Bad Moon Rising (band)
Encyclopedia
Bad Moon Rising were a rock
band that rose to superstar
status in Japan with a series of hard rock albums led by Scottish born vocalist Kal Swan (real name Norman Swan) and guitarist Doug Aldrich
.
Both Kal Swan and Doug are ex-Lion
members, whilst the rhythm team of bassist Ian Mayo and drummer Jackie Ramos had played in both Hericane Alice
and Bangalore Choir
. Prior to relocating from England to Los Angeles Swan had fronted up the NWOBHM heavy metal band Tytan
.
axeman Michael Schenker and Robin Mcauley together with ex-Quiet Riot
bassist Chuck Wright, Michael Schenker Group
’s Rocky Newton and Fifth Angel
and Alice Cooper
drummer Ken Mary. Both Wright and Mary are of course former House of Lords
cohorts. Blue Moon Rising put in an extensive tour of Japan during June 1991 and were voted by readers of the influential Burrn!
magazine as ‘Brightest new hope’ for the following year.
1993’s Blood album features the guest rhythm section showing of Wright and Mary once more. The album was delivered in Japan during March with an EP Blood On The Streets issued the following month. Bad Moon Rising returned to Japan in October for a further run of dates, giving a nod to their influences by including Bad Company
’s ‘Movin’ On’, Thin Lizzy
’s ‘Cowboy Song’ and Deep Purple
’s ‘Highway Star’ in their live set.
Doug Aldrich struck out on his own in 1994. Releasing the mainly instrumental Highcentered album. Such was the band’s stature in Japan the guitarist put in a series of appearances to plug this solo effort.
The French release of Opium For The Masses came complete with a free four-track EP containing previously unreleased material. Touring had the band gigging throughout France in May, including a support to Van Halen
at La Zenith in Paris, upfront of Japanese gigs. The set this time around featured two Jimi Hendrix
workouts ‘Purple Haze’ and ‘Voodoo Chile’ plus another Thin Lizzy
tune ‘Don’t Believe A Word’. The following year both Opium For The Masses and Highcentered saw release in the USA. Such was fan fervour for Bad Moon Rising in Japan that North American versions of Opium For The Masses were imported back so that ardent fans could buy both variants.
A second solo album from Aldrich, Electrovision, emerged in Japan during 1997. In November 1998 the band had officially broken up and in 1999 Aldrich had created a new act Burning Rain
fronted by ex-Medicine Wheel
vocalist Keith St John.
2005 saw the re-packaging of all three Bad Moon Rising albums, plus eight bonus tracks, by the Italian label Frontiers Records
under the billing 'The Full Moon Collection'.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band that rose to superstar
Superstar
A superstar is a widely acclaimed celebrity.Superstar or superstars may also refer to:-People:* Warhol Superstar, associates of Andy Warhol* WWE Superstar, the term used to refer to entertainers from the WWE...
status in Japan with a series of hard rock albums led by Scottish born vocalist Kal Swan (real name Norman Swan) and guitarist Doug Aldrich
Doug Aldrich
Doug Aldrich , is a Los Angeles-based hard rock guitarist, since 2003 a member of Whitesnake. He founded the band Burning Rain with Keith St.John in 1998 and has played previously with the bands Dio, Lion, Hurricane, House of Lords, and Bad Moon Rising...
.
Both Kal Swan and Doug are ex-Lion
Lion (band)
Lion were an English-American rock band, best known for their theme song from the 1986 animated movie The Transformers: The Movie.A hard rock quartet, Lion were formed in Los Angeles in 1983 after ex-Tytan vocalist Kal Swan and former Lone Star guitarist Tony Smith relocated from Great Britain...
members, whilst the rhythm team of bassist Ian Mayo and drummer Jackie Ramos had played in both Hericane Alice
Hericane Alice
Hericane Alice was a short lived metal band that formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their debut album was the self titled and very limited Hurricane Alice. Due to conflict with metal band Hurricane , they changed the spelling of their name to Hericane Alice for their second album...
and Bangalore Choir
Bangalore Choir
Bangalore Choir is an American hard rock band formed in 1991. They were formed by the former frontman of Accept, David Reece, and guitarists Curt Mitchell and John Kirk . Joining them from Hericane Alice, was bassist Ian Mayo and Jackie Ramos on drums. Their debut album was produced by Max...
. Prior to relocating from England to Los Angeles Swan had fronted up the NWOBHM heavy metal band Tytan
Tytan (band)
-History:Tytan was a British heavy metal band formed at the height of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal in the fall of 1981 by the former Angel Witch rhythm section, bassist Kevin Riddles and drummer Dave Dufort , Scottish vocalist Norman 'Kal' Swan, and guitarists Steve Gibbs and Stuart Adams...
.
History
The debut album, produced by Mack sees such luminaries as UFOUFO (band)
UFO are an English heavy metal and hard rock band, who were formed in 1969. UFO became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal...
axeman Michael Schenker and Robin Mcauley together with ex-Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot is an American Heavy Metal band. They are best known for their hit singles "Metal Health" and "Cum On Feel the Noize". They were founded in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni, under the original name Mach 1, before changing the name to Little Women and finally Quiet...
bassist Chuck Wright, Michael Schenker Group
Michael Schenker Group
The Michael Schenker Group is a guitar-oriented hard rock band formed in 1979 by former Scorpions and UFO guitarist, Michael Schenker. In 1986, Schenker and vocalist Robin McAuley formed the McAuley Schenker Group, which lasted until 1992. After that, the Michael Schenker Group was reformed.The...
’s Rocky Newton and Fifth Angel
Fifth Angel
Fifth Angel is an American heavy metal/ power metal band from Bellevue, Washington.-Biography:Fifth Angel was formed in the suburbs of Seattle in late 1983, specifically, in the Bellevue area...
and Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
drummer Ken Mary. Both Wright and Mary are of course former House of Lords
House of Lords (band)
House of Lords is a hard rock/AOR band from Los Angeles, California.-History:House of Lords was formed in 1987 by former Angel member and keyboardist Gregg Giuffria from his solo project Giuffria...
cohorts. Blue Moon Rising put in an extensive tour of Japan during June 1991 and were voted by readers of the influential Burrn!
Burrn!
Burrn! is a monthly Japanese magazine, published since 1984, for fans of heavy metal music. It is published by Shinko Music in Tokyo. The magazine's content is in Japanese, but the covers are predominantly in English.-References:* Japanavision...
magazine as ‘Brightest new hope’ for the following year.
1993’s Blood album features the guest rhythm section showing of Wright and Mary once more. The album was delivered in Japan during March with an EP Blood On The Streets issued the following month. Bad Moon Rising returned to Japan in October for a further run of dates, giving a nod to their influences by including Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
’s ‘Movin’ On’, Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
’s ‘Cowboy Song’ and Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
’s ‘Highway Star’ in their live set.
Doug Aldrich struck out on his own in 1994. Releasing the mainly instrumental Highcentered album. Such was the band’s stature in Japan the guitarist put in a series of appearances to plug this solo effort.
The French release of Opium For The Masses came complete with a free four-track EP containing previously unreleased material. Touring had the band gigging throughout France in May, including a support to Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
at La Zenith in Paris, upfront of Japanese gigs. The set this time around featured two Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
workouts ‘Purple Haze’ and ‘Voodoo Chile’ plus another Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
tune ‘Don’t Believe A Word’. The following year both Opium For The Masses and Highcentered saw release in the USA. Such was fan fervour for Bad Moon Rising in Japan that North American versions of Opium For The Masses were imported back so that ardent fans could buy both variants.
A second solo album from Aldrich, Electrovision, emerged in Japan during 1997. In November 1998 the band had officially broken up and in 1999 Aldrich had created a new act Burning Rain
Burning Rain
Burning Rain is a band formed by guitarist Doug Aldrich and singer Keith St. John in 1998. Joining the group were drummer Alex Makarovich and Ian Mayo on bass...
fronted by ex-Medicine Wheel
Medicine wheel
Medicine wheels, or sacred hoops, were constructed by laying stones in a particular pattern on the ground. Most medicine wheels follow the basic pattern of having a center of stone, and surrounding that is an outer ring of stones with "spokes", or lines of rocks radiating from the center...
vocalist Keith St John.
2005 saw the re-packaging of all three Bad Moon Rising albums, plus eight bonus tracks, by the Italian label Frontiers Records
Frontiers Records
Frontiers Records is an Italian record label, predominantly producing melodic rock. It was formed in 1996 by Serafino Perugino and is based in Naples, Italy.-History:...
under the billing 'The Full Moon Collection'.
Discography
- Full Moon Fever (EP) (1991)
- Bad Moon Rising (1991)
- Blood (1993)
- Blood On The Streets (EP) (1993)
- Opium For The Masses (1995)
- Junkyard Haze (EP) (1995)
- Flames On The Moon (1999)
- Full Moon Collection (2005)