Michael Monroe – Vocals, saxophone, harmonica, guitars, synthesizers, percussion
Andy McCoy – Guitars, backing vocals
Timpa – Bass, backing vocals
Lacu – Drums & percussion
Hanoi Rocks means one thing: rock n roll attitude. After over 17 years of being apart, the uncompromising musical talent of the songwriting duo of Michael Monroe and Andy McCoy have written and recorded Twelve Shots On The Rocks, which raises the fist of true rock glitz and oozes with the sleazy glam lifestyle that present day bands merely copy. In short, true rock n roll is back with a vengeance.
During the first half of the glorious 80s, Finland’s Hanoi Rocks reached worldwide fame behind five studio albums, a double live record, and countless greatest hits compilations. Following in the footsteps of such glam godfathers as The New York Dolls, Dead Boys, The Stooges, and Kiss, Hanoi Rocks adopted the glam look and the one-foot-in-the-gutter-reaching-for-the-gold lifestyle that would become so commonplace on L.A.’s Sunset Strip only a few short years after their break up. Hanoi Rocks no doubt pioneered a sound that in turn inspired bands such as M tley Cr e and Guns N Roses (who later re-released the band’s earlier recordings on their own Uzi Suicide label through Geffen Records) to become household names and platinum-selling artists.
Hanoi Rocks started in 1980 with vocalist Michael Monroe and guitarist Andy McCoy. After early growing pains, guitarist Nasty Suicide, bassist Sam Yaffa, and drummer Gyp Casino completed the lineup. Hanoi Rocks debut album, Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks, was released in March of 1981. In October of 81, the band went to England to tour as the support act for Wishbone Ash. Because the headliner’s audience could not believe what they saw, the word of Hanoi Rocks amazing and energetic live show started spreading around the United Kingdom. While in London, the band recorded Oriental Beat, released in 1982. After another highly successful and sold-out U.K. tour was completed, drummer Casino was let go and replaced by Nicholas Razzle Dingley. With a new drummer in place, the band set out to conquer the Far East. They toured India, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Japan. Hanoi Rocks mania reached a fever pitch when, after a show in Bombay, rabid fans caused a riot with local police because they would not leave the venue! The Times of India ran a front-page headline the next day exclaiming: Rock Band Causes A Riot. The world was ripe for takeover.
In Japan, Hanoi Rocks success was even bigger. Hundreds of fans went hysterical. Every gig sold out, and diehards followed the band from city to city and venue to venue. During the 1983 Far East tour, an album of b-sides, singles, and out takes was released titled Self Destruction Blues. Once back home from their successful takeover of the Far East, the band recorded Back To Mystery City. The album made it to # 87 on the British charts and on the success of the record, Hanoi Rocks performed a sold-out gig at the Marquee Club. The show was recorded and later released as a live record in 1984 titled All Those Wasted Years. Based off of the success of the band’s tours and album sales in Europe and Asia, CBS records offered the band a worldwide recording contract. The band flew to New York to record Two Steps From the Move with producer Bob Ezrin (Alice Cooper, Kiss, Pink Floyd). Two Steps From the Move was released in 1984, and the band toured Japan a second time, achieving even bigger success than the first time around. As U.S. success appeared to be just around the corner, especially with their first U.S. tour lined up and a remake of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Up Around the Bend climbing U.K. and U.S. charts, tragedy struck the band. On a night in December 1984, a drunken Vince Neil of M tley Cr e crashed his car, killing passenger Razzle. Ex-Clash drummer Terry Chimes stepped in for the remainder of the U.S. tour, but ultimately the magic was lost, and Hanoi Rocks disbanded in May of 1985 after a farewell concert.
In the subsequent years that followed, singer Michael Monroe released a number of highly acclaimed solo albums and has guested with the likes of Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Johnny Thunders, Joey Ramone, and Ian Hunter. Guitarist Andy McCoy formed the Cherry Bombz shortly after Hanoi Rocks split up. In the early 90s, McCoy formed Shooting Gallery and also toured as Iggy Pop’s guitarist while releasing several solo albums. Andy McCoy is currently starring in his own weekly, The Osbournes – type reality show on Finnish MTV. The show consistently draws viewing figures in excess of 700,000, not bad for a nation of only 5.2 million!
In the summer of 2001, Michael and Andy wound up playing together live for the first time in 16 years. They performed at a couple of festival shows as Hanoi Revisted, performing a red-hot set of Hanoi classics to rabid and ecstatic audiences. Surprised at how much they still enjoyed playing together, Monroe and McCoy decided to write some new material. Joined by the rhythm section from Michael’s solo band drummer Lacu and bassist Timpa along with second guitarist Costello the group went into the studio in the winter of 2001 – 2002 to record new material under the Hanoi Rocks banner. Both Andy and Michael recorded some of their best performances to date during these sessions, and as Andy put it, The stuff was so good it would’ve been a sin not to share it with the fans. What Monroe and McCoy realized from these recording sessions was the fact that the magic was back, and because of this, Hanoi Rocks was reborn!
The North American version of Twelve Shots On The Rocks is remixed and remastered with five bonus tracks. The record has already been given rave reviews by Kerrang! and Electricbasement.com and tons of other web and print magazines. Songs such as People Like Me, New York City, and Obscured are pure Hanoi Rocks nastiness at its best, while ’delirious showcases Hanoi Rocks new found energy by sounding part punk, part rock n roll, and features a guitar solo from McCoy that would make Slash bow down in honor. Just as bands like Backyard Babies and The Darkness are spearheading a new wave of bands embracing anthem-driven, soaring, melodic hard rock, Hanoi Rocks, the original flamboyant glam legends, are back to show them all how it’s really done!
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