For Danger Danger, good things seem to come in twos. Formed in 1987 by
founding members Bruno Ravel (bass) and Steve West (drums), and rounded
out by Ted Poley (vocals) Andy Timmons (guitar) and Kasey Smith
(keyboards), it didn't take long for the band to be noticed by Epic
Records' Lennie Petze. Petze, who had earlier discovered Cyndi Lauper
and Aldo Nova, to name a few, made Danger Danger the first signing to
his newly minted Imagine Records imprint. Released in 1989, the
self-titled Imagine/Epic release struck gold. While touring with Kiss,
Alice Cooper, Warrant and Extreme, the band smashed out two hit singles
at both radio and MTV - the now classic Naughty Naughty, and the highly
infectious Bang Bang. Good things for Danger Danger did indeed, come in
twos.
1991 saw the release of Screw It! With
extensive touring and overwhelming press coverage, Screw It! actualized
two hits, Monkey Business and I Still Think About You. Another tour with
Kiss, this time in Europe, and a second sold out headlining tour of
Japan, solidified Danger Danger’s place in the rock world. Now a hot
commodity, success could be seen night after sold-out night, whether
they were opening for the biggest rock acts or headlining venues on
their own.
In 1993, Danger Danger recorded their
third disc for Sony - Cockroach - however, due to legal wrangling, the
album wouldn’t see the light of day until eight years later. Upon
completion of the album, the band parted ways with lead singer Ted Poley.
Needing a replacement, friend and former Elektra recording artist,
Canadian Paul Laine stepped in. The lead vocals were re-recorded with
Laine, and the album was once again back on the release schedule. Soon
thereafter, the band and Sony were both hit with lawsuits from the
departed singer, thus causing Sony to decide it was in their best
interest to shelve the record. Eventually, the band amicably parted ways
with the label.
In 1995, Ravel and West formed Low Dice
Records, and released their first album for the label - Dawn. Conceived
during this dark chapter for the band, the record was somewhat of a
departure from their earlier work, reflecting a somber and introspective
tone both musically and lyrically.
1998 saw the release of Four The Hard
Way, a return to the band’s original melodic rock roots. The album was
heralded as a classic in the genre, receiving rave reviews throughout
the world.
The Return Of The Great Gildersleeves
followed in 2000. It too, was greeted with stellar reviews from critics
and fans the world over, further helping cement the band's reputation.
In 2001, the long awaited and eagerly
anticipated Cockroach was finally released. In a joint venture with Sony
Music, Low Dice Records issued a 2 CD set featuring both versions of the
album. Disc one features vocalist Laine, while disc two features
original lead singer Ted Poley. The response was overwhelming. The album
consistently landed on top ten lists everywhere. It has been hailed as
Danger Danger’s finest album to date.
In 2002, VH1 voted the group one of the
“top 40 hairbands of all time,” landing at number 25, and featuring them
in their hit special VH1’s “Top 40 Hairbands Of All Time.” Later that
year, the band scored another coup when their song Naughty Naughty
Christmas was featured in the #1 movie in America – Disney’s "The Santa
Clause 2."
2003 saw two releases - Rare Cuts, a
collection of unreleased and rare tracks, and the critically acclaimed
We Wish You A Hairy Christmas, a collection of Christmas songs featuring
some of the biggest “hair bands” of all time. Singling out the band,
Rolling Stone had this to say: “Danger Danger’s Naughty Naughty Xmas
affirms that beneath all the hair spray, the Eighties-metal boom
included a bunch of totally rocking Cheap Trick tribute bands.” More
praise came as Guitar For The Practicing Musician magazine declared
Danger Danger’s self-titled debut one of the ‘’50 Greatest Guitar Albums
Of The ‘80s.’’
After an 11-year absence, 2004 saw the
return of original vocalist Ted Poley The re-united band’s first show
was in front of 25,000 people at the prestigious Sweden Rock Festival.
Danger Danger’s performance was hailed as one of the highlights of the
three-day festival, garnering rave reviews from both fans and critics
alike.
.
2007 - Razor & Tie release Monster Ballads Xmas featuring Naughty
Naughty Christmas.
2009 - Burrn! Magazine names Danger Danger’s self-titled debut one of
the “200 Essential Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Albums” of the past 25 years.
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the band’s now classic debut,
Danger Danger release Revolve, a new album featuring the reunited
members. The record enters the Swedish Top 100 albums chart in its first
week and lands on critics’ year-end top ten lists, worldwide.
For more information please visit
www.dangerdanger.com
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