James Murphy

BIOGRAPHY – Jason Hook

Jason Hook, real name Thomas Jason Grinstead, was born in Toronto Canada in 1970. He started having guitar lessons when he was just six years old and he also learned violin, drums and piano.

After leaving school, Jason Hook played in a number of local bands and eventually formed a band called Monkeyhead which signed to Elektra records and had some success but when this folded, he relocated to Los Angeles.

Jason Hook joined hard rockers Bullet Boys – a Californian rock band who have played with just about everyone, and he also started work as a session musician.

Jason Hook’s guitar skills kept him busy. He was hired by pop singer Mandy Moore in 2000 to play in her band and he also toured and recorded with celebrated acts such as Alice Cooper.

Jason Hook released a debut instrumental hard rock album “Safety Dunce” in 2007 which won a LA music industry award for the best instrumental album of 2007. In the same year, he recorded a follow up album “American Justice” featuring Alice Cooper and members of Five Finger Death Punch and Machine Head but this album has yet to be released.

In 2009, Jason Hook joined Five Finger Death Punch to replace Darrell Roberts on joint lead guitar alongside Zoltan Bathory. He stated at the time that he was becoming fed up with being a “hired gun” and wanted something more permanent. Shortly after his arrival, the band released “War Is The Answer” which reached number 7 on the billboard album chart and singles from the album have also charted.

Jason Hook does not have a guitar endorsement but plays a variety of guitars often favouring Gibson. He has been seen playing Les Pauls, Explorers or SGs and an acoustic Hummingbird but also a selection of other makes and models including Fender, Ibanez and Takemeine.

The combination of Jason Hook playing alongside Zoltan Bathory has added an extra dimension to Five Finger Death Punch who are set for further success in the future.