Britny Fox

Last updated
Britny Fox
Origin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres
Years active
  • 1985–1992
  • 2000–2003
  • 2006-2008
  • 2015–2016
  • 2022–present (Billy Child's Britny Fox)
Labels Columbia, CBS Records, East West, Spitfire
Past membersJamie Fletcher
Greg Polcari
Greg D'Angelo
Michael Kelly Smith
Dean Davidson
Tony Destra
Adam Ferraioli
Tommy Krash
Henry Nowak
Billy Childs
Johnny Dee
Tommy Paris
Chris Sanders

Britny Fox was an American glam metal band from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, initially active from 1985 to 1992 then subsequently reforming from 2000 to 2003, again in 2006 to 2008 and final time reforming in 2015 to 2016. They are best known for their music video for "Girlschool" and their minor hit "Long Way to Love" (U.S. No. 100). Bassist Billy Childs has been the only band member to be a part of each of the band's many lineups.

Contents

Drummer Johnny Dee performing live with Britny Fox Johnny Dee.jpg
Drummer Johnny Dee performing live with Britny Fox

History

Britny Fox formed in 1985 in Philadelphia. The band was originally fronted by lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist "Dizzy" Dean Davidson. The band also featured Billy Childs on bass, former Cinderella guitarist Michael Kelly Smith on lead guitar and former Cinderella drummer Tony Destra on drums. [8] The idea for the band's name was inspired by Davidson, who named the band in honor of a Welsh ancestor. They were described on a compilation as "trashy Victorian glam". [9]

Thanks to their connections to Cinderella, whom Michael Kelly Smith and Tony Destra were previous members of, the band was able to secure a major recording contract. However, just as things were beginning to look bright for the band, they soon dimmed. Tony Destra was killed in a car accident in 1987. [10] Facing a tour, they hired drummer Adam West (aka Adam Ferraioli) temporarily until landing what turned out to be long-term drummer, John DiTeodoro (Johnny Dee), who had been the drummer for the band Waysted. [9]

The band released a demo in 1986 titled In America, which drummer Tony Destra played on, and a demo in 1987 titled Rock Is Gonna Fight, which drummer Adam West played on. The band's self-titled debut album, released in 1988, [11] was one of the most successful premieres of the 1988–89 season, selling gold (500,000+ copies) and bringing more than 625,000 fans to their 130+ shows being direct support for Poison & RATT and with Warrant opening for them on a short headlining run. They also won Metal Edge magazine's 1988 Reader's Choice Award for Best New Band. [12] After the release of the band's second album in 1989, Boys in Heat , Davidson departed, and formed the band Blackeyed Susan. [11] He was replaced by Las Vegas native Tommy Paris aka Don Jillson formerly of the band Jillson. [13] Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde and Poison drummer Rikki Rockett guested on the band's third album, Bite Down Hard , which was released in 1991. However, the popularity of glam metal was on a decline around the time of the album's release, due to the rising popularity of the alternative rock/grunge movement.[ citation needed ] Britny Fox disbanded in 1992 for various reasons. [11]

Britny Fox reunited in 2000 with the same line-up before their disbandment, and released a fourth studio album, Springhead Motorshark, in 2003. The band toured the US and Europe in 2007 and 2008. Guitarist Tommy Krash and former White Lion drummer Greg D'Angelo was supposed to join at that time, but he broke his foot during rehearsal and was replaced by Henry Now.

As of late 2007, Britny Fox reformed under original bassist Billy Childs. The other former members of this line-up were lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Jamie Fletcher, lead guitarist Greg Polcari, and drummer Henry Now.

Bassist Billy Childs and the new lineup had a minor but billed role in the horror film Incest Death Squad (2009). [14] Childs is currently playing bass in the North American Led Zeppelin tribute band Get the Led Out. [15]

In 2010, "Dizzy" Dean Davidson unsuccessfully attempted to reunite the surviving members of the original line-up.

On April 25, 2015, the band announced that they had reunited with bassist Billy Childs, drummer Johnny Dee, long-time singer/rhythm guitarist Tommy Paris and new lead guitarist Chris Sanders as their line-up and that they are recording a new album. [16] This lineup played six shows in 2015 and eight shows in 2016, but none since. [17] Their last performance was on a Monsters Of Rock cruise in October 2016. [18] In a 2017 interview, Childs stated that the album project had been abandoned, but he stopped short of saying that the band had broken up. [19] In 2018, Sanders joined fellow glam metal band Ratt.

In 2022, Billy Childs formed his own incarnation of Britny Fox without the involvement of any other past members. This version has been described as a tribute band and has not been confirmed to be the official Britny Fox. They are currently touring as of 2023 and are scheduled to play at the M3 Rock Festival.

More recently in 2023, former lead guitarist Michael Kelly Smith confirmed in several new interviews that he is in touch with all surviving original members and is considering bringing an official version of the band back for a reunion with the lineup from the first two albums. Smith also teased the possibility of a new studio album.

Line-ups

(1985–1987)
(February–March 1987)
  • Dean Davidson – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Michael Kelly Smith – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Childs – bass, backing vocals
  • Adam West – drums, percussion
(1987–1990)
  • Dean Davidson – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Michael Kelly Smith – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Childs – bass, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Johnny Dee  – drums, percussion, backing vocals
(1990–1992), (2000–2003)
  • Tommy Paris – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
  • Michael Kelly Smith – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Childs – bass, backing vocals
  • Johnny Dee – drums, percussion, backing vocals
(2006–2007)
  • Tommy Paris – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
  • Tommy Krash – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Childs – bass, backing vocals
  • Greg D'Angelo  – drums, percussion, backing vocals
(2007)
  • Tommy Paris – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
  • Tommy Krash – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Childs – bass, backing vocals
  • Henry Now – drums, percussion, backing vocals
(Late 2007 - 2014)
  • Jamie Fletcher – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Greg Polcari – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Childs – bass, backing vocals
  • Henry Now – drums, percussion, backing vocals
(2015–2016)
  • Billy Childs – bass, backing vocals
  • Tommy Paris – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
  • Johnny Dee –

drums, percussion, backing vocals

  • Chris Sanders – lead guitar

Members

Billy Childs' Britny Fox

Past

Lead vocals/rhythm guitar

  • Dean Davidson (1985–1990)
  • Tommy Paris (1990-2007; 2015-2016)
  • Jamie Fletcher (2008–2014)

Lead guitar

  • Michael Kelly Smith (1985–1992; 2000–2003)
  • Tommy Krash (2006–2007)
  • Greg Polcari (Late 2007-2014)

Drums

Touring keyboards

  • Bobby Bunten (1988–1989)

Timeline

Britny Fox

Discography

Studio albums

YearAlbum US RIAA CertificationLabel
1988 Britny Fox 39GoldCBS
1989 Boys in Heat 79-CBS
1991 Bite Down Hard --EastWest
2003 Springhead Motorshark --Spitfire

Video albums

YearAlbum US RIAA CertificationLabel
1989Year of the Fox--CBS

Live albums

YearAlbum US RIAA CertificationLabel
2001Long Way to Live!--Spitfire
2002Live at Froggy's--Britny Fox Records
2006 Extended Versions --SBME Special Markets

Compilation albums

YearAlbum US RIAA CertificationLabel
2001 The Best of Britny Fox --CBS

Singles

YearSingleChart positionsAlbum
US Hot 100 [20] US Main Rock UK
1988"Long Way to Love"10033- Britny Fox
1989"Girlschool"--
"Save the Weak"---
"Standing in the Shadows"--101 Boys in Heat
1990"Dream On"-34-
1991"Louder"--- Bite Down Hard
"Over and Out"---
2003"Is It Real?"--- Springhead Motorshark
2007"Girlschool" "Long Way to Love"---Non-album single

Demos

Bootlegs

Other appearances

YearAlbumSong US RIAA CertificationLabel
1991 Nintendo: White Knuckle Scorin' "Turn On"--MCA
2019Tommy Krash and Friends, BRITNY FOX the Acoustic SessionsCompilation--DEKO

Soundtrack

YearSongMovieDescription
1988"Living on the Edge" Iron Eagle II Starring Louis Gossett Jr.

See also

Related Research Articles

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"Dizzy" Dean Davidson is an American singer, guitarist, and drummer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a founding member, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the glam metal band Britny Fox from 1985 to 1990. After leaving Britny Fox, Davidson formed the band Blackeyed Susan. The band disbanded in 1992 but reunited in 2000 without Davidson. In 2010, Davidson attempted to reunite Britny Fox but did not get past the talking stage. The band name, Britny Fox was named after the Welsh coat of arms of one of Davidson's 18th century ancestors. Davidson later expressed a dislike for the Britny Fox material, saying he was "controlled by management and the label" and calling the music "prefabricated".

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<i>Springhead Motorshark</i> 2003 studio album by Britny Fox

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References

  1. ↑ Talevski, Nick (2006). Rock Obituaries – Knocking On Heaven's Door. Omnibus Press. p. 130. ISBN   978-1-8460-9091-2.
  2. ↑ "Whatever Happened To: The B-Listers of Hair Metal". Consequence. 2010-09-26. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  3. ↑ "The Top 10 Biggest Hair Bands ... Literally | Guitar World". 2015-11-15. Archived from the original on 2015-11-15. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  4. ↑ McPadden 9/24/2015, Mike. "The Hair Metal 100: Ranking the '80s Greatest Glam Bands, Part 4". VH1 News. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved 2021-07-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ "Perfect Sound Forever: Hair Metal". www.furious.com. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  6. ↑ Company, Tampa Publishing. "When you think 'Britny Fox' ... does this group and song come to mind?". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  7. ↑ Blabbermouth (2008-02-18). "BRITNY FOX Off UK's Z ROCK 08 Festival; Replacement Act To Be Announced". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  8. ↑ Phillips, William (2009-03-20). Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal Music. Greenwich, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 45–46. ISBN   978-0-313-34800-6 . Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  9. 1 2 "Sleaze Roxx: Britny Fox". May 1, 2011. Archived from the original on May 1, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  10. ↑ Talevski, Nick (2006). Rock Obituaries - Knocking On Heaven's Door. London: Omnibus Press. p. 130. ISBN   978-1-84609-091-2 . Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  11. 1 2 3 Colin Larkin, ed. (1999). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 81. ISBN   0-7535-0257-7.
  12. ↑ Blush, Steven (2006). American Hair Metal. Los Angeles, CA: Feral House. p. 119. ISBN   978-1-932595-18-5 . Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  13. ↑ "Sleaze Roxx: Tommy Paris Interview". January 24, 2010. Archived from the original on January 24, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Incest Death Squad (2009)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  15. ↑ "Billy Childs bio". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  16. ↑ "BRITNY FOX Has Reunited And Is Back In Studio". Blabbermouth.net. April 25, 2015. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Britny Fox Tour Statistics". Setlist.fm. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Britny Fox - Girl School". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.
  19. ↑ Alamo, Angel (March 11, 2017). "Interview with Billy Childs (Britny Fox)". Angelalamo.com. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  20. ↑ "The Hot 100 Chart - October 1st, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-03-25.


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