Damn Yankees
Formed in 1989, the Damn Yankees were one of several supergroups, which included Bad English, to emerge in the USA towards the end of the decade. Ex-Styx guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw had already been writing with the larger-than-life guitarist and solo artist Ted Nugent and they were soon joined by Jack Blades on bass/vocals (from the recently demised Nightranger) and Michael Cartellone, a previously unknown drummer. Warner Brothers beat Geffen Records in the race to sign the band, and their self-titled debut album was released in 1990. The music was hard-edged melodic rock much heavier than the style Styx and Nightranger were noted for, with Shaw and Blades handling the bulk of the vocal duties, while Nugent contributed lead vocals to the outrageous Piledriver. The album went Top 10 in the US, with the help of a Top 5 single — the power ballad High Enough. Damn Yankees, however, were not simply a record company creation. They proved they could produce sparkling live performances too, gaining a glowing reputation for their shows. These included tantalizing snippets from the respective back catalogues of Styx, Nightranger and Ted Nugent's solo work. The melodic influence of Shaw and Blades combined with the melodramatic antics of Nugent created a highly successful unit in terms of both critical acclaim and commercial success.