I just learned that Italian neoclassical shredder/TV personality and comedian Richard Benson has passed on.

Apparently this was a little while ago, but I just heard about it. He wasn't that well known outside of Italy, but he was definitly an interesting character. He started out playing in some progressive rock band, then became a neo-classical shredder in the vein of Yngwie Malmsteen. However at some point he was unable to play anymore due to tendonitis or something, and re-invented himself as sort of a larger than life TV persona, playing an over-the top characature of himself as some angry tough-guy metal dude. He would also stage these sort of half-serious "concerts" where he would encourage the audience to throw things at him, as some weird ritual. I guess the guy had been in poor health for a while.

Wasn't he also really mentally unwell? I remember several Youtube videos being made about him (to laugh at him, of course).

I always got the impression that a lot of that was just part of his act, but it could be a combination of being slightly unhinged and wanting to portray himself as this cartoonish character, sort of like a WWE wrestler type of guy.

Damn, I haven't heart of it either until now. May he rest in peace.



As far as I know, he was. I first heard about him from a YouTuber calling our another YouTuber for constantly making a meme out of him. His playing was often sloppy but the dude definitely didn't deserve a whole fanbase making fun of him and his outbursts. Not sure he knew about the whole incident but still, not very nice.

That's depressing. I remember him being an... interesting guy. Also I didn't realise how prolific he was, he apparently recorded his first album at 16.

Never thought I'd see a post here about him, that's amazing. Can confirm all that has been said, more or less. He started out very early and, while not being an exceptionally gifted player himself, always gave the impression of being a cool guy. His TV appearances definitely pushed him to build his character in a different way, especially with the more and more absurd stories he made up about his past (legendary are, among others, his meeting with Yngwie Malmsteen, or the story of a very young Marilyn Manson who was accompanied by his father to watch the mighty Richard on tour in Vancouver). Even then, though, in the rare moments of sobriety he proved to know his obscure prog metal very well, and I'm pretty sure a lot of people grew up with his album reviews back then (I'm waaay too young to remember it sadly).

There is a large amount of videos taken straight from his TV programs uploaded on YT, and my brother and I periodically have to rewatch them as they're hilarious, even if we know them by heart. He was one hell of an entertainer, that's for sure. Of course his constant presence in the early 2010s' YTPs helped to spread his catchphrases to virtually everyone with a modest interest in comedic videos at the time. I have no doubt he was made fun of by many people, unfortunately, even if that kind of came with the stage persona he adopted (of course, nothing warranting the sometimes wicked behaviours like the rotten stuff thrown at his shows, which I'm not so sure about whether were encouraged by him or not).

Having been in very bad health for a while, I kinda feared this day would come honestly, but I would never have been ready to wave goodbye to all the hours of fun he brought me in high school. Rest in Peace legend.