Steerpike
06-01-2007, 09:47 PM
After many, many delays, I’m back!
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=504585
Rites of Spring – Before Emo Was Stolen
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=506077
Joy Division - A Tragic Legend
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=509755
Bauhaus - Beginning of a Legacy
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=510829
Anthrax – ****in’ A!
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=512007
Collective Soul – A Little Bit of Soul
Hail to the king, baby!
Biography
There are three key locations in American rock and metal history. Florida was the birth of Savatage, Kamelot, Iced Earth, and the beginning of death metal. San Francisco churned out a number of metal and punk acts through the 80’s and 90’s as well including thrash icons Metallica, but Los Angeles was no slouch either, giving the world the talents of Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, and of course Armored Saint.
Armored Saint have always been something of an anomaly in one way or another. They had a very unlikely start. Founding members John Bush, Joey Vera, and Gonzo were friends since third grade who bonded through music. They lived in east LA and really hated living in the area. Their move out to the suburbs actually proved beneficial.
The guys loved to hang out at parties during and following high school. At one such party, Gonzo and his brother Phil were jamming with a young guitarist named Dave Pritchard. John admitted that he at first was a pompous dick who thought Dave was a nerd, but in that one night of jamming they wrote the material for their first EP. They decided on the name Armored Saint after getting stoned out of their minds while watching the movie Arthur. Good times.
Interestingly, at a different party not long after, Phil got into a fight with Lars Ulrich, Dave Mustaine got involved, and the whole fight ended with Dave breaking Phil’s leg. ****, right out of the gate they were ****ing metal!
Anyway, they released the demo in 1983 through Metal Blade Records after extensive gigging with Metallica and WASP up and down the coast from LA to Frisco. A year later, they were able to sign with Chrysalis Records.
The same year saw the band’s debut album March of the Saint hit the shelves to become an instant favorite of metal fans. It was the first of three records they would record with Chrysalis, the second being Delirious Nomad in ’85, and Raising Fear in ‘87. 1986 found the band going through their first line-up change. Phil parted ways with the band amicably, and Raising Fear was recorded as a quartet. During this period, they toured extensively with Aerosmith, Judas Priest, and Metallica.
Unhappy with the way things were going with Chrysalis however, the band decided it was time to go back to their roots. They rejoined Metal Blade Records and through them released their first live album in 1989, Saints Will Conquer.
The band immediately began work on material for a new album and even brought it in a new second guitarist, Jeff Duncan. Unfortunately, disaster struck out of the blue. David Pritchard was diagnosed with leukemia. The band were struck cold by the news and had no idea what to make of it. They frantically researched the disease looking for some hope of treatment and a cure, but the more they learned the more their hopes sank. The next few months were bleak and painful until finally Dave lost his struggle and the disease claimed him on the 27th of February, 1990. He was 26 years old.
The band had lost one of their dearest friends very abruptly, and in a haze of grief decided to dissolve Armored Saint.
A year passed. Rebuilding their strength, the founding members got together again and invited Jeff back to record another album dedicated to Dave’s memory. They collected the material they had written before his death along with a few new songs and released Symbol of Salvation. If news of the reunion was like distant thunder on the horizon, then Symbol of Salvation was the storm itself. Critics and fans alike were ecstatic over the album, lavishing it with praise and incredible record sales.
It was a moment of triumph for their memory of their brother-in-arms, but the group was still uncertain of their future. That’s when John got a call from Scott Ian. Joey Belladonna had just left Anthrax and they wanted John to be the new vocalist. After talking it over, the group once more formally split to allow John to pursue his singing career with Anthrax, but with the promise that when the time was right they would make another album.
Naturally, John took to Anthrax quickly and produced several quality album with them. Meanwhile, Joey Vera played bass with several groups including Fates Warning, released a solo album in ’94, and began pursuing a secondary career as a producer.
In 1998, John and Joey went out drinking for old times’ sake. During this night together, they got the writing bug again. It took a little time to get the group full reformed, but they finally released 2000’s Revelation. They proceded on a short tour opening for Dio, and also released a few compilations.
In 2004, John rejoined Anthrax and brought Joey with him to replace Frank Bello. Things became a little murky the following year when Scott Ian announced Anthrax’s classic line-up reunion. What followed in 2006 was a complete cluster**** of conflicting stories and arguments… best not to get into that here.
Point is, though Frank Bello has rejoined Anthrax, John’s involvement with them is still a little murky. The band have begun touring again, though there is news of another album just yet. Their latest gig was at Germany’s Rock Hard Festival on May 25-27. Still probably sleeping off their hangovers, another update form the band is eagerly anticipated by fans.
http://www.armoredsaint.com/index.html
Official Web Site
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=504585
Rites of Spring – Before Emo Was Stolen
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=506077
Joy Division - A Tragic Legend
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=509755
Bauhaus - Beginning of a Legacy
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=510829
Anthrax – ****in’ A!
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=512007
Collective Soul – A Little Bit of Soul
Hail to the king, baby!
Biography
There are three key locations in American rock and metal history. Florida was the birth of Savatage, Kamelot, Iced Earth, and the beginning of death metal. San Francisco churned out a number of metal and punk acts through the 80’s and 90’s as well including thrash icons Metallica, but Los Angeles was no slouch either, giving the world the talents of Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, and of course Armored Saint.
Armored Saint have always been something of an anomaly in one way or another. They had a very unlikely start. Founding members John Bush, Joey Vera, and Gonzo were friends since third grade who bonded through music. They lived in east LA and really hated living in the area. Their move out to the suburbs actually proved beneficial.
The guys loved to hang out at parties during and following high school. At one such party, Gonzo and his brother Phil were jamming with a young guitarist named Dave Pritchard. John admitted that he at first was a pompous dick who thought Dave was a nerd, but in that one night of jamming they wrote the material for their first EP. They decided on the name Armored Saint after getting stoned out of their minds while watching the movie Arthur. Good times.
Interestingly, at a different party not long after, Phil got into a fight with Lars Ulrich, Dave Mustaine got involved, and the whole fight ended with Dave breaking Phil’s leg. ****, right out of the gate they were ****ing metal!
Anyway, they released the demo in 1983 through Metal Blade Records after extensive gigging with Metallica and WASP up and down the coast from LA to Frisco. A year later, they were able to sign with Chrysalis Records.
The same year saw the band’s debut album March of the Saint hit the shelves to become an instant favorite of metal fans. It was the first of three records they would record with Chrysalis, the second being Delirious Nomad in ’85, and Raising Fear in ‘87. 1986 found the band going through their first line-up change. Phil parted ways with the band amicably, and Raising Fear was recorded as a quartet. During this period, they toured extensively with Aerosmith, Judas Priest, and Metallica.
Unhappy with the way things were going with Chrysalis however, the band decided it was time to go back to their roots. They rejoined Metal Blade Records and through them released their first live album in 1989, Saints Will Conquer.
The band immediately began work on material for a new album and even brought it in a new second guitarist, Jeff Duncan. Unfortunately, disaster struck out of the blue. David Pritchard was diagnosed with leukemia. The band were struck cold by the news and had no idea what to make of it. They frantically researched the disease looking for some hope of treatment and a cure, but the more they learned the more their hopes sank. The next few months were bleak and painful until finally Dave lost his struggle and the disease claimed him on the 27th of February, 1990. He was 26 years old.
The band had lost one of their dearest friends very abruptly, and in a haze of grief decided to dissolve Armored Saint.
A year passed. Rebuilding their strength, the founding members got together again and invited Jeff back to record another album dedicated to Dave’s memory. They collected the material they had written before his death along with a few new songs and released Symbol of Salvation. If news of the reunion was like distant thunder on the horizon, then Symbol of Salvation was the storm itself. Critics and fans alike were ecstatic over the album, lavishing it with praise and incredible record sales.
It was a moment of triumph for their memory of their brother-in-arms, but the group was still uncertain of their future. That’s when John got a call from Scott Ian. Joey Belladonna had just left Anthrax and they wanted John to be the new vocalist. After talking it over, the group once more formally split to allow John to pursue his singing career with Anthrax, but with the promise that when the time was right they would make another album.
Naturally, John took to Anthrax quickly and produced several quality album with them. Meanwhile, Joey Vera played bass with several groups including Fates Warning, released a solo album in ’94, and began pursuing a secondary career as a producer.
In 1998, John and Joey went out drinking for old times’ sake. During this night together, they got the writing bug again. It took a little time to get the group full reformed, but they finally released 2000’s Revelation. They proceded on a short tour opening for Dio, and also released a few compilations.
In 2004, John rejoined Anthrax and brought Joey with him to replace Frank Bello. Things became a little murky the following year when Scott Ian announced Anthrax’s classic line-up reunion. What followed in 2006 was a complete cluster**** of conflicting stories and arguments… best not to get into that here.
Point is, though Frank Bello has rejoined Anthrax, John’s involvement with them is still a little murky. The band have begun touring again, though there is news of another album just yet. Their latest gig was at Germany’s Rock Hard Festival on May 25-27. Still probably sleeping off their hangovers, another update form the band is eagerly anticipated by fans.
http://www.armoredsaint.com/index.html
Official Web Site