By: Lucy Hall
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| Jesse Damon Promotional Photo |
The Sunset Strip proved to be an incredible place to live out adolescent fantasies of rock and roll during the decade of glam. Indeed the L.A. club scene provided a perfect place to roam for a young Southern Californian vocalist/musician, whose voice once heard, could never be forgotten. Jesse Damon prior to joining the high powered hard rock outfit, Silent Rage; picked up a guitar at age eight. Heavily influenced by 70’s rock gods, Jesse developed a passion for music and his own brand of solo playing and songwriting styles. Jesse spent his youth toying with the idea of music as a career. During high school he became even more serious about his love of music and found two rebellious young rockers like himself EJ Curse and Mark Hawkins, thus forming the band, Rage. The group later changed their name to Silent Rage and spent time paying their rock and roll dues as an opening act. Soon the band forged a name for themselves as competent headliners.
Silent Rage Promotional Photo
Silent Rage debuted with "Make It or Break It" on Pure Rock Presents 10 Best from the West compilation. Which caught the attention of producer/guitarist Paul Sabu who produced their debut album, Shattered Hearts, one of the most creative and impressive releases of 1987. The same year the band also had a single on the motion picture soundtrack for the comedy, Million Dollar Mystery. During a time in rock history when glam metal projected the debauched lifestyle of flashy clothing, makeup, parties, groupies, and glossy pop-influenced hooks and riffs; Silent Rage seemed to possess much more substance than the average pop-tinted hard rock of the 1980s. Rage’s signature style of melodic hard rock and sophistication at the time quickly garnered music mogul, Gene Simmons’ consideration. Which led to Simmons’ self - titled label, a subsidiary of RCA Records producing Rage’s sophomore album, Don't Touch Me There. The album spawned the rock video "Rebel with a Cause", which had heavy rotation on MTV's hard rock/metal programming, Hard 60 and Headbangers Ball. Preceding the second album, Silent Rage disbanded to work on solo projects but since has had several reunions. In 2002, the band reformed and released Still Alive. In 2008 Silent Rage signed a deal with Frontiers Records for their fourth album, Four Letter Word. The album was produced by Gilby Clarke who also performed on the album. In 2009 the band recorded a bonus track, “Sole Survivor” for the re-mastered, Shattered Hearts album.
Silent Rage Album, Four Letter Word
Jesse went on to prove that he was much more than just the front man of a popular melodic hard rock act. His innovative songwriting, vocals, and hard rocking guitar skills were far more refined than your average glam rocker. He went on to devote himself to his successful solo career. Jesse continued his ability to produce infectious songs combining hard rock melodic songs and powerful ballads on his first few solo efforts. Although his love for the blues, classic rock and country has always been evident; Jesse started to redefine his sound which became more southern blues and country-oriented in his later recordings. But at the same time, he appeared to be getting back to his musical rock roots by incorporating both electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, and lots of harmonies which he has always been known for.
Jesse Damon Album, Temptation in the Garden of Eve
During the early 90s, Jesse continued his musical partnership with Gene Simmons and wrote & performed with Kiss. He performed on both KISS albums Hot In The Shade and Revenge. Jesse’s work co-writing with Simmons’ on Revenge earned him a gold album reward. In 2002 Jesse released his first solo album, The Hand That Rocks. The album contained a track written with Gene Simmons entitled "Everybody Loves Somebody ", and also saw Paul Sabu in production who Jesse would continue to work with throughout his career. Later on, Jesse worked on songs for the albums Carnival Of Souls and Psycho Circus. Silent Rage was credited for performing on Simmon’s Sex Money KISS release and on the 2001 KISS Box Set.
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| Jesse Damon Promotional Photo |
Heavy Makeup recently had the privilege of catching up with Jesse Damon to talk about his passion for music and his upcoming album:
HEAVY MAKEUP: You started playing guitar as a child. Who initially influenced you to start playing? Was your family influential? As you grew older what bands inspired your hard rocking guitar performances?
Jesse Damon: In the 1960's, I first started to listen to The Beatles and Elvis Presley along with The Rolling Stones, The Who, and Jimi Hendrix. This was my first experience hearing rock and roll. As I grew older these are the bands that inspired me to experience my own hard rocking guitar performances Led Zeppelin, Cream, Derek and the Dominoes, Deep Purple, UFO, Blue Oyster Cult, Lynrd Skynrd, Black Sabbath, KISS, The Scorpions and Johnny Winter Band to name a few, but believe me when I say there were a lot more...
HEAVY MAKEUP: You don't seem to conform to any one style. You seem to make music for yourself, you enjoy your work that has remained constant, and you are passionate about it. Am I right in that assumption?
Jesse Damon: I think so. I do follow my heart in writing songs, but what I've learned through the years makes me who I am today. I've carried that with me through life and it's my own style I draw from now. I always want to grow as an artist and have written many songs for rock, pop, country, southern rock, and blues. I've also collaborated with other artists and bands over the years.
HEAVY MAKEUP: Your musical style has ranged from hard rock and blues to southern rock and outlaw country. Concerning the country music aspects, what's the attraction there?
Jesse Damon: I have always liked country music and early on I listened to Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, Charlie Rich, The Highwaymen, and others. When I started to perform my influences turned to Southern rock with such artists as The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Outlaws, Molly Hatchet and 38 Special. More recently it went to Brad Paisley and Keith Urban who are great singer-songwriters and guitar players.
HEAVY MAKEUP: You began writing songs at an early age. What can you tell us about your writing process? How do you harness your lyrical inspiration?
Jesse Damon: I usually come up with a good title or phrase that I feel warrants exploring and giving it a try to become a song. A lot of times I write a guitar riff or rhythm and that starts off an idea. When I write the music first I'll then come up with a lyric that fits the mood of the new guitar riff or rhythm. Vice versa if I write a story or a verse lyric or chorus lyric, I want to compose the proper mood for that story or lyrics.
HEAVY MAKEUP: You started your band Rage in high school. How did the band Silent Rage develop? Did you meet your bandmates while attending school?
Jesse Damon: Yes, it was in High School that I first met Mark Hawkins, and then Mark introduced me to EJ Curse. The three of us are the original lineup from Rage (1976 to 1984) and then eventually became Silent Rage (1985 to present). We've performed for over forty years together. All the drummers that we've had in both line-ups have been great players and great friends over the years. They're all a part of the Rage family.
HEAVY MAKEUP: As a quintessential popular 80's band, how did Silent Rage set themselves apart from their Sunset Strip peers?
Jesse Damon: I think it was our sound. We didn't sound like the average Sunset Strip bands, we all sang in our band, and played an instrument at the same time. We loved to sing harmonies. Mark, EJ and I were all lead vocalists, each one of us a bit different in style. We were influenced by legendary bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, KISS, Alice Cooper, bands that were bombastic! Also, bands that had images and were dramatic. A lot of other bands during the sunset strip days had a frontman lead singer and some didn’t even have backing vocals. But some did and we were in it to entertain and put on a show. We took every aspect of being a band seriously!
HEAVY MAKEUP: There aren't many musicians from the 80's glam scene who surpassed the Sunset Strip image and attitude. What has kept you on track?
Jesse Damon: The attitude of coming from a special time in rock music and being a part of the Sunset Strip era, and having been on featured on MTV, and what followed. Also, we experienced recording our songs and performing a lot of concerts and shows through that time all the way up until now. If what you are asking is do we still try to be and look like we were back in the 80's that just isn't so. We are older and look a bit different. Our hair isn't as long, and we don't live in leather pants and torn up T-Shirts anymore, at least not every day, Hahaha...
HEAVY MAKEUP: There haven’t been many bands who have continued to perform together or even have remained friends after so many years. What has been the secret to Silent Rage’s longevity? Have there been any current reunion plans?
Jesse Damon: We are lifelong friends and through all our history together we’ve become brothers and family. Respect, kindness and caring for each other are what keeps friends and relationships intact and so we are still intact. No current reunion plans right now, but next year in 2019 that will be the Don’t Touch Me There, album’s 30th Year Anniversary. I’m hoping to do some live dates as well as see what offers come in from promoters and labels around the world!
HEAVY MAKEUP: You have maintained a well crafted melodic solo career. You were the charismatic frontman of a successful hard rock group, and you have collaborated with some of the world’s most iconic rock stars. Is there any particular period of your career where you think those were the best days I ever had?
Jesse Damon: Getting signed to a major label was a milestone in our band history, as well as touring with Black Sabbath. In the early nineties, I got the opportunity to co-write with Gene Simmons for new KISS material, as well as sing backing vocals on demos and on the KISS Revenge album in 1990-1992. In 1991 Silent Rage were guests at a premiere party for the launch of Sammy Hagar's Red Rocker Clothing-line and we were asked by Sammy Hagar to perform with him a hand full of his songs, and of course, we did and had a ball! There are many more stories through the years, but there's a couple for you!
HEAVY MAKEUP: In 1988 Silent Rage was signed by Simmons Records/RCA Records label. Was that your initial encounter with rock legend Gene Simmons? How did the band catch the business mogul’s eye?
Jesse Damon: We had been searching for management and got an opportunity to perform an audition for Howard Marks of Glickman & Marks Management for KISS publicity management team. Howard flew out to Los Angles to see us perform and liked our band. He said he knew Gene was starting his own custom record label and that he'd send Gene our album. The initial encounter came by way of a phone call from Gene to us. He called to inquire about Silent Rage and wanted to get information and answers to some questions he had. We eventually had a conference call set up between Gene and our band. I think that by Howard Marks sending Gene our album was a big catalyst to us eventually meeting and talking to Gene, but it was our album sound and band look that Gene told us he liked and was interested in signing us.
HEAVY MAKEUP: Can you describe what it was like having a business deal with Gene?
Jesse Damon: It was a BIG deal, and very important to us to have someone such as Gene Simmons to help launch us and believe in us. He gave us a lot of information and insight about the music business, and we got a lot of good advice.
HEAVY MAKEUP: You went on to form a friendship with Gene and to collaborate on other projects with him. During the 90's you landed a Gold record for co-writing with him on the Kiss Revenge LP. What was that like? What leads to these collaborations? What has been your favorite memory of working with Gene?
Jesse Damon: First it was the culmination of getting asked to come into the recording studio to help sing background vocals for song demo’s he was recording. Then Gene had asked Silent Rage to demo the music to some of his new songs. He was very busy and if his schedule didn’t always have the time to record a new song himself, so he’d ask us to do it at our studio. He then asked me if I like to co-write some songs with him and I said yes. We would show each other new riffs on the guitar and go back and forth working it all out, sometimes changing parts and normal stuff you do while writing and composing. I came prepared with some guitar riffs and rhythms and he had his own. We came up with some parts for possible verse and chorus ideas and went from there. Writing songs was definitely a favorite memory and a fun experience!
HEAVY MAKEUP: How did you get involved with the Kiss Konventions?
Jesse Damon: I was contacted by some of the KISS Convention Promoters and I also contacted some from my end. I performed with my Jesse Damon Solo Band at the New York Kiss Convention in 2003 and at Nottingham, England KISS & Hard Rock Convention in 2005 and a few others after that. I attended the first KISS Convention in 1993 in North Hollywood at the Universal Sheraton Universal Studios. KISS appeared and answered a Q&A session, and did an unplugged jam. Peter Criss was in attendance and ended up on stage with KISS. I spoke with Gene there and was excited to be in attendance checking out all the exhibits, merch, KISS costumes, KISS Instruments encased in glass cases, it was fun and I was there with EJ Curse (Silent Rage bassist) and we talked with so many people. We were in rock wonderland.
HEAVY MAKEUP: You have co-written and recorded with acclaimed AOR producer/musician, Paul Sabu on several projects. How would you compare your current album with previous recording experiences?
Jesse Damon: We haven't started yet but from talks I've had with Paul we both want to go the extra mile and make something very special, putting in a 1000%!! I want this to be my best effort to date! We started to record in July 2018.
HEAVY MAKEUP: I’m very intrigued by Electric Caravan. What can you tell us about the trio and what’s next for the band?
Jesse Damon: This is a labor of love project. It came together with two old friends of mine of whom we all have supported each other's bands, projects and artistry from the past and now we have finally formed a band together to have fun and jam. I write the material for the band and we are mainly a blues based rock n roll, with some southern flavors and hard rock interjection. We will be performing some live dates through the rest of 2018.
HEAVY MAKEUP: Your album is scheduled to launch on the date of July 4th. How does this album differ from your past? Is there significance to launching it on the 4th of July? What can fans expect? Will the music make us see fireworks?
Jesse Damon: To be clear, I plan to begin recording my next
solo album in July 2018 with Paul Sabu producing once again! Brand new songs
are how it will differ. I plan to record some of the songs geared for a
soundtrack, meaning a lot of tracks for a “Big” sound, but always it should be
the songs content, songwriting, arrangement, and composition that is the star. I think some fireworks will go off in the minds
of the listener. But seriously, I am going to record all this new material the
best I can and completely go for it pulling out all the stops. I want to push
it to the limit!
HEAVY MAKEUP: Can you single some songs as far as sound or subject matter that is
special to you?
Jesse Damon: Any of the past ballads
I’ve recorded are always special to me because ballads, in general, are
personal and tell a personal story. They’re also emotional. I always loved the
song “Tonight You’re Mine” by Silent Rage. Most recently off my Temptation
in the Garden of Eve album I love “Save the World” and “Angel in the
Starlight.” I wrote Angel for my Dad that passed. I also have to mention
“Wishing Well” and “A Chance for Us” two other songs off that album that hold a
lot of emotion. The lead vocal melody lines I compose are very important to me,
the energy of a new song, and the emotions a new song has when listening to it.
Those are very important to my process.
HEAVY MAKEUP: You have remained constant in songwriting, recording, and performing
with no signs of slowing down. What else is in store for Jesse Damon fans?
Jesse Damon: I am writing a book about the Silent Rage
story! I plan to do something with SILENT RAGE next year. It will be the bands
30th Anniversary of our Don't Touch Me There album. This was our
biggest selling and most well-known release. I hope to do some live dates with
SR and maybe talk of recording something new!
Thanks so much, Lucy for all the great questions!
Rock On!
Jesse Damon
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| Jesse Damon Live at NAMM |
What is so special about Jesse
Damon is that he has never been like most hard rock musicians. Throughout the
ever-changing trends of the music world, Jesse has maintained his identity. He
relates to his fans on many levels. In particular, he understands them because
he is such a passionate music fan himself. His love of different musical genres
such as blues, hard rock, and country is evident in his songs.
Growing up he took his musical inspiration from his idols of 70’s hard
rock and incorporated elements of their style into his work and made it his
own. Jesse’s vocal flexibility and ability to fluctuate range is remarkable. He
can reach Lou Gramm’s melodic range to Roger Waters’ mid-slightly lower range,
and back to hitting those aggressive high notes of hard rock effortlessly.
Jesse is a musical storyteller whose vocal versatility is unrivaled. He has
continued to build a solid fan base throughout his career by doing what he
loves and staying true to himself, his music and his fans. Be sure to check out
Jesse’s latest solo album currently being recorded and a release date to be set
soon.
Silent Rage Current
Lineup:
Jesse Damon - Vocals, Guitar
EJ Curse - Bass, Vocals
Mark Hawkins - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals, and Keyboards
Rodney Pino, Drums
Silent Rage Discography:
- 1987 Shattered Hearts
- 1987 Pure Rock Presents 10 Best from the West
- 1987 Million Dollar Mystery Motion Picture Soundtrack
- 1989 Don’t Touch Me There
- 2002 Still Alive
- 2008 Four Letter Word
Solo Discography:
- 2003 The Hand that Rocks
- 2004 Nothin’ Else Matters
- 2006 Rebel Within
- 2016 Southern Highway
Silent Rage Official Website:
Jesse Damon Official Website:
Lucy
