Damn Yankees

Damn Yankees The band was formed in 1989, consisting of Tommy Shaw of Styx, Jack Blades of Night Ranger, Ted Nugent of Amboy Dukes and his own solo career, and Michael Cartellone. Presumably inspired by the musical of the same name, Nugent once also explained that he coined the name because whenever someone asked him how he and Tommy Shaw would sound playing together, he would always reply by saying they would sound like “a bunch of damn Yankees.”With Shaw from Alabama, Blades from California, Cartellone from Nebraska, and Nugent from Michigan, it did seem as if the band represented all four corners of the nation. Produced by renowned rock producer Ron Nevison, the new band’s self-titled debut album went double-platinum in 1990. Ted Nugent's well-tooled heavy blues guitar became a cornerstone, but Jack Blades and Tommy Shaw rose to the forefront as a potent vocal duo. However, it must be noted that the album’s bass and drum tracks were all but inaudible; Cartellone especially seems reticent in the mix.Jack Blades’s leading single "Coming of Age," hit #64, while Tommy Shaw’s "Come Again" received extensive AOR airplay. 1990's chart-topping rock ballad "High Enough" featured a passionate duet between Shaw and Blades, backed by a string section in the studio. Backed by a popular video, it rose to #3 on U.S. Top 40, and #1 on AOR charts. Ironically, "High Enough" happened to be the first #1 pop single in Ted Nugent’s career, despite the fact his career had been built on his "Motor City Madman" image. In fact, Damn Yankees seemed to be following a similar course pursued by Jack Blades’s prior band, Night Ranger, developing an overall hard rock sound in the studio, but relying heavily on power ballads to sell their albums. Furthermore, their songs appeared on several Hollywood film soundtracks, such as Gremlins 2: The New Batch, John Candy’s comedic vehicle, Nothing But Trouble and the 1991 action movie The Taking of Beverly Hills. After the release of their debut, the Damn Yankees went on a year-and-a-half world tour with the likes of a revamped Bad Company, Poison and Jackyl. Their U.S. tour coincided with the Persian Gulf War, in which the band unfurled American flags and made patriotic statements. However, Nugent’s onstage archery stunts became a matter of controversy when he was arrested and fined after firing a burning arrow into an effigy of Saddam Hussein in Colorado. In 1992, Damn Yankees once again went platinum with their follow-up album Don’t Tread. The title song (sung by Jack Blades) enjoyed extensive coverage at the Barcelona Olympic Games. Ted Nugent also appeared on Rock the Vote, voicing support for the GOP against Bill Clinton. Although the second release was not as successful as the first album, it contained a few minor hits, such as "Mister Please," "Where You Goin’ Now," and "The Silence Is Broken," a Top-10 AOR power ballad featured on the 1993 Jean-Claude Van Damme film Nowhere to Run. As the band began working on a third album, Damon Johnson of Brother Cane was added as another guitarist. The move was necessary due Shaw's participation in Styx. If Shaw was unavailable Johnson would fill in as second guitarist. There was also talk that all three guitarists would play together when Shaw was available. Rumor has it that an album was completed and submitted to the label for approval. As the third release never saw the light of day, one can only speculate as to the reasoning behind the label's decision. Shaw Blades After 1993, Ted Nugent revived his solo career, leaving Tommy Shaw & Jack Blades to record their own album as the duo Shaw Blades. Released in 1995, Hallucination received very little support from its label as a personnel change brought industry executives more sympathetic to alternative and grunge bands. Ultimately, the Shaw Blades album came out to some critical praise, but it vanished without major single support or a national tour (which had been cancelled by Warner Bros.). "I’ll Always Be With You" did garner some AOR airplay, and the title track was heard in the hit movie Tommy Boy, but after a brief West Coast tour, both Shaw and Blades went back to their respective original bands, Styx & Night Ranger. During a hiatus in both Night Ranger and Styx, Shaw and Blades met with Ted Nugent to record a new Damn Yankees album in 1998. However, the album, provisionally titled Bravo, failed to please either the band members or the prospective record labels. Some of this unused material may have surfaced on Shaw’s 7 Deadly Zens solo album, which featured sessions from both Jack Blades and Ted Nugent, as well as Michael Cartellone. Other songs originally prepared for a 3rd Damn Yankees album were included on Nugent’s 2002 release Craveman and Blades’ 2004 self-titled solo effort. In 2007, Shaw Blades released their new album Influence, which consisted solely of cover songs that influenced them, mostly from the 1960s and 1970s. They also recorded a cover of the classic Christmas song "The Twelve Days Of Christmas" on the "A Classic Rock Christmas" album by various Classic Rock artists in 2002. Both members still principally record and perform with their respective original bands. Band members Former members Tommy Shaw - rhythm & lead guitars, lead vocals, backing vocals Jack Blades - bass, lead vocals, backing vocals Ted Nugent - lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals Michael Cartellone - drums, percussion, backing vocals

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SPIN DOCTORS

Spin Doctors Spin Doctors is an American jam band/alternative rock group formed in New York City, best known for their 1992 hits, "Two Princes" and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong," which charted at 7 & 17 on the American pop chart, respectively. The current members are Chris Barron (lead vocals), Eric Schenkman (guitar and vocals), Aaron Comess (drums), and Mark White (bass guitar). history In 1990, the Spin Doctors were signed to Epic Records/Sony Music by A&R executive Frankie LaRocka. The band's Epic debut EP Up for Grabs...Live was recorded live at The Wetlands Preserve in Lower Manhattan, and released in January 1991. (In November 1992, these EP tracks were remixed and supplemented by additional live recordings to form the album Homebelly Groove...Live.) The Spin Doctors were known for great shows, sometimes jamming even more than is evident on these live album releases. They performed some legendary double bill gigs opening for their friends Blues Traveler, with members of both bands all jamming together. The Spin Doctors have many songs from the early club days that were never released, but are cherished by their hardcore fans via bootleg concert recordings. The Spin Doctors' debut studio album, Pocket Full of Kryptonite was released in August 1991. The band continued to play extensive live shows, gaining grassroots fans, as the album was mostly ignored commercially. In the summer of 1992, the band toured with the first ever line-up of the H.O.R.D.E festival, sharing the stage with fellow jam bands like Widespread Panic, Blues Traveler and Phish. That summer, commercial popularity heated up, as radio and MTV began playing "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" and "Two Princes". The album went gold in September 1992, and then received another boost in sales after the band's appearance on Saturday Night Live in October 1992. Additional videos and singles followed for "What Time Is It", "How Could You Want Him (When You Know You Could Have Me?)", and "Jimmy Olsen's Blues". By June 1993 the album was triple platinum. Ultimately it sold over five million copies in the U.S. and another five million overseas, and peaked at # 3 on the Billboard top 200 album chart. The Spin Doctors second studio album, Turn It Upside Down (June 1994), was not quite as commercially successful as Pocket Full of Kryptonite, though it did sell a million copies in the U.S. and a million overseas. The second single, "You Let Your Heart Go Too Fast," was a modest hit (# 42 on the pop chart). This album also featured "Cleopatra's Cat", "Mary Jane", "Hungry Hamed's" and "Bags Of Dirt." The band set out on a three-month headlining tour, and played to immense crowds at Woodstock '94 and the Glastonbury Festival. Shortly after the release of Turn It Upside Down, original guitarist Eric Schenkman left the band in September 1994, citing musical/personal differences, and being weary of the road. Eric was replaced by Anthony Krizan. Band member details Mark White (born 7 July 1962, New York) - bassist, active 1989-1998, 2001-Present Eric Schenkman (born 12 December 1963, Massachusetts) - guitarist, active 1989-1994, 2001-Present Chris Barron (born Christopher Barron Gross, 5 February 1968, Hawaii) - vocalist, active 1989-Present Aaron Comess (born 24 April 1968, Phoenix, Arizona) - drummer, active 1989-Present Anthony Krizan (born North Plainfield, New Jersey ) - guitarist, active 1994-1997 Eran Tabib (born 1972, Tel Aviv, Israel ) - guitarist, active 1997-1999 Ivan Neville (born 19 August 1959 , New Orleans, Louisiana) - keyboardist, active 1996-1999 Carl Carter bassist, active 1999

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JET Jet is a rock band from Melbourne, Australia, whose debut album Get Born, released in 2003, has so far sold over four million copies throughout the world. The band is influenced by groups such as AC/DC, Queen, The Beatles, Sweet, Oasis, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Easybeats, The Faces, and The Kink History Brothers Nic Cester and Chris Cester grew up in Dingley Village, Victoria listening to classic rock from the 1960s and 1970s such as The Who, AC/DC, The Easybeats, The Faces, The Loved Ones and particularly The Rolling Stones and The Beatles; these were their father's records. They decided to form a band with Cameron Muncey, Nic's friend from school and with whom he had been in a band, and with bassist Doug Armstrong whom Nic and Chris met whilst working together at their Dad's spice factory. During 2001 an old high school friend of Chris' joined the band on keyboard, and it was at this time that the band took their current name from the song "Jet" from Wings' 1973 album Band on the Run. "Radio Song", from their album Get Born, was written about the troubles that the band had getting recognition at this time. The new band met Mark Wilson one night in 2002 at a concert and, despite already having a bass player, asked him to play with them. Wilson was then the bassist in a band called The Ca$inos, so he initially declined. However, a few days later he called the band and said he would like to join them instead. In 2002 the band, consisting of its current members, released the Dirty Sweet EP, which drew its name from the T. Rex song "Get It On". While the band only pressed 1,000 copies, there was such a demand that they pressed 1,000 more. The timing of this record coincided with the breakthrough of The Vines, meaning that international interest in Australian rock bands was high. NME obtained a copy of the single from Dirty Sweet, "Take It or Leave It", and praised it. Elektra Records offered the band a contract and re-released Dirty Sweet in 2003. Get Born Jet entered the Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles with Dave Sardy to produce their debut album Get Born. Sardy had previously produced records for Marilyn Manson and The Dandy Warhols. They also enlisted the services of keyboard maestro Billy Preston for two of the songs. The album derived its name from a line in the Bob Dylan song "Subterranean Homesick Blues" from Bringing It All Back Home. Halfway through recording, the band received a call from The Rolling Stones offering them a support slot on the Australian leg of their 2003 tour. Their singles "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" and "Rollover DJ" were voted number one and number nineteen respectively on the 2003 Triple J Hottest 100. "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" appeared on the soundtracks for the game Madden NFL 2004 and the 2006 animated film Flushed Away. It was also part of two major worldwide advertising campaigns for Apple's iPod and Vodafone. Get Born also includes the song "Timothy", dedicated to vocalist/guitarist Cameron Muncey's brother, who died before he was born. Due to the sensitive nature of the song, the band rarely plays "Timothy" live. In early 2004, Jet teamed up with The Vines and The Living End on "the Aussie invasion" tour of US cities. A new Jet song not included on Get Born, called "Hold On", was featured on the Spider-Man 2 soundtrack that year. TV/film producer J.J. Abrams - whose credits include Lost and Felicity - contacted Jet to record a song for the Season 4 premiere to his show Alias. "Cold Hard Bitch" from Get Born was used, and became the soundtrack to a frenetic scene of two CIA agents sprinting down a Hong Kong street, giving Jet further US exposure. Later the same year, the band was nominated in seven categories at the ARIA (Australian Record Industry Association) music awards. These included single and album of the year. At the awards ceremony on the 17 October 2004 Jet received six awards out of the seven nominations. Nic Cester also performed as part of supergroup The Wrights, featuring members of other Australian rock bands Spiderbait (Kram, drums), The Living End (Chris Cheney, guitar), Dallas Crane (Pat Bourke, bass) and You Am I/The Pictures (Davey Lane, guitar). The album was criticised for being derivative of many classic rock artists such as The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and AC/DC. [1] There were also claims that these bands not only influenced the album, but riffs and melodies from individual songs by other artists made their way onto songs from Get Born. These included Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" ("Come Around Again"), The Beatles' "Sexy Sadie", "Let It Be", "Golden Slumbers", "Fool on the Hill", John Lennon's "Imagine" ("Look What You've Done"), Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life" ("Are You Gonna Be My Girl?"), Bachman-Turner Overdrive's "Takin' Care of Business" ("Rollover D.J.") and Deep Purple's "Woman from Tokyo" ("Cold Hard Bitch").[citation needed] However, in an All Music Guide review of "Are You Gonna Be My Girl?", the song was praised for its immediate appeal despite its resemblance to "Lust for Life", saying "Whether 'Are You Gonna Be My Girl?' is creatively bankrupt, or just an extreme example of how all music is influenced by what came before it, is up for debate... Either way, for some people the song is impossible to ignore." Shine On The debut single from the band's second album Shine On, titled "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is", was released to radio on August 7, 2006. Shine On was released on September 30, 2006 (October 2 in the UK, October 3 in the US) with a final track listing of 15 songs. It debuted at #3 on the Australian charts but failed to match the success of Get Born. Critical reaction to the album was mixed; British music magazine NME, for instance, called the record "another joyfully old-fashioned rock'n'roll album immersed in the classics," while the American review site Pitchfork Media posted a totally anomalous review containing only a video clip of a chimpanzee urinating in its own mouth.Rolling Stone said that the album sounded too much like Oasis while also praising songs such as "Eleanor" and "Stand Up". The song also appeared on NME's compilation CD, NME: The Essential Bands - Festival Edition. Jet played at the MTV Europe Awards in Copenhagen. It was their first live performance since Nic Cester's laryngitis halted their World Tour. In November 2006 they flew back to Australia to perform at the Make Poverty History Concert in Melbourne at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, upon their return they also held a secret show on a barge floating on the Yarra River. The second singles from the album, "Bring It on Back" (in the UK) and "Rip It Up" (in Australia) were released in November 2006. The album also spawned an EP, the Shine On EP released December 2006. The title track, "Shine On", was released on various dates in March 2007 around the world as the third single (second single in some countries). The song is a tribute to Nic and Chris' father, who died from cancer in 2004. It was written by Nic Cester from the perspective of his father encouraging those who survive him to "shine on." Many songs on the album ("Come On Come On," "Bring It on Back," "Stand Up," "Holiday," "All You Have to Do") are primarily about overcoming adversity and challenge. The album also features some of the first love songs ("Skin and Bones," "Eleanor") the band has included on their major album releases. These songs indicate a growth in Jet's lyrical style and a growth in their portrayal of women in their songs. Jet headlined a series of shows during the Big Day Out festival in Australia and New Zealand, with opening acts Tool, Muse, The Killers, and My Chemical Romance. The band played their Rip It Up Oz tour in late May and June 2007, which was supported by Channel V. Also in 2007, they released a new song for the Spider-Man 3 soundtrack titled "Falling Star". Their song "Rip It Up" appeared on the TMNT soundtrack. The band returned to Australia to perform at the AFL Grand Final and to finish the rest of their world tour. They announced on their website that they would begin production on their third studio album, due for a 2008 release. However in October 2007 the band announced they would take "time off" for an unspecified amount of time. They stated that after touring for Shine On they needed some "down time".. As of October 24 Chris and Mark produced a song, under the name "The Vice Lords" for the Japanese duo Superfly titled "I Spy I Spy". Third album Jet are currently confirmed as working on their third album, writing new material with a release set for the end of 2008 or early 2009.

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