Faster Pussycat
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1985 in Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Founder | Taime Downe, Greg Steele, Brent Muscat, Kelly Nickels |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Taime Downe (lead singer) |
| Products | Studio albums, live albums, EPs, singles |
Number of employees | Various members over time |
| Website | www |
Faster Pussycat is a hard rock and glam metal group originating from Los Angeles, established in 1985 by lead singer Taime Downe, guitarists Greg Steele and Brent Muscat, along with bassist Kelly Nickels. Throughout its history, the band has experienced multiple lineup alterations, with Downe remaining the only continuous member. After disbanding in 1993, they reunited in 2001. Their discography includes four studio releases: Faster Pussycat (1987), Wake Me When It's Over (1989), Whipped! (1992), and The Power and the Glory Hole (2006). The band enjoyed commercial acclaim during the late 1980s and early 1990s, selling more than two million records globally.
Formation and early period (1985–1987)
During the 1980s glam metal and glam punk wave, Taime Downe founded Faster Pussycat in Hollywood. The original members were Downe, Greg Steele, and Brent Muscat. The band's name draws inspiration from Russ Meyer's film Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!.
Following initial member changes, the lineup settled with Downe on vocals, Steele and Muscat handling guitars, Kelly Nickels on bass, and Mark Michals on drums. Before their debut album sessions, Nickels was sidelined by a motorcycle accident that resulted in a broken leg; Eric Stacy of Champagne Darling Cool stepped in as his replacement. Subsequently, Nickels became part of L.A. Guns.
Commercial breakthrough and dissolution (1987–1993)
In the mid-1980s Sunset Strip music scene boom, Faster Pussycat secured a contract with Elektra Records and launched their self-titled debut album in 1987. They attracted fans across heavy metal, glam rock, and sleaze rock genres, bolstered by music videos for "Bathroom Wall" and "Don't Change That Song." Their U.S. tours included opening for artists such as Alice Cooper, David Lee Roth, and Motörhead.
That same year, the band featured in the documentary The Decline of Western Civilization part 2 – The Metal Years, contributing both live performances and interviews.
Their most commercially successful release was Wake Me When It's Over (1989), which earned RIAA gold status fueled by the popular single "House of Pain." The album was promoted with videos for "House of Pain" and "Poison Ivy." In 1990, drummer Mark Michals was dismissed after an arrest related to heroin; Frankie Banali from Quiet Riot temporarily filled in before Brett Bradshaw took over permanently. During this period, they toured alongside Kiss and Mötley Crüe.
Also in 1990, Faster Pussycat recorded a rendition of Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" for the compilation Rubáiyát: Elektra's 40th Anniversary, which later appeared on their 1992 EP Belted, Buckled And Booted.
Their third studio album, Whipped! (1992), peaked at number 90 on the charts. In 1993, after replacing Eric Stacy with Aaron Abellira, the band completed successful tours across the United States and Japan, including sold-out performances such as one at Hollywood Palace. Shortly after returning to the U.S., Faster Pussycat disbanded.
Following the breakup, Taime Downe joined industrial collective Pigface before initiating the industrial rock project the Newlydeads alongside Kyle Kyle from Bang Tango.
Reunion and stylistic evolution (2001–2005)
Faster Pussycat reunited in 2001, bringing back original members Downe (vocals), Muscat (guitar), and Steele (guitar). They were joined by Downe’s former Newlydeads colleagues Xristian Simon (guitar), Danny Nordahl (bass), and Chad Stewart (drums). Notably, Nordahl and Stewart also performed with Motochrist.
That same year, the band released Between the Valley of the Ultra Pussy, a remix album featuring industrial rock reinterpretations of their classic songs alongside a cover of a Kiss track. This new direction polarized their fanbase, with many favoring the band’s earlier hard rock style.
During the 2001 reunion tour, Steele departed midway and was succeeded by Tracii Guns for the remaining dates. Due to scheduling conflicts, Eric Griffin temporarily replaced Muscat for the U.S. shows. Muscat made a brief return but was forced to step down in 2005 after being diagnosed with oral cancer; Michael Thomas then assumed his role permanently.
Name conflict and Brent Muscat's Faster Pussycat faction (2006–2007)
In December 2006, former members Brent Muscat, Eric Stacy, and Brett Bradshaw established an alternate Faster Pussycat lineup featuring vocalist Kurt Frohlich and guitarist Todd Kerns. This development resulted in two bands both claiming rights to the original name. Muscat maintained that his version upheld the band’s traditional sound in contrast to Downe’s industrial-rock approach, and he sought legal ownership of the moniker.
Muscat’s ensemble appeared at the AVN Awards after-party in Las Vegas without Downe, performing exclusively classic material. Downe publicly dismissed this group as merely a tribute act and contested Muscat’s assertions; legal proceedings remained unresolved.
Muscat criticized Downe for inadequate support during his cancer treatment and expressed concerns about Downe’s live performances damaging the band’s reputation. He extended an open invitation to the original members for a reunion, which went unanswered. In spring 2007, Muscat’s lineup toured across Europe.
By July 2007, Muscat abandoned his legal pursuit of the Faster Pussycat name and went on to form Sin City Sinners, declaring that "Faster Pussycat is dead."
Meanwhile, Downe continued performing under the Faster Pussycat banner, including an appearance at Rocklahoma 2007 where his onstage criticism of Muscat was met with negative feedback; he ended the set early without playing several fan favorites.
Recent developments (2008–present)
In summer 2008, Faster Pussycat toured throughout the United States alongside Tracii Guns’ iteration of LA Guns.
Ace Von Johnson replaced Michael Thomas in spring 2010 when Thomas shifted focus to Adler's Appetite.
By late 2013, the band was performing at clubs, bars, and university venues. Although prior difficulties had diminished their audience size, these performances garnered favorable reviews.
On August 15, 2015, original members Brent Muscat, Eric Stacy, and Greg Steele joined the current lineup onstage at the Cathouse for a brief reunion set.
In September 2020, Faster Pussycat announced via social media that they were working on new studio material. In 2022, they released the single "Like a Ghost" accompanied by a B-side cover of Johnny Thunders’ "Pirate Love."
Former drummer Brett Bradshaw died unexpectedly on March 26, 2021, at age 50.
Band members
Current members
- Taime Downe – lead vocals, guitar, programming, harmonica, percussion (1985–1993, 2001–present)
- Danny Nordahl – bass guitar, backing vocals (2001–present)
- Chad Stewart – drums, percussion, backing vocals (2001–present)
- Sam Bam Koltun – guitar, mandolin, talkbox, backing vocals (2019–present)
- Kieran Robertson – guitar (2023–present)
Former members
- Greg Steele – guitar, acoustic guitar mandolin, keyboards, piano, backing vocals (1985–1993, 2001, 2015)
- Brent Muscat – guitar, acoustic guitar, sitar, percussion instruments, talkbox, backing vocals (1985–1993, 2001–2005, 2015)
- Mark Michals – drums and percussion with backing vocals (1985–1990)
- Walt "Walta" Adams – bass guitar (1985–1986)
- Kelly Nickels – bass guitar and backing vocals (1986–1987)
- Eric Stacy – bass guitar including fretless bass and backing vocals (1987–1993, 2015)
- Brett Bradshaw – drums and percussion with backing vocals (1990–1993; deceased 2021)
- Aaron Abellira – bass guitar (1993)
- Michael Thomas – guitar and backing vocals (2005–2010)
- Ace Von Johnson – guitar and backing vocals (2010–2020)
- Dish – drums and percussion (2005)
- Xristian Simon – guitar (2001–2021)
- Ronnie Simmons – guitar (2021–2023)
- Mihailo Lukic – guitar (2023)
Touring members
- Frankie Banali – drums and percussion (1990; deceased 2020)
- Tracii Guns – guitar and backing vocals (2001–2002)
- Eric Griffin – guitar (2005)
- Johnny Martin – bass guitar and backing vocals (2024)
- Chris Borell – guitar, talkbox, backing vocals (2024, 2025)
Studio Albums
| Year | Album | US |
JP |
UK |
Certification | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Faster Pussycat | 97 | — | — | Elektra | |
| 1989 | Wake Me When It's Over | 48 | — | 35 | * US: Gold | |
| 1992 | Whipped! | 90 | 43 | 58 | ||
| 2006 | The Power and the Glory Hole | — | — | — | Full Effect |
Live Albums
EPs
- Live and Rare (1990)
- Belted, Buckled and Booted (1992) – over 25,000 copies sold in the US
Remix Albums
Compilation Albums
- Greatest Hits: Faster Pussycat (2003)
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 |
US Main Rock | |||
| 1987 | "Babylon" | — | — | Faster Pussycat |
| "Don't Change That Song" | — | — | ||
| "Bathroom Wall" | — | — | ||
| 1989 | "Poison Ivy" | — | — | Wake Me When It's Over |
| "House of Pain" | 28 | 23 | ||
| 1990 | "Where There's A Whip There's A Way" | — | — | |
| "You're So Vain" | — | — | Rubáiyát: Elektra's 40th Anniversary | |
| 1992 | "Nonstop to Nowhere" | "—" | "35" | "Whipped!" |
| "The Body Thief" | "—" | "—" | "Whipped!" | |
| 2006 | "Number 1 with a Bullet" | "—" | "—" | "The Power and the Glory Hole" |
| 2009 | "Bathroom Wall" (Live) | "—" | "—" | "Front Row For The Donkey Show" |
| 2021 | "NOLA" | "—" | "—" | (Non-album single) |
External links
- Faster Pussycat official website
- Articles with short description
- 1986 establishments in California
- American industrial rock musical groups
- Elektra Records artists
- Glam metal musical groups from California
- Glam punk groups
- Hard rock musical groups from California
- Heavy metal musical groups from California
- Musical groups established in 1986
- Musical groups disestablished in 1993
- Musical groups reestablished in 2001
- Musical groups from Los Angeles
- Punk rock groups from California