Tesla

Tesla is an American rock band formed in Sacramento, California in late 1982. They have sold 14 million albums in the United States. In late 1982, bassist Brian Wheat (age 20) and guitarist Frank Hannon (age 15) formed City Kidd, a band that then spent time gigging at Sacramento's defunct Oasis Ballroom. They also began working with American rock guitarist Ronnie Montrose towards writing hard rock hit singles, reasoning "We wanted to get signed, and we thought the way to do that was to write a hit single." New producers and managers turned the group towards radio pop rock and, to come up with the appropriate material, band manager Steve Clausman hired Grammy award winner Duane Hitchings, who provided the music to Rod Stewart songs such as "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" and "Infatuation". A representative from Geffen Records then saw where the City Kidd band was headed and let them know that he would only sign them if they "[wrote] from the gut and not from formulas." By 1986, the band had again changed its direction under a new name, Tesla. The band City Kidd was renamed Tesla during the recording of their first album, 1986's Mechanical Resonance, on the advice of their manager that City Kidd was not a great name (in addition, there was already another band going by that name). The band derived their name, certain album and song titles, and some song content from events relating to inventor and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla. Along with the band's next two studio albums, Mechanical Resonance was produced by Michael Barbiero and Steve Thompson. The band's original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Jeff Keith, guitarists Frank Hannon and Tommy Skeoch, bassist Brian Wheat, and drummer Troy Luccketta. Tesla's music is often referred to as hard rock or hair metal. The band's lyrics also strayed from the themes popular in hard rock, particularly in the 1980s at the beginning of their career. In the early days of their career, Tesla toured with David Lee Roth, Alice Cooper, Def Leppard, and Poison which resulted in the band being categorized as a glam metal band. The band's members resented this labelling. The band was booed off the stage while opening for Def Leppard at Calgary, which was unfair as they were playing well, but were then hardly known and the crowd wanted the main act.

It was three years before the band released their second album, The Great Radio Controversy. The album helped solidify the band's growing reputation and fan base. The album produced the hit single, a classic '80s power ballad "Love Song". In 1990, Tesla released Five Man Acoustical Jam, a live album featuring acoustic renditions of hits such as "Comin' Atcha Live", "Gettin' Better", "Modern Day Cowboy", and "Love Song". The album also featured a number of covers most notably a version of "Signs", a 1971 hit by the Five Man Electrical Band. In 1991 the band released their third studio album Psychotic Supper. The band itself considers this to be their best album according to their official web site. The 1998 Japanese reissue import of Psychotic Supper contains three previously unreleased songs, including "Rock the Nation", "I Ain't Superstitious", and "Run Run Run". In 1994 the band released their fourth studio album Bust a Nut. The 1998 Japanese reissue import of Bust a Nut contains the previously unreleased cover of Led Zeppelin's "The Ocean". After the release of Bust a Nut, Skeoch departed because of his struggle with substance abuse. He rejoined after completing rehab, only to depart again months later. The band moved forward as a four piece for a short while. However, it wasn't long before Skeoch briefly joined up with solo artist Marshall Coleman's band to support his solo career, only to see a departure of Marshall soon after. This band eventually morphed to include Jeff Keith and resurfaced as Bar 7 with a single "Four Leaf Clover", from the album The World Is a Freak. Brian Wheat formed Soulmotor and Frank Hannon Moon Dog Mane, while Troy Luccketta worked with several local artists including the Bay Area's One Thin Dime.

After a break of six years, the Sacramento Bee reported that the band had reformed in 2000 with the help of local radio personality Pat Martin of KRXQ. The band played an emotional sold out show at Arco Arena in Sacramento on October 25, 2000. Soon after they recorded the double live album Replugged Live. In 2002 they were featured in the Rock Never Stops Tour alongside other 1980s rock bands. 2002 saw the release of a further live album Standing Room Only which is just a single CD version of Replugged Live. In 2004 they released their fifth studio album Into the Now which debuted on the Billboard album chart at number 30. The album was well received by fans and the band was featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. In February 2005, Tesla headlined a benefit show at the PPAC in Providence, Rhode Island for the victims of the Station nightclub fire. During the show the band auctioned off an autographed acoustic guitar with the proceeds going to the Station Family Fund. 100% of the ticket sales also went to this charity. In the summer of 2006, the band embarked on the Electric Summer Jam Tour without guitarist Tommy Skeoch. Skeoch had left the band indefinitely to spend time with his family, and, as he later revealed on "The Classic Metal Show," other reasons; particularly his problems with substance abuse. Scott Johnson of the Sacramento band Rogue filled in for a time on this tour. Eventually Dave Rude replaced Skeoch permanently. "Cumin' Atcha Live" appeared in the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Tesla recorded a two-volume collection of cover songs titled Real to Reel, which was released on June 5, 2007. The recording is available as a 2-CD set. The first CD (containing 13 songs) is sold in a case with a blank slot for the second CD. The second CD (containing 12 additional songs) will initially be available to concert goers in the USA at no additional charge beyond the cost of a ticket. The second CD was also given away with the August edition of Classic Rock magazine in Europe.

At the end of August Tesla announced their first world tour in 16 years with dates in Australia, Japan, and Europe in October and November 2007. In February 2008, Tesla helped fund and headlined a benefit concert for victims of the Station nightclub fire. The show was broadcast by VH1 Classic. Tesla played three songs: "What You Give", "Signs", and "Love Song", though "What You Give" did not make it onto the broadcast. In June and July 2008, Tesla played a few shows in Europe and the USA, including Sweden Rock Festival, Graspop Metal Meeting and Rocklahoma. On July 15, 2008 "Tesla- Comin' Atcha Live! 2008" was released from a live concert filmed February 22nd, 2008 at a sold out Myth Nightclub in Maplewood, Minnesota. The 2 hour show included hits "Modern Day Cowboy", "Love Song" and "Song and Emotion" along with additional backstage footage. On August 11, 2008, it was reported that Tesla's next album, entitled Forever More, would be released on October 7 on their own record label, Tesla Electric Company Recordings. The album was produced by Terry Thomas, who produced Bust a Nut. The band aired the album's first single, "I Wanna Live" on radio stations across the globe on August 18 and kicked off a world tour on October 1. Forever More debuted No. 33 on The Billboard 200 chart and spawned singles I Wanna Live, Fallin' Apart & Breakin' Free. In 2009, Tesla was announced to be among the performers on the cruise ship "ShipRocked" in November 2009.[8] In 2010, Jeff Keith and Frank Hannon appeared on That Metal Show and announced that they were working on material for a new album,[9] though their studio burned to the ground on September 30, 2010. On May 10, 2011, the band played at a rally for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association. Tesla performed two songs, "Signs" and "Love Song" during the Kings #HereWeRally at Cesar Chavez Park in Sacramento, California to celebrate the team staying in Sacramento for at least one more year. On July 12, 2011 they released a mostly acoustic album titled Twisted Wires and the Acoustic Sessions. In June 2013, Tesla released a new single "Taste My Pain" on iTunes. They released their new album Simplicity on June 6, 2014.

Current members

Frank Hannon – acoustic & electric guitar, bass, mandolin, blues harp, keyboards, piano, organ, backing vocals (1981–1996, 2000–present)

Brian Wheat – bass, keyboards, piano, vocals (1981–1996, 2000–present)

Jeff Keith – lead vocals (1984–1996, 2000–present)

Troy Luccketta – drums, percussion, gong (1984–1996, 2000–present)

Dave Rude – guitar, bass, vocals (2006–present)

Former members

Steve Clausman – (1981)

Bobby Contreras – drums (1981)

Colleen Lloy – guitar, lead vocals (Joined band with Brook Bright as City Kidd in 1981–1983)

Brook Bright – guitar, vocals (Formed band as City Kidd in early 1980s) (1981–1983)

Jeff Harper – lead vocals (original lead vocalist for Earthshaker and City Kidd thru April 1983)

Joey Murrieta – guitar (before the breakout of Tesla) (1983)

Curtis Chapman – guitar (before the breakout of Tesla, when they were still called City Kidd) (1983–1984)

Tommy Skeoch – guitar, backing vocals (1984–1994, 1995, 2000–2006)

Tommy Armstrong-Leavitt – guitar, backing vocals (summer 2013, fill-in for Dave Rude)

Love song

So you think that it's over,

That your love has finally reached the end.

Any time you call, night or day,

I'll be right there for you if you need a friend.

It's gonna take a little time.

Time is sure to mend your broken heart.

Don't you even worry, pretty darlin'.

I know you'll find love again

Yeah

Love is all around you

Love is knockin' outside your door.

Waitin' for you is this love made just for two

Keep an open heart and you'll find love again, I know.

Love is all around you, yeah

Love is knockin' outside your door.

Waitin' for you is this love made just for two

Keep an open heart and you'll find love again, I know.

Love will find a way.

Darlin', love is gonna find a way,

Find its way back to you.

Love will find a way.

So look around, open your eyes.

Love is gonna find a way.

Love is gonna, love is gonna find a way.

Love will find a way.

Love's gonna find a way back to you, yeah

I know, I know, I know, I know.

Paradise

Hold me close now, hold me tight

Don't let go of me tonight

You're all I want, you're all I need

Hold me close now, hold me tight

And don't let go of me tonight

Sweet paradise, yeah

How I love all of those crazy little things you've said and done for me

You're the one for me

Darlin', dry your eyes, I can't stand to see you cry

Now just turn and walk away,

Don't look back when I say goodbye paradise

Days go by and life goes on,

I feel I've been away too long

What I would give to be with you,

Days go by and life drags on

Feel I've been away too long,

For much too long, yeah

And all the while that I'm away,

Don't let our love fade away, don't you fade away

Now as sure as the sun is gonna shine, the day will come

Now I'm waitin' for the day

There'll be no more sayin' goodbye paradise

My sweet paradise, you are the reason why it tears me up inside

And I break down and cry, didn't wanna say goodbye paradise

I'm comin' home to you tonight, comin' home to you tonight

So hold on tight, tonight I'm on my way back home to paradise

I'm so lost without you, I can't live without you

I've been away too long, now, tonight I'm on my way back home to you

My my paradise, my my paradise

To hold you in my arms, you're all that I adore

To see your smilin' face as I walk through the door

I'll never say goodbye again, no

The way it is

Doesn't matter who gets the best of who

Or who can hurt who the most, no.

It never was meant for it to be that way,

Never should be that way at all.

The way it is, the way that it goes

Happenin' day after day, yeah.

That's the way it is, the way that it goes,

Workin' in the strangest ways.

Even though we could never seem to work things out,

I still love you just the same.

I miss your smile and that sparkle in your eyes.

You're so beautiful, never change.

The way it is, the way that it goes

Happenin' day after day, yeah.

That's the way it is, the way that it goes,

Workin' in the strangest ways.

What it is, and what it was,

What shall be shall be, yeah.

Sometimes it happens in the strangest ways,

Sometimes it's hard to believe, yeah (Do you believe?)

Do you believe, can you believe?

The way it is, the way that it goes,

Workin' in the strangest ways, yeah.

Now it really don't matter who gets the best of who.

It never did and never will.

It was never meant for it to be that way.

Why must it be that way at all?

The way it is, the way that it goes

Happenin' day after day, yeah.

The way it is, the way that it goes,

Workin' in the, workin' in the strangest ways.

That's the way it is, that's the way it is,

That's the way it is, that's the way that it goes, yeah.

Yeah, that's the way it is, that's the way that it goes.

That's the way it is, that's the way that it goes.

See it happen day after day, yeah, yeah

Workin' in the strangest ways.

Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

Can you believe, do you believe?

Can you believe, do you believe?

That's the way it is, that's the way it goes.

Yes it do.

What you give

Who's the one that makes you happy?

Or maybe, who's the one always on your mind?

And who is the reason you're livin' for?

Who's the reason for your smile?

I feel so lonely, yet I know I'm not the only one, To ever feel this way.

I love ya so much that I think I'm goin' insane.

I'm goin' crazy, outta my head.

Goin' crazy, outta my head.

Can't think about nothin' but your good, good love,

And what you give.

Now, everyone needs somebody.

And you know, everybody needs someone.

Well, and a-yes it's true!

Everybody needs a specail kind of love,

And your the only one I'm thinkin' of.

You mean the world to me.

You are my only.

I feel so lonely, yet I know I'm not the only one, To carry on this way.

I love ya so much I lose track-a time,

Lose track of the days.

I'm goin' outta my head,

Goin' crazy outta my head.

Can't think about nothin' but your good, good love,

And what you give.

It's not whatcha got, it's a-what you give.

It ain't the life you choose, it's the life you live.

It's only what you give, only what you give, only what you give,

It's not whatcha got, a-but the life you live.

It's the life you live.

Play it pretty for the world.

You're the one that makes me happy. oh yeah baby.

And you're the one always on my mind. And yes it's true.

You are my reason, my one and only that I've been livin for

Why can't forever be... forever and nothin' more.

I feel so lonely, yet I know I'm not the only one

To ever feel this way.

I love ya so much I lose track-a-time,

Lose track of the days.

I'm goin' outta my head,

Goin' crazy, outta my head.

Can't think about nothin' but your good, sweet love,

And what you give.

It's not whatcha got, it's what you give.

It ain't the life you choose, it's the life you live.

No, no, no, no, no!

It's not whatcha got, it's a-what you give.

And it ain't what it's not, but a-what it is.

Only what you give, only what you give, It's only what you give.

It's not whatcha you got, a-but a-what you give.

It's not whatcha got, it's a-what you give. A what you give a woman.

It's ain't the life you choose, it's the life you live.

It's only what you give, only what you give, only what you give....

It's not whatch got, but a-what you give.

It's only what you give. Only what you give. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Only what you give. Only what you give.

Only what you give, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Is that good enough for the girls we run around with?

I do believe so, ohh, ooh, uh-huh.

Only what you give, what you give. Only what you give.

Only what you give.

Modern day cowboy

Stormy night under jet black skies

Billy pulls into town.

Thunder rolled and the lightnin' bolts

Come crashin' to the ground

Cold as ice, hard as stone

As he walks into the room,

With another man who was feelin' the same way

All hell's breakin' loose

Bang bang, shoot'em up

Bang bang, blow you away

It's a showdown, in a no-man's land

For the cowboy of the modern day.

Come on, sundown, don't be hangin' 'round,

'Cause the cowboy will blow you away

Al Capone and A Bad Boy Jones

On the wrong side of the law.

Johnny D and his company,

Always first to the draw.

Gangster lean, feelin' so mean,

Tryin' to take more than their share.

'Cause all they saw was ruling it all.

The seed of blood was in the air.

Bang bang, shoot'em up.

Bang bang, blow you away.

It's a showdown, in a no-man's land

For a cowboy of the modern day.

Come on, sundown, don't be hangin' 'round,

'Cause the cowboy will blow you away

Here we are and we've come this far,

But it's only getting worse.

The foreign lands with their terrorist demands,

Only 'cause the good to hurt.

The USA the USSR, with their six guns to their sides.

I see the message written on the wall,

Too much anger deep inside.

Bang bang, shoot'em up

Bang bang, blow you away.

It's a showdown, in a no-man's land

For the cowboy of the modern day.

Come on, sundown, don't be hangin' 'round,

'Cause the cowboy will blow you away

It's a showdown.