Broderick started playing guitar when he was 11 years old, with one of his first guitar influences being
Eddie Van Halen
.
[4]
His playing styles range from
metal
, classical,
neoclassical
, and
jazz
. As a teenager, Broderick took lessons in electric guitar, classical guitar, piano and violin several times a week and practiced each instrument for hours every day during the summer.
[5]
[4]
He was a notable musician in the
Denver
music scene from 1988 and on, as a guitarist in Grey Haven and Killing Time, and as a guitarist and vocalist in Industrial Eden.
[6]
Broderick has a
degree
in classical guitar music performance from the
University of Denver
's Lamont School of Music and started teaching guitar lessons in the early 1990s.
[4]
[7]
[6]
He is heavily influenced by
flamenco
music and rates guitarists
Paco de Lucia
and
Paco Pena
highly.
[4]
Jag Panzer (1997?2008)
edit
In 1997, guitarist
Joey Tafolla
left
Jag Panzer
for the second time, citing a lack of interest in playing
heavy metal
. Broderick was brought in as a replacement due to his technical guitar skills and stayed with the band for a decade until joining Megadeth in 2008.
[8]
He played on four studio albums with the band,
The Age of Mastery
(1998)
Thane to the Throne
(2000),
Mechanized Warfare
(2001),
Decade of the Nail Spiked Bat
(2003) and
Casting the Stones
(2004), in addition to the video album
The Era of Kings and Conflict
(2002).
Nevermore (2001?2003, 2006?2007)
edit
During the time period of 2000 to 2003, Broderick performed live with heavy metal band
Nevermore
. He rejoined the band as a touring guitarist in 2006 and was part of the live lineup until the end of 2007.
[9]
[8]
Broderick appeared on the band's live and video album
The Year of the Voyager
released in 2008.
Megadeth (2008?2014)
edit
In January 2008,
Megadeth
guitarist
Glen Drover
and his brother, then-Megadeth drummer
Shawn Drover
, suggested Broderick as a replacement for the former as his departure from the band was imminent.
[10]
[11]
Following a meeting with
Dave Mustaine
, Broderick was officially announced as the new guitarist for Megadeth on January 14.
[12]
[8]
He made his live debut with the band on February 4, 2008, in Finland and toured with them on
Gigantour 2008
. Broderick would go on to record three studio albums with the band,
Endgame
(2009),
Thirteen
(2011) and
Super Collider
(2013). He performed live with Megadeth as part of the Big Four of thrash metal along with
Metallica
,
Slayer
and
Anthrax
.
[13]
Due to extensive touring with Megadeth, Broderick was no longer be able to collaborate with Jag Panzer and Nevermore.
[8]
Mustaine said that when he partnered up with Broderick, it reminded him of when "
Ozzy Osbourne
discovered
Randy Rhoads
."
[14]
On March 8, 2009, Mustaine commented that he thought Broderick was the greatest guitarist Megadeth had ever had.
[15]
In the then-current line up of the band, he was the youngest member in Megadeth.
[15]
During his time with Megadeth, Broderick stopped playing his trademark
seven-string guitar
and switched to a six-string guitar. Broderick said that "Dave [Mustaine] felt a seven-string guitar wasn't an original thrash metal instrument. Therefore he felt it would be better if I used six strings."
[16]
On November 25, 2014, Broderick posted a message on his website stating that he was parting ways with Megadeth: "Due to artistic and musical differences, it is with great reluctance that I announce my departure from Megadeth to pursue my own musical direction. I want all of you to know how much I appreciate the amount that you the fans have accepted and respected me as a member of Megadeth for the last seven years, but it is time for me to move on. I wish Dave and everyone in Megadeth all the best. I am working on a few things of my own and hope that when they come out, you will all dig it."
[17]
Act of Defiance (2014?2019)
edit
After leaving Megadeth, Broderick and former Megadeth drummer
Shawn Drover
formed
Act of Defiance
along with ex-
Scar the Martyr
frontman Henry Derek Bonner and former
Shadows Fall
guitarist
Matt Bachand
.
[18]
[19]
The band released their debut album,
Birth and the Burial
, in 2015 and toured North America with
Allegaeon
in the fall of that year.
[20]
Act of Defiance continued touring in support of the album throughout 2016 as a headliner and supporting act for
Killswitch Engage
and
Hatebreed
before starting work on their sophomore album.
[21]
[22]
[23]
They released their second abum,
Old Scars, New Wounds
, in 2017 and toured in support of the album the following year.
[21]
[24]
Act of Defiance broke up in 2019 after Broderick joined
In Flames
as a touring guitarist.
[25]
In January 2023, Broderick mentioned that the band was on hiatus as his main priority is In Flames.
[12]
In Flames (2019?present)
edit
Broderick joined Swedish metal band
In Flames
in early 2019 as a touring rhythm guitarist.
[26]
During the
COVID-19 pandemic
, Broderick taught online guitar lessons for students as touring stopped.
[12]
He resumed touring with In Flames once the pandemic restrictions were lifted.
[12]
Broderick officially joined the band in 2022, replacing
Niclas Engelin
.
[3]