Synyster Gates

Brian Alvin Hayner Jr , American guitarist, better known as Synyster Gates is a rock musician and lead guitarist for the band Avenged Sevenfold.

Personal Life

Brian has a sister, McKenna, and two brothers, Brent and Johnny (not to be confused with Johnny Kryst). His father is Brian Hayner Sr, a musician and comedian known in America under the pseudonyms “Guitar Guy” and, thanks to his son, as “Papa Gates”. Married to Michelle DiBenedetto. The wedding took place on May 7, 2010. On May 12, 2017, the couple had a son Nicolangelo “Nicci” Saint James Haner and a daughter on October 20, 2019.

Creative Biography

Brian did not fully learn jazz guitar at the Music Institute in Hollywood. After six months of trying in vain to make it in the world, he got a call from an old friend from school, The Rev, and offered to be the guitarist in their band Avenged Sevenfold. Brian accepted and continued his studies.

Hayner joined the band at the age of 18. It was then late 1999 and the band had barely finished recording their first album Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. Then the album was re-released with the re-sung track “To End The Rapture” and with a new full band member, Synyster Gates.

Alias

On the All Excess DVD, when the band members were talking about how they came up with their aliases, Hayner stated that once, while driving in a car while intoxicated, he stopped abruptly and blurted out, “I’m Synyster Gates”. Synyster is ambidextrous, he can write with both his right and left hand. He is left-handed from birth, but plays guitar as a right-handed person.

Awards

2006 – Metal Hammer in the Young Shredder category.
2006 – “Best Guitarist of the Year” by Total Guitar Magazine.
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