Career
Janick Gers began his career as the lead guitarist of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal band White Spirit, before joining Gillan, a group formed by then-former Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan. After Gillan disbanded, Gers undertook a Humanities degree before joining Gogmagog, which included former Iron Maiden vocalist Paul Di"Anno and drummer Clive Burr. to the Slaughter" with Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson for a soundtrack. The project expanded into an album, Tattooed Millionaire, and during its recording Gers was asked to join Iron Maiden in place of Adrian Smith.
He has remained with the band ever since, even after Smith rejoined the band in 1999, contributing to a total of nine studio albums.
Gers" main influences are Ritchie Blackmore, Jeff Beck and Irish blues guitarist Rory Gallagher. He is noted for his energetic stage presence, which often involves performing tricks with his guitar, such as throwing it into the air and catching lieutenant
He is also left-handed although he plays guitar right-handed. He can be seen signing autographs with his left hand in the Rock in Rio Digital Video Disc. His father, Bolesław, was an officer of the Polish Navy before he came to England and joined the Royal Navy.
Gers is a fan of Hartlepool United and often stands in the Millhouse Terrace at Victoria Park on match-days.
Gers is a graduate of the English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College. Gers had an uncredited part in the British Broadcasting Corporation drama The Paradise Club in 1990, appearing as the lead guitarist of a band called Fraud Squadron He appeared in the 2010 fan-made Iron Maiden documentary Maiden Heaven.
Gers is a long-time proponent of the Fender Stratocaster.
His guitars are typically black or white with rosewood fingerboards and Seymour Duncan JB Junior. and Hot Rails pickups. His favourite guitar over the years has been a black Stratocaster, equipped with JB Junior. pickups, which was given to him by Ian Gillan.
Gers uses four different Fender Stratocasters, as well as a Gibson Chet Atkins semi-acoustic model for songs such as "Dance of Death". Gers is currently endorsed by Sandberg Guitars, and he uses a California System Technologies-South tobacco hc-aged and a California System Technologies-South creme hc-aged model on stage.
Like his bandmates, Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, Gers currently uses the Marshall JMP-1 preamp through a Marshall 9200 power amp.
Preferring not to use foot-switches while playing, Gers" roadie operates his MIDI Foot Controller offstage. Favouring cables, Gers only uses a Shure UR4D wireless system when he throws his guitar around. He uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Nickel-wound guitar strings, although he does not use the B strings.