Black 'N Blue is an American heavy metal band formed in Portland, Oregon, in November 1981 by high school friends Jaime St. James and Tommy Thayer. Initially performing under the name Movie Star, the group later adopted the name Black 'N Blue to reflect their energetic musical style and visual image. They are best known for the song "Hold On to 18" from their debut album "Black 'n Blue", released in August 1984.
In 1982, their demo "Chains Around Heaven" was featured on the compilation album "Metal Massacre", which also introduced bands such as Metallica, Ratt, and Malice. This exposure helped establish Black 'N Blue in the heavy metal scene.
After relocating to Los Angeles in 1983, the band quickly became part of the Hollywood club circuit. Within six months, they signed a worldwide recording contract with Geffen Records. Their debut album, produced by Dieter Dierks, gained moderate success through radio and MTV airplay. Their second album, "Without Love", was released in 1985 and featured a more polished, radio-oriented sound. The singles "Without Love" and "Miss Mystery" received some attention, though they did not achieve significant chart success. The song "Nature of the Beach" appeared in the film "Vision Quest" and was included as the B-side of the Madonna single "Gambler", though it was not part of the film's official soundtrack.
In 1986, the band began working with Gene Simmons of Kiss, who produced their next two albums: "Nasty Nasty" in 1986 and "In Heat" in 1988. These albums marked an attempt to return to the raw sound of their debut. Songs like "Nasty Nasty" and "Rock On" received limited attention, but neither album significantly expanded their audience. Black 'N Blue disbanded in 1989.
Following the breakup, members pursued other projects. Jaime St. James formed Freight Train Jane with Tommy Bolan, Scotty Werner, and Davy Jones, releasing one album. Jeff Warner worked with Chris Hagar in Woop & the Count, and later joined other bands including NYC. Tommy Thayer performed with Harlow, contributed to Doro's self-titled album, and joined Shake the Faith for the album "America the Violent". He also participated in the Kiss tribute band Cold Gin before becoming Gene Simmons' assistant and later Kiss's tour manager. In 2002, Thayer became Kiss's lead guitarist, replacing Ace Frehley. His first album with the band, "Sonic Boom", was released in 2009, followed by "Monster" in 2012. Drummer Pete Holmes played with several bands including Malice, The Black Symphony, WWIII, and performed with artists such as Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, and Ted Nugent.
In 1997, the original lineup reunited for a one-night performance on Halloween, which was recorded and released as the live album "One Night Only: Live". In 2001, the band released a compilation album titled "The Ultimate Collection", followed by "The Demos Remastered: Anthology 1", which included demos and unreleased material.
The band reunited again in 2003 without Thayer to record a new album titled "Hell Yeah!", featuring guitarist Shawn Sonnenschein and CJ Winkler on jazz flute. Although planned for release in 2003, the album faced multiple delays. During this period, the band released "Rarities", a collection that included remakes and unreleased demos.
In 2004, Jaime St. James became the lead vocalist of Warrant, replacing Jani Lane. He recorded the album "Born Again" with the band, which was released in 2006 under Cleopatra Records. The album received generally positive reviews and was accompanied by a DVD titled "Born Again: Delvis Video Diaries". St. James performed with Warrant at the 2007 Rocklahoma festival before leaving the band in 2008 after Lane’s return.
Black 'N Blue performed a benefit concert in Portland in December 2007, with Tommy Thayer rejoining the band for the event. In 2008, they reunited again for a performance at Rocklahoma. That same year, reports indicated that "Hell Yeah!" would be released soon, though it was delayed until 2011. The album was eventually released under Frontiers Records, with release dates in Japan on April 20, 2011, in Europe on May 13, and in the United States on May 17. It received generally favourable reviews.
In 2013, the band performed several shows, including appearances in Portland, Nebraska, West Hollywood, Las Vegas, and Sioux Falls. These shows marked the debut of guitarist Brandon Cook, who replaced Jeff Warner. In 2017, Shawn Sonnenschein left the band, and Bob Capka, formerly of Vicious Rumors, joined as guitarist.
The band remained active in the following years, with performances at the Monsters on the Mountain rock festival in October 2021 in Tennessee, the Kiss Kruise later that month, and the Monsters of Rock cruise in February 2022. The current lineup includes Jaime St. James, Patrick Young, Pete Holmes, Bob Capka, and Brandon Cook.
Studio albums
Black 'n Blue (1984)
Without Love (1985)
Nasty Nasty (1986)
In Heat (1988)
Hell Yeah! (2011)
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…shrink me down again