The Story of The Slashtones
The Slashtones are one of the most enigmatic bands to spring forth from the rock clubs and sleazy after-hours bars of New York City. The Slashtones originally started out as a 'One Night Only" joke on a New York City rock club promoter's birthday party in 1993 and ended up recording music used on a nationally televised wrestling show called Extreme Championship Wrestling from 1997 to 2001. Along the way, the Slashtones transformed into a very unique satirical concept "super-group" of sorts. The band's roots and branches extended to such notables as: The Rolling Stones, Deep Purple, Tom Waits, James Brown, Riot, The Cult, Kiss, Zebra, The Ramones, Spinal Tap, The Who, Rainbow, Mountain, Robert Plant & The Honeydrippers and many others.
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The Slashtones. (Incarnations)
| Harry & The Slashtones (1993) |
The Slashtones (1994 - 1995) |
Life?! (1995 - 1996) |
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| The Slashtones II (1996) |
(Not) The Slashtones (1997 -1998) |
Harry Slash & The Slashtones (1997 - 2001) |
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| The "New Original" Slashtones (2002 - 2006) |
"The Slashtones 13" (May 2006) |
The Slashtones! (July 2006 - Present) |
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| Active Live Years: 1993 - 1996, 1997 - 1998, 2001, 2004 - 2006 |
| Active Recording Years: 1994 - 1996, 1997 - 2001, 2002, 2004 - Present |
| Inactive Years: 2003 |
Timeline:
* 1993 - The original lineup as “Harry & The Slashtones” consisted of Harry Slash (vocals), Steve Bondy (guitar), Roderick Kohn (guitar), Even Steven (bass), Paul Sheehan (drums) and Brad Rosen (harmonica). This was originally suppose to be a “One Night Only” joke band.
* 1994 - The band is reformed as “The Slashtones”. Added Chuck Hancock (saxophone) and Lez Warner (drums) as regular drummer Paul Sheehan switched to percussion as he recouped his injured knee. Mike Lawler (guitar) replaced Roderick Kohn.
* 1994 - Added Amy Wagman (vocals) and Butch Garcia (harmonica). Lez Warner left and Paul Sheehan went back to playing drums. Roderick Kohn (guitar) returned.
* 1994 - Brad Rosen left. Lisa Anselmo (vocals) replaced Amy Wagman.
* 1994 - Arno Hecht (saxophone) replaced Chuck Hancock.
* 1995 - “The Slashtones” released a very limited edition EP titled “Episode One”. Featured on the EP were most that had been in the band at that point including Harry Slash, Lisa Anselmo, Amy Wagman Steve Bondy, Roderick Kohn, Mike Lawler, Arno Hecht, Chuck Hancock, Even Steven, and Paul Sheehan. Also featured was special guest Joe Lynn Turner (vocals).
* 1995 - Lisa Anselmo left. Butch Garcia left and joined Reckless Fortune.
* 1995 - Chuck Hancock (saxophone) briefly returned.
* 1995 - Chuck Hancock (saxophone) left.
* 1995 - Lez Warner (drums) replaced Paul Sheehan.
* 1995 - Mike Lawler left.
* 1995 - The Slashtones go on hiatus when Even Steven needed to have back surgery.
* 1995 - Harry Slash forms the short lived band “Life?!” with Scott Duboys (Drums), Tony Moore (bass), Roderick Kohn (guitar) and for a short time, Chris Carter (guitar)
* 1995 - Chris Carter (guitar) left.
* 1996 - “Life?!” disbands.
* 1996 - Harry Slash reforms “The Slashtones” (as “The Slashtones II”) to fulfill show obligations. This lineup consisted of Harry Slash (vocals), Arno Hecht (saxophone) Steve Bondy (guitar), Roderick Kohn (guitar), and Lez Warner (drums). Lisa Anselmo (vocals) returned, Tony Moore (bass) replaced Even Steven.
* 1996 - Lisa Anselmo left.
* 1996 - “The Slashtones II” are disbanded when Harry Slash takes a sabbatical away from music.
* 1997 - Harry Slash reforms “Life?!” as a studio band that would go on to record songs for the "Extreme Championship Wrestling" television show. This lineup consisted of Steve “Budgie” Werner (drums), Ritchie Scarlet (guitar & bass), Andy Abbene (guitar & bass) and Harry Slash (guitar). This lineup lasted for less than a month as only Harry Slash and Steve “Budgie” Werner would remain.
* 1997 - Arno Hecht (saxophone) and Roderick Kohn (guitar) are brought into the “Life?!” recording project that would also include appearances by many other former members of “The Slashtones” including Tony Moore (vocals), Even Steven (bass), Mickey Leigh (guitar), Mike Lawler (vocals) and Steve Bondy (guitar). Other musicians that recorded on this project included: Garry Sullivan (drums), Frank Sannuto (drums & Keyboards), Frank Fortune (vocals), Joe Lynn Turner (vocals) and Pro-Wrestlers Tazz (vocals) and Francine (vocals).
* 1997 - Harry Slash reforms “The Slashtones” as a live acoustic side project called “(Not) The Slashtones”. This lineup consisted of Harry Slash (vocals), Arno Hecht (saxophone) Steve Bondy (guitar), Roderick Kohn (guitar), Even Steven (bass) and Steve “Budgie” Werner (drums).
* 1998 - “(Not) The Slashtones” are disbanded after a very dismal live performance.
* 1998 - “Life?!” is renamed “Harry Slash and The Slashtones” with the lineup of Harry Slash (vocals & bass) Arno Hecht (saxophone) Roderick Kohn (guitar, bass, keyboards) and Steve “Budgie” Werner (drums).
* 1998 - “Harry Slash and The Slashtones" released two songs on the compilation CD “ECW Extreme Music”.
* 1999 - Mickey Leigh (guitar) replaced Roderick Kohn.
* 2000 - Roderick Kohn (guitar) returned.
* 2000 - “Harry Slash & The Slashtones” released a very limited edition EP titled “Freedom Of Speech”.
* 2000 - Harry Slash, Tony Moore and Roderick Kohn record material under the pseudonym "Johnny Soul and his West Coast Wranglers".
* 2000 - Harry Slash reforms “The Slashtones” as a live version of “Harry Slash & The Slashtones”. This lineup consisted of Harry Slash (vocals), Arno Hecht (saxophone) Roderick Kohn (guitar) and Steve “Budgie” Werner (drums). Added Rawn Randell (bass). Mickey Leigh (guitar) returned.
* 2001 - “Harry Slash & The Slashtones” are disbanded when Harry Slash takes another long sabbatical away from music.
* 2002 - Harry Slash attempted to reform “The Slashtones” under the name “Slashtones 10” to perform during the band's 10 year anniversary in 2003. This core lineup consisted of Harry Slash (vocals), Arno Hecht (saxophone), Roderick Kohn (guitar), Mickey Leigh (guitar) and Steve “Budgie” Werner (drums). Tony Moore (bass) returned replacing Rawn Randell. Other former Slashtones that would have appeared included Even Steve (bass), Chuck Hancock (saxophone), Brad Rosen (harmonica) and Mike Lawler (guitar) for a total of 10 nusicians. The core band rehearsed a few times, but the project was shelved and "The Slashtones" were put on hold when Arno Hecht went on tour with "George Thorogood and the Destroyers" in 2003 and Harry Slash became involved with another project.
* 2003 - "The Year Without A Slashtone."
* 2004 - Harry Slash reforms “The Slashtones” as “The (“New Original”) Slashtones” with a minamalistic approach. This lineup consisted only of Harry Slash (vocals), Arno Hecht (saxophone) Roderick Kohn (guitar) Tony Moore (bass) and Steve “Budgie” Werner (drums).
* 2004 - “The (“New Original”) Slashtones” returned to the stage for a series of shows for the first time in almost three and a half years..
* 2005 - “The (“New Original”) Slashtones" began recording a new album, were featured on a David Lee Roth tribute CD and continued to perform live.
* 2006 - “The (“New Original”) Slashtones" were featured on a Guns -N- Roses tribute CD.
* 2006 - Added Felix Hanemann (keyboards) to the live band, temporally replacing Arno Hecht who was on tour with Dion.
* 2006 - “The (“New Original”) Slashtones" are put on hold after a very dismal live performace and internal conflict.
* 2006 - Harry Slash decided to go in a new musical direction and “The (“New Original”) Slashtones” were renamed “The Slashtones!”.
(Notice the Exclamation point "!" at the end of the band's name.)
* 2006 - Arno Hecht (saxophone) returned.
* 2006 - Felix Hanemann (keyboards) joined the band as it's first full-time keyboard player.
* 2006 - Mark Hitt (guitar) replaced Roderick Kohn.
* 2006 - “The Slashtones!” were featured as backing band on the Reckless Fortune version of “Rock Candy” released on a Sammy Hagar tribute CD.
* 2006 - Harry Slash decides to put all live performances on hold and makes “The Slashtones!” a conceptual studio band. This lineup features: Harry Slash (vocals & percussion), Arno Hecht (all saxophones), Mark Hitt (lead &rhythm guitar), Tony Moore (vocals & bass), Steve “Budgie” Werner (drums), and Felix Hanemann (keyboards), with Mac Gollehon (trumpet & trombone).
* 2006 - “The Slashtones!” were featured on a Van Halen tribute CD.
* 2007 - Members of “The Slashtones!” were featured as guest artists on the Reckless Fortune version of “City Boy Blues” released on a Motley Crue tribute CD.
* 2007 - “The Slashtones!” began recording a new album, including some tracks with Gregg Gerson (flute).
* 2008 - Mickey Leigh (guitar) temporarily returned, sitting in for the temporarily unavailable Mark Hitt.
* 2008 - “The Slashtones!” once again record with Joe Lynn Turner (vocals).
* 2008 - “The Slashtones!” (with Joe Lynn Turner) were featured on a KISS tribute CD.
* 2008 - Mark Hitt (guitar) returned.
* 2008 - Tony Moore reunited with RIOT and moved to the West Coast. (While no longer an active full-time band member, Tony may continue to record with The Slashtones as an "Auxiliary" member.)
* 2008 - Members of “The Slashtones!” (under the name "The Primetime Players" were featured on a Guns N' Roses tribute CD.
* 2008 - “The Slashtones!” were featured on two songs of a Led Zeppelin tribute CD.
-----------------------------------(The Future?)-----------------------------------
* 2008 - “The Slashtones!" (and any and all name variations that may occur by then) are currently scheduled to be permanently disbanded on
* 2009 - The Slashtones! may return to the stage to perform their last live show.
* 2009 - The Slashtones! may be releasing a limited edition live DVD and a CD of classic and new original music.
* 2009 - The Slashtones! may be featured on Buck Cherry, AC/DC & Aerosmith tribute CDs.
* 2010 - Harry Slash may reform “The Slashtones” under the name of "Once The Slashtones". featuring former band members that have never met before.
* 2010 - Harry Slash may disband "Once The Slashtones" and go on another long hiatus.
* 2011 - Harry Slash may record a solo CD featuring former members of “The Slashtones!”
* 2012 - Harry Slash may reform "The Slashtones" as "Just The Ultimate Slashtones" featuring all former band members of all incarnations of "The Slashtones", and then the world will end...
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