Queen tribute band, 'Sheer Heart Attack' (or "SHA" for short) is lovingly and respectfully named after Queen's 3rd studio album, which was released in 1974 (and which also produced Queen's first major top-40 US radio hit, "Killer Queen"). For some of us here (although drummer, Jeffrey did "catch on" a little earlier in Queen's career - with Queen's 1st album, to be exact), the 'Sheer Heart Attack' album is a very special one, as it contains the very tracks that first introduced us to the music of Queen.
Additionally, 'Sheer Heart Attack' is the title of a Queen song... the only one sharing the same name as an original Queen studio album without also appearing as the title track on that album. "Sheer Heart Attack" - the song - is the 3rd track on 1977's 'News of The World,' the release that introduced the world to the timeless Queen anthems, "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions."
The name itself will also tell you a little something about what you might expect to experience at one of these live tribute performances... after all, I don't think you can go to see ANY rock band with a name like 'Sheer Heart Attack' (tribute or otherwise) without also expecting to hear at least a little something on the hard and heavy side of rock and roll!
Of course, 'Sheer Heart Attack' does (within certain boundaries of limitation - one of these being the fact that we are NOT Queen!) cover all ground when it comes to live represention of the "many moods of Queen" (after all, it is their many facets [which, lest we forget, included a delightfully toungue-in-cheek sense of humor!] - not just one - that KEPT us listening all these years!), but, as the "harder edged" side of the Queen spectrum was indeed among the first to draw us in (with Queen's extraordinary live performances REALLY "putting the nail in the coffin" in that regard!) - this is one aspect of their work that we especially delight in celebrating with fellow "fanatics," and likewise, introducing to those in the audience who may only know Queen by a few radio hits... those who never fully realized the degree to which "Queen Rocks!" (ESPECIALLY the Queen we knew live onstage!)
SHEER HEART ATTACK ARE:
Enrique Segura
(aka: "Fredrique")
- Lead Vocals, etc.
With previous experience as a member of the US touring production of 'Cats' (and numerous other stage productions) under his belt, the talents of professional musical theater artist, Enrique Segura, promptly landed him his place as original SHA frontman in early 1993, and then led him off to Germany several years later, where he has since been performing in the long-running overseas productions of 'Cats', 'Beauty and the Beast', 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat' and 'The Lion King'...while, yes, still returning to the USA time and time again for SHA Queen tribute reunion concerts.
[if you attend a Sheer Heart Attack performance, you might want to wear protective eye-wear... 'cause you just never know when Enrique might "remove his tits and let them bounce nee through the crowd!" ;-)]
bday: April 20 (same as Freddie Tribute Concert at Wembley)
Steve Zukowsky
(aka: "Brian Maybe")
- Lead Guitar, backing vocals...
(plus occasional lead vocals on '39, etc.)
Original resident axe-bearer [and the reason no SHA gig exists without Brighton Rock (it's that or tantrums, darling!)], little Stevie Z. has quite apparently been noodling away uncontrollably since the stork dropped him head-first in his birthday suit on Palo Alto, California. By the time he spotted their "guitarist wanted" listing in Music Connection, audition-weary SHA founders were hesitant to return any more calls, so, with receiver under cheek, Steve passed his SHA audition over the telephone with riffs from Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon and Brighton Rock. In a similar accident, The Guild Brian May Signature guitar joined the band when Steve obtained an endorsement after the folks manning the U.S. Music/Guild booth overheard him trying one out at the 1994 NAMM Convention. According to Rock City News, anyway, "HE CAN !@#$%*# PLAY GUITAR!!!!"
bday: October 30th
Jeffrey Maxwell-Shapiro
(aka: "Ringo Meddows-Taylor...")
- Drums, backing vocals, Bowie & ogres...
(plus occasional lead vocals on I'm In Love With My Car, etc.)
Perhaps most fondly remembered by some for giving his all during "Dreamers Ball" on more than one fine occasion; drummer and founding band member, Jeffrey is indeed yet another fine product out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. According to local press, "He leaves the audience with the distinct knowledge that he is a man who knows how to use his stick." (NASA has recently discovered samples of Jeffrey's glitter lodged between the rings of Saturn, by the way...)
bday: March 27
Doug Richardson
(aka: "Weird John Deacovic")
- Bass (and sometimes backing vocals? :-)
As the original bassist for SHA, Doug (who was born and raised in the fine state of Indiana) is perhaps better known among SHA regulars as "The luckiest man on Earth" [dare we ask why?!]. You can also check Doug out in his original band, Alligator Stew, which is being signed to a record label in Germany and will be doing some tour dates there as well (say "hi" to Enrique for us!)
bday: "maybe I'm a Libra"
Victor Garcia
(aka: "Spike Fredney")
- Keyboards, 2nd/rhythm guitar (on Crazy Little Thing Called Love, etc.), backing vocals & additional ogres...
A priceless import from Columbia (and growing ever-younger and by the minute!), Victor's got quite a bit of Queen magic up his own shimmering sleeves.
bday: March 7
Other SHA players over the years:
Steve Ramada
- Keyboards
(a founding member of SHA)
Sheer Heart Attack was born of a small group of local Queen fans who gathered casually at the Tarzana, California home of Mr. Ramada to share their Queen memories & memorabilia, watch videos, and sing Queen songs together just for fun (it didn't matter if participants could actually carry a tune back then!). That first November 24th anniversary in 1992 was spent in the company of these friends in Steve's living room - sharing songs and memories and a fond Moet Et Chandon toast to Freddie - but come November 24th 1993, we were doing the same not only accompanied by the friends who had now become Sheer Heart Attack, but by a great big crowd of enthusiastic fellow fans gathered at The Troubadour in honor of Mr. Mercury and Queen!
bday: November 9
Peter McGowan
- Bass, backing vocals
(while Doug was busy w/ original band)
In December 1993, professional bassist, Peter McGowan (from Ireland) joined SHA while Doug took temporary leave for an original band project. In early 1994, Peter and fellow SHA band members (plus Fireball vocalist, Brian Jones) also performed 2-week stint with Motley Crue frontman, Vince Neil (and noted guest performers) under the guise of "Vince Neil and the Bar One All-Stars" for "Vince Neil's Ruby Tuesdays" at Bar One in West Hollywood. Of special note was the delicious "funk-flavor" that Peter added to the live performance of "Fun It / Another One Bites The Dust", etc., at the John Deacon birthday gig August 19, 1994 at FM Station...
bday: November 4
Chris Lester
- Bass
(for one gig: 6/24/94 at The Troubadour)
Special thanks to "SHA listmember #67" for filling Doug's shoes in an RCN jam! Chris was also a member of the ACDC Tribute, Bon Voyage, whose stunning May 6th 1995 debut performance at SHA's 2nd annual anniversary celebration, due to a very sad twist of fate, was also their last... [Bon Voyage guitarist, Eric Vaus, rest in peace...]
Urban Olsson
- Lead Vocals, etc.
Hailing from Sweden, Urban was dragged kicking and screaming (in his finest falsetto) from his own Los Angeles area Queen/U2/Police tribute band, "Triple-80," and forced into the SHA lineup at half-mic-stand point. ;-) Urban rehearsed with SHA from late-1999 to February 2000, when his original band and work committments suddenly consumed all of his time... JUST as the gigging portion of his "career" with Sheer Heart Attack was to commence. (that is, we never did get to throw him onstage before a voracious SHA audience... but you can still check him out with bandmates Joerg and Yumi in their original band: 'Blend')
http://www.blendworld.com
http://www.blendworld.com/shows.html
http://www.blendworld.com/music.html
http://www.blendworld.com/buy.html
http://www.blendworld.com/yumi.html
http://www.blendworld.com/urban.html
Joerg Kohring
- Bass (and sometimes backing vocals? :)
Joerg, from Germany, was also kidnapped from the Los Angeles area Queen-plus tribute band, "Triple-80"... but, as of yet, just for some rehearsals - haven't dragged him onstage or anything, but he still definitely deserves credit here. (Joerg was also in a Queen cover band in Germany; is currently a music instructor at Musicians Institute in Hollywood; and is lead guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist with the aforementioned 3-piece tribute band, as well as with that trio's original band: 'Blend') 2001: Joerg is currently gigging on guitar as a member of the band, Lifehouse:
http://www.lifehousemusic.com
http://www.lifehousefans.com
www.livedaily.citysearch.com/news/3861.html
www.somebodyelseslifehouse.homestead.com/basicstour.html
Scott Richards
- Bass
(for one gig: 6/2/01 at The Troubadour)
Special thanks to Mr. Richards for sitting in with us while Doug is pre-occupied with that rare and wonderful thing called an "original band." ;-) Scott performs in the Los Angeles area Boston tribute band, Smokin'.
Guest artists joining SHA onstage at past gigs:
"Dick Swagger"
of Rolling Stones Tribute, Sticky Fingers
- guest alternating co-lead vocals w/ Enrique on Keep Yourself Alive
(at Enrique's "Bon Voyage" celebration February 12, 1996 at The Troubadour)
Various members of SHA have also been known to join our old pals, Sticky Fingers live onstage from time to time...
Arthur Tonna
- guest lead vocals
(on Radio Ga Ga, Los Angeles 'Made In Heaven' Album Launch Party / Mercury Phoenix Trust AIDS Benefit November 5, 1995)
Arthur, who we'd been told had performed on Maltese MTV, flew all the way in from his home country, Malta for this event...
Credits:
Brian May
John Deacon
Freddie Mercury
Roger Meddows Taylor
-
THANK YOU for the best setlist on the planet and FAR more than could EVER fit on this page...
Jay Francis & Julie
-
Very special thanks to Nor Cal designer/calligrapher Julie and Steve's old pal Jay for the permanent Sheer Heart Attack logo.
Andrew Otero
-
Very special thanks to So Cal Theater Costume Designer, Andrew Otero, for giving us wings, sequins and spandex.
Joe Fiacco
-
Very special thanks to CA/TX Queen enthusiast friend, Joe Fiacco for designing/painting Jeffrey's crested drumhead, in use since our May 1993 debut.
Mara Gordon
-
Very special thanks to So Cal software systems designer, Mara Gordon for producing and donating Jeffrey's 'Strange Frontier" style portrait drumhead, which made its debut at Sheer Heart Attack's June 2, 2001 Queen tribute reunion performance. If you would like to ask Mara to do the artwork for your own drumhead, send an email inquiry off to maragordon@att.net
Jerry Brown
-
Very special thanks to So Cal Stage Technician extraordinaire, Jerry Brown, for all your help at The Queen 'Made In Heaven' Launch Party/AIDS Benefit and too many other various band gigs to count.
Superfan, Mark Eldridge
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Huge piles of thanks to SuperFan, Mark Eldridge (or should we upgrade that to "SuperStar, now ;-) and all you hundreds of other Superfans out there for your selfless generosity and enthusiastic support of Queen and this crazy little tribute band. (and additional thanks to Trish for those two massive dents in the hood of Steve's car. ;-)
Guild/U.S. Music
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Steve's Brian May Signature Guitar & endorsement.
Catherine Zielin
-
graphic design/art production, photo/darkroom, website, mailing list, hotline, flyers/posters, press, PR, "roadie," cheerleading, nail lacquer, nagging, etc.
Catherine wishes to thank:
Richard Bondroff, Ed Hall & all at APLA
-
You are the Champions!
Bob Coburn
(ARROW 93, 95.5 KLOS, Rockline, etc.)
-
For for kindly lending us your voice in the effort to promote AIDS awareness...
Uncle Joe Benson
(ARROW 93, 95.5 KLOS, Off The Record, etc.)
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For honoring the requests & remembering Freddie on the day...
Jim Ladd
(95.5 KLOS, 97.1 KLSX, 94.7 KMET, Innerview, HeadSets, etc.)
"Lord Have Mercy!"
-
For taking the time to send along those kind words of art support...
Frank Sontag
(95.5 KLOS, ARROW 93, etc.)
-
For sharing your insight (and Brian May's 'Back To The Light') with your listeners.
Dan "Tenement Funster" Epstein
Music Journalist extraordinaire
-
for putting it all in black & white (and I ain't just talkin' this silly Queen trib)
Chris LaSalle
(ex-Hollywood Records, etc.)
-
for bringing rare and genuine warmth to A&R
Sharon Kurtz
-
for SHA Queen Made In Heaven Launch Party sponsorship & support, spirit-lifting friendship over the years & the miles & the M&M's (three angels... Teo Torriatte)
"Sheena Metal"
(97.1 KLSX, Sheena Metal's Freakin' Rock Review!!!, Rock City News, Sheena Metal & Beer Bong, etc.)
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for years of hard work in support of local bands, precious fun memories, and 'Sleeping on the Sidewalk'!
Rich Fox & Kris Curry
(Tribute: A Rockumentary, TributeMania!, MTV Real World, etc.)
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for leaving leaving that 80's medley on the cutting room floor ;-)
more to come.... (this really is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the wonderful people who have shared their time, talents and enthusiasm...)
