For a brief time in the early '90s, the supergroup
Damn Yankees enjoyed a considerable amount of success on the arena rock circuit. Comprised of guitarist
Ted Nugent,
Styx's
Tommy Shaw,
Night Ranger's
Jack Blades, and drummer
Michael Cartellone,
Damn Yankees arrived during the final moments of pop-metal's heyday, and their music didn't stray from that radio-friendly format at all. The group's self-titled debut album spawned several hits in 1990, including the Top Ten power ballad "High Enough" and the radio hit "Coming of Age." Although they proved to be a popular concert draw (
Nugent even made headlines for his unchained behavior on-stage, which included shooting arrows into an effigy of Saddam Hussein), the band's follow-up effort,
Don't Tread, didn't fare nearly as well. The group disbanded soon after, with
Tommy Shaw and
Jack Blades continuing to work together as
Shaw Blades. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine