Roxx Gang
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Roxx Gang were a sleaze rock band that released their debut album in 1988.
Since first exploding on the music scene in 1988 with their classic demo-album Love'Em And Leave'Em, Roxx Gang have been a hybrid mixture of rock, blues and punk that virtually defies classification. Love 'Em and Leave 'Em earned stellar reviews on both sides of the Atlantic, out selling Guns-N-Roses and Whitesnake in their hometown, and earned Roxx Gang a spot on the Top Ten Heavy Metal Albums Of The Year in Tower Records' Pulse!
In a short space of time the Gang did a series of showcase gigs, garnered a huge international following, and were signed to Virgin Records to be that labels first hard rock band. Their debut CD, Things You've Never Done Before, was released to great critical acclaim, coverage in the international rock and music press was extensive. The band released two videos "No Easy Way Out" directed by Nigel Dick (Guns-N-Roses) and "Scratch My Back" directed by Ralph Ziman (L.A. Guns) that received airplay on MTV. The band toured all over the world and Things You've Never Done Before has sold over 250,000 units.
Unsatisfied, Roxx Gang secured their release from Virgin Records and immediately signed with Sony/Epic Records but a new CD never materialized from that partnership. Roxx Gang then signed with the Austin, Texas based indie label Perris Records and finally released their much anticipated second CD. Entitled The Voodoo You Love this CD leaned the band back toward it's original blues-rock roots that were hinted at on songs like "Ball-N-Chain," "Red Rose" and "Fastest Gun In Town" on "Thing You've Never Done Before." The Voodoo You Love received great reviews, Radio And Records said, "Roxx Gang are Florida's premier hard rock band. They've amassed quite a following in that state with their powerful live shows. Their new CD has the potential to break the band all over America." A European rock magazine said, The Voodoo You Love is fuckin' fireworks rock-n-roll; the future of 90's glam starts here." The Voodoo You Love went on to be the biggest selling CD in the history of Perris Records. Next came the release for the first time on CD of Love'Em And Leave'Em followed by a digitally remasterd Things You've Never Done Before.
The bands next move was to release the transitional Mojo Gurus CD. The diversity of the songwriting on this disc was widely acclaimed. Drawing from his troubled childhood singer Kevin Steele touched on the pain of losing his mother and father at an early age in the dark semi-autobiographical ballad "I Walk Alone." Steele's songs ran the band through blues, rockabilly, glam and even boogie-fried gospel in a CD who's scope has rarely been seen since the Beatles "white" album. The video for the bands song "Tiger Lily" also earned rotation on the Canadian Music video channel Much Music. Following the success of the Mojo Gurus CD, Roxx Gang who consists of guitarist Jeff Vitolo, drummer Tommy Weder, bassist Vinnie Granese and Steele, started playing shows as the Mojo Gurus including a trip to NYC where they played three showcase concerts that were attended by seven major labels. The "Mojo Gurus" CD was followed by Old, New, Borrowed and Blue a compilation of studio outakes and new songs, demanded by the fans, that further added to Roxx Gang's position as the biggest selling act on Perris Records.
Next came Drinkin' T.N.T. and Smokin' Dynamite. This CD was produced by Kevin Steele and Tommy Weder at the band house dubbed the Mojo Dojo. The disc features the songs "You Really Got A Hold On Me," and their latest video "Star Trip."
Always experimenting with many musical styles Roxx Gang has refused to paint themselves into a corner. They are unique in today's music scene with intelligence behind their unbridled raw power, prolific songwriting and a mastery of the live performance that makes them one of America's greatest rock bands.
[edit] Discography
- Things You've Never Done Before
- The Voodoo You Love
- Love'Em And Leave'Em
- Old, New, Borrowed, And Blue
- Drinkin' T.N.T. And Smoking' Dynamite (available both as a Roxx Gang album and a Mojo Gurus album)
- Bodacious Ta Tas