bodybuilding.com.[32][33] In 2019, Strauss launched Nita Strauss: Body Shred fitness challenge, with a
companion e-book titled “Body Shred: Your Guide to Feeling and Looking like a Rock Star.”[34]

Personal life
Straus has been sober since 2015 and uses social media channels to advocate sobriety and healthy living.

She is currently dating Josh Villalta, who is her manager and played drums on her Controlled Chaos
album.[35]

Her sister, Varsha Strauss, is married to Panji Adhikumoro, grandson of Suharto, 2nd President of Indonesia
from his son, Bambang Trihatmodjo.[36]

Discography
Nita Strauss has recorded with Alice Cooper, Jamie Christopherson, Critical Hit, Docker's Guild, FB1964,
Metal Allegiance, Kane Roberts, and We Start Wars. She has been featured on albums by Maxxxwell Carlisle,
Tina Guo, Angel Vivaldi, as well as the all-female compilation album She Rocks. Strauss has played on
dozens of albums, trailers, and soundtracks, including Heroes of the Storm (Blizzard) and the Grammy-
nominated Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Strauss released her first instrumental solo album Controlled
Chaos on November 16, 2018.[37]
Year Artist Album Tracks Credits

Louder Than Words

2009 Kill Slowly — Let Go Guitar
Empty Promises

Empowered
Dead Man Walking
Consume the Fire — Everlasting Sky Guitar
Death of an Icon
There's Only Today

Maxxxwell The Power of Metal Compels

Full Metal Thunder Guitar
Carlisle Me (feat. Nita Strauss)

Jamie The Stains Of Time (Maniac

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Guitar
Christopherson Agenda Mix)
2013
Tetris Main Theme
Angry Birds Main Theme
Legends Of Azeroth
Zelda's Lullaby
Halo 2 Main Theme
Critical Hit Volume One Pokémon Main Theme Guitar
Bowser's Castle
To Zanarkand
Hikari
Battle for New York
Streets Of Whiterun
Sons Of Liberty

Glenn Stafford
Heroes of the Storm Soundtrack Guitar
and Jason Hayes

Maxxxwell The Power of Metal Compels

Visions of Speed and Thunder Guitar
Carlisle Me (feat. Nita Strauss)

Tina Guo Cello Metal The Trooper (Iron Maiden) Lead guitar

2015
Flash Gordon Suite
Barbarella
The Heisenberg Diaries, Book A: Suspension
Docker's Guild When The Wind Blows Guitar
Sounds Of Future Past
The Never Ending Story
UFO Main Theme
Dune Suite

2017
We Start Wars — The Animal Inside Guitar

Volume 1: A Collection Of Kick-Ass

She Rocks Pandemonium Guitar
Guitar Goddesses
Alice Cooper Paranormal Guitar,
No More Mr. Nice Guy backing
Under My Wheels vocals
 Billion Dollar Babies
Feed My Frankenstein
Only Women Bleed
School's Out

FB1964 Störtebeker Hexenkessel Guitar solo

Angel Vivaldi Synapse Serotonin (feat. Nita Strauss) Guitar

The Black Widow

The Sound of A Public Animal #9
Is It My Body
Cold Ethyl

Brutal Planet
No More Mr. Nice Guy
Under My Wheels
Department Of Youth
Pain
Billion Dollar Babies
The World Needs Guts Guitar,
Alice Cooper Woman Of Mass Distraction backing
Poison vocals
A Paranormal Evening With Alice Halo Of Flies
Cooper at the Olympia Paris Feed My Frankenstein
Cold Ethyl
Only Women Bleed
Paranoiac Personality
Ballad Of Dwight Fry
2018
Killer
I Love The Dead
I'm Eighteen
School's Out
Another Brick in the Wall, Pt.
2 (Pink Floyd)

Metal Allegiance Volume II: Power Drunk Majesty King with a Paper Crown Guitar

Prepare For War

Alegria
Our Most Desperate Hour
Mariana Trench
Here With You
Nita Strauss Controlled Chaos The Stillness at the End Guitar, bass
The Quest
Hope Grows
Lion Among Wolves
Pandemonium 2.0
The Show Must Go On
(Queen)

2019 Kane Roberts The New Normal King of the World Guitar
Criticism
Nita Strauss has long claimed to be the decendant of Austrian composer Johann Strauss.[38] No documented
evidence has yet been offered to substantiate the claim.[39]

See also
Femme Fatale
The Iron Maidens

References
1. Reesman, Bryan (June 3, 2019). "Guitarist Nita Strauss on the Evolution of Rock: 'Now It's
Totally Normal to Have Girls in a Band' " (https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8514
020/nita-strauss-interview-guitarist). Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
2. Full Metal Jackie (June 10, 2019). "Nita Strauss: 'There Are No Apologies for Being Female in
Heavy Metal' " (https://loudwire.com/nita-strauss-interview-controlled-chaos/). Loudwire.
Retrieved September 18, 2019.
3. Whitmore, Laura B.; Blumenthal, Anna (July 23, 2011). "Exposed: 10 Female Guitarists You
Should Know" (https://www.guitarworld.com/features/exposed-10-female-guitarists-you-should-
know). Guitar World. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
4. Besim (October 6, 2012). "Interview with Nita Strauss Iron Maidens and Consume The Fire" (htt
p://live4guitar.com/article/interview-with-nita-strauss-guitarist-of-iron-maidens-and-consume-the
-fire). Live4Guitar. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
5. Erikson, Anne (June 18, 2019). "Beyond the Boys' Club: Guitar Virtuoso Nita Strauss" (https://c
onsequenceofsound.net/2019/06/beyond-the-boys-club-nita-strauss/). Consequence of Sound.
Retrieved September 18, 2019.
6. Mosqueda, Ruben (October 22, 2018). "Hurricane Nita: An Exclusive Interview With Guitarist
Nita Strauss" (http://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=30379). KNAC. Retrieved
September 20, 2019.
7. "Alice Copper Parts Ways with Guitarist Orianthi, Taps the Iron Maidens' Nita Strauss" (http://w
ww.blabbermouth.net/news/alice-cooper-parts-ways-with-guitarist-orianthi-taps-the-iron-maide
ns-nita-strauss/). Blabbermouth. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
8. Roche, Jason (July 21, 2014). "Alice Cooper's Words of Warning to Guitarist Nita Strauss" (http
s://www.laweekly.com/alice-coopers-words-of-warning-to-guitarist-nita-strauss/). LA Weekly.
Retrieved September 18, 2019.
9. Woods, James. "Guitarist Nita Strauss Talks Touring with Alice Cooper, Gear and Three-Guitar
Attacks" (http://www.guitarworld.com/guitarist-nita-strauss-talks-touring-alice-cooper-gear-and-t
hree-guitar-attacks). guitarworld.com. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
10. "Docker's Guild – The Heisenberg Diaries – Book A" (https://web.archive.org/web/2016021603
0626/http://www.dockersguild.com/the-heisenberg-diaries-book-a-sounds-of-future-past).
Docker's Guild Official Website. Archived from the original (http://dockersguild.com/the-heisenb
erg-diaries-book-a-sounds-of-future-past) on February 16, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
11. Hired Gun (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4026034/) on IMDb
12. Konow, David (June 22, 2017). "Documentary Hired Gun Puts the World's Best Backing
Musicians in the Spotlight" (https://www.laweekly.com/documentary-hired-gun-puts-the-worlds-
best-backing-musicians-in-the-spotlight/). LA Weekly. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
13. Ives, Brian (April 6, 2018). "Alice Cooper's Guitarist Gives Her Solo Album a 'Kickstart' " (https://
loudwire.com/nita-strauss-instrumental-solo-album/). Loudwire. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
14. Tolinski, Brad (December 11, 2018). "Nita Strauss Steps into the Spotlight with Her New Solo
Album, 'Controlled Chaos' " (https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/nita-strauss-steps-into-the-spot
light-with-her-new-solo-album-controlled-chaos). Guitar World. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
15. "How Alice Cooper's guitarist came to perform Nakamura's WrestleMania theme" (https://www.
youtube.com/watch?time_continue=18&v=_m1cHMKOY8g). WWE. April 8, 2018. Retrieved
September 20, 2019 – via YouTube.
16. Nita Strauss and Beck Lynch: Stay the Course, Part 1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sIT
pSsUndg) on YouTube | Nita Strauss and Beck Lynch: Stay the Course, Part 2 (https://www.you
tube.com/watch?v=fkeOxGR4lR0) on YouTube
17. Childers, Chad (January 15, 2019). "Nita Strauss Plays Favorite Riff, Talks Wrestlemania +
Triple H" (https://loudwire.com/nita-strauss-favorite-riff-wrestlemania-triple-h/). Loudwire.
Retrieved September 18, 2019.
18. Kielty, Martin (April 9, 2018). "Watch Nita Strauss Play Shinsuke Nakamura's Theme at
WrestleMania" (http://ultimateclassicrock.com/nita-strauss-shinsuke-nakamura-wrestlemania/).
Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
19. Benigno, Anthony (October 28, 2018). "Lzzy Hale and Nita Strauss opened WWE Evolution
with a musical performance" (https://www.wwe.com/shows/wweevolution/2018/lzzy-hale-and-ni
ta-strauss-musical-performance). WWE. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
20. "Nita Strauss' "Controlled Chaos," featuring TakeOver theme song "Mariana Trench," available
now" (https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/takeover-wargames-ii/article/nita-strauss-controlled
-chaos-available-now). WWE. November 16, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
21. Rees, Adam (September 24, 2018). "How Nita Strauss became a 21st century guitar hero" (http
s://www.loudersound.com/features/how-nita-strauss-became-a-21st-century-guitar-hero). Metal
Hammer. Future Publishing Limited Quay House. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
22. Nita Strauss US National Anthem May 20, 2017 Rock on the Range 17 Columbus, OH (https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=25M8ywp) on YouTube
23. Sharma, Amit (February 25, 2019). "Nita Strauss: "To be the first female Ibanez signature artist
– that's what I've dreamed of since the very beginning" " (https://www.musicradar.com/news/nita
-strauss-to-be-the-first-female-ibanez-signature-artist-thats-what-ive-dreamed-of-since-the-very-
beginning). MusicRadar. Future Publishing Limited Quay House. Retrieved September 18,
2019.
24. "Nita Strauss Demos DiMarzio's Pandemonium Pickups" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g
x9t68tPzHw). Larry DiMarzio. July 2, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2019 – via YouTube.
25. Bohlinger, John (July 31, 2019). "Rig Rundown: Nita Strauss" (https://www.premierguitar.com/a
rticles/29236-rig-rundown-nita-strauss). Premier Guitar. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
26. "Macy Gray, Lisa Loeb and Nita Strauss to be Honored at the 2019 She Rocks Awards" (https://
www.guitarplayer.com/players/macy-gray-lisa-loeb-and-nita-strauss-to-be-honored-at-the-2019-
she-rocks-awards). Guitar Player. October 5, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
27. "Articles by Nita Strauss" (https://www.guitarworld.com/author/nita-strauss). Guitar World.
Retrieved September 20, 2019.
28. Strauss, Nita (May 3, 2013). "Drop Dead Shred: Sweep City" (http://www.premierguitar.com/arti
cles/Drop_Dead_Shred_Sweep_City). Premier Guitar. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
29. Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp (https://www.rockcamp.com) | Rock Camp: The Movie (https://ww
w.imdb.com/title/tt7583876/) on IMDb
30. "Young Guitarist of the Year judge Nita Strauss: "Relax, show us your best and have fun!" " (htt
ps://www.musicradar.com/news/young-guitarist-of-the-year-judge-nita-strauss-relax-show-us-yo
ur-best-and-have-fun). MusicRadar. May 31, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
31. Parker, Matt (August 8, 2019). "Young Guitarist of the Year 2019 finalists revealed!" (https://ww
w.musicradar.com/news/young-guitarist-of-the-year-2019-finalists-revealed). MusicRadar.
Retrieved September 20, 2019.
32. McNulty, Rose (October 25, 2018). "Badass Guitarist Nita Strauss Talks On-the-Go Fitness,
Sobriety, and Her Upcoming Album" (https://www.muscleandfitness.com/muscle-fitness-hers/h
ers-athletes-celebrities/badass-guitarist-nita-strauss-talks-go-fitness). Muscle and Fitness.
Retrieved September 18, 2019.
33. Schmaltz, Jim (January 9, 2019). "Meet Music's Most Shredded Ax Player" (https://www.bodybu
ilding.com/content/meet-musics-most-shredded-ax-player.html). Bodybuilding.com. Retrieved
September 20, 2019.
34. "Introducing Nita Strauss: Body Shred!" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pholTXcJ678).
Nita Strauss. May 8, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2019 – via YouTube.
35. "Nita Strauss Says 'It's Been Great' Touring With Her Manager/Boyfriend Josh Villalta" (http://w
ww.blabbermouth.net/news/nita-strauss-says-its-been-great-touring-with-her-manager-boyfrien
d-josh-villalta/). Blabbermouth. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
36. "Fakta Menarik Varsha Strauss, Bule Austria yang Dipinang Cucu Soeharto" (https://m.liputan
6.com/showbiz/read/3614106/fakta-menarik-varsha-strauss-bule-austria-yang-dipinang-cucu-s
oeharto). Liputan6.com. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
37. "Nita Strauss: 'Controlled Chaos' Solo Album Details Announced" (http://www.blabbermouth.ne
t/news/nita-strauss-controlled-chaos-solo-album-details-announced/). Blabbermouth. Retrieved
August 17, 2019.
38. Bienstock, Richard (October 27, 2015). "Nita Strauss Proves Shred Guitar's Not Dead" (https://
www.rollingstone.com/music/news/nita-strauss-proves-shred-guitars-not-dead-20151027).
Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
39. https://www.johann-strauss.at/forschung/stammbaum/

External links
Official website (http://nitastrauss.com/)
Nita Strauss (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7105864/) on IMDb
Consume the Fire (https://www.facebook.com/ConsumeTheFireOfficial) on Facebook
Critical Hit website (http://criticalhitband.com/musicians/nita-strauss/)
Docker's Guild website (https://dockersguild.com/special-guests)
The Guitar Collective (https://www.facebook.com/TheGuitarCollective) on Facebook
Kill Slowly (https://www.facebook.com/Kill-Slowly-30186642001) on Facebook
The Star Breakers (https://www.facebook.com/thestarbreakers) on Facebook
We Start Wars (https://www.facebook.com/WeStartWars) on Facebook

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