Britny Fox
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Britny Fox | |
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| Origin | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Years active |
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| Labels | Columbia, CBS Records, East West, Spitfire |
| Past members | Jamie Fletcher Greg Polcari Greg D'Angelo Michael Kelly Smith Dean Davidson Tony Destra Adam Ferraioli Tommy Krash Henry Nowak Billy Childs Johnny Dee Tommy Paris Chris Sanders |
Britny Fox is an American glam metal band from the Philadelphia area, initially active from 1985 to 1992 then subsequently reforming from 2000 to 2003, again in 2006 to 2008 and final time reforming in 2015 to 2016. They are best known for their music video for "Girlschool" and their minor hit "Long Way to Love" (U.S. No. 100). Bassist Billy Childs has been the only band member to be a part of each of the band's many lineups.
History
[edit]Original lineup (1985–1992)
[edit]Britny Fox formed in 1985 in Philadelphia. The band was originally fronted by lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist "Dizzy" Dean Davidson. The band also featured Billy Childs on bass, former Cinderella guitarist Michael Kelly Smith on lead guitar and former Cinderella drummer Tony Destra on drums.[1] The idea for the band's name was inspired by Davidson, who named the band in honor of a Welsh ancestor. They were described on a compilation as "trashy Victorian glam".[2]
Thanks to their connections to Cinderella, the band was able to secure a major recording contract. However, the band encountered difficulties when Destra was killed in a car accident on February 8, 1987.[3] Facing a tour, they hired drummer Adam West (aka Adam Ferraioli) temporarily until landing what turned out to be long-term drummer, John DiTeodoro (Johnny Dee), who had been the drummer for the band Waysted.[2]
The band released a demo in 1986 titled In America, which late drummer Tony Destra played on, and a demo in 1987 titled Rock Is Gonna Fight, on which the band's new drummer Adam West played. The band's self-titled debut album, released in 1988,[4] was one of the most successful debuts of the 1988–89 season, achieving RIAA gold status (500,000+ copies). The band held more than 130 shows, which attracted more than 625,000 fans cumulatively; during these shows, the band mostly performed as supporting acts to Poison and Ratt, although in a few shows, they headlined with Warrant as their opening act. They also won Metal Edge magazine's 1988 Reader's Choice Award for Best New Band.[5]
After the release of the band's second album in 1989, Boys in Heat, Davidson departed, and formed the band Blackeyed Susan.[4] He was replaced by Las Vegas native Tommy Paris aka Don Jillson formerly of the band Jillson.[6] Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde and Poison drummer Rikki Rockett guested on the band's third album, Bite Down Hard, which was released in 1991. However, the popularity of glam metal was on a decline around the time of the album's release, due to the rising popularity of the alternative rock/grunge movement. Britny Fox disbanded in 1992 for various reasons.[4]
Reunions (2000–present)
[edit]
Britny Fox reunited in 2000 with the same lineup before their disbandment and released a fourth studio album, Springhead Motorshark, in 2003. The band toured the US and Europe in 2007 and 2008. Guitarist Tommy Krash and former White Lion drummer Greg D'Angelo was supposed to join at that time, but he broke his foot during rehearsal and was replaced by Henry Now.
As of late 2007, Britny Fox reformed under original bassist Billy Childs. The other former members of this lineup were lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Jamie Fletcher, lead guitarist Greg Polcari, and drummer Henry Now.
Bassist Billy Childs and the new lineup had a minor but billed role in the horror film Incest Death Squad (2009).[7] Childs also played bass in the North American Led Zeppelin tribute band Get the Led Out.[8]
In 2010, Dean Davidson unsuccessfully attempted to reunite the surviving members of the original lineup.
On April 25, 2015, the band announced that they had reunited with bassist Billy Childs, drummer Johnny Dee, long-time singer/rhythm guitarist Tommy Paris, and new lead guitarist Chris Sanders as their lineup and that they were recording a new album.[9] In a 2017 interview, Childs stated that the album project had been abandoned, but he stopped short of saying that the band had broken up.[10] In 2018, Sanders joined fellow glam metal band Ratt.
In 2022, Billy Childs formed his own incarnation of Britny Fox without the involvement of any other past members. They toured throughout 2023.
More recently in 2023, former lead guitarist Michael Kelly Smith confirmed in several new interviews that he was in touch with all surviving original members and was considering bringing an official version of the band back for a reunion with the lineup from the first two albums. Smith also teased the possibility of a new studio album.
Members
[edit]Billy Childs' Britny Fox
[edit]- Billy Childs – bass guitar, backing vocals (1985–present)
- Ronnie Rogers – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (2022–present)
- Greg Polcari – lead guitar, backing vocals (2007–2014; 2022–present)
- Henry Now – drums, backing vocals (2007–2014; 2022–present)
Past
[edit]Lead vocals/rhythm guitar
[edit]- Dean Davidson (1985–1990)
- Tommy Paris (1990–2007; 2015–2016)
- Jamie Fletcher (2008–2014)
Lead guitar
[edit]- Michael Kelly Smith (1985–1992; 2000–2003)
- Tommy Krash (2006–2007)
- Greg Polcari (2007–2014)
Drums
[edit]- Tony Destra (1985–1987; died 1987)
- Adam Ferraioli (1987–1988) (died 2023)
- Johnny Dee (1988–1992; 2000–2003; 2015–2016)
- Greg D'Angelo (2006–2007)
- Henry Now (2007–2014)
Touring keyboards
[edit]- Bobby Bunten (1988–1989)
Timeline
[edit]
Lineups
[edit]| (1985–1987) |
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|---|---|
| (February–March 1987) |
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| (1987–1990) |
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| (1990–1992), (2000–2003) |
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| (2006–2007) |
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| (2007) |
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| (Late 2007–2014) |
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| (2015–2016) |
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Discography
[edit]Studio albums
[edit]| Year | Album | US | RIAA Certification | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Britny Fox | 39 | Gold | CBS |
| 1989 | Boys in Heat | 79 | - | CBS |
| 1991 | Bite Down Hard | - | - | EastWest |
| 2003 | Springhead Motorshark | - | - | Spitfire |
Video albums
[edit]| Year | Album | US | RIAA Certification | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Year of the Fox | - | - | CBS |
Live albums
[edit]| Year | Album | US | RIAA Certification | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Long Way to Live! | - | - | Spitfire |
| 2002 | Live at Froggy's | - | - | Britny Fox Records |
| 2006 | Extended Versions | - | - | SBME Special Markets |
Compilation albums
[edit]| Year | Album | US | RIAA Certification | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | The Best of Britny Fox | - | - | CBS |
Singles
[edit]| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100[11] | US Main Rock | UK | |||
| 1988 | "Long Way to Love" | 100 | 33 | - | Britny Fox |
| 1989 | "Girlschool" | - | - | ||
| "Save the Weak" | - | - | - | ||
| "Standing in the Shadows" | - | - | 101 | Boys in Heat | |
| 1990 | "Dream On" | - | 34 | - | |
| 1991 | "Louder" | - | - | - | Bite Down Hard |
| "Over and Out" | - | - | - | ||
| 2003 | "Is It Real?" | - | - | - | Springhead Motorshark |
| 2007 | "Girlschool" "Long Way to Love" | - | - | - | Non-album single |
Demos
[edit]- In America (1986)
- Rock Is Gonna Fight (1987)
- The Bite Down Hard Demo Sessions (2003)
- Forbidden Fruits: The Bite Down Hard Demos, Volume I (2020)
- Forbidden Fruits: The Bite Down Hard Demos, Volume II (2020)
Bootlegs
[edit]- Gudbuy T'Dean (2001)
- Tommy Krash and Friends, Britny Fox the Acoustic Sessions 2019
Other appearances
[edit]| Year | Album | Song | US | RIAA Certification | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Nintendo: White Knuckle Scorin' | "Turn On" | - | - | MCA |
| 2019 | Tommy Krash and Friends, BRITNY FOX the Acoustic Sessions | Compilation | - | - | DEKO |
Soundtrack
[edit]| Year | Song | Movie | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | "Living on the Edge" | Iron Eagle II | Starring Louis Gossett Jr. |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Phillips, William (March 20, 2009). Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal Music. Greenwich, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 45–46. ISBN 978-0-313-34800-6. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
- ^ a b "Sleaze Roxx: Britny Fox". May 1, 2011. Archived from the original on May 1, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
- ^ Talevski, Nick (2006). Rock Obituaries – Knocking On Heaven's Door. London: Omnibus Press. p. 130. ISBN 978-1-84609-091-2. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
- ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (1999). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 81. ISBN 0-7535-0257-7.
- ^ Blush, Steven (2006). American Hair Metal. Los Angeles, CA: Feral House. p. 119. ISBN 978-1-932595-18-5. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
- ^ "Sleaze Roxx: Tommy Paris Interview". January 24, 2010. Archived from the original on January 24, 2010. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
- ^ "Incest Death Squad (2009)". IMDb.com. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- ^ "Billy Childs bio". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
- ^ "BRITNY FOX Has Reunited And Is Back In Studio". Blabbermouth.net. April 25, 2015. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
- ^ Alamo, Angel (March 11, 2017). "Interview with Billy Childs (Britny Fox)". Angelalamo.com. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
- ^ "The Hot 100 Chart – October 1st, 1988". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
External links
[edit]- Britny Fox at AllMusic
- Britny Fox discography at Discogs
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