Travis Smith (born April 29, 1982 in Bainbridge, Georgia) is the former drummer in the metal band Trivium. He was with Trivium since forming the band in 2000 until 2009. Travis is best known for his very fast footwork, and intricate rhythms on the toms, a skill that has been noted several times by music magazines such as Revolver and Modern Drummer as well as by other media. In Metal Hammer's Golden Gods Awards 2006, Travis received the "Best Drummer in the Universe" award.
In November 2017 it was announced that Travis Smith and former Trivium guitarist/bassist Brent Young formed a new band called BlackNova. The band have been in the studio in recent months with music still to come.
Mark Kendall (born April 29, 1957) is a lead guitarist born in Loma Linda, California. He is best known for being the founding member and lead guitar player of the blues-based hard rock band Dante Fox, which later became Great White.
Mark Kendall grew up in Huntington Beach, California. He came from a musically talented family, with his mother belting out smoky tunes as a jazz singer, his father playing jazz trumpet, and his grandfather, a classically trained pianist from the age of thirteen.
He received his first guitar at the age of nine after watching a local band rehearse in a neighbor's garage. His father gave him a Kay acoustic for his birthday and he began to develop a talent to learn songs by ear. The following Christmas his father bought him an electric guitar and amplifier. In addition, his dad also bought him three albums: The Jimi Hendrix Experience's Are You Experienced, Cream’s Disraeli Gears, and The Doors’ Strange Days. These records would prove to be highly influential on his musical life.
In the 4th grade he had already performed at the school talent show with a friend, showcasing four songs: "Wipe Out", "Pipeline", "Gloria" and "Secret Agent Man". Since then, he never put his guitar down even into his teenage years. From the age of eight to eighteen, he played baseball as a strong pitcher who was set to become a professional player. By the time he was eighteen, his arm started hurting after three innings every time he pitched a game and ended up deciding that making music would be his life and priority.
Kendall heard about a singer named Jack Russell late in 1978 and asked him to audition for his band ZZYZX who played original and cover material. It was then and there they decided to make their own band. The first version of the band was called Highway. Then they changed it to Livewire and finally they played one last show under the name Wires. Then in 1979 Jack Russell was arrested for shooting a live in maid in a botched robbery attempt and was sentenced to 8 years in prison. The band all separated leaving Kendall to start again from scratch. He recruited a bass player from San Diego named Don Costa and after auditioning 3 drummers that he didn't like, he decided to call Tony Richards, who he had jammed with before. They auditioned several singers including John Bush from Armoured Saint. They settled on a female singer named Lisa Baker. The name they decided on was Dante Fox. When George Lynch asked Lisa to join his band Exciter a few months later Kendall asked a singer named Butch Say to join, who had a Rob Halford type style. They would go on to play around the Los Angeles and Orange County scene for the next year or so. Kendall received several letters written by Jack from Jack's parents. The letters mainly consisted of Russell saying to please give him an audition and he will blow away any singer they have. When Kendall found out Russell got released early he talked the band into auditioning him. With a 2 to 1 vote it was decided to replace Butch Say with Russell who would become the bands 3rd singer. Russell's first show was at the Troubador in Hollywood after serving only 18 months of his sentence, at a California Youth Authority Facility. While Dante Fox was performing at The Whiskey in Hollywood one night in 1982, Alan Niven, a record executive was in the audience and came backstage to give the band his card. The following day Mark accompanied his singer Jack Russell to the label and met with Niven. Before they knew it they were recording their first EP. Since then Great White has been recording and touring for the 30 years with sales approaching 10 million. Kendall replaced Russell permanently in 2011 with XYZ singer Terry ILous after Russell could not return to the band, after a long hiatus. The band is still touring and making music, releasing their latest album Elation in May 2012 on Frontiers Records.
Mark has been quoted by saying, “Music is a pure blessing and I wouldn't change anything about my life”. He said, “Even with all the mistakes I have made, they are nothing more than learning experiences and just part of life”.
Einar Solberg Born Apr 28th, 1985 Norway (Oslo) Einar is the brother of Lord PZ, Kenneth Solberg, and Ihriel, making Ihsahn his brother-in-law. And best known as Lead Vocalist and Keyboards for the Progressive Rock band Leprous.
Leprous is a progressive metal band from Notodden, Norway, formed in 2001. Founded and led by singer and keyboardist Einar Solberg and guitarist Tor Oddmund Suhrke. Their style is often classified as progressive metal or progressive rock, but encompasses a wide array of influences and sounds.
After releasing several demos with relatively unstable lineups, the band released their first studio album, Tall Poppy Syndrome, in 2008. They subsequently gained prominence as the live backing band of Ihsahn, who, in turn, contributed on several Leprous records as guest singer or producer. Their acclaimed 2011 album Bilateral led to further attention. After two albums which followed the same musical direction, Coal (2013) and The Congregation (2015), Leprous took a more rock-oriented and less metal approach with Malina (2017), their first record not to feature harsh vocals. Their albums have received mostly positive reviews.
Edwin "Eddie" Jobson (born 28 April 1955) is an English keyboardist and violinist noted for his use of synthesizers. He has been a member of several progressive rock bands, including Curved Air, Roxy Music, UK, Jethro Tull and (very briefly) Yes. He was also part of Frank Zappa's band in 1976–77. Aside from his keyboard work Jobson has also gained acclaim for his violin playing.
Jobson was born in Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, England. He began playing the piano at age 7 and added violin the following year. Later he attended Bede Hall Grammar School, leaving at age 16. It was his hope to continue onto the Royal Academy of Music; while he applied to and had the necessary qualifications for the academy, he was not admitted because he was only 16 years old. The academy would make exceptions for 17-year-olds, subject to a special examination, so it was suggested that Jobson spend the next year working in a record shop until that time. Instead, he opted to play piano at a ballet class, and for the occasional theatre production. This time also afforded him the opportunity to explore new instruments, specifically synthesizers, as well as transitioning between musical genres.
Jobson, along with a group of local university graduates, started the band Fat Grapple, who performed original music and cover versions from 1970s popular groups Curved Air and Fairport Convention. One local performance at the Redcar Jazz Club paired Fat Grapple as opening act for Curved Air, and it was here with Jobson fronting on electric violin, covering tracks including the current hit song "Jig-a-Jig", that his wide-ranging music aptitude came to wider notice. Shortly thereafter when Curved Air lost key members Francis Monkman and Darryl Way, Jobson was asked to replace the two. By this time, he was 17, but the Royal Academy was no longer in Jobson's plans.
The group had some regional success with their 1973 release Air Cut. They toured in Europe, however they disbanded shortly thereafter. In 2009, previously recorded tapes were released as the Lovechild album, which included two of Jobson's compositions.
While still in Curved Air, Jobson became acquainted with Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry as their sisters shared a room in college. Upon hearing a Curved Air performance, Ferry asked Jobson to play keyboards and synthesizer for his solo album, These Foolish Things (1973). Before the recording was completed, he had not only provided the requested instrumentation, but also wound up contributing as a composer, arranger, and performer of all the string parts for the band.
In 1973 Jobson replaced Brian Eno in Roxy Music, where he found himself playing three roles: Eno's, Ferry's (who had stepped up as a frontman after initially playing piano), and his own. Jobson stayed with the band for three studio albums and numerous tours before the band went on an extended hiatus in 1976.
Throughout the 1970s, Jobson continued to perform on keyboards and violin for a variety of recording artists, including King Crimson, Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay, John Entwistle, Bill Bruford, and others.
While touring in late 1975, Roxy Music opened for Frank Zappa's band in Milwaukee, WI; it was at this performance that Jobson and Zappa first met. After the Roxy tour ended, Jobson subsequently spent a week in early 1976 travelling with Zappa's band in Canada, during which time the Jobson and Zappa performed a varied repertoire in hotel rooms and backstage at concert venues. Jobson was eventually brought onstage with only minutes' notice to perform what was essentially an audition before thousands of Zappa fans.
Once Roxy Music went on hiatus in 1976, Jobson's became heavily sought after. He contemplated an offer to join Procol Harum, but ultimately decided to become a member of Frank Zappa's band. Although Jobson appeared on the cover of the Zoot Allures (1976) album, he did not perform on any of the recorded tracks. In a 1995 interview with Art Rock Magazine, Jobson explained that Zappa always recorded everything and whoever was in the band at the time of its release made it onto the album cover: "You may be in the group when it comes out, or maybe you left the band five years before the album comes out. That's how he makes records". Jobson did however perform on the 1978 live album, Zappa in New York and Philly '76 which Zappa's label released posthumously in 2009.
In 1977, Jobson helped form the progressive rock supergroup UK. Initially, the band also included former King Crimson members Bill Bruford (drums) and John Wetton (bass and lead vocals), along with the addition of guitarist Allan Holdsworth. However, after their debut album UK (1978) and subsequent tour, Bruford and Holdsworth departed to pursue other musical directions.
Drummer Terry Bozzio, who knew Jobson from their time together in Zappa's band, was available and thus enlisted to join UK The trio released two additional albums: Danger Money (1979) and the live concert production Night After Night (1979), and embarked on a successful tour before UK disbanded in 1980.
Jobson was asked to participate on Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson's solo endeavour, which was eventually released by Chrysalis Records in 1980 as a full-fledged Tull album, A. Jobson, credited as a 'special guest', performed on keyboards, electric violin, and was cited on liner notes as providing additional musical material. He remained with the band for their subsequent world tour in 1980, and which lasted into February 1981 where it ended in France. However, Jobson did reunite with the band onstage for several songs at the International Congress Centrum in Berlin, Germany on 16 March 1985 to celebrate Johann Sebastian Bach's 300th birthday. Jobson was featured on the band's performance of Bach's "Double Violin Concerto".
Jobson was briefly a member of Yes in 1983 after the departure of keyboardist Tony Kaye. Jobson never recorded nor performed live with Yes. His only official appearances with the band were in promotional photographs, and in the video for "Owner of a Lonely Heart". But the video was released after Kaye had rejoined and Jobson had departed. This resulted in Jobson appearing (though edited out as much as possible) in the original version of the song's video. Jobson has stated on his website that he was asked to replace Kaye, and was hesitant to do so until after hearing the band's new release, and then rehearsing with the band in London. He returned to his home in the US as a full member of Yes, and set forth learning the band's repertoire. However, several weeks later he received a call from the band's management advising that Kaye was back in the group and the two would be sharing keyboard duties. Jobson declined, and left the band.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Jobson also built a successful career as a composer of TV and film soundtracks. He scored nearly 100 episodes of the TV series Nash Bridges (1996–2001). He served as choral music arranger for two 2003 Walt Disney Pictures releases, The Haunted Mansion and Brother Bear.
Jobson also composed music for the world of advertising, most notably the Amtrak "California Zephyr" commercial that featured Richie Havens singing "There's Something About a Train That's Magic". For his scoring and music direction on this effort, Jobson won the Clio Award for original music scoring in 1988. He continued to receive Clio Award accolades as either a winner or finalist for a number of years running.
Travis Shane Meeks (born April 27, 1979) is an American musician, and is the lead singer, guitarist and song writer for acoustic rock band Days of the New.
Meeks was born in Charlestown, Indiana. His parents divorced when he was 2 and lived with his grandmother and father. At a young age he began playing guitar and wrote songs and performed covers by age 8. Between ages 11 to 15, he went to various rehabilitation centers and a year in special schooling. During that time he formed an experimental rock band called Bad Dreemz which included Jesse Vest and Matt Taul. They then formed Dead Reckoning, which was a heavy metal band that sounded similar to Pantera. In 1995, Meeks moved to Louisville and Dead Reckoning changed its name to Days of the New as well as its genre to an acoustic rock, post-grunge style. Regarding that era, Meeks stated, "I went through paranoia and acid trips, separation from the mind and body... That's where my spiritual journey begins." Meeks has also been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome.
At the age of 17, Meeks and fellow teenage band members Matt Taul, Todd Whitener and Jesse Vest were signed to a major record label. In 1997, they released their widely successful self-titled Yellow album that included the single, "Touch, Peel and Stand." The song rose to #1 on the Billboard charts and became the group's signature piece. Opening slots on tour with Jerry Cantrell and Metallica further exposed the band to fans around the country. Days of the New then set out on a headlining tour that lasted until a stop in Dallas, Texas when Meeks' father finally drove him home and canceled the remainder of the tour's shows.
Meeks has standing invitations to perform at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, as well as to front the Boston Pops. Recently, he has begun referring to himself as a maestro due to his self-taught mastery of the acoustic guitar and incorporation of classical sounds into his music.
Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley (born April 27, 1951) is an American musician best known as the former lead guitarist and founding member of the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace", and played with the group from its inception in 1973 until his departure in 1982. After leaving Kiss, Frehley embarked on a solo career, which was put on hold when he rejoined Kiss in 1996 for a highly successful reunion tour.
His second tenure with Kiss lasted until 2002, when he left at the conclusion of what was purported to be the band's Farewell Tour. His most recent album Space Invader, was released on August 19, 2014. Guitar World magazine ranked him 14th Greatest Metal Guitarist of All Time. Frehley is also credited as the inventor of many whimsical guitars, some of which includes Gibson Les Paul guitars which emit smoke from the middle humbucker pickup, produce 360 degrees spinning pyrotechnics as well as a custom Les Paul that can emit light depending on the tempo of the song being played. He plays with a unique 'wailing' sound that is hailed to have influenced many other guitarists to start learning the proper usage of the vibrato on the guitar.
#peteham #badfinger #rockfileradio Peter William Ham (27 April 1947 – 24 April 1975) was a Welsh singer, songwriter and guitarist, primarily recognized for having been the lead singer/composer of the '70s rock group Badfinger's hit songs, "No Matter What", "Day After Day" and "Baby Blue." He also co-wrote the ballad "Without You", a worldwide Number One hit for Harry Nilsson and it has become a standard song as covered by hundreds of artists consistently throughout the years since. Ham was granted two Ivor Novello Awards related to the song in 1973.
Ham was born in Swansea, Wales. He formed a local rock group called The Panthers around 1961. This group would undergo several name and lineup changes before it became The Iveys in 1965. The band was relocated to London by The Mojos manager, Bill Collins, in 1966, and they continued to perform for three years throughout the United Kingdom. As it was, Ham eventually became the prominent songwriter for the band, as a Revox tape recorder was made available by Collins to encourage him. Ray Davies of The Kinks took an initial interest in the group, although tracks produced by Davies did not surface commercially until decades later. In 1968, The Iveys came to the attention of Mal Evans (The Beatles personal assistant) and were eventually signed to the Beatles' Apple Records label after approval from all four Beatles, who were reportedly impressed by the band's songwriting abilities.
The Iveys changed their name to Badfinger with the single release of "Come and Get It," a composition written by Paul McCartney, and it became a worldwide Top Ten hit. Ham had initially protested against using a non-original to promote the band, as he had gained confidence in the group's compositions, but he was quickly convinced of the springboard effect of having a likely hit single. His own creative perseverance paid off eventually, as his "No Matter What" composition became another Top Ten worldwide hit after its release in late 1970. He followed up writing two more worldwide hits with "Day After Day" and "Baby Blue." His greatest songwriting success came with his co-written composition "Without You" - a worldwide number 1 when it was later covered by Harry Nilsson and released in 1972. The song has since become a ballad standard and is covered by hundreds of singers from many genres worldwide. An Ivor Novello award for Song of the Year was issued in 1973 along with Grammy nominations. George Harrison used Ham's talents for a number of album sessions including the All Things Must Pass album and for other Apple Records artist's recordings. This friendship culminated with Ham's acoustic guitar duet on "Here Comes the Sun" with Harrison at the The Concert for Bangladesh in 1971, later portrayed in the theatrical film of the concert. In 1972, Badfinger was picked up by Warner Bros. Records, as the Apple Records label was crumbling and it seemed the band was primed for major recognition.
During the Warner Bros. Records era from 1973–75, Badfinger became embroiled in many internal, financial, and managerial problems and their music was stifled. By 1975, with no income and the band's business manager uncommunicative, Ham became despondent and he hanged himself in the garage of his Surrey home. Ham was aged 27 at the time; his suicide fell just three days shy of his 28th birthday. He left behind a pregnant girlfriend, who gave birth to their daughter one month after his death. His suicide note had the statement, "I will not be allowed to love and trust everybody. This is better." It also included an accusatory blast toward Badfinger's business manager, Stan Polley: "P.S. Stan Polley is a soulless bastard. I will take him with me." News of Ham's death was not widely disseminated at the time, as no public comment was made by The Beatles, Apple Corps Ltd, or Warner Bros. Records.
Gerald "Jerry" Mercer (born April 27, 1939 in Newfoundland) is a Canadian rock drummer, best known for his work with the groups Mashmakhan and April Wine.
Prior to becoming a full-time musician, Mercer worked both as a cattle farmer and as an IBM computer programmer.
Mercer's start in the music industry was as a singer, but quickly moved to drums while still a teenager. He played several different styles in his early years, including Latin and jazz, before becoming a member of a Montreal-based band known as The Triangle, who later changed their name to Mashmakhan upon obtaining a record deal in Toronto. Mercer's work can be heard on the band's most successful single "As the Years Go By". As part of Mashmakhan, Mercer played on the Festival Express tour and was interviewed for the 2003 documentary.
Following Mashmakhan's dissolution in the early 1970s, Mercer played for Roy Buchanan, and then The Wackers, before joining April Wine, who were in the process of changing their line-up following the departure of two founding members in 1973. His first public performance with the band was as an opening slot for T. Rex and Three Dog Night at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium. Shortly thereafter he completed his first album with the band, Electric Jewels, which contained the hit "Weeping Widow". Mercer remained with the band consistently since joining, and played on all their subsequent albums and tours. In November 2008, he stated that he was retiring at the end of the year. He was replaced by Blair Mackay in January 2009. In May 2010, Mercer became the first Canadian to receive a Legends Award at the 10th annual Cape Breton International Drum Festival.
In his live shows, Mercer was known for lengthy drum solos (often during April Wine's cover of King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man") which frequently include a strobe light show.
In addition to performing, Mercer was also involved in manufacturing drums with a company he co-founded with Bill Hibbs called Monolith Drums. Briefly assuming the brand name "Solstice Drums", now back to Monolith and about to celebrate 20 years of drum making. Mercer is no longer involved with Monolith Drums.
José Antonio Pasillas II (born April 26, 1976) is an American drummer known as the drummer of alternative rock band Incubus.
José Pasillas is of Mexican descent. He grew up in Calabasas, California. He began playing drums in 1990. Later in 1991, José and friends Brandon Boyd, Mike Einziger, original bassist Dirk Lance (Ben Kenney joined in 2003 upon Lance's departure) began Incubus in high school in the San Fernando Valley outpost of Calabasas. He endorses DW drums and Sabian cymbals.
José has mentioned he has never had any formal training for the drums, which he says has positives and negatives. Some of his influences include Chad Sexton of 311, Stewart Copeland of The Police, and Tim Alexander of Primus.
#joeyjordison #slipknot #murderdolls #rockfileradio Joey Jordison (born Nathan Jonas Jordison April 26, 1975 in Des Moines, Iowa), is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer best known for his work as the former drummer and co-songwriter for the heavy metal band Slipknot as well as guitarist in the Horror-punk band Murderdolls. He is currently the drummer for the band Scar the Martyr which he formed in 2013. Jordison played in Slipknot since their formation in 1995 until his departure from the band in December 2013. He grew up in Waukee, Iowa with his parents and two sisters, and was given his first drum kit at the age of 8. He performed in several bands until joining in the summer of 1995 the group The Pale Ones, which would later change their name to Slipknot. Of Slipknot's nine-member lineup which lasted from 1999-2010, Joey was the third to join the band.
With Slipknot, Jordison performed on four studio albums, and produced the live album 9.0: Live. He was also guitarist for the horror punk band Murderdolls. Outside the majority of his projects, Jordison has performed with other heavy metal groups such as Rob Zombie, Metallica, Korn, Ministry, Otep and Satyricon. Jordison is also known for his session work which includes performances on many albums for many different artists. Jordison uses several drum brands including Pearl and ddrum.
Known widely for his drumming abilities, he has influenced many drummers, such as Matt Nicholls of Bring Me the Horizon, The Rev and Arin Ilejay of Avenged Sevenfold, Brent Taddie of Crown the Empire, Christian Coma from Black Veil Brides, Alex Lopez from Suicide Silence, Mark Castillo from Emmure, Josh Manuel from Issues, and Tommy Clufetos from Ozzy Osbourne's band.
Eric Adam Avery (born April 25, 1965) is an American musician. He is best known as the former bass guitarist and co-founding member of alternative rock band Jane's Addiction. Avery has also been a touring bassist for both Garbage and Nine Inch Nails. In 2008, Avery released a solo album, entitled Help Wanted, and a second in 2013 called LIFE.TIME.
Avery played in Jane's Addiction initially from 1985 to 1991, and rejoined the band in 2008 before departing again in 2010.
Brian Aubrey Marshall (born on April 24, 1973) is an American musician and songwriter best known as the bassist and co-founder of the rock bands Creed and Alter Bridge. He also co-owns a bed and breakfast called Mango Moon in Costa Rica.
#shannonlarkin #godsmack #rockfileradio Shannon Larkin, born James Shannon Larkin on April 24, 1967 in Chicago, Illinois, is a musician best known for being the drummer of the alt-metal band Godsmack. He replaced the previous drummer Tommy Stewart in June 2002. Prior to Godsmack, his previous bands were Amen, Candlebox, Ugly Kid Joe, and Souls at Zero (formerly Wrathchild America).
Shannon played drums for Godsmack for their albums Faceless, IV their EP The Other Side, The Oracle and 1000hp.
Shannon Larkin started playing drums at the age of 10. Although his parents were not musicians, they were still music lovers and turned Shannon on to bands like The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and The Who. However, it was his older sister who unknowingly ignited Shannon's passion to play by forcing him to repeatedly listen to her favorite album, Rush's Hemispheres. Then he turned on to Led Zeppelin, and then decided to ask his parents for a drum kit.
Joey Vera (born April 24, 1963) is an American heavy metal bassist who is known as a member of the heavy metal band Armored Saint and the progressive metal band Fates Warning. In 2004-2005 he replaced Frank Bello in Anthrax as the band's bassist, but did not record with them. He was also a member of Engine, recorded with Tribe After Tribe, and appears on the OSI album Free. His first solo album, A Thousand Faces, was released in 1994. His current solo project, A Chinese Firedrill, released an album titled Circles in 2007.
William David Gould (born April 24, 1963 in Los Angeles, California) is an American musician and producer. He is noted for playing bass in the band Faith No More.
Gould started playing the bass while he was at Loyola High School in Los Angeles with future Faith No More keyboardist Roddy Bottum. His first band during these early years was named "The Animated," a genre-bending new wave outfit that sounded something like a cross between The Buzzcocks, XTC and Michael Jackson. That band also featured future FNM vocalist Chuck Mosley on keyboards, and Mark Stewart (aka Stew) on guitar, of Negro Problem fame. In the early 1980s he moved to San Francisco to begin his studies and got involved with several underground bands. At this time, he met drummer Mike Bordin and guitarist Jim Martin. Soon after that Gould formed a band with Bordin, keyboardist Wade Worthington (quickly replaced with Roddy Bottum), and guitarist/vocalist Mike 'The Man' Morris named Faith No Man, which eventually became Faith No More once Morris was out of the band.
In the mid-nineties, Gould began to work as producer and in 1997 he co-produced Faith No More's last record Album of the Year with the former Swans drummer Roli Mosimann. Since then, he has become the CEO of Koolarrow Records and worked on various projects as a producer or guest musician.
On September 2, 2014, bassist Billy Gould announced that Faith No More had been working on their seventh studio album Sol Invictus, which is set for release in May 2015. The latest version of Faith No More to perform consists of Mike Bordin, Roddy Bottum, Billy Gould, Jon Hudson, and Mike Patton.
Jack Martin Blades (born April 24, 1954) is an American musician. He has worked in several bands: Rubicon, Night Ranger (as bassist and one of the lead vocalists), and Damn Yankees (as one of the founding members). He also recorded with Tommy Shaw under the name Shaw/Blades, and has done work alongside TMG, the Tak Matsumoto Group. His most recent efforts include a second solo CD, and Shaw/Blades is in the process of recording ‘’Influence II’’.
Jack has released two solo CD's and has written or co-written songs for Aerosmith, Cher, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Roger Daltrey, and many more artists. Jack has also produced or co-produced CDs for Night Ranger, Shaw/Blades and for several other artists including Great White, Ted Nugent, and Samantha 7, among others. Blades appears on Mötley Crüe's Dr. Feelgood album, which was released in 1989. In the 1990s, Jack co-wrote four Aerosmith songs with Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Tommy Shaw: "Shut Up and Dance" (1993), "Can't Stop Messin'" (1993), "Walk on Water" (1994), "What Kind of Love Are You On" (1998). In 1998 Jack was asked by Ringo Starr to be play bass in Ringo Starr VH1 Storytellers with Joe Walsh and Simon Kirke. In 2006 Jack played the role of an 80’s Sunset Strip club owner in the Las Vegas version of the Broadway musical show “Rock Of Ages.”
Former Sly and the Family Stone saxophonist Jerry Martini formed the funk band Rubicon with Jack as bass player and fellow future Night Ranger member Brad Gillis on guitar. Rubicon recorded two albums on 20th Century Fox Records – Rubicon, and American Dreams. They had one hit single titled “I’m Gonna Take Care of Everything.” Rubicon played Cal Jam 2, held at the Ontario motor speedway in California before 250,000 people. Rubicon broke up in 1979 and Jack formed the short-lived club band Stereo with Brad Gillis and drummer Kelly Keagy, the latter of whom had joined as touring drummer for Rubicon.
Jack’s roommate at the beginning of the 80s was Alan “Fitz” Fitzgerald, bass player for Montrose and Gamma and keyboard player for Sammy Hagar. He suggested they form a band. Fitz knew another guitar player in Sacramento (Jeff Watson) and Ranger was formed in 1980. The band recorded demos and played shows around the Bay area for two years. They were signed to Boardwalk Records and released their first album, ‘’Dawn Patrol’’ in 1982. Prior to the release it was discovered that there was a country band by the name of The Rangers. Jack had written the song “Night Ranger” for the album so the band changed their name to Night Ranger to avoid any potential problems. Night Ranger went on through the 80’s releasing albums which sold by the millions, as well as several hit singles. The band toured constantly both in the US and in Japan where they continue to be popular today. In 1989 Jack left Night Ranger and formed the Damn Yankees. Jack re-formed Night Ranger with the original members in 1996. They recorded three CDs – ‘’Neverland’’ in 1997, ‘’Seven’’ in 1998, and ‘’Hole In The Sun’’ in 2008. Night Ranger continues to tour today. Damn Yankees was formed by Jack at the start of the 1990s along with Ted Nugent and Styx guitarist Tommy Shaw. Damn Yankees had multi platinum success with two albums ‘’Damn Yankees’’, ‘’Don't Tread’’ and a gold selling single “High Enough.” Damn Yankees recorded and toured non-stop for four years. In 1994 the Damn Yankees took a break – which they are still on today...
After the Damn Yankees decided to take a break in 1994, Jack and Tommy decided to record together under the name Shaw/Blades. They wrote and recorded the first Shaw/Blades CD together – ‘’Hallucination’’ was released in 1995. In 2007 Shaw/Blades released ‘’Influence’’ (Vh1 Classic Records) which is a collection of cover songs that influenced Jack and Tommy. Shaw/Blades have toured acoustically across the US. They are currently recording ‘’Influence II’’ with an anticipated Spring 2010 release.
In 2004 Jack recorded a CD and toured Japan with TMG (Tak Matsumoto Group) formed by guitarist Tak Matsumoto of the Japanese mega group B'z. TMG scored a #1 single (“Oh Japan, our time is now”) and a #1 CD (‘’TMG I’’) on Billboard Japan’s domestic chart. With TMG, Jack performed "Never Good-bye" the ending credits theme for the 2004 film Ultraman (a.k.a. Ultraman: The Next). The song appears on the 2005 soundtrack album for the movie and on TMG I, the 2004 album by Tak Matsumoto Group.
Jack released his first solo album in 2004 – Jack Blades. His second solo effort, Rock n' Roll Ride, followed early in 2012.
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