Air Guitar Champ

Alex Koll, 31, goes head-to-head with other non-instrument wielding shred masters. What's his secret strategy? (SF Chronicle)

San Francisco Regional US Air Guitar champion, Alex Koll, 31, shares his plans for success in a head-to-head battle with other non-guitar wielding shred masters at the US Air Guitar National Championships.

Knoll's first stage name was Shred Begley Jr., but he changed it to Awesome after local fans chanted that word during his routine.

Like every true air guitar god, Awesome has a mythical backstory: His mother was struck by lighting twice - at the moments of his conception and birth. Baby Awesome exited the womb with proper left-arm air guitar extension and rock lighting in his soul.

"You strum, you kick, you somersault," Awesome says of his performance, "and you don't stop if the stage cracks in half, the walls catch on fire or if your water breaks."

CHANNEL: San Francisco Chronicle (SFGate.com)

Length: 1:52.

Camera and Editing: Mike Kepka

VIEW: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1407952648?bctid=1717914565

SEE ALSO:

Area Champ Ready to Rage at Air Guitar Nationals in S.F.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?o=0&f=/c/a/2008/08/08/DDKC124V2T.DTL