Hell's Belles (band)

Last updated
Hell's Belles
Hell's Belles Corvallis OR 2013.jpg
Hell's Belles, live in 2013
Background information
Origin Seattle, Washington, United States
Genres Hard rock
Years active2000-present
Members
  • Adrian Conner
  • Nicole Ridge
  • Simona Bressi
  • Jess Coram
  • Lauren Piston
Past members
  • Amy Stolzenbach
  • Sylvia Wiedemann
  • Om Johari
  • Melodie Zapata
  • Sharon Needles
  • Judy Cocuzza
  • Lisa Brisbois
  • Mandy Leinenweber
  • Amber Saxon
  • Jamie Nova
Website www.hellsbelles.info

Hell's Belles are an all-female AC/DC tribute band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 2000. [1]

Contents

History

The band was formed in 2000 by guitarist Amy Stolzenbach and singer Om Johari, with original guitarist Sylvia Weidemann and original drummer Laura Derig. [2] Mandy Reed replaced original bassist Heather Madden in 2001, and Stolzenbach was replaced by Adrian Conner in 2002. Other members included rhythm guitarist Lisa Brisbois. [2] In their early years together the band regularly toured both the United States and overseas, but by 2004 their performances were less frequent, all members having other commitments. [2] [3] By summer 2005, Jamie Nova had been added to the line-up, replacing Johari. Nova was replaced by current vocalist Australian native Amber Saxon since February 2011. [4] Since then they have returned to their constant touring schedule and continue to play all over the United States and have added Singapore to their touring schedule.

Adrian Conner moved to Austin TX in 2004 and started her own original band, Adrian and the Sickness, and tours frequently with them across the US. Their latest album release, B.F.D., was produced by Kathy Valentine of the Go-Go's. [5]

Hell's Belles has toured Canada, Japan and Singapore. The band released an album in 2005, We Salute You, and performed at the Winter and Summer X-Games, the 2009 and 2010 Beerfest Asia in Singapore and Sundance Film Festival in 2007. [4] They are currently working on a second release with new singer Amber Saxon, who is also the singer of Australian band BugGiRL.

Brisbois said of the band in 2005: "We want women to be empowered by this. It makes me proud to be in a band with all women, rock as hard as we do and stay as true to AC/DC as we can." [6]

Angus Young said of the band in 2001: "It's flattering. It's great to know that other musicians like you enough to play a tribute to you." [4] In 2003 he described Hell's Belles as "The Best AC/DC cover I've heard". [7]

Members

Former members

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AC/DC</span> Australian rock band

AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in 1973. It was founded by brothers Malcolm Young on rhythm guitar and Angus Young on lead guitar. Their current line-up comprises Angus, bass guitarist Cliff Williams, drummer Phil Rudd, lead vocalist Brian Johnson and rhythm guitarist Stevie Young, nephew of Angus and Malcolm. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock and heavy metal, but the band calls it simply "rock and roll". They are cited as a formative influence on the new wave of British heavy metal bands, such as Def Leppard and Saxon. AC/DC were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malcolm Young</span> Australian guitarist (1953–2017)

Malcolm Mitchell Young was an Australian musician who was the rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and a founding member of the hard rock band AC/DC. Except for a brief absence in 1988, he was a member of AC/DC from its inception in 1973 until retiring in 2014 for health reasons. As a member of AC/DC, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. Rolling Stone named Young as the 38th best guitarist of all time along with his younger brother and fellow AC/DC member Angus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krokus (band)</span> Swiss hard rock/heavy metal band

Krokus is a Swiss hard rock and heavy metal band formed in 1975. They were popular in North America during the 1980s. The band was founded in Solothurn in 1975 by Chris von Rohr and Tommy Kiefer (guitar), both former members of Kaktus. Former TEA vocalist Marc Storace joined the band as frontman in time for their Metal Rendez-vous album in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dark Star Orchestra</span> American cover band

Dark Star Orchestra is a Grateful Dead cover band formed in Chicago, Illinois. They serve now as a international touring tribute band to the rock group the Grateful Dead. Since 1997, the band has been "celebrating the Grateful Dead concert experience."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amber Pacific</span> American pop punk band

Amber Pacific is an American pop-punk band that formed in 2002 in Federal Way, Washington. The band has released four full-length albums, The Possibility and the Promise in 2005, Truth in Sincerity in 2007, Virtues in 2010 and The Turn in 2014.

<i>Let There Be Rock: The Movie – Live in Paris</i> 1997 live album / Soundtrack album by AC/DC

Let There Be Rock: The Movie – Live in Paris is a live double album by the hard rock band AC/DC, released as "Disc Two" and "Disc Three" of the Bonfire box set in 1997. It is also the soundtrack to the film AC/DC: Let There Be Rock. It is the last album Bon Scott recorded with the band before he died, just two months before his death and was released posthumously.

Rob Bailey is an Australian musician who was an early bassist with the hard rock band AC/DC. He joined the group in April 1974, with Malcolm Young, Angus Young, Dave Evans and Peter Clack (drums). Bailey left in January 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anvil (band)</span> Canadian heavy metal band

Anvil is a Canadian heavy metal band formed in Toronto in 1978. The band currently consists of founding members Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner, along with bassist Chris Robertson (bass) who joined in 2014. As of 2024, the band has released twenty studio albums; they have been cited as having influenced many notable heavy metal groups including Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, and Metallica.

Betty Blowtorch is an all-female American hard rock band from Southern California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution</span> 1980 single by AC/DC

"Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" is a song by the rock band AC/DC. It is the tenth and final track of their album released in 1980, Back in Black. It is the fourth and final single released from the album. The song reached number 15 on the UK singles charts, the highest placing of any song on the album.

Nantucket is a Southern rock band formed in Jacksonville, North Carolina in 1969. Originally known as a Beach music band named Stax of Gold, and later Nantucket Sleighride and eventually shortened to Nantucket, the six-member group—Tommy Redd, Larry Uzzell, Mike Uzzell, Eddie Blair, Kenny Soule, and Mark Downing—first became successful in their home state of North Carolina as a cover band.

AC/DShe is an all-female AC/DC tribute band. The band, which was founded in San Francisco, covers only pre-1980s AC/DC songs. The band was created by Nicki Williams and Amy Ward in 1997. AC/DShe has toured throughout the US and in Europe and performed at the AC/DC tribute festival in Wales in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Razors Edge World Tour</span> 1990–1991 concert tour by AC/DC

The Razors Edge World Tour was a concert tour played by the hard rock band AC/DC, in support of their twelfth studio album The Razors Edge. This tour had 5 legs around the world lasting 12 months starting on 2 November 1990 in Worcester, Massachusetts, finishing on 16 November 1991 in Auckland, New Zealand.

The Blow Up Your Video World Tour was a concert tour played by the hard rock band AC/DC, which had 5 legs spreading over the course of 10 months starting on 1 February 1988 in Perth, Australia, finishing on 13 November 1988 in Inglewood, California.

Black Steel is an Australian heavy metal band, whose career highlights include supporting rock legends Deep Purple (2000), Judas Priest, Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society (2006) and appearing at the Metallica-headlined 'Big Day Out' Perth show in 2004. They are listed in Garry Sharpe-Young's 'The A-Z of Power Metal', and have received international acclaim in the genre. Most notably in 'Kerrang!' magazine. with a KKKK rating, and 'Power Play' magazine with a 7/10 rating. Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson also spoke favourably of Black Steel during his BBC radio show 'Bruce's Rock Show', playing the track 'Slaughterhouse' from the band's 2005 album 'Hellhammer'.

"I'm a Rebel" is a hard rock song written by Scottish musician Alex Young, that has been recorded and released by Accept and U.D.O.

The For Those About to Rock Tour was a concert tour by the Australian hard rock band AC/DC, in support of their eighth studio album, For Those About to Rock We Salute You, which was released on 20 November 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angry Samoans</span> American punk rock band

The Angry Samoans is an American punk rock band from the first wave of American punk, formed in August 1978 in Los Angeles, California, by early 1970s rock writer "Metal" Mike Saunders, his sibling lead guitarist Bonze Blayk and Gregg Turner, along with original recruits Todd Homer (bass) and Bill Vockeroth (drums).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillbilly Herald</span> American rock and roll band

Hillbilly Herald is an American rock and roll band that formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2008. The band has toured North America several times, including as the opening act for Slash, and has been recognized for its gritty and boisterous live show.

<i>Humanary Stew: A Tribute to Alice Cooper</i> 1999 compilation album by Various artists

Humanary Stew: A Tribute to Alice Cooper is a 1999 tribute album to American rock musician Alice Cooper.

References

  1. Nelson, Chris (2001) "AC/DC's Angus Young Spotted In Miniskirt", MTV, 8 June 2001
  2. 1 2 3 Armstrong, Doree (September 24, 2004). "Belles aim to deliver a safe jolt of AC/DC". Seattle Post-Intelligencer .
  3. Smith, Perry (December 10, 2007). "MUSIC: Hell's Belles Off the Road, but Still Rockin'". Kitsap Sun .
  4. 1 2 3 Stout, Gene (April 17, 2008). "Get amped up for AC/DC tribute band Hell's Belles at Rocksport". Seattle Post-Intelligencer .
  5. "Adrian and the Sickness" . Retrieved June 27, 2012.
  6. Krusen, Lindsey (December 29, 2005). "These belles are on the highway to hell". Vail Daily .
  7. Blender magazine, 2003