Gary Pihl
Encyclopedia
Gary Pihl is a guitarist most famous for playing for Sammy Hagar
and the band Boston
.
At his home recording studio, Pihl worked with the founding members of a band that would eventually be called "Night Ranger
." They recorded demos for their first and second albums (Dawn Patrol
and Midnight Madness
, respectively) at his home studio. Night Ranger was initially called "Ranger," but the band found that the name was already being used by another band and changed it prior to the first album release.
He also played with several other bands including Day Blindness, Crossfire (Steve Jones, Mitchell Froom
, David Froom, Phil Marshall with Jeff Dorenfeld as manager; Crossfire also performed with Norman Greenbaum
as lead singer for several years.), Stark Raving Mad (Gary on lead vocals and guitar, Donovan Stark, Paul Taylor
(later of Winger), Jay Causbrook, and David Payne, with Eric Martin of Mr. Big
joining after Gary left, among other players), and Alliance
. (Note: There have been several different bands named Alliance.)
Crossfire featured an ARP Odyssey
and ARP String Ensemble
played by Mitchell Froom (who would later become known for the soundtrack to "La Bamba
" and other films while also producing bands in LA). Crossfire's seminal moment was their performance at the Stop the Dam Concert held at Sonoma State College, (now Sonoma State University
). The concert was to raise awareness and funds to stop the Army Corps of Engineers construction of the Lake Sonoma Dam project in Geyserville's Dry Creek Valley.
Before leaving Stark Raving Mad to join Sammy Hagar, he was known for songs such as "Olga on the Volga."
Sammy Hagar was the opening act at the end of Boston's first tour in 1977 and opened the whole second tour in 1978/79. It was on those tours that Pihl met Tom Scholz
. The two of them found out how much they had in common with their extensive home studios and techniques. It set up a lifelong bond and a few years later Tom asked Pihl to join Boston.
After Jeff Dornfield became road manager for Boston, Pihl made other introductions including Doug Huffman, another drummer from Sebastopol in Sonoma County when Boston needed a replacement, and still later, bassist
David Sikes from Fairfield, California near Sonoma County.
Sammy Hagar
Sam Roy "Sammy" Hagar , also known as The Red Rocker, is an American rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Also sings Country Music....
and the band Boston
Boston (band)
Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists...
.
At his home recording studio, Pihl worked with the founding members of a band that would eventually be called "Night Ranger
Night Ranger
Night Ranger is an American rock band from San Francisco that gained popularity during the 1980s with a series of albums and singles. The band's first five albums sold more than 10 million copies worldwide...
." They recorded demos for their first and second albums (Dawn Patrol
Dawn Patrol
Dawn Patrol is the debut album by Night Ranger released in 1982. The band was named Ranger during the recording of the album. The first issues of the album were printed and ready to be shipped when it was discovered that there was a country band from California with the same name...
and Midnight Madness
Midnight Madness (album)
Midnight Madness is the second album from Night Ranger. The album contained the band's best known hit, "Sister Christian", and became the band's highest selling album, selling well over a million copies in the US.-Track listing:...
, respectively) at his home studio. Night Ranger was initially called "Ranger," but the band found that the name was already being used by another band and changed it prior to the first album release.
He also played with several other bands including Day Blindness, Crossfire (Steve Jones, Mitchell Froom
Mitchell Froom
-Career:Froom began his career as a keyboard player in Sonoma County, California. The band Crossfire featured two keyboards players; Mitchell on one side of the stage and brother David on the other with Gary Pihl on guitar...
, David Froom, Phil Marshall with Jeff Dorenfeld as manager; Crossfire also performed with Norman Greenbaum
Norman Greenbaum
Norman Greenbaum is an American singer-songwriter. He was raised in a traditional Jewish household and went to Hebrew school. His initial interest in music was sparked by Southern blues music and the folk music that was hugely popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s...
as lead singer for several years.), Stark Raving Mad (Gary on lead vocals and guitar, Donovan Stark, Paul Taylor
Paul Taylor (Winger)
Paul Taylor , formerly credited as Paul Howorwitz, is an American musician, who is best known as the guitarist/keyboardist with the 1980s and early 90s glam metal band, Winger...
(later of Winger), Jay Causbrook, and David Payne, with Eric Martin of Mr. Big
Mr. Big (band)
Mr. Big is an American rock supergroup, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1988. The band is a quartet composed of Eric Martin , Paul Gilbert , Billy Sheehan , and Pat Torpey ; Mr. Big also included Richie Kotzen, a reputable blues-based guitarist who replaced Gilbert in 1999...
joining after Gary left, among other players), and Alliance
Alliance (band)
Alliance is an American Rock band formed in 1991 by Robert Berry, Alan Fitzgerald, David Lauser, and Gary Pihl. They have released four albums: Alliance , Missing Piece , Destination Known and Road To Heaven .-Discography:...
. (Note: There have been several different bands named Alliance.)
Crossfire featured an ARP Odyssey
ARP Odyssey
The ARP Odyssey was an analog synthesizer introduced in 1972. Responding to pressure from Moog Music to create a portable, affordable "performance" synthesizer, ARP scaled down its popular 2600 synthesizer and created the Odyssey, which became the best-selling synthesizer they made.The Odyssey is...
and ARP String Ensemble
ARP String Ensemble
The ARP String Ensemble, also known as the Solina String Ensemble, is a fully polyphonic multi-orchestral ARP Instruments, Inc. synthesizer with a 49-key keyboard, produced by Solina from 1974 to 1981. The sounds it incorporates are violin, viola, trumpet, horn, cello and contrabass. The keyboard...
played by Mitchell Froom (who would later become known for the soundtrack to "La Bamba
La Bamba (film)
La Bamba is a 1987 American biographical film written and directed by Luis Valdez. The picture features Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Peña, Danielle von Zerneck, and Joe Pantoliano...
" and other films while also producing bands in LA). Crossfire's seminal moment was their performance at the Stop the Dam Concert held at Sonoma State College, (now Sonoma State University
Sonoma State University
Sonoma State University is a public, coeducational business and liberal arts college affiliated with the California State University system. The main campus is located in Rohnert Park, California, United States and lies approximately south of Santa Rosa and north of San Francisco...
). The concert was to raise awareness and funds to stop the Army Corps of Engineers construction of the Lake Sonoma Dam project in Geyserville's Dry Creek Valley.
Before leaving Stark Raving Mad to join Sammy Hagar, he was known for songs such as "Olga on the Volga."
Sammy Hagar was the opening act at the end of Boston's first tour in 1977 and opened the whole second tour in 1978/79. It was on those tours that Pihl met Tom Scholz
Tom Scholz
Donald Thomas "Tom" Scholz is an American rock musician, songwriter, guitarist, pianist, inventor, and mechanical engineer, best known as the founder of the hard rock band Boston. He is also the inventor of the Rockman guitar amplifier...
. The two of them found out how much they had in common with their extensive home studios and techniques. It set up a lifelong bond and a few years later Tom asked Pihl to join Boston.
After Jeff Dornfield became road manager for Boston, Pihl made other introductions including Doug Huffman, another drummer from Sebastopol in Sonoma County when Boston needed a replacement, and still later, bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
David Sikes from Fairfield, California near Sonoma County.
With Sammy Hagar
- Musical ChairsMusical Chairs (Sammy Hagar album)-Song information:"Try " was originally released as a single by Rick Nelson.-Track listing:# "Turn Up the Music" - 3:35# "It's Gonna Be All Right" - 4:11# "You Make Me Crazy" - 2:47...
(1977) - All Night LongAll Night Long (Sammy Hagar album)All Night Long is Sammy Hagar's first live album. The album contains no overdubs. The album was recorded during concerts in San Francisco, San Antonio, San Bernardino, Santa Cruz and Santa Monica.- Track listing :...
(1978) - Street MachineStreet Machine (Sammy Hagar album)-Song information:* The track "Wounded in Love" was co-written by Hagar's then-wife Betsy.* The track "Falling In Love" features backing vocals by Brad Delp, Barry Goudreau, and Sib Hashian of the group Boston.-Track listing:# "Growing Pains" - 3:46...
(1979) - Danger ZoneDanger Zone (Sammy Hagar album)Danger Zone is a Sammy Hagar solo album, his last new studio album during his tenure with Capitol records. The album features appearances by Journey singer Steve Perry and Journey guitarist Neal Schon.-Song information:...
(1980) - Loud & ClearAll Night Long (Sammy Hagar album)All Night Long is Sammy Hagar's first live album. The album contains no overdubs. The album was recorded during concerts in San Francisco, San Antonio, San Bernardino, Santa Cruz and Santa Monica.- Track listing :...
(1980) - Standing HamptonStanding HamptonStanding Hampton is a Sammy Hagar solo album, his first after moving from Capitol Records to Geffen. Five of its singles charted in either the mainstream rock or pop singles charts....
(1981) - Three Lock BoxThree Lock BoxThree Lock Box is a Sammy Hagar solo album, which features appearances by Loverboy's Mike Reno, Journey's Jonathan Cain, and Mr. Mister's Richard Page. His only top 20 solo hit, "Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy", reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983....
(1982) - Live 1980Live 1980Live 1980 is a Sammy Hagar live album recording during the tour promoting his then-newsest album Danger Zone. The majority of this album contains track from this album and its predecessor, Street Machine...
(1983) - VOA (1984)
With Boston
- Third StageThird StageThird Stage is the third album by American rock band Boston released September 23, 1986 on MCA Records. The album was recorded at Tom Scholz's Hideaway Studio over a six-year period "between floods and power failures"...
(1986) - Walk On (1994)
- Greatest HitsGreatest Hits (Boston album)Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits album by American rock band Boston. The album released on June 3, 1997 features songs originally released on both the Epic and MCA labels, as well as three previously unreleased recordings...
(1997) - Corporate AmericaCorporate America (album)-Personnel:*Tom Scholz - Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Drums, Vocals*Brad Delp - Vocals*Fran Cosmo - Vocals*Gary Pihl - Guitar, Keyboards*Anthony Cosmo - Guitar, Vocals*Kimberley Dahme - Vocals, Guitar on "With you"*David Sikes - Bass*Curly Smith - Drums...
(2002)
With Alliance
- Alliance (1997)
- Missing Piece (1999)
- Road To Heaven (2008)