RACER X - USA

Street Lethal – 1986 – Shrapnel
Second Heat – 1987 – Shrapnel
Extreme Volume – 1988 - Shrapnel
Extreme Volume II – 1992 - Shrapnel
Technical Difficulties – 1999 – Mercury
Superheroes – 2000 – Universal
Snowball Of Doom – 2001 - Universal
Getting Heavier – 2002 - Universal
Snowball Of Doom 2 – 2002 - Universal

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Members
Vocals
Ghost Rose, Electra, Surgical Steel>>Jeff Martin>>Black Symphony, Kevin DuBrow, Bad Dog, Badlands, Blindside Blues Band, Solo, UFO, Leatherwolf, MSG, Blasted To Static, Lethal X – Ghost Rose, Electra, Surgical Steel, Bad Dog, Black Symphony, Solo, Badlands, Kevin DuBrow, Blindside Blues Band, UFO, Leatherwolf, MSG, Blasted To Static>>JEFF MARTIN>>UFO, Leatherwolf, MSG, Blasted To Static, Lethal X

Guitar
Paradiz, The Atomic Basement Band, Missing Lynx, Scotland, Black Sheep, Mr. Big, Solo, G3>>PAUL GILBERT>>Mr. Big, Solo, G3 – Bruce Bouillet>>The Scream, DC-10, Paul Gilbert, Epidemic, Solo, The Bottom Dwellerz, Asia Featuring John Payne

Bass
The Scream, The Mars Volta>>JOHN ALDERETE>>The Scream, The Mars Volta, Zavalaz, Marilyn Manson

Drum
Speedy Weekend Band, No Bros>>Harry Gschoesser>>Lethal X – Hawk, The Scream, Judas Priest, Fight>>SCOTT TRAVIS [MARK SCOTT TRAVIS]>>The Scream, Judas Priest, Fight, Animetal USA, Thin Lizzy




History & Biography
Racer X has become known over the years less for its own songs and more for its contributions in the context of other groups’ stories. Members have been in Judas Priest, Badlands with Jake E Lee, Mr. Big and more. That is an odd place to be for a band in the scheme of metallic things, but it is true.

Racer X was active shredding metal between 1984 and 1989 when the members became busy elsewhere with more successful ventures like Mr. Big and Judas Priest. The band returned for around a decade beginning 1997 and history repeated itself. Guitarist Paul Gilbert (Who had attended Randy Rhoads' academy), bassist John Alderete and drummer Harry Gschoesser met when students at G.I.T. Jeff Martin came through Mike Varney. Martin would become a guitar teacher and met his student Bruce Bouillet. The group was heard through its most successful and best publicized debut Street Lethal, a title which matched the group’s monicker. Mike Varney of Shrapnel at first had envisioned a Jeff Martin solo album. Released on Shrapnel Records the cover read ‘Racer X With Paul Gilbert.’ An instrumental was called Y.R.O., which stood for Yngwie Rip Off. Austrian transplant Gschoesser was on drums. This record has been re-pressed multiple times. Future Judas Priest drummer Scott Travis would be heard on Second Heat. He was actually the band’s first choice, but had turned the boys down due to his commitment to Hawk. Bouillet would also be introduced on second guitar for that album.

The band opened for Japan-based Anthem on a USA mini-tour in 1987. A planned European tour, however, did not materialize. Chris Arvan was the band’s second guitarist before break-up, while Ono Logan of Lynch Mob sang. Paul and Jeff had left. When this line-up of Racer X did not work the remaining members formed The Scream. Extreme Volume II, a second live record, was simply more leftover material from its predecessor. The band had broken up by then.

The band’s comeback album was 1999’s Technical Difficulties. First released in Japan where Mr. Big was big the album received a USA release courtesy of Shrapnel in 2000. With Bouillet’s departure, the band was back to being a quartet. Snowball Of Doom was a live record taped in Los Angeles, California. It was subtitled Live At The Whisky and was also a separate DVD. Snowball Of Doom 2 likely had a smaller budget than its predecessor. One hot babe appears on the cover instead of the two of its predecessor! It was the companion live record to Getting Heavier and taped in Japan. Getting Heavier featured a song called Endless, which dated back to the band’s earliest days. The group appeared at NAMM and showcased new music in 2009. Mars Volta of Alderete won a Grammy in 2009. The NAMM show was the band’s first in the USA since 2001, which was Snowball Of Doom 2. Racer X played concerts in Japan and Taiwan in 2002. The band’s entire discography was part of a six-disc package called Works in Japan.

Racer X was an alias for Rex Racer who was a character in Speed Racer/Mach GoGoGo manga and anime stemming from the 1960s. Paul Gilbert reverted to Racer X after business fell off with Mr. Big. Jeff Martin had joined Kevin DuBrow of Quiet Riot for the latter man’s solo covers’ record for Shrapnel. Paul Gilbert has consistently been involved in cover version acts and albums. Metallic Blue Records and Avalon Records released Lethal X's, 90 Tons Of Thunder, album on January 17 2025. Lethal X featured singer Jeff Martin and drummer Harry Gschosser of Racer X, as well as bassist Mike Szuter and guitarist Milan Polak, in 2025. Billy Sheehan and Paul Gilbert of Racer X made guest appearances.


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