Duane Denison
Duane Denison (born January 21, 1959) is an American guitarist best known for work with the punk rock band The Jesus Lizard. He is also a founding member of super-group Tomahawk.
Duane Denison

F13nd · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Duane Denison
- Occupation
- * Musician
- Born
- 1959 · Michigan.
- Nationality
- United States
- Fields
- alternative rock
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Duane Denison (born January 21, 1959) is an American guitarist best known for work with the punk rock band The Jesus Lizard. He is also a founding member of super-group Tomahawk.
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Duane Denison (born 1959) is an American composer and guitarist. The composer was born in Michigan. Duane Denison is a member of The Jesus Lizard. Genres include alternative rock.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Duane Denison • Instrument — Guitar • Occupation — * Musician • songwriter • Years Active — 1987–present • Genre — * Alternative rock • experimental rock • noise rock • punk blues • post-punk • alternative metal • jazz • rockabilly • outlaw country • Label — * Touch and Go • Capitol • Ipecac Recordings • Riot House Records • Associated Acts — * The Denison/Kimball Trio • Firewater • The Jesus Lizard • Legendary Shack Shakers • Silver Jews • Tomahawk • U.S.S.A. • EmptyMansions • Assjack • Cargo Cult
Biography
Biography
Denison began his musical career by studying classical guitar at Eastern Michigan University. His work with classical guitar helped influence his unique sound, which helped earn him a spot on Spin Magazine's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." "Denison has played warped jazz-rock with Firewater, cool jazz with the Denison-Kimball Trio, experimental alt-metal with Tomahawk, rockabilly punk with Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers, and outlaw country with Hank Williams III. But the angular, metallic sheets of noise that Denison unleashed with the Jesus Lizard are what he'll ultimately be remembered and revered for. Tightly controlled yet capable of ripping and tearing like a runaway chainsaw, Denison’s riffs influenced an entire generation of post-hardcore guitarists, including the burgeoning wave of noise-punkers like the Men and Roomrunner.” In 1999 Denison moved to Nashville after The Jesus Lizard broke up in order to play with Hank Williams III's "Damn Band". Soon after his move to Nashville, Denison began collaborating and exchanging demo tapes with Mike Patton, whom he met at a Mr. Bungle show in 1999. Denison started the demos on a 4 track tape machine and sent them to Patton who added vocals to the tapes and sent them back. After having a solid idea of what the songs should sound like they went into the studio and recorded what would become the first Tomahawk album which was released in 2001. Denison and ex-Ministry bassist Paul Barker collaborated in 2007 to form a new band, U.S.S.A. U.S.S.A. released one album in that same year, titled The Spoils. From late 2008 until 2012, he played guitar for Nashville-based Legendary Shack Shakers. Denison supplied the lead guitars on EmptyMansions snakes/vultures/sulfate released on April 2, 2013.
Identity
Identity
Duane Denison is recorded as a citizen of United States. Recorded with the occupation guitarist. Classed in the genre alternative rock.

Duane Denison at his home studio in 2017
Herooftimeandwind
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1959
Duane Denison was born on 21 January 1959.
Influence
Duane Denison's playing has influenced several notable guitarists, including Limp Bizkit's Wes Borland, Jimmy Eat World's Jim Adkins, and Every Time I Die's Andy Williams.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Duane Denison”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2032805: Duane Denison
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Prato, Greg. Biography: Duane Denison. allmusic.
- 2.Spin. 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. May 3, 2012.
- 3.Consequence of Sound. Interview: Duane Denison (of Tomahawk). January 28, 2013.
- 4.DeRogatis, Jim. Super Models: New Bands Show That Supergroups Can Get It Right. Chicago Sun-Times. November 2, 2001.
- 5.faith no more followers. tomahawk, 15 Years Duane Denison Interview. October 30, 2016.
- 6.Sullivan, Matt. U.S.S.A. The Pitch KC. October 4, 2007.
- 7.Stocks, Matt. Wes Borland: 10 songs I wish I'd written. Louder. January 13, 2016.
- 8.DeRogatis, Jim. Emo (The Genre That Dare Not Speak Its Name). jimdero.com. 1999.
- 9.Sharma, Amit. Jimmy Eat World's Jim Adkins: "I used to study classical and jazz. then I was suddenly sleeping on floors and playing punk-rock". Guitar World. December 4, 2019.
- 10.EVH Interview: Andy Williams of Every Time I Die. EVH Gear. January 14, 2015.
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General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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