Racer X
| Racer X | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Genre (s) | Speed metal |
| founding | 1985, 1999 |
| resolution | 1989, 2009 |
| Website | www.racerxband.com |
| Last occupation | |
| Jeff Martin | |
guitar |
Paul Gilbert |
| Juan Alderete | |
| Scott Travis | |
| former members | |
guitar |
Bruce Bouillet |
guitar |
Chris Arvin (1988) |
drummer |
Harry Gschösser (1986) |
Racer X is an American speed metal band founded by Paul Gilbert in the 1980s . The band name refers to both the music style and a character from the anime Speed Racer .
Band history
1985-1989
After Paul Gilbert had recorded the album Trouble in the Streets with Black Sheep , he received an offer from Mike Varney ( Shrapnel Records ) to record a solo album. To this end, he found a line-up with Juan Alderete (bass), Harry Gschösser ( No Bros ) and singer Jeff Martin (ex-Surgical Steel and St. Michael) and started the Racer X project. In 1986 the debut album Street was released Lethal . Since the project was well received, Gilbert decided to continue. After trying with Todd DeVito on drums, Scott Travis later joined as a permanent drummer. Bruce Bouillet, a student of Gilbert, became the second guitarist. The second album, Second Heat , was released in 1987. This album includes the title Moonage Daydream , a cover version of the David Bowie song, and the previously unreleased Judas Priest song Heart of a Lion (from the turbo phase).
In 1988 Gilbert left Racer X to form the hard rock band Mr. Big with the well-known rock bassist Billy Sheehan (including Dave Lee Roth ) . Racer X continued without Gilbert. Chris Arvan temporarily replaced the guitarist and a new singer joined with Jamie Brown . An album was not released at this time. Instead, a live album was released in 1988 under the title Extreme Volume , which was recorded in the previous line-up. Shortly afterwards, the group broke up.
1990s
While Paul Gilbert celebrated numerous successes with Mr. Big, Scott Travis also made the final breakthrough. He joined the legendary heavy metal band Judas Priest as a drummer .
Reunification 1999
In 1999 the group was re-established in the original line-up of Gilbert, Alderete, Martin and Travis. The album Technical Difficulties was released in the same year under the major label Mascot Records . The next album, Superheroes , was released just a year later . Two live albums and Getting Heavier followed , the third work after the re-establishment.
Music genre
The early Racer X were a power and speed metal band. The first album achieved cult status in the metal scene . The music was strongly influenced by Japanese metal of the time, for example by the bands Loudness or Anthem. The music was very fast, but also relied on melodies. The second album Second Heat, however, relied on more commercial pieces, but also a more sophisticated songwriting . After the reunion, the group started again with a mixture of the fast pieces from the beginning, as well as with a more moderate pace. The two following albums, on the other hand, are more based on Sleaze Rock and Hair Metal of the 1980s.
Discography
- 1986: Street Lethal
- 1987: Second Heat
- 1988: Live Extreme Volume I
- 1992: Live Extreme Volume II
- 1999: Technical Difficulties
- 2000: Superheroes
- 2001: Live at the Whiskey: Snowball of Doom
- 2002: Getting Heavier
- 2002: Live at the Yokohama: Snowball of Doom 2
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c history of the band. Rock Hard , accessed May 19, 2010 .
- ↑ a b Wolfgang Schäfer: Review on Technical Difficulties. In: No. 156. Rock Hard , accessed May 19, 2010 .
- ↑ a b Alex Möller: Racer X . In: Matthias Mader, Otger Jeske, Arno Hoffmann et al (eds.): US-Metal . 4th edition. Vol. 1. IP Verlag, Berlin 2002, ISBN 3-931624-01-3 , pp. 127-128 .
- ↑ Götz Kühnemund: Review of Street Lethal. In: Issue No. 17. Rock Hard , accessed on May 19, 2010 .
- ↑ Andreas Herz: Review of Superheroes. In: Issue No. 166. Rock Hard , accessed on May 19, 2010 .