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Rockin'Artist Bios P |
| Artist |
Prime Years |
| P.O.D. | 1998 - 2008 | | Take hardcore Punk, Alt. Metal, Hip-Hop, a dash of Reggae and blend it with Christian oriented lyrics - that's P.O.D. - Payable On Death. | |
| Jimmy Page | 1968 - 1975 | | Session guitarist turned Yardbirds axeman, Jimmy Page’s legacy was built on his next move, Led Zeppelin. | |
| The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart | 2009 - | | The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, a New York City indie pop band, took their name from the title of an unpublished children’s book written by a friend of Kip Berman. | |
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| Panic At The Disco | 2005 - | | Having written three songs, Panic At The Disco recorded two of them and sent the demos to Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz who decided to sign them to his relatively new Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen label. | |
| Panic Channel | 2006 - | | On a happier note, Navarro and two other former Jane’s Addiction members, Chris Chaney (bass), Stephen Perkins (drums), recruited singer-guitarist Steve Isaacs, a former MTV VJ who played the lead in the Broadway incarnation of The Who's Tommy, to form Panic Channel. | |
| Pantera | | | Exchanging glitter for tattoos, Pantera scored their first success with Cowboys From Hell in ‘90 featuring Dimebag’s vicious guitar attacks and Anselmo’s blast furnace vocals. | |
| Papa Roach | 2000 - | | Of the four members of Papa Roach (singer Jacoby Shaddix – formerly known as Coby Dick, bassist Tobin Esperance, drummer David Buckner), only guitarist Jerry Horton came from a two-parent family. | |
| Paper Tongues | 2010 - | | Unlike Rap/Metal, a mainstay in the ‘90’s, Paper Tongues’ Rap/Rock is more agile and lighter on its feet. | |
| Paramore | 2006 - | | Seeing Paramore perform only once, Fueled By Ramen’s head honcho, John Janick, decided to sign the group. | |
| Alan Parsons Project | 1980 - 1982 | | Given his background with thematic productions it was only a matter of time before Alan Parsons teamed up with vocalist Eric Woolfson and a revolving group of musicians, including ex-Hollie Allan Clarke and ex-Zombie Colin Blunstone, to create his own concept albums. | |
| Parts & Labor | 2006 - | | Parts & Labor are unapologetic noise merchants. Their songs go in fits and starts (mostly fits) as they slam together electronic noise, scattered melodies, vocals sunk in the mix and incongruous rhythms. | |
| Pavement | 1992 - 1999 | | Pavement is a post-Grunge strum and jangle outfit leaning on Malkmus’ quirky twists and turns. | |
| Pearl Jam | 1991 - | | Given their fractured beginning, who would have suspected that Pearl Jam would be the last Grunge band standing? | |
| Pennywise | 1997 - 2001 | | Pennywise is politics (liberal) with the standard “don’t mess with us” attitude. | |
| Carl Perkins | 1956 - 1958 | | When RCA approached Sun Records owner Sam Philips about buying Elvis Presley 's contact Philips wasn't too concerned about losing his main attraction. After all, he had another singer under contract who was going to be even bigger. | |
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| Liz Phair | 1993 - 2005 | | Liz Phair made a dramatic debut in '93 with the bare-bones double album Exile In Guyville. | |
| Phantom Planet | 2004 - | | Early on, Phantom Planet was known for having actor Jason Schwartzman on drums. | |
| Phish | 1988 - | | Not many bands have tried to replicate The Dead’s “long strange trip” but the most successful (in terms of fan passion) was Phish. | |
| Phoenix | 2005 - | | Phoenix plays music boyfriends can tolerate, if not appreciate. | |
| Pink Floyd | 1973 - 1975 | | Named after Bluesmen Pink Anderson and Floyd Council, Pink Floyd was founded by Syd Barrett. | |
| Pink Spiders | 2006 - | | The Pink Spiders were named one of Alternative Press’ 100 Bands You Need To Know In 2006. | |
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| Plain White T's | 2002 - | | Plain White T’s sound like Blink 182 but with a pop radiance rather than sneering, sarcastic vocals. | |
| Robert Plant | 1988 - | | When a group disbands it's usually the lead singer that has the most prosperous career. While that proved true with Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant it was hardly a slam-dunk. | |
| Poe | | | Born in New York (3/28/68), Annie Danielewski changed her name to Poe at the ripe old age of ten. | |
| Poison | 1986 - 1990 | | “Flesh and Blood” appeared like clockwork in ‘90 and contained Poison’s best single “Unskinny Bop.” | |
| Police | 1978 - 1983 | | At the beginning of '77, ex-school teacher Gordon Sumner a.k.a. Sting (so named for his fondness for a black and yellow stripped jersey he constantly wore) and Stewart Copeland began the Police with guitarist Henri Padovani. | |
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| Ponys | 2004 - 2005 | | The Chicago based Ponys came together in late ‘00 when guitarist/singer Jered Gummere convinced girlfriend/bassist Melissa Elias to start a group. | |
| Pop Evil | 2011 - | | Leigh Kakaty, Dave Grahs, and Dylan Allison were the founding members with Tony Greve, originally a temporary studio musician on the band’s sessions, becoming a full member in ’07. At that point, Jamie Nummer left for personal reasons and was replaced by Matt DiRito. | |
| Iggy Pop | 1969 - 1972 | | If self abuse were the sole criteria for Rock greatness, Iggy Pop would be king. | |
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| Posies | 1990 - 1998 | | The Posies' debut was the ironically titled “Failure.” The group moved to Geffen and made their major label debut with Dear 23 in ‘90. | |
| The Postelles | 2010 - | | The Postelles have the cheery, uptempo sound with “My Sharona” pulsating through their veins. | |
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| Powderfinger | 1994 - | | Powderfinger started as a trio in ‘92 taking their name from a Neil Young song. | |
| Power Station | | | Taking a break from Duran Duran, guitarist John Taylor and bassist Andy Taylor formed Power Station in ‘85 with former Chic drummer Tony Thompson and bubbling under singer Robert Palmer. | |
| Powerman 5000 | | | Mike with Powerman 5000 incorporated funk and rap elements. In early '89 the 12-inch single Much Evil was released under the MC Spider banner. | |
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| Elvis Presley (post Army) | 1968 - 1972 | | It wasn't until the movie/soundtrack revenues showed a steep decline that Elvis' manager, Col. Tom Parker, sought another money source. He settled on TV. He signed Presley to appear in a December special on NBC. | |
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| The Pretenders | 1980 - 1986 | | Had the Pretenders gone no further than their '84 CD Learning To Crawl (which almost happened) they would have accomplished a lot. | |
| Primus | 1991 - 1997 | | Primus comes off like a funky Rush but instead of science fiction themes there are the streetwise ramblings of a jokester, who obviously has a loose screw or two. | |
| Prince | | | The difference between '70s Funk master Rick James and Prince came down to adaptability. | |
| Probot | | | One listen to the tracks Grohl laid down for “Probot” and it’s evident that he's is not only a major enthusiast but he knows exactly what he’s doing. | |
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| Puddle Of Mudd | 2002 - | | For '03's Life On Display Puddle Of Mudd kicks it out on several tracks including opener Away From Me. | |
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Rockin'Artist Bios Q R |
| Artist |
Prime Years |
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| Queensryche | 1983 - 2009 | | Formed around lead singer Geoff Tate, Queensryche produced a self-financed album in ’83 entitled Queen of the Ryche. | |
| Queen | 1975 - 1980 | | After the contracts were signed, the record company exec must have walked away thinking Queen would either make millions or crash big time. | |
| Quiet Riot | 1983 - 1987 | | Quiet Riot got together in the mid-70s with vocalist Kevin DuBrow, future Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads, bassist Kellie Garni and drummer Drew Forsyth. | |
| R.E.M. | 1982 - 2011 | | R.E.M. got together in the spring of '80 with University of Georgia students Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Bill Berry and Michael Stipe. | |
| REO Speedwagon | | | REO Speedwagon released several albums before they decided to ride the Rock ballad wave with Keep On Lovin' You & Take It On The Run. | |
| Ra Ra Riot | 2008 - | | Ra Ra Riot is not a riot – in fact, they are closer to Arcade Fire but with a stronger pop leaning. The vocals are plaintive and the violin and cello provide a pensive charm that underscores the lyrics. | |
| The Raconteurs | 2004 - | | The Raconteurs are Jack White, Brendon Benson, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler. | |
| Radiohead | 1993 - | | Radiohead's '93 debut Pablo Honey contained their breakthrough song Creep. | |
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| Rainbow | 1976 - 1981 | | Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore hung with Rainbow about as long as he did Deep Purple. And while his time with Rainbow had its moments it doesn't compare with his Purple work. | |
| Bonnie Raitt | 1987 - 1990 | | In '86, Bonnie Raitt was dropped by her label, Warner Brother's Records, following the completion of her ninth album. | |
| Ramones | 1974 - 1979 | | As Rock was taking itself too seriously (happens every now and then and should be avoided at all costs), the Ramones came along with two minute high-energy blasts. | |
| Rancid | | | When Operation Ivy bit the dust, Armstrong and Freeman teamed with drummer Brett Reed to form Rancid. | |
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| Ratt | 1984 - 1988 | | Ratt rolled out of L.A. in the early ‘80s, and if they are remembered at all, it’s for “Round and Round.” | |
| The Raveonettes | 2003 - | | The Copenhagen duo of Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo used Pro Tools and drew from influences as varied as Buddy Holly, Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth, to create their debut, the eight-track Whip It On. | |
| Razorlight | 2004 - | | Razorlight started in '02 as a partnership of vocalist/guitarist Johnny Borrell and guitarist/vocalist Björn Ågnen (he’s from Sweden, you know). | |
| Jay Reatard | 2006 - 2010 | | “Blood Visions,” is the album that launched Jay Reatard to the head of the lo-fi class. Every song scores, especially those that show Punk roots. | |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers | 1984 - | | Though the Red Hot Chili Peppers' nucleus formed at L.A.'s Fairfax High School in the late '70s, only drummer Jack Irons was a local native. | |
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| Red | 2006 - | | Red, a Nashville post-Grunge Christian Metal band, sat at #2 on the Billboard Album Chart with their third set “Until We Have Faces.” | |
| Lou Reed | 1971 - 1975 | | Hailing from Freeport, Long Island, and born with the moniker Louis Firbank, Reed became a founding member of the influential, if not commercially successful, Velvet Underground in ‘65. | |
| Relient K | 2004 - | | Relient K's Five Score & Seven Years Ago, is a tour de force effort ranging from Beach Boys’ harmonies (Plead The Fifth) to jangling ‘70s pop (Must Have Done Something Right) to Alt. acoustic Rock (Faking My Own Suicide) to as close as they come to real Punk (Deviation And Reform). | |
| Rembrandts | 1991 - 1993 | | In ‘91, the Rembrandts (Danny Wilde and Phil Solem) had a minor hit with the brooding mid-tempo, “Just The Way It Is, Baby.” | |
| Remy Zero | 1996 - 2001 | | Rolling out of Birmingham, AL, Remy Zero released their self-titled debut in '96. | |
| The Replacements | | | Often remembered as Paul Westerberg's group before he embarked on a modest but intriguing solo career, the Replacements were a significant '80s band, though not all that commercially successful. | |
| Republica | | | With a Punk/Rock/Dance sound, Republica hit pay dirt with the single Ready To Go from their self-titled debut album. | |
| Paul Revere & The Raiders | 1965 - 1967 | | Paul Revere started out as a barber, but with long hair becoming stylish, he switched to operating a fast food restaurant. It was there that he met Mark Lindsey who delivered the bread. | |
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| Rilo Kiley | 2001 - | | Rilo Kiley takes a darker, tougher turn on Under The Blacklight. It’s also the group’s most stylistically diverse effort to date. | |
| Rise Against | 2001 - | | Rise Against began life in ‘99 operating under the name Transistor Revolt. | |
| Johnny Rivers | 1965 - 1967 | | Johnny Rivers is best remembered for the rollicking “Secret Agent Man” even though “Poor Side Of Town” charted higher (#1). | |
| Robbie Robertson | 1978 - | | With his solo recording career dormant for nearly thirteen years (from ’98 to ’11) Robbie Robertson laid down tracks for “How To Become Clairvoyant.” | |
| Rock Star Supernova | | | Rock Star Supernova owes its existence to three dubious elements: corporate Rock, the supergroup concept and American Idol. | |
| Rogers Sisters | 2002 - | | Detroit natives Jennifer (vocals/guitar) and Laura Rogers (drums/backing vocals) moved to New York to advance their music careers. | |
| Rogue Wave | 2004 - | | With each effort, Rogue Wave has kicked up the energy moving from the background to foreground. | |
| Rolling Stones | 1965 - 1975 | | The Rolling Stones were called the “World’s Greatest Rock n’ Roll Band” before they actually achieved that status and long after they’d lost it. | |
| Henry Rollins Band | 1987 - 1990 | | The Washington, D.C. native started the Henry Rollins Band teaming with Chris Haskett (guitar), Simeon Cain (drums) and Andrew Weiss (bass), who was later replaced by Melvin Gibbs. | |
| Romantics | | | The Romantics were more fun and exciting than many of their Midwest contemporaries (Styx, REO Speedwagon, etc.). | |
| Linda Ronstadt | 1971 - 1977 | | Linda Ronstadt's career served dual purposes. She updated and re-popularized some great tunes and she gave exposure to her struggling contemporaries. | |
| Rose Hill Drive | 2006 - | | Rose Hill Drive formed in ’03 with brothers Jacob Sproul (bass guitar and vocals), Daniel Sproul (guitar, backup vocals), and high school friend Nathan Barnes (drums). | |
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| Roxy Music | 1976 - 1982 | | Avalon with the title track, Take A Chance With Me, and the stunning More Than This represents Roxy Music's penultimate work thanks to flawless arrangements and exquisite production. | |
| Royal Bangs | 2008 - | | Don’t let all the electronics and loops distract, the Royal Bangs are a garage band at heart – and a very good one at that. | |
| Runaways | 1976 - 1979 | | The Runaways issued five albums and made a dent in ’76 with their single Cherry Bomb (Hello daddy, hello mom, I'm your ch-ch-cherry bomb!) but that was overshadowed by the fact that they were the first all-female Rock group. | |
| Rush | 1980 - | | Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer John Rutsey formed Rush in '69 as a Hard Rock covers band. | |
| Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels | 1966 - 1967 | | Detroit's contribution to Rock has been a straightforward and no nonsense. Bob Seger was a perfect example. Also, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels. Formed in '63 by R&B singer William Levise Jr. | |
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