{"id":378948,"date":"2025-12-31T07:40:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T07:40:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/378948\/"},"modified":"2025-12-31T07:40:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T07:40:12","slug":"alcatrazz-respond-to-graham-bonnets-recent-remarks-regarding-the-bands-current-lineup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/378948\/","title":{"rendered":"ALCATRAZZ Respond To GRAHAM BONNET\u2019s Recent Remarks Regarding The Band\u2019s Current Lineup"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alcatrazz have issued the following statement, responding to Graham Bonnet\u2019s recent remarks about the band\u2019s current lineup:<\/p>\n

\u201cGraham, thank you for the free PR\u2026 the Alcatrazz name has been trending quite nicely over the holidays. In a recent interview you seem to have had your say, so now we will have ours:<\/p>\n

You claim our current line-up contains, in your opinion\u2026 a lack of musical merit, or that the musicians in our current line-up have no connection to, nor the right to perform or record as Alcatrazz\u2026 let\u2019s look under the hood a bit to your reasoning as to why\u2026<\/p>\n

Despite the fact that we have two original founding members (whom you have willingly, and certainly when it suited you happily worked with more than once at numerous stages in your musical career), one of whom named the band \u201cAlcatrazz\u201d \u2014 plus a guitarist that you yourself claimed in interviews at the time was \u201cperfect for the Alcatrazz band\u201d\u2026 someone that you yourself \u201cfully endorsed\u201d back in 2019 to record and co-write our \u201cBorn Innocent\u201d album, when you were still in the band.<\/p>\n

Perhaps you could check in with your apparent new friend Bruce Dickinson\u2026 as Bruce\u2019s own keyboard player Maestro Mistheria is currently in a band with our guitarist\u2026 Mr. Joe Stump\u2026 that band is called Tower Of Babel\u2026 small world isn\u2019t it?\u2026we are sure Bruce likely has better things to do though.<\/p>\n

The balance of your comments are also all a bit hypocritical, as aside from yourself not one member of your current solo band has any connection to these songs (nor to the songs of Rainbow or M.S.G. which you perform).<\/p>\n

In fact many of the songs that you are known by: \u2018Since You Been Gone\u2019, \u2018All Night Long\u2019, \u2018Night Games\u2019, \u2018Warm Ride\u2019, \u2018It\u2019s All Over Now Baby Blue\u2019, \u2018Only One Woman\u2019 (to name a few) you didn\u2019t write a single part of any of them yourself\u2026 yet you continue to trade off this material whenever you perform live, on recent re-recordings, live albums and compilations of your work\u2026 How many more versions of Russ Ballard\u2019s \u2018Since You Been Gone\u2019 are you going to re-record?\u2026 as many as you like we assume, but your apparent faulty logic of writers being the only ones who have a right to perform a song< doesn\u2019t compute.<\/p>\n

Again; we have two original founding members in our line-up and a guitarist who has been in the band longer than any other guitarist previous.<\/p>\n

The version of Rainbow that you were in bore little resemblance in sound or image of the original Rainbow band, yet in our opinion was no less valid\u2026 so by your logic as you didn\u2019t write anything with Rainbow, should you be dismissed in equal measure as some kind of imposter Rainbow member when you are out performing those songs? \u2026 You do seem to have a habit of shifting the rules around depending on what suits you best.<\/p>\n

You have claimed that you have seen videos of our live show and deem us to be \u201cterrible\u201d\u2026 you have also made recent comments in the press that you also cannot listen to yourself on similar such videos as they also sound \u201cterrible\u201d\u2026 so we suppose, in your estimation, that there isn\u2019t much hope for any of us\u2026 God-Damned Video!<\/p>\n

You also seem a bit \u201cput-out\u201d that Jimmy recently spoke to the press regarding your lip-synching and running of pre-recorded vocal tracks to cover for your vocal issues live (an absolute truth during Jimmy\u2019s tenure both in your solo band and in Alcatrazz)\u2026<\/p>\n

Would you care to take a lie detector test to settle this once and for all? \u2014 as we would be happy to also do so\u2026 are you up for the challenge?\u2026 anytime!<\/p>\n

There was of course no mention by you of the fact that you had no problem (for years) stating numerous falsehoods publicly about Jimmy Waldo\u2026 not least of all your ridiculous claim that he had \u201cstolen\u201d the main theme from the Alcatrazz song \u2018Island In The Sun\u2019 directly from Van Halen\u2019s \u2018Jump\u2019 (?)\u2026 But wait!, we have a slight timeline problem there, as Jimmy wrote that piece while a member of New England in 1981\u2026 it was released in 1983, still some months prior to the release of the Van Halen song (the two songs have nothing in common by the way).<\/p>\n

In reality it was Jimmy who would pitch correct your vocals on the records, prepare the pre-recorded live tracks for you to lip-synch to, and basically save your arse night after night \u2014 so it shouldn\u2019t come as a surprise that once you decided to take shots at our band and at Jimmy, that we decided (after THREE years of saying nothing about you at all) that enough was enough and he gave it back to you with both barrels fully loaded!.<\/p>\n

Jimmy Waldo; as a member of New England, A-Z, Warlord and someone who has performed numerous sessions for the likes of Quiet Riot, Pretty Maids, W.A.S.P., and many more, doesn\u2019t need to make up stories about Graham Bonnet to get attention.<\/p>\n

You make no mention of the fact that three international trademark courts dismissed your claim to the \u201cAlcatrazz\u201d trademark, for the simple fact that you quit-the-band (!) back in 2020 and that the band contractually was never ever your solo project\u2026 a narrative that you are still trying to push, proving once and for all that your ego is still your worst enemy.<\/p>\n

Now conveniently enough you say that the Alcatrazz name is an embarrassment to you and you have no desire to be known by it any longer.<\/p>\n

You didn\u2019t like Alcatrazz when the great Doogie White (ex Rainbow, Michael Schenker, Malmsteen) was singing for us, nor do you like it now that Giles Lavery (Warlord, Jack Starr, Dragonsclaw) is singing for us. Actually you told us you didn\u2019t like the music of Alcatrazz when YOU were a member either. Which is fair enough\u2026 we quite liked your last solo album by the way\u2026 apart from that song \u201cDavid\u2019s Mom\u201d \u2026 which was crap!\u2026 We all have opinions, so let\u2019s let the fans make up their own minds.<\/p>\n

You seem to make a big deal of the fact that our singer (Giles Lavery) is also our manager and was at one time your manager\u2026a man of many talents indeed (but not in the kitchen!)\u2026 you make this comment in some kind of attempt to diminish his work as a vocalist (as mentioned above he also sings quite successfully as member of, and for: Warlord, Jack Starr\u2019s band and Dragonsclaw).<\/p>\n

Again, your hypocrisy is palpable \u2014 Your own bass player is your current manager, of course she is also your girlfriend (and driver, nurse and landlady)\u2026 and speaking of musical merit, she herself did not actually play the bass on the Graham Bonnet Band albums (you can ask your guitarist Conrado more about that!) \u2026Oh\u2026did someone just say \u201cSpinal Tap\u201d\u2026?<\/p>\n

We continue to record and tour internationally quite successfully without you\u2026 so you do your thing and we will do ours.<\/p>\n

Alcatrazz (with two Z\u2019s).\u201d<\/p>\n

BraveWords Records recently released Prior Convictions, the new album by Alcatrazz. Prior Convictions contains newly re-recorded versions of nine 1980s era Alcatrazz songs, all featuring new vocalist Giles Lavery. Plus two brand new band compositions \u201cTransylvanian Requiem\u201d and \u201cStand And Wait Your Turn\u201d.<\/p>\n

Stream or purchase the Prior Convictions album here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Tracklisting:<\/p>\n

\u201cTransylvanian Requiem\u201d (new song)
\u201cStand And Wait Your Turn\u201d (new song)
\u201cJet To Jet (2025)\u201d
\u201cStarr Carr Lane (2025)\u201d
\u201cHiroshima Mon Amour (2025)\u201d
\u201cIsland In The Sun (2025)\u201d
\u201cToo Young To Die, Too Drunk To Live (2025)\u201d
\u201cGod Blessed Video (2025)\u201d
\u201cSkyfire (2025)\u201d
\u201cGeneral Hospital (2025)\u201d
\u201cKree Nakoorie (2025)\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Credits:<\/p>\n

\u2013 Produced Giles Lavery and Jimmy Waldo
\u2013 Mixed & Mastered by Andy Haller
\u2013 All songs recorded 2025<\/p>\n

Lineup:<\/p>\n

Giles Lavery \u2013 Vocals
Joe Stump \u2013 Guitars
Jimmy Waldo \u2013 Keyboards
Gary Shea \u2013 Bass
Mark Benquechea \u2013 Drums<\/p>\n

Alcatrazz, formed in 1983 in Los Angeles, has been as well known for the legendary players and singers who have passed throughout the bands ranks as much as they have for their music.<\/p>\n

Formed originally by the trio of Jimmy Waldo, Gary Shea (both fresh from late 70\u2019s hitmakers New England and the short lived band Warrior featuring a pre-KISS Vinnie Vincent) along with vocalist Graham Bonnet (himself with impressive credentials having been a then recent member of Rainbow and the Michael Schenker Group) the band set about completing the line up with drummer Jan Uvena (formerly of Alice Cooper) and a then very young Yngwie Malmsteen, a guitarist who had quickly made a name for himself upon arriving in the USA in the early 80s. The band issued their now classic debut No Parole From Rock N Roll album (1983) which was met with universal critical acclaim. Yngwie was soon to depart in favor of Steve Vai just in time for the bands second album, Disturbing The Peace (1985).<\/p>\n

The bands mission has always been a not necessarily stable lineup, but of an evolving union of established performers all forming a \u201csupergroup\u201d of sorts, one with perhaps more guitar fire-power than many, but definitely also with the songs to back it up.<\/p>\n

Vocalist Doogie White (himself also formerly of Rainbow and Michael Schenker) served a successful two album stint with the band, while the \u201cshred-lord\u201d himself\u2026the acclaimed Joe Stump (also a very established solo artist and a Berklee college professor) has now been the bands longest serving guitarist, with this year now making his 6th continuing year as a member of the band.<\/p>\n

Longtime Graham Bonnet and Alcatrazz collaborator, producer, songwriter and vocalist Giles Lavery is now the man behind the microphone, having proved he was an inspired choice on two recent U.S. tours \u2014 having worked with the band in numerous other creative capacities since 2017 the band feel it was a logical move, but also one chosen on merit. Giles can be heard on the recent BraveWords Records release, Jack Starr\u2019s Out Of The Darkness Part II as well as his studio and live work with U.S. metal legends Warlord, a band who feature non-other than Mark Zonder on drums\u2026himself a former member of the Graham Bonnet Band, Fates Warning, and worth noting here\u2026 as he is also currently leading the band A-Z who feature none other than Alcatrazz main man keyboardist Jimmy Waldo! confused yet? don\u2019t be, as all of this proves that there is a firm but perhaps overlooked consistency and lineage to what on the surface may seem like an ever evolving band personnel.<\/p>\n

Indeed Jimmy Waldo continues to be the heart and soul of Alcatrazz\u2026 as aside from being the bands talented keyboardist, he has been the one who would, over the bands career find himself at the centre of all band affairs and decision making, from booking the band in the early days, working closely with the bands various record labels, to making sure other members, at the height of 1980s rock n roll decadence were present and accounted for when it came time to get the work done\u2026\u201dI think I even drove the tour bus once or twice back then\u201d says Waldo\u2026 in fact it was Jimmy himself who personally selected Steve Vai out of a number of other contenders for the guitarist position in 1984 when Yngwie Malmsteen chose to move on to his own distinguished solo career.. \u201cAlot of people have come and gone over the years\u201d says Jimmy\u2026 \u201cIt\u2019s kept it fresh and we are hardly the only band like that, we still have myself and Gary still holding down the frontline from that early era\u201d Chris Impellitteri historically was one such player in line for the job, who may not have made it into the bands ranks back in 1984, but who in 2020 finally recorded with the band as a special guest on the successful \u201cBorn Innocent\u201d album (co-produced by Giles and Jimmy).<\/p>\n

Bassist Gary Shea, he who named the band and designed the bands logo no less\u2026 came up with the above-mentioned iconic album titles (lets also not forget \u201cLive Sentence\u201d) as noted above, has been flying the Alcatrazz flag with Jimmy for over 4 decades now and is looking forward to this next phase. Gary\u2019s recently published book \u201cNo Bass, No Party\u201d is also an essential read for those wanting to delve deeper into the Alcatrazz story!<\/p>\n

BraveWords Records has released albums by Paul Di\u2019Anno\u2019s Warhorse, The Chris Slade Timeline, Rhett Forrester and Rob Robbins, Prophets of Addiction, ASKA, Jack Starr, Alcatrazz and future releases from Lillian Axe, Crimson Glory and David Reece\u2019s Bangalore Choir.<\/p>\n

There is a serious void which desperately needs to be filled, hard-working and creative bands that have yet to find a partnership and a mutual vision with a professional team. The music-fuelled minds behind BraveWords Records, Brian Adams, Giles Lavery, Tim Henderson and Michael Brandvold, have built the ultimate home for an artist that will take you where you want to be. Collectively, with nearly 100 years of music industry experience under our belts, the BraveWords Records team will take care of all the crucial aspects of your project from global distribution (digital and physical), publicity and media coverage (web, radio, visual), social media blanketing and streaming opportunities (such as Streaming For Vengeance). Where most labels have forgotten the concept of actually marketing a release sensibly, BraveWords Records will construct a viable and comprehensive marketing plan, including visibility at BraveWords.com, which attracts a million visitors monthly. BraveWords Records has all senses on high alert as the music industry continues its never-ending transitioning, so the artist will always be aware of new opportunities to build their brand and strive for world domination. BraveWords will also have a focus on licensing film and TV content, both contemporary and retrospective across many genres. As artists and labels transition to the many new mediums available today for their work, BraveWords intends to stay ahead of the curve in providing and actively seeking opportunities for our roster of clients.<\/p>\n

With the rapid spread of the world wide web, BraveWords.com was born in 2000 and quickly became the CNN of heavy metal. With its team of global writers and photographers, the site flourished with 24\/7 updated news, features, reviews, audio and video steams.<\/p>\n

For nearly 30 years, BraveWords wears their metal heart loudly on their sleeve, as they celebrate the greatest genre of music with the most dedicated and passionate fans on the planet!<\/p>\n

\nDid you know BraveWords has an active Facebook Group where you can start your own metal discussion or take part in many other discussions. The BraveWords Facebook Group is the evolution of the old BraveWords message board from years ago.<\/p>\n

Bands\u2026 feel free to promote your shows and albums.<\/p>\n

Podcasts\u2026 feel free to promote your new episodes.<\/p>\n

Radio Shows\u2026 feel free to promote your latest show.<\/p>\n

Record Labels\u2026 feel free to promote your latest releases<\/p>\n

Click to join and start discussing: https:\/\/m.facebook.com\/groups\/bravewordsmetal\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Alcatrazz have issued the following statement, responding to Graham Bonnet\u2019s recent remarks about the band\u2019s current lineup: \u201cGraham,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":378949,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[161609,49,48,75,161610,341],"class_list":{"0":"post-378948","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-music","8":"tag-alcatrazz","9":"tag-ca","10":"tag-canada","11":"tag-entertainment","12":"tag-graham-bonnet","13":"tag-music"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378948","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=378948"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378948\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/378949"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=378948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=378948"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=378948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}