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Biography
BLP sources|date=March 2010Infobox musical artist| name = Damn Yankees| image = Damn Yankees today.JPG| caption = Damn Yankees today. Clockwise from upper left: Tommy Shaw, Ted Nugent, Michael Cartellone, and Jack Blades.| image_size =| background = group_or_band| origin = United States | genre = Hard rock , glam metal ,cite web|url= http://www.allmusic.com/explore/style/d2693|title=Hair Metal|work= Allmusic |accessdate=13 July 2011 heavy metal music|heavy metal | years_active = 1989–1994; 1999| label = Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros. | associated_acts = Styx (band)|Styx , Night Ranger , The Amboy Dukes , Shaw Blades , Rubicon (1970s band)|Rubicon , Damnocracy , Lynyrd Skynyrd | website =| current_members =| past_members = Tommy Shaw Jack Blades Ted Nugent Michael Cartellone Damn Yankees was an United States|American hard rock Supergroup (music)|supergroup .
History
The band was formed in 1989, consisting of Tommy Shaw of Styx (band)|Styx , Jack Blades of Night Ranger , Ted Nugent of The Amboy Dukes and a successful solo career, and Michael Cartellone .cite web|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p4020|pure_url=yes|title=Biography: Damn Yankees|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas |publisher= Allmusic |accessdate=25 March 2010
Produced by rock producer Ron Nevison , the new band’s Damn Yankees (album)|self-titled debut album went double-platinum in 1990. Jack Blades’s leading single "Coming of Age," hit #60 on the U.S. Hot 100, and #1 on the AOR charts, while Tommy Shaw’s "Come Again" received extensive Album-oriented rock|AOR airplay.
1990's power ballad|rock ballad "High Enough" rose to #3 on U.S. Hot 100, and #2 on AOR charts. Despite Ted Nugent's career being built on his "Motor City Madman" image, "High Enough" was his first mainstream top ten single. The band's songs appeared on several Hollywood film soundtracks, such as Gremlins 2: The New Batch , Nothing But Trouble (1991 film)|Nothing But Trouble and The Taking of Beverly Hills .
After the release of their debut, the Damn Yankees went on a year-and-a-half world tour with the likes of a revamped Bad Company , Poison (band)|Poison and Jackyl . Their U.S. tour coincided with the Gulf War|Persian Gulf War , in which the band unfurled American flags and made patriotic statements.
In 1992, Damn Yankees went gold with their follow-up album '' Don't Tread|Don’t Tread . The title song, sung by Blades, enjoyed extensive coverage at the 1992 Summer Olympics|Barcelona Olympic Games . Ted Nugent also appeared on Rock the Vote , voicing support for the Republican Party (United States)|GOP against Bill Clinton . Although the second release was not as successful as the first album, it contained a few minor hits, such as "Mister Please," "Where You Goin’ Now," and "The Silence Is Broken," a power ballad featured in the 1993 Jean-Claude Van Damme film Nowhere to Run (1993 film)|Nowhere to Run .
On January 15, 2010 at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, the original members of Damn Yankees made a surprise appearance at the Taylor Guitars exhibit. Jack Blades, Tommy Shaw, Ted Nugent, and Michael Cartellone performed an acoustic set on the Taylor Stage including hits such as "Coming of Age", "High Enough", and the Ted Nugent anthem "Cat Scratch Fever". It was their first performance together since 2002. http://www.jackblades.net/news/default.aspx#14512caf-26fe-43ff-bd41-179d6b461811:34 dead link|date=July 2011
Shaw Blades
In 1994 Ted Nugent revived his solo career leaving Tommy Shaw & Jack Blades to record their own album as the duo Shaw Blades . Released in 1995, Hallucination (album)|Hallucination received very little support from its label as a personnel change brought industry executives more sympathetic to Alternative rock|alternative and grunge bands. Ultimately, the Shaw Blades album came out to some critical praise, but it vanished without major single support or a national tour (which had been cancelled by Warner Bros.). "I’ll Always Be With You" did garner some AOR airplay, and the title track was heard in the hit movie Tommy Boy , but after a brief West Coast tour, both Shaw and Blades went back to their respective original bands, Styx & Night Ranger.
During a hiatus in both Night Ranger and Styx, Shaw and Blades met with Ted Nugent to record a new Damn Yankees album in 1999. However, the album, provisionally titled Bravo , failed to please either the band members or the prospective record labels. Some of this unused material may have surfaced on Shaw’s 7 Deadly Zens (album)|7 Deadly Zens solo album, which featured sessions from both Jack Blades and Ted Nugent, as well as Michael Cartellone. Other songs originally prepared for a 3rd Damn Yankees album were included on Nugent’s 2002 release Craveman and Blades’ 2004 self-titled solo effort.
In 2007, Shaw Blades released their new album Influence (album)|Influence , which consisted solely of cover songs that influenced them, mostly from the 1960s and 1970s. They also recorded a cover of the classic Christmas song "The Twelve Days Of Christmas" on the "A Classic Rock Christmas" album by various Classic Rock artists in 2002. Both members still principally record and perform with their respective original bands.
While on the VH1 Classic show about Power Ballads of 88, Jack Blades commented about recent rumors regarding Damn Yankees. Jack said he, Ted, and Tommy had been talking and hanging out. Jack then said there would be new music and a tour from Damn Yankees in the future.Citation needed|date=May 2009
Band members
Former members
Tommy Shaw – rhythm & lead guitars, lead & backing vocals (1989–1996, 1998–2001)
Jack Blades – bass guitar, lead & backing vocals (1989–1996, 1998–2001)
Ted Nugent – lead & rhythm guitars, backing & lead vocals (1989–1996, 1998–2001)
Michael Cartellone – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1989–1996, 1998–2001)
In 2010 on the "United In Rock" tour, Styx, led by Tommy Shaw performed the song "High Enough" live as part of their set, without Jack Blades. cite web|author=June 22, 2010 |url= http://hardrockhaven.net/online/2010/kansas-styx-and-foreigner-live |title=Kansas, Styx and Foreigner LIVE& #33; Concert Review |publisher=Hardrock Haven |date=2010-06-22 |accessdate=2011-07-04
Discography
Albums
Year
Album
US
1990
Damn Yankees (album)
13
1992
'' Don't Tread
22
Singles
Year
Single
Chart positions
US Hot 100
US Main Rock
1990
" High Enough "
3
2
"Coming of Age"
60
1
1991
"Come Again"
50
5
"Runaway"
—
9
"Bad Reputation"
—
31
1992
" Where You Goin' Now "
20
6
"Don't Tread On Me"
—
3
1993
"Silence Is Broken"
62
20
"Mister Please"
—
3
Music videos
Year
Video
Director
1990
"High Enough"
cite web>title=Larry Jordan Videography
References
Reflist
External links
http://www.wiu.edu/users/muprs4/damnyankees/yanked.html It’s Just Them Damn Yankees
http://www.lockgen.com/damnyankees/damn.php It’s Just Those Damn Yankees
DEFAULTSORT:Damn Yankees Category:Supergroups Category:Glam metal musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 1989 Category:American rock music groups
