Tim Gaines
Encyclopedia
Timothy Gaines is bass guitar player of the Christian
metal band Stryper
.
regular, Tim joined the band in 1983, and quickly rounded out the quartet's sound with his bass
, background vocals and keyboard
skills. Gaines recorded the band's debut EP
The Yellow and Black Attack
and their follow up full-length album Soldiers Under Command
in 1985.
Gaines briefly left the band during the pre-production period of the band's platinum selling album To Hell with the Devil
but rejoined the band after the sessions were concluded in order to tour. Gaines did not play on the band's follow up In God We Trust
but did tour in support of the album.
Gaines contributions to the bands next release Against the Law
were evident in his playing on the release but he did not play on the band's cover of Earth, Wind & Fire
's "Shining Star" (The track was recorded by Randy Jackson
).
's post-Whitecross
initiative -- King James
-- along with Robert Sweet
, formerly of Stryper. Gaines went on to record a very memorable guest track with Tourniquet
on their Crawl to China
release as well. Following this activity Gaines joined former Stryper guitarist, Oz Fox
, in Gaines and Fox's SinDizzy
. The band proved to be a very lively, and charismatic group releasing one album titled He's Not Dead. Gaines' bass playing was showcased in a manner which allowed enthusiasts a chance to hear him play in a very different way than he had in previous projects. In 1996 Gaines also began co-contributing with singer/songwriter (and soon-to-be future wife), Irene Kelly. The two would go onto to work on releases in Gaines' free time away from SinDizzy.
where both Sindizzy and Stryper
frontman, Michael Sweet
were invited. Later, they were asked to play a festival in Central America
in 2000 with Sweet. All former bandmates joined each other on stage and performed for a crowd in excess of 10,000 spectators ushering in the opportunity for a full blown reunion later in 2000 at the first annual 'Stryper Expo' with Robert Sweet
joining his former bandmates.
The success of these appearances led to a 2003 reunion tour and a new release (Stryper's 7) which would see the band tour and play venues around the nation. The concept of what became the art cover for 7 was Gaines'.
Gaines spent April and May 2007 touring the U.S.
, Dominican Republic
, and Trinidad
, with singer/songwriter Richard Marx
as bass player. August 15, 2008 Gaines was on stage with Tourniquet
at the Flevo Festival
.
In the fall of 2009 Gaines released his first solo effort entitled "Breakfast @ Timothy's."
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
metal 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...
.
With Stryper
Being a Sunset StripSunset Strip
The Sunset Strip is the name given to the mile-and-a-half stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through West Hollywood, California. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with Hollywood at Harper Avenue, to its western border with Beverly Hills at Sierra Drive...
regular, Tim joined the band in 1983, and quickly rounded out the quartet's sound with his bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, background vocals and keyboard
Musical keyboard
A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the...
skills. Gaines recorded the band's debut 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...
The Yellow and Black Attack
The Yellow and Black Attack
The Yellow and Black Attack is the first release from the Christian metal band Stryper. No singles were released from this six-song EP, and fewer than 20,000 copies were pressed, as their label, Enigma Records, was unsure of the potential market for Christian metal...
and their follow up full-length album Soldiers Under Command
Soldiers Under Command
Soldiers Under Command is the second release, and first full-length studio album from Christian metal band Stryper, released in 1985 . It was the first Christian metal album to achieve Gold record status, selling more than half a million copies...
in 1985.
Gaines briefly left the band during the pre-production period of the band's platinum selling album To Hell with the Devil
To Hell with the Devil
To Hell with the Devil is the Grammy Award nominated third release, and second full-length album, by the Christian metal and glam metal band Stryper, released in 1986 . It was both the first Contemporary Christian and Christian metal album to achieve Platinum status, selling over one million copies...
but rejoined the band after the sessions were concluded in order to tour. Gaines did not play on the band's follow up In God We Trust
In God We Trust
"In God We Trust" was adopted as the official motto of the United States in 1956. It is also the motto of the U.S. state of Florida. The Legality of this motto has been questioned because of the United States Constitution forbidding the government to make any law respecting the establishment of a...
but did tour in support of the album.
Gaines contributions to the bands next release Against the Law
Against the Law
Against the Law is an American dramedy television series that aired on the Fox network from September 23, 1990 to April 5, 1991. Starring Michael O'Keefe and Suzzanne Douglas, the 17 hour-long episodes centered on the brash Boston lawyer, Simon MacHeath, who left his job at a prestigious law firm...
were evident in his playing on the release but he did not play on the band's cover of Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American soul and R&B band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Verdine and Maurice White. Also known as EWF, the band has won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. They have been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of...
's "Shining Star" (The track was recorded by Randy Jackson
Randy Jackson
Randall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
).
Post-Stryper
In his post-Stryper career, Gaines continued contributing to the musical world with appearances in Rex CarrollRex Carroll
Rex Carroll is a guitarist and known for his work in the Christian metal band Whitecross. Rex Carroll is also the leader and guitarist of other bands like Fierce Heart, King James and The Rex Carroll Band. He also filled in and did all the guitar work on Eden's 1994 album "Fan The Flame". In...
's post-Whitecross
Whitecross
Whitecross is a Christian metal band that formed in 1985 in Waukegan, IL releasing their first recording in the year 1987. Their early albums, which often invite comparisons to Ratt, are laced with fast, technical guitar work. In 1994, bandleader, primary songwriter and producer Rex Carroll split...
initiative -- King James
King James (band)
King James is a metal/rock supergroup formed in 1993 by guitarist Rex Carroll . He joined former Sacred Fire frontman, Jimi Bennett to form the band. Some time later, they recruited Tim Gaines and Robert Sweet, of Stryper, and released their first album in 1994. The band supported the album with...
-- along with Robert Sweet
Robert 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...
, formerly of Stryper. Gaines went on to record a very memorable guest track with Tourniquet
Tourniquet (band)
Tourniquet is a Christian thrash / heavy metal band that was formed in 1989 by Ted Kirkpatrick, Guy Ritter and Gary Lenaire in Los Angeles, California, USA. They are known for incorporating elements of thrash, neo-classical and progressive metal into their music...
on their Crawl to China
Crawl to China
Crawl to China is the 1997 album by the Christian metal band Tourniquet, released on Benson Records. This album took the band's style to a more simplistic rock sound and, as a result, Crawl to China was critically panned and disappointed many of the band's metal fans. The lyrics of the song "The...
release as well. Following this activity Gaines joined former Stryper guitarist, Oz Fox
Oz Fox
Richard Alfonso Martinez , better known by the stage name Oz Fox, is the lead guitarist of the Christian glam metal band Stryper. Martinez's high school friends called him Oz in honor of Ozzy Osbourne due to his ability to emulate the vocals of Osbourne while playing Black Sabbath covers in his...
, in Gaines and Fox's SinDizzy
Sindizzy
SinDizzy is Christian metal band co-founded by former Stryper members Oz Fox and Tim Gaines. The band was founded in the mid 1990s after Stryper had disbanded. Its members included young drummer and lead guitarist...
. The band proved to be a very lively, and charismatic group releasing one album titled He's Not Dead. Gaines' bass playing was showcased in a manner which allowed enthusiasts a chance to hear him play in a very different way than he had in previous projects. In 1996 Gaines also began co-contributing with singer/songwriter (and soon-to-be future wife), Irene Kelly. The two would go onto to work on releases in Gaines' free time away from SinDizzy.
Stryper reunion
It was Gaines' involvement in SinDizzy with Fox which lead to the band being sort of reunited in 1999 at a concert in Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
where both Sindizzy and 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...
frontman, Michael Sweet
Michael Sweet
Michael Sweet is a singer from Whittier, California, United States. Sweet is best known as co-founder, writer and frontman of the Christian glam metal band Stryper. He was also one of the two lead vocalists and one of three guitarists for Boston until August 2011.-Youth:He began his musical career...
were invited. Later, they were asked to play a festival in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
in 2000 with Sweet. All former bandmates joined each other on stage and performed for a crowd in excess of 10,000 spectators ushering in the opportunity for a full blown reunion later in 2000 at the first annual 'Stryper Expo' with Robert Sweet
Robert 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...
joining his former bandmates.
The success of these appearances led to a 2003 reunion tour and a new release (Stryper's 7) which would see the band tour and play venues around the nation. The concept of what became the art cover for 7 was Gaines'.
Gaines spent April and May 2007 touring the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, and Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, with singer/songwriter Richard Marx
Richard Marx
Richard Noel Marx is an American adult contemporary and pop/rock singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He had a string of hit singles in the late 1980s and 1990s, including "Endless Summer Nights", "Right Here Waiting", "Now and Forever", and "Hazard"...
as bass player. August 15, 2008 Gaines was on stage with Tourniquet
Tourniquet (band)
Tourniquet is a Christian thrash / heavy metal band that was formed in 1989 by Ted Kirkpatrick, Guy Ritter and Gary Lenaire in Los Angeles, California, USA. They are known for incorporating elements of thrash, neo-classical and progressive metal into their music...
at the Flevo Festival
Flevo Festival
The Flevo Festival is an open air Christian music festival held each August in The Netherlands. The festival was first organized as the Kamperland Festival in 1978 by the Dutch arm of Youth for Christ and became a private foundation in 2002....
.
In the fall of 2009 Gaines released his first solo effort entitled "Breakfast @ Timothy's."