Tesla is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 hard rock

Hard rock

Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...

 band formed in Sacramento

Sacramento, California

Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 in 1984. They have sold 14 million albums in the United States.
The band formed in 1984 in Sacramento as City Kidd, and was renamed Tesla during the recording of their first album, 1986's Mechanical Resonance

Mechanical Resonance

Mechanical Resonance is the debut album by the American rock band Tesla. It was released in 1986. The album was certified platinum by RIAA on October 5, 1989.- Track listing :...

, on the advice of their manager that City Kidd was not a great name (in addition, there was already another band going by that name). The band derived their name, certain album and song titles, and some song content from events relating to inventor and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...

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The band's original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Jeff Keith

Jeff Keith

Jeffery Lynn Keith is an American musician, best known as the lead singer of the band Tesla. He was also the lead singer for the band Bar 7 and Sofaking....

, guitarists Frank Hannon

Frank Hannon

-Frank Hannon :Born October 3, 1966 in Sacramento, California) is best known as the guitarist, songwriter and a co-founder of the multi-platinum band TESLA, and is now established as a solo singer / songwriter with his album ""...

 and Tommy Skeoch

Tommy Skeoch

Tommy Skeoch was one of the guitarists of hard rock/heavy metal band Tesla, which achieved popularity in the mid- to late-1980s. He left the band indefinitely in 2006 to spend time with his family...

, bassist Brian Wheat

Brian Wheat

Brian Wheat best known as the bass guitarist of the band Tesla. He formed the band City Kidd in 1982, with his friend Frank Hannon...

, and drummer Troy Luccketta

Troy Luccketta

Troy Luccketta , born October 5, 1959. in Lodi, California, is the drummer of hard rock/heavy metal band Tesla, who achieved popularity in the mid- to late-1980s.- Biography :...

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Tesla's music is often referred to as hard rock

Hard rock

Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...

.