Perfect Circle (often referred to as APC) is an alternative rock supergroup formed
by guitarist Billy Howerdel. The band's latest line-up featured Jeordie White (Marilyn
Manson and formerly of Nine Inch Nails tour line-up) on bass, James Iha (formerly
of The Smashing Pumpkins) on guitar, and prolific session drummer Josh Freese (also
known from Nine Inch Nails tour line-up). Although the group never officially disbanded,
A Perfect Circle has been on hiatus since 2006, having not written new material,
toured or recorded; but the band's personnel have kept busy with other projects.
A Perfect Circle is the brainchild of Billy Howerdel, a former guitar tech for bands
such as Nine Inch Nails, The Smashing Pumpkins, Fishbone and Tool. He played demos
of his music to Tool's singer, Maynard James Keenan, who offered himself as vocalist
should Howerdel ever form a band. Although initially hesitant about this, as he
originally wanted a female vocalist, Howerdel eventually agreed and A Perfect Circle
was formed in 1999. They were then joined by bassist/violinist Paz Lenchantin, guitarist
Troy Van Leeuwen, formerly of Failure and drummer Tim Alexander, formerly of Primus.
After some rehearsals and warm-up shows, the band hit the studio. Alexander was
soon replaced with session drummer and member of The Vandals, Josh Freese, but his
performance can still be heard on the album version of the song "The Hollow".
Alice In Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1987 by
guitarist Jerry Cantrell and vocalist Layne Staley. Although widely associated with
grunge music, the band's sound incorporates heavy metal and acoustic elements. Since
its formation, Alice in Chains has released three studio albums, three EPs, two
live albums, four compilations, and two DVDs. The band is known for its distinct
vocal style which often includes the harmonized vocals of Staley and Cantrell.
Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the
early 1990s, along with bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. It was
one of the most successful music acts of the 1990s and sold over 14 million albums
in the United States alone. The band achieved two number-one Billboard 200 albums
(Jar of Flies and Alice in Chains), 11 top ten singles on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
charts, and six Grammy Award nominations. Although never officially disbanding,
Alice in Chains has been plagued by extended inactivity due to Layne Staley's problems
with substance abuse, culminating in his death in 2002. Alice in Chains reunited
in 2005 and as of 2008 are working on their first studio album in 13 years with
new lead vocalist William DuVall.
Audioslave
Audioslave was an American hard rock supergroup that formed in Los Angeles, California
in 2001. It consisted of ex-Soundgarden frontman and rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell
and the former instrumentalists of Rage Against the Machine; Tom Morello (lead guitar),
Tim Commerford (bass and backing vocals) and Brad Wilk (drums). Critics initially
described Audioslave as an amalgamation of Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden,
but by the band's second album, Out of Exile, noted that it had established a separate
identity.
The band's trademark sound was created by blending 1970s hard rock with 1990s grunge.
Moreover, Morello incorporated his well-known, unconventional guitar solos into
this mix. As with Rage Against the Machine, the band prided themselves on the fact
that all sounds on their albums were produced using only guitar, bass, drums and
vocals; no samples were ever used. After Audioslave released three successful albums,
received three Grammy nominations, sold more than eight million records worldwide,
and became the first American rock band to perform an open-air concert in Cuba,
Cornell issued a statement in February 2007 that he was permanently leaving the
band "due to irresolvable personality conflicts as well as musical differences".
As the other three members were busy with the Rage Against the Machine reunion,
and Morello and Cornell had each released solo albums in 2007, Audioslave was officially
disbanded.
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English Heavy metal band from Birmingham, England. Formed in
1968 by Ozzy Osbourne (lead vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass guitar),
and Bill Ward (drums & percussion), the band has since experienced multiple lineup
changes, with a total of twenty-two former members. Originally formed as a heavy
blues-rock band named Earth, the band began incorporating occult and horror-inspired
lyrics with tuned-down guitars, changing their name to Black Sabbath and releasing
multiple gold and platinum records in the 1970s.
As one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time, Black Sabbath helped
define the genre with releases such as 1970's quadruple-platinum Paranoid. Black
Sabbath has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, and were ranked number
one on MTV's Greatest Metal Bands countdown. Ozzy Osbourne was fired from the band
in 1979, and while initially replaced by former Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio,
Black Sabbath would see a revolving lineup in the 1980s and 1990s that included
vocalists Ian Gillan, Glenn Hughes, Ray Gillen and Tony Martin. The original lineup
reunited with Osbourne in 1997 and released a live album, Reunion, which spawned
the Grammy Award winning single "Iron Man" in 2000, thirty years after the song's
initial release on Paranoid.
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band formed by singer/guitarist Dave
Grohl in 1995. Grohl formed the group as a one-man project after the dissolution
of his previous band Nirvana in 1994. Prior to the release of Foo Fighters in 1995,
Grohl drafted Nate Mendel (bass), William Goldsmith (drums), and Pat Smear (guitar)
to complete the group. Goldsmith and Smear left after the recording of the group's
second album The Colour and the Shape (1997). They were replaced by Taylor Hawkins
and Franz Stahl, respectively, although Stahl left prior to the recording of the
group's third album, There Is Nothing Left to Lose (1999).
Chris Shiflett joined as the band's second guitarist after the completion of There
is Nothing Left to Lose. The band released its fourth album One by One in 2002.
The group followed that release with the two-disc In Your Honor (2005), which was
split between acoustic songs and harder-rocking material. Foo Fighters released
its sixth album Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace in 2007. Over the course of the
band's career, three of its albums have won Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album, and
all six have been nominated for Grammys.
Fu Manchu
Fu Manchu is a Southern Californian stoner rock band, who released their debut single
"Kept Between Trees" in 1990. Rolling Stone describes their sound as: "Super heavy
and bass happy Detroit rock 'n' roll is totally deep-fried, fuzzed out, window breakin',
pot sellin', sleepin-in-the-van, skater metal."
The lyrics on Fu Manchu's releases tend to stick to the topics of pinball, muscle
cars, UFOs, Bigfoot, drugs, poker, women and skateboarding. They have been featured
on compilations put together by Tony Hawk and ESPN's X Games, invited to perform
on the US television program Monster Garage, and featured in the documentary about
skateboarding's founding crews, Dogtown and Z-Boys.
In the wake of Nirvana's success in the early 1990s, Fu Manchu was approached by
a major record label and given funds to record a demo so that the label could determine
if a proper Fu Manchu album was worth pursuing. According to members of Fu Manchu,
they recorded the demo with no intention of signing to the label. Instead, their
plan was to go into the sessions with the mindset of recording a proper album rather
than a demo, which they would release independently. Sure enough, this is precisely
what happened; Fu Manchu did not sign with the major label, but the recording sessions
resulted in Fu Manchu?s first album, No One Rides For Free (1994), which was released
by Bong Load Records, an independent label.
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk trio formed in 1987. The band has consisted of Billie
Joe Armstrong (vocals, guitar), Mike Dirnt (bass guitar, vocals), and Tr' Cool (drums,
percussion) for the majority of its existence.
Green Day was originally part of the punk rock scene at 924 Gilman Street in Berkeley,
California. Its early releases for independent record label Lookout! Records earned
them a grassroots fanbase, some of whom felt alienated when the band signed to a
major label. Nevertheless, its major label debut Dookie (1994) became a breakout
success and eventually sold over 10 million copies in the U.S. alone, and 15 million
copies sold worldwide. As a result, Green Day was widely credited, alongside fellow
California punk bands The Offspring and Rancid, with reviving mainstream interest
in and popularizing punk rock in the United States. Green Day's three follow-up
albums, Insomniac, Nimrod and Warning did not achieve the massive success of Dookie,
but they were still successful, reaching double platinum, double platinum, and gold
status respectively. Green Day's 2004 rock opera American Idiot reignited the band's
popularity with a younger generation, selling five million copies in the U.S.
The band has sold over 65 million records worldwide, including 22 million in the
United States alone. They also have three Grammy Awards, Best Alternative Album
for Dookie, Best Rock Album for American Idiot, and Record of the Year for "Boulevard
of Broken Dreams".
Incubus
Incubus is a Grammy-nominated alternative rock band based out of Calabasas, California.
Formed by vocalist Brandon Boyd, lead guitarist Michael Einziger, and drummer Jose
Antonio Pasillas II while in high school, the band grew to include bassist Alex
Katunich (a.k.a. "Dirk Lance"), and Gavin Koppell (a.k.a. "DJ Lyfe"), both of whom
were eventually replaced by bassist Ben Kenney (formerly of The Roots), and DJ Kilmore,
respectively.
They are known for their eclectic sound, balancing experimental and progressive
qualities with pop appeal, earning praise for their ability to change and evolve
their music with every subsequent release. Their lyrics touch on a number of different
subjects, from their earliest works which touch on drugs and anti-conformity to
the later albums where they often sing about politics and romance, although they
primarily stress an optimistic view.
Incubus has received both high critical acclaim and commercial success, reaching
multi-platinum sales, as well as releasing several highly successful singles. The
band started branching out creatively and earned mainstream recognition with the
release of their 1999 album Make Yourself. By 2001, Incubus became hugely successful
with the single "Drive" and their follow up album Morning View. Today they remain
one of the world's most popular rock acts, with their latest studio album, Light
Grenades, reaching Gold certification and reaching #1 in the U.S. Their music has
also appeared in other media, such as the video games Halo 2 and Guitar Hero.
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix and known as Jimi Hendrix) (November
27, 1942 - September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter
whose guitar playing was influential on rock music. After initial success in Europe,
he achieved fame in the USA following his 1967 performance at the Monterey Pop Festival.
Later, Hendrix headlined the iconic 1969 Woodstock Festival.
Hendrix helped develop the technique of guitar feedback with overdriven amplifiers.
He was influenced by blues artists such as B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Albert King,
and Elmore James, rhythm and blues and soul guitarists Curtis Mayfield, Steve Cropper,
as well as by some modern jazz. Carlos Santana has suggested that Hendrix's music
may have been influenced by his Native American heritage. As a record producer,
Hendrix also broke new ground in using the recording studio as an extension of his
musical ideas; he was one of the first to experiment with stereophonic and phasing
effects during recording.
Kyuss
Kyuss (pronounced KAI-us) was an influential stoner rock band, originally from Palm
Desert, California. After forming in the late 1980s and releasing an EP under the
name Sons of Kyuss in 1990, the band shortened its name to Kyuss. Over the next
five years the band released four full-length albums before splitting up in 1995.
Since then, members of Kyuss went on to form or feature in several notable bands
including Queens of the Stone Age, Fu Manchu, Unida, Mondo Generator, Hermano and
Slo Burn.
Kyuss' first line-up consisted of vocalist John Garcia, guitarist Joshua Homme,
bassist Nick Oliveri and drummer Brant Bjork. The band gradually built a local following
in Palm Desert, California and frequently performed at parties in and around the
isolated towns of Southern California's desert areas. These impromptu shows, referred
to as "generator parties", consisted of small crowds of people, beer drinking, and
the use of gasoline-powered generators to provide electricity for the equipment.
Homme commented that playing in the desert "was the shaping factor for the band"
noting that "there's no clubs here, so you can only play for free. If people don't
like you, they'll tell you. You can't suck."
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band that formed in 1968. Led Zeppelin consisted
of Jimmy Page (guitar), Robert Plant (vocals), John Paul Jones (bass guitar, keyboards)
and John Bonham (drums). With their heavy, guitar-driven sound, Led Zeppelin are
regarded as one of the first heavy metal bands. However, the band's individualistic
style draws from many sources and transcends any one genre. Their rock-infused interpretation
of the blues and folk genres also incorporated rockabilly, reggae, soul, funk, classical,
Celtic, Indian, Arabic, pop, Latin and country. The band did not release the popular
songs from their albums as singles in the UK, as they preferred to develop the concept
of album-oriented rock.
Close to 30 years after disbanding following Bonham's death in 1980, Led Zeppelin
continue to be held in high regard for their artistic achievements, commercial success
and broad influence. The band have sold more than 300 million albums worldwide,
including 111.5 million sales in the United States and they have had all of their
original studio albums reach the U.S. Billboard Top 10. Led Zeppelin are ranked
No. 1 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. Rolling Stone magazine has described
Led Zeppelin as "the heaviest band of all time" and "the biggest band of the 70s".
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band that formed in 1981 in Los Angeles, California.
Founded when drummer Lars Ulrich posted an advertisement in a Los Angeles newspaper,
Metallica's original line-up consisted of Ulrich, rhythm guitarist and vocalist
James Hetfield, lead guitarist Dave Mustaine, and bassist Ron McGovney. McGovney
and Mustaine were later ejected from the band, in favor of Cliff Burton and Kirk
Hammett, respectively. The ejection of Mustaine resulted in a feud between him and
Metallica. In September 1986, Metallica's tour bus skidded out of control and flipped,
which resulted in Burton being crushed under the bus and killed. Jason Newsted replaced
him less than two months later. Newsted left the band in 2001 and was replaced by
Robert Trujillo in 2003.
Metallica's early releases included fast tempos, instrumentals, and aggressive musicianship
that placed them as one of the "Big Four" of the thrash metal subgenre alongside
Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. The band earned a growing fan base in the underground
music community, and some critics say the 1986 release Master of Puppets is one
of the most influential and "heavy" thrash metal albums. The band achieved substantial
commercial success with its self-titled 1991 album Metallica, which debuted at number
one on the Billboard 200. Some critics and fans believed the band changed its musical
direction to appeal to the mainstream audience. With the release of Load in 1996,
Metallica distanced itself from earlier releases in what has been described as "an
almost alternative [rock] approach," and the band faced accusations of "selling
out."
Nirvana
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain
and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington. Nirvana went through a succession
of drummers, the longest-lasting being Dave Grohl, who joined the band in 1990.
Nirvana's brief run ended with Cobain's death in April 1994, but the band's popularity
continued in the years that followed. More than eight years later, "You Know You're
Right", an unfinished demo from the band's final recording session, topped radio
playlists around the world. Since their debut, the band has sold over fifty million
albums worldwide. Nirvana are often credited with being one of the most popular
and important rock bands of recent years.
With the lead single "Smells Like Teen Spirit" from the group's second album Nevermind
(1991), Nirvana entered into the mainstream, bringing along with it a subgenre of
alternative rock called grunge. Other Seattle grunge bands such as Alice in Chains,
Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden also gained popularity, and, as a result, alternative
rock became a dominant genre on radio and music television in the United States
during the early-to-middle 1990s. As Nirvana's frontman, Kurt Cobain found himself
referred to in the media as the "spokesman of a generation", with Nirvana the "flagship
band" of "Generation X". Cobain was uncomfortable with the attention and placed
his focus on the band's music, challenging the band's audience with its third studio
album In Utero (1993).
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1990. Since
its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, guitar),
Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), and Mike McCready (lead
guitar). The band's current drummer is Matt Cameron, formerly of Soundgarden, who
has been with the band since 1998.
Formed after the demise of Ament and Gossard's previous band Mother Love Bone, Pearl
Jam broke into the mainstream with its debut album Ten. One of the key bands of
the grunge movement in the early 1990s, Pearl Jam was criticized early on-most notably
by Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain-as being a corporate cash-in on the alternative
rock explosion. However, over the course of the band's career its members became
noted for their refusal to adhere to traditional music industry practices; including
refusing to make music videos and engaging in a much-publicized boycott of Ticketmaster.
In 2006, Rolling Stone described the band as having "spent much of the past decade
deliberately tearing apart their own fame."
Since its inception, the band has sold 30 million records in the U.S., and an estimated
60 million albums worldwide. Pearl Jam has outlasted many of its contemporaries
from the alternative rock breakthrough of the early 1990s, and is considered one
of the most influential bands of the decade, and "the most popular American rock
& roll band of the '90s".
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band who initially earned recognition for their psychedelic
or space rock music, and, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. They
are known for philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative cover art,
and elaborate live shows. One of rock music's most successful acts, the group have
sold over 200 million albums worldwide including 74.5 million albums in the United
States alone.
Pink Floyd had moderate mainstream success and were one of the most popular bands
in the London underground music scene in the late 1960s as a psychedelic band led
by Syd Barrett; however, Barrett's erratic behaviour eventually forced his colleagues
to replace him with guitarist and singer David Gilmour. After Barrett's departure,
singer and bass player Roger Waters gradually became the dominant and driving force
in the group in the late-1970s, until his eventual departure from the group in 1985.
The band recorded several albums, achieving worldwide success with The Dark Side
of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977), and The Wall (1979).
In 1985, Waters declared Pink Floyd "a spent force", but the remaining members,
led by Gilmour, continued recording and touring under the name Pink Floyd. Although
they were unsuccessfully sued by Waters for rights to the name, they again enjoyed
worldwide success with A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) and The Division Bell
(1994). Eventually they reached a settlement out of court with Waters allowing them
use of the name. Waters performed with the band for the first time in 24 years on
2 July 2005 at the London Live 8 concert.
Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree are a Grammy-nominated progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson
in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England, and the most popular of his multiple
projects. Their music is a combination of rock, psychedelia, and metal. Wilson once
commented: "I like so many different types of things, and they all go into the melting
pot, if you like, that produces the music of Porcupine Tree."
During the nineties the band focused mainly on psychedelic rock although they incorporated
a wide variety of styles from electronic music, mostly from trance and krautrock
due to Steven Wilson and Richard Barbieri's liking for 1970s Kosmische Musik scene,
developed by bands such as Tangerine Dream, Neu! and Can. Since the release of Lightbulb
Sun (2000), the band started tuning their guitars down for some tracks which resulted
in a gradual change to a more metal sound. Their most recent full-length studio
album, Fear of a Blank Planet, released in April 2007, contains some of the heaviest
Porcupine Tree music to date. The latest EP, Nil Recurring, also follows in the
new heavier direction yet adds even more electronic elements. The LP version of
Fear of a Blank Planet also includes the Nil Recurring EP tracks.
Queens Of The Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age (also known as QotSA or simply Queens) are a rock band from
Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997.
Originally formed under the name Gamma Ray by guitarist Josh Homme, Queens of the
Stone Age developed a style of riff-oriented, heavy music which Homme described
as 'robot rock', saying that he "wanted to create a heavy sound based on a solid
jam, and just pound it into your head". The band is frequently described as stoner
rock, although they reject the term. " The term sucks. The only element of the audience
I want to get rid of is the shirtless, sweaty, maxi-mullet jock dudes. We want sex
to bleed into the music. At our shows, we want to see half boys and half girls in
a utopian world, dancing and drinking. " Their sound has since evolved to incorporate
a variety of different styles and influences.
Queens of the Stone Age began with Josh Homme in 1996. Originally called 'Gamma
Ray', Homme changed the name to 'Queens of the Stone Age' in 1997 as German power
metal band Gamma Ray was threatening to sue: " When we were making a record in 1992,
under the band Kyuss, our producer Chris Goss, he would joke and say "You guys are
like the Queens of the Stone Age." The band was originally called Gamma Ray, but
we got threatened with a lawsuit because someone else had it. So we were Queens
of the Stone Age. "
Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against the Machine (sometimes abbriviated RATM or Rage) is an American rock
band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1991. The band's continual members are
singer Zack de la Rocha, guitarist Tom Morello, bassist Tim Commerford, and drummer
Brad Wilk. Rage Against the Machine is noted for its blend of rap, heavy metal,
hard rock, alternative music and funk as well as its revolutionary politics and
lyrics. Rage Against the Machine drew inspiration from early metal instrumentation,
as well as rap acts such as Public Enemy and Afrika Bambaataa.[ The group's music
is distinguished primarily by de la Rocha's rhyming styles and powerful stage energy,
and Morello's unorthodox guitar techniques.
Rage Against the Machine released their debut album Rage Against the Machine in
1992, which became a commercial success. Following a slot in the 1993 Lollapalooza,
the band did not release a follow-up record until Evil Empire in 1996. The band's
third album The Battle of Los Angeles was released in 1999. During their initial
nine year run, they became one of the most popular and influential political bands
in contemporary music.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers are a Grammy-award winning American alternative rock band
formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1983. For most of its career, the band has
consisted of vocalist Anthony Kiedis, guitarist John Frusciante, bassist Michael
"Flea" Balzary, and drummer Chad Smith. The band's varied musical style has fused
traditional rock and funk with various elements of rap, heavy metal, punk rock and
psychedelic rock.
In addition to Kiedis and Flea, the group originally featured guitarist Hillel Slovak
and drummer Jack Irons. However, Slovak died of a heroin overdose in 1988, resulting
in Irons resigning. Irons was replaced briefly by D. H. Peligro, former Dead Kennedys
drummer, before the band found a permanent replacement in Chad Smith, while Slovak
was replaced by up-and-coming guitarist Frusciante. This lineup recorded the band's
fourth and fifth albums, Mother's Milk (1989) and Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991).
Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago,
Illinois in 1988. While the group has gone through several lineup changes, The Smashing
Pumpkins consisted of Billy Corgan (vocals/guitar), James Iha (guitar/vocals), D'arcy
Wretzky (bass guitar/vocals), and Jimmy Chamberlin (drums/percussion) for most of
the band's recording career.
Disavowing the punk rock roots shared by many of their alt-rock contemporaries,
the Pumpkins have a diverse, densely layered, and guitar-heavy sound, containing
elements of gothic rock, heavy metal, dream pop, psychedelic rock, arena rock, shoegazer-style
production and, in later recordings, electronica. Frontman Billy Corgan is the group's
primary songwriter-his grand musical ambitions and cathartic lyrics have shaped
the band's albums and songs, which have been described as "anguished, bruised reports
from Billy Corgan's nightmare-land".
Soundgarden
Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by lead
singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto.
Matt Cameron became the band's permanent drummer in 1986 and bassist Ben Shepherd
became a permanent replacement for Yamamoto in 1990.
Soundgarden was one of the key bands in the creation of grunge, a style of alternative
rock that developed in Seattle and was based around the band's record label Sub
Pop. Soundgarden was the first grunge band to sign to a major label, but Soundgarden
did not achieve commercial success until Seattle contemporaries Nirvana and Pearl
Jam popularized grunge in the early 1990s.
Soundgarden achieved its biggest success with the 1994 album Superunknown which
debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and yielded the Grammy Award?winning
singles "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman". In 1997, the band broke up due to internal
strife over its creative direction. Soundgarden has sold 8 million records in the
U.S., and an estimated 20 million albums worldwide.
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots is an American rock band consisting of Scott Weiland (vocals),
brothers Robert (bass guitar, vocals) and Dean DeLeo (guitar), and Eric Kretz (drums,
percussion). The band ran from 1986 to 2003, when they went on hiatus, and reunited
in 2008.
The band's five albums have sold over 17.5 million copies in the United States alone
and nearly 40 million albums worldwide. The band have had fifteen top ten singles
on the Billboard rock charts, including six number ones, and one number one album
on the pop charts (1994's Purple). In 1994, the band won a Grammy for "Best Hard
Rock Performance" for their song "Plush". Stone Temple Pilots were also ranked at
number 40 on VH1's The 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. In 2003, the band released
the greatest hits compilation Thank You. Around this time, band members began going
their separate ways. After the band's break-up in 2003, Weiland became the frontman
of Velvet Revolver with former members of Guns N' Roses. The DeLeo brothers formed
the band Army of Anyone with Richard Patrick of the band Filter. Kretz founded Bomb
Shelter Studios in Los Angeles.
The band reunited in 2008 after Weiland split from Velvet Revolver, kicking the
tour off at the Rock on the Range festival in Columbus, Ohio. The band is planning
to begin recording their sixth studio album in November.
Sublime
Sublime was an American ska-punk, reggae band that originated in Long Beach, California.
Sublime consisted of three members: Bradley Nowell (vocals and guitar), Bud Gaugh
(drums), and Eric Wilson (bass guitar). Former members include Joe Gomez Sublime
(drums), Kelly Vargas (who played drums whilst Bud Gaugh was in rehab) and Michael
Happoldt for a very short time (guitar). The band achieved major mainstream success
with their self-titled third album; however, Nowell died of a heroin overdose in
his hotel room on the west side of San Francisco shortly before it was released,
resulting in the band's split in 1996. Worldwide, Sublime has sold 17 million albums,
including about 10 million in the U.S. alone.
The band played its first gig on the Fourth of July in 1988 in a small club in Long
Beach, California, reportedly (and somewhat famously amongst the cult following
the band has since garnered) starting the 'Peninsula Riot' which led to seven arrests.
For the next several years, the group focused primarily on playing at parties and
clubs throughout Southern California, although they were able to record a few songs
and put forth a number of short demos, the best known being Jah Won't Pay The Bills
containing several songs which would appear on later releases.
System Of A Down
System of a Down (commonly referred to as System or abbreviated as SOAD) is an American
alternative metal band, formed in 1995 in Glendale, California. They have released
five albums and have become a staple on mainstream rock radio, breaking out with
their 2001 hit "Chop Suey!". Their works have earned them three Grammy Award nominations,
of which they won one.
System of a Down is very politically active and are noted for the liberal political
views expressed in their songs, tackling several subjects including the War on Drugs,
religion, drug use, and especially censorship. They have actively campaigned to
get Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide and the subject is often-tackled in
their songs. System of a Down is a part of the Axis of Justice, a non-profit organization
formed by band member Serj Tankian (along with Tom Morello from Rage Against the
Machine), dedicated to bringing together musicians, music fans, and grassroots political
organizations to fight for social justice.
The Doors
The Doors were an influential American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles by
vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist
Robby Krieger. They were a controversial band, due mostly to Morrison's cryptic
lyrics and unpredictable stage persona. The band dissolved in 1972, one year after
Morrison's death in 1971. According to the RIAA, they have sold over 32 million
albums in the US alone.
The Doors' music during the 1965-68 era was a fusion of hard rock, blues-rock, and
acid rock. The origins of The Doors lay in a chance meeting between acquaintances
and fellow UCLA film school alumni Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek on Venice Beach
California in July 1965. Morrison told Manzarek he had been writing songs and, at
Manzarek's encouragement, sang "Moonlight Drive". Impressed by Morrison's lyrics,
Manzarek suggested they form a band.
Tin Star
Tin Star were a British trip-hop band formed in 1996. The group signed to V2 Records
and released their debut album, The Thrill Kisser, in 1999. The group scored a hit
on US rock radio with "Head", which peaked at #10 on the Billboard Modern Rock charts
in 1999. A second LP, Dirty Bird, followed in 2001.
The group has since split up.
Tool
Tool is an American, Grammy Award winning progressive metal band that was formed
in 1990 in Los Angeles, California. The band consists of drummer Danny Carey, bassist
Justin Chancellor, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Tool
has won three Grammy Awards, hosted worldwide tours, and produced albums which have
performed well on international music charts.
The band emerged with a heavy metal sound on their first LP at a time when the genre
was dominated by thrash metal, and later reached the top of the alternative metal
movement with the release of their second LP, ?nima, in 1996. Their efforts to unify
musical experimentation, visual arts, and a message of personal evolution continued
with Lateralus (2001) and their most recent album, 10,000 Days (2006), gaining the
band critical acclaim and success around the world. Due to Tool's incorporation
of visual arts and relatively long and complex releases, the band is generally described
as a style-transgressing act and part of Progressive metal and art rock. The relationship
between the band and today's music industry is ambivalent, at times marked by censorship
and the band members' insistence on privacy.
