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Explore every episode of the podcast The Jersey Guys Podcast

Dive into the complete episode list for The Jersey Guys Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
Episode 76: Guy Allison of Unruly Child, World Trade, The Doobie Bros., The Moody Blues & Air Supply14 Mar 202501:14:29

Guy Allison’s first record deal was signed with a band called Lodgic on A&M Records in 1985. This band included Michael Sherwood, Billy Sherwood, Jimmy Haun & Gary Starnes. The band was discovered by the 80's group Toto and was subsequently produced by Toto members David Paich and Steve Porcaro..

In 1987, Allison was selected by Patrick Moraz to fill the second keyboardist chair for the Moody Blues, a position he held until 1990. While touring with the Moodies he was a member of World Trade signed to Polygram Records. Recording their progressive self-titled debut album in 1988, this group included ex-Lodgic bandmate Billy Sherwood..

After the breakup of World Trade, Allison was tapped to join Air Supply in the recording studio and, ultimately on tour. This 7-year relationship generated 4 studio albums, Credited with co-writing 6 songs, 3 of these Allison/Russell co-compositions charted internationally.

During his time with Air Supply, he and ex-World Trade bandmate, Bruce Gowdy, formed the harder edge Unruly Child with singer Mark Free. Signed by Interscope Records, UC found cult status overseas yet remained undiscovered in the U.S.

After Unruly Child disbanded, Allison continued to tour with both Air Supply and also recorded an album with former Toto singer Bobby Kimball, titled “Rise Up”. He forged a musical relationship with some fellow touring members, John McFee and Keith Knudsen, which led to him joining The Doobie Brothers in 1996 as a touring keyboardist. Allison co-produced the Doobies' 12th studio album, 2000's Sibling Rivalry..

Allison released his debut solo album, A Designed Presence, in 2023.

Episode 75: Bert Heerink of Vandenberg, Picture & Royal Flush22 Feb 202500:40:35

Dutch singer Bert Heerink was the voice of Vandenberg's first three albums (1982-1985) and also sang on two albums by Dutch band Picture (1986-1987). Beyond that, Heerink has had a glorious career releasing many TV commercial songs and solo albums along with some other projects such as Undercover (with ex-Vandenberg bandmate Dick Kemper) & 2019's Royal Flush.

Having guested on many projects, tours, and albums throughout the years with names like guitarist Jan Akkerman (ex-Focus) and progressive rock band Kayak, 2025 will see a brand new Royal Flush album as well as involvement with original XYZ guitarist Bob Pieper's XYZ Revisited project, which is looking ahead to new material in 2026 with further information to be announced.

Bert Heerink is truly a legendary singer who is still going strong, so while we all await new material from him, please enjoy episode 75 of The Jersey Guys Podcast!

Episode 66: Stan Bush of Stan Bush & Barrage & solo artist14 Dec 202400:50:12

Worldwide icon of melodic rock, Stan Bush is best known for his song “The Touch,” made famous by Transformers: The Movie (1986). An anthem for Transformers fans around the world, it has also been featured on ABC’s The Goldbergs, NBC’s Chuck, Fox’s American Dad, in RBN’s Guitar Hero, Deep Silver’s Saints Row IV, and the motion picture Boogie Nights. In 2014, Stan was inducted into the Transformers Hall of Fame.

As a vocalist with a career that spans decades, Stan has sung on albums by renowned artists such as Alice Cooper and Jefferson Starship, and has worked with many top producers (Georgio Moroder, Mick Jones, Peter Frampton, Paul Stanley, Ron Nevison, Richie Zito,) in addition to lending his voice to national and international advertising campaigns for Toyota, Coors, Mazda, Budweiser, Hertz and more.

Stan’s 1987 album, titled Stan Bush & Barrage not only featured the aforementioned song “The Touch” but many other anthems such as the ballad “Love Don’t Lie” and the record is still considered an AOR masterpiece to this day.

In 1997, Stan won an Emmy Award for Best Original Song for his track “Til I Was Loved By You.” Another Bush original, “Capture the Dream,” was featured at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. His songs are heard in two Jean-Claude Van Damme films: Kickboxer (1989) and Bloodsport (1988). Stan has co-written with many top songwriters like Jonathan Cain (Journey,) Jim Vallance (Bryan Adams, Aerosmith) and Paul Stanley of Kiss. Stan has toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe in his storied career.

Dare To Dream is Stan Bush’s 14th studio album and is a modern masterpiece replete with the sweetness of nostalgia. It also includes the hit single “The 80’s,” released in 2019 and supported by a popular music video. The title track, “Dare to Dream,” is about believing in yourself and letting go. There’s no limit to what we can do if we just “Dare to Dream.” Another great track, “The Times of Your Life” is about living life to the fullest and savoring every moment. These songs offer a positively charged ray of hope in today’s troubled times. There are powerful ballads and memorable songs throughout this inspiring album.

Episode 65: Jon Fiore of Preview, solo artist & international actor07 Dec 202401:16:46

Jon Fiore is a singer/songwriter and international actor. Jon started in the early 80s as the lead singer for Geffen Records recording artist Preview and toured with acts like Asia, Pat Benatar, The Tubes, and others. After his time in Preview, Jon got into the commercial jingle business, and you may have heard his voice on thousands of commercials worldwide for brands like Diet Coke, Slice, Atari, and Folgers.

He then signed with Atlantic Records in 1996 as a solo artist and has written many songs for other artists such as George Benson and sang session vocals for the likes of Michael Bolton & Cher. In the later 90s, Jon released two critically acclaimed solo albums with the help of legendary Canadian melodic rock act Harem Scarem and their frontman Harry Hess.

In his later years he became involved in acting and his first movie "Narco Sub" (aka The Shipment) debuted on Amazon in 2021, where he played the drug cartel lord Pelon. He also is currently in the episodic adventure "Surviving The Cartel", playing the role of Tommaso Belluci, which is streaming on Amazon and distributed worldwide on Amazon with distribution by AMC Network.

Episode 64: Derek Davis of Babylon A.D.30 Nov 202400:53:09

Babylon A.D. is an American hard rock band formed in 1987 hailing from the SF Bay Area in CA, In 1989, Babylon A.D. caught the attention of Arista Records president and industry mogul Clive Davis, who signed them at a live showcase in Los Angeles.

The debut album was released in 1989 and included the singles "Bang Go the Bells", "Hammer Swings Down" and "The Kid Goes Wild", the latter used for the soundtrack and video for the movie RoboCop 2.

Their sophomore effort, Nothing Sacred, was released in 1992. It produced two singles, "Bad Blood" and "So Savage the Heart". The band toured throughout the early ‘90s and put several videos on MTV.

After spending several years with Arista, the band signed with Apocalypse Records in 1999 and released Live in Your Face, a compilation of live tracks recorded in various cities throughout the US. The band's next release American Blitzkrieg, followed in 2000. In 2006, the band released In The Beginning... Persuaders Recordings 8688 on Apocalypse/Perris Records contained songs from the original demo tapes that secured them their record deal with Arista.

After a long hiatus, they regrouped with all original members and released a four-song EP Lost Sessions / Fresno, CA 93 in 2014. The band also played several shows in the U.S. and Nottingham, UK’s FireFest Rock Festival.

In 2015 the band released LIVE@XXV to celebrate their 25 years of recording and performing together. They played on the 2015 Monsters of Rock Cruise, as well as other select dates across the US. Revelation Highway was issued on Frontiers Records in 2017.

Fast forward to 2023, the announced new members Craig Pepe (bass) and Dylan Soto (drums) and the new live concert album “Live Lightning” from Perris Records.

The new album includes their top-ten rock-radio classic hits “Hammer Swings Down”, “Kid Goes Wild", “Bang Go The Bells” from their debut release, their hit “Bad Blood” from the “Nothing Sacred” album and songs from their studio albums “American Blitzkrieg”, “The Lost Sessions” and their last release Revelation Highway also.

On May 17th, 2024 the band released their 5th studio album on Apocalypse Records via Perris Records titled

Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day. The new single “Face of GOD” is released on Dec. 1, 2024.

Episode 63: Brent Doerner of Helix & My Wicked Twin24 Nov 202401:03:23

Helix is a Canadian hard rock/heavy metal band based out of Kitchener, Ontario. The group formed in 1974 as the Helix Field Band to compete in a Battle of the Bands contest in their hometown. By 1976, they operated under the streamlined Helix moniker. They had solidified into a core lineup comprising singer Brian Vollmer, guitarists Brent Doerner and Paul Hackman, bassist Keith Zurbrigg, and drummer Brian Doerner. They issued a pair of albums independently (1979's Breaking Loose and 1981's White Lace & Black Leather).

Helix inked a major-label deal with Capitol in 1983 and released No Rest for the Wicked, which marked the studio debut of new drummer Greg "Fritz" Hinz. Bassist Daryl Gray replaced Uzelac in time for the follow-up, Walkin' the Razor's Edge, which spawned the hit "Rock You" and sold over 100,000 copies in Canada, and over 400,000 internationally. 1985's Long Way to Heaven didn’t gain the same traction in the United States, but it managed to top the charts in Sweden. Follow-up Wild in the Streets went gold in Canada and included a cover of Aerosmith's "Dream On." Doerner elected to leave the band in 1989 after the release of the Capitol-sanctioned greatest-hits compilation Over 60 Minutes With….

Doerner returned to the band to record 1993's It's a Business Doing Pleasure,. After that, Brent Doerner went on hiatus with Helix, eventually debuting in 2008 with his new band Brent Doerner’s Decibel alongside his twin brother, Brian. The group eventually changed their moniker to My Wicked Twin and have recorded five albums in total.

Episode 62: Jesse Damon of Silent Rage16 Nov 202401:07:10

Silent Rage formed in 1985 with founding members EJ Curse, Jesse Damon and Mark Hawkins. The band is known for their signature songwriting style of blending melody with hard-driving rock. Silent Rage remains unique from other 80’s bands by having Jesse Damon share the lead vocal duties with Hawkins and Curse.

In 1987 they teamed up with producer/artist Paul Sabu for their first critically acclaimed CD, “Shattered Hearts” and were signed to Chameleon / Capitol Records by industry veteran Steve Brownlee. In 1988, Gene Simmons signed them to Simmons Records/RCA and drummer Brian James Fox (White Tiger) joined the band. For Silent Rage’s 2nd release, Paul Sabu and Gene Simmons were chosen to lend their production skills. In 1989 they released “Don't Touch Me There”. That too reached #1 on European import charts. The song “Rebel with a Cause” was released as a single and its video debuted on MTV’s “Headbanger’s Ball “. Next, the band toured with Black Sabbath for the “Headless Cross” tour. In the early 90’s Silent Rage continued touring and writing. They also wrote and performed with other projects: EJ with Doro Pesch and Jesse with Gene Simmons and Kiss. Unfortunately, the grunge scene eventually forced them into a hiatus. In 2000 Silent Rage re-united to sign a new record deal and added Rodney Pino on drums and released their third new CD, “Still Alive” in 2002. “Still Alive” was produced by Bob Ezrin (Kiss, Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper) and co-produced by Kevin Beamish (R.E.O. Speedwagon, Y&T) and Silent Rage. They made their 1st UK appearance at the Z Rock Festival. In 2007 Silent Rage signed a new record deal with Frontiers Records for their 4th CD, “Four Letter Word”. It was released in 2008 and produced by Gilby Clarke . The material continued to mesh melody with metal and big memorable choruses. It also featured special guest performances by Bruce Kulick (KISS), Bobby Blotzer (Ratt), Gilby Clarke (Guns N Roses), Dilana (Rockstar Supernova) and even former drummer Brian James Fox.

Singer & guitarist, Jesse Damon, who we talk with on this episode has also had a storied solo career, releasing no less than seven solo records to date plus a new compilation album, aptly titled “Anthology”.

Episode 61: David Polemeni of Boystown09 Nov 202400:47:34

Boystown was and is a five piece rock/AOR band from New Jersey formed in 1987 and began playing the same Jersey bars that bred Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi. They played clubs across the USA and opened for Jon Entwistle (The Who), The Hooters, New Kids On the Block and The Romantics. The single "Way Of The World" was released on the indie UK label AIR RECORDS in 1989 followed by a UK tour. The album was well received by critics with articles in Kerrang Magazine comparing the band’s energy to The Who and lead singer David Polemeni's vocals to Paul Rogers ( Bad Company) & Lou Gramm (Foreigner). The band developed their studio sound with producer David Prater (Firehouse, Dream Theatre, Glen Burtnik) who produced seven tracks on “Angels With Dirty Faces”. Oil & Water and the title track Angels With Dirty Faces were produced by Aaron Zigman ( Phil Collins).

The CD features the core members of Boystown; David Polemeni, Bobby Guy, Joey Sykes, John Teto and Nelson Williams. The songs I Need Shelter and Get Up were featured on the television show 21 Jump Street. Other songs appeared on HBO and SHOWTIME in films like A Brilliant Disguise and In The Kingdom Of The Blind, starring CSI's William Peterson. In 1990 Boystown were asked by their namesake Father Flannigan's Boys Town in Omaha, NE to do a concert for three thousand children. Boystown is the only rock band to ever play Boys Town.

The CD continues to gain popularity worldwide and has become a cult classic in Germany, France, Belgium and Sweden. In 2006 Something In The Way You Touch appeared on the CD Munich's Hardest Hits and the song Get Up will appear in the film "All In" starring Dominic Swain ( Lolita, Face Off) and Michael Madsen ( Kill Bill).

A new version of the band, featuring the core members of Polemeni, John Teto & Joey Sykes reunited back in 2023 for a reunion show in their home state of NJ and have since played more shows and released brand new music in the form of digital singles. The hope is for the band to record a brand new album so keep an eye and ear out for that!

Episode 60: Dustin Lyon & Jake Melius of Jupiter Cyclops 03 Nov 202400:35:59

Jupiter Cyclops was formed in 2019 when scene veteran and singer Aaron Peltz relocated from Southern California to the Phoenix, Arizona desert. What started as a two-piece doom project quickly metamorphosized into a 4-piece high octane hard rock assault courtesy of guitarist Dustin Lyon’s face-melting riffs and solos and Jake Melius bringing the low-end thunder on bass. The lineup was finally complete with the addition of Kyle Eades on the drums.

Jupiter Cyclops has been tearing up stages in the Southwest and is ready to bring their brand of rock n’ roll to the masses. In this debut episode of Street Patrol, where we feature newer bands that we feel need to be heard, we talk with Dustin Lyons and Jake Melius to learn more about this hot, exciting band and their new album “Age of the UFOnaut”!

Episode 59: Jorgen Bergersen (vocals) & Jorgen Abrahamsen (guitars) of Invasion27 Oct 202400:41:44

Invasion is a Norwegian hard rock and heavy metal band founded in 2022. With a fresh and modern approach to the heavy music genre, Invasion creates music that perfectly balances melody and heaviness.

The band comprises experienced musicians who have shared stages with notable artists such as JORN and Åge Steen Nilsen from Wig Wam. The lineup includes singer Jorgen Bergersen, guitarists Jorgen Abrahamsen and Adrian Sunde Bjerketvedt, drummer Eiliv Sagrusten, and bassist Thomas Gjerlaugsen. This group is making waves in the European hard rock and metal scene while maintaining their indie band status. If you haven't checked them out yet, you definitely should—you won’t regret it!

Stay updated on Invasion at https://www.facebook.com/norwayinvasion.

Episode 58: Tony Moore formerly of Riot05 Oct 202400:49:41

Tony Moore was the lead singer of the heavy metal band Riot from 1986 to 1992, recording Thundersteel (1988) and The Privilege of Power (1990) and rejoining in 2010 along with the other members from the Thundersteel line-up to release Immortal Soul (2011). He also sang with Faith and Fire, a project with Mike Flyntz of Riot. They released their first and only album Accelerator in 2006.

In 2025, Tony will debut his brand new band named The Knights of Silverado. So be on the lookout for a new album in the not-too-distant future. The band also has plans to tour.

Episode 57: Kevin Chalfant of The Storm, 707, Steel Breeze, The Vu, Two Fires and Shooting Star29 Sep 202401:53:17

With an impressive career spanning several decades, Kevin Chalfant's contributions to the music industry are noteworthy. From his early successes with AOR groups 707 and Steel Breeze, to his time with The Storm where that band had two Billboard-charting singles in the early 90s, and even his brief stints as lead vocalist for Shooting Star (2006) and the Alan Parsons Project (2003), Chalfant's journey in music has been both diverse and influential.

His experiences, including briefly sitting in for Steve Perry in Journey in the mid-90s present a captivating narrative that would undoubtedly resonate with music enthusiasts had Perry not eventually returned to the band. His solo albums and other collaborations further showcase his versatility and enduring talent.

Currently, Kevin Chalfant is leading the Voices of Rock Radio project performing around the country with other talented members and singers of some of the best known classic rock bands. Keep up to date with Kevin’s live schedule and more at www.voicesofrockradio.com.

Episode 74: Emmo Acar & Lucien Egloff of Fighter V17 Feb 202500:53:29

Fighter V thrills with catchy stadium rock anthems driven by powerful guitar riffs and vibrant keyboard sounds. The melodic rock band from Hergiswil, Switzerland is known for energetic and passionate live shows that take the audience back to the rock concerts of the 80s. As headliners in Central Europe and support for major acts like The Dead Daisies, Fozzy and Bonfire, Fighter V brings plenty of entertainment experience to the stage.

Their debut album “Fighter” was released on October 2019 on Rock Attack Records. The release was followed by an extended tour, including opening for The New Roses and Kissin' Dynamite, as well as festival shows across Europe. With the acclaimed release of their singles "Eye To Eye" and "Heart Of The Young", Fighter V announced their 2nd studio album “Heart of the Young” in the fall 2024, accompanied by an extensive European tour as support act for Axel Rudi Pell.

So, to get a full load of Stadium Rock check out Fighter V!

Web: www.fighter-v.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/fightervofficial

Instagram: www.instagram.com/fightervofficial

YouTube: www.youtube.com/fightervofficial

Episode 56: Rick Pierce of Q5, TKO, Nightshade & Rick Pierce Group22 Sep 202400:50:47

Rick Pierce is a founding member of the legendary Seattle hard rock, band TKO, whose debut release “Let It Roll” continues to cement the band’s cult-like status. Rick’s unique arsenal of guitar pyrotechnics provided the backbone of the unmistakable TKO sound.

Following his successful stint with TKO, Rick remained true to his metal roots and teamed up as lead guitarist for power metal band Q5 with Floyd Rose, acclaimed inventor of the Floyd Rose tremolo system.

In this episode, we talk with Rick about TKO and Q5 as well as his band after Q5, Nightshade and his latest project simply titled the Rick Pierce Group, where he’s teamed up once again with Floyd Rose (as songwriter & producer this time). Four RPG singles are now available on all the digital streaming platforms and a full album is finally on the horizon for early 2025 on Golden Robot Records.

In the meantime, you can keep up to date with all things Rick Pierce at www.rickpierceguitar.com or www.rickpiercegroup.com

Episode 55: Rob Lamothe of Riverdogs & Cross Country Driver14 Sep 202401:25:33

Rob Lamothe was born in La Jolla, CA in 1958 and his house was full of music and he was singing in ​Latin as a soloist in church choirs by the time he was 12-years-old. And he’s never stopped ​singing since.

He’s always liked this quote from The Toronto Star: “Rob Lamothe is a mercurial artist ​who slides effortlessly from rustic roots music to full-blown rock". He grew up listening to ​Mahalia Jackson, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell and The Beatles and saw Led Zeppelin in ​concert three times by his mid-teens. So, yeah, he’s mercurial.

Rob released his first major label album (Epic Records) in 1990 with the Riverdogs and has shared stages with everyone from Guns 'n' Roses to members of the Toronto ​Symphony Orchestra and has toured throughout Europe close to 30 times now.

He also spent 15 years on the faculty at Interprovincial Music Camp, north of Toronto, where ​he built and ran a Songwriting Camp for kids aged 12 to 18 and has worked with a bunch of ​young artists over the years who have gone on to score record deals and tours ​around the globe.

In Episode 55 of The Jersey Guys Podcast we talk with Rob about his days with the Riverdogs and get some great background information on all 4 of their albums, including the 2017 “comeback” album titled “California” on Frontiers Records. We also get the lowdown on his 2023 pandemic project of sorts, Cross Country Driver, and Rob shares with us if there will ever be another Riverdogs album.

So, sit back, relax and check out this great episode!

Episode 54: The Return of the Podcast!08 Sep 202401:11:15

In this brand new episode we make our big comeback after an extended break! Tom & Mark talk about a pile of new hard rock & heavy metal releases to hopefully turn some onto something new or that they missed. Plus, we talk about some recent concerts we both attended and some music news from the recent past.

It's good to be back so sit back and crank it up!

Episode 53: Josh Ramos of The Storm & Hardline 27 Aug 202401:14:12

Chicago-born guitarist Josh Ramos got an early musical start in life by playing in the church band before he ever hit double digits. Later in high school he formed and played in bands around the Chicago area. A year out of high school Josh formed LE MANS in 1983. This band recorded two albums, one on the Shrapnel Label and one with Columbia Records. It was during this time that Josh moved to the Bay Area of California and became associated with Neal Schon and his line of "Schon guitars". Josh joined THE STORM in 1991. The Storm recorded an album with Interscope Records and had a #3 hit with "I've Got A Lot To Learn About Love" and a #10 hit with "Show Me The Way", while giving tour support to Bryan Adams, Peter Frampton and Tom Cochran. The album was near gold and the band was established as one that could deliver radio friendly hit songs.

The band received a Bay Area Music Award ("Bammie") for Best Debut Album and a BMI Award for airplay for "I've Got A Lot To Learn About Love". In January, 1997, Josh and Kevin Chalfant traveled to London, England to attend the "Frontiers Awards", and to accept awards for "Best Song" and "Best Album" for The Storm's second album "Eye of the Storm" (on the Music For Nations label). The album features songs like "Waiting For The World To Change", "Don't Give Up", "To Have And To Hold" and several others that possess the same quality and mass appeal as the first.

Josh joined CA rockers Hardline for the 2nd album and recorded and played live with the band for almost 15 years. Beyond that Josh has been involved in other notable bands/projects such as Two Fires, China Blue, L.R.S. (Tommy LaVerdi, Josh Ramos, Michael Shotton) as well as releasing two solo albums and working with many great musicians along the way.

*This podcast was conducted back in April of 2023 and presented on our YouTube channel but was never shared on the streaming platforms until now.

Episode 52: Our Top 20 Ronnie James Dio songs16 Apr 202300:47:44
We all know who Ronnie James Dio is! This legendary metal singer had a stellar career with his time in Rainbow, Black Sabbath (and Heaven & Hell) as well as a solo artist. In this episode, Tom & Mark along with guest host TJ Coyne dive deep into our Top 20 songs of Ronnie's career! We talk about Ronnie's long career as well as each run down our Top 20 for all to enjoy... and debate! We'll post our choices on our Facebbok page and we encourage you join in and let us know your top Dio songs too! Enjoy!
Episode 51: Danny Vaughn of Tyketto16 Apr 202301:24:33
Danny Vaughn is an American singer that has performed with Waysted, Tyketto and Vaughn and now performs and releases under his own name as well.Danny Vaughn is a product of Steiner education. At lower school, he was placed into a choir. “My first public performance was singing Pie Jesu in soprano. I remember the audience craning their necks to see who the little kid who sang the solo was. My best-loved experience, during those days, was singing in harmony. It stayed with me ever since.” His schooling taught Vaughn to read and enjoy classical music, though his teenage years were filled with a love for the pop classics, especially Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel: anything that provided harmonizing, folk-rock, edged with the baroque.After leaving school, Danny played in several local cover bands, many of them playing classic covers in rock-joints around Rockland County New York. “One day I got a message that the Welsh rock guitarist Paul Chapman (Skid Row, UFO) was looking for me. I brushed it aside, but my curiosity got the better of me and I called the number. I was invited to do an audition down in Florida, for Paul's new project: DOA, and recorded a demo with him that he took to the UK to shop with the record companies there. But that went by the wayside when Pete Way invited Paul to join Waysted instead. Of course they'd already found themselves a talented vocalist in Fin Muir. So that was that!” “But in 1985, they had a falling out with Fin and I was invited to learn a bunch of Waysted and UFO songs just days before a huge show at Ramat Gan football stadium, in Tel Aviv. I endured. It was my trial-by fire-audition for a band I continued to play with till 1987.” 1987 Vaughn formed Tyketto, a band he was in until 1994 when he was replaced by future Journey singer Steve Augeri. Tyketto split up in 1996, but have played mini-tours with Vaughn and other original members at various times since 2004. The reunited Tyketto also released two albums Dig In Deep (2012) and Reach (2016), The band has started a new chapter with a couple new members joining recently and 2023 will see the band return to live concert action.Danny talks about all that and more on episode #51 of podcast right here!
Episode 50: Neil Carter of UFO, Gary Moore and Wild Horses02 Apr 202301:05:00
Neil Carter is an English musician who has worked in diverse genres throughout his career. Classically trained, he became a professional rock musician at the age of 17 and initially had his first "mainstream" experience with singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan. He subsequently played guitar and keyboard for the hard rock bands Wild Horses, UFO, and guitarist Gary Moore. He is credited for co-writing a number of Gary Moore's songs including the worldwide hit "Empty Rooms". At the age of 30 he left the rock world behind and developed a different career as both teacher of woodwind instruments (saxophone and clarinet) and as an ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) examiner. 2010 saw an unexpected return to rock with Gary Moore, playing festivals across Europe and a tour of Ukraine and Russia. Future tours and a Celtic rock album were to follow but this was curtailed by the death of Gary Moore in February 2011. On 30 April 2019, Neil would return to UFO for their 'Last Orders' tour, following the death of Paul Raymond. The tour began in June 2019 in Germany and continued into 2022 after being postponed from 2020 due to the COVID 19 pandemic. The future of UFO is to been determined but for now please enjoy our conversation with Neil Carter!
Episode 49: Rick Hughes of Sword19 Mar 202300:42:23
Sword is a Canadian heavy metal band from Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec, that was formed in 1981 and is still active to this day. To date, they have released three studio albums, one compilation and one live albumIn 1981, Rick (vocals) and Dan Hughes (drums) formed the band and they were joined by guitarist Mike Plant and bassist Mike Larocque in the first lineup of the band. They signed their first recording contract in 1984 with Aquarius Records and released two albums for the label in the late 1980s; the debut album Metalized in 1986 and its follow-up Sweet Dreams in 1988.They toured in the support slots for Motörhead and Alice Cooper, and the group also opened for Metallica on their Master of Puppets tour in 1986.Rick Hughes also went on to form Saints & Sinners and released a self-titled album with them in 1992, which is still revered by many hard rock fans worldwide.Throughout their career, Sword sold in excess of 180,000 albums and the band has been more active since 2011 when they reunited for a show and they have since played various festivals in Canada and Germany. In 2016, they released Live Hammersmith, recorded while they were on tour supporting Motörhead in 1987.Sword's third studio album (their first in 34 years!) titled III was released on November 25, 2022. So check out our interview with Rick Hughes to hear about all things Sword (as well as Saints & Sinners!).
Episode 48: Steve Mann of MSG, Lionheart & Ousey/Mann06 Mar 202300:52:46

Steve Mann was born and raised in London, England. After college he took up classical guitar, studying at the John Williams School in London he joined his first professional band Liar in 1977. They released two albums.

He then formed Lionheart with Dennis Stratton (Iron Maiden) and Rocky Newton (MSG, etc.). Hailed by Sounds magazine as "the first NWOBHM Supergroup", Lionheart toured extensively before securing a record deal with CBS in 1984. At various times Lionheart counted amongst its ranks luminaries such as Frank Noon (Def Leppard), Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden), Les Binks (Judas Priest), Clive Edwards (UFO) and Phil Lanzon (Uriah Heep). In 1986 Steve joined Michael Schenker to form The McAuley Schenker Group and recorded two albums (Perfect Timing & Save Yourself). The former was recorded in 1986 at PUK Studios in Denmark with overdubs at Rudolf Schenker's Scorpion Sound Studio, and the record was produced by the late Andy Johns (Led Zeppelin). Frank Fillipetti took the production chair for Save Yourself, recording in LA. This album bore the hit single Anytime, a ballad penned by Mann and Robin McAuley and the track reached #6 on the US Billboard charts.

While playing with Schenker he was guesting with The Sweet, becoming a permanent member after leaving MSG in 1991. Then around 1994 Mann guested with Eloy, a progressive rock band from Germany who achieved fame during the 1970's. His guest appearances for the band, both live and on record, continued till 2012. In 2016 he received a call from Michael Schenker asking if he was interested in forming a new version of the band called Michael Schenker Fest which was to include his 3 original singers, Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet (Rainbow) and Robin McAuley along with the rhythm section of Ted McKenna and Chris Glen (ex-Rainbow singer Doogie White would also join in 2017). Needless to say he jumped at the chance and the band has been on the road ever since.

In 2016, Lionheart also had the opportunity to reunite with original members Dennis Stratton, Rocky Newton, Clive Edwards along with Lee Small on vocals. In 2017 the band went into my studio to record a new album called Second Nature, which was critically acclaimed, A 3rd Lionheart album was released in 2020 and titled The Reality of Miracles and Mann also joined forces with British singer Chris Ousey for the debut Ousey/Mann album Is Anybody Listening in 2022.

Steve Mann continues to tour with Michael Schenker as well as writing for a new Lionheart and even his own solo album. Keep up to date with all his happenings at www.stevemann.net where you can link to all his social sites as well!

Episode 47: When NWOBHM bands went melodic rock & AOR!19 Feb 202300:40:50

We all know of New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands like Saxon, Tygers of Pan Tang, Def Leppard and Heavy Pettin' but these bands all put out some seriously melodic arena rock & AOR-styled albums in the '80s. It was a sign of the times and even though some early hardcore fans of these bands may discount those albums that those bands released there is no denying there were some great, albeit slightly "fluffy", moments from these normally rough and tough NWOBHM bands.

Tom & Mark dive into a number of these bands and those melodic, keyboard-heavy records that had those bands shooting for the USA arena rock landscape, so hear it all on episode# 47 and be sure to let us know your thoughts on bands that didn’t make it into the discussion. Heck, we might need to do a part two to further discus this great phenomenon!

Episode 73: Todd Plant of Eyewitness, Millenium & Cryptic Vision15 Feb 202500:47:49

Recording artist, wedding singer, guitarist, metal frontman, crooner, tribute band specialist…

Todd Plant has worn many hats in his 40-something years in music, and there’s still much more in store! After graduating from Tampa’s Plant High School, Todd joined the US Navy Seabees, working in construction and entertaining servicemen and women on bases around the world. After his honorable discharge, he played in many Tampa Bay bands, honing his craft and paying his dues.

Heard by millions as the singer of the Hulk Hogan theme song “American Made” that was played on TBS/TNT networks for years, Todd has also recorded songs on literally dozens of CDs released worldwide. His original “hair bands” in the ‘90s, Eyewitness and Millenium, played London, toured Europe, and were featured on MTV Headbanger’s Ball, had their videos aired on Japanese TV, and performed on a live prime-time variety show in Munich. He also sang for original prog rock bandCryptic Vision, who released 4 CDs and played across the US in the mid 2000s.

He previously worked with tributes to the Eagles (Alter Eagles), Steely Dan (Show Biz Kids), country/southern rock band Soul Circus Cowboys, and 15 years with event/wedding bandSouthtown Fever, and played at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Lightning & Rays games atRaymond James Stadium, Amalie Arena, and Tropicana Field

In 2025, Todd continues to lead tributes to the Doobie Brothers (China Grove), Midnight Joker(the Steve Miller Band), Sting & the Police (Brand New Day), U2 (U2X), Santana(Supernatural), & 38 Special (37 Special), as well as recording on various projects & jingles. There’s even a project that has unearthed some old studio and live Eyewitness material, so keep an eye & ear out for that!

Episode 46: Rob Math of Leatherwolf, Peter Beckett's Player & Soul Sign11 Feb 202301:08:17

Guitarist ROB MATH has been playing since he’s six years old and today he has a storied career that goes from his hometown Long Island NY beginnings to 80s US metal band LEATHERWOLF to 70s soft-rocker Peter Beckett and his band Player! Rob also handles guitar duties in the band SOUL SIGN along with bassist Bjorn Englen (Yngwie Malmsteen, Dio Disciples, etc.), Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Ring of Fire, etc.) and drummer Mike Cancino (Lynch Mob). That band has their eye on releasing its debut album sometime in 2023 so be sure to keep an eye out for that one.

Leatherwolf just released its latest album back in November of 2022 and we get the low down from Rob on the recording of the album with its latest incarnation, which has been a big part of since 2011.

So check out this latest episode and keep up date with Leatherwolf at www.leatherwolfmetal.com and Rob’s other activities at www.robmathmusic.com!

Episode 45: Robert Berry of SiX By SiX, Alliance & 3 (Keith Emerson, Carl Palmer & Robert Berry)05 Feb 202301:14:27

Robert Berry is an American singer, bassist and all-around multi-instrumentalist and record producer, best known for his work with Hush, 3 with Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer, Ambrosia, and Alliance. He was previously with The Greg Kihn Band, and as of 2022, he is with progressive band Six By Six, a super group composed of musicians Ian Crichton from Saga and Nigel Glockler of Saxon.

Berry came into the spotlight in 1988, when he teamed with Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer (of Emerson, Lake & Palmer fame) and formed the band 3. Their only album, To the Power of Three saw the group gain some commercial success with the 1st single “Talkin’ Bout” as it reached #9 on the Billboard rock charts that year. 3 disbanded in 1989 after a successful tour supporting the album.

Berry also has contributed songs to a number of film soundtracks, including the Anthony Michael Hall film Out of Bounds. In 1999, Berry produced and performed on The Wheel of Time, an album billed as a soundtrack to the Robert Jordan fantasy series The Wheel of Time. He also works as a record producer and owns a state-of-the-art recording studio in northern CA.

In 2015, Berry and Emerson signed with Frontiers Music and began working on a follow-up to To the Power of Three as 3.2. The project was shelved following Emerson's death in March 2016, but Berry would finish the project himself and release it in 2018 under the 3.2 moniker as The Rules Have Changed and then followed that up with “Third Impression” in 2021.

Since then, Berry’s focus has been on Six By Six as the band had world-wide success with their debut and are currently writing album #2 for release in 2023. Berry is also in the planning stages of a new Alliance album too so while we wait for those new records please enjoy Robert’s conversation with The Jersey Guys!

Episode 44: TJG's Top Albums of 202204 Feb 202300:58:20

In this episode Tom & Mark go over some of their favorite albums released in 2022.

We had fun with this one and hope we can turn you onto something you may not have been aware of in the world of hard rock, heavy metal & AOR in this past year!

Episode 43: Discography review of TOTO28 Jan 202301:11:43

Toto is an American rock band formed in 1977 in Los Angeles, CA and are known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard rock, R&B, blues, and jazz. Having released 14 studio albums and sold over 40 million records worldwide, the group has received several Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009.

David Paich and Jeff Porcaro had played together as session musicians on several albums and decided to form a band; David Hungate, Steve Lukather, Steve Porcaro, and Bobby Kimball were recruited before the release of the band's eponymous debut album in 1978. Led by the Top 5 single "Hold the Line", the album brought the band to mainstream attention but it was their fourth album Toto IV (1982) which brought them global attention. "Africa" topped the Billboard Hot 100, while "Rosanna" reached number 2, helping Toto become one of the best-selling music groups of their era.

The Jersey Guys take a trip through the bands studio efforts and history so we hope you will enjoy this episode as much as we did making it for you!

Episode 42: Rob Rock of Impellitteri01 Jan 202300:59:45

Rob Rock (born June 29, 1959) is an American heavy metal singer who is best known as the longtime frontman of Impellitteri, a position he has held from 1987 to 1988, 1992 to 2000, and from 2008 to the present day. Rock has also released four studio albums as a solo artist, and performed with a number of other notable artists, including M.A.R.S., Joshua, Angelica, Axel Rudi Pell and Warrior to name a few.

Rob Rock's early music career consisted of stints with several local cover bands as a drummer and vocalist including Tangram, The Robert Allen Band and Vice which also included future band mate, Chris Impellitteri. They released a demo and were together until 1985. In 1986, he joined musicians Tony MacAlpine (guitar), Tommy Aldridge (drums), and Rudy Sarzo (bass guitar) in a project called M.A.R.S. The group released a lone album entitled Project: Driver in 1986, which received much critical praise, but the next year each member went their separate ways.

Rock then reunited with friend Chris Impellitteri and recorded the self-titled debut EP (1987) of the latter's band Impellitteri. However, he was also committed to another band named Joshua, so he could not continue with the band at the time. Rock recorded the Intense Defense album with Joshua, which was characterized by the editor of HM Magazine as being "probably the best melodic metal album in the universe." He also worked on other projects (Dennis Cameron's Angelica & Driver) which gave him knowledge of international musicians that would serve him well later.

After leaving Joshua in 1988, Rock formed M.A.R.S. offshoot Driver with two other former Joshua members, bassist Emil Lech-Brando and keyboardist Greg Shultz, former Jag Panzer drummer Reynold 'Butch' Carlson, and guitarist Roy Z; Z, Carlson and Lech-Brando had previously played together in Gypsy Moreno. Driver would release a 5-song cassette-only EP in 1990 but broke up the following year when Rock got a call from Chris Impellitteri and decided to once again join his band. Rock would stay on as lead singer until 2000 during which time Impellitteri released five successful albums.

In 2000, Rock decided to pursue his own solo career and parted ways with Impellitteri amicably. That same year, he released his first solo album called Rage of Creation. The album received critical praise and Rock has gone on, releasing three more albums (Eyes of Eternity, Holy Hell, Garden of Chaos).

Rock's first solo disc 'Rage of Creation' was recorded at Joe Floyd's Silver Cloud studio. As a result of that collaboration, Floyd asked Rock if he would provide vocals for a revamped lineup of the legendary US metal band Warrior. They released 'The Code of Life' in 2001. It is arguably some of the heaviest music Rock has ever performed and received critical acclaim in Europe and Asia.

Eventually, Rock would reform Driver with Roy Z and Reynold Carlson and release the Sons of Thunder album in 2008, which consisted of re-recordings of their 1990 EP along with other unreleased songs written at the time. A second Driver album, Countdown, was released in 2012.

In May 2008 it was announced that Rock reunited once more with Impellitteri. Their new album, Wicked Maiden, was released in April 2009 and since then they have gone onto release two more studio albums along with the newly released “Wake The Beast-The Impellitteri Anthology”, which is a 3 CD set of the bands favorite tracks from throughout their career.

The band will hopefully see a new studio release in 2023 and Rock has some other projects in the works as well so until those all see the light of day please have a listen to the brand new podcast interview with the legendary Rob Rock!

Episode 41: Darrell Millar of Killer Dwarfs24 Dec 202201:08:04

Killer Dwarfs is a Canadian hard rock band that formed in late 1981 in Oshawa, Ontario, and enjoyed success in their native Canada in the 1980s. The band is known for its offbeat sense of humour and was nominated for two Juno Awards during its career. Killer Dwarfs were sometimes compared to NWOBHM acts such as Iron Maiden and Saxon.

Before The Killer Dwarfs formed, the band consisted of Darrell Millar, Bryce Trewin, and Ange Fodero in a group called Sphinx. After Sphinx, Russ Graham entered the picture and they became the Killer Dwarfs. The original line-up consisted of Russ Graham (vocals) and Darrell Millar (drums), along with Bryce Trewin (guitar) and Ange Fodero (bass).

Trewin and Fodero left the band shortly afterward and were replaced by guitarist Mike Hall and bassist Ron Mayer. This line-up released the band's breakthrough 1986 album Stand Tall, followed by Big Deal in 1988 and Dirty Weapons in 1990. The band received much recognition in Canada and the United States during the 80's, and its videos were in regular rotation at MuchMusic & MTV. Gerry Finn replaced Hall in 1992, and the album Method to the Madness was released later that year.

The band toured for several years but then parted ways. During the mid-to-late 1990s, the band members pursued other projects. Graham formed a band called Penny Black, and Hall and Finn both became members of the Canadian metal band Helix. Millar went on to drum for the southern rock band Laidlaw before forming his own Bon Scott era AC/DC tribute band Autobon, which went on to become Automan.ca, which provided Millar with a vehicle for recording original material. Mayer became a businessman and moved to the U.S. In 2001, however, the line-up of Graham, Millar, Hall and Mayer reunited to tour across North America. Recordings from these shows make up the live album Reunion of Scribes: Live 2001.'. The band again went on hiatus until 2013, when Graham, Millar, Finn and Mayer released the album Start @ One which had been previously recorded in 1993. Also in 2013.

The band has been touring since then, playing high profile festival as well as club and casino gigs and are working on new material which will hopefully culminate in a new album sometime in 2023. Darrell Millar is also an author with two books currently under his resume and part two of his autobiography is due in 2023 as well.

Episode 40: Frank White & Alan Tecchio - co-authors of Jersey Metal book11 Dec 202200:50:43

In this episode The Jersey Guys talk with professional rock photographer Frank White and veteran metal singer Alan Tecchio, who have just co-authored a brand new book titled JERSEY METAL – A History of the Garden State’s Heavy Metal Scene – Volume One (1969-1986).

In Jersey Metal, Frank and Alan team up to offer a unique, autobiographical perspective on NJ’s Heavy Metal music history through photos, ads, interviews and band bios.

Jersey Metal Volume One 1969 to 1986 covers the early years to the mid 1980's of the formation of Heavy Metal here in New Jersey and how it became such an important part of the music scene in the Garden State. The book covers the Metal scene when bands started out as cover bands that rose to worldwide successful acts to local cover Metal bands, Metal tribute bands, original local Metal bands, and Metal bands that toured throughout the state over the years. There is also respect paid to the venues these groups frequented, the radio stations, record companies, stores and the Jersey shore that all helped grow New Jersey’s wild Heavy Metal scene.

In Frank’s words, “Jersey Metal is for all fans of the metal scene from the Garden State and beyond.” Adds Alan, “Putting this book together brought back so many great memories for me and Frank. It is our hope that the same reaction will trigger interest in the book from all the people (fans and artists alike) who were a part of NJ’s Metal scene in one way or another. Even if someone was not directly a part of it, this book should still be an interesting look at a vibrant scene that spawned some amazing careers.”

Episode 39: Joshua Perahia of Joshua04 Dec 202201:23:42

Joshua is a Christian hard rock/AOR band that formed in 1980 and is centered on guitarist Joshua Perahia. Despite being based in Los Angeles, CA they are probably best known outside of the United States.

The band's first release was entitled The Hand Is Quicker Than the Eye, which referred to Perahia's guitar skills and songwriting ability, was released by Enigma Records in 1983. The single "November Is Going Away" was the band's biggest hit, achieving No. 1 status in Japan. Perahia had a religious experience at a Hal Lindsey–lead Bible study in 1983, and converted to Protestant Christianity from his Greek Orthodox upbringing.

Perahia put together a new band for his 2nd album, Surrender, which included singer Jeff Fenholt. Surrender was released in 1985. Lyrically, the album marked a change in the band's style to lyrics which were evangelical in nature. Rob Rock was involved with their third album on RCA Records, Intense Defense. In 1988, Intense Defense, which was recorded at Dierks Studios and produced initially by Eddie Kramer and then Dieter Dierks (Scorpions fame) was characterized by the editor of HM Magazine as being "probably the best AOR melodic metal album in the universe." It sold well worldwide, but not in the United States.

In 1995, the group re-formed and they released one album under the name M Pire, Chapter One, though it was never released in the US. The band then expanded its name back to Joshua Perahia. The addition of Joshua's last name was to avoid confusion as so many bands were using the name Joshua at the time. The band lacked a permanent vocalist and hired Alex Ligertwood of Santana to fill the spot on the follow-up Something to Say in 2001. However, while in production, the band recruited Jerry Gabriel and re-recorded the vocals. As a result, the album (except four tracks) contains Gabriel's lead vocals, and Ligertwood's vocals are available on a re-release. One song, "The First and the Last", appeared in the Larry Buchanan–directed movie The Copper Scroll of Mary Magdalene in 2004.

2012 saw the release of the band’s latest work, entitled “Resurrection” and featured vocals from Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Ring of Fire, Shining Black, etc.). While Joshua still writes music today for a possible future release he has shifted his focus to his son and their passion for vintage muscle cars and exotic cars as well. It’s a passion that was ignited when Joshua was just 13 years old. The fact that Joshua still writes music means that fans can be hopeful of seeing a new recording in the future but for now please enjoy this episode of The Jersey Guys Podcast!

Episode 38: Jeff Martin of Badlands, Racer X & Surgical Steel13 Nov 202201:08:48

Jeff Martin is an American musician, singer and drummer who has sung for the bands Racer X, Bad Dog, Surgical Steel and St. Michael and has played drums for the bands Badlands, the Michael Schenker Group, Blindside Blues Band, Red Sea, St. Michael and The Electric Fence, a side project with Paul Gilbert and Russ Parrish (aka Satchel from Steel Panther). Jeff played drums om albums and tours for UFO, Paul Gilbert, George Lynch, and Dokken.

He played drums in Surgical Steel before switching to lead vocals and was the drummer/lead vocalist for St. Michael, both Phoenix, AZ-based bands that at one time featured future Badlands cohort Greg Chaisson.

Martin also released a solo album in 2006, The Fool, featuring the guitar talents of Paul Gilbert and Michael Schenker and has also sung backing vocals for Judas Priest and The Scream and he appeared in the 1985 movie Thunder Alley, starring Leif Garrett, with his band Surgical Steel.

Badlands, of course, featured the talents of ex-Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee and was signed to Atlantic Records. Jeff played drums of the bands 2nd and eventual 3rd releases while also touring on with them on the “Voodoo Highway” tour.

Jeff has some of the best rock n’ roll stories, many of which could have been compared to Spinal Tap! So check out episode# 38 for some of those great stories and his career!

Episode 37: Ashley Mitchell of Vain22 Oct 202201:09:14

Vain started out as a glam metal band from the San Francisco, CA area. After recording a demo, Davy Vain founded the band in 1986, adding Dylana Nova Scott (aka Jamie Scott), Danny West, Ashley Mitchell and drummer Tom Rickard to the lineup. They signed with Island Records in 1988, before releasing their debut album the following year, titled No Respect, which peaked at number 154 on the Billboard 200.

Though they recorded a second album, Vain were released by Island in 1991, with West and Rickard departing the same year. Following the addition of both Shawn Rorie and former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler, Vain renamed themselves Road Crew. However, they also disbanded in 1991. Vain reformed in 1993 and went through a number of lineup changes for the release of their next two studio albums. By 2005, Scott and West had returned to the band, while Rickard would rejoin them in 2009.

To date, Vain have released seven studio albums; No Respect (1989); All Those Strangers (1991); Move On It (1993); Fade (1995); On The Line (2005); Enough Rope (2011), and Rolling With The Punches (2017) along with a Davy Vain solo album that featured the core of the Vain band also.

Ashley Mitchell, the bassist on every Vain album, including that Davy Vain solo album, talks with The Jersey Guys for this episode and he shares some great stories about the bands history and what they are currently up so be sure to check this episode out!

Episode 72: Michael Shotton of Von Groove13 Feb 202501:00:33

Von Groove is a Toronto-based hard rock outfit created in 1990 as a trio of lead vocalist/drummer Michael Shotten, Croatian-born guitarist Mladen, and bassist Matthew Gerrard. Shotten and Gerard had previously scored writing credits with the Canadian rock band Triumph. Cutting a series of demo sessions in the band's studio, Von Groove soon attained a deal with major label EMI Records. Session drums on Von Groove's eponymous Richie Zito-produced 1992 debut would come courtesy of Deen Castronovo, known for his work with acts such as Hardline, Bad English & Journey. Although the inaugural Von Groove record would be hailed as a bona fide classic of the genre in many circles, the group's profile suffered hugely as the tidal wave of Grunge enveloped the rock scene. The sophomore “Rainmaker”, a radical departure in sound that created undoubted controversy with the band's fanbase, would follow in 1994. Von Groove got back to their melodic rock roots with the Japanese-released “Mission Man” in late 1997. This album would find a reissue in Europe (re-named “Chameleon” and including three extra tracks). Shotten teamed up with guitarist Joey Hunting and Union bassist Jamie Hunting for the project band The Outpatience, headed by Guns N’ Roses songwriter West Arkeen. However, Arkeen would pass away in a drug-related incident in May of 1997 and the lone “Anxious Disease” album would go largely unnoticed despite having GNR members Slash, Axl Rose, Duff McKagan and Izzy Stradlin as well as Steve Stevens guesting on it. Von Groove would issue two albums in 2000, “Drivin' Off The Edge Of The World”, followed by the acoustic-driven “Three Faces Past”. Bassist Matthew Gerrard would make his exit to be replaced by Tom Lewis for the group’s 2001 album “The Seventh Day”.

Michael Shotten revitalized his connections with Rik Emmett by collaborating with the former Triumph frontman on new material. This endeavor had been branded Airtime, and they released the album “Liberty Manifesto” in 2007. In 2014, the album “Down To The Core” by L.R.S. (LaVerdi, Ramos & Shotton) would find release while Shotton kept busy with various studio work and live gigs throughout the years but now after almost 25 years, Von Groove is making their epic comeback! Frontiers Music will release a brand-new album in 2025, and the band is as refined, revitalized, and electrifying as ever so stay tuned!

Episode 36: Louis St. August of Mass02 Oct 202200:49:25

Louis St. August of MASS was born in Medford, MA and his love for music all started at the very early age of four while watching The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. From there on, the love for all music began from Motown to Heavy Metal!

At the age of ten, his family moved to Revere, Massachusetts. Already playing the drums and singing, Louis recruited his new neighbor Gene D'Itria. Gene wanted to play the drums too but Louis said, “No, you’re going to play guitar.” Heck, he needed a guitarist, right? So Gene took the confirmation money he had just received and bought himself an electric guitar; and so it began. Louis and Gene have now been performing and writing songs for over 40 years. At the age of 15, Louis left the drums and decided to become the frontman for his band called Axes in 1978. By 1981, the band added drummer Joey "Vee" Vadala and changed the name to MASS.

Now having recorded over eight studio albums, and releasing singles and Christmas EP's on major labels such as A&M Records, RCA Records, Enigma Records, and Escape Music the band has officially sold over half a million records worldwide. Louis has also lent his voice to other projects and bands such as the "Liberty & Justice" project and has also appeared as a special guest singer on the band Boston’s 2013 release, “Life, Love & Hope", singing on the opening track "Heaven and Earth".

In 2012, Louis won the "Best Male Vocalist Of The Year" award presented by Limelight Magazine. Now having performed over a thousand shows all across America and having the opportunity to work with legendary producers such like Tom Allom (Judas Preist) Tony Platt (Led Zeppelin) and John Rollo (Joe Cocker), to name a few, it has been a lifelong dream come true for Louis.

Since the early '80s, MASS has continued performing and releasing new music all along the way with their latest acclaimed release “When 2 Worlds Collide" on Escape Music (2018).

MASS is in the beginning stages of creating new music that will hopefully see the light of day in the not too distant future but for now check out episode # 36 of The Jersey Guys Podcast with Louis St. August of MASS and check out www.massrocks.com to keep to date on the band’s happenings!

Episode 35: Jamie Cramer of Holy Soldier25 Sep 202201:00:29

Holy Soldier was a Christian hard rock/metal band from Los Angeles, CA.

The band was originally formed in early 1985 by bassist Andy Robbins and guitarist Jamie Cramer. They gained a strong local following before signing to A&M Records in 1989. Holy Soldier was initially noted for their strong evangelical focus, although they regularly played to secular audiences. For a time they held one of the largest attendance records at Gazzarri's, a notable nightclub on the Hollywood circuit. In 1989 they signed to Myrrh Records, an imprint of Word/A&M, as that label's first hard rock act. Their self-titled debut, produced by David Zaffiro, was released in 1990 to critical acclaim and moderate commercial success. The band garnered two Dove Awards in 1991, in the hard rock song and album of the year categories. After heavy touring the band lost two members – lead vocalist Steven Patrick, and guitarist Michael Cutting.

They replaced the departing members with Eric Wayne and Scott Soderstrom respectively while continuing to tour. Wayne exited when Steven Patrick returned in 1991, but would again rejoin the group in 1995. Two years later, the band followed up their debut with “Last Train”. While praised, it was not a commercial success. Although “Last Train” charted, peaking at the No. 10 slot on Billboard's CCM chart, the album did not meet the sales expectations of the label unfortunately.

The band experienced personnel changes when Steven Patrick again departed. They again replaced him with Seattle-based vocalist Eric Wayne, who helped move the band into the current grunge sound seen in the marketplace at that time. Wayne's lower vocal register caused Holy Soldier to be compared in the alternative hard rock and grunge market with the likes of Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Temple of the Dog, and Soundgarden. After Holy Soldier's reinvention and extensive touring, the band was signed to ForeFront Records in 1994. Once again recruiting the production skills of David Zaffiro, they released “Promise Man” in 1995 and it returned the band to critical acclaim within the Christian music circuit. Despite the success of “Promise Man”, In 1997, after a short hiatus, bassist Andy Robbins independently produced on his own boutique label (Spaceport Records) and a live retrospective album featuring both current frontman Eric Wayne and original vocalist Steven Patrick was released. After the release of “Encore”.

In 2005, the original Holy Soldier lineup reunited briefly. But again, Steven Patrick's reunion with the band was extremely brief. The band played only a handful of shows and the rest was history. Jamie Cramer is currently working again with David Zaffiro and looking forward to releasing new music in 2023 so keep an eye out!

Episode 34: The Jersey Guys Top 25 albums17 Sep 202201:27:25

In this episode of The Jersey Guys Podcast we welcome back special co-host TJ Coyne as we each share our Top 25 albums of all time! Tom, Mark & TJ let everyone in on the albums that mean the most to them so take a listen and see what you think. Maybe some of ours will also be some of yours!

In addition to each listing our Top 25, we also throw in some honorable mentions and then have a general discussion on some choices that may have surprised the hosts. It was a fun episode so be sure to check it out!

Episode 33: Ronnie Mancuso of Beggars & Thieves20 Aug 202201:02:09

Ronnie Mancuso is not only a guitarist and songwriter for the band Beggars & Thieves but is also COO of the Bootlegger Italian Bistro, a staple on the Las Vegas scene for many years, the owner of a recording studio, a live concert venue and a writer of jingles and music for the Fox TV network amongst others. He’s a man of many talents and endeavors without a doubt. Having wrote and recorded a total of four Beggars & Thieves albums (and one EP) to date with longtime bandmate and singer Louie Merlino, Ronnie has also toured with Jake E. Lee’s Red Dragon Cartel and worked with former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley too, so episode # 33 is a good one packed with lots of great stories from Ronnie about his career and life.

Mancuso is always writing songs so there may even be new Beggars & Thieves music on the horizon but for now check out episode 33 of The Jersey Guys Podcast!

Episode 32: Dirk Kennedy of Hittman14 Aug 202201:51:08

Hittman are an American power & progressive metal band active from 1984 to 1994, and then from 2017 to the present. It was in 1985 that Dirk Kennedy answered an ad in "The Music Paper" and became the lead vocalist for the band. They went on to release two albums through SPV/Steamhammer and Roadracer Records, "Hittman" (1988) and "Vivas Machina" (1993). Both albums were critically acclaimed and the band was featured on the cover British magazine of Kerrang! (getting a near perfect KKKK 1/2) and other international rock magazines heralded them as the next great force in hard rock music. After the 1993/94 tour for "Vivas Machina" the band went on hiatus. Whilst never achieving mainstream success, the band has had a cult status over the last 25 years, especially in Germany, Japan and Greece. In 2020 Hittman released their 3rd album, "Destroy All Humans" on No Remorse Records.

In 2009, there were talks for a Hittman reunion including an appearance at the 12th annual Keep It True Festival in Germany. The performance was canceled due to a non-specified family issue. Up until then, no other reunion of Hittman had ever taken place. On November 11, 2013, original bassist Mike Buccell was involved in a fatal accident, making a reunion of the primary lineup impossible. At that time, the band could not imagine moving forward without Buccell but then in 2017 the band announced an official reformation and the renewed and invigorated remaining original members came together to record material for a new album to coincide with their appearance at the Keep It True Festival. They have asserted that it sounds like the logical album to follow the debut from 1988.

Dirk Kennedy also sang for Anthrax in its formative stages when they were merely a garage band. He was a freshman in high school and was friends with a schoolmate of Scott Ian's then girlfriend Marge Ginsberg. Persuaded to sing with the band after hearing him mimic Ronnie James Dio it lasted a few months although he was never a full “official” member of the band.

Hittman eventually acquired the rights to their initial two releases and went into the studio to remaster their classic 1988 debut. Released on October 31, 2017 on No Remorse Records, the album contains a faithful re-master of the original recording and for the first time, the original 1985 (and much-bootlegged) demo that has been re-mixed and re-mastered also and included as a bonus on the release. Kennedy says the band are working on two new records of varying styles so hopefully we will see new music from Hittman in the very near future so in the meantime enjoy this episode with Dirk Kennedy!

Episode 31: Danny Martinez of C.I.T.A./Guild of Ages 06 Aug 202200:52:16

The Jersey Guys Podcast is back with a brand new episode and this time we talk with guest Danny Martinez of C.I.T.A./Guild of Ages.

Caught in the Act (aka C.I.T.A) and later Guild of Ages, is an interesting band to say the least. Born in the late 1980’s on the Denver, CO music scene they finally released their debut album in 1995 to the delight of melodic rock fans worldwide. After a quickly following up with their second record they were forced to change their name for legal reasons and Guild of Ages is the name the band continued on under releasing several albums including the 2018 comeback “Rise”. The band sounded as good as ever on this record so we tracked down singer Danny Martinez and talked at length about the bands career and the possibility we will hear new music from them in the near future. This was great conversation with one of the more talented artists of the underground melodic rock scene, so check out episode 31 of The Jersey Guys Podcast now!

Episode 30: Mark Boals of Shining Black, Ring of Fire, ex-Yngwie Malmsteen, etc. 16 Jul 202201:05:33

The Jersey Guys Podcast is back with its latest episode and this time we talk with vocalist extraordinaire Mark Boals!

Mark Boals has performed on more than 40 albums during his career as a lead vocalist, along with doing various tours worldwide with such notable acts as Dokken, Ted Nugent, Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Uli Jon Roth, Royal Hunt and many more. He joined Savoy Brown in 1982-83, then in 1984 joined Ted Nugent's band and toured with Nuge throughout the U.S. and Europe. In 1985 he joined Yngwie Malmsteen's 'Rising Force' as lead singer and in early 1986 recorded his first album with Malmsteen entitled “Trilogy”. To date Mark Boals has recorded 3 solo albums, 4 studio albums and a live DVD with his own band, "Ring Of Fire", with other members Tony Macalpine, Virgil Donati, and Vitalij Kuprij. He has toured with the band “Dio Disciples” with former members of Ronnie James Dio’s band and also participated in the Dokken album, ‘Broken Bones’ performing background vocals with Don Dokken and he joined the band playing bass guitar and vocals for the tour.

Mark was also a cast member of the Las Vegas show “Raiding The Rock Vault” which includes many rock stars performing a history of rock music from the 60’s through the 80’s and also has been part of another Vegas show named “Tenors of Rock”.

Also be sure to check out his latest project named “Shining Black” (Frontiers Records) where he partners with Olaf Thorsen (Labyrinth, Vision Divine).

Keep tabs on all things Mark Boals on his website www.markboalsofficial.com and we hope you enjoy episode # 30 of The Jersey Guys Podcast with Mark Boals!

Episode 29: Jerome Mazza of Pinnacle Point, Angelica, etc.03 Jul 202200:43:58

The Jersey Guys Podcast is back with episode # 29 and this time we are joined by special guest Jerome Mazza (Angelica, Pinnacle Point, Steve Walsh and solo work).

Jerome Mazza is a singer/songwriter born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. At the age of 8, Jerome taught himself how to play the guitar and sing after being influenced by guitarist and singer/songwriter, Mark Farner of the band Grand Funk Railroad. Playing guitar and singing through his teenage years, he joined his first band at age 19 and toured the east coast in various pop and rock bands. Jerome started to write songs at the age of 25 and was very influenced by the rock band, Kansas, whose music combined classical music with progressive rock.

While honing his songwriting and his singing, he became a session vocalist including singing commercials in Los Angeles for major corporations such as Coors Beer, Pizza Hut, HBO and several publishing firms.

In 1990 Jerome became the lead singer for the second album from the Christian metal band, Angelica, entitled “Walking In Faith”. The album ended up being the best-selling Angelica record. Still today, it’s known as one of the best metal albums in Christian music.

In 2015, Jerome recorded a self-titled solo album in a classic adult contemporary style that could be compared to everything from Josh Groban to Michael Bolton.

In 2016, Jerome became the lead singer and one of the founding members (along with guitarist/songwriter/producer Torben Enevoldsen) of the band, Pinnacle Point.

In 2017, Jerome contributed lead vocals to multiple tracks on Steve Walsh’s (Kansas) fourth solo album entitled “Black Butterfly” which was released in November of that year. Jerome sings lead vocals on three songs (“Winds Of War”, “Now Until Forever”, “Mercy On Me”) and duets with Walsh on the single “Born In Fire”.

In late 2018 Jerome released his new solo album “Outlaw Son” and it is a classic AOR album of the finest order, drawing comparisons to Journey and other great AOR acts.

After listening to the podcast you can stay up date with the latest on Jerome Mazza at www.jeromemazza.com.

Episode 28: Alex Salzman of Tour De Force12 Jun 202200:40:24

We are back with a brand new episode and today our special guest is Alex Salzman formerly of the great Westchester County New York band Tour De Force. This band once had a development deal with Geffen Records and a publishing deal with Warner Chappell Publishing, but in our view remains one of the greatest hard rock bands to never have that elusive major label release. Tour De Force wrote over 40 songs during their time and in this episode Tom & Mark take a trip down memory lane with Alex and talk about everything from the band’s early days, their eventual album releases and right up to what Alex has going in his musical career today.

We hope you enjoy this episode and to learn even more about Alex and see what he is doing since his days with Tour De Force, please visit his website at www.alexsalzman.com.

Episode 27: Discography review of Treat05 Jun 202200:42:07

Here is the latest episode of The Jersey Guys Podcast! Today Tom & Mark discus the discography of the great Swedish band Treat. Starting with their debut in 1985 and continuing all the way up to their brand new album released earlier in 2022, we talk about all 10 studio records this great melodic rock band has produced. Much like their fellow countrymen in Europe, Treat went on an extended hiatus at one point but have been back releasing solid studio records since 2010’s comeback “Coup de Grace”. This was a good discussion on a great band that may fly under the radar for some. So check it out and enjoy!

Episode 71: Steve Rodford of Rio & The Zombies01 Feb 202500:38:06

Steve Rodford was one half of the British AOR act Rio, who released their classic 1985 debut, “Borderland” on the Music For Nations label. It was followed up with “Sex Crimes” (later renamed “Danger Zone” for a 2024 reissue) in 1986. After some further playing and songwriting, Rodford joined the classic 60s-era band The Zombies (who had massive AM radio hits such as “She’s Not There” and “Time of the Season”) with his father, Jim Rodford, in 2001 and played with the band until their retirement in 2024.

Steve Rodford continues to play with The Zombies member Colin Blunstone in his solo band and is also working with best mate Jon Neil from Rio while they move towards new music, so keep an eye and ear out for that! Until then, check out Steve Rodford’s story with episode # 71 of our podcast.

Episode 26: The career of singer Tony Mills28 May 202201:01:45

The Jersey Guys are back with a brand-new podcast for you and this time we tried something a bit different. If you have been following along with the podcast since we started, we have done episodes where we have had special guest interviews and we have had episodes where we’ve had discography discussions on bands, sometimes full discographies, and sometimes certain eras of a band. This time around we thought we would take a more “free-form” approach and pick a musician and discuss their career, the bands they were in and albums they played on and just have a general discussion on that musician.

We think we came with a good one to start this idea off with and it is none other than the great British vocalist Tony Mills. Of course, if you know Tony Mills name then you know bands he was in bands like Shy and TNT and maybe even Siam, but Mills was an ace singer who was capable of many different styles and therefor was in demand in the hard rock and AOR world throughout the years. He sang on many albums and projects such as Serpentine, State of Rock, Crying Steel as well as having six solo albums to his credit and there was so much more.

In this episode we touched on a lot of the work Tony Mills had done over the years, but we’d probably need a part two to cover it all so we touched on the major highlights. So, sit back and check out our discussion about the late, great singer Tony Mills!

Episode 25: Rick Ventura of Riot Act (& formerly of Riot)30 Apr 202201:04:40

We are back with a brand new episode of The Jersey Guys Podcast for you all and this time around we have special guest Rick Ventura formerly of Riot and currently of the new band Riot Act. Rick appeared on the classic Riot studio albums “Narita”, “Fire Down Under”, “Restless Breed”, “Born In America” as well as 1980’s “Riot Live”.

Joining us in the studio for this episode is special co-host Phil DiBenedetto, who was our very first guest on The Jersey Guys Podcast! Phil was of course the long-time owner of Zig Zag Records in Brooklyn, NY and he was the perfect co-host to bring Rick down memory lane and talk about those early days of Riot and the NY scene that they were both a part of.

Nowadays, Rick & Riot Act just released its debut album “Closer To The Flame”, so we touch on that as well and get all the details of what their plans are for 2022 and beyond.

So settle it and check this episode out. It was a real good one!

Episode 24: Larry "L.A." Greene from Fortune17 Apr 202200:46:44

On this episode of The Jersey Guys Podcast Mark & Tom talk with guest Larry “L.A.” Greene from the cult classic band Fortune (and also Harlan Cage where he teamed up with ex-Fortune keyboard player Roger Scott Craig). Fortune has just released their new album “Level Ground” earlier this year to rave reviews and let’s not forget their two other albums starting with the 1985 self-titled all-time AOR classic as well as 2019’s comeback “II”.

Larry talks about all the Fortune and Harlan Cage albums as well as his career as a soundtrack musician for film and TV where he’s written songs and music for films such as “Top Gun” (Tom Cruise), “Mystic Pizza” (Julia Roberts) and “Over The Top” (Sylvester Stallone).

All in all it was a great interview with this super-talented singer and songwriter, so we hope you enjoy this one!

Episode 23: Anthony Corder from Tora Tora10 Apr 202201:08:40

A brand new episode is up and this week Tom and Mark talk with Anthony Corder of Tora Tora. The band debuted in 1989 with “Surprise Attack” and their MTV hit “Walkin’ Shoes”. Their sophomore release “Wild America” was released in 1992 and, as with so many hard rock bands of the ‘80s, grunge took over and even though the band completed work on its 3rd album it would not see the light of day until 2011 when “Revolution Day” (FNA Records) would hit the shelves. The band would eventually regroup and ultimately release it’s newest album titled “Bastards of Beale” in 2019.

Currently the band has been putting some new music out via single releases with a new one due very soon as Anthony broke the news right here on episode 23 of The Jersey Guys Podcast!

So sit back and check it out right here and on all your favorite podcast streaming apps!

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