21 Guns

With radio friendly AOR super-groups such as Bad English and Damn Yankees receiving commercial success, former Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham decided to form a similar type band and hope for stardom. Gorham recruited fellow Americans Tommy La Verdi (vocals), Leif Johansen (bass), and Michael Sturgis (drums). By 1992 they had been signed to RCA records and released a well-polished AOR album that received rave reviews, but went relatively unnoticed by the record buying public. After touring it was decided that La Verdi wasn't on the same page as the rest of the band, and with his departure the group disbanded. Gorham began appearing at Thin Lizzy tribute shows while Sturgis resurfaced with prog-rockers Asia. In 1997 Gorham decided to reform 21 Guns around new vocalist Hans Olav Solli (ex-Sons of Angels, ex-Psycho Motel). Solli had most recently been a member of Iron Maiden gitarist Adrian Smith's band Psycho Motel with drummer Mike Sturgis who returned to the reformed line up of 21 Guns. By the time the follow-up album Nothing's Real the music scene had completely changed, and a limited release in America killed any chance of the album breaking out commercially. A collection of demo recordings by the original line-up was released in 2002 and the band is rumored to be working on another studio recording. Solli resurfaced in the Norwegian music-project Greenhouze, Gorham hit the road with a Thin Lizzy tribute band and Sturgis became a permanent recording and touring drummer with Asia. In 2009 it was announced that Scott Gorham and Leif Johansen have been writing and recording together again with a new singer, Peter Shoulder. Peter is the former singer/guitarist of Winterville. Scott and Peter first worked together when Winterville supported Thin Lizzy on their 2005 UK tour. In 2007 Winterville split and Peter went on to record his own solo material. New demo clips have been posted on the Official 21 Guns Myspace page www.myspace.com/21gunss. The three tracks "Messin With Mine" , "The Wall" and "Sail Away" are brand new songs from Scott and Leif with Peter Shoulder on vocals. The new CD is due to be completed and release later this year. Could also refer to an Australian hard rock band that released a self-titled album in 1990. Andy McLean: lead vocals Cameran McKenzie: guitar, backing vocals Henry Eustacs: bass, backing vocals Mark Herrera: drums