History
Leatherwolf
is an
Orange County, CA-based
heavy metal band known for their triple lead guitar approach, also known as the 'Triple Axe Attack.'
Formed in the early 80's, Leatherwolf quickly emerged as one of the musically most impressive bands on the Southern California scene despite the band members young ages. Sharing bills with fellow OC metal acts such as
Metallica, Witch, and
Slayer at venues like the Woodstock and Radio City, Leatherwolf quickly caught the attention of
Enigma Records affiliated indie label Tropical Records who financed the band's eponymous 1984 5-song EP, produced by Randy Burns (who would go on to work with the likes of
Megadeth,
Helstar, and
Kreator). Influenced by European heavy metal in general and early
Iron Maiden in particular, Leatherwolf's musical sophistication earned them high praise and let to the EP being extended to a full-length album and licensed in Europe. Germany's Steamhammer/SPV released the album in 1985, titled
Leatherwolf
, while Heavy Metal America, who had the rights for Great Britain, issued it as
Endangered Species
, so named after one of the songs on the album.
In 1986, Matt Hurich was recruited by another Orange County band,
Stryper, to take over bass duties for Tim Gaines who had mysteriously disappeared during the
To Hell With The Devil
sessions. Gaines reclaimed his spot only weeks later and Hurich was out of a gig as Leatherwolf had tapped Paul Carman who'd previously played in Black Sheep and appeared on their
Trouble In The Streets
album. The band signed a new record deal with
Island Records and holed up with producer
Kevin Beamish whose credits included
REO Speedwagon,
Y&T, and
Starship for their major label debut. Released in 1987 and confusingly titled
Leatherwolf
, the band's style had evolved significantly with the use of prominent vocal harmonies akin to
Def Leppard as well as the incorporation of keyboards, played by vocalist Michael Olivieri. The band also conquered
MTV with their first single/video, . It was followed up with another single,
Cry Out
b/w
Bad Moon Rising
, a cover of the
Creedence Clearwater Revival classic. Leatherwolf would also contribute the song 'Alone In The Night' to the
Return of the Living Dead Part II
OST.
For 1989's
Street Ready
album, recorded in the Bahamas, the band kept on Beamish as producer but tapped German expatriate
Michael Wagener for the mix. Although the first single/video was the radio friendly semi-power ballad ,
Street Ready
saw the band take a step back toward their more metallic roots with songs such as opener 'Wicked Ways', 'Too Much', and especially the all-instrumental tour-de-force, 'Black Knight'. Leatherwolf would finally make their European live debut in the spring of '89 with an appearance at the Aardschokdag in Holland and opening slots for Japan's
Vow Wow and German metallers Zed Yago. But the overall lack of label support began to take its toll on the band's inner workings and drummer Dean Roberts was eventually ousted in favor of Marco Forcone (ex-Enticer). Roberts joined The Rod Squad, led by former Knightmare II vocalist Dennis Carlock
aka
The Rod, with whom he recorded the 'Body Heater' 7" in 1990. Even bigger changes lay ahead as Leatherwolf dropped their trademark style in favor of a bluesier approach and
Guns N' Roses-style visuals. With Pat Guyton replacing Paul Carman on bass, the band had morphed into Hail Mary by 1991. However, success under the new moniker proved as illusive as ever as and the grunge rock revolution put the final nail in the band's coffin. Grand Slamm Records would re-issue the self-titled Leatherwolf debut on CD in 1991.
It was not until 1999 when the classic Leatherwolf line-up would re-emerge with a celebrated reunion show at the Galaxy Theater in Santa Ana, CA, documented on the
Wide Open
live album that featured 14 of the band's best songs as well as a cover of the
Doors' 'Break On Through.' Leatherwolf also made their return to Europe with an exclusive show the at
Wacken Open Air festival in Germany that same year. Further activities would remain few and far between and Michael Olivieri announced his departure in the spring of 2003 after supporting
Halford at the Grove in Anaheim, CA. Auditioning various singers, the band recorded a 3-song demo consisting of 'Disconnect', 'Behind the Gun', and 'Burned' with Jeff Martin from
Racer X. Martin eventually declined to join on a full-time basis and lone survivors, Geoff Gayer and Dean Roberts, started the search anew and were finally introduced to Florida-based screamer Wade Black (
Crimson Glory, Leash Law,
Seven Witches). With both Carey Howe and Paul Carman out of the picture, bass was handled by San Antonio, TX native Pete Perez (
Riot,
Spastic Ink) while OC local Mark Smith and Houstonian Eric Halpern (Destiny's End, Z-Lot-Z) contributed additional lead guitars to the new album. Co-produced by Roberts and Gayer and mixed by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark,
World Asylum
was released in the spring of 2006 to great reviews and Leatherwolf played the Bang Your Head
|! festival in Germany in June, with Paul Carman back in the fold on bass for the occasion. The band also shot a promotional video for the song with director Karpis Maksudian. Former Hail Mary and
Shotgun Messiah member Patrick Guyton would take over on bass for the band's
ProgPower USA festival appearance in Atlanta, GA in the fall of '06.
Original members Carey Howe and Michael Olivieri returned in 2007 and Leatherwolf re-issued
World Asylum
with Olivieri's vocals in place of Wade Black as
New World Asylum
, again mixed by Hansen. In the fall of 2007, Leatherwolf embarked on a short European tour, highlighted by a headline appearance at the 9th edition of Germany's
Keep It True festival. Guitarist Geoff Gayer was let go at the end of the trip and replaced by Greg Erba with whom the band lensed a video clip for with Karpis Maksudian at the helm once again. It would be included on the
Monsters of Metal Vol. 6
video compilation by
Nuclear Blast.
As of mid-2009, Leatherwolf are said to be writing for a new studio album and have been confirmed for the third annual
Rocklahoma festival, sharing a bill with
Anthrax,
Saxon,
Overkill,
Anvil, and
Metal Church on July 9.
Members
Original line-up
- Michael Olivieri - vocals, guitar
- Geoff Gayer - guitars
- Carey Howe - guitars
- Matt Hurich - bass
- Dean Roberts - drums
1986 line-up
- Michael Olivieri - vocals, guitar
- Geoff Gayer - guitars
- Carey Howe - guitars
- Paul Carman - bass
- Dean Roberts - drums
1990 line-up
- Michael Olivieri - vocals, guitar
- Geoff Gayer - guitars
- Carey Howe - guitars
- Pat Guyton - bass
- Marco Forcone - drums
1999 line-up
- Michael Olivieri - vocals, guitar
- Geoff Gayer - guitars
- Carey Howe - guitars
- Paul Carman - bass
- Dean Roberts - drums
2004 line-up
- Jeff Martin - vocals
- Geoff Gayer - guitar
- Paul Carman - bass
- Dean Roberts - drums
2006 line-up
- Wade Black - vocals
- Geoff Gayer - guitars
- Eric Halpern - guitars
- Pete Perez - bass
- Dean Roberts - drums
2007 line-up
- Michael Olivieri - vocals
- Geoff Gayer - guitars
- Carey Howe - guitars
- Paul Carman - bass
- Dean Roberts - drums
2009 line-up
- Michael Olivieri - vocals
- Carey Howe - guitar
- Greg Erba - guitars
- Patrick Guyton - bass
- Dean Roberts - drums
2009 Crew
- Johny Meyer - Drum Tech
- Sammy Roberts - Assistant Manager/Merch/Drummers son
- Tim Wilson - Road Manager/Guitar tech
- Shayne Sherry - Merch
- Jordan Alexander - Merch
- Wes Erba - Merch
- Victoria Roberts - Travel Coordinator
Discography
Studio albums:
- Leatherwolf
EP (Tropical/Enigma, 1984)
- Leatherwolf
(Tropical/Enigma, 1984 / Steamhammer/SPV, 1985 / Grand Slamm, 1991) aka Endangered Species
(Heavy Metal America, 1985)
- Leatherwolf
(Island, 1987)
- Street Ready
(Island, 1989)
- World Asylum
(NIL8 / King Record Co. / Massacre 2006; Dynamo Prod., 2007)
- New World Asylum
(NIL8, 2007)
Live albums:
- Wide Open
(Leatherwolf Music / King Record Co., 1999)