The '80s saw the emergence of quite a few technically accomplished hard rock bassists -- tops being
Billy Sheehan and Stu Hamm -- as well as several lesser-known (yet just as skilled) players, including
Randy Coven.
Coven happened to come from the same locale that two of the decade's top guitarists hailed from, Long Island, New York,
Steve Vai and
Joe Satriani. Word has it that another renowned player, bassist
Jeff Berlin, lived nearby as well, and offered
Coven some pointers early on. Learning bass by playing in local cover bands that specialized in the top hard rock names of the day (
Jimi Hendrix,
Led Zeppelin, etc.),
Coven packed up his bags after high school graduation, and enrolled in Boston's Berklee School of Music. The old adage 'it's a small world' came into play, as it turned out
Vai had enrolled in the same school as well. It wasn't long before the two formed their own local band, Morning Thunder, and while the band never issued any recordings, quite a few band compositions would later turn up years later on both
Vai and
Coven's debut solo albums. After the group's split,
Coven turned up in a Canadian based fusion band, Orpheus (not to be confused with the late-'60s band of the same name), which gave the up-and-coming bassist his first taste of touring, and his first appearance on record, on the group's sophomore outing, Orpheus II, which featured a pair of songs penned by
Coven. By the mid-'80s,
Coven had returned to New York, and set out to form his own group, the Randy Coven Band. Joined by guitarist
Jim Hickey and drummer
Todd Turkisher, the trio recorded their debut, Funk Me Tender, in 1985. The title track featured a guest spot by
Coven's old pal
Vai, and when
Vai achieved stardom a year later when he joined
David Lee Roth's band, interest in
Coven's debut peaked amongst guitar players. A deal with Guitar Recordings soon followed (run by the magazine Guitar for the Practicing Musician), which resulted in such subsequent recordings as Sammy Says Ouch! and C.P.R., the latter of which was an album that saw
Coven teamed with
Alice Cooper/
Megadeth guitarist (and another fellow Long Island native)
Al Pitrelli, and drummer
John Reilly, as well as a host of special guests --
Zakk Wylde,
Vito Bratta, and
Steve Morse -- among others.
Coven also appeared on a host of compilations put out by Guitar Recordings around this time, and began penning his own monthly column for the magazine as well. The '90s saw
Coven team with a pair of renowned guitarists,
Leslie West (touring as part of a reunited
Mountain, and also appearing on
West's 1994 solo release,
Dodgin' the Dirt) and
Yngwie Malmsteen (1999's Alchemy and several supporting tours). The early 21st century saw the release of a 16-track compilation, The Best of Randy Coven, while
Coven issued his first true solo album in a decade, 2002's Witch Way, as well as guest on the sophomore release by Norwegian prog metallists,
Ark (2002's Burn the Sun). Additionally,
Coven hopes to get a new project off the ground, M.C.M., a band comprised of
Coven, guitarist
Alex Masi, and drummer
John Macaluso. ~ Greg Prato