add a biography

Reviewer: Iluvthe80s

The melodic US hard rock act WINGER was fronted in 1987 by experienced session musicians Kip Winger (bass, vocals) and Paul Taylor (keyboards, guitar) following their work together on Alice Cooper's Constrictor tour. Enlisting lead guitarist Reb Beach and drummer Rod Morgenstein (ex-Dixie Dregs), the quartet chose the name Sahara, but were forced to change to Winger at the last moment - the original name still appears on a corner of the debut album's cover. "Winger" proved to be an immediate success, producing US Top 30 singles in 'Seventeen' (number 26, February 1989) and 'Headed For A Heartbreak' (number 19, June 1989), while the vocalist's rugged good looks turned him into a major sex symbol. This rather worked against the band in press terms, and Winger were never really taken seriously by the UK rock press in particular, despite abilities which kept them in demand for musician-type magazines and a genuinely impressive debut. "In The Heart Of The Young" consolidated Winger's US success, producing another enormous hit in 'Miles Away' (number 12, October 1990), and the band were well received on their debut European shows, but the heavy touring schedule proved too much for Taylor, who subsequently departed, later working with Steve Perry of Journey. The band adopted a heavier approach on the commendable "Pull" to compensate for the lack of keyboards, recruiting a second touring guitarist in John Roth, but were unable to swim against the grunge tide to emulate their earlier successes. After a lenghty US club tour, the band was put on ice in 1994 while Kip Winger started to pursue a solo career. After a nine year hiatus, the original members of one of the 80's most successful rock bands are back. Winger, the group who spawned no less than seven MTV and radio hits, is reuniting for a 2002 spring/summer world tour. Widely respected for their high caliber musicianship, diverse music background and eclectic music, Winger has always stood apart from the crowd and are clearly a class of their own.

SOURCES: Yahoo and KipWinger.com