Kik Tracee

Kik Tracee
Kik Tracee, 1991.
Background information
Origin Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Years active 1988–1993
Labels
Associated acts
Past members Stephen Shareaux
Rob Grad
Gregory "Hex" Offers
Michael Marquis
Johnny Douglas
Scott Donnell

Kik Tracee was a 1990s hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1988, during the last years of the glam metal movement, before the influx of grunge and alternative rock.[1]

Brief history

The band was formed in a Los Angeles suburb in 1988 by guitarists, Gregory "Hex" Offers & Michael Marquis, bassist Rob Grad, and drummer, Scott Donnell. The four had played in the Los Angeles club scene from the age of 16. Singer Stephen Shareaux hailed from Minneapolis, MN and joined the group that would call themselves Kik Tracee. Drummer Johnny Douglas replaced Donnell during the making of the first record, as Donnell sighted creative differences with producer Dana Strum. The band was sometimes accused of being a clone of Guns N' Roses. Others argue that the band's complexity and depth placed them on a higher level than the average band in Los Angeles.[2]

Despite their technical skill and musicianship, Kik Tracee is of the many third-wave glam metal bands in the early 1990s swept out of commercial visibility due to the popularity of the alternative music scene. The band had a very short stint on MTV's Headbangers Ball in the 1990s. Their sound has been described as being similar to L.A. Guns, Britny Fox and Faster Pussycat.

Dana Strum of Slaughter fame produced Kik Tracee's 1991 No Rules under BMG Music, which spanned music videos for You're So Strange and Don't Need Rules).

Kik Tracee released the Chris Goss-produced 1992 EP Field Trip. A video for "In Trance" was shot for this EP.

Kik Tracee along with producer Garth Richardson began work on their second full-length release titled Center of a Tension. The band broke up during the recording process and the album was left unfinished.

Post breakup

In 2002 Shareaux was one of the many singers who auditioned for Slash, Duff Mckagan's and Matt Sorum's "The Project" (later dubbed Velvet Revolver) His audition was featured on the documentary "The Rise of Velvet Revolver". He submitted a track "Stripper Girl," but was rejected in favor of Scott Weiland.

Shareaux joined Flipp before creating a new psychedelic band called Revel 8 while bassist Grad is currently fronting the band Superfine and guitarist Hex pursued placements in film and TV as well as a project called Deep Audio. Shareaux also recorded with former Tomorrow's Child and Engines of Aggression guitarist Rik Schaffer under the name Nectar; their sole album, Afterglow, was released in 1997 by German-based label Dream Circle.[3]

In 1997, Superfine appeared on the T.V. show “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” with Rob Grad performing as a band member on the episode, “Teacher's Pet”. In 2010, Grad left Superfine and put out his solo CD.[4]

In November 2013, Shareaux released his debut solo album, Golden; former Small Faces and Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan makes a guest appearance on the song "R&R".[5]

In 2015 Shareaux began performing acoustic shows with Drew Fortier for which Kik Tracee songs were heard live for the first time in over 20 years.[6][7]

Fortier and Shareaux also formed Zen From Mars, an alternative rock band featuring members of Enuff Z'Nuff, Fear Factory, and Flipp. Their debut album The Ultra Head Frequency, is currently being mixed and mastered by Richard Easterling for a mid 2018 release.[8]

In 2017 Kik Tracee signed with EMP Label Group and released Big Western Sky, a 2 disc collection of demos, rarities, and b-sides.[9]

Accolades and legacy

Their single You're So Strange peaked at #47 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in September of 1991.[10][11]

No Rules, Kik Tracee's debut album, landed at #46 on Rolling Stone's Top 50 Greatest Hair Metal Albums of All Time list.[12]

Kik Tracee appeared at #78 in VH1's Hair Metal 100 Countdown list.[13]

Power Chord TV listed Kik Tracee as #2 on their list of Hollywood bands that should have been huge.[14]

Members

Former

  • Stephen Shareaux - lead vocals (1988-1993)
  • Rob Grad - bass guitar (1988-1993)
  • Gregory "Hex" Offers - rhythm guitar (1988-1993)
  • Michael Marquis - lead guitar (1988-1993)
  • Johnny Douglas - drums (1991-1993)
  • Scott Donnell - drums (1988-1991)

Discography

Albums

  • No Rules (1991)
  • Center of a Tension (1993) [unreleased]

EP's

  • Field Trip (1992)

Compilations

  • Big Western Sky (2017)

References

  1. ↑ "Kik Tracee: True Hollywood Story | Amplified Edge". Amplified Edge. 2014-09-26. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
  2. ↑ Prato, Greg. "Kik Tracee | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
  3. ↑ "Where Are They Now? Rob Grad of Kik Tracee". Noisecreep. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
  4. ↑ "Former KIK TRACEE Guitarist To Release Solo Album". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 2010-02-13. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
  5. ↑ Michelle Nati (January 27, 2014). "Stephen Shareaux Is Golden: Former Kik Tracee Vocalist Discusses Release Of New Solo LP". The Los Angeles Beat.
  6. ↑ "Kik Tracee Frontman Teams Up With Bang Tango Guitarist For Acoustic Gig – Sleaze Roxx". sleazeroxx.com. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  7. ↑ "DON'T NEED RULES: Stephen Shareaux and Drew Fortier To Embark On Acoustic Tour". Icon vs. Icon. 2017-03-26. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  8. ↑ "KIK TRACEE, ENUFF Z'NUFF, FEAR FACTORY Members Join Forces In ZEN FROM MARS Project". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 2016-08-09. Retrieved 2018-02-24.
  9. ↑ bravewords.com. "KIK TRACEE - Big Western Sky Tracklisting Revealed, Pre-Order Launched". bravewords.com. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  10. ↑ "Kik Tracee You're So Strange Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
  11. ↑ "Kik Tracee Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
  12. ↑ "50 Greatest Hair Metal Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-02-24.
  13. ↑ "The Hair Metal 100: Ranking the '80s Greatest Glam Bands, Part 2". VH1 News. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  14. ↑ "Top 5 Hollywood Bands That Should Have Been Huge". Power Chord TV. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
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