Shameless (band)
Encyclopedia
Shameless are a hard rock
and glam metal
supergroup
based in Munich
, Germany. Although the band are based in Germany, they are notable for having numerous American rockers appearing on their albums.
Alexx "Skunk" Michael. The band were relatively popular in their home town, selling out a 500 capacity club on their very first show. The vocalist left the band at the end of 1991 and they folded. The original vocalist, Matt Gilbert (Krash) joined the band after responding to an advertisement in Kerrang magazine. He flew to Munich and shared an apartment with the original guitar player, Michael Trinkl, on Widenmayer Strasse next to the River Isar.
Krash left the band to play with other Munich musicians including Markus Becker, drum teacher in the city.
and Alice Cooper
drummer Eric Singer
. Singer used his contacts to help Michael reform "Shameless" for the debut album Backstreet Anthems. Two cover version
s were present within the tracklist "Flaming Youth
" by Kiss and "Hard Dayz Night
" by The Beatles
.
This album featured thirteen musicians in total, including B.C. a German friend of Michael's. The musicians on the album were;
Ten tracks in total were featured on the album. It was recorded in Studio City, Los Angeles, California
and was produced by former Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke
.
and positive response from the underground hard rock
community Alexx Michael and B.C. decided they would record another album. Back in ermany they were writing new tracks and rehearsing them by January 2000. This time was decided that the album would be produced at Keri Kelli
's studio in Orange County, California
.
The album titled Queen 4 a Day was recorded in March 2000 and featured a total of thirteen songs. Another Kiss cover was also present, "Tomorrow". It featured more guests, with some on the previous album returning.
The album was released in Europe via MTM Music, they did a tour of Germany and the Netherlands in promotion of it. Bruce Kulick
joined the band on tour and performed some tracks live with them.
By the time it came to recording the third album Splashed in 2002, the band made a conscious decision to keep the line-up more concentrated so that people could focus more on the songs that who was playing what. It featured 11 tracks and bonus DVD
material of their 2000 tour and a promotional video for the track "Don't Hesitate".
The tracks were performed by Steve Summers, Alexx Michael, Keri Kelli, B.C., Mike Fasano
and Stevie Rachelle. After a successful European tour in October 2003 and spring 2004, they released a live album from one of the United Kingdom
dates, titled "Super Hardcore Show".
, Phil Lewis
, Jani Lane
and former Mötley Crüe
front man John Corabi
.
All guitars on Famous 4 Madness were recorded by B.C., Alice Cooper
guitarist Keri Kelli
and Michael Thomas. Drums featured include Todd Michael Burr, Kari Kane, Mike Fasano
and Eric Singer
. Alexx Michael as always played bass.
In support of the album, the band went on a 15 date European tour from April through May through the United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland, Germany and Italy.
The Band continued with more tourings in 2009 & 2010 all over Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Belgium, France, Sweden.
Currently working on new music "Dial S for Sex" which will be released this December. Fans can pre order their copy directly from the band thru their Facebook site starting the first week of November !!
All Shameless music is directly available thru iTunes
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
and glam metal
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
based in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany. Although the band are based in Germany, they are notable for having numerous American rockers appearing on their albums.
History
The original incarnation of Shameless was formed in April 1989 by bassistBassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Alexx "Skunk" Michael. The band were relatively popular in their home town, selling out a 500 capacity club on their very first show. The vocalist left the band at the end of 1991 and they folded. The original vocalist, Matt Gilbert (Krash) joined the band after responding to an advertisement in Kerrang magazine. He flew to Munich and shared an apartment with the original guitar player, Michael Trinkl, on Widenmayer Strasse next to the River Isar.
Krash left the band to play with other Munich musicians including Markus Becker, drum teacher in the city.
All-star line-up
In summer 1998 Alexx Michael started to reform Shameless with the support of his friend KissKISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
and Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
drummer Eric Singer
Eric Singer
Eric Doyle Mensinger , better known as Eric Singer, is a hard rock and heavy metal drummer for the rock band Kiss and formerly for singer Alice Cooper...
. Singer used his contacts to help Michael reform "Shameless" for the debut album Backstreet Anthems. Two cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s were present within the tracklist "Flaming Youth
Flaming Youth (song)
"Flaming Youth" is a song by the American rock band Kiss. The song is featured on their 1976 album Destroyer, and was the first Kiss single to feature a picture sleeve. The single reached number 72 in the U.S. and 73 in Canada....
" by Kiss and "Hard Dayz Night
A Hard Day's Night (song)
"A Hard Day's Night" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles. Written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was released on the movie soundtrack of the same name in 1964...
" by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
.
This album featured thirteen musicians in total, including B.C. a German friend of Michael's. The musicians on the album were;
- Alexx Michael
- Steve "Sex" Summers (Pretty Boy FloydPretty Boy Floyd (American band)Pretty Boy Floyd is a glam metal band from Hollywood, California formed in 1987. They are most famous for their 1989 debut album Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz and the two singles from it; "Rock and Roll" and "I Wanna Be With You"...
) - Stevie RachelleStevie RachelleStevie Rachelle is best known as the lead singer of '80s glam metal band Tuff. He has also released multiple solo albums, as well as material with a Green Bay Packers themed side project he founded called Cheeseheads With Attitude. Rachelle also tours, and records with a German based group called...
(TuffTuffTuff is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is sometimes called tufa, particularly when used as construction material, although tufa also refers to a quite different rock. Rock that contains greater than 50% tuff is considered...
) - Eddie Robinson (Alleycat Scratch)
- Bruce KulickBruce KulickBruce Howard Kulick is an American guitarist, musician and a member of the band Grand Funk Railroad. Previously, Kulick had been a longtime member of the band Kiss....
(KissKISS (band)Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
) - Tracii GunsTracii GunsTracii Guns is an American guitarist best known as the founder of glam metal group L.A. Guns as well as the supergroups Brides of Destruction and Contraband. He was also involved in the formation of the first lineup of Guns N' Roses but eventually left the group and was replaced by guitarist...
(L.A. GunsL.A. GunsL.A. Guns is the name of a hard rock group formed in Los Angeles, California, of which two rival incarnations currently exist due to numerous line-up changes. The first incarnation of the group was formed, by Tracii Guns, in 1983 but disbanded in 1985 following its merger with fellow Los Angeles...
) - Kristy MajorsKristy MajorsKristy "Krash" Majors is an American rock guitarist most famous for playing with the band Pretty Boy Floyd. He also has a solo project which he continues with currently.-Biography:...
(Pretty Boy Floyd) - Andrew BennettAndrew BennettAndrew Francis Bennett is a British Labour Party politician, who was a member of Parliament from 1974 to 2005.-Early life:...
(Limit of Shunt)
- B.C.
- Brian Tichy (Sass JordanSass JordanSarah "Sass" Jordan is a Canadian, Juno Award winning, rock singer/songwriter who grew up in Montreal.- Biography :...
) - Eric Skodis (Imperial Drag)
- Eric SingerEric SingerEric Doyle Mensinger , better known as Eric Singer, is a hard rock and heavy metal drummer for the rock band Kiss and formerly for singer Alice Cooper...
(Kiss) - Teddy AndreadisTeddy AndreadisTeddy 'Zig Zag' Andreadis is an American piano/harmonica player who has worked with many popular musicians, including Carole King, Guns N’ Roses, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Alice Cooper, Bruce Willis, and the Boxing Gandhis. In 1999 he was voted “Outstanding Keyboardist of the Year” by the L.A. Music...
(Guns N' RosesGuns N' RosesGuns 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...
) - Robert SweetRobert Sweet (musician)Robert Lee Sweet is the drummer of the Christian metal band Stryper. He and his brother Michael originally founded the band as Roxx or Roxx Regime. Robert became known as the "Visual Time Keeper" for his wild drumming and captivating drum kits...
(StryperStryperStryper 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...
)
Ten tracks in total were featured on the album. It was recorded in Studio City, Los Angeles, California
Studio City, Los Angeles, California
Studio City is an affluent residential neighborhood within the City of Los Angeles, California in the San Fernando Valley. Studio City expands over four ZIP code areas: 91604 and sections of 91602, 91607 and 90210....
and was produced by former Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke
Gilby Clarke
Gilbert "Gilby" Clarke is an American guitarist and record producer best known for a 3-year tenure as the rhythm guitarist of Guns N' Roses, replacing Izzy Stradlin in 1991 during the Use Your Illusion Tour...
.
Shameless in the 2000s
After gaining a cult followingCult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
and positive response from the underground hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
community Alexx Michael and B.C. decided they would record another album. Back in ermany they were writing new tracks and rehearsing them by January 2000. This time was decided that the album would be produced at Keri Kelli
Keri Kelli
Keri Kelli is an American hard rock guitarist, until recently playing for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend Alice Cooper. He occasionally also plays with Skid Row. He played guitar and co-wrote songs on the 2008 Alice Cooper studio album, Along Came A Spider, released worldwide July 29...
's studio in Orange County, California
Orange 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...
.
The album titled Queen 4 a Day was recorded in March 2000 and featured a total of thirteen songs. Another Kiss cover was also present, "Tomorrow". It featured more guests, with some on the previous album returning.
- Alexx Michael
- Steve "Sex" Summers (Pretty Boy FloydPretty Boy FloydCharles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd was an American bank robber. He operated in the West South Central States, and his criminal exploits gained heavy press coverage in the 1930s. Like most other prominent outlaws of that era, he was killed by law enforcement officers...
) - Stevie Rachelle (Tuff)
- Kari Kane (Pretty Boy Floyd)
- Keri KelliKeri KelliKeri Kelli is an American hard rock guitarist, until recently playing for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend Alice Cooper. He occasionally also plays with Skid Row. He played guitar and co-wrote songs on the 2008 Alice Cooper studio album, Along Came A Spider, released worldwide July 29...
(Big Bang BabiesBig Bang BabiesBig Bang Babies were a Bubblegum Glam band, from Hollywood, California, playing during the 1990s.-Biography:They are often seen as part of the glam metal genre, as were similar early '90s bands who played on the Sunset Strip, such as Heart Throb Mob...
) - Steve Riley (L.A. GunsL.A. GunsL.A. Guns is the name of a hard rock group formed in Los Angeles, California, of which two rival incarnations currently exist due to numerous line-up changes. The first incarnation of the group was formed, by Tracii Guns, in 1983 but disbanded in 1985 following its merger with fellow Los Angeles...
) - Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns)
- Gilby ClarkeGilby ClarkeGilbert "Gilby" Clarke is an American guitarist and record producer best known for a 3-year tenure as the rhythm guitarist of Guns N' Roses, replacing Izzy Stradlin in 1991 during the Use Your Illusion Tour...
(Guns N' RosesGuns N' RosesGuns 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...
)
- B.C.
- Teddy Andreadis (Guns N' Roses)
- Eric Singer (Kiss)
- Bruce Kulick (Kiss)
- Keith Alan (Big Bang BabiesBig Bang BabiesBig Bang Babies were a Bubblegum Glam band, from Hollywood, California, playing during the 1990s.-Biography:They are often seen as part of the glam metal genre, as were similar early '90s bands who played on the Sunset Strip, such as Heart Throb Mob...
) - Brian Tichy (Sass Jordan)
- Danny Wagner (WarrantWarrant (American band)Warrant is an American heavy metal band from Hollywood, California, that experienced success from 1989-1996 with five albums reaching international sales of over 10 million. The band first came into the national spotlight with their debut album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, and one of its...
) - Jani LaneJani LaneJani Lane , born John Kennedy Oswald, later changed to John Patrick Oswald, was an American recording artist and the lead vocalist, frontman, lyricist and main songwriter for the hard rock band Warrant....
(WarrantWarrant (American band)Warrant is an American heavy metal band from Hollywood, California, that experienced success from 1989-1996 with five albums reaching international sales of over 10 million. The band first came into the national spotlight with their debut album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, and one of its...
)
The album was released in Europe via MTM Music, they did a tour of Germany and the Netherlands in promotion of it. Bruce Kulick
Bruce Kulick
Bruce Howard Kulick is an American guitarist, musician and a member of the band Grand Funk Railroad. Previously, Kulick had been a longtime member of the band Kiss....
joined the band on tour and performed some tracks live with them.
By the time it came to recording the third album Splashed in 2002, the band made a conscious decision to keep the line-up more concentrated so that people could focus more on the songs that who was playing what. It featured 11 tracks and bonus DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
material of their 2000 tour and a promotional video for the track "Don't Hesitate".
The tracks were performed by Steve Summers, Alexx Michael, Keri Kelli, B.C., Mike Fasano
Mike Fasano
Mike "The Sack" Fasano is a drummer who has toured and recorded for several bands, including Warrant, former Eagles guitarist Don Felder, Tiger Army, Gilby Clarke, Shameless...
and Stevie Rachelle. After a successful European tour in October 2003 and spring 2004, they released a live album from one of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
dates, titled "Super Hardcore Show".
Recent events
Shameless returned in April 2007 with a their first album in four years titled Famous 4 Madness. The eleven track album features Steve Summers as vocalist on most of the tracks, with appearances from Stevie RachelleStevie Rachelle
Stevie Rachelle is best known as the lead singer of '80s glam metal band Tuff. He has also released multiple solo albums, as well as material with a Green Bay Packers themed side project he founded called Cheeseheads With Attitude. Rachelle also tours, and records with a German based group called...
, Phil Lewis
Phil Lewis
Phil Lewis is an English vocalist for the American glam metal band named L.A. Guns, He was born on January 9, 1957 in London, England.Prior to joining L.A. Guns Lewis also worked with Girl , New Torpedos, and Tormé. While temporarily out of L.A...
, Jani Lane
Jani Lane
Jani Lane , born John Kennedy Oswald, later changed to John Patrick Oswald, was an American recording artist and the lead vocalist, frontman, lyricist and main songwriter for the hard rock band Warrant....
and former Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
front man John Corabi
John Corabi
John Corabi is a heavy metal singer and guitarist who has worked with such bands as Angora, The Scream, Mötley Crüe, Union and ESP , Ratt , Twenty 4 Seven , Zen Lunatic, Brides of Destruction, and Angel City Outlaws John Corabi (born on April 26, 1959 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a heavy...
.
All guitars on Famous 4 Madness were recorded by B.C., Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
guitarist Keri Kelli
Keri Kelli
Keri Kelli is an American hard rock guitarist, until recently playing for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend Alice Cooper. He occasionally also plays with Skid Row. He played guitar and co-wrote songs on the 2008 Alice Cooper studio album, Along Came A Spider, released worldwide July 29...
and Michael Thomas. Drums featured include Todd Michael Burr, Kari Kane, Mike Fasano
Mike Fasano
Mike "The Sack" Fasano is a drummer who has toured and recorded for several bands, including Warrant, former Eagles guitarist Don Felder, Tiger Army, Gilby Clarke, Shameless...
and Eric Singer
Eric Singer
Eric Doyle Mensinger , better known as Eric Singer, is a hard rock and heavy metal drummer for the rock band Kiss and formerly for singer Alice Cooper...
. Alexx Michael as always played bass.
In support of the album, the band went on a 15 date European tour from April through May through the United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland, Germany and Italy.
The Band continued with more tourings in 2009 & 2010 all over Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Belgium, France, Sweden.
Currently working on new music "Dial S for Sex" which will be released this December. Fans can pre order their copy directly from the band thru their Facebook site starting the first week of November !!
Studio
- Backstreet Anthems - (1999)
- Queen 4 a Day - (2000)
- Splashed - (2002)
- Famous 4 Madness - (April 2007)
- Dial S for Sex - (December 2011)
All Shameless music is directly available thru iTunes