War Babies (band)
Encyclopedia
War Babies was an American rock
band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1988 by former TKO
guitarist Tommy "Gun" McMullin and vocalist Brad Sinsel. Although associated with hard rock
, the band's sound incorporated some elements of grunge
music. They only released one album in 1992, the self-titled War Babies.
vocalist Brad Sinsel had a solo project called Suicide Squad with well known Seattle drummer Richard Stuverud who had played with punk rock
band The Fastbacks and was working with the power metal
band Fifth Angel
.
At the end of the project, Sinsel, Stuverud and TKO guitarist Tommy McMullin, along with various members, formed War Babies and played around the Seattle scene. They played with popular Seattle bands like Mother Love Bone
, Alice in Chains
, Soundgarden
and others.
In 1990, at the time of Andrew Wood's death and the end of Mother Love Bone, Jeff Ament
joined War Babies, but he soon left to join Stone Gossard
's new band Pearl Jam
.
Soon after, the band scored a contract with Columbia Records. However, Columbia were trying to lure Aerosmith
away from Geffen and delayed the release of the War Babies album. After not being able to sign Aerosmith, Columbia tried to make their own "Aerosmith" with War Babies and finally in 1992, the album was released featuring the line up of Brad Sinsel (vocals), Guy Lacey (guitars), Tommy McMullin (guitars), Shawn Trotter (bass) and Richard Stuverud (drums).
Their first single, "Hang Me Up", was co-written by McMullin and Paul Stanley
. Two other singles were released, "Blue Tomorrow" (a song dedicated to Andrew Wood, who was a friend of Sinsel and McMullin's) and the power ballad "Cry Yourself To Sleep".
However, their sound was deemed too glam
metal for that time, leading to the War Babies breakup in 1993.
After the breakup, McMullin started the band The Dead Letters while Lacey and Trotter formed 8 Days In Jail.
Stuverud would join and record with several Seattle bands, the most notable being Three Fish
, a side project featuring Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament.
Most recently, McMullin is fronting his own band Gunn and the Damage Done with an album due to be released in 2008.
Sinsel is fronting his own band American Standard.Guy Lacey and Shawn Trotter joined Seattle punk rock band Sledgeback
.
Track# Title
1 Hang Me Up
2 In The Wind
3 Cry Yourself To Sleep
4 Sweetwater
5 Sea of madness
6 Blue Tomorrow
7 Stellite
8 Death Valley Of Love
9 Big Big Sun
10 Killing Time
11 Care
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 formed in Seattle, Washington in 1988 by former TKO
TKO (band)
TKO was a hard rock/heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington. The group's leader and only consistent member was singer Brad Sinsel. TKO lasted from approximately 1977-2001....
guitarist Tommy "Gun" McMullin and vocalist Brad Sinsel. Although associated with 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...
, the band's sound incorporated some elements of grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
music. They only released one album in 1992, the self-titled War Babies.
History
In 1988, TKOTKO (band)
TKO was a hard rock/heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington. The group's leader and only consistent member was singer Brad Sinsel. TKO lasted from approximately 1977-2001....
vocalist Brad Sinsel had a solo project called Suicide Squad with well known Seattle drummer Richard Stuverud who had played with punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band The Fastbacks and was working with the power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band 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...
.
At the end of the project, Sinsel, Stuverud and TKO guitarist Tommy McMullin, along with various members, formed War Babies and played around the Seattle scene. They played with popular Seattle bands like Mother Love Bone
Mother Love Bone
Mother Love Bone was an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1988. The band was active from 1988 to 1990. Frontman Andrew Wood's personality and compositions helped to catapult the group to the top of the burgeoning late 1980s/early 1990s Seattle music scene...
, Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
, Soundgarden
Soundgarden
Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
and others.
In 1990, at the time of Andrew Wood's death and the end of Mother Love Bone, Jeff Ament
Jeff Ament
Jeffrey Allen Ament is an American musician who serves as the bassist for the American rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of Pearl Jam...
joined War Babies, but he soon left to join Stone Gossard
Stone Gossard
Stone Carpenter Gossard is an American musician who serves as the rhythm and lead guitarist for the American rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of Pearl Jam...
's new band Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
.
Soon after, the band scored a contract with Columbia Records. However, Columbia were trying to lure Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
away from Geffen and delayed the release of the War Babies album. After not being able to sign Aerosmith, Columbia tried to make their own "Aerosmith" with War Babies and finally in 1992, the album was released featuring the line up of Brad Sinsel (vocals), Guy Lacey (guitars), Tommy McMullin (guitars), Shawn Trotter (bass) and Richard Stuverud (drums).
Their first single, "Hang Me Up", was co-written by McMullin and Paul Stanley
Paul Stanley
Stanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...
. Two other singles were released, "Blue Tomorrow" (a song dedicated to Andrew Wood, who was a friend of Sinsel and McMullin's) and the power ballad "Cry Yourself To Sleep".
However, their sound was deemed too glam
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
metal for that time, leading to the War Babies breakup in 1993.
After the breakup, McMullin started the band The Dead Letters while Lacey and Trotter formed 8 Days In Jail.
Stuverud would join and record with several Seattle bands, the most notable being Three Fish
Three Fish
Three Fish was an American rock band formed in 1994 by Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament. The lineup featured Ament, Robbi Robb of Tribe After Tribe, and Richard Stuverud of the Fastbacks and War Babies.-History:...
, a side project featuring Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament.
Most recently, McMullin is fronting his own band Gunn and the Damage Done with an album due to be released in 2008.
Sinsel is fronting his own band American Standard.Guy Lacey and Shawn Trotter joined Seattle punk rock band Sledgeback
Sledgeback
Sledgeback is a Seattle, Washington punk rock band formed in early 2004, with Hungarian born American guitarist Gábor Szakácsi as the front man...
.
Discography
- War BabiesWar Babies (War Babies Album)War Babies is the debut and final album by the band War Babies, who disbanded in 1993. The album was released by Columbia Records in 1992 and re-released by Ulftone Records in 2003....
- 1992 (Columbia RecordsColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
) / 2003 (Ulftone Records)
Track# Title
1 Hang Me Up
2 In The Wind
3 Cry Yourself To Sleep
4 Sweetwater
5 Sea of madness
6 Blue Tomorrow
7 Stellite
8 Death Valley Of Love
9 Big Big Sun
10 Killing Time
11 Care