Stevie Rachelle
Encyclopedia
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 Shameless
. In addition he is the sole owner/operator/financer/manager & co-creator of '80s glam metal website Metal Sludge
and the manager of the Swedish
sleaze rock band he discovered Vains of Jenna
.
area of Oshkosh
Wisconsin
, despite being German
. He moved to California
as a young adult. Rachelle graduated from Oshkosh West High School
in 1984, now the owner of the nickname "Banger", which was shortened from "Headbanger". Rachelle didn't receive the name because of his love for heavy metal music
however, but after falling on his face trying to jump over a fence to impress a group of girls.
By spring 1985, self-taught musician Rachelle found himself in the local band X-iter as vocalist after being suggested for the job by a skateboard
ing friend of his. The band would perform originals and heavy metal cover songs by bands like Kiss
, Black Sabbath
and Van Halen
.
became a fixture on the Sunset Strip selling out the Whisky-A-Go-Go, Gazzarris, The Troubadour, The Roxy and even the 1,100 seat capacity Country Club. The band were soon snatched up by Atlantic
and recorded their debut album What Comes Around Goes Around in 1990. Their debut was produced by Howard Benson
who had produced a list of similar bands such as Southgang
featuring Butch Walker
, Bang Tango
, Sweet FA & Pretty Boy Floyd
.
Tuff
never achieved gold or platinum success but did have a top requested single, "I Hate Kissing You Goodbye", that hit #3 on Dial MTV
just behind the #1 (Guns N' Roses
) and the new Metallica
single "Enter Sandman
". The following week, Nirvana
debuted.
Stevie Rachelle appeared in the Penelope Spheeris
"rockumentary" The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years. He was, at the time, one of multiple interviewees who were hopeful to land a record contract while trying to make a name for themselves on the crowded Sunset Strip music scene in late 1980s Los Angeles.
He is also the founding member of a Green Bay Packers tribute band called Cheeseheads With Attitude or CWA.
was signed in 1990 and dropped by Atlantic Records
in 1992. The band was then picked up by IRS Grand Slamm Records in early 1993. The label folded in less than a year, and Tuff were without a label. In early 1994, Rachelle started RLS Records. The initials stood for "Rachelle's Lyrics & Songs". The offshoot Cheezee Records was formed in 1996 to be the home for the Cheeseheads With Attitude project.
Tuff again signed to a record label in early 1995 when BMG
/Mausoleum/MMS records picked up the RLS Fist First release after it sold upwards of 10,000 copies. BMG
re-issued it as Religious Fix in June 1995 with 3 bonus tracks. The additional tracks were produced by Randy Cantor.
music. Rachelle referred to the song as his tribute to a scene he was extremely proud to be a part of and wanted to give something back to. Rachelle was in recent years revealed as "the man behind the curtain" of the 80's metal music website Metal Sludge
. Rachelle is now living in California with two young children.
, became to much and it was around this time that Hanseter became obsessed and beyond serious about pursuing music. Skateboarding a 10 year passion was now taking a back seat to heavy metal.
Once moving to California in 1987, music replaced skating in his life. In 1996 after the breakup of Tuff
and the start of the X-Games Rachelle bought a new equipment and started to skate regularly at Skate Street in Ventura County, Skate Lab in Simi Valley and at the new Vans
locations in Orange County, Ontario and Bakersfield. Stevie regained some of his skills and soon found himself doing skating on the 80' wide vertical ramp at Vans
in Orange County. Many sessions included skating with the likes of Lincoln Ueda, Neil Hendrix, Mathias Ringstrom, Rune Glifberg
, Omar Hassan and many of today's top professional vert skaters.
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...
band Tuff
Tuff (band)
Tuff is an American glam metal band formed in 1985 in Phoenix, Arizona, by guitarist Jorge DeSaint and bassist Todd Chase . The band was completed with the arrival of drummer Michael Lean and short-lived vocalist Terry Fox, who left the band shortly afterwards to pursue an ice skating career...
. He has also released multiple solo albums, as well as material with a Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
themed side project he founded called Cheeseheads With Attitude. Rachelle also tours, and records with a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
based group called Shameless
Shameless
Shameless is a British television drama series set in Manchester on the fictional Chatsworth council estate. Produced by Company Pictures for Channel 4, the first seven-episode series aired weekly on Tuesday nights at 10pm from 13 January 2004...
. In addition he is the sole owner/operator/financer/manager & co-creator of '80s glam metal website Metal Sludge
Metal Sludge
Metal Sludge is a glam metal, hard rock and heavy metal website founded in 1998. It has spawned various tours as well as an album...
and the manager of the 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....
sleaze rock band he discovered Vains of Jenna
Vains of Jenna
Vains of Jenna are a rock band formed in Falkenberg, Sweden during January 2005. They have since relocated to Los Angeles, California. They will be performing around the States with the help of and -History:...
.
Early life
Rachelle was born Steven Howard Hanseter on March 2, 1966. He was raised in America around the Lake WinnebagoLake Winnebago
Lake Winnebago is a freshwater lake in eastern Wisconsin, United States. It is the largest lake entirely within the state.-Statistics:...
area of Oshkosh
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,916 people, 24,082 households, and 13,654 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,662.2 people per square mile . There were 25,420 housing units at an average density of 1,075.6 per square mile...
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, despite being German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
. He moved to 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...
as a young adult. Rachelle graduated from Oshkosh West High School
Oshkosh West High School
Oshkosh West High School is a public high school in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and part of the Oshkosh Area School District. As of 2009, the school had 1,934 students in grades 9 through 12, in a building consisting of 51 rooms...
in 1984, now the owner of the nickname "Banger", which was shortened from "Headbanger". Rachelle didn't receive the name because of his love for heavy metal music
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...
however, but after falling on his face trying to jump over a fence to impress a group of girls.
By spring 1985, self-taught musician Rachelle found himself in the local band X-iter as vocalist after being suggested for the job by a skateboard
Skateboard
A skateboard is typically a specially designed plywood board combined with a polyurethane coating used for making smoother slides and stronger durability, used primarily for the activity of skateboarding. The first skateboards to reach public notice came out of the surfing craze of the early 1960s,...
ing friend of his. The band would perform originals and heavy metal cover songs by bands like Kiss
KISS (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,...
, Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
and Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
.
Tuff
After singing in a few local Wisconsin bands like X-iter and Talon, Rachelle moved to Hollywood in June 1987 to pursue joining the band Tuff. TuffTuff
Tuff 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...
became a fixture on the Sunset Strip selling out the Whisky-A-Go-Go, Gazzarris, The Troubadour, The Roxy and even the 1,100 seat capacity Country Club. The band were soon snatched up by Atlantic
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
and recorded their debut album What Comes Around Goes Around in 1990. Their debut was produced by Howard Benson
Howard Benson
Howard Benson is a two-time Grammy-nominated music producer and aerospace engineer.-Biography:Howard Benson has a degree in materials engineering from Drexel University and studied composition at the Philadelphia College for Performing Arts. Later he worked for Garrett AiResearch, where he worked...
who had produced a list of similar bands such as Southgang
SouthGang
SouthGang was a Los Angeles-based glam metal band composed of lead vocalist Jesse Harte, guitarist Butch Walker, bassist Jayce Fincher, and drummer Mitch "Slug" McLee, active in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The band's original name was Byte the Bullet, which was changed to SouthGang before they...
featuring Butch Walker
Butch Walker
Butch Walker is an American recording artist, songwriter, and record producer. He was the lead guitarist for the metal band SouthGang from the late 80s to early 90s as well as the lead vocalist and guitarist for rock band Marvelous 3 from 1997 until 2001.-Career:Walker grew up in Cartersville,...
, Bang Tango
Bang Tango
Bang Tango is an American funk-infused hard rock and glam metal band.-Biography:The band formed in 1987 in Los Angeles, California and were signed to MCA Records that same year. The band's line-up has fluctuated since its inception, with the one mainstay of the group being frontman Joe Lesté...
, Sweet FA & Pretty Boy Floyd
Pretty Boy Floyd
Charles 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...
.
Tuff
Tuff
Tuff 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...
never achieved gold or platinum success but did have a top requested single, "I Hate Kissing You Goodbye", that hit #3 on Dial 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....
just behind the #1 (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...
) and the new 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 ...
single "Enter Sandman
Enter Sandman
"Enter Sandman" is a 1991 song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the first single from their eponymous fifth album, Metallica. The music was written by Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich...
". The following week, Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
debuted.
Stevie Rachelle appeared in the Penelope Spheeris
Penelope Spheeris
Penelope Spheeris is an American director, producer and screenwriter. She is best known as a documentary film director whose works include the trilogy titled The Decline of Western Civilization...
"rockumentary" The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years. He was, at the time, one of multiple interviewees who were hopeful to land a record contract while trying to make a name for themselves on the crowded Sunset Strip music scene in late 1980s Los Angeles.
He is also the founding member of a Green Bay Packers tribute band called Cheeseheads With Attitude or CWA.
Indy Record Label
After struggling with record labels for years Stevie decided to form his own. TuffTuff
Tuff 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...
was signed in 1990 and dropped by Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in 1992. The band was then picked up by IRS Grand Slamm Records in early 1993. The label folded in less than a year, and Tuff were without a label. In early 1994, Rachelle started RLS Records. The initials stood for "Rachelle's Lyrics & Songs". The offshoot Cheezee Records was formed in 1996 to be the home for the Cheeseheads With Attitude project.
Tuff again signed to a record label in early 1995 when BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
/Mausoleum/MMS records picked up the RLS Fist First release after it sold upwards of 10,000 copies. BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
re-issued it as Religious Fix in June 1995 with 3 bonus tracks. The additional tracks were produced by Randy Cantor.
Later life
In 2001 a Tuff greatest hits package was released containing a new track called "American Hair Band". The song had several lyrics attacking grungeGrunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
music. Rachelle referred to the song as his tribute to a scene he was extremely proud to be a part of and wanted to give something back to. Rachelle was in recent years revealed as "the man behind the curtain" of the 80's metal music website Metal Sludge
Metal Sludge
Metal Sludge is a glam metal, hard rock and heavy metal website founded in 1998. It has spawned various tours as well as an album...
. Rachelle is now living in California with two young children.
Skateboarding
As a youth growing up in Oshkosh, Steven became interested in skateboarding in the mid 70s. By the late 70s and very early 80s he and his friends were very serious about skateboarding. In January 1985 Steven moved to Florida to pursue skating and warmer weather. While skating at the local Ron Jon's Surf Shop Steven's ability to skate vertical drew the attention of a local rep from Kami Kaze Skates who wanted sponsor him and possibly to give Steven his own signature model. However the draw of rock and roll and Motley CrueMötley 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...
, became to much and it was around this time that Hanseter became obsessed and beyond serious about pursuing music. Skateboarding a 10 year passion was now taking a back seat to heavy metal.
Once moving to California in 1987, music replaced skating in his life. In 1996 after the breakup of Tuff
Tuff
Tuff 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...
and the start of the X-Games Rachelle bought a new equipment and started to skate regularly at Skate Street in Ventura County, Skate Lab in Simi Valley and at the new Vans
Vans
Vans is an American based manufacturer of sneakers, skateboarding shoes, BMX shoes, snowboarding boots and other shoe types.- History :On March 16, 1966, at 704 E. Broadway, in Anaheim, California, brothers Paul Van Doren, James Van Doren, and three other partners opened up their first store...
locations in Orange County, Ontario and Bakersfield. Stevie regained some of his skills and soon found himself doing skating on the 80' wide vertical ramp at Vans
Vans
Vans is an American based manufacturer of sneakers, skateboarding shoes, BMX shoes, snowboarding boots and other shoe types.- History :On March 16, 1966, at 704 E. Broadway, in Anaheim, California, brothers Paul Van Doren, James Van Doren, and three other partners opened up their first store...
in Orange County. Many sessions included skating with the likes of Lincoln Ueda, Neil Hendrix, Mathias Ringstrom, Rune Glifberg
Rune Glifberg
Rune Glifberg is a professional skateboarder who currently resides in the Leucadia district of Encinitas, California. Glifberg began skating at age 11 after a friend brought a board over to his house. In the early 1990s, Glifberg turned professional as a vert skater and made the trek across the...
, Omar Hassan and many of today's top professional vert skaters.
Tuff
- What Comes Around Goes Around-Again (2011) RLS Records
- Live in the U.K. (2003) RLS Records
- History of Tuff (2001) RLS Records
- Regurgitation (2000) RLS Records
- Decade of Disrespect (1996) RLS Records
- Religious Fix (1995) BMG/Mausoleum/MMS
- Fist First (1994) RLS Records
- What Comes Around Goes Around (1991) Atlantic/Titanium
Tuff Home Videos/DVD
- Rock N' Rarities The Videos (2003)
- Decade of Distant Memories (1996/2003)
- Religious Fix The Videos (1995/2003)
- What Comes Around Goes Around The Videos (1991/2003)
Stevie Rachelle (solo) Albums
- Since Sixty-Six (2000) RLS Records
- Who The Hell Am I? (1998) RLS Records
Cheeseheads With Attitude Albums
- Green N' Gold Hits (2011) Cheezee Records
- A-Rod Remix of Packer Fans (2011) Cheezee Records (Single Only)
- Greatest Slices of... (2003) Cheezee Records
- Say Cheese (1998) Cheezee Records
- Cheeseheads 4 Life (1997) Cheezee Records
- Tailgate Tunes - Greatest Hits of 1997 (1997) Just Right Records (Sixteen Games)
- Straight Outta Wisconsin (1996) Cheezee Records
Cheeseheads With Attitude Home Videos
- Straight Outta Titletown (1997) Cheezee Records/Merchandise - Video
Shameless
- Dial $ For Sex (2011)
- Famous 4 Madness (2007)
- Super Hardcore Show Live (2003)
- Splashed (2002)
- Queen 4 a Day (2000)
- Backstreet Anthems (1999)
Metal Sludge Releases
- Metal Sludge Xtravaganza Brazil (2006) Metal Sludge Entertainment
- Metal Sludge's Hey That's What I Call Sludge Vol. 1 (2003) Metal Sludge Entertainment
Related RLS Records Releases
- Vains of Jenna / We Can Never Die - II (2011) Raw Noize/RLS Records
- Vains of Jenna / Reverse Tripped (2011) Deadline Cleopatra Records
- Vains of Jenna / We Can Never Die (2010) Raw Noize/RLS Records
- Vains of Jenna / The Art of Telling Lies (2009) Raw Noize/RLS Records
- Vains of Jenna / Lit Up - Let Down (2006) reissue Filthy Note/Fontana/Universal
- Vains of Jenna / Lit Up - Let Down (2006) Raw Noize/RLS Records
- Vains of Jenna / The Demos (2006) Raw Noize/RLS Records
- WildSide / The Wasted Years (2004) RLS Records
- Kings of Sunset Strip / Vol. 1 (2004) RLS Records
- Nitro/Jim Gillette / Proud to be Loud (2003) RLS Records
- Trailer Park Posse / Tubtanic (1999) RLS Records
- Mistakes, The / Angry Youth (1997) (Producer Credit)
Compilations & Tribute Albums
- Kid Rock Tribute - Title tba (2009) American Bad Ass & Bawitaba (Lead Vocal)
- We Wish You a Hairy Christmas (Koch Records 2003) Jingle Bell Rock (Lead Vocal)
- Mullet Years - Rocker (Universal/Canada 2003) American Hair Band
- A Rock Tribute to Guns N' Roses (2002) {vocals on You're Crazy}
- A Tribute to Styx (2002) {vocals on Babe}
- A Tribute to Journey (2002) {vocals on Lights}
- Album Networks Rock Tune Up (2001) American Hair Band
- Bulletproof Fever: A Tribute to Ted Nugent (2001) {vocals on Wango Tango} Guitars by Jake E. LeeJake E. LeeJakey Lou Williams , commonly known as Jake E. Lee, is an American guitarist best known for playing with Ozzy Osbourne in the mid-1980s and later in his own band Badlands.- Musical education :...
- Livin' On a Prayer: A Tribute to Bon Jovi (2001) {vocals on In & Out of Love}
- Fire Woman / A Tribute to The Cult (2001) {vocals on Outlaw}
- Name Your Poison: A Tribute to Poison (2001) {vocals on Look What The Cat Dragged In}
- Shout at the Remix: A Tribute to Motley Crue (2000) {vocals on Red Hot}
- Leppardmania: A Tribute to Def Leppard (2000) {vocals on Too Late for Love}
- Covered like a Hurricane: A Tribute to Scorpions (2000) {vocals on Blackout}
- Appetite For Reconstruction: A Tribute to Gn'R (1999) {vocals on You're Crazy}
Appearances in Published Books
- Fuck You - Rock n' Roll Portraits by Neil Zlozower (2008)
- American Hair Metal (2006)
- Hollywood Rocks - Ultimate Guide (2003)
TV & Film
- The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988) (Documentary Film)
- Waynes World 2 (1993) (Paramount Pictures)
- The Stoned AgeThe Stoned AgeThe Stöned Age is a 1994 American comedy film directed by James Melkonian, set during the 1970s about two long haired stoners named Michael Hubbs and Joe Connolly and one night cruising Southern California looking for alcohol, parties, and chicks.-Plot summary:The story takes place in Torrance,...
(1994) (Trimark Pictures) - VH-1 Where Are They Now? Hair Bands II (1999) (Viacom/Vh1)
- Top 40 Metal Songs (2006) (Viacom/Vh1)
- Worst Metal Videos (200?) (Viacom/Vh1)