Shark Island

Shark Island is a melodic hard rock group known for their high-octane live performances and distinctive blend of glam metal and modern rock. Founded in 1986 from the ashes of cult Los Angeles glam rockers the Sharks, the band released their debut album, Law of the Order, at the tail end of the Sunset Strip sleaze-rock scene. Disbanding in the early '90s, Shark Island re-formed in the 2000s, releasing Gathering of the Faithful (2006) and Bloodline (2019), with the concert LP Memento Mori Live on the Strip appearing in 2024.

Comprising Richard Black (vocals), Spencer Sercombe (guitar), Tom Rucci (bass), Michael Guy (guitar), and Walt Woodward (drums), Shark Island recorded an album of demos in 1987 that saw <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22A%26M+Records%22">A&M Records</a> step in with a development deal. As a result of this, two of the band's songs were aired on the soundtrack to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Losing their second guitarist, Guy, and replacing their rhythm section with Chris Heilman (bass) and Gregg Ellis (drums), the band relocated to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Epic+Records%22">Epic Records</a> for 1989's Law of the Order. Featuring the singles "Paris Calling" and "Here Comes Trouble," the LP has since accrued a cult following, but it suffered from <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Epic%22">Epic</a>'s lack of promotion, resulting in the bandmembers splintering off into other projects. Richard Black joined the Contraband project in 1991, which featured <a href="spotify:artist:0W36oDVidsOqEIAKUJV4dY">Michael Schenker</a> and members of <a href="spotify:artist:22TEmHXBBLjTec2LOAuMdS">L.A. Guns</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3tufWJzpCiAGleBt5TkmTn">Ratt</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4wlPkvHKZzP2K8wtBzFRyY">Vixen</a>, while Sercombe worked in multiple groups, including <a href="spotify:artist:3LbJq0qQ5XCk2ocAPfRxJz">MSG</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:28PghHr3IinqOHLM6bz1uV">Riverdogs</a>.

Sercombe, Black, Heilmann, and new drummer Glen Sobel reconvened Shark Island in 2006 and issued the bluesy Gathering of the Faithful on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Frontiers%22">Frontiers</a>. From then on, Black was at the helm, leading a completely retooled lineup in 2013 for a series of European dates and issuing 2019's Bloodline, including a glammy cover of <a href="spotify:artist:762310PdDnwsDxAQxzQkfX">Depeche Mode</a>'s "Policy of Truth." 2024 saw the release of the concert album Memento Mori Live on the Strip, recorded at the Whisky A-Go-Go on April 22, 2022. ~ James Christopher Monger, Rovi