Alcatraz...

[Punkavenger]

It seems to me that that a long time ago when that first (only?) Alcatraz/vai album came out ...one of the songs they were playing on FM at the time was pretty good

Yet in later years when I've heard any Alcatraz/Vai I thought it sucked

Was some of the earlier stuff any good or am I just confused?

Not important ... its not like I plan on rushing out and buying the entire Vai catalog, the heresy thread just got me thinkin'

[pesocaster]

could not get into Alcatraz .. for the simple fact Graham Bonnet voice is like fingers on a chalkboard for me.... yes... even the rainbow stuff ...

[Jeff R]

Decent music but the buzzsaw voice turned me off. I tried to listen to it again a few years ago when I stumbled across a lost box of cassettes and couldn't make it through one side.

[silentman]

God Blessed Video?

Gramm Bonnet on vocals. (of rainbow)

Some of the Yngwie Alcatrazz songs weren't bad.

[HAMERMAN]

The only tune from the album Via was on (Disturbing the Peace) that I remember getting any airplay was "God Blessed Video". Probably because it had a video. :-)

For me the entire album was an acquired taste. It didn't do anything for me at first but eventually I loved all of it. I haven't listened to the cassette in a while to see if it's help up over time but I do plan on eventually getting it on CD.

[Dasein]

They had a lame band name. Of course that's back in the day when I thought his name was "Ying-g-wee"

[Rechts]

Didn't Graham Bonnet sing on Michael Schenker's first LP, then get kicked out, then come back to do his 3rd LP and live album?

That dude has been bounced all over the place.

Isn't he also singing for Deep Purple's "Perfect Strangers"?

The drums are recorded GREAT on that LP.

[MCChris]

Didn't Graham Bonnet sing on Michael Schenker's first LP, then get kicked out, then come back to do his 3rd LP and live album?

That dude has been bounced all over the place.

Isn't he also singing for Deep Purple's "Perfect Strangers"?

The drums are recorded GREAT on that LP.

You thinking of Gary Barden? That's the answer if you're referencing the album with "Are You Ready To Rock," "Mad Axeman," etc. Great drum sound on that one for sure. Cozy Powell was the shit.

[silentman]

Check out this gem from Graham's official website:

http://www.bonnetrocks.com/news.htm

October 18, 2006...Taz Taylor show and new Alcatrazz plan!

As already announced by Taz Taylor's website, The Taz Taylor Band including Graham will play a gig at Brick by Brick in San Diego on November 3, 2006. It looks as though this show may be their only show this year, so don't miss this chance to see Graham singing those new tunes from the Welcome To America album as well as his good old songs! For tickets and direction, please check the club's website.

We know that there is already a rumor about "Alcatrazz" circulating on the internet. Yes, we have to admit that there is a project to form new Alcatrazz involving Graham, Howie Simon (g), Glen Sobel (d) and Tim Luce (. The official name is "Alcatrazz featuring Graham Bonnet". Graham is truly hoping to tour Japan with this new band. When any activity of this project is confirmed, it'll definitely be on this News page. So keep your fingers crossed!

On a side note, Graham has been invited by Don Airey to join the recording of Don's new solo album and sing some tracks. Also, as for the Elektric Zoo recordings, the vocal tracks are now half way done. Rest assured that it is progressing.

Bonnet Rocks!

His FAQ says never in DP.

[Devnor]

Ahh Graham Bonnet...I think he's great.

Graham sang on Schenker's Assault Attack. Great album btw. I dont know anything about him potentially being on the first album. Thankfully he's not; I preferred Gary Barden. That first record has drum God Simon Phillips and IIRC Billy Sheehan played on 1 track(Into the Arena).

Ian Gillian sang on Perfect Strangers...maybe you are thinking about Slaves & Masters which had ex-Rainbow singer Loe Lynn Turner.

I thought "Stripper" off the Alcatrazz/Vai was a cute tune but overall I hated that record. It's a Vai album thru and thru (seems the guitar players had all the talent in that band). I thought Graham sounded great on the first Impellitteri album. I loved Graham in Rainbow...the guy sings his nuts off.

[zorrow]

Steve Vai played in Alcatrazz's third album, "Disturbing the Peace" -- that is, their second studio album. I think it was a great album. Pretty weird and unconventional, but very tasty too. I also own a copy of the "Power Live" video, which is Alcatrazz playing live with Vai in Japan. Vai struggled a little with the material originally played by Yngwie, but he was flawless on his own stuff.

And I like Graham Bonnet because he is a good singer and he sounds like nobody else. His voice has its own tone, very harsh and scratchy, sometimes even like almost out of tune, but at the same time with this expressiveness and bluesy feeling I enjoy tremendously. It's perhaps a love or hate voice, but I am at the love side in this case. In fact, I like almost all the stuff Graham Bonnet has put out, be with Rainbow, MSG, Alcatrazz, Impellitteri or even solo.

(edited some typos)

[ZR]

Yeah, I can undestand why someone wouldn't like his voice, but I do!

[Travis]

I actually like Bonnet's voice. I reallly like the Disturbing the Peace album. I'm going to have to pull that one out again. As much as I love Yngwie, I never really got into his stuff with Alcatrazz. I thought there were a couple of good tracks, but overall I liked Vai's stuff much better.

[jerseydrew]

I like Graham Bonnet's voice. I liked him in Rainbow. I was a big Rainbow/Blackmore fan back in the day. As a matter of fact, when I heard that he was in a new band named Alcatraz, I immediately went out and bought the album. I had never heard of Yngwie. What a nice surprise. Yngwie "f-ing" Malmsteen, who the f was this kid. Wow, I think I shit my pants that day.

[Sitamoia50]

Didn't Graham Bonnet sing on Michael Schenker's first LP, then get kicked out, then come back to do his 3rd LP and live album?

That dude has been bounced all over the place.

Isn't he also singing for Deep Purple's "Perfect Strangers"?

The drums are recorded GREAT on that LP.

Actually the Rainbow album "Down to Earth" which Graham Bonnet sang on was pretty good. Had the hits "Since you been gone" on it, also had "All night long" another good tune which Yngwie covered somewhere along the lines of the many Purple/Rainbow tunes he's covered. Oh, and he definately did NOT sing on "Perfect Strangers". That is unmistakably vintage/classic Ian Gillian, arguably the best if not one of the best "metal" vocalists ever. Nobody can scream those high notes quite like Gillian (just my opinion) listening to him hit those notes on "Child in Time" always floored me. I remember back in the 80's when they reformed I saw them 3 nights in a row and they just kicked ass. Gillian and Blackmore were just amazing for that short amount of time. They always had a volatile relationship unfortunately and seemed they could/would only go for a certain amount of time before it fell apart eventually.