Steeler
Encyclopedia
Steeler was an early 1980s American heavy metal
band from Nashville
. Band members included: Ron Keel
on vocals
and guitar
, Michael Dunigan on lead guitar
, Bobby Eva on drums
and Tim Morrison
on bass
. In 1982, they released the single Cold Day in Hell
.
Eva left the band after a short while and was replaced by drummer
Mark Edwards. This new line-up did not last long and released no albums or singles.
Soon, Dunigan and Morrison left Steeler and were replaced by Rik Fox
on bass
and an 18 year old Swedish
guitarist
, Yngwie Malmsteen. The new line-up released the band's first album, Steeler, it saw moderate commercial success and is now a sought after album for many fans of Malmsteen and Keel. Malmsteen subsequently left and was replaced by Mitch Perry.
The final line-up of Steeler saw the departure of Perry, Fox and Edwards who were all replaced by Kurt James
on lead guitar, Greg Chaisson
on bass and Bobby Marks on drums. This line-up also released no albums or singles. Due to constant change in band members, Steeler never got the major record label it required and Keel decided to split up the band and start a new project.
During Steeler's short time in the world of Heavy Metal, the band became quite popular in LA and even performed to some sold out venues.
In 2005 a compilation album with songs from the single, album, live show bootlegs and unreleased tracks. This album was titled 'Metal Generation: The Steeler Anthology.'
to prominence.
Ron Keel
later formed his own project, Keel
, with moderate commercial success later in the 1980s.
Yngwie Malmsteen was also lead guitarist for the band Alcatrazz
, including Graham Bonnett (vocals), Gary Shea (bass), Jan Uvena (drums) and Jimmy Waldo (keyboards). They released one album under this lineup ("No Parole From Rock N' Roll
") and a live release, "Live Sentence
". Later, Malmsteen began his solo project, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, which went on to produce numerous albums with a considerably increased commercial success.
Bassist Rik Fox
reminisces: "Steeler was one of those 'groundbreaking' bands of the 1980s Sunset Strip. We were lucky and fortunate to be in that particular place in time and history, look at the awesome results that we left behind! But it was the songs that made it happen, and...the FANS!
Thanks for keeping the faith."
There is a misprint vinyl where side B has the label for a band called Christian Death.
Single:
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 from Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. Band members included: Ron Keel
Ron Keel
Ron Keel is a Heavy metal vocalist and guitarist for a number of bands from the 1980s to the modern day, including the glam metal band Keel.-Biography:...
on vocals
Singing
Singing 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...
and guitar
Guitar
The 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...
, Michael Dunigan on lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, Bobby Eva on drums
Drum kit
A 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 ....
and Tim Morrison
Tim Morrison
Timothy Morrison is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of North Carolina....
on bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. In 1982, they released the single Cold Day in Hell
Cold Day In Hell
Cold Day In Hell is a mixtape by rapper Freddie Gibbs. It was recorded between 2009-2011 with stops and assistance by Young Jeezy's Corporate Thugz. It was released on October 31, confirmed features by Young Jeezy, Dom Kennedy, Freeway, Juicy J, Sly Polaroid, Alley Boy, 2 Chainz and Scrilla.- Track...
.
Eva left the band after a short while and was replaced by drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Mark Edwards. This new line-up did not last long and released no albums or singles.
Soon, Dunigan and Morrison left Steeler and were replaced by Rik Fox
Rik Fox
Richard Suligowski , better known as Rik Fox, is an American heavy metal bass guitar player. He was mainly active during the 1970s and 1980s both in the New York City and Hollywood Rock and Metal scene.-Early life:...
on bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and an 18 year old Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, Yngwie Malmsteen. The new line-up released the band's first album, Steeler, it saw moderate commercial success and is now a sought after album for many fans of Malmsteen and Keel. Malmsteen subsequently left and was replaced by Mitch Perry.
The final line-up of Steeler saw the departure of Perry, Fox and Edwards who were all replaced by Kurt James
Kurt James
Kurt James is an American Heavy metal–rock guitarist and composer.Mr. James has recorded many different styles of music over the years, including Rockabilly, in the form of a collaboration with the Christian rockabilly band The Pioneers.-Musical career:James has performed in Japan, Europe...
on lead guitar, Greg Chaisson
Greg Chaisson
Greg Chaisson is a bass guitarist who has been in various bands including Badlands, Surgical Steel , Legs Diamond, Blindside Blues Band, Die Happy, and Red Sea. He was also involved with the band Steeler, which was Yngwie Malmsteen's first American band and was started by Ron Keel. He currently...
on bass and Bobby Marks on drums. This line-up also released no albums or singles. Due to constant change in band members, Steeler never got the major record label it required and Keel decided to split up the band and start a new project.
During Steeler's short time in the world of Heavy Metal, the band became quite popular in LA and even performed to some sold out venues.
In 2005 a compilation album with songs from the single, album, live show bootlegs and unreleased tracks. This album was titled 'Metal Generation: The Steeler Anthology.'
Legacy
Steeler's self titled debut is considered 'groundbreaking'. Much of the themes, style and structure of the music would go on to dominate towards the late 80s. The futuristic guitar work was also incredibly important in bringing Shred guitarShred guitar
Shred guitar or shredding is lead electric guitar playing that relies heavily on fast guitar solos. While some critics argue that shred guitar is associated with "... sweep-picked arpeggios, diminished and harmonic minor scales, finger-tapping and ... whammy-bar abuse", several guitar...
to prominence.
Ron Keel
Ron Keel
Ron Keel is a Heavy metal vocalist and guitarist for a number of bands from the 1980s to the modern day, including the glam metal band Keel.-Biography:...
later formed his own project, Keel
Keel (band)
Keel is an American heavy metal band founded in 1984 in Los Angeles, California. They were known for their rock anthem "The Right to Rock." The band was active until 1989, with a brief reunion in 1998. Keel reunited in 2008 and is currently touring for their 25th anniversary.-History:Keel was...
, with moderate commercial success later in the 1980s.
Yngwie Malmsteen was also lead guitarist for the band Alcatrazz
Alcatrazz
Alcatrazz is an American heavy metal band formed in 1983 by Graham Bonnet, Jimmy Waldo and Gary Shea.-History:The band's initial line-up consisted of former Rainbow frontman Graham Bonnet, young Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen who had recently left American band Steeler, Gary Shea and Jimmy...
, including Graham Bonnett (vocals), Gary Shea (bass), Jan Uvena (drums) and Jimmy Waldo (keyboards). They released one album under this lineup ("No Parole From Rock N' Roll
No Parole from Rock N' Roll
No Parole From Rock 'n' Roll was the first album released by Graham Bonnet's Alcatrazz. It spent seven weeks on the Billboard chart, peaking at #128. Considered by many to be the best Alcatrazz release and launched Yngwie J. Malmsteen into a glittering solo career. Most famous for the single...
") and a live release, "Live Sentence
Live Sentence
Live Sentence was the only live album released by Graham Bonnet's Alcatrazz and contains some of the songs performed by Bonnet in his time with Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. The live show was based on their previous album No Parole From Rock N' Roll and had the same lineup...
". Later, Malmsteen began his solo project, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, which went on to produce numerous albums with a considerably increased commercial success.
Bassist Rik Fox
Rik Fox
Richard Suligowski , better known as Rik Fox, is an American heavy metal bass guitar player. He was mainly active during the 1970s and 1980s both in the New York City and Hollywood Rock and Metal scene.-Early life:...
reminisces: "Steeler was one of those 'groundbreaking' bands of the 1980s Sunset Strip. We were lucky and fortunate to be in that particular place in time and history, look at the awesome results that we left behind! But it was the songs that made it happen, and...the FANS!
Thanks for keeping the faith."
There is a misprint vinyl where side B has the label for a band called Christian Death.
Discography
Studio:- SteelerSteeler (American album)Steeler is an album by the band of the same name. It was largely recorded at Prairie Sun Studios in Cotati, California, about fifty miles north of San Francisco. It was the only album released by the band until a 2005 compilation album released by Ron Keel. After the album was released the band...
(1983) - Metal Generation: The Steeler AnthologyMetal Generation: The Steeler AnthologyMetal Generation: The Steeler Anthology was released by majestic rock records in 2005 as a compilation album of the US heavy metal band Steeler. The album was co-produced by a former band member, Ron Keel, as he believed there was a public desire for such an album...
(2005)
Single:
- "Cold Day in HellCold Day In HellCold Day In Hell is a mixtape by rapper Freddie Gibbs. It was recorded between 2009-2011 with stops and assistance by Young Jeezy's Corporate Thugz. It was released on October 31, confirmed features by Young Jeezy, Dom Kennedy, Freeway, Juicy J, Sly Polaroid, Alley Boy, 2 Chainz and Scrilla.- Track...
" (1982)