Slaughter - Rock 'N America 2010

Refugees Christened Themselves Slaughter

To this day, almost twenty years later, the sequence of events in this twisted rock n‘ roll tale still don’t make sense, especially to the parties that lived through it.

Former KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent has put together a group of extremely talented sidemen to back him. On drums he has Berklee School of Music grad Bobby Rock; super elite bass player/songwriter/producer Dana Strum, and an incredible young vocalist named Mark Slaughter. Instead of utilizing their extraordinary skills, Vincent chooses to alienate the musicians to the point they all can’t wait to quit his band after the 1988 All Systems Go tour. Chrysalis Records promptly drops the Vinnie Vincent Invasion shortly after his band dumps him, then signs his former 24-year old vocalist and Strum to a record contract after they form a band. A little over a year after the V.V.I. disaster was behind them, the refugees have christened themselves Slaughter. Their debut album, Stick It To Ya (take that Vinnie), becomes a triple platinum success thanks to three Top 40 hits, the infectious rocker “Up All Night,” the spiritually moving “Fly To The Angels” and “Spend My Life.”

Slaughter’s success in 1990 was even more impressive because it came at the tail end of glam metal’s dominance over MTV and rock radio. Ignoring the grunge sound and ominous alternative wave that was about to revolutionize music on the airwaves, Strum, Slaughter, guitarist Rick Kelly and drummer Blas Elias came out of the gate swinging. High profile tours with KISS and Ozzy Osbourne not only shielded the band from being trampled under by the Seattle invasion, it enhanced their reputation as a great live act. Two videos, the platinum selling From The Beginning and the gold Stick It Live, further enhanced Slaughter’s stage personna.

The band’s second album, 1992’s The Wild Life, entered the charts at No. 8 and went platinum on the strength of the single, “Real Love.” The times were about to catch up to Slaughter, and the culprit wouldn’t be alternative music. A series of personal setbacks nearly derailed the group for good.  First, during another stint opening for Ozzy, singer Mark Slaughter was diagnosed with a nodule on his vocal chord that required surgery and complete rest for practically the rest of 1992. The following year, after a winter/spring tour opening for the Damn Yankees, the band began to make plans to record their next Chrysalis release, Fear No Evil. Midway into writing, Kelly and Slaughter’s then tour manager were arrested in Las Vegas by DEA agents on a six-year old narcotic trafficking charge. At that point, it was not known if Kelly would ever tour again. Shortly after that, Dana Strum was involved in a dirt bike accident near his home causing multiple broken bones, including the left wrist and two fingers of his playing hand. After several months of rehab, Strum finally healed and the band finished their studio album. Unfortunately for them, the musical landscape they were about to encounter had drastically changed, and not to their benefit.

Fear No Evil was finished in early 1994. After flying to New York to debut the record for Chrysalis executives, the group discovered that no one involved in the promoting of their first two albums was with the label. They asked for a release and got it. The heady days of the early ‘90s behind them, Slaughter literally started over, signing a North American deal with CMC International, and a separate Asian deal with JVC in Japan. Tim Kelly’s legal problems were finally resolved when the band recorded Revolution in 1997. The following year, however, the guitarist lost his life in an auto accident. An 18-wheeler apparently jack-knifed across an Arizona highway, striking Kelly’s vehicle and sending it into an oncoming car. Slaughter released the live recording, Eternal Live, in honor of their fallen comrade. Jeff Blando, the former Saigon Kick guitarist, was hired as his replacement.

Though Slaughter’s day in the sun shone brightly for a short period of time, to the band’s credit, they have remained intact as an ongoing musical unit, continuing to record and tour the world over. As for Vinnie Vincent, he was never heard from again. 

Original Lineup 1988

Mark Slaughter – Vocals, guitar

Dana Strum – Bass, vocals

Blas Elias – Drums, vocals

Tim Kelly – Guitar, vocals

Current Lineup

Mark Slaughter – Vocals, guitar

Dana Strum – Bass, vocals

Blas Elias – Drums, vocals

Jeff Blando – Guitars, vocals (1998 to present)