London Bridge is Falling Down...

Our final band that didn't make it big: London.

This band was huge on the Sunset Strip, featuring Nikki Sixx on bass, Lizzie Grey on guitars, Dane Rage on drums, and Jon St. John on keyboards. Nigel Benjamin fronted the group, with screeching vocals. If that name seems familiar, it's because Benjamin sang vocals in Mott the Hopple.

Before Nikki Sixx became famous for starting Motley Crue, he and Lizzie Grey performed together in the band Sister, fronted by Blackie Lawless. Yes, that Blackie Lawless. The would-be W.A.S.P. frontman kicked both Sixx and Grey out of his band, forming the foundation that would be London.

(Music journalists say Sixx got the idea to light himself on fire from Blackie Lawless. The early Crue pentagram was also a trademark of the Sister look).

Sixx and Benjamin didn't get along and soon the singer was out of the band. It didn't take long for Sixx to get the itch, and he left soon after to form Motley Crue.

This wasn't the complete end of London, though. Grey reformed the band with vocalist Nadir D'Priest and Brian West on Bass. Drummer Fred Coury and keyboardist Peter Szucs were also in the new lineup. Together, they recorded Non-Stop Rock. The album was a complete commercial failure.

Of course, this wasn't it for Fred Coury. He soon departed the group to join a little band known as Cinderella. 

That was when London bridge literally fell down.

They Want a Piece of Mine

For a short time, Bonham was set to take over the charts and the country. With a rock n' roll pedigree not to be ignored, Jason Bonham formed his band infused with the same Led Zeppelin melodies encased in his DNA.

Daniel MacMaster sang lead vocals in Bonham, and the very photogenic Ian Hatton played guitar while John Smithson played bass. There was no doubt that Jason Bonham would grow up to be an accomplished drummer. When your dad is John Bonham, expectations are high.

The band had a major label debut with The Disregard of Timekeeping, and a hit single with "Wait for You." That single had a big budget video that played in constant rotation. It had all the trappings of a classic 80s video: big hair, fire, and it was a shot on a back lot that resembled a junk yard.

 The Disregard of Timekeeping hit store shelves in 1989, just one year after the young Bonham formed his band.

The "Wait for You" video is now a staple of VH1 Classic. I guarantee if you watch two episodes of Metal Mania, you'll see "Wait for You" in all its glory.

The band toured relentlessly, perhaps because Bonham learned from watching his father that legions of fans are made on the road. During the making of 1992s Mad Hatter, things began to fall apart for the band.

The group disbanded shortly thereafter.

Everybody Wants a Piece of the Pie

At one time, it seemed that Alcatrazz was poised to take the heavy metal throne.

The band was formed in Los Angeles in 1983.

Members included former Rainbow vocalist Graham Bonnet and Steeler guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen. Gary Shea played bass with New England before jumping to Alcatrazz. Jan Uvena played drums and Jimmy Waldo played keyboards.

 After only one album, guitar virtuoso Malmsteen was replaced with equally talented Steve Vai. With Vai, the group released Disturbing the Peace. Vai jumped ship a short time later to perform with David Lee Roth's band after he left Van Halen.

A slew of personnel changes later, Alcatrazz called it quits by the end of the 1980s. In 1996, The Best of Alcatrazz hit store shelves as an import release. The album was met with mixed reviews, most fans think the band's four studio albums are a better representation of their work.

Last year, Internet rumors swirled that Graham Bonnet was planning a new Alcatrazz line-up, but that has yet to be seen.

If you're wondering about Malmsteen, he embarked on a successful solo career and is largely regarded as one of rock's best guitarists.

Everybody Wants a Piece of the Action

Our next unsuccessful Sunset Strip band is Black 'N Blue. Their lead singer, Jamie St. James, is Warran'ts new frontman. In addition to St. James, Black 'N Blue was comprised of guitarists Tommy Thayer and Jeff Warner and bassist Patrick Young. Drummer Pete Holmes rounded out the mix.

Black 'N Blue had promise. They landed a major label deal, and they opened for KISS in 1985. Despite the wide exposure of a KISS audience, Black 'N Blue never managed a hit single, but did sell nearly a million units of their debut album. Black 'N Blue disbanded in 1989. They regrouped in 1997 for a one-off show that was later made into the album One Night Only - Live. You can hear the best of Black 'N Blue on their Ultimate Collection.

In addition to Warrant, Black 'N Blue members have played in bands such as Freight Train Jane, Dry Rot and Monster. Tommy Thayer now performs with KISS.

ModernTimes and New Blood's Pumping (Only the Strong Survive)

Today, the beginning of a multi-part series on the Sunset Strips bands that didn't make it big.

Our first band is Odin.

The band was forever immortalized in the cult film The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years.

Odin was comprised of Randy "O" (vocals), Jeff Duncan (guitar), Aaron Samson (bass) and Shawn Duncan (drums). The band was a staple of the Gazarri club. If you seen The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II, then you know all about Gazarri's.

The band played for big crowds, and the movie helped but old Randy O and his crew never landed a record deal. Randy once threatened to kill himself if he didn't become famous. By all accounts, he's still alive and well.

The thing is, Odin did release a few albums. The best known is Fight for Your Life. The disc was previously only available in Japan, and later released state side. The album is on Perris Records, a small label that now carries Stephen Pearcy (RATT) among others.

It seems people haven't totally forgotten Odin. Every three weeks, someone starts a thread about the failed band on www.metalsludge.com. I guess success is in the eye of the beholder.

Quaternary

If you've read two entries of this blog, you know I'm a big Motley Crue fan. Last night I was at a record store, not looking for the Crue, but for Hanoi Rocks. Didn't find any Hanoi Rocks, but I did find a painful Crue bargain. Why painful? Here's the story:

I wander to the back of the store where the box sets are located. Cassette tapes are also located in the back of the store. I scan the tapes, not really expecting to find anything good. My husband saw it first, New Tattoo by Motley Crue! I turned over the little plastic case. It was listed for 94 cents. This pained me, so I grabbed it. I don't even have a cassette player in my car. I decided to scan the real Motley Crue section. That's when I saw Motley Crue on CD for $2.99.

When I approached the counter, both treasures in hand, the clerk informed me that New Tattoo was  a quarter!

Oh my.

Even if it's a deal for me, no Motley release should retail for a quarter at a corporate owned music store.

Of course, the guy behind the counter had to argue that Vince Neil isn't on either release. When I explained, twice, that Vince is on New Tattoo, the clerk got annoyed! Tommy Lee isn't on New Tattoo.

After a famous fight with Vince, Tommy quit the band and formed Methods of Mayhem. The remaining members of Motley Crue asked former Ozzy Osbourne drummer Randy Castillo to play on the album.

Castillo became ill before the New Tattoo tour. He died of cancer in March 2002. Tommy Lee rejoined Motley Crue in 2004.

Here's a really old picture of the band during their Sunset Strip heyday. Makes me smile.

Me. Wise. Magic.

So, it looks like it's really going to happen. A Van Halen reunion of sorts with David Lee Roth at the helm and Wolfgang Van Halen on bass.

The news hit the entertainment wires a few days ago. I wanted to let the dust settle before  I wrote about the issue.

www.billboard.com reports that the band signed a contract for a 40 city amphitheatre tour this summer. Live Nation will produce the tour, which, I assume will be a complete sell-out.  

It's been more than 20 years since Diamond Dave left Van Halen, embarking on a solo career. After ditching Roth, Van Halen invited Sammy Hagar to lead the group. After a successful decade or so, the Van Halen brothers got sick of Hagar so he, too, was out.

Then there was the unsuccessful album with former Extreme frontman Gary Cherone. He didn't last too long either.

Now, Van Halen is about to be inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. There's so much bad blood between these guys, the rock hall is letting the band perform twice at the induction ceremony, once with Hagar, and once with Roth.

I guess it really is the The Best of Both Worlds.

You can see the Rock Hall train wreck in March, the "reunion" sometime when the barometer rises and the trees are lush and green.

Now, for all the naysayers and yeasayers, I'll admit it: if the concert stops anywhere in Ohio, I'll be there. As a matter of fact, the second the tickets go on sale, I'll be sitting at the computer, ready to purchase the best seats possible.

As a blue collar girl at heart, I love a good fight.