You're So Vain :)

Faster Pussycat formed in Hollywood thanks to Taime Downe. The name, “Faster Pussycat,” came from the Russ Meyer film Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! After several changes, Faster Pussycat came to what was known as their best line up, consisting of Taime Downe, Greg Steele, Brent Muscat, Kelly Nickels, and Mark Michals. Before even getting into the studio to record their first album, Kelly Nickels left the band and was replaced by Eric Stacy. The band released their self-titled album in 1987 and managed to build a cult following. The band put out two promotional videos from the first album. These videos were for the songs, “Bathroom Wall” and “Don’t Change That Song”.

In the United States, the band toured with Alice Cooper, David Lee Roth, and Motorhead.  Two years later, the band would go on to record their most successful album to date, Wake Me When It’s Over. The album reached gold status. While the band was touring for the album in 1990, Mark Michals was arrested in Nebraska for trying to mail heroin to his hotel room and was immediately kicked out of the band. In 1990, the band also covered Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain”.

In 1993, the band broke up and all of the members went separate ways. Taime Downe was involved with an act called Pigface before moving on to The Newlydeads with Kyle Kyle of Bang Tango. The band reformed in 2001 with three original members, along with some of the former band mates from the Newlydeads. Before the tour was completely finished, Brent Muscat left and Tracii Guns from L.A. Guns filled in the rest of the tour.

In 2006, Brent Muscat, Eric Stacy and Brett Bradshaw began performing under the name Faster Pussycat and claiming to be the original band. Becoming outraged, Taime Downe sent out a bulletin on MySpace saying that Brent’s version of the band was just a tribute band. In July of 2007, Brent Muscat dropped the matter and the name was left to Taime Downe.

 Current Members

Taime Downe - lead vocals (1986–1993, 2001–present)
 Xristian Simon - guitar (2001–present)
 Ace Von Johnson- guitar (2010–present)
 Danny Nordahl - bass (2001–present)
Chad Stewart - drums, percussion (2001–present)

Past Members
Greg Steele - guitar, piano, backing vocals (1986–1993, 2001)
Brent Muscat - guitar, backing vocals (1986–1993, 2001–2005)
Eric Stacy - bass (1987–1993)
Kelly Nickels - bass (1986–1987)
Brett Bradshaw - drums, percussion (1990–1993)
Mark Michals - drums, percussion (1986–1990)
Michael Thomas - guitar (2005–2010)

Discography
Faster Pussycat (1987)
Wake Me When It’s Over (1989)
Whipped! (1992)
The Power and the Glory Hole (2006)

18 & Life :)

Classic Line-Up

Skid Row formed in New Jersey, in late 1986. It’s been said that Jon Bon Jovi was in a position to seek out new music. Jon had been friends with Dave Sabo of Skid Row for some time and they had made a promise that if one became famous before the other they would help one another out. Skid Row was signed to Atlantic Records in 1988 and began to record their first album. By this time, Skid Row had signed a publishing deal with Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. Skid Row released their self-titled album in 1989 and became an instant success.

They toured the UK several times and became significantly more popular there than they did in the United States. Sebastian Bach (The lead singer) was hit in the head with a bottle that was thrown onstage from the crowd. Being a complete hothead, Sebastian threw the bottle back and hit a girl in the face. The girl did not throw the bottle. The incident was later known as “The bottle incident”

Current Line-up

The band later went on to release three more albums, Slave to the Grind, B-Side Ourselves, and Subhuman Race.  Subhuman Race was released in 1995. The album didn’t make as much of an impact as Skid Row or Slave to the Grind. The band’s music was rarely played on MTV due to the grunge movement.

Eventually, Sebastian Bach was fired in late 1996 after he and Rachel Bolan argued over a change to open up for KISS.  After leaving Skid Row, Sebastian Bach went on to make his debut on Broadway in Jekyll & Hyde and later in The Rocky Horror Show. He tried out for the band Velvet Revolver, a band which was formed by Slash and Duff McKagan from Guns N’ Roses. Then, from 2003 to 2007, Sebastian Bach started as Gil on the show Gilmore Girls.

The band never actually disbanded, though many of the remaining members went on to play with a band called Ozone Monday. Skid Row re-formed without Sebastian Bach and released three more albums. During 2011, it was rumored that Sebastian Bach was returning to Skid Row to do a few live shows

Current Members
Dave Sabo - rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals (1986–present)
Rachel Bolan - bass, backing vocals (1986–present)
Scotti Hill - lead & rhythm guitars (1987–present)
Johnny Solinger - lead vocals (1999–present)
Rob Hammersmith - drums (2010–present)

Past Members
Jim Yuhas
John Ratkowski Jr.
Matt Fallon
Sebastian Bach
Rob Affuso
Charlie Mills
Phil Varone
Timothy DiDuro
Dave Gara

Discography
Basement Tapes (rare demo) (1988)
Skid Row (1989)
Slave to the Grind (1991)
B-Side Ourselves (EP) (1992)
Subhuman Race (1995)
Subhuman Beings on Tour (LIVE EP) (1995)
40 Seasons: The Best of Skid Row (1998)

Livin' On A Prayer :)

Bon Jovi formed in Sayreville, New Jersey, in 1983. The band started playing local showcases where they opened for local talent and were signed to Mercury Records shortly thereafter. The band originally were going to call themselves Johnny Electric, but Pamela Maher, suggested Bon Jovi to go along with other bands such as Van Halen. The members of the band weren’t at all thrilled with the name, but two years later they would become successful with that name. The band recorded their debut album, Bon Jovi, on January 21, 1984. The album spawned only one single. After the release, the band found themselves opening for bands like Scorpions and Kiss. In 1986, Bon Jovi began a six month run of the U.S. with Ratt.

In the spring of 1986, Bon Jovi relocated to Canada to record Slippery When Wet. The album was released in August of 1986 and would become Bon Jovi’s breakthrough album. The album  had three singles, which are probably some of Bon Jovi’s best songs, the singles included “You Give Love a Bad Name”, “Livin’ on a Prayer”, and “Wanted Dead or Alive”. “Wanted Dead or Alive” is still tagged as the Bon Jovi national anthem. Once the band had toured the album, the released New Jersey in September of 1988. From the New Jersey album, the band released the singles “Bad Medicine” and the love ballad “I’ll Be There for You”. After the back to back touring, the band was finally starting to feel the burn.

Between 1990 and 1991, all of the members had gone their separate ways. Jon Bon Jovi recorded a solo album, and recorded the song “Blaze of Glory” for the soundtrack for the motion picture Young Guns II. In May 2009, the band released special editions of Bon Jovi albums were released. All of the re-released albums featured artwork and photos from the time when the albums were released. Currently, Jon Bon Jovi has stated that the band is writing for a new album.

Current Members

Jon Bon Jovi – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1983–present)
David Bryan – keyboards, backing vocals (1983–present)
Tico Torres – drums, percussion (1983–present)
Richie Sambora – lead guitar, backing vocals (1983–present)

 Additional Members

Hugh McDonald - bass guitar, backing vocals (1994-present)
Bobby Bandiera - guitars, vocals (2005-present; touring only)

 Past members

Alec John Such - bass guitar, backing vocals (1983–1994)

 Unofficial members

Dave Sabo - lead guitar (1983)

Discography
Bon Jovi (1984)
7800° Fahrenheit (1985)
Slippery When Wet (1986)
New Jersey (1988)
Keep the Faith (1992)
These Days (1995)
Crush (2000)
Bounce (2002)
Have a Nice Day (2005)
Lost Highway (2007)
The Circle (2009)

Wait :)

White Lion. Circa 1987

White Lion started as an American\Danish band that formed in New York City in 1983 by Mike Tramp, who’s Danish, and Vito Bratta, who’s American. After Mike Tramp moved from Denmark in 1983, he met Vito Bratta who was from Staten Island. The two decided to form a band.  They searched for other members and found Nicki Capozzi, drummer, and Felix Robinson, bassist. They, then, formed White Lion. The band got singed to Elektra Records in 1984 and recorded Fight to Survive. The record company was unhappy with the way the record sounded and terminated the band’s contract after they refused to release the album. Both the drummer and bassist left the band.

In 1987, the band got signed to Atlantic Records and released the album Pride. The band released three singles from the album, but it wasn’t until they released “When the Children Cry” that the album would actually make any sales. With the release of “When the Children Cry”, it got a heavy rotation on MTV, making Pride one of 20 rock albums to have more than one top 10 hits.

Tramp's White Lion. As you can tell they aren't as pretty.

After White Lion broke up, Mike Tramp went on to form Freak of Nature.  James LoMenzo and Greg D’Angelo joined Zakk Wylde’s band, Lynyrd Skynhead. In 1999, Mike Tramp gathered new musicians and released Remembering White Lion, which featured new versions of some of the band’s classic music. This started the White Lion feud. In 2004, Remembering White Lion was released yet again, but the names was changed to The Last Roar, and the band’s name came up as Tramp’s White Lion. Currently, Tramp put White Lion on hold and released his solo album Stand Your Ground.

 Current Members

Mike Tramp - lead vocals (1983–present)
 Jamie Law - guitars (2005–present)
 Troy Patrick Farrell - drums (2005–present)
 Claus Langeskov - bass (2005–present)
Henning Wanner - keyboards (2005–present)

Past Members
Vito Bratta - guitars (1983–1992)
James LoMenzo - bass (1984–1991)
Greg D'Angelo - drums (1984–1991)
 Nicki Capozzi - drums (1983–1984)
 Felix Robinson - bass (1983–1984)
 
Discography
Fight to Survive (1985)
Pride (1987)
Big Game (1989)
Mane Attraction (1991)
Remembering White Lion (1999)
Return of the Pride (2008)