Los Angeles-based hard rock/heavy metal unit
Alcatrazz was originally formed as a vehicle for vocalist
Graham Bonnet, but became famous for introducing budding guitar heroes instead, namely Swedish phenom
Yngwie J. Malmsteen and ex-
Frank Zappa six-stringer
Steve Vai. Emerging in 1983 with
No Parole from Rock 'n' Roll, which featured the hit "Island in the Sun," the band peaked in 1985 with the release of their sophomore effort,
Disturbing the Peace, which housed their second most well-known single, "God Blessed Video." The band issued one more studio LP, 1986's
Dangerous Games, before ceasing operations the following year.
After toiling away unsuccessfully for most of the '70s with
the Marbles and as a solo artist, vocalist
Graham Bonnet got his lucky break when he was tapped to replace
Ronnie James Dio in
Ritchie Blackmore's
Rainbow in 1979. But after recording the much-maligned
Down to Earth album and a single live performance headlining the first Castle Donington Monsters of Rock Festival in the summer of 1980,
Bonnet was unceremoniously sacked by the temperamental
Blackmore. Down but not out,
Bonnet set about forming
Alcatrazz, drafting veteran musicians in keyboardist
Jimmy Waldo, bassist
Gary Shea, and drummer
Jan Uvena, and looking to reproduce the basic
Rainbow sonic formula.
This was made possible with the arrival of Swedish guitar prodigy
Yngwie J. Malmsteen, who had already spent a few years in America honing his chops in
Steeler (featuring future
Keel vocalist
Ron Keel). An avowed
Blackmore disciple,
Malmsteen was just coming into his own as a songwriter and his collaboration with
Bonnet yielded an impressive first album, 1983's
No Parole from Rock'n'Roll. Unfortunately,
Malmsteen proved to be as egomaniacal as his hero, quitting
Alcatrazz for a solo career following their first tour. The band soldiered on, recruiting guitar virtuoso
Steve Vai, who was still a relative unknown despite having accumulated years of experience under the tutelage (first as a music transcriber then as a bandmember) of eclectic avant-garde rock legend
Frank Zappa. 1985's
Disturbing the Peace got some traction on the strength of the single "God Blessed Video," but
Vai soon quit to join
David Lee Roth's band. Finding themselves once again in need of a six-stringer,
Alcatrazz hired
Malmsteen clone
Danny Johnson for 1986's
Dangerous Games. Disheartened by the indifference of fans and media alike,
Alcatrazz decided to call it a day soon after. A re-formed
Alcatrazz under
Bonnet's watch began performing live in 2006, and have gone on to release a handful of compilations -- Breaking the Heart of the City: The Best of Alcatrazz -- and concert albums -- Parole Denied - Tokyo 2017. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia