Rose Tattoo are an Australian rock and roll band, founded by slide guitarist Pete Wells in 1976, lead vocalist Tony Lake, rhythm guitarist Leigh Johnston, bassist Ian Rilen, and drummer Michael Vandersluys completed the bands first line-up. The band currently consists of lead vocalist Angry Anderson (since 1976), drummer Paul DeMarco (who first joined in 1992), bassist Mark Evans (since 2017) and guitarists Mick Arnold and Ronnie Simmons (both since 2022).
Rose Tattoo were formed in Sydney in 1976 with Leigh Johnston on rhythm guitar, Tony Lake on lead vocals and they were led by slide guitarist Peter Wells. Drummer Michael Vandersluys completed the line-up. [1] [2] [3] Ian Rilen from Band of Light soon joined on bass guitar, [3] [4] guitarist Mick Cocks soon replaced Johnston. [3] Lake and Vandersluys were substituted by former Buster Brown members Angry Anderson and Dallas "Digger" Royall, respectively. [3]
in 1977 Rillen departed, Buster Brown bass guitarist Geordie Leach was recruited to record their self-titled debut LP, Rose Tattoo . Leach left the band in May 1979 and was replaced by Neil Smith, [5] before Lobby Loyde joined in October. [1] By September 1980, Loyde had left and Leach returned. [1]
Robin Riley replaced Cocks in 1982. In 1983, after the US tour, Riley, Royall and Wells all left. The remaining duo of Anderson and Leach recruited guitarists Greg Jordan and John Meyer, and drummer Scott Johnston. After recording 1984's Southern Stars , Leach left and the band went on a brief hiatus while Anderson pursued acting.
In 1985, Rose Tattoo returned with the line-up of Anderson, Johnston, Meyer, Andy Cichon (bass, piano) and Tim Gaze (slide guitar), Meyer left in 1986 and the remaining line-up recorded Beats from a Single Drum. Cichon left in late 1986 and was replaced by Jake Lardot (bass) and Rick Melick (keys) before the band disbanded in 1987. [1]
In the early 1990s, Anderson tried to reunite Rose Tattoo, but Dallas Royall died in 1991. [6] Rose Tattoo supported Guns N' Roses on the Australian leg of their Use Your Illusion Tour. Anderson, Wells, Cocks, Leach were joined by new drummer, Paul DeMarco, from Wells' solo band reunited for the 1993 tour. The reunion was brief as each returned to solo projects. [1]
Rose Tattoo, with original bassist Ian Rilen replacing Leach, reformed yet again in 1998 for the "All Hell Breaks Loose!!" tour, however Rilen remained with the band only for the duration of this tour. By the following year, Leach had returned to the fold once more, although his place was taken by Steve King in 2000, around the same time Cocks departed and was replaced by a returning Riley.
In 2002, Wells was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, but he continued to perform with Rose Tattoo, [7] although he was subbed in 2004 by Dai Pritchard. [8] Wells died on 27 March 2006, Cocks returned in 2005, with Riley moving onto slide guitar in Wells absence. [9] Mick O'Shea briefly replaced DeMarco in 2006. [10] Dai Pritchard returned in 2007, replacing Riley, alongside Leach, replacing King. [11] Mick Cocks died of liver cancer on 22 December 2009, [12] he had previously been subbed by Riley who stayed after his death, [13] until his departure in 2011. Guitarist Randall Waller joined as Riley's replacement, Geordie Leach left in 2013. [14] Rose Tattoo were inactive following the arrest and imprisonment of drummer Paul DeMarco. [15]
The band returned in 2017, with Anderson and Pritchard joined by bassist Mark Evans, guitarist Bob Spencer, and drummer John Watson. [16] Watson was replaced by Jackie Barnes in 2018, [17] Barnes was replaced by Justin Ngariki in 2019, [18] who had previously subbed for him in 2018. [19] Pritchard departed in April 2021. [20]
In 2022 the band were joined by Mick Arnold on slide guitar and returning Paul DeMarco on drums. [21] Bob Spencer departed in late 2022 and was replaced by Ronnie Simmons. [22]
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Angry Anderson |
| lead vocals | all releases | |
Paul DeMarco |
| drums |
| |
Mark Evans | 2017–present |
| Outlaws (2020) | |
Mick Arnold | 2022–present |
| none to date | |
Ronnie Simmons |
|
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Peter Wells |
|
|
| |
Tony Lake | 1976 | lead vocals | none | |
Michael "Stork" Vandersluys | drums | |||
Leigh Johnston |
| |||
Ian Rilen |
|
| Rose Tattoo (1978) | |
Mick Cocks |
|
|
| |
Dallas "Digger" Royall | 1976–1983 (died 1991) | drums |
| |
Gordon "Geordie" Leach |
|
|
| |
Neil Smith | 1979 (died 2013) | bass guitar | none | |
Lobby Loyde | 1979–1980 (died 2007) | |||
Robin Riley |
|
|
| |
Scott Johnston | 1983–1987 |
|
| |
John Meyer | 1983–1985 (died 2020) | guitar | Southern Stars (1984) | |
Greg Jordan | 1983–1985 |
| ||
Tim Gaze | 1985–1987 | Beats from a Single Drum (1986) | ||
Andy Cichon | 1985–1986 |
| ||
Rick Melick | 1987 | keyboards | none | |
Jake Lardot | bass guitar | |||
Steve King | 2000–2007 |
| ||
Dai Pritchard |
| slide guitar |
| |
Mick O'Shea | 2005 | drums | none | |
Randall Waller | 2013–2016 | guitar | ||
Bob Spencer | 2017–2022 | Outlaws (2020) | ||
John Watson | 2017–2018 | drums | none | |
Jackie Barnes | 2018–2019 | Outlaws (2020) | ||
Justin Ngariki |
| none |
Period | Members | Releases |
---|---|---|
early 1976 |
| none |
| ||
| ||
mid 1976 – 1977 |
|
|
1977 – May 1979 |
|
|
May – October 1979 |
| none |
October 1979 – September 1980 |
| |
September 1980 – 1982 |
|
|
1982 – 1983 |
|
|
1983 – 1984 |
|
|
1985 – 1986 |
| none |
1986 |
|
|
1987 |
| none |
Inactive 1987 – 1992 | ||
1992 – 1993 |
| none |
Inactive 1993 – 1998 | ||
1998 |
| none |
1999 |
| |
2000 – 2004 |
|
|
2004 |
| none |
2004 – 2005 |
| |
2005 |
| |
2005 – 2006 |
| |
2006 – 2007 |
|
|
2007 – 2009 |
| none |
2009 – 2011 |
| |
2011 – 2013 |
| |
Inactive 2013 – 2017 | ||
2017 – 2018 |
| none |
2018 – 2019 |
|
|
2019 – 2021 |
| none |
2022 |
| |
2022 – present |
| none to date |
Gary Stephen "Angry" Anderson is an Australian rock singer, songwriter, television personality and actor. He has been the lead vocalist and the last remaining original member of the hard rock band Rose Tattoo since 1976. As a solo artist, he is best known for his international hit "Suddenly" (1987).
Rose Tattoo are an Australian rock and roll band, now led by Angry Anderson, which formed in Sydney in 1976. Their sound is hard rock mixed with blues rock influences, with songs including "Bad Boy for Love", "Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw", "Nice Boys", "We Can't Be Beaten" and "Scarred for Life". Their first four albums were produced by Harry Vanda and George Young who also worked with AC/DC. They disbanded in 1987, subsequently reforming briefly in 1993 to support Guns N' Roses on an Australian tour. They reassembled again from 1998 and have since released two more studio albums.
Ian William Rilen was an Australian musician. He was bass guitarist and songwriter with rock and roll band Rose Tattoo, and led punk rock group X on guitar and vocals. Rilen was born in Bendigo, Victoria, started his musical career in Sydney and later lived in Melbourne.
L.A. Guns are an American glam metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 1983. The lineup currently consists of Tracii Guns, Phil Lewis, Ace Von Johnson, Johnny Martin, Adam Hamilton and Shawn Duncan. The first incarnation of the group was formed by Tracii Guns and Rob Gardner in 1983 and merged with fellow Los Angeles group Hollywood Rose to form Guns N' Roses in March 1985. After only a brief tenure in that band, Guns reformed L.A. Guns with a new lineup, consisting of Paul Black, Mick Cripps, Robert Stoddard, and Nickey Alexander. Black would soon be replaced by former Girl singer Phil Lewis while former Faster Pussycat bassist Kelly Nickels was added to the group. Later, Alexander would be replaced by former W.A.S.P. drummer Steve Riley with this being known as the "classic lineup" of L.A. Guns. They achieved moderate chart success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. However, the group went through numerous lineup changes and failed to regain mainstream attention.
Tracy Irving Richard Ulrich, known professionally as Tracii Guns, is an American guitarist best known as the co-founder of glam metal group L.A. Guns, as well as the supergroups Brides of Destruction and Contraband. He was also a founding member of Guns N' Roses, but left shortly afterwards and was replaced by guitarist Slash.
Steve Riley was an American rock drummer, best known for his work with Keel, W.A.S.P., and L.A. Guns.
Peter William "Pete" Wells was the founder and slide guitarist in Australian hard rock band, Rose Tattoo, from 1976 to 1983. He was previously bass guitarist with the pioneering heavy metal outfit Buffalo from 1971 to 1976. Wells also had a solo career and issued albums, Everything You Like Tries to Kill You (1991), The Meaning of Life (1992), No Hard Feelings (1993), Orphans (1994), Go Ahead, Call the Cops (1996), It's All Fun and Games 'till Somebody Gets Hurt (1999), Hateball (2000) and Solo (2002). In 2002, he was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer and, on 27 March 2006, Wells died of the disease, aged 59. Rose Tattoo were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame on 16 August of that same year.
Tank is an English heavy metal band formed in 1980 by Algy Ward, a former member of The Damned. The original band is known as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. Tank was often compared to Motörhead as both bands were trios fronted by singing bassists, and played a loose, almost punk-styled metal music with often colourful lyrics.
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Michael Thomas Cocks, known professionally as Mick Cocks, was an Australian musician, most noted for his guitar and songwriting work with Rose Tattoo. His original sound and style heavily influenced Guns N' Roses, who recorded a cover of the Rose Tattoo song "Nice Boys". He was also a member of Heaven, The Headhunters, Illustrated Men, Doomfoxx, Pete Wells' Heart Attack, and the Ted Mulry Gang. On 16 August 2006, Rose Tattoo were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame.
Rose Tattoo is the debut self-titled album by Australian hard rock band Rose Tattoo released in November 1978 on the Albert Productions label. It was produced by the famous Vanda & Young team who have worked with AC/DC, The Angels and Stevie Wright. The album was released as Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw in some markets. Eight bonus tracks were added for the 1990 CD edition for Repertoire Records.
Assault & Battery is the second studio album by Australian hard rock band Rose Tattoo, released in September 1981 and peaked at number 27 on the Kent Music Report.
Scarred For Life is the third studio album by Australian hard rock band Rose Tattoo. The album was released in October 1982 and peaked at number 11 on the Kent Music Report. Scarred for Life launched Rose Tattoo to international success with the rock anthem "We Can't Be Beaten".
Buster Brown was an Australian rock band, which featured vocalist Angry Anderson and drummer Phil Rudd, that was formed in Melbourne in 1973. Their sound was hard rock mixed with blues rock influences. Their first album, Something to Say was produced by Lobby Loyde and released in 1974. Rudd left to join an early version of AC/DC while Anderson continued with new line-ups and eventually disbanded the group in November 1975. Anderson joined Rose Tattoo which later included former Buster Brown bandmates, Geordie Leach on bass guitar and Dallas "Digger" Royall on drums.
Abbath is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 2015 by former Immortal guitarist and vocalist Abbath Doom Occulta after departing from Immortal earlier in 2015. To date, the band has released three studio albums: Abbath (2016), Outstrider (2019) and Dread Reaver (2022).
Southern Stars is the fourth studio album by Australian hard rock band Rose Tattoo. The album was recorded with Angry Anderson on lead vocals, Geordie Leach on bass guitar and new members Greg Jordan on slide and lead guitars, John Meyer on guitar and Scott Johnston on drums. It peaked at No. 30 on the Kent Music Report albums chart. Anderson explained the band's high turn-over rate, "people who got the chop were those who just couldn't cut it musically... [they] thought that a 30-day tour was a 30-day party. Some of them just could not be told... If you want to make it overseas you have to approach it intelligently and professionally".
Dallas Leslie "Digger" Royall was an Australian hard rock drummer. He was a member of Band of Talabene (1973), Buster Brown (1975) and Rose Tattoo (1976–1983). He died of an unspecified cancer in 1991 while being treated for heroin and alcohol addictions.
Doomfoxx was an Australian hard rock band that existed between 2004 and 2010. During their most active and successful period, the band consisted of Stu McKie (vocals), Mick Cocks and Dave Thomas (guitar), Archi Read (bass) and Jase Burec (drums). The band was most successful in western Europe, particularly Germany, where they toured extensively. Doomfoxx released an EP and an album, both called Doomfoxx, and a second album that was never released.