Warrant (American band)Warrant is an American hair metal band that enjoyed their greatest success in 1990 with the smash single and album Cherry Pie. Early yearsWarrant was formed in Los Angeles, California, by guitarist Erik Turner in July 1984. Vocalist Jani Lane and drummer Steven "Sweet" Chamberlain joined the band in September 1986, and guitarist Joey Allen completed the line-up in March 1987. Jani Lane and Steve Sweet were previously in the band Plain Jane, which recorded several demos. After having spent some time on L.A. club scene, the band recorded a demo tape in September 1987 for Paisley Park Records, a record label owned by musician Prince. Popular successIn January 1988 Warrant signed a contract with Columbia Records, and in April they began recording their debut album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich. The record was a success, spawning 3 hits: the #2 power ballad "Heaven", "Sometimes She Cries", and "Down Boys". Shortly following the release of the album, Warrant toured with Paul Stanley, Queensr˙che, Cinderella, Poison, Mötley Crüe and Kingdom Come. The band's second record, the sexually-charged Cherry Pie, was released in March 1990. The album, which spawned the hits "Cherry Pie", "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "I Saw Red", reached the Top Ten in the United States, and went on to sell 2.7 million copies. The record's title track, only included on the album as a result of record company pressure, received strong exposure on MTV became the band's most successful single. The album carried a parental advisory sticker in the United States, due to the final track entitled "Ode to Tipper Gore", which consisted of a collection of swear words cut from the band's live performances. The release of "Cherry Pie" was followed by a tour with the band Poison, which ended in January 1991 after a conflict between the two bands over stage room. Later yearsThe 1990s represented a turbulent time in Warrant's history, characterised by frequent line-up changes. In 1993, Warrant released Dog Eat Dog. At that time hair metal had lost much of its popularity and the album achieved only moderate commercial success. Later that year, vocalist Lane temporarily left the band, which was then dropped by Columbia, following the arrival of grunge and the death of Warrant's long-time manager Tom Hulet. In May 1994, guitarist Allen left Warrant and was followed by drummer Sweet in the following month. In November 1994, Rick Steier replaced Allen on guitar and James Kottack replaced Sweet on drums. Lane returned to the band and a new record deal was signed with Tom Lipsky of CMC Records in September 1994. A Japanese deal was signed with Pony Canyon Records at the same time. Ultraphobic, released in March 1995, was even less successful than Dog Eat Dog. Drummer Kottack left the band in March 1996 and was replaced by Bobby Borg. Belly to Belly was released in July 1996 in Japan and October 1996 in the United States. In October 1997, drummer Borg left the band. We was replaced by Danny Wagner in September 1998. Guitarist Steier and drummer Wagner left the band in January 2000. Keri Kelli replaced Steier on guitars and Mike Fasano replaced Wagner on drums. In August 2000, Kelli left Warrant to tour with Slash's Snakepit and was replaced by Billy Morris. Warrant's latest record, Under the Influence, was released in May 2001. The band toured with Poison again in the summer of 2001, but the tour was cut short due to back injuries sustained by Poison bassist Bobby Dall. In April 2003, Lane replaced drummer Fasano with Kevin Pharis. Lane left Warrant again in January of 2004, taking Morris and Pharis with him. Lane was forced to cancel his first series of solo shows in Michigan after former band members took legal action to prevent the Warrant logo from being used on tour posters. Sweet re-joined the band, and Fasano was re-hired. Allen also rejoined in February 2004. Warrant is currently fronted by former Black N' Blue vocalist Jaime St. James. Discography
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Allen also rejoined in February 2004. A boxed CD compilation, Coat of Many Cupboards, was released in 2002. Sweet re-joined the band, and Fasano was re-hired. Colin Moulding declined to contribute his demos to the series. Lane was forced to cancel his first series of solo shows in Michigan after former band members took legal action to prevent the Warrant logo from being used on tour posters. Having left Virgin, relations have improved and Andy Partridge is releasing a series of albums of "demos" of his songs (mainly from the Virgin years) under the title of Fuzzy Warbles, on a new label imprint APE (Andy Partridge Experiments). Lane left Warrant again in January of 2004, taking Morris and Pharis with him. Now in control of their own work and with their own small studio, they have released instrumental and demo versions of their first two albums on Idea, Apple Venus and Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2). In April 2003, Lane replaced drummer Fasano with Kevin Pharis. Finally released from Virgin, they formed their own label, Idea Records. Dave Gregory left the band during the recording of the 1999 album Apple Venus Volume 1 after contributing to a few tracks, leaving just Partridge and Moulding in the group. The band toured with Poison again in the summer of 2001, but the tour was cut short due to back injuries sustained by Poison bassist Bobby Dall. The settlement of the accounts provided the group with much-needed cash flow, allowing Partridge and Moulding to install fully-equipped studios and work comfortably at home; they are now able to record the majority of their work themselves, although they have used major commercial studios (including Abbey Road Studios in London) for some sessions. Warrant's latest record, Under the Influence, was released in May 2001. After leaving Virgin, Partridge had their accounts audited and it was discovered that the company had withheld substantial royalty payments from them. In August 2000, Kelli left Warrant to tour with Slash's Snakepit and was replaced by Billy Morris. The band asked that Virgin either allow them to re-negotiate their contract or release them, but the label stalled for years until finally agreeing to released them after a change of management at the company. Keri Kelli replaced Steier on guitars and Mike Fasano replaced Wagner on drums. The final straw for the band was Virgin's scuttling of their 1992 single "Wrapped in Grey", which was pressed up in the tens of thousands, and then recalled and destroyed by the label. Guitarist Steier and drummer Wagner left the band in January 2000. Management and contractual problems had dogged the band throughout their career, and around the time of the recording of Nonsuch they had to make a legal settlement with their former manager; although most fans assume that there was some financial impropriety involved, the terms of the settlement imposed a "gag" on the band and have prevented them from speaking publicly about the matter. We was replaced by Danny Wagner in September 1998. They issued no new material during this time, although two compilations were released: Upsy Daisy Assortment and the 2-CD set Fossil Fuel: The XTC Singles Collection, which featured remastered versions of their singles, including many tracks not issued on CD before. In October 1997, drummer Borg left the band. Their 1992 album, Nonsuch, (named after Henry VIII's fabled palace) united them with famed UK producer Gus Dudgeon and drummer Dave Mattacks, but soon after its release a contractual dispute with their label, Virgin Records, saw XTC go "on strike" from 1992 through 1998, finally resulting in the termination of their contract. Belly to Belly was released in July 1996 in Japan and October 1996 in the United States. During their long career, XTC have also released material under a variety of pseudonyms, including two albums of psychedelic parodies as "The Dukes of Stratosphear" (released on a single CD, Chips from the Chocolate Fireball, simultaneous with the second album's vinyl release), a Viz comics promotional single as "Johnny Japes and his Jesticles," a Christmas-themed single as "The Three Wise Men" and a guest appearance on their own tribute album Testimonial Dinner as "Terry and the Lovemen." In 1979 Partridge also released a solo album of radical dub-oriented remixes of material from the Drums + Wires LP, credited to "Mr Partridge" and titled Takeaway: The Lure Of Salvage. Drummer Kottack left the band in March 1996 and was replaced by Bobby Borg. The band's followup, Oranges & Lemons, was their biggest seller yet, with "Mayor of Simpleton" and "King for a Day" getting heavy airplay on MTV. Ultraphobic, released in March 1995, was even less successful than Dog Eat Dog. ("Dear God" replaced "Mermaid Smiled", which was absent from the album until it was finally reinstated for the remastered "Skylarking" CD in 2000.). A Japanese deal was signed with Pony Canyon Records at the same time. Skylarking revived the band's commercial fortunes, earning critical accolades and spawning the controversial hit "Dear God", which was originally issued as the B-side of the album's first single, "Grass." Interest in the song saw the album re-pressed with "Dear God" included and the new version of the LP sold 250,000 copies in the USA. Lane returned to the band and a new record deal was signed with Tom Lipsky of CMC Records in September 1994. Partridge has since softened his view, describing the album as "a summer's day baked into one cake.". In November 1994, Rick Steier replaced Allen on guitar and James Kottack replaced Sweet on drums. The two egos of Rundgren and Partridge clashed frequently during the recording of Skylarking and when it was finished Partridge said that he was not at all happy with the resulting product. In May 1994, guitarist Allen left Warrant and was followed by drummer Sweet in the following month. This did not sit well with the band, Partridge in particular. Later that year, vocalist Lane temporarily left the band, which was then dropped by Columbia, following the arrival of grunge and the death of Warrant's long-time manager Tom Hulet. True to his "hands-on" studio production style, Rundgren insisted that everyone adhere to his scheme. At that time hair metal had lost much of its popularity and the album achieved only moderate commercial success. When the band got to Woodstock, Rundgren had already worked out a running order for both the recording and sequence of the album itself. In 1993, Warrant released Dog Eat Dog. Rundgren had insisted that the band send him, in advance, demos of all the songs that they thought they might tackle for the record. The 1990s represented a turbulent time in Warrant's history, characterised by frequent line-up changes. Although the pairing of XTC and Rundgren was highly anticipated by fans, the sessions were less than enjoyable for the band. The release of "Cherry Pie" was followed by a tour with the band Poison, which ended in January 1991 after a conflict between the two bands over stage room. In 1986, the band travelled to Todd Rundgren's studio-in-the-woods in Woodstock, New York to record what many consider to be the best album of their career, Skylarking. The album carried a parental advisory sticker in the United States, due to the final track entitled "Ode to Tipper Gore", which consisted of a collection of swear words cut from the band's live performances. Owen"). The record's title track, only included on the album as a result of record company pressure, received strong exposure on MTV became the band's most successful single. Rather than finding a replacement, XTC has used a series of session drummers over the years, including Peter Phipps, Prairie Prince, Dave Mattacks, Pat Mastelotto, Chuck Sabo, and Dave Gregory's brother, Ian Gregory (as "E.I.E.I. The album, which spawned the hits "Cherry Pie", "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "I Saw Red", reached the Top Ten in the United States, and went on to sell 2.7 million copies. Another major factor was his burgeoning relationship with his Australian girlfriend--they subsequently married and Chambers migrated to Australia and settled in Newcastle, New South Wales. The band's second record, the sexually-charged Cherry Pie, was released in March 1990. Chambers left the band shortly thereafter, unhappy with the confines of the studio, and also feeling the loss of income that resulted from their withdrawal from touring--he did not write, and so received no publishing royalties. Shortly following the release of the album, Warrant toured with Paul Stanley, Queensr˙che, Cinderella, Poison, Mötley Crüe and Kingdom Come. Since then, XTC has been almost exclusively a studio band, although they have given occasional live-to-air performances from radio stations. In January 1988 Warrant signed a contract with Columbia Records, and in April they began recording their debut album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich. The record was a success, spawning 3 hits: the #2 power ballad "Heaven", "Sometimes She Cries", and "Down Boys". The European and British dates were cancelled and after one show in San Diego the whole US leg was also abandoned. club scene, the band recorded a demo tape in September 1987 for Paisley Park Records, a record label owned by musician Prince. Concerned about her husband's dependence on the drug, his wife ill-advisedly threw his tablets away just before the concert without seeking medical advice -- the result was, not surprisingly, anxiety attacks of such severity that it soon forced Partridge to withdraw from touring permanently. After having spent some time on L.A. The breakdown, accompanied by uncontrollable stage fright, was reportedly precipitated by Partridge's wife throwing away his supply of Valium. According to the band's biography, Andy had become dependent upon the drug after it was prescribed to him as a teenager during his parents' divorce, but it had never been withdrawn. Jani Lane and Steve Sweet were previously in the band Plain Jane, which recorded several demos. Just after its release and at the peak of their popularity, the band embarked on a major tour, but Partridge suffered a breakdown on stage during one of the first concerts of the tour in Paris on March 18, 1982. Vocalist Jani Lane and drummer Steven "Sweet" Chamberlain joined the band in September 1986, and guitarist Joey Allen completed the line-up in March 1987. XTC's last major hit in the touring phase of their career was "Senses Working Overtime," the first single from their brilliant double album English Settlement and a Top 20 hit in the UK in 1982. Warrant was formed in Los Angeles, California, by guitarist Erik Turner in July 1984. Other hits from this era include the non-LP single "Life Begins at the Hop" and singles lifted from Black Sea--"Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)" and "Generals & Majors." The promotional clip for the latter single (written by Colin Moulding) features an cameo appearance by the then owner of Virgin Records, Richard Branson. Warrant is an American hair metal band that enjoyed their greatest success in 1990 with the smash single and album Cherry Pie. The album showcased a flawless set of classic power-pop that included enduring XTC favourites including "Rocket From A Bottle," "No Language In Our Lungs," and "Towers Of London"; the strong material was greatly enhanced by more superb production and engineering by Lillywhite and Padgham. Under the Influence (2001, Downboyrecords). Their 1980 LP, Black Sea, saw the band's new sound and style come together with superb results. Greatest & Latest (1999, Deadline). The studio was at the time much sought after for its highly reverberant "live" drum room, and it was greatly favoured by their producer of the time, Steve Lillywhite and his engineer Hugh Padgham, who also recorded successful albums there with Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush. Live 86-97 (1997, CMC). It also saw them finding the basis of a new sound for the group and marked their first sessions at London's celebrated Townhouse Studios. Belly to Belly (1996, CMC). The resulting album, Drums and Wires, produced the band's first big hit, "Making Plans for Nigel", which caused a minor controversy because of its lyrical reference to British Steel. Ultraphobic (1994, CMC). The loss of Andrews' keyboard madness started the band on a path towards more traditional guitar power-pop, although Gregory also contributed occasional keyboards (and later, string arrangements). The Best Of (1992, Columbia). Andrews went on to form Shriekback and he also worked with Robert Fripp's League of Gentlemen. Dog Eat Dog (1992, Columbia). After their second effort, Go2, Andrews left and was replaced by guitarist Dave Gregory. Cherry Pie (1990, Columbia). By the time of the punk explosion in 1977, the group's lineup had been filled out by Barry Andrews (keyboards) and Terry Chambers (drums), and the band got picked up by Virgin Records. They recorded the 3D EP later that year, and followed it up with White Music in January 1978. Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich (1988, Columbia). First coming together in 1972, the core duo of Andy Partridge (guitars, vocals) and Colin Moulding (bass, vocals) went through various band names and personnel changes over the next five years as they built up their unique brand of hyperactive pop spiked with funk, punk, ska, reggae, and art rock. (The name of the band predates the use of "XTC" as a drug term.). They are considered the forefathers of the Britpop movement of the 1980s and are one of the most influential bands still working today. XTC is an innovative new wave band from Swindon, UK. For the energy drink, see XTC (drink).. For the drug, see Ecstasy. Voice of the Beehive. The Woodentops. The Residents. The Lilac Time. L'Affaire Louis Trio. The following bands have worked with members of XTC:
David Yazbek. Jennifer Trynin. Saeko Suzuki. Ryuichi Sakamoto. Hugh Padgham. Todd Rundgren. Martin Newell. Aimee Mann. Steve Lillywhite. Peter Gabriel. Thomas Dolby. Captain Sensible. Harold Budd. Peter Blegvad. Joan Armatrading. The following artists have worked with members of XTC:
both of the above compiled as: Chips from the Chocolate Fireball (CD only, 1987). Psonic Psunspot (vinyl only, 1987). 25 O'Clock (vinyl only 12" EP, 1985). 3D (1977). Tunes to Help You Breathe More Easily (Recording rumoured to be in progress. Scheduled release date unknown). Coat of Many Cupboards (2002). Homegrown (2001). Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) (2000). Homespun (1999). Apple Venus Volume 1 (1999). Fossil Fuel: The Singles (1992). Nonsuch (1992). Rag and Bone Buffet (1991). Oranges and Lemons (album) (1989). Skylarking (1986). The Big Express (1984). Mummer (1983). English Settlement (1982). Black Sea (1980). Drums And Wires (1979). Go 2 (1978). White Music (1978). |