CATEGORIES
ALBUMS - RANDY PIPER
RANDY PIPER'S ANIMAL
The Whiskey, West Hollywood
The Players
Rich Lewis, lead vocals; Randy Piper, guitar and backing vocals; Head Shreader, guitar; Burn, bass, background vocals; Steve Solon, drummer.
Material
Raw, powerful metal amplified to sadistically high decibels’, reminiscent of metal in the early Eighties, such as Accept and Judas Priest,. Ex-W.A.S.P. Piper and Shreader have composed a bevy of bludgeoning ear-busters, the likes of which haven’t been heard since W.A.S.P.’S early club days. The subject matter’s fairly standard, but who listens to lyrics these days? What counts is the music, which ranges in intensity from the modestly anathematic “We’re Gonna Make It” to the frantic “TNT”. This band is definitely not a W.A.S.P. clone, as so many had feared it might turn out to be.
Musicianship
Intense, non-stop rehearsing (with Piper cracking the whip) has gotten this months-old band into technically sound shape. The only problems present were the odd recalcitrant amp, but roadie’s at-the-ready dealt swiftly with the complications and no one faltered because of it. Between screaming vocals and howling guitars, any dips or swerves in melody were obscured by sheer volume, providing that “load can occasionally be “better”.
Performance
Massive jaws and oozing chemical smoke hid the drum riser. Hugh, clawed hands obscured the amplifiers, and center stage was the man of the hour, Randy Piper, ripping gaping wounds in the air with an axe; that just about drowned everything else out. Piper seemed well into the music from the first cord, but the remaining members seemed nervous about sharing the stage with the guitarist. Even their stage clothes weren’t quite all there, looking as if Piper had pulled these musicians off the street to fill out the stage. Singer Lewis didn’t begin coming to life until the middle of the set, but when he did, he raged, finally proving to the audience that he was center stage, not Piper. Lewis’s increased energy sparked the audience into a screaming frenzy which initiated two encores, both W.A.S.P. songs - - “Animal” (F*** Like A Beast)” and “Blind In Texas”. Their biggest problem by far, through, was the amount of space their creature-feature took up. Such a set would do better on stages the size of the Country Club or bigger.
Summary
With Accept going commercial and W.A.S.P.’s fires fading, metal of this sort is in short supply, and if Animal can continue to produce and improve, they may start a newer wave of heavy metal.
-Article by Susan Lee 1988
The Players
Rich Lewis, lead vocals; Randy Piper, guitar and backing vocals; Head Shreader, guitar; Burn, bass, background vocals; Steve Solon, drummer.
Material
Raw, powerful metal amplified to sadistically high decibels’, reminiscent of metal in the early Eighties, such as Accept and Judas Priest,. Ex-W.A.S.P. Piper and Shreader have composed a bevy of bludgeoning ear-busters, the likes of which haven’t been heard since W.A.S.P.’S early club days. The subject matter’s fairly standard, but who listens to lyrics these days? What counts is the music, which ranges in intensity from the modestly anathematic “We’re Gonna Make It” to the frantic “TNT”. This band is definitely not a W.A.S.P. clone, as so many had feared it might turn out to be.
Musicianship
Intense, non-stop rehearsing (with Piper cracking the whip) has gotten this months-old band into technically sound shape. The only problems present were the odd recalcitrant amp, but roadie’s at-the-ready dealt swiftly with the complications and no one faltered because of it. Between screaming vocals and howling guitars, any dips or swerves in melody were obscured by sheer volume, providing that “load can occasionally be “better”.
Performance
Massive jaws and oozing chemical smoke hid the drum riser. Hugh, clawed hands obscured the amplifiers, and center stage was the man of the hour, Randy Piper, ripping gaping wounds in the air with an axe; that just about drowned everything else out. Piper seemed well into the music from the first cord, but the remaining members seemed nervous about sharing the stage with the guitarist. Even their stage clothes weren’t quite all there, looking as if Piper had pulled these musicians off the street to fill out the stage. Singer Lewis didn’t begin coming to life until the middle of the set, but when he did, he raged, finally proving to the audience that he was center stage, not Piper. Lewis’s increased energy sparked the audience into a screaming frenzy which initiated two encores, both W.A.S.P. songs - - “Animal” (F*** Like A Beast)” and “Blind In Texas”. Their biggest problem by far, through, was the amount of space their creature-feature took up. Such a set would do better on stages the size of the Country Club or bigger.
Summary
With Accept going commercial and W.A.S.P.’s fires fading, metal of this sort is in short supply, and if Animal can continue to produce and improve, they may start a newer wave of heavy metal.
-Article by Susan Lee 1988
RANDY PIPERS ANIMAL - MEMBERS
Randy Piper's Animal
Randy Piper - Guitar/Vocals (1988 to Current)
Former Members
Rich Lewis - Vocals (1988-1989, 2001-2007)
Eric Hyman - Rhythm Guitar (1988-1989)
Greg Coldewey - Bass (1988-1989, 2001-2003)
Steve Solon – Drums (1988-1990)
Tom Vitorino – Vocals (1989)
Scott Gaines – Bass/Vocals (1989)
Alex Nelson – Guitar/Vocals (1989)
Lenny Spickle – Bass/Vocals (1989)
Kelly Wilmont - Drums (2001-2003)
Mike Skimmerhorn - Guitar (2002)
Chris Holmes - Guitar (2003)
Jack Livengood - Bass (2002–2003)
Frankie Garisto - Drums (2003)
Chris Laney - Guitar/Vocals (2004-2007)
Guest Performers
Nalle Pahlsson – Bass (2007, Sweden Rock Festival)
Johan Koleberg – Drums (2007, Sweden Rock Festival)
Randy Piper - Guitar/Vocals (1988 to Current)
Former Members
Rich Lewis - Vocals (1988-1989, 2001-2007)
Eric Hyman - Rhythm Guitar (1988-1989)
Greg Coldewey - Bass (1988-1989, 2001-2003)
Steve Solon – Drums (1988-1990)
Tom Vitorino – Vocals (1989)
Scott Gaines – Bass/Vocals (1989)
Alex Nelson – Guitar/Vocals (1989)
Lenny Spickle – Bass/Vocals (1989)
Kelly Wilmont - Drums (2001-2003)
Mike Skimmerhorn - Guitar (2002)
Chris Holmes - Guitar (2003)
Jack Livengood - Bass (2002–2003)
Frankie Garisto - Drums (2003)
Chris Laney - Guitar/Vocals (2004-2007)
Guest Performers
Nalle Pahlsson – Bass (2007, Sweden Rock Festival)
Johan Koleberg – Drums (2007, Sweden Rock Festival)