Tuff (band)

Tuff is an American glam metal band formed in 1985 in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, by guitarist Jorge Manos (DeSaint), bassist Todd Chaisson (Chase), and included guitarist David Janssen, drummer Chris Louthan, and vocalist Michael Meyers (Cordet). This incarnation of Tuff was prior to taking on its "Glam" image, and the music was significantly "heavier". This little documented lineup actually played in the local Phoenix market for roughly a year, at such clubs as (Rockers, Bootlegger, etc.) opening for various National Acts, including Flotsam and Jetsam.

Tuff
OriginPhoenix, Arizona, United States
GenresGlam metal,[1] hard rock, heavy metal
Years active1985–present
LabelsAtlantic, I.R.S./Grand Slamm Records, Mausoleum Records
Associated actsNitro, Substance D, Sister Whiskey
WebsiteTuffcds.com
MembersStevie Rachelle
Todd "Chase" Chaisson
Past membersJorge DeSaint
Gary Huckaby
Michael Lean
Terry Fox
Jim Gillette
Danny Wilder
Jimi Lord Winalis
Jamie Fonte
Adam Hamilton
Benny Bruce
Brian Saunders
Tony Eckholm
Darrell Roberts
Michael Thomas
John Corabi
Keri Kelli

In 1986, drummer Gary Huckaby, replaced Louthan, Cordet left to work with another Phoenix area band, and eventually, Michael Angelo Batio in the Los Angeles-based band, Michael Angelo. A second guitarist David Janssen also left the band to attend the Musicians Institute. After drummer Gary Huckaby left the group in 1986 to work with another local project, the band enlisted drummer Michael Lean and vocalist Terry Fox, who left the band shortly afterwards to pursue an ice skating career. With replacement vocalist Jim Gillette, the band recorded a four-track EP entitled Knock Yourself Out (1986). However, Gillette soon departed to form Nitro and was replaced by Stevie Rachelle.[2]

History

The band with its classic line-up consisted of Stevie Rachelle on vocals, Jorge DeSaint on guitars, Todd Chase on bass and drummer Michael "Lean" Raimondo.[3] The band played all over the West Coast and eventually was doing cross country tours headlining clubs, yet they had no record deal.

Tuff was first signed in 1990 by Atlantic Records and released their debut album What Comes Around Goes Around in May 1991,[3] which included the band's successful power ballad "I Hate Kissing You Goodbye" co-written with Todd Meagher. The video reached #3 on Dial MTV behind Guns N' Roses and Metallica. In 1994, Tuff independently released Fist First, which was eventually reissued by another major label BMG as Religious Fix, in 1995 with the addition of three bonus tracks.

The band was then picked up by IRS Grand Slamm Records in early 1993. The label folded in less than a year with the end of the mother label, IRS Records, which distributed Grand Slamm, and Tuff was without a label again. After struggling with record labels for years, Stevie Rachelle decided to form his own label for the band and in early 1994, Rachelle officially started RLS Records. The initials had a dual meaning. The first was "Record Labels Suck" and the second was "Rachelle's Lyrics & Songs". The offshoot, Cheezee Records, was formed in 1996 to be the home for the singer's side project, Cheeseheads with Attitude.

Tuff again signed with a record label in early 1995 when BMG/Mausoleum/MMS records picked up the RLS Fist First release after it sold upwards of 10,000 copies. BMG re-issued it as Religious Fix in June 1995 with three bonus tracks. The additional tracks were produced by Randy Cantor.

In 2001, Tuff released the compilation CD, The History of Tuff which included the song "American Hair Band", a parody of Kid Rock's "American Bad Ass" (both of which incorporate the instrumentals of Metallica's "Sad but True"). "American Hair Band" made references to numerous similar bands of the era, as well as criticizing grunge and alternative rock.

Tuff re-released What Comes Around Goes Around Again in 2012, which featured four re-recorded songs from What Comes Around Goes Around plus new tracks.[4]

Current members
  • Stevie Rachelle (born Steven Howard Hanseter) - vocals, acoustic guitar (1987-1995 / 2000–present)
  • Todd Chase (born Todd Chaisson) - bass (1985-1991 / 2008–present)
  • Billy Morris - guitar (2004 / 2012–present)
  • Jimi Lord Winalis - drums (1993-1995 / 2009–present touring member)
  • Todd "T" Burr' - drums (2001-2012 / 2015–present touring member)
  • Howie Simon - guitar (2016-2017 touring member)

Past members
  • Jorge DeSaint (born George Manos) - guitar (1985-1995)
  • Michael Lean (born Michael Raimondo) - drums (1985-1993)
  • Terry Fox - vocals (1985)
  • Jim Gillette - vocals (1986-1987)
  • Danny Wilder - bass (1992 - 1993)
  • Jamie Fonte - bass (1994-1995)
  • Adam Hamilton - drums (1995)
  • Benny Bruce - touring keyboardist (1988-1990)
  • Brian Saunders - bass guitar (2000-2001)
  • Tony Eckholm - drums (2000-2001)
  • Darrell Roberts - guitar (2000-2001)
  • Michael Thomas- guitar (2001-2002)
  • John Corabi - guitar (2001)
  • Keri Kelli - guitar (2005)
  • Paul Jaeger - bass (2006-2008)
  • Mike Trash - guitar (2006)
  • Jack Aurora - guitar (2003-2012)
  • Nick Mason - drums (2012 / 2015)
  • Trent Anderson - drums (2011-2014)
  • Michael Scott Nelson - drums (2014)
  • Stephan Osterlind - guitar (2012-2013)
  • Boris "BC" Chudzinski - guitar (2013 - Europe Touring Member)

Discography

Tuff albums
  • Knock Yourself Out (Tuff Muff Music 1986) *Cassette only
  • Sound City Demos (Tuff Muff Music 1988) *Demo only
  • Sunset Sound Demos (Tuff Muff Music 1989) *Demo only
  • What Comes Around Goes Around (Atlantic Records 1991) *CD, Cassette & Vinyl 12"
  • Fist First (RLS Records 1994) *CD & Cassette
  • Religious Fix (Mausoleum/MMS/BMG 1995) *CD & Cassette
  • Decade of Disrespect (RLS Records 1996) *CD
  • Regurgitation (Big Cheese Records 1997) Portugal release *CD
  • Regurgitation (RLS Records 2000) US reissue *CD
  • History of Tuff (RLS Records 2001) *CD
  • Live in the U.K. (RLS Records 2003) *CD
  • What Comes Around Goes Around... Again! (RLS Records 2012) *CD
  • The Glam Years 1985-1989 (RLS Records 2015) *CD
  • Decadation (RLS Records 2015) *Vinyl 12" & Digital only
  • American Hairband (tba) *Vinyl 12" & Digital only

Stevie Rachelle (solo) albums
  • Who the Hell Am I? (1998) (RLS Records)
  • Since Sixty-Six (2000) (RLS Records)
  • Best sTuff (2019) (RLS Records)

Shameless albums featuring Stevie Rachelle of Tuff
  • Backstreet Anthems (1999)
  • Queen 4 a Day (2000)
  • Splashed (2002)
  • Super Hardcore Show Live (2003)
  • Famous 4 Madness (2007)
  • Dial $ for Sex (2011)
  • Queen 4 a Day remastered-reissue (2012)
  • Beautiful Disaster (2013)
  • The Filthy 7 (2017) CD & Vinyl 12"
  • So Good You Should (Coming 2021)

Tales from the Porn albums featuring Stevie Rachelle of Tuff
  • H.M.M.V. (2017) on Animal Records (Brazil) / Steelheart Records (Italy) / RLS Records (U.S.)
  • TBA (Coming 2021/22)

Metal Sludge releases featuring Stevie Rachelle of Tuff
  • Metal Sludge's Hey That's What I Call Sludge Vol. 1 (2003) (Metal Sludge Entertainment)

Compilations and tribute albums featuring Stevie Rachelle of Tuff
  • Appetite for Reconstruction: A Tribute to Gn'R (1999) - vocals on "You're Crazy"
  • Covered like a Hurricane: A Tribute to Scorpions (2000) - vocals on "Blackout"
  • Leppardmania: A Tribute to Def Leppard (2000) - vocals on "Too Late for Love"
  • Shout at the Remix: A Tribute to Mötley Crüe (2000) - vocals on "Red Hot"
  • Name Your Poison: A Tribute to Poison (2001) - vocals on "Look What the Cat Dragged In"
  • Fire Woman / A Tribute to The Cult (2001) - vocals on "Outlaw"
  • Livin' On a Prayer: A Tribute to Bon Jovi (2001) - vocals on "In & Out of Love"
  • Bulletproof Fever: A Tribute to Ted Nugent (2001) - vocals on "Wango Tango", guitars by Jake E. Lee
  • Album Networks Rock Tune Up (2001) - "American Hair Band", guitars by Darrell Roberts
  • A Tribute to Journey (2002) - vocals on "Lights"
  • A Tribute to Styx (2002) - vocals on "Babe"
  • A Rock Tribute to Guns N' Roses (2002) - vocals on "You're Crazy", guitars by Tracii Guns & Gilby Clarke
  • Mullet Years - Rocker (Universal/Canada 2003) - "American Hair Band"
  • We Wish You a Hairy Christmas (Koch Records 2003) - "Jingle Bell Rock" (lead vocal), guitars by Nick Nolan
  • Kid Rock Tribute - Title tba (2009) - "American Bad Ass" & "Bawitdaba" (lead vocal)
  • 80s Hair Metal Goes Classic (Compilation CD) (2009) - "Lights" (Journey cover) (lead vocal)
  • Rockstar Superstar Project - Serenity (2010) - "Get Out of My Way" (lead vocal), guitars by George Lynch
  • The Cigar Chronicles Vol 1 (2012) - "I Can't Dance" (lead vocal)

Cheeseheads with Attitude albums featuring Stevie Rachelle of Tuff
  • Straight Outta Wisconsin (1996) (Cheezee Records)
  • Tailgate Tunes - Greatest Hits of 1997 (1997) (Just Right Records) (Sixteen Games)
  • Cheeseheads 4 Life (1997) (Cheezee Records)
  • Say Cheese (1998) (Cheezee Records)
  • Greatest Slices of... (2003) (Cheezee Records)
  • A-Rod Remix of Packer Fans (2011) (Cheezee Records) *Digital Single only
  • Green N' Gold Hits (2011) (Cheezee Records)

Home videos VHS/DVD
  • What Comes Around Goes Around: The Videos (VHS 1991 / DVD 2003)
  • Religious Fix the Videos (VHS 1995 / DVD 2003)
  • Decade of Distant Memories (VHS 1996 / DVD 2003)
  • Rock N' Rarities the Videos (DVD 2003)

TV, film and documentaries

Appearances in published books
  • Hollywood Rocks - Ultimate Guide (2003), ISBN 9780963619358
  • American Hair Metal, Steven Blush (2006), ISBN 978-1932595185
  • Fuck You - Rock n' Roll Portraits, Neil Zlozower (2008), ISBN 978-0811866101
  • The Decade That Rocked 1980-1990, Mark "Weiss Guy" Weiss (2020)
  • Nöthin’ But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the ’80s Hard Rock Explosion, Tom Beaujour & Richard Bienstock (coming 2021)

References
  1. "Tuff Biography". Sleazeroxx.com. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
  2. "Tuff history". Tuffcds.com. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  3. Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who’s Who of Heavy Metal (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 367. ISBN 0-85112-656-1.
  4. "TUFF Working On What Comes Around Goes Around Again EP". Bravewords.com. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
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