Elena Luciano of Imagika

Music has always been an important part of Elena Luciano’s life. With many musicians in her family, most importantly her father who has been a church organist, playing classical organ and piano music for nearly 69 years, it was only natural for her to pick up an instrument! First starting on guitar in 1983, Randy Rhoads was her main inspiration. A year later, she started bass guitar, motivated by favorites such as Bob Daisley, John Paul Jones, Geezer Butler, Steve Harris, and Cliff Burton.

Since March of 2001, Elena has been the bassist of San Francisco Bay Area power thrash band, Imagika. She has been playing live since 1987, in many different projects over the years and many metal genres, classic rock projects, and even high school bands. From 1991 to 1995, Elena was the main songwriter & bassist for Mother Earth, and all-female metal band from San Jose. They played old-school metal and wrote about the environment, ancient religions, Native American issues, and also modern-day and personal issues.

Imagika was formed in 1993 by guitarist Steve Rice & vocalist David Michael, taking their influences from the Bay Area thrash scene and mixing it with their love for classic bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Mercyful Fate. With five albums under its belt -- the 2006 release, “My Bloodied Wings”, being mixed by legendary King Diamond guitarist & songwriter Andy LaRocque -- featured 11 tracks of the band’s most diverse & definitive recordings to date. Always receiving great reviews and maintaining a strong fan base both nationally and internationally, Imagika has toured Europe, played many festivals across North America, and will be doing more touring in 2007. The band is also currently working on completing the collection of new tunes for album number six.

Elena has shared the stage with bands such as Forbidden, Vio-Lence, Hawkwind, Sleep, The Organization, Exhibit A, Vicious Rumors, Agent Steel, Steel Prophet, Metal Church, Kreator, Therion, Vader, and Testament. Her projects have participated in several fund-raising benefits for organizations such as Child Quest International, the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, and Thrash Against Cancer, to name a few.

Elena can also be seen jamming with Metallica in the movie, "Some Kind of Monster". Quite pleased to be called a "Female Geezer Butler" by Lars Ulrich, she was extremely honored to play “Seek & Destroy” with the band. "Kill 'Em All", "Ride the Lightning", and "Master of Puppets" are her favorite of the Metallica albums, and Cliff Burton is one of her all-time favorite bass players. A photo of her and story about the event in Rolling Stone magazine was yet another perk!

Favorite players include her aforementioned musicians, and further inspiration comes from favorite bands & musicians such as King Diamond, Iron Maiden, Yngwie Malmsteen, Symphony X, Led Zeppelin, Solitude Aeturnus, and classical composers Mozart, Bach, Marcello, and Vivaldi. Besides metal, classical music, and classic rock, Elena also is a huge fan of “New Age”, Indian, Persian, Celtic, and Renaissance-period music.

Playing Dean basses, Elena also uses Ampeg amplification, SWR cabinets, Boss effects, and Ernie Ball strings.

Discography includes:

1992 - Mother Earth demo, self-titled
1993 - Mother Earth: “All Things Connected”
1993 - “Keeping Hope Alive” compilation CD for Child Quest International
- Mother Earth: “Transitions”
2001 - Imagika: “Hail to the Stonehenge Gods: a Tribute to Black Sabbath” compilation, WWIII Records
2001 - Imagika: “Phantom Lords: a Tribute to Metallica” compilation, WWIII Records 2001 - Imagika: “Metal Rules Vol. 1” compilation CD
2005 – Imagika: “Devils on Both Sides”, Mausoleum/The End Records
2005 - Imagika: “Lessons in Brutality, Vol. 1” compilation
2006 – Imagika: “My Bloodied Wings”, Crash Records

Dean Bass Guitars