DANGER DANGER

DANGER DANGER and Related Projects
Biography, Discography, and Cultural Influence

1. The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Melodic Hard Rock

In the late 1980s, the music scene in the United States was at the pinnacle of a genre called "Glam Metal" or "Hair Metal," characterized by gaudy visuals and catchy hooks. Formed in Queens, New York, DANGER DANGER appeared at the tail end of this massive movement, yet they became a rare presence that earned acclaim beyond the boundaries of the genre through their exceptionally high songwriting capabilities and performance skills. The history of DANGER DANGER encompasses every drama in the lifecycle of a rock band, including commercial glory, misfortune due to sudden changes in the music industry, legal battles among members, and a dramatic resurrection.

2. The Eve of Formation and Early History (1986-1988)

2.1 The New York Scene and Precursor Band "Hotshot"

The core musicality of Danger Danger was established through the partnership of bassist Bruno Ravel and drummer Steve West. In the mid-1980s, they were members of "Hotshot," a band active in the club scene around New York. Hotshot possessed a certain level of recognition in the East Coast scene at the time and served as a cradle that produced talent who would later become prominent musicians.

During this period, Al Pitrelli was in Hotshot as a guitarist. Pitrelli was a virtuoso who would later play in Alice Cooper's band and move through heavyweights of the metal world such as Megadeth and Savatage, and his presence is considered to have significantly influenced the formation of Bruno Ravel and Steve West's early musical foundations.

2.2 Launch of the Band and Member Transitions

In 1987, Bruno Ravel and Steve West formed a new band, "DANGER DANGER," aiming for greater commercial success. The initial lineup included vocalist Mike Pont, a colleague from their Hotshot days, but he departed the band before the recording of the debut album.

Chosen to replace him was Ted Poley, who had been active as a drummer and vocalist in the New Jersey-based band "Prophet." While Poley demonstrated his skills as a drummer in Prophet, his sweet yet husky vocals and charisma as a frontman could not be hidden. Joining Danger Danger became a decisive turning point for him to step out from behind the drum kit and into the center of the stage.

Around the same time, the guitarist position was fluid. After Al Pitrelli departed in 1988, Tony "Bruno" Rey joined temporarily and performed on part of the debut album, but he also left after a short period to return to his own band, "Saraya."

Ultimately securing this position was Andy Timmons from Texas. Timmons' arrival was a definitive piece for the band. Going beyond the framework of a mere hard rock guitarist, he possessed advanced technique based on a background in jazz and fusion, along with a deeply melodic sense, which elevated Danger Danger from a "simple party rock band" into a band with the aspect of a "musician's musician."

Kasey Smith joined on keyboards. His glittering synthesizer work played an important role in adding a 1980s-esque AOR (Album-Oriented Rock) color and radio-friendly pop appeal to the band's sound.

Thus, the lineup later known as the "Golden Era"—Ted Poley (Vo), Andy Timmons (Gt), Bruno Ravel (Ba), Steve West (Dr), and Kasey Smith (Key)—was finalized.

2.3 Securing a Contract and the Path to the Debut

The band worked energetically on producing demo tapes, and their high quality caught the ear of Lennie Petze, an executive at Imagine Records under CBS Records. Petze was a figure previously involved in discovering big names like Boston and Cyndi Lauper, and his signing of Danger Danger as the very first artist for his new label speaks volumes about the high expectations the industry had for the band.

3. The Golden Era: From Debut to Worldwide Success (1989-1992)

3.1 Debut Album "DANGER DANGER" (1989)

On June 27, 1989, the self-titled debut album "DANGER DANGER" was released. Lance Quinn, known for his work on early Bon Jovi albums, was brought in as producer, and recording took place at The Warehouse Studios in Philadelphia.

This album was welcomed as a masterpiece that perfectly fused the dynamism of hard rock with the accessibility of pop music.

• "Naughty Naughty": Serving as the opening track, this song features a rap-style intro by Steve West and an unforgettable chorus hook, which received heavy rotation on MTV's "Headbangers Ball." The music video for this song defined the band's "fun, slightly dangerous, and sexy" image.
• "Bang Bang": It became one of the band's biggest hits, reaching number 49 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song's brisk rhythm and anthemic chorus were the epitome of arena rock, making it a highlight of their live performances.

The album achieved Gold status (sales of over 500,000 copies) in the United States alone, catapulting the band into stardom overnight. Danger Danger toured across the country as an opening act for major bands such as KISS, Alice Cooper, Warrant, and Extreme, proving their prowess.

3.2 Second Album "Screw It!" (1991)

Following the success of their debut work, the band entered New River Studios in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to begin production on their second album. Released on October 1, 1991, "Screw It!" carried forward the direction of the previous album while presenting a more gorgeous and diverse musicality.

In this album, the sound production gained more depth through the introduction of a horn section and backing vocalists.

• "Monkey Business": Serving as the first single, this song also achieved success in Europe, reaching number 42 on the UK Singles Chart. Its groovy riff and playful lyrics showcased the band's ease and confidence.
• "I Still Think About You": Known as a power ballad masterpiece, it shines with Andy Timmons' emotionally rich guitar solo and Ted Poley's soaring vocals. The music video for this track was frequently aired on MTV, contributing to expanding the band's fan base to include a female audience.

3.3 Explosive Popularity in Japan

Danger Danger gathered enthusiastic support particularly in Japan. Their catchy melodies and the members' looks perfectly matched the tastes of Western rock music fans in Japan, and it was not uncommon for them to grace the covers of specialized magazines such as "Music Life" and "Burrn!".

Their performances in Japan from 1990 to 1992 were among the highlights of the band's career. In 1990, they visited Japan as part of the "Naughty Naughty Tour," which totaled 103 shows, and they held consecutive live concerts in Japan in 1991 and 1992. Especially during the 1992 "Screw It Tour" in Japan, a setlist starting with "Horny S.O.B." and ending with "Naughty Naughty" was arranged, driving Japanese fans into a frenzy.

4. Upheaval and Chaos: The Rise of Grunge and the "Cockroach" Incident (1993-2001)

4.1 Changing Times and the Firing of Ted Poley

Entering the 1990s, the grunge movement centered around Seattle expanded explosively, transforming the landscape of the music scene completely. As bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam rose to prominence, flashy hard rock bands like Danger Danger were labeled "outdated" and rapidly excluded from the mainstream.

Amidst such headwinds, the band had completed recording their third album, "Cockroach." However, in 1993, just before the album's release, vocalist Ted Poley was fired from (or departed) the band. This departure was far from amicable, and Poley filed a lawsuit against the band.

As Poley's successor, Canadian singer Paul Laine was welcomed. Laine had previously released a solo album titled "Stick It In Your Ear," and his singing ability was highly regarded. The band re-recorded all tracks of "Cockroach" with Paul Laine's vocals.

4.2 The Shelved Album

The band and management attempted to release "Cockroach" as a newly reborn Danger Danger featuring Paul Laine. However, due to the lawsuit from Ted Poley, Epic Records feared legal risks and made the decision to freeze the album's release.

Suffering the double blow of a completed masterpiece being shelved and losing their contract with a major label, the band faced an existential crisis. In this chaos, guitarist Andy Timmons and keyboardist Kasey Smith also left the band, forcing Danger Danger to downsize to a system centered around just two members: Bruno Ravel and Steve West.

4.3 Independent Resurgence: From "Dawn" to "Four The Hard Way"

Having lost their major contract, Ravel and West established their own label, "Low Dice Records," choosing a path to continue activities as independent artists.

• "Dawn" (1995): Released as the first album after Paul Laine joined, this work strongly reflected the influence of the grunge/alternative boom of the time. The lyrics became introspective and serious, and the sound shifted to something dark and heavy. While this bewildered traditional fans, it was proof of the band struggling to incorporate the atmosphere of the era.
• "Four The Hard Way" (1997): Swinging back from the dark route of the previous work, this album showed a return to the melodic hard rock sound of yesteryear. Former members Andy Timmons and Tony Rey also participated as guests, creating content that reaffirmed the band's roots.
• "The Return of the Great Gildersleeves" (2000): An extremely experimental and ambitious album. Incorporating heavy chorus work reminiscent of "Queen" and irregular progressions, it showed musical maturity that transcended the mere framework of hard rock. Paul Laine's vocals were filled with a husky charm reminiscent of Jon Bon Jovi, establishing a new identity for the band.

4.4 The Miraculous Release of "Cockroach" (2001)

In 2001, the long-standing legal dispute was resolved, and the legendary third album "Cockroach" finally saw the light of day. This release took a highly unique form. It was sold as a 2-CD set, with Disc 1 containing the version sung by Paul Laine and Disc 2 containing the original version sung by Ted Poley.

These "two versions of Cockroach" became the ultimate gift for fans. Allowing listeners to compare and contrast Poley's bright, pop interpretation against Laine's edgy, powerful interpretation of the exact same tracks, this album filled a missing link in the band's history while once again showcasing the abilities of both singers to the world.

Track differences and versions of "Cockroach": The tracklist itself is almost identical, but there are differences in the song order and some included tracks.

• Disc 1 (Paul Laine Ver.): Includes "Still Kickin'", "Sick Little Twisted Mind", "Good Time", "Don't Break My Heart Again", "Tip of My Tongue", etc. A cover of Jim Croce's "Time In A Bottle" is included as a bonus track.
• Disc 2 (Ted Poley Ver.): Contains the Poley-vocal versions of the same tracks as the Paul Laine version, but "Time In A Bottle" is not included.

5. Reunion and Modern Activities (2004-2025)

5.1 The Return of Ted Poley and "Revolve"

In 2004, breaking an 11-year silence, it was announced that original vocalist Ted Poley would return to the band. Paul Laine departed the band amicably to focus on his own solo career and production work.

Poley's return was celebrated grandly through appearances at European festivals such as the Sweden Rock Festival. The joy of hearing classic tracks from yesteryear sung by the original voice was irreplaceable for long-time fans.

In 2009, commemorating the 20th anniversary of their formation, "Revolve," the first studio album since Poley's return, was released by Frontiers Records. This album was highly acclaimed as a masterpiece that revived the brilliance of the 1980s with modern production.

• "Hearts on the Highway": A song with a sorrowful melody line reminiscent of the classic "Don't Walk Away."
• "Killin' Love": An quintessential Danger Danger track, fusing a catchy chorus with a hard guitar riff.

"Revolve" also achieved commercial success, primarily in Europe, entering the top 100 on the Swedish album chart.

5.2 Members' Side Projects and "The Defiants"

Since the 2010s, new releases as a band have ceased, but individual members' activities remain highly active. Particularly noteworthy is the rise of new projects inheriting the DNA of Danger Danger.

The Defiants

A band formed by past members of Danger Danger excluding Ted Poley: Paul Laine (Vo), Bruno Ravel (Ba), and Rob Marcello (Gt).

• 2016: Released their 1st album "The Defiants."
• 2019: Released their 2nd album "Zokusho." The title "Zokusho" originates from the Japanese word for "sequel" or "next chapter," showing deep respect toward Japanese fans. Steve West also participated as a guest on this album, making it practically a Danger Danger family project.
• 2023: Released their 3rd album "Drive." As a band carrying the 80s arena rock sound into the modern era, they have secured an unshakeable reputation within the genre.

Tokyo Motor Fist

A supergroup formed by Ted Poley (Vo) and Steve Brown of Trixter.

• 2017: Released their 1st album "Tokyo Motor Fist."
• 2020: Released their 2nd album "Lions." It unfolds an exhilarating melodic rock style that maximizes Poley's catchy singing voice.

5.3 Current Status in 2024-2025

As of April 2025, Danger Danger has not disbanded and maintains an "Active" status. Although large-scale world tours are not being conducted, Ted Poley frequently performs live under his solo name or in band formats, continuing to sing Danger Danger's classic songs.

For example, there is information that a Ted Poley live concert is scheduled to be held (or was held) on June 21, 2025, at the Debonair Music Hall in Teaneck, New Jersey, where classic numbers like "Naughty Naughty" and "Bang Bang" will be performed.

Additionally, a Japan tour (Tokyo and Osaka) commemorating the 30th anniversary of their debut was held in 2019, demonstrating that their bond with Japan remains robust.

6. Discography

The list of works by Danger Danger and major related projects is shown below. Song titles are primarily in English, with Katakana notations found on Japanese domestic releases accompanied wherever possible.

6.1 Studio Albums

Release Year	Title	Label	Main Vocals	Remarks
1989	DANGER DANGER	Imagine/Epic	Ted Poley	No. 88 in the US. Gold Album.
1991	Screw It!	Epic	Ted Poley	No. 123 in the US. Explosive popularity in Japan.
1995	Dawn	Low Dice	Paul Laine	First release after moving to an indie label.
1997	Four The Hard Way	Low Dice	Paul Laine	Return to the melodic route.
2000	The Return of the Great Gildersleeves	Low Dice	Paul Laine	Experimental and ambitious work.
2001	Cockroach	Low Dice/Sony	Poley / Laine	2-CD set. The legendary 3rd album.
2009	Revolve	Frontiers	Ted Poley	Reunion album.

6.2 Tracklists by Album

6.3 Related Bands Discography

The Defiants

• The Defiants (2016)
• Zokusho (2019) - Included tracks: "Love Is The Killer", "Standing on the Edge", "Hollywood in Headlights", etc.
• Drive (2023) - Included tracks: "Hey Life", "Go Big Or Go Home", "19 Summertime", "What Are We Waiting For", "Miracle", "Against The Grain", "So Good", "Love Doesn't Live Here Anymore", etc.

Tokyo Motor Fist

• Tokyo Motor Fist (2017) - Included tracks: "Pickin' Up The Pieces", "Love Me Insane", "Shameless", "Love", "Black and Blue", etc.
• Lions (2020)

7. Detailed Member Profiles

Bruno Ravel - Bass, Guitar, Vocals

• Background: From New York State. Formed Danger Danger after being in Hotshot. He is the band's main songwriter and also plays a producer-like role.
• Style: Excels in melody-focused basslines and overall song structure composition. He also plays a central role in The Defiants.
• Other: Has a history of performing in Michael Bolton's backing band among others.

Steve West - Drums

• Background: Founded the band along with Bruno. Involved in the rap-style intro for "Naughty Naughty" and the lyrics for many tracks.
• Style: Supports the band's groove with simple yet powerful drumming. Made a guest appearance on The Defiants' album "Zokusho," showing an unchanging bond with his old friends.

Ted Poley - Vocals

• Background: Started his career as a drummer for Prophet. Formed his talent as a frontman in Danger Danger.
• Relationship with Sonic the Hedgehog: Provided vocals for songs in Sega's "Sonic Adventure" game series (such as "Escape from the City"), earning high recognition worldwide even among non-rock fans, particularly the gaming community.
• Present: Active as a solo artist in addition to projects like Tokyo Motor Fist.

Andy Timmons - Guitar

• Background: From Texas. After departing Danger Danger, gained worldwide fame as an instrumental guitarist. Participated in the G3 tour hosted by Joe Satriani and is considered one of the masters of the guitar world.
• Gear: A signature model "AT" series is released by Ibanez, and he also has his own signature effect pedals (such as the Keeley Electronics Nocturne and MXR EVH 5150 Katakana Edition).

Paul Laine - Vocals

• Background: From Canada. Joined Danger Danger after releasing his solo album "Stick It In Your Ear." Features a husky and powerful singing voice.
• Present: Active alongside Bruno and Rob in The Defiants. Also works on many pieces as a producer.

Rob Marcello - Guitar

• Background: From Sweden. Joined in 2003 as Andy Timmons' successor. A technician capable of handling everything from neoclassical shredding to bluesy playing.
• Present: Currently active as the guitarist for Danger Danger and The Defiants.

8. Special Relationship with the Japanese Market and Cultural Influence

Danger Danger is one of the special bands for Western rock music fans in Japan.

8.1 The "Big in Japan" Aspect

In the early 1990s, while the storm of grunge was raging in the United States, Japanese fans continued to support melodic hard rock bands like DANGER DANGER. The specialized magazine "Burrn!" frequently featured DANGER DANGER, and the members (especially Ted Poley and Andy Timmons) enjoyed idol-like popularity. It is easy to imagine that the loyalty of these Japanese fans served as the spiritual support that helped the band get through its most difficult times.

8.2 Records of Performances in Japan

• 1990-1992: Tours during the band's heyday. They performed live at major hall-class venues such as NHK Hall and Shibuya Kokaido.
• 2006: Conducted a 3-day performance at Live Inn Rosa in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, as the "Japan Tour 2006."
• 2019: The "30th Anniversary Japan Tour 2019" commemorating the 30th anniversary of their debut. They performed at Shibuya Club Quattro in Tokyo on December 10 and Umeda Club Quattro in Osaka on December 12, delighting long-time fans.

8.3 Reflection of Japanese Culture in Products

The title of the aforementioned album "Zokusho" by The Defiants and the use of Katakana seen in Andy Timmons-related gear (such as the MXR EVH 5150 Katakana Edition) are proof of the respect and affection they hold for Japanese culture.

9. Conclusion

The history of Danger Danger is both a symbol of the glittering rock scene of the late 1980s and a story of survival through the upheavals of the music industry. Transcending the mere framework of "hair metal," DANGER DANGER's music continues to be loved by fans around the world in 2025 as universal American rock backed by an outstanding sense of melody and performance technique.

Overcoming hardships such as legal battles over unreleased albums and member changes, DANGER DANGER's posture of maintaining activities as the original group while diffusing its genes through forms like "The Defiants" and "Tokyo Motor Fist" can be called the crystallization of pure passion for music and professionalism.