The Four Horsemen (band)

Last updated
The Four Horsemen
Origin Hollywood, California, U.S.
Genres Hard rock, blues rock
Years active1989–1996
LabelsCaroline/ILL, Def American, Magnetic Air
Past members Haggis
Dave Lizmi
Frank C. Starr
Ben Pape
Ken "Dimwit" Montgomery
Ron Young
Pharaoh Barrett
Mike Lavoie
Chuck Biscuits
Randy Cooke
Mike Valentine
Tim Beattie
Victor Murgatroyd
Website www.thefourhorsemen.com

The Four Horsemen were an American hard rock band who enjoyed brief popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Their style was blues-influenced hard rock, but their fame was both fleeting and marred by tragedy.

Contents

History

The Four Horsemen were formed in the late 1980s by the Welsh-born guitarist Stephen Harris (a.k.a. Kid Chaos a.k.a. "Haggis"), who had been a member of Zodiac Mindwarp and a touring bassist for The Cult. [1] Haggis formed the band in Hollywood, California, when he decided to leave The Cult, switching from bass to rhythm guitar. [2] He had previously worked with Rick Rubin, the producer of the Electric album for the Cult, who introduced Haggis to the vocalist Frank Starr. [2] Rubin also suggested the drummer Ken "Dimwit" Montgomery to Haggis. Dimwit was the brother of Charles Montgomery, aka Chuck Biscuits, then drummer with Danzig who were also working with Rubin. [3]

Their first release was a self-titled four track EP in 1989, which was influenced by the sound of AC/DC and early Status Quo. [2]

Their debut album, Nobody Said it Was Easy, produced by Rubin, was released in 1991, following a two-year delay when Starr was arrested on drug charges and spent six months in jail. [4] The album generated the title track as a single, followed by the hit "Rockin' Is Ma' Business". However, Starr was arrested again and this time spent a year in jail on a drugs charge. [4] This, combined with poor album sales as the grunge scene started to take over from traditional rock, caused the record label to drop them in 1992. [5]

In 1994, the band, minus Haggis and Pape [4] who had quit having had enough of Starr's behaviour, [2] reconciled their differences and started to put together a third release which was to become Gettin' Pretty Good... at Barely Gettin' By. [4] But the first of two tragedies struck on September 27, 1994, when their original drummer, Ken Montgomery, died of a drug overdose. [4] The band continued with production of the album, dedicating it to Montgomery and with Chuck Biscuits taking over on drums for the album's completion. [6]

In November 1995, Starr was hit by a drunk driver, while driving his motorcycle down Sunset Strip. Starr suffered a severe head injury which left him in a coma. [5] Dave Lizmi carried on with the band as the sole remaining original member, releasing Gettin' Pretty Good... at Barely Gettin' By in 1996 on the Magnetic Air label, and embarking on a tour with vocalist Ron Young, formerly of Little Caesar, replacing Starr. [4] Though it was initially hoped that Starr would recover, he eventually died on June 18, 1999. [5] Following Starr's death, the band broke up.

In 2005, Haggis and Lizmi assembled as much archive footage of the band as they could gather, and released a two disc retrospective, Left for Dead. [2] Disc one was a DVD featuring all videos from the Nobody Said it Was Easy CD, plus rare interviews, live performances, and behind the scenes footage. Disc two was a live album.

The song, "Back In Business Again", from their Gettin' Pretty Good... at Barely Gettin' By album, was featured in the G.I. Joe: Retaliation soundtrack. [6] [7]

Line-up

Original members (1989):

Other players:

Discography

Studio albums

EP releases

Live album

Compilation album

Singles

YearSong U.S. Mainstream Rock [8]
1991"Nobody Said it Was Easy"16
1991"Rockin Is Ma Business"38
1992"Tired Wings"27

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Living Colour</span> American rock band

Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. The band currently consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish. Stylistically, their music is a creative fusion influenced by heavy metal, funk, jazz, hip hop, punk, and alternative rock. The band's lyrics range from the personal to the political, including social commentary on racism in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cult</span> English rock band

The Cult are an English rock band formed in Bradford in 1983. Before settling on their current name in January 1984, the band performed under the name Death Cult, which was an evolution of the name of lead vocalist Ian Astbury's previous band Southern Death Cult. They gained a dedicated following in the United Kingdom in the mid-1980s as a post-punk and gothic rock band, with singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary", before breaking into the mainstream in the United States in the late 1980s establishing themselves as a hard rock band with singles such as "Love Removal Machine". Since its initial formation in 1983, the band have had various line-ups; the longest-serving members are Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy, who are also the band's two main songwriters.

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

Danzig is an American heavy metal band led by former Samhain and Misfits singer Glenn Danzig. Formed in 1987 in Lodi, New Jersey, the group early on became a unique voice in the rock scene, playing a bluesy, doom-laden metal with Glenn Danzig crooning in the style of Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley. Danzig's openly satanic lyrics and image stirred controversy. After a major hit with a live version of its 1988 song "Mother", the band experimented with industrial music but later returned to heavy metal. As of 2023, Danzig has released 12 studio albums, two EPs, one live album, and one compilation album.

Chuck Biscuits is a Canadian drummer best known for his work in several punk rock bands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D.O.A. (band)</span> Canadian punk rock band

D.O.A. is a Canadian punk rock band from Vancouver. They are often referred to as being among the "founders" of hardcore punk, along with Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains, Angry Samoans, Germs, and Middle Class. Their second album Hardcore '81 was thought by many to have been the first actual reference to the second wave of the American punk sound as hardcore.

<i>Thrall-Demonsweatlive</i> 1993 EP by Danzig

Thrall-Demonsweatlive is an EP by American heavy metal band Danzig. It was released in 1993 on Def American Recordings and has been certified Gold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samhain (band)</span> American rock band

Samhain was an American rock band formed by singer Glenn Danzig in 1983, immediately following his departure from The Misfits. Glenn Danzig originally planned Samhain as a side project with Eerie Von. After the Misfits' contentious 1983 dissolution, Samhain became Danzig's full-time band.

<i>Final Descent</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Samhain

Final Descent is the third and final studio album by American deathrock band Samhain, first released in 1990, more than three years after lead singer Glenn Danzig and bassist Eerie Von had recruited guitarist John Christ and drummer Chuck Biscuits to form Danzig.

<i>Danzig 4</i> 1994 studio album by Danzig

Danzig 4, also titled Danzig 4P, is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Danzig. Released in 1994, it was the band's final album on American Recordings, and the last to feature the original lineup of John Christ (guitar), Eerie Von (bass), and Chuck Biscuits (drums). Danzig 4 followed 1993's highly successful Thrall-Demonsweatlive EP and singer Glenn Danzig's 1992 instrumental solo effort, Black Aria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Subhumans (Canadian band)</span> Canadian punk rock band

Subhumans were a Canadian punk rock band formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Mr. T Experience</span> American punk rock band

The Mr. T Experience is an American punk rock band formed in 1985 in Berkeley, California, United States. They have released eleven full-length albums along with numerous EPs and singles and have toured internationally. Their music is best classified as pop punk and is intentionally playful, comical, and satirical, often dealing with issues of love and relationships. The band's name is taken from actor and television personality Mr. T.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enter the Haggis</span> Canadian Celtic rock band

Enter the Haggis is a Canadian Celtic rock band based in Toronto. The band was founded in 1995 by Craig Downie, the only remaining original member in the lineup, which currently consists of Downie, Brian Buchanan, Trevor Lewington, Caroline Browning (bass), and Tom Barraco (drums). For about a year, starting in late 2014, they recorded and performed under the name Jubilee Riots, and released their eighth studio album Penny Black under that name, before returning to the original name.

Kid Chaos, also known as Haggis is a British rock bassist and guitarist who played in incarnations of hard rock bands Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction, The Cult and The Four Horsemen as well as guesting with Appetite for Destruction era Guns N' Roses.

Love/Hate is an American hard rock/glam metal band based in Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cloud Cult</span> American rock band

Cloud Cult is an experimental indie rock band from St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States, led by singer-songwriter Craig Minowa. The name originated from the ancient prophecies of indigenous North Americans.

The Real Kids are an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, United States, led by guitarist, singer and songwriter John Felice.

U.S. Crush was an American California punk band, formed in 1997 after frontman Denny Lake's former project Atomic Boy split up. The band also featured Hodgie Haynes, David Hanson, Ky Lambert (bass) and Dennis Wolfe (drums).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danzig discography</span>

This is a comprehensive discography of Danzig, an American heavy metal band, started in 1987 by former Misfits and Samhain vocalist Glenn Danzig. The band has released eleven studio albums, one live album, one compilation album, two EPs and twenty-four singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benjamin Clapp</span> American musician from Boise, Idaho

Benjamin Clapp is an American musician from Boise, Idaho. He has performed, composed, and recorded music with numerous artists, most notably Erik Sanko and Skeleton Key, Tom Marshall (Phish) and Amfibian, Anthony Krizan, Jim Breuer, Kronos Quartet, Jesse Blaze Snider and Baptized By Fire, Dee Snider, Billy Martin, David Peel, and White Trash.

<i>Win the Battle</i> 2002 studio album by D.O.A.

Win The Battle is the 12th studio album by Canadian punk rock band D.O.A. The Slogan on the back cover was later used as the title for their 2010 release. All songs are written by Joe Keithley except where noted.

References

  1. ↑ "The Four Horsemen". Sleaze Roxx. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Stephen 'Haggis' Harris - The Four Horsemen - Interview Exclusive". Über Röck. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "Killjoy Interviews Chuck Biscuits & Bad Otis Link". Misfits Central. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Real 100 Greatest Rock Albums of All Time, No. 10: The Four Horsemen- Nobody Said It Was Easy (Def American, 1991)". Sleazegrinder. Archived from the original on 5 January 2004.
  5. 1 2 3 "» Died On This Date (June 18, 1999) Frank C. Starr / The Four Horsemen & SIN Lead Singer". The Music's Over. 18 June 2010. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  6. 1 2 "Four Horsemen - Gettin' Pretty Good at Barely Gettin' By". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  7. ↑ "GI Joe; Retaliation Soundtrack". TV Movie Songs. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  8. ↑ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Four Horsemen - Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.