| Vicious Rumors | |
|---|---|
1992, Plug In and Hang On: Live in Tokyo Cover |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Alameda, California, USA |
| Genres | Power metal, Heavy metal |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Labels | SPV |
| Website | www.viciousrumors.com |
| Members | |
| Geoff Thorpe Larry Howe Stephen Goodwin Kiyoshi Morgan Brian Allen |
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| Past members | |
| Ira Black Jeff Barnacle Mark Tate Jim Cassero Gary St. Pierre Chuck Moomey Dave Starr Vinnie Moore Mark McGee Carl Albert Tommy Sisco Steve Smyth Brian O'Connor Morgan Thorn Atma Anur Cornbread Bill Ackerman Dan Lawson Will Carroll James Rivera Brad Gillis Thaen Rasmussen Ronnie Stixx |
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Vicious Rumors is an American power metal band founded in 1979 in the San Francisco Bay Area, California.
The brainchild of Geoff Thorpe, the band has been active on the metal scene since its inception in 1979. Vicious Rumors is recognized for their guitar works and harmonies, as well as the variety of their tracks.
Band leader Thorpe also sat in on sessions alongside veteran British session guitarist Martin Pugh[1] (of Steamhammer, the 1st Rod Stewart solo album,[2] and Armageddon) and drummer Tim Kelliher (of Randy Hansen's Machine Gun) for American rock & roll band 7th Order[3] on their debut CD, The Lake of Memory - released in 2007.
Contents |
The only member in every Vicious Rumors line-up is the guitarist, leader and main composer: Geoff Thorpe[4]
The band, without a definite line-up, (between 1982 and 1985) appeared on the compilations: KMEL's "New Oasis", U.S. Metal vol. III and U.S. Metal vol. IV.
The first album Soldiers of the Night, published in 1985 by Shrapnel records, features (together with Geoff Thorpe): Larry Howe (drums), Dave Starr (bass), Gary St.Pierre (voice) and Vinnie Moore (guitar). Vinnie Moore was suggested by Shrapnel's mastermind Mike Varney.[5]
Without St.Pierre and Moore, the second album Digital Dictator, in 1988, fixed Vicious Rumors' most famous line-up with singer Carl Albert (Villain, Ruffians) and the guitarist Mark McGee (Overdrive, Starcastle) along with Geoff Thorpe, Dave Starr, and Larry Howe.
In 1990, the band released their self-titled album Vicious Rumors on Atlantic Records.
In 1992, Vicious Rumors released their best seller: Welcome to the Ball. This album received a Bay Area Music Award nomination for "Outstanding Metal Album" alongside the ranks of Metallica and Tesla.[6]
After a tour, with label-mates Savatage,[7][8] and the live-album Plug In and Hang On: Live in Tokyo, guitarist Geoff Thorpe became ill with Carpal tunnel syndrome.[9] The band wasn't sure to continue, they also split with the bassist Dave Starr.
In 1994, with new bass-player Tommy Sisco (ex-Villain with Carl Albert), they released the album Word of Mouth for the label Rising Sun. This record includes the song "Thunder and Rain" (part.1 & part.2) dedicated to the memory of Criss Oliva of Savatage.[10]
At the end of the Word of Mouth tour, Mark McGee decided to leave and went on to play with Gregg Allman & Friends.
On April 22, 1995 as a result of a car accident: singer Carl Albert (1962–1995) died.[11][12]
In memory of Carl Albert, the CD A tribute to Carl Albert (including bootleg recordings taken from the Word of Mouth European tour) and the home-video The First Ten Years were released. The song "Perpetual", included on the Something Burning album, was the last track he wrote. Mark McGee, for one of his solo projects (actually unpublished), composed and recorded the song "Find Your Way Home" dedicated to the memory of his lost friend.[13]
After the death of Carl Albert, the band became unstable. Tommy Sisco and Larry Howe stayed for two more albums: Something Burning in 1996 (this album is sung by Geoff Thorpe because "there is no one who can take Carl's place") and Cyberchrist in 1998 (with Brian O'Connor as vocalist[14]).
Among many albums with various musicians, in 2006, the Warball album saw the return of Larry Howe and Dave Starr together with the session-members: James Rivera (Helstar), Thaen Rasmussen[15], and Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), along with a return to a more classic sound. Dave Starr, unable to tour, was replaced at this point by Stephen Goodwin[16] as live bassist. Thaen Rasmussen was the guitarist touring supporting this album.
After the departure of Rivera and Rasmussen, Ronnie Stixx[17] (Divine Ruins, Blood Redskies, Shadowkeep) was the live singer for a while, but never made it to album. Rasmussen was replaced at this point by Kiyoshi Morgan.[18] Stixx was eventually replaced with Brian Allen[19] (Last Empire, Malice)
In tribute to the band's 30 years, at the Headbanger's Open Air festival 2009, some songs of the first album Soldiers of the Night were played together with the original singer Gary St.Pierre.[20]
Another Vicious Rumors home-video, titled Crushing the World, was released in 2005 and it features performances from the second part of the band's career.
The band's tenth studio album, Razorback Killers, was released on March 28, 2011 with guest appearances by several musicians including former guitarist Mark McGee and the first VR studio appearances of Stephen Goodwin[21], Kiyoshi Morgan[22], and Brian Allen[23].