Steel Breeze

Steel Breeze is an AOR group that had a popular video on MTV with "You Don't Want Me Anymore" in 1982.

Career

Taking their name from a phrase in Pink Floyd's song, "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", the six member band from Sacramento, California composed of Ric Jacobs (vocals), Ken Goorabian and Waylin Carpenter (guitars), Rod Toner (keyboards), Vinnie Pantaleoni (bass guitar), and Barry Lowenthal (drums) released their self-titled debut album in 1982 on RCA Records. "You Don't Want Me Anymore," the first single from the album, quickly jumped into the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 supported by a memorable video that was a favorite of early MTV, and peaked at #16. The next single, "Dreamin' Is Easy," also made it into the Top 40, but could not go higher than #30.

They had got together a few years earlier in a different lineup, and had enjoyed some local success with "You Don't Want Me Anymore," before catching the ear of manager Kim Fowley, who got them the recording contract with RCA. Casey Kasem, on the March 12, 1983 edition of "American Top 40", describes how Fowley discovered Steel Breeze while going through approximately 1200 demo tapes that were about to be discarded by a local club.

In 1984, Steel Breeze (now with ex-707 vocalist Kevin Chalfant and keyboardist Loren Haas) released their second album, "Heart On The Line" on an independent record label, but the record went unnoticed despite guest appearances by Bruce Springsteen's saxophonist, Clarence Clemons and Santana's vocalist, Alex Ligertwood. Five years later a third album, "Cry Thunder", came out with Bobby Thompson on vocals, Rick Lowe and Robbie Bickford on guitar, Toner on keyboards and Paul Ojeda on drums. In 1991, "Still Warrior" was released with yet another lineup, just as Chalfant had a small hit with a similar act, The Storm. In 1994, "Peace Of Mind" was issued.

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/sdgaynor/ Steel Breeze Fansite]