Little Caesar
A highly underrated R&B-influenced rock band from Los Angeles, Little Caesar made their recorded debut with one track, Down To The Wire, on STREET SURVIVORS, a compilation showcasing the best unsigned local bands. With a line-up of Ron Young (vocals), Apache (guitar/steel guitar), Louren Molinaire (guitar), Fidel Paniagua (bass) and Tom Morris (drums), an EP, NAME YOUR POISON, was recorded, helping the band sign a major deal with Geffen. The self-titled debut, produced by Bob Rock, deservedly received excellent reviews. Packed with good material, from the basic rock 'n roll of Down-N-Dirty to the more soulful R&B of In Your Arms, plus two Motown covers in Chain Of Fools and I Wish It Would Rain, the album displayed the band's strong songwriting talents and sense of melody, coupled with an emotive performance from the smoky-voiced Young. However, despite praise in the press for both live and recorded work, the album failed to take off. As it was released, Guns N'Roses were attaining enormous mass popularity, and the band's tattooed biker image, unpremeditated though it may have been, probably worked against them, allowing many to dismiss them as yet another Guns N'Roses clone band without hearing the evidence. Little was heard from the group for some time, although Young made a cameo appearance in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, and Down To The Wire featured on the Point Break soundtrack, until they reappeared with ex-David Bowie/Dirty White Boy guitarist Earl Slick replacing the departed Apache for some live shows prior to recording INFLUENCE. Boasting a harder sound than the debut, the album was another high-quality outing, but despite further good press, sales were again disappointing. When Geffen failed to take up a third album option, the band split up, with Young going on to front the similarly ill-fated Manic Eden.