Britny Fox

Britny Fox is an American glam metal band from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, initially active from 1985 to 1992 then subsequently reforming from 2000 to 2008 and then again reforming in 2015. They are best known for their music video for "Girlschool" and their minor hit "Long Way to Love" (U.S. No. 100). Bassist Billy Childs has been the only band member to be a part of each of the band's many lineups.

Britny Fox
Background information
OriginPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
GenresGlam metal[1]
Years active
  • 1985–1992
  • 2000–2008
  • 2010
  • 2015–present
LabelsColumbia, CBS Records, East West, Spitfire
Associated actsCinderella, Jillson, Waysted, Tangier, Blackeyed Susan
WebsiteOfficial site
MembersBilly Childs
Johnny Dee
Tommy Paris
Chris Sanders
Past membersJamie Fletcher
Greg Polcari
Greg D'Angelo
Michael Kelly Smith
Dean Davidson
Tony Destra
Adam Ferraioli (Get The LED Out)
Tommy Krash
Henry Now

History

Britny Fox formed in 1986 in Philadelphia. The band was originally fronted by lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist "Dizzy" Dean Davidson. The band also featured Billy Childs on bass, former Cinderella guitarist Michael Kelly Smith on lead guitar and former Cinderella drummer Tony Destra on drums.[2] The idea for the band's name was inspired by Davidson, who named the band in honor of a Welsh ancestor. They were described on a compilation as "trashy Victorian glam".[3]

Thanks to their connections to Cinderella, the band was able to secure a major recording contract. However, just as things were beginning to look bright for the band, they soon dimmed. Tony Destra was killed in a car accident in 1987.[4] Facing a tour, they hired drummer Adam West (aka Adam Ferraioli) temporarily until landing what turned out to be long-term drummer, John DiTeodoro (Johnny Dee), who had been the drummer for the band Waysted.[3]

The band released a demo in 1986 titled In America, which drummer Tony Destra played on, and a demo in 1987 titled Rock Is Gonna Fight, which drummer Adam West played on. The band's self-titled debut album, released in 1988, was one of the most successful premieres of the 1988–89 season, selling gold (500,000+ copies) and bringing more than 625,000 fans to their 130+ shows opening for Poison and Warrant. They also won Metal Edge Magazine's 1988 Reader's Choice Award for Best New Band.[5] After the release of the band's second album in 1989, Boys in Heat, Davidson departed, and formed the band Blackeyed Susan. He was replaced by Las Vegas native Tommy Paris aka Don Jillson formerly of the band Jillson.[6] Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde and Poison drummer Rikki Rockett guested on the band's third album, Bite Down Hard, which was released in 1991. However, the popularity of glam metal was on a decline around the time of the album's release due to the rising popularity of the alternative rock/grunge movement. Britny Fox disbanded in 1992 for various reasons.

Britny Fox reunited in 2000 with the same line-up before their disbandment, and released a fourth studio album, Springhead Motorshark, in 2003. The band toured the US and Europe in 2007 and 2008. Guitarist Tommy Krash and former White Lion drummer Greg D'Angelo was supposed to join at that time, but he broke his foot during rehearsal and was replaced by Henry Now. During this time Billy Childs and Tommy Krash began recording an acoustic album with select Britny Fox songs. Time ran out before the start of the 2007 tour and the CD was never finished. Tommy Krash released this CD in 2019 under the name Tommy Krash and Friends, BRITNY FOX the Acoustic Sessions. The CD included Billy Childs and Tommy Paris as well as other special guests.

As of late 2007, Britny Fox reformed under original bassist Billy Childs. The other former members of this line-up were lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Jamie Fletcher, lead guitarist Greg Polcari, and drummer Henry Now.

Bassist Billy Childs had a minor but billed role in the horror film Incest Death Squad (2009).[7] Childs is currently playing bass in the North American Led Zeppelin tribute band Get The Led Out, "The American Led Zeppelin".[8]

In 2010, "Dizzy" Dean Davidson unsuccessfully attempted to reunite the surviving members of the original line-up.

On April 25, 2015, the band announced that they had reunited with bassist Billy Childs, drummer Johnny Dee, long-time singer/rhythm guitarist Tommy Paris and new lead guitarist Chris Sanders as their line-up and that they are recording a new album.[9] This lineup played six shows in 2015 and eight shows in 2016, but none since.[10] Their last performance, on a Monsters of Rock cruise in October 2016, ended with several dozen mostly middle-aged women dancing wildly to the song "Girlschool."[11] In a 2017 interview, Childs stated that the album project had been abandoned, but he stopped short of saying that the band had broken up.[12] In 2018, Sanders joined Britny Fox's rival band Ratt.

Line-ups

Touring Keyboards-Bobby Bunten

(1985–1987)
  • Dean Davidson – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Michael Kelly Smith – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Childs – bass, backing vocals
  • Tony Destra – drums, percussion
(1987)
  • Dean Davidson – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Michael Kelly Smith – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Childs – bass, backing vocals
  • Adam West – drums, percussion
(1987–1989)
  • Dean Davidson – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Michael Kelly Smith – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Childs – bass, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Johnny Dee – drums, percussion, backing vocals
(1990–1992), (2000–2006)
  • Tommy Paris – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
  • Michael Kelly Smith – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Childs – bass, backing vocals
  • Johnny Dee – drums, percussion, backing vocals
(2006–2007)
(2007)
  • Tommy Paris – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
  • Tommy Krash – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Childs – bass, backing vocals
  • Henry Now – drums, percussion, backing vocals
(2008)
  • Jamie Fletcher – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Greg Polcari – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Billy Childs – bass, backing vocals
  • Henry Now – drums, percussion, backing vocals
(2015–present)
  • Billy Childs - bass, backing vocals
  • Tommy Paris - lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
  • Johnny Dee - drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Chris Sanders - lead guitar

Members

Present
  • Billy Childs bass, backing vocals (1985–1992; 2000–2008; 2015–present)
  • Tommy Paris lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards (1990–1992; 2000–2007; 2015–present)
  • Johnny Dee drums, percussion, backing vocals (1987–1992; 2000–2006; 2015–present)
  • Chris Sanders lead guitar (2015–present)

Past

Vocals/rhythm guitar

Lead guitar
  • Michael Kelly Smith (1985–1992; 2000–2006)
  • Tommy Krash (2006–2007)
  • Keith Plants (2007)
  • Greg Polcari (2008)

Drums
  • Tony Destra (1985–1987; died 1987)
  • Adam Ferraioli (1987)
  • Greg D'Angelo (2006–2007)
  • Henry Now (2007–2008)
  • Brad Armstrong

Touring Keyboards
  • Bobby Bunten (1988-1989)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums
Year Album US RIAA Certification Label
1987 In America - - Wolfe
1988 Britny Fox 39 Gold CBS
1989 Boys in Heat 79 - CBS
1991 Bite Down Hard - - EastWest
2003 Springhead Motorshark - - Spitfire

Video albums
Year Album US RIAA Certification Label
1989 Year of the Fox - - CBS

Live albums
Year Album US RIAA Certification Label
2001 Long Way to Live! - - Spitfire
2002 Live at Froggy's - - Britny Fox Records
2006 Extended Versions - - SBME Special Markets

Compilation albums
Year Album US RIAA Certification Label
2001 The Best of Britny Fox - - CBS

Singles
Year Single Chart positions Album
US Hot 100 US Main Rock UK
1988 "Long Way to Love" 100 33 - Britny Fox (album)
1989 "Girlschool" 81 - -
"Save the Weak" - - -
"Standing in the Shadows" - - - Boys in Heat
1990 "Dream On" - 34 -
1991 "Louder" - - - Bite Down Hard
"Over and Out" - - -
2003 "Is It Real?" - - - Springhead Motorshark
2007 "Girlschool" "Long Way to Love" - - - Non Album Single

Demos
  • Rock Is Gonna Fight (1987)
  • The Bite Down Hard Demo Sessions (2003)

Bootlegs
  • Gudbuy T'Dean (2001)

Other appearances
Year Album Song US RIAA Certification Label
1991 Nintendo: White Knuckle Scorin' "Turn On" - - MCA
2019 Tommy Krash and Friends, BRITNY FOX the Acoustic Sessions Compilation - - Independent

Soundtrack
Year Song Movie Description
1988 "Living on the Edge" Iron Eagle II Starring Louis Gossett, Jr.

See also

References
  1. Talevski, Nick (2006). Rock Obituaries – Knocking On Heaven's Door. Omnibus Press. p. 130. ISBN 978-1-8460-9091-2.
  2. Phillips, William (2009-03-20). Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal Music. Greenwich, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 45–46. ISBN 978-0-313-34800-6. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  3. "Sleaze Roxx: Britny Fox". Web.archive.org. May 1, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  4. Talevski, Nick (2006). Rock Obituaries - Knocking On Heaven's Door. London: Omnibus Press. p. 130. ISBN 978-1-84609-091-2. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  5. Blush, Steven (2006). American Hair Metal. Los Angeles, CA: Feral House. p. 119. ISBN 978-1-932595-18-5. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  6. "Sleaze Roxx: Tommy Paris Interview". Web.archive.org. January 24, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  7. "Incest Death Squad (2009)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  8. "Billy Childs bio". Web.archive.org. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  9. "BRITNY FOX Has Reunited And Is Back In Studio". Blabbermouth.net. April 25, 2015. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  10. "Britny Fox Tour Statistics". Setlist.fm. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  11. "Britny Fox - Girl School". YouTube.
  12. Alamo, Angel (March 11, 2017). "Interview with Billy Childs (Britny Fox)". Angelalamo.com. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
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