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Otep, Hand-painted Electric Guitar

Otep, Hand-painted, multi-media, illustrated Dean ML Electric Guitar Los Angeles native Otep Shamaya is an American singer/songwriter. She made her debut in 2000 with the band OTEP, and released the full length albums Sevas Tra and House of Secrets in June 2002 and July 2004 respectively. She is best known for her role as vocalist and namesake of OTEP. Easily distinguished by her heavy screaming and gritty lyrical elements, she is also one of only a few well known female vocalists on the heavy metal scene effectively using guttural growls. This guitar is layered with symbology, numerology, cut-up collage, illustration and acrylic paint. The backside also features a painful yet childlike illustration in silver paint pen. The entire body of the guitar is covered in art and it screams all the way up the fretboard "Why, why, why!?" in response to the violence that took Dime's life. Otep is also well known for her literary talents-outside of writing lyrics-and has been featured on HBO's Def Poetry. The first printed collection of poetry and illustrations by Otep Shamaya was made available to the public in November of 2006. In 2006, Otep readily embraced the possibilities of internet communication in connecting with her fans, largely through Vlogging. During the Ascension tour in the fall of 2006, Otep recorded and posted several videos entitled "Tour Diaries" on YouTube and Myspace. In them she discussed recent show experiences and delivered messages to fans, including a personal apology for a sudden show cancellation in Utah due to a mechanical failure on the bands tour bus. Recently, she has also began reading select poems from Caught Screaming on youtube. In April 2007, CNN.com announced that Otep had been nominated for their "People You Should Know" special feature. Aside from being notorious for her style of confessional writing, little else is known about Otep Shamaya's personal life and background. Personal details such as her age or where she was raised are unknown to the general public. To interviewers, she has given her age as "five lifetimes old." Though some have speculated otherwise, she insists that the name on her birth certificate is Otep. Other than the fact that she had a tumultuous and traumatic childhood riddled with abuse, (both physical and emotional), and that she's an "out" lesbian, much of everything else is left to the imagination of her fans. This is a one-of-a-kind full playable and displayable Instrument of Art. Complete with electronics, pick-ups, strings and hardware installed at Dean USA. It is hand-painted or otherwise decorated by the artist who’s name is associated with the guitar. Proceeds from the auction of this guitar go to support LITTLE KIDS ROCK, one of the most exciting music education programs available to public schools in America. This guitar is one of over sixty pieces created for Six-String Masterpieces: The Dimebag Darrell Art Tribute.