Rock & Roll Kids 2
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The Beastie Boys
1st Album Released 1982: Pollywog Stew
Adam Yauch (MCA) 18 - b. August 5, 1964
Michael Diamond (Mike D) 17 - b. Nov. 20, 1965
Kate Shellenbach (drums) - Who Cares
John Berry (guitar) - Ibid.
*MCA and Mike D formed the Beastie's in '79, and started as an N.Y. hardcore punk band in '81 with Shellenbach and Berry on drums and guitar respectively. Pollywog Stew had 8 tracks, was released on an indie label, pretty much sucked shit and flopped, and demonstrated little musical talent. In '83 Shellenbach and Berry left the band. Good thing though, 'cause that's when King Ad-Rock joined, and the Beastie's released their second short EP, Cookie Puss which marked their adoption of rap. Throughout '83-'85, their sound evolved and morphed into what would come to be the material of the '86 masterpiece Licensed to Ill, which most everyone mistakenly believes to be the first album.
**Age at Release of Licensed to Ill, released early 1986
21 MCA
20 Mike D
19 Adam Horovitz (King Ad-Rock) b. Oct. 31, 1966
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Red Hot Chili Peppers
1st Album Released Aug. 10, 1983: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Michael Balzary (Flea) 21 b. - Oct. 16, 1962
Anthony Kiedis 21 b. - Nov. 1, 1962
Jack Sherman Unknown / No One Cares
Cliff Stewart Unknown / No One Cares
* In 1983 four Fairfax high-school friends of Los Angeles CA-- Anthony Kiedis, Michael Balzary (Flea), Hillel Slovak, and Jack Irons got together to play one show. They called themselves Tony Flow and The Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem. The band continued past the initial performance changing their name to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Prior to recording a debut album however-- Hillel and Jack left the band committing to their other group What Is This? (Yes you read that correctly, that was their band name). Anthony and Michael (at that point now going by Flea) recruited Jack Sherman and Cliff Stewart on guitar and drums respectively. The first album was released to little success causing Jack Sherman to leave the band, replaced by founding member and best friend Hillel Slovak in '85 on guitar. Shortly after the second album in '85, Cliff Stewart left the band, replaced by the other founding member Jack Irons on drums in '86. The four founding members recorded 1 album together before Hillel Slovak died of a heroin overdose on June 27, 1988. The pain of the loss caused Jack Irons to quit in '88-- Jack would go on to join Pearl Jam 6 years later in '94.
Carrying on the Chili's after Hillel's death, Anthony and Flea were again forced to find a new guitarist and drummer. John Frusciante had jammed with Flea, become friends, and was a huge fan of the band. He was recruited in 1988 and said of it: "They were my favorite band in the world. I knew every lyric, every guitar part, every solo, and bass part, and had always felt their music to be a source of peace and beauty in my life. I always felt very spiritually and philosophically connected with the band's ideals and way of life. The moment I joined the band was probably the most intense rush of pure happiness I will ever experience in my life." On drums they recruited Chad Smith. Frusciante left the band in '92 due to drug addiction, replaced briefly by Arik Marshall, and then formally by Dave Navarro of Janes Addiction in '93. After 4 years with Navarro, Frusciante was brought back in '98, and has been with them since.
Chad Smith b. Oct. 25, 1961
Hillel Slovak b. Apr. 16, 1962
Jack Irons b. July 18, 1962
Dave Navarro b. June 7, 1967
John Frusciante b. March 5, 1970
Arik Marshall - No one cares.
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Alice In Chains
1st Album Released Aug. 1990: Facelift
Jerry Cantrell 24 - b. March 18, 1966
Mike Starr 24 - b. April 4, 1966
Sean Kinney 24 - b. May 27, 1966
Layne Staley *22 - b. August 22, 1967
*Mike Inez replaced Mike Starr on bass in January 1993
**Staley could have just turned 23 before the release, however since the exact release day is unknown the best guess is that he was still 22 at the time.
Mike Inez b. May 14, 1966
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Pearl Jam
1st Album Released August 27, 1991: (1st) Ten
Jeff Ament 28 - b. March 10, 1963
Eddie Vedder 26 - b. Dec. 23, 1964
Dave Krusen 25 - b. March 10, 1966
Mike McCready 25 - b. April 5, 1966
Stone Gossard 25 - b. July 20, 1966<>
*Before Pearl Jam Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament played together in Mother Love Bone. They founded Pearl Jam after the lead singer died of a heroin overdose. Gossard's and Ament's first addition after the dissolve of Mother Love Bone was Mike McCready out of a band called Shadow. The three of them in search of a drummer gave some demos to Jack Irons formerly a founding member and drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers to see if he wanted to join. Irons declined but passed the demos to his good friend Eddie Vedder of San Diego. Legend has it that Eddie wrote lyrics for those demos while surfing in San Diego, and recorded himself singing over what would become Alive, Once, and Footsteps. Upon sending the new demos with vocals back up to Seattle, the core of Pearl Jam was born. The final piece was Dave Krusen added to drums, and what followed was one of the greatest 1st albums in rock history: Ten. Dave Krusen left the band shortly before the release of Ten in '91, and was replaced by Matt Chamberlain briefly (he's in the Alive video), but more formally by Dave Abbruzzese. Abbruzzese left the band in '94, replaced by Jack Irons (of the Chili's), and in '98 Irons left the band replaced by Matt Cameron formerly of Soundgarden. That's 5 drummers over a now 16 year span, kind of like Spinal Tap.
Jack Irons b. July 18, 1962
Matt Cameron b. Nov. 28, 1962
Dave Abbruzesse b. May 17, 1968
Matt Chamberlain b. Unknown
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Beck
1st Album Released March 1994: Mellow Gold
Beck Hansen 23 - b. July 8, 1970
*Beck was born Beck Campbell. His father abandoned him and his family, leading Beck to drop his father's name. He adopted his mother's maiden name Hansen. Mellow Gold was made with $200.
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***Some band member's information was not found or not looked up. This occurs in instances where their appearance on the album is not of much interest. For example, it happens where no one cares which session musicians who were never part of the band played with certain solo artists, e.g. David Bowie's first album. It also happens where I just couldn't find it, due to obscurity e.g., Dave Evans from AC/DC.
As the research was done quickly from the Internet, as well as my subtracting birthdays from release dates to determine age, it is error prone. But I believe the sources are generally reliable and that I can do simple math. Feel free to e-mail me info of bands to add to the master list, or with corrections. Enjoy.
WORK IN PROGRESS:
The Doors: 1967
Jim MorrisonDec. 8, 1943
Big Brother and the Holding Company
Janis JoplinJan. 19,1943
Barry GibbSept.1, 1947
Maurice GibbDec.22, 1949
Robin GibbDec.22, 1949
Sex Pistols 1st
Metallica
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Billy Joel
Allman Brothers
Police-Outlandos DAmour 1st
Boston-Boston 1st
Yes
Phish
Bob Marley
Pink Floyd
Van Halen
Black Sabbath
Nirvana-Nevermind note I hate Nirvana
Cream
The Jam
Elvis
Tom Petty
P-Funk Allstars
Nick Drake
U2
Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young
INXS
Michael Jackson
Jethro Tull
Kinks
Elton John
Dave Matthews
Madonna
Steve Miller Band
Alanis Morrisette
Queen
Rage Against The Machine (1st)
Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band
Joe Cocker
ZZ Top
Jeff Beck
Black Crowes
Elvis Costello
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Eagles
Emerson Lake & Palmer
Guns & Roses
Marvin Gaye
Santana
Joe Satriani
Soundgarden
Simon & Garfunkel
Sublime
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Violent Femmes 1st
Velvet Underground
BB King
John Lee Hooker
Muddy Waters
Chuck Berry
The Grateful Dead
The Band
