Leatherwolf
Encyclopedia
Leatherwolf is an American heavy metal
band that formed in Huntington Beach
, California
in 1981. The group is also nicknamed the 'Triple Axe Attack' for pioneering the use of a 3-guitar line-up in heavy metal. Currently comprising vocalist and guitarist Michael Olivieri, guitarists Carey Howe and Greg Erba, bassist Patrick Guyton, and drummer Dean Roberts, the band has released five studio album
s.
metal acts such as Metallica
, Witch, and Slayer
at venues like the Woodstock and Radio City. Leatherwolf quickly caught the attention of Enigma Records
affiliated indie label Tropical Records who financed the band's eponymous 1984 5-song EP
, produced by Randy Burns. Germany's Steamhammer/SPV label released the EP, upgraded to a full-fledged album, in 1985, titled Leatherwolf, while Heavy Metal America, who had the rights for Great Britain, issued it as Endangered Species, so named after one of the songs on the album.
In 1986, Matt Hurich left to join the band Stryper
and was replaced by Paul Carman, formerly of Black Sheep. The band signed a new major label record deal with Island Records
, and released the confusingly titled, Kevin Beamish
produced Leatherwolf in 1987. A video for the first single, "The Calling," was shown on MTV
. It was followed up with another single, "Cry Out", featuring a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival
's "Bad Moon Rising
" on the B-side.
For 1989's Street Ready album, recorded in the Bahamas, the band kept on Beamish as producer but tapped German expatriate Michael Wagener
for the mix. Although the first single/video was the radio friendly semi-power ballad "Hideaway", Street Ready saw the band take a step back toward their more metallic roots with songs such as opener "Wicked Ways", "Too Much", and especially the all-instrumental tour-de-force, "Black Knight". Leatherwolf finally made their European live debut in the spring of 1989 with an appearance at the Aardschokdag in Holland and opening slots for Japan's Vow Wow
and German metallers Zed Yago. The overall lack of label support began to take its toll on the band's inner workings and drummer Dean Roberts was eventually ousted in favor of Marco Forcone (ex-Enticer). Roberts joined The Rod Squad, led by former Knightmare II vocalist Dennis "The Rod" Carlock, with whom he recorded the "Body Heater" 7" in 1990. Even bigger changes lay ahead as Leatherwolf dropped their trademark style in favor of a bluesier approach and Guns N' Roses
-style visuals. With Pat Guyton replacing Paul Carman on bass, the band had morphed into Hail Mary by 1991. However, success under the new moniker proved as elusive as ever as and the grunge rock revolution put the final nail in the band's coffin. Grand Slamm Records re-issued the self-titled Leatherwolf debut on CD in 1991.
It was not until 1999 when the classic Leatherwolf line-up re-emerged with a celebrated reunion show at the Galaxy Theater in Santa Ana, CA, documented on the Wide Open live album that featured 14 of the band's best songs as well as a cover of the Doors' "Break On Through". Leatherwolf also made their return to Europe with an exclusive show the at Wacken Open Air
festival in Germany that same year. Further activities remained few and far between, and Michael Olivieri announced his departure in the spring of 2003 after supporting Halford
at the Grove in Anaheim, CA. Auditioning various singers, the band recorded a 3-song demo consisting of "Disconnect", "Behind the Gun", and "Burned" (later renamed "The Grail") with Jeff Martin
from Racer X. Martin eventually declined to join on a full-time basis and lone survivors, Geoff Gayer and Dean Roberts, started the search anew and were finally introduced to Florida-based screamer Wade Black (Crimson Glory
, Leash Law, Seven Witches
). With both Carey Howe and Paul Carman out of the picture, bass was handled by San Antonio, TX native Pete Perez (Riot
, Spastic Ink
) while OC local Mark Smith and Houstonian Eric Halpern (Destiny's End, Z-Lot-Z) contributed additional lead guitars to the new album. Co-produced by Roberts and Gayer and mixed by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark, World Asylum was released in the spring of 2006 to great reviews and Leatherwolf played the Bang Your Head!!! festival in Germany in June, with Paul Carman back in the fold on bass for the occasion. The band also shot a promotional video for the song "Behind The Gun" with director Karpis Maksudian. Former Hail Mary and Shotgun Messiah
member Patrick Guyton took over on bass for the band's ProgPower USA
festival appearance in Atlanta, GA in the fall of '06.
Original members Carey Howe and Michael Olivieri returned in 2007 and Leatherwolf re-issued World Asylum with Olivieri's vocals in place of Wade Black as New World Asylum, again mixed by Hansen. In the fall of 2007, Leatherwolf embarked on a short European tour, highlighted by a headline appearance at the 9th edition of Germany's Keep It True
festival. Guitarist Geoff Gayer was let go at the end of the trip and replaced by Greg Erba with whom the band lensed a video clip for "Dr. Wicked (Rx O.D.)" with Karpis Maksudian at the helm once again. It would be included on the Monsters of Metal Vol. 6 video compilation by Nuclear Blast
.
As of mid-2009, Leatherwolf were said to be writing for a new studio album and have been confirmed for the third annual Rocklahoma
festival, sharing a bill with Anthrax
, Saxon
, Overkill
, Anvil
, and Metal Church
on July 9.
Michael Olivieri's solo album, Goodbye Rain, was released in December 2009.
Former members
Timeline
Live Albums
Extended Plays
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band that formed in Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 189,992; making it the largest beach city in Orange County in terms of population...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1981. The group is also nicknamed the 'Triple Axe Attack' for pioneering the use of a 3-guitar line-up in heavy metal. Currently comprising vocalist and guitarist Michael Olivieri, guitarists Carey Howe and Greg Erba, bassist Patrick Guyton, and drummer Dean Roberts, the band has released five studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
s.
History
Formed in the early 1980s, a teenaged Leatherwolf emerged on the Southern California scene sharing bills with fellow OCOrange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
metal acts such as Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Witch, and Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
at venues like the Woodstock and Radio City. Leatherwolf quickly caught the attention of Enigma Records
Enigma Records
Enigma Records was a popular rock and alternative American record label in the 1980s. It was initially a division of Greenworld Distribution, an independent music importer/distributor, which it split-off from in 1985 to become its own company...
affiliated indie label Tropical Records who financed the band's eponymous 1984 5-song EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, produced by Randy Burns. Germany's Steamhammer/SPV label released the EP, upgraded to a full-fledged album, in 1985, titled Leatherwolf, while Heavy Metal America, who had the rights for Great Britain, issued it as Endangered Species, so named after one of the songs on the album.
In 1986, Matt Hurich left to join the band Stryper
Stryper
Stryper is a Christian glam metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet , Oz Fox , Tim Gaines , and Robert Sweet...
and was replaced by Paul Carman, formerly of Black Sheep. The band signed a new major label record deal with Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
, and released the confusingly titled, Kevin Beamish
Kevin Beamish
Kevin Beamish is an American record producer, sound engineer and mixer.He was the producer and engineer of REO Speedwagon #1 album Hi Infidelity and of the hit single "Keep on Loving You", with 15 million albums and 4 million singles sold worldwide....
produced Leatherwolf in 1987. A video for the first single, "The Calling," was shown on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. It was followed up with another single, "Cry Out", featuring a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums....
's "Bad Moon Rising
Bad Moon Rising (song)
"Bad Moon Rising" is a song written by John Fogerty and performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was the lead single from their album Green River and was released in April 1969, four months before the album. The song reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and #1 on the UK Singles...
" on the B-side.
For 1989's Street Ready album, recorded in the Bahamas, the band kept on Beamish as producer but tapped German expatriate Michael Wagener
Michael Wagener
Michael Wagener is a music producer, mixer, and engineer from Hamburg, Germany, best known for his work with many top hard rock and heavy metal bands in the late 80's. Wagener's works have sold over ninetyfour million albums worldwide. Wagener was the original guitarist for the German band Accept...
for the mix. Although the first single/video was the radio friendly semi-power ballad "Hideaway", Street Ready saw the band take a step back toward their more metallic roots with songs such as opener "Wicked Ways", "Too Much", and especially the all-instrumental tour-de-force, "Black Knight". Leatherwolf finally made their European live debut in the spring of 1989 with an appearance at the Aardschokdag in Holland and opening slots for Japan's Vow Wow
Vow Wow
is an influential hard rock band formed in 1975 in Japan.- 1975–1983: Bow Wow :Formed by guitarist and vocalist Kyoji Yamamoto in 1975, with guitarist Mitsuhiro Saito, bassist Kenji Sano and drummer Toshihiro Niimi, Bow Wow soon signed to Victor and released their self-titled debut a year later. In...
and German metallers Zed Yago. The overall lack of label support began to take its toll on the band's inner workings and drummer Dean Roberts was eventually ousted in favor of Marco Forcone (ex-Enticer). Roberts joined The Rod Squad, led by former Knightmare II vocalist Dennis "The Rod" Carlock, with whom he recorded the "Body Heater" 7" in 1990. Even bigger changes lay ahead as Leatherwolf dropped their trademark style in favor of a bluesier approach and Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
-style visuals. With Pat Guyton replacing Paul Carman on bass, the band had morphed into Hail Mary by 1991. However, success under the new moniker proved as elusive as ever as and the grunge rock revolution put the final nail in the band's coffin. Grand Slamm Records re-issued the self-titled Leatherwolf debut on CD in 1991.
It was not until 1999 when the classic Leatherwolf line-up re-emerged with a celebrated reunion show at the Galaxy Theater in Santa Ana, CA, documented on the Wide Open live album that featured 14 of the band's best songs as well as a cover of the Doors' "Break On Through". Leatherwolf also made their return to Europe with an exclusive show the at Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
festival in Germany that same year. Further activities remained few and far between, and Michael Olivieri announced his departure in the spring of 2003 after supporting Halford
Halford (band)
Halford is a heavy metal band formed in 1999 by Rob Halford, the lead vocalist for Judas Priest. Halford formed the band to return to his heavy metal roots...
at the Grove in Anaheim, CA. Auditioning various singers, the band recorded a 3-song demo consisting of "Disconnect", "Behind the Gun", and "Burned" (later renamed "The Grail") with Jeff Martin
Jeff Martin (American musician)
Jeff Martin is a singer and drummer who has sung for the bands Surgical Steel, Racer X, Leatherwolf, and played drums for the bands Badlands, Blindside Blues Band, and RedSea....
from Racer X. Martin eventually declined to join on a full-time basis and lone survivors, Geoff Gayer and Dean Roberts, started the search anew and were finally introduced to Florida-based screamer Wade Black (Crimson Glory
Crimson Glory
Crimson Glory is an American progressive metal band that formed in 1982. They broke up in 1992, but decided to reform six years later.-Formation and debut album :...
, Leash Law, Seven Witches
Seven Witches
Seven Witches is an American heavy metal band from New Jersey. The band was founded in 1998 by Jack Frost and Bobby Lucas- History :Seven Witches released a Demo-CD in 1998, which gave them a record deal with Massacre Records....
). With both Carey Howe and Paul Carman out of the picture, bass was handled by San Antonio, TX native Pete Perez (Riot
Riot (band)
Riot is an American heavy metal band founded in New York City in 1975 by guitarist Mark Reale. Reaching a peak in popularity in the early 80s, the band has continued a long-running successful career....
, Spastic Ink
Spastic Ink
Spastic Ink is a progressive technical metal band from the United States.-History:Spastic Ink was formed in 1993 by guitarist Ron Jarzombek of Watchtower after recovering from multiple hand surgeries that had sidelined him, unable to play, for a couple of years. He would be joined by brother Bobby...
) while OC local Mark Smith and Houstonian Eric Halpern (Destiny's End, Z-Lot-Z) contributed additional lead guitars to the new album. Co-produced by Roberts and Gayer and mixed by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark, World Asylum was released in the spring of 2006 to great reviews and Leatherwolf played the Bang Your Head!!! festival in Germany in June, with Paul Carman back in the fold on bass for the occasion. The band also shot a promotional video for the song "Behind The Gun" with director Karpis Maksudian. Former Hail Mary and Shotgun Messiah
Shotgun Messiah
Shotgun Messiah were a glam metal band originally from Sweden; they crossed over to industrial rock music during the early 1990s.-First Era, 1985-1991:...
member Patrick Guyton took over on bass for the band's ProgPower USA
ProgPower USA
ProgPower USA is a progressive and power metal festival held annually in the United States since 2001. Its twelfth edition will be held at Center Stage in Atlanta, Georgia on September 14 – September 17, 2011, with Sanctuary and Therion as headliners....
festival appearance in Atlanta, GA in the fall of '06.
Original members Carey Howe and Michael Olivieri returned in 2007 and Leatherwolf re-issued World Asylum with Olivieri's vocals in place of Wade Black as New World Asylum, again mixed by Hansen. In the fall of 2007, Leatherwolf embarked on a short European tour, highlighted by a headline appearance at the 9th edition of Germany's Keep It True
Keep It True
Keep It True is a heavy metal festival held annually in Germany since 2003.-I:"The Traditional Heavy Metal Festival": July 19, 2003 Lauda-Königshofen, Tauberfrankenhalle*Omen*Brocas Helm*Majesty*Doomsword*Solitaire*Killers*Killer*Malediction*Gunfire...
festival. Guitarist Geoff Gayer was let go at the end of the trip and replaced by Greg Erba with whom the band lensed a video clip for "Dr. Wicked (Rx O.D.)" with Karpis Maksudian at the helm once again. It would be included on the Monsters of Metal Vol. 6 video compilation by Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast
Nuclear Blast is an independent record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The record label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label moved on to releasing albums by melodic...
.
As of mid-2009, Leatherwolf were said to be writing for a new studio album and have been confirmed for the third annual Rocklahoma
Rocklahoma
Rocklahoma is an annual hard rock music festival held in Pryor, Oklahoma...
festival, sharing a bill with Anthrax
Anthrax (band)
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, Saxon
Saxon (band)
Saxon are an English heavy metal band, formed in 1976 in Barnsley, Yorkshire. As front-runners of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, they had 8 UK Top 40 albums in the 1980s including 4 UK Top 10 albums. Saxon also had numerous singles in the Top 20 singles chart...
, Overkill
Overkill (band)
Overkill is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1980 in New Jersey. They have gone through many line-up changes, with singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and bassist D.D. Verni remaining from the original lineup. Along with Anthrax , the band is one of the most successful East Coast thrash metal...
, Anvil
Anvil (band)
Anvil is a Canadian heavy metal band comprising Steve "Lips" Kudlow , Robb Reiner , and Glenn Five...
, and Metal Church
Metal Church
Metal Church was an American heavy metal band. They originally formed in Seattle, Washington as Shrapnel in 1980. Their first album was released in 1984, and the band's most recent work, This Present Wasteland, was released in 2008....
on July 9.
Michael Olivieri's solo album, Goodbye Rain, was released in December 2009.
Band members
Current members- Michael Olivieri – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1981–2004, 2007–present) - Carey Howe – guitars, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(1981–2004, 2007–present) - Greg Erba – guitars (2009–present)
- Patrick Guyton – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals (1990–1999, 2009–present) - Dean Roberts – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1981–1990, 1999–present)
Former members
- Geoff Gayer – guitars (1981–2007)
- Matt Hurich – bass (1981–1986)
- Marco Forcone – drums (1990–1999)
- Jeff MartinJeff Martin (American musician)Jeff Martin is a singer and drummer who has sung for the bands Surgical Steel, Racer X, Leatherwolf, and played drums for the bands Badlands, Blindside Blues Band, and RedSea....
– vocals (2004–2006) - Wade Black – vocals (2006–2007)
- Eric Halpern – guitars (2006–2007)
- Pete Perez – bass (2006–2007)
- Paul Carman – bass (1986–1990, 1999–2006, 2007–2009)
Timeline
Discography
Studio Albums- Leatherwolf (1985)
- Leatherwolf (2nd release) (1988)
- Street Ready (1989)
- World Asylum (2006)
- New World Asylum (2007)
Live Albums
- Wide Open (1999)
Extended Plays
- Leatherwolf (1984)