Alias (band)
| Company type | Supergroup |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1988 in Toronto, Canada |
| Founder | Freddy Curci, Steve DeMarchi |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
| Products | Rock music albums and singles |
Alias emerged as a Canadian rock supergroup in 1988, originating in Toronto. The group was founded by songwriter and lead vocalist Freddy Curci along with songwriter and lead guitarist Steve DeMarchi, both formerly of the Canadian arena rock band Sheriff. They joined forces with former members of Heart, including founding guitarist Roger Fisher, bassist Steve Fossen, and drummer Mike Derosier.
Alias 1988–1992
Between 1979 and 1985, Curci and DeMarchi performed as part of Sheriff. The band’s success on the club circuit culminated in a self-titled album, which featured the single "When I'm with You" that reached No. 1 in Canada. Although initially facing challenges in the US market due to distribution problems, the track eventually climbed to No. 61 on the Billboard charts. Internal conflicts during touring led to Sheriff’s breakup in 1985.
With backing from friends and family, Curci and DeMarchi established a home recording studio while maintaining day jobs. This setup allowed them to write and produce tracks that would later appear on Alias’ first album. In 1988, "When I'm With You" made a comeback on the US charts, reaching No. 1 in February 1989 after Capitol Records reissued Sheriff’s album. Efforts to revive Sheriff were unsuccessful, prompting Curci and DeMarchi to collaborate with ex-Heart members Fisher, Fossen, and Derosier, resulting in the formation of Alias.
Alias’ debut album appeared in 1990, earning gold certification in the United States and platinum status in Canada. The record included notable hits such as power ballads "More Than Words Can Say" (No. 1 in Canada, No. 2 in the US), "Waiting for Love" (No. 13), and "Haunted Heart" (No. 18 on Mainstream Rock charts). Their most prominent single, "More Than Words Can Say," reached No. 2 on both the Billboard Hot AC and Hot 100 charts. The band toured across North America during 1990, opening for acts like REO Speedwagon. However, musical disagreements led to the departure of the former Heart musicians.
According to Curci, Alias never officially disbanded but was affected by shifting musical trends brought about by grunge’s popularity. He emphasized that Alias continues as a collaborative project between himself and DeMarchi, remaining open to future endeavors.
In early 1991, Alias made two appearances on The Tonight Show and contributed Tonio K's "Perfect World" to the soundtrack of the film Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.
Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) honored Curci and DeMarchi with its "Million-Air Award" for "More Than Words Can Say," recognizing it as one of only approximately 1,500 songs to achieve one million airplays within BMI’s extensive catalog exceeding four million titles.
Never Say Never 2005–2010
Alias completed their sophomore album in 1992; however, with grunge music ascending and metal waning, EMI Canada postponed its release. The label also encouraged Curci to pursue a solo career, resulting in his 1994 solo album Dreamer’s Road.
DeMarchi supported The Cranberries during their tours and participated in Dolores O'Riordan's 2007 solo tour for Are You Listening?. During this period, fans sought autographs related to Alias’ unreleased second album. Some tracks had surfaced on Dreamer's Road or circulated unofficially online, which ultimately led EMI to officially release Alias' second album, Never Say Never, in January 2009.
An acoustic rendition of "More Than Words Can Say" was featured on VH1’s compilation Classic Metal Mania: Stripped in early 2005. That same year, the song was used in a Subway commercial during the Super Bowl.
Alias performed at New York’s CMJ Music Marathon in 2005 and appeared at Belgium’s Dour Festival in 2006. In 2010, they headlined Chicago’s Melodic Rock Fest 2 with an acoustic performance. On August 21, 2014, Alias reunited for a complete live concert at The Sturgis Canada Motorcycle Rally and Music Festival held in Merritt, British Columbia. The lineup included Curci, Hassel, Steve and Denny DeMarchi, guitarist Roscoe Stewart, and drummer Chris Sutherland.
In 2013, Fossen, Fisher, and Derosier were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as Heart members. Roger Fisher continues his music career with projects such as The Human Tribe. Denny DeMarchi passed away from cancer on May 15, 2020, at age 57. Meanwhile, Marco Mendoza and Michael Marquart remain active recording artists; Mendoza’s latest work dates from 2018 while Marquart has been active through at least 2021.
Members
- Freddy Curci – lead vocals, keyboards, piano, guitars (1988–1991, 2009–present)
- Steve DeMarchi – guitar, backing vocals (1988–1991, 2009–present)
- Roscoe Stewart – guitars (2014–present)
- Wolf Hassel – bass (guest in 2011, full member from 2014 onward)
- Chris Sutherland – drums (2014–present)
- Roger Fisher – guitar, backing vocals (1988–1991)
- Steve Fossen – bass, backing vocals (1988–1991)
- Mike Derosier – drums (1988–1991)
- Michael Marquart – drums (1990)
- Denny DeMarchi (1962-2020) – keyboards during 1990–1991 tours; session keyboards and backing vocals on Alias' first album; member 2009–2020
- Marco Mendoza – bass (2009–2014)
- Larry Aberman – drums (2009–2014)
- Robert O'Hearn – keyboards (2009–2014)
Discography
Studio albums
| Album Title | Release Information | Highest Chart Positions | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Denmark | United States | |||||||
| Alias |
|
121 | 31 | 114 | |||||
| Never Say Never |
|
— | — | — | |||||
| "—" indicates albums that did not enter the charts | |||||||||
Singles
| Year | Single Title | Peak Chart Rankings | Associated Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Canada | Canada AC | New Zealand | United Kingdom | United States | US AC | US Mainstream Rock | |||
| 1990 | "Haunted Heart" | — | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | Alias |
| "More Than Words Can Say" | 30 | 1 | 1 | 37 | — | 2 | 2 | — | ||
| 1991 | "Waiting for Love" | 135 | 4 | — | — | 87 | 13 | 17 | — | |
| "The Power" | — | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Perfect World" | — | 51 | 33 | — | — | 90 | — | — | Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (soundtrack) | |
Compilation appearances
| Year | Track Name | Album Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Into the Fire" | Nintendo: White Knuckle Scorin' |
See also
Bibliography
- Feldman, Christopher (2000). The Billboard Book of Number Two Hits. .
External links
- 1988 establishments in Ontario
- 1991 disestablishments in Ontario
- 2009 establishments in Ontario
- Canadian glam metal musical groups
- Canadian hard rock musical groups
- Canadian musical quintets
- Musical groups established in 1988
- Musical groups disbanded in 1991
- Musical groups reformed in 2009
- Rock music groups from Toronto
- Rock music supergroups
- Musical groups disestablished in 1991