METALLIAN - Alcatrazz

No Parole from Rock & Roll - 1983 - Rocshire
Live Sentence - 1984 - Rocshire
Disturbing The Peace - 1985 - Capitol
Dangerous Games - 1986 - Capitol
Live ’83 - 2010 - Deadline
Parole Denied - Tokyo 2017 – 2018 - Frontiers
Born Innocent – 2020 – Silver Lining

Members

S= arbles, Rainbow, MSG, Solo, Anthem, Impelliteri, EZOO>>GRAHAM BONNET>>Blackthorne, Solo, Anthem, Impelliteri, Lyraka, EZOO
G= Silver Mountain, Steeler>>Yngwie Malmsteen>>Solo - Frank Zappa>>Steve Vai>>DLR, Whitesnake, Solo, Ozzy - Axis, Derringer, Alice Cooper, Rod Stewart>>Danny Johnson>>Private Life, Steppenwolf
B= New England, Jonas Hansson Band>>Gary Shea>>Jonas Hansson Band, Vinnie Vincent Invasion
D= Samson, Iron Maiden, Escape>>Clive Burr>>Desperado, Strators - Alice Cooper, Jonas Hansson Band>>Jan Uvena>>Jonas Hansson Band
K= New England, Blackthorne>>Jimmy Waldo>>Blackthorne, Vinny Vincent Invasion

History

With such an all-star line up the band could have gone far. Instead ego clashes, guitar versus vocal mixes and various other personal problems left the band first without Yngwie Malmsteen and then (how fortunate to find another high calibre guitarist) without Vai. One could only imagine what a difficult task Danny Johnson must have had in filling those shoes. The band was dropped eventually. Trivia: while Vai joined ex-Van Halen singer Lee Roth's band, Eddie Van Halen produced Private Life’s debut.

Alcatrazz had its roots in the late '70s’ Boston band New England featuring Waldo and Shea. The band would play shows with Molly Hatchet, Foghat and Journey, but would eventually break up and see three of its protagonists move to California to join Vinnie Vincent in a new band called Warrior. The project fell through when Vincent was offered a place in Kiss. The band would meet up with Graham Bonnet and manager in Hollywood and discuss joining forces alongside drummer Barrimore Barlow of Jethro Tull and guitarist Zal Cleminson of Nazareth. The latter two would not materialize having other gigs. A deal with MCA would burn a hole in the band’s pockets given the New England duo’s contractual obligation to their label. Enter Steeler guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen. US and Japanese tours would follow No Parole From Rock & Roll, which would begin to take literal meaning amidst band in-fighting. A quick shot of this LP is soon seen in John Hughes’ film Pretty In Pink.

Malmsteen would depart in order to launch Rising Sun. The choices to replace Yngwie were incredibly none other than Steve Vai and Chris Impelliteri - two guitar heroes in their own right. Vai was picked and a new album on a new label was produced by Eddie Kramer. During the ensuing tour, Vai would defect leaving the band again without a guitar player. This time the replacement would be decidedly less flashy then before. Danny Johnson had previously worked with Rod Stewart and Alice Cooper. The group would issue more music, but eventually dissolve in a bout of rancour and lack of success. Waldo and Bonnet would end up in Blackthorne with Bruce Kulick. Shea would end up living in Michigan.

The band minus Bonnet would reform in 2001. Handling the six strings was Stig Mathisen. Alcatrazz, featuring singer Graham Bonnet, Howie Simon (guitar), Time Luce and Glenn Sobel regrouped using the name Alcatrazz Featuring Graham Bonnet in late 2006. Officially, this was not the reunion of the Alcatrazz but a reworking of the concept. This band would tour Japan alongside Joe Lynn Turner’s band. Japan had traditionally been Alcatrazz’s strongest territory.

Former members Jimmy Waldo, Gary Shea and Jan Uvena sent singer Graham a "cease-and-desist" requesting that he stop calling his new band Alcatrazz in violation of their intellectual property rights. Two versions of Alcatrazz currently exist. Alcatrazz featuring Graham Bonnet headlined Berkrock Fest in July of 2008 in Berkovitza, Bulgaria. The new Alcatrazz parted ways with drummer Glen Sobel in September of 2009 and immediately replaced him with Dave Dzialak who had played with Jeff Scott Soto before. Alcatrazz recruited drummer Jeff Bowders (Paul Gilbert) in early 2010 and conducted a mini tour of Russia. Alcatrazz with Graham Bonnet, Joe Lynn Turner and Doogie White were touring Japan in September of 2010 as Voices Of Rainbow. The former Rainbow singers’ bands would perform in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka. Metal Mind Productions would re-issue four albums by the American heavy metal band Alcatrazz in November of 2013. No Parole From Rock'n Roll (1983), Live Sentence - No Parole From Rock’N’Roll (1984), Disturbing The Peace (1985) and Dangerous Games (1986) would all come with bonus tracks. Frontiers Music released the Parole Denied - Tokyo 2017 CD and DVD package in December 2018. It was billed as an Alcatrazz release, but was recorded at Graham Bonnet Band's 2017 The Book tour. Alcatrazz issued an album called Born Innocent through Silver Lining in July 2020. This was the band’s first release since 1986's Dangerous Games. Despite the pandemic, the band announced it would take its new album Born Innocent on the road kicking-off a European Tour with Girlschool in Switzerland on August 26th. Members Jimmy Waldo, Joe Stump, Gary Shea and Mark Benquechea quit on singer Graham Bonnet and looked to stick with their collective management. Bonnet was recruiting members. The departing musicians recruited Doogie White and seemingly wanted to continue using the name as well. Graham Bonnet was recording a new studio album with new members Conrad Pesinato (guitar), Beth-Ami Heavenstone (bass) and Mark Zonder (drums) in 2021. Don Airey was also a guest member.

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Alcatrazz