Artist: Steve Stevens
Genre(s):
Rock
Discography:
Flamenco.A.Go.Go
Year: 1999
Tracks: 10
Atomic Playboys
Year: 1989
Tracks: 11
One of the flashiest guitarists (both visually and instrumentally) to come forth from the '80s rock picture was Steve Stevens. Born in Brooklyn, New York, on May 5, 1959, Stevens number one picked up the guitar when he was only if seven-spot age old, and by and by became an avid prog sway fan, especially the likes of Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Yes. Honing his craft patch playing in Manhattan, Stevens recorded an unreleased album with his set, Fine Maribus, and besides played as a sitting guitarist on Peter Criss' best forgotten irregular post-Kiss solo jaunt, 1982's Let Me Rock You (although Stevens did pull in a songwriting credit for the track "First gear Day in the Rain").
It was besides during the early '80s that Stevens hooked up with ex-Generation X vocaliser Billy Idol, wHO had resettled to New York in hopes of launching a solo career. Idol launch the unadulterated foil in Stevens, and with ex-Kiss manager Bill Aucoin patronage them, Idol's calling skyrocketed. Combining Idol's punk and Stevens' hard rock backgrounds with dance music, Idol became one of MTV's early video stars, as such albums as 1982's Billy goat Idol and 1983's Rebel Yell became blockbuster hits -- spurred on by Stevens' shredding guitar licks (and outrageous glam rock looks). It took an extended period for Idol and Stevens to provide a third album, 1986's Lash Smile, and although it was some other big strike, Stevens longed to launch his have solo career, and exited Idol's band by the end of the 10.
Stevens also remained an in demand chartered grease-gun, as he guested on recordings by Michael Jackson (Bad), Ric Ocasek (This Side of Paradise), Thompson Twins (Here's to Future Days), and Robert Palmer (Don't Explain), among others. Additionally, Stevens appeared on the mega-selling 1986 soundtrack to the Tom Cruise motion picture Spinning top Gun, for which he collaborated with keyboardist Harold Faltermeyer on "Cover Gun Anthem" (which earned Stevens a Grammy Award for Pop Instrumental Performance that twelvemonth). In 1989 Stevens formed his have group, Steve Stevens' Atomic Playboys, merely despite all the ballyhoo, the band solely lasted for a single release, Nuclear Playboys.
The early '90s saw Stevens keep up his engaged schedule, as he attempted to shape a new group with ex-Hanoi Rocks vocaliser Michael Monroe, named Jerusalem Slim, which to the disheartenment of fans ne'er got a great deal farther than the planning stages. In a strange twist of destiny, Stevens then signed on to second ex-Mötley Crüe isaac Merrit Singer Vince Neil, the same gentleman responsible for the breakup of Monroe's previous stripe, Hanoi Rocks. Stevens hung in for an album, 1993's Exposed, and its encouraging tour, earlier departing for greener pastures.
Stevens finally got his hazard to demonstrate off his womb-to-tomb grasp of prog rock when he united with bassist Tony Levin and drummer Terry Bozzio in the large kit Bozzio Levin Stevens, issuance a partner off of releases thus far -- 1997's Black Light Syndrome and 2000's Site Dangerous. Around the same time, Stevens reunited with Idol, coming into court aboard the singer on 2002's VH1 Storytellers, and as well ground time to issue another solo release, Flamenco A Go-Go.
Kool Moe Dee
