Damn Yankees (band)

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Damn Yankees
Damn Yankees today.JPG
Upper left: Tommy Shaw, upper right: Ted Nugent, lower left: Jack Blades, lower right: Michael Cartellone
Background information
Origin New York, New York, U.S.
Genres Hard rock, [1] arena rock, [2] glam metal [3]
Years active
  • 1989–1994
  • 1998–2001
  • 2004
  • 2010
Labels Warner Bros.
Past members

Damn Yankees were an American rock supergroup formed in New York City, in 1989. Consisting of singer/guitarist Tommy Shaw of Styx, singer/bassist Jack Blades of Night Ranger, guitarist Ted Nugent of the Amboy Dukes, and drummer Michael Cartellone (who would later join Lynyrd Skynyrd). [2]

Contents

They are remembered for the songs "High Enough" and "Where You Goin' Now", both Top 40 hits in the early 1990s.

History

In the late 1980s, the US rock music scene witnessed a trend for supergroups; Bad English, Mr. Big and Badlands were all formed around that time. [4] Shaw, Blades and Nugent were put together by big time Rock mover and shaker John Kalodner as Damn Yankees in 1989 [5] in response to declining commercial success of their original bands. [6] Produced by rock producer Ron Nevison, the newly formed band's self-titled debut album was released in 1990 and went double-platinum in 1994. [7] Jack Blades's leading single "Coming of Age" hit No. 60 on the U.S. Hot 100 and No. 1 on the AOR charts, while Shaw-penned "Come Again" received extensive AOR airplay.

The power ballad "High Enough" became their best selling single rising to No. 3 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [4] and No. 2 on AOR charts at the beginning of 1991. "High Enough" was Ted Nugent's first mainstream top ten single. The band's songs appeared on several Hollywood film soundtracks, such as Gremlins 2: The New Batch , Nothing But Trouble and The Taking of Beverly Hills .

After the release of their debut, the Damn Yankees went on an 18-month world tour with the likes of a revamped Bad Company, Poison and Jackyl. Their US tour coincided with the Persian Gulf War, in which the band unfurled American flags and made patriotic statements.

In 1992 Damn Yankees went gold with their follow-up album Don't Tread. [4] The title song, sung by Blades, was included on the album Barcelona Gold , released in coordination with the Barcelona Olympic Games. Nugent also appeared on Rock the Vote, voicing support for the GOP against Bill Clinton. Although the second release was not as successful as the first album, [6] it spawned several popular singles, such as "Mister Please," "Where You Goin' Now" and "The Silence Is Broken," a power ballad featured in the 1993 Jean-Claude Van Damme film Nowhere to Run .

Shaw Blades

By 1994, there had been a changing of the guard at Warners. Jack Blades explained: [8]

The new regime came in, and they didn't want to do anything with that style of music. And in fact, they paid Damn Yankees a million dollars not to do another Damn Yankees record. We're like, 'Really? OK, we'll just take the check. Why not?' That was how it was because Damn Yankees had sold so many records and we were so recouped, so in our contract the next thing was like 'We get a million bucks to do an album,' and they just paid us the million dollars NOT to do the record. That's how much nobody wanted anything to do with that era and style of music.

So after that, Nugent revived his solo career, leaving Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades to record their own album as the duo Shaw Blades. Released in March 1995, Hallucination received very little support from its label as the personnel change brought in industry executives more sympathetic to alternative and grunge bands. [8] Ultimately, the Shaw Blades album came out to some critical praise, but it vanished without major single support or a national tour (which had been cancelled by Warner Bros.). "I'll Always Be With You" did garner some AOR airplay and the title track was heard in the hit movie Tommy Boy , but after a brief West Coast tour, both Shaw and Blades went back to their respective original bands, Styx and Night Ranger.

In 2007 Shaw Blades released their new album Influence, which consisted solely of cover songs that influenced them, mostly from the 1960s and 1970s. The pair also recorded a cover of the classic Christmas song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" on the "A Classic Rock Christmas" album by various Classic Rock artists in 2002. Both members still principally record and perform with their respective original bands.

Reunions

During a hiatus in both Night Ranger and Styx, Shaw and Blades met with Ted Nugent to record a new Damn Yankees album in 1999. [8] However, the album, provisionally titled Bravo, failed to please either the band members or the prospective record labels. [8] According to Blades, some of this unused material has since surfaced on various group and solo albums of the band members: [8]

That will never come out. It will always be the long lost record. Little pieces of that have dripped out on my solo record. Tommy had a song on Styx's Cyclorama record. Ted's done two or three of them. It's been hard to figure out, like, 'Oh yeah! That was one of our songs.' It's pretty wild. That record will never see the light of day, but the ones that came out are the best of it.

While on the VH1 Classic show Power Ballads of 88, Jack Blades commented about recent rumors regarding Damn Yankees. Jack said he, Ted, and Tommy had been talking and hanging out. Jack then said there would be new music and a tour from Damn Yankees in the future.[ citation needed ]

In 2004 at Alice Cooper's Christmas Pudding, an annual charity concert to benefit Alice Cooper's Solid Rock Foundation and Teen Center in Phoenix, AZ, Damn Yankees reunited on stage. [9] The band played "Don't Tread", "High Enough" and "Coming of Age".

On January 15, 2010 at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, the original members of Damn Yankees made a surprise appearance at the Taylor Guitars exhibit. Jack Blades, Tommy Shaw, Ted Nugent and Michael Cartellone performed an acoustic set on the Taylor Stage, including hits such as "Coming of Age", "High Enough" and the Ted Nugent anthem "Cat Scratch Fever".[ citation needed ]

In 2011 Nugent joined Jack Blades' band Night Ranger to record an extended version of "Coming of Age" as a B-side for their album "Somewhere in California." In place of his original solo, Nugent plays a version of the guitar solo from "Stranglehold." [10]

In May 2017 Cartellone joined Night Ranger at the Wildflower Festival in Richardson, Texas for a performance of "Coming of Age." [11]

As far as a potential Damn Yankees reunion goes, Cartellone told Cleveland NBC affiliate WKYC that he and other members of the band have continued to meet and write over the years. While a new album has yet to materialize, he says that does not mean the Damn Yankees are finished. They never purposefully disbanded and are keeping a reunion an open door to this day. [12]

Band members

Former members

Session members

Discography

Studio albums

TitleReleasePeak chart
positions
Certifications
US
Damn Yankees 199013
Don't Tread 199222
  • RIAA: Gold

Live albums

Compilation albums

Singles

TitleReleasePeak chart
positions
US US
Main
AUS
[13]
"Coming of Age"1990601-
"High Enough"3257
"Come Again"1991505
"Runaway"9
"Bad Reputation"31
"Where You Goin' Now"1992206
"Don't Tread on Me"3
"Silence Is Broken"19936220
"Mister Please"3

Soundtrack appearances

Videography

Music videos


Title

ReleaseDirector
"High Enough"1990Larry Jordan [14]
"Coming of Age"Ethan Russell [15]
"Come Again"1991
"Don't Tread on Me"1992
"Where You Goin' Now"Larry Jordan [14]
"Silence Is Broken"1993Piers Plowden [16]

Related Research Articles

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

Styx is an American rock band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1972. They are known for blending melodic hard rock guitar with acoustic guitar, synthesizers mixed with acoustic piano, upbeat tracks with power ballads, and incorporating elements of international musical theatre. The band established themselves with a progressive rock sound during the 1970s, and began to incorporate pop rock and soft rock elements in the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Night Ranger</span> American hard rock band

Night Ranger is an American hard rock band from San Francisco, California. The band, which had its inception in 1979, experienced a surge of popularity during the 1980s with the release of several successful albums and hit singles. Guitarist Brad Gillis and drummer Kelly Keagy have been the band's only constant members, though bassist Jack Blades performed on all but one of their albums. Other current members of the band include guitarist Keri Kelli and keyboardist Eric Levy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Shaw</span> American musician

Tommy Roland Shaw is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter best known for his tenure in the rock band Styx as co-lead vocalist. In between his stints with Styx, he has played with other groups including Damn Yankees and Shaw Blades as well as releasing several solo albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renegade (Styx song)</span> 1979 hit song recorded by the American rock band Styx

"Renegade" is a 1979 hit song recorded by the American rock band Styx on their Pieces of Eight album. Although songwriter Tommy Shaw and fellow Styx guitarist James Young usually played lead guitar on their own compositions, Shaw asked Young if he could take the solo on "Renegade". Young agreed, and Young later returned the favor by allowing Shaw to play lead on his "Half-Penny, Two-Penny" on the Paradise Theatre album. When performed live from 1978 to 1983, drummer John Panozzo increased the tempo of the drum pattern during the guitar solo sections. Also, the track would serve as the drum solo spot for Panozzo during that time frame.

<i>Damn Yankees</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Damn Yankees

Damn Yankees was the self titled debut album by the American hard rock supergroup Damn Yankees. It was certified double platinum in the US and featured such chart topping hits as "High Enough", "Come Again", and "Coming of Age".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Blades</span> American musician

Jack Martin Blades is an American rock musician. He has worked in the bands Rubicon, Night Ranger, and Damn Yankees. He has also recorded with Tommy Shaw under the name Shaw Blades and has done work alongside the Tak Matsumoto Group. Blades' most recent efforts include a second solo album and three albums with Revolution Saints, which he was a member of until 2022.

<i>Styx World: Live 2001</i> 2001 live album by Styx

StyxWorld Live 2001 is a live album by the band Styx released in 2001. It is drawn from performances at the Kosei Nenken Hall, Tokyo, Japan, February 10–11, 2000, Stadthalle, Offenbach, Germany, October 27, 2000, and the Shaw Center, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, February 11, 2001.

<i>Craveman</i> 2002 studio album by Ted Nugent

Craveman is the twelfth studio album by American rock musician Ted Nugent, released on September 24, 2002.

<i>7 Deadly Zens</i> 1998 studio album by Tommy Shaw

7 Deadly Zens is a solo studio album by Styx guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw. It was released in 1998 by CMC International Records. The album is in a hard rock style.

<i>Dont Tread</i> 1992 studio album by Damn Yankees

Don't Tread is the second and final studio album released by the American hard rock supergroup Damn Yankees. It features their second highest charting single, the power ballad "Where You Goin' Now" which peaked at number 20. The album itself reached number 22 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Where You Goin' Now</span> 1992 single by Damn Yankees

"Where You Goin' Now" is a song by the band Damn Yankees. The power ballad was released as a single from their second album Don't Tread and peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it their second and final top 40 hit.

<i>7 Wishes</i> (Night Ranger album) 1985 studio album by Night Ranger

7 Wishes is the third studio album by the American hard rock band Night Ranger, released in 1985 and produced by Pat Glasser. The album features three Billboard Hot 100 chart hits: "Sentimental Street" reached No. 8, "Four in the Morning" No. 19 and "Goodbye" No. 17.

Shaw Blades is an American musical duo/group formed by Tommy Shaw of Styx and Jack Blades of Night Ranger, both of whom played in the supergroup Damn Yankees. It is an informal duo which has produced two albums between other projects, 1995's Hallucination and 2007's Influence. The first two songs on "Hallucination" -- "My Hallucination" and "I'll Always Be with You"—received modest airplay. "Influence" consisted solely of 1960s and 1970s cover songs that influenced them. Blades' son Colin, a songwriter himself, contributed backing vocals and arrangements to the album. Shaw Blades also recorded a cover of the classic Christmas song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" on the A Classic Rock Christmas album by various classic rock artists in 2002. Shaw Blades did a short tour of America in Spring 2007 and another in Autumn 2007. Both members still principally record and perform with the acts which made them famous. From 2007 to 2009, they were joined on tour by Will Evankovich on the request of Blades, who had seen Evankovich's band American Drag perform and wanted him to join them on acoustic,12-string, harmonica and background vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Cartellone</span> American drummer

Michael Cartellone is an American musician and artist. He was a founding member of Damn Yankees and is the current drummer of Lynyrd Skynyrd since 1999.

"Don't Tell Me You Love Me" is a song by Night Ranger written by Jack Blades from their 1982 album, Dawn Patrol. It was released as a single in December 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Enough</span> 1990 single by Damn Yankees

"High Enough" is a song by American supergroup Damn Yankees from their self-titled debut album. A power ballad, it is their most successful single in terms of chart position and sales, rising to No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, the group's first top-ten pop single. It also reached No. 2 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The success of "High Enough" helped send its parent album into the top 20 on the US albums chart.

<i>Regeneration: Volume I & II</i> 2011 greatest hits album by Styx

Regeneration: Volume I & II is a compilation album by the band Styx released in 2011. It consists of re-recordings of classic Styx songs, one new track entitled "Difference in the World" and two Damn Yankees covers. The album was released first as two separate EP releases, Regeneration: Volume 1 in 2010 and Regeneration: Volume 2 in 2011. The EPs were sold on every date of Styx's The Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight tour, which began October 14, 2010 in Evansville, Indiana, and they were sold at some of their concerts since July 2010, as well as on their website. The album was the last Styx studio release with longtime producer Gary Loizzo before his death in 2016.

William Eric Evankovich is an American singer/songwriter, guitarist and producer, best known for his performances with Styx, The Guess Who, and rock duo Shaw Blades, his co-production of Shaw's 2011 debut bluegrass album, The Great Divide, and for producing and co-writing Styx's sixteenth studio album, The Mission, and seventeenth studio album, Crash of the Crown. Evankovic played with TGW beginning in 2014, continuing to produce Styx material with Shaw, and eventually was asked to join Styx, touring as a seventh member in 2021. He produced and played on the 2018 The Guess Who album, The Future Is What It Used To Be, with Derek Sharp, when they were both in TGW.

<i>Somewhere in California</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Night Ranger

Somewhere in California is the tenth studio album by American hard rock band Night Ranger, released on June 21, 2011. It is the first album since the departure of original guitarist Jeff Watson in 2007. The album introduces new guitarist Joel Hoekstra and keyboardist Eric Levy. Although the previous three releases are regarded as different and more experimental for Night Ranger, this album has been noted as somewhat of a return to the signature Night Ranger sound from the successful 1980s releases. The first single and video from the album is "Growin' Up in California".

<i>Man in Motion</i> (Night Ranger album) 1988 studio album by Night Ranger

Man in Motion is the fifth studio album by Night Ranger, released in 1988. This album was the first studio album recorded by Night Ranger after the departure of keyboardist Alan Fitzgerald, who was replaced by Jesse Bradman.

References

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  2. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Damn Yankees – Artist Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  3. Popoff, Martin (2014). The Big Book of Hair Metal: The Illustrated Oral History of Heavy Metal's Debauched Decade. Voyageur Press. pp. 182, 187. ISBN   978-0-76034-546-7.
  4. 1 2 3 Colin Larkin, ed. (1999). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock (First ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 115/6. ISBN   0-7535-0257-7.
  5. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/damn-yankees-history/
  6. 1 2 "Where Are They Now? Pop's Class of 1990". Rolling Stone. July 10, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  7. "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved March 20, 2023. 2x Multi-Platinum / August 17, 1994
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "Jack Blades: Label Paid Damn Yankees $1 Million to Avoid Third LP". Ultimate Classic Rock. June 20, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  9. "Alice Cooper, Damn Yankees Perform At Christmas Pudding Show: Photos Available". Blabbermouth. December 20, 2004. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  10. Wardlaw, Matt. "Night Ranger's Kelly Keagy Refuses to Choose Favorite Song on New Album". ultimateclassicrock.com. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  11. "Night Ranger - playing Coming of Age (Damn Yankees cover)". youtube.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
  12. Mahaffee, Mac. "Beyond the Beat: Lynyrd Skynyrd/Damn Yankees drummer Michael Cartellone". Wkyc.com. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  13. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  14. 1 2 "Larry Jordan Videography". mvdbase.com. Archived from the original on October 14, 2011. Retrieved October 1, 2011.
  15. "Ethan Russell Videography". mvdbase.com. Archived from the original on January 9, 2008. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  16. "Piers Plowden Videography". mvdbase.com. Retrieved February 26, 2017.