Samantha 7

Samantha 7 was an American rock band founded in 1998 by C.C. DeVille, lead guitarist from the rock band Poison. They released the self-titled album Samantha 7 in 2000 and C.C. Deville performed lead vocals and guitar on the album. The band also included bassist Krys Baratto (who has worked as session musician with many artists and bands, from Thomas Dolby to Guns N' Roses), ex-Cynical Side drummer Francis Ruiz and for live dates Great White's guitarists Ty Longley and Michael Lardie. Derrick Pontier also played drums in 2001 after drummer Francis Ruiz was run over by a car in Florida.

History

The band's original name was The Stepmothers, but the band was forced to change their name following a legal dispute with another band of the same name. Their debut gig was at the Woodstock 1999 festival. Bassist Krys Baratto had been offered the gig whilst DeVille was back out on the road with a Poison reunion tour. The bassist flew out to catch the tail end of the Poison tour to inform the guitarist of the news, leaving the fledgling band just two days to rehearse for the gig.^[2] Following the release of their debut album "Samantha 7" in 2000 on John Koladner's imprint label "Portrait Records" / Sony, the band completed a tour of the US and the UK.

In 2001, bassist Krys Baratto and drummer Francis Ruiz also did double duties touring as members of Great White.

2004 saw C.C. DeVille back on the road with Poison, opening for a Kiss nationwide tour. That same year, Baratto worked with Modify in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Samantha 7 was put on permanent hold after just one album. There have been various rumours about a second album, which to this date never materialized.

Musical style

Samantha 7 was named after a giant female robot on the Japanese children's TV program 8 Man and the songs which C.C. Deville starting working on four years earlier were inspired by '70s AM radio hits as DeVille's heavy metal heritage.^[3]

Discography

Studio albums

• Samantha 7 (album)

The self-titled debut album "Samantha 7" was released in May, 2000.

Production and Marketing

Signed by A&R guru John Kalodner to Columbia Records, the album was engineered by Andrew Murdock of Godsmack fame and produced by Jack Blades.

Track listing

1. "Framed"
2. "Hanging onto Jane"
3. "I Wanna Be Famous" (The Surreal Life Fame Games theme)
4. "Slave Laura"
5. "Cover Girl"
6. "Golden Days and Rain"
7. "Good Day"
8. "Bury Me"
9. "Bonnie Bradley"
10. "Seane Girl"
11. "Hollywood and Vine"

Singles

• I Wanna Be Famous (Surreal Life theme)

The Samantha 7 song "I Wanna Be Famous" released as a single for the album was also used in the opening of the reality show The Surreal Life Fame Games, which C.C.Deville starred in.

C.C. Deville on lead vocals for Poison

Following the Samantha 7 album C.C. Deville performed lead vocals on the following Poison songs.

• I Hate Every Bone in Your Body but Mine - on Power to the People (2000)
• "Emperor's New Clothes" - on Hollyweird (2002)
• "Livin' in the Now - on Hollyweird
• Home (CC's Story) - on Hollyweird

Band Members

• C.C. DeVille – lead vocals, lead guitar (1998–2004)
• Krys Baratto – bass (1998–2004)
• Francis Ruiz – drums, percussion (1998–2003)
• Ty Longley – rhythm guitar (2000–2003)

Touring

• Michael Lardie – keyboards, rhythm guitar (2000–2003)
• Derrick Pontier - drums, percussion (2001)

References

External links

• Samantha 7 biography at Allmusic
• Samantha 7 biography at MusicMight
• C.C. DeVille Interview
• Official Poison website
• Surreal Life Fame Games on AOL -- Weekly Coverage with Exclusive Robin Leach Interviews
• The Surreal Life: Fame Games on IMDb
• The Surreal Life: Fame Games at TV.com