Hollywood Stars (band)
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1973 |
| Founder | Kim Fowley (manager) |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
The Hollywood Stars emerged as an American rock ensemble originating from Los Angeles in late 1973, under the guidance of manager Kim Fowley. Conceived as a West Coast equivalent to the New York Dolls amid the glam rock movement, they secured contracts with Columbia Records in 1974 and later with Arista Records in 1976. Their eponymous album was launched in 1977 through Arista, and that same year they supported The Kinks during the Sleepwalker tour. Significantly, their track "Escape" was interpreted by Alice Cooper on his album Welcome to My Nightmare (1975), while Kiss covered "King of the Night Time World" on Destroyer (1976). Archival recordings from sessions in 1974 and 1976 were issued in 2013 and 2019, garnering critical praise and prompting the band’s reunion in 2018.
Throughout their original tenure, The Hollywood Stars frequently performed at iconic West Hollywood venues such as Whisky a Go Go and the Starwood on Sunset Strip. In 1974, they appeared at the Hollywood Palladium, positioned between performances by the New York Dolls and Iggy and the Stooges. Emerging acts including Journey, The Runaways, Quiet Riot, and Elliott Murphy served as their opening acts, while The Hollywood Stars themselves supported prominent artists like the Ramones, Bo Diddley, James Gang, Brian Auger's Oblivion Express, Caravan, Sylvester, Fanny, and The Kinks. Their concerts attracted notable industry personalities such as Angela Bowie and John Lennon; additionally, Iggy Pop made guest appearances at Whisky a Go Go. Following their split, band members collaborated with groups like Blue Cheer and Steppenwolf.
1973–1974: Formation
Kim Fowley’s first venture into creating a "conceptual band" was The Hollywood Stars, predating his later projects such as The Runaways, Venus and the Razorblades, and The Orchids.
In the early 1970s Los Angeles scene, Fowley was a regular at Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco, a club known for featuring British glam rock acts alongside local bands like Iggy and the Stooges and LA’s pioneering glam group Zolar X. Recognizing an unfilled niche akin to what the New York Dolls represented on the East Coast, Fowley set out to assemble a West Coast counterpart. He chose to name the new group after the defunct minor league baseball team called the Hollywood Stars.
By November 1973, Fowley had enlisted vocalist Scott Phares—whom he had spotted performing with Boston’s Adrian—and drummer Terry Rae from San Francisco's Flamin' Groovies. Rae recommended guitarist Ruben De Fuentes, who joined despite initial doubts regarding the band’s musical direction. Bassist Gary Van Dyke and songwriter Mark Anthony completed the roster; Anthony was brought on last to introduce a more Beatles-inspired element to their sound.
Fowley implemented an intensive rehearsal routine in the San Fernando Valley, focusing on material penned by Mark Anthony, himself, Mars Bonfire, and Peter Lion. An exclusive performance at Studio Instrument Rentals in Hollywood drew an audience of 380 guests including representatives from Liberty Records, A&M Records, and Columbia Records. This event triggered a competitive bidding situation primarily between A&M and Columbia.
The band's first public appearance as headliners took place at the Whisky a Go Go on December 17, 1973. This was followed by several shows opening for all-female rock group Fanny (band) from December 26 through 31. Among those present were Angela Bowie and John Lennon—both personally invited by Fowley. Bowie notably commended their track "Shine Like a Radio," predicting it could become a "#1 record."
On December 19, they entered the studio with producer Bob Ezrin, who contributed arrangement ideas for "Escape" and showed interest in two other songs despite ultimately declining further production involvement.
In February 1974, Fowley dispatched the band to Boulder, Colorado to refine their live performance abilities; there they opened for both the James Gang and Roy Buchanan. On March 22, they supported Brian Auger's Oblivion Express at Los Angeles' Embassy Concert Hall before returning to Whisky a Go Go on March 27 with Elliott Murphy as their opening act.
1974: Tenure with Columbia Records and Initial Disbandment
On March 28, 1974, The Hollywood Stars secured a contract with Columbia Records. By this stage, Kevin Barnhill had taken over bass duties from Gary Van Dyke. Producer Bill Szymczyk commenced work on their first album at The Record Plant, but departed early, leaving the engineering team to complete the project. Due to internal shifts within the label, Columbia ultimately dropped the group and shelved the album. However, a rough mix tape from these sessions has survived.
Between July 29 and 31, the band was the headliner at Whisky a Go Go, with Journey serving as their opening act. During one of these shows, Iggy Pop introduced The Hollywood Stars, complimenting their rendition of Satisfaction and even joined them onstage. On August 24, they performed as the supporting act for Bo Diddley at The Graffiti Jam held in Irvine, California.
On October 11, The Hollywood Stars appeared at the Hollywood Street Revival and Trash Dance glam rock event at the Hollywood Palladium, an event organized by Kim Fowley. Their performance was lauded by writer Greg Shaw as "tight, flashy rock & roll," sharing the stage with artists such as Iggy and The Stooges and the New York Dolls.
Despite their regional acclaim, internal disagreements coupled with the collapse of their Columbia contract led to their dissolution. In early November, they opened for Caravan at Whisky a Go Go and delivered their final performance there on November 10. This concluding show received high praise from Lisa Fancher, who would later establish the punk label Frontier Records.
Prior to disbanding, Kim Fowley presented the songs "Escape" and "King of the Night Time World" to Bob Ezrin. Ezrin introduced "Escape" to Alice Cooper, who adapted it for his 1975 album Welcome to My Nightmare, while "King of the Night Time World" was given to Kiss for their 1976 release Destroyer. Additionally, Bachman–Turner Overdrive's 1975 single "Down to the Line" incorporated elements from "Escape," resulting in a lawsuit settled between Mark Anthony and Kim Fowley.
Following the breakup, Terry Rae and Ruben De Fuentes became members of Blue Cheer, which had reformed earlier in 1974. Blue Cheer's unreleased recordings from that year with Fowley were later included on Unreleased '69/'74 (1995). Meanwhile, Scott Phares joined Hero, releasing two albums produced by Michael Lloyd: Hero (1977) under Mercury Records and Boys Will be Boys (1978) through 20th Century Fox Records.
1975–1978: Transformation and Arista Records era
Released in March 1975, Alice Cooper's Welcome to My Nightmare album initially entered the Billboard 200 chart at No. 63 and climbed to No. 5 by June. The track "Escape" motivated the original members Mark Anthony, Reuben De Fuentes, and Terry Rae to revive The Hollywood Stars, now joined by bassist Michael Rummans and second drummer Bobby Drier. Known simply as "The Stars," this lineup performed at venues such as Whisky a Go Go and the Starwood (nightclub) during late 1975.
By February 1976, Phonograph Record magazine identified The Stars as a promising proto-punk group alongside acts like Iggy Pop and The Runaways. That year, they recorded a full album at Sound City Studios with Neil Merryweather producing, aiming to secure a deal with a major label. After signing with Clive Davis's Arista Records, the band was asked to re-record the material. Their debut under Arista, The Hollywood Stars (1977), produced by Harry Maslin at Cherokee Studios, featured contributions from session musicians Nicky Hopkins and Oliver C. Brown.
In early 1977, the band supported the Ramones on tour and later backed The Kinks during their Sleepwalker tour across the West Coast and Canada. Arista issued a split single pairing The Kinks' "Sleepwalker" with The Hollywood Stars' "All the Kids on the Street." Additionally, they played at the Starwood with Quiet Riot as their opening act.
Creative conflicts caused The Hollywood Stars to disband by late 1977, leading Mark Anthony to embark on a solo path. A brief reformation occurred in 1978 with De Fuentes, Rummans, Drier, Al Austin, and Bryce Mobrae joining before the group dissolved once more. Subsequently, Ruben De Fuentes became part of Nick St. Nicholas' version of Steppenwolf during 1979–1980.
2013: Release of Shine Like a Radio
In 2013, producer and musician Robin Wills (The Barracudas) connected with Hollywood Stars drummer Terry Rae through a UK power pop blog. Discovering that former vocalist Scott Phares possessed a 1/4" tape containing the band's 1974 Columbia Records sessions, Wills restored the recordings and issued the album via his label Last Summer Records, distributed by Light in the Attic Records. The limited vinyl release of 1000 copies received positive acclaim, with Record Collector describing it as "one of the most vital reissues of the year."
A video for "King of the Night Time World," directed by Scott Phares' son and featuring original band members, was produced. While live shows were contemplated, Phares' location on the East Coast initially limited rehearsal opportunities with the Los Angeles-based musicians.
2018–present: Reunion and new projects
During summer 2018, original members Phares, Rae, De Fuentes, and Rummans convened at the Rainbow Bar and Grill to discuss reviving the band’s activities. They agreed to rehearse in Los Angeles regularly, with Phares participating when feasible and supplementing rehearsals through recorded tapes. Chezz Monroe was added as a second guitarist, and their live comeback occurred at The Bootleg Theatre on November 18.
In 2019, after signing with Burger Records, they released Sound City, their original demo album from 1976 produced by Neil Merryweather, on August 23. The publication Shindig! awarded it 4 out of 5 stars for its "raunchy rockers and crowd-pleasing anthems," while AllMusic gave it a 3.5-star rating, calling it "top-notch power pop."
The Hollywood Stars performed at Whisky a Go Go on July 18, 2019; this performance was recorded for an intended live album under Burger Records. However, following controversies involving the label, they severed ties. Mid-2020 saw them signing with Golden Robot Records; subsequently, they released this recording as Live at the Sunset Strip on October 29, 2021. An EP featuring new songs titled Still Around followed in March 2023.
In 2023, guitarists George Keller (April) and Jeff Jourard (June), both formerly of The Motels, joined The Hollywood Stars replacing Chezz Monroe and Ruben De Fuentes. Their performance at The Redwood Bar and Grill on June 21 garnered positive critiques from LA Weekly.
Band members
| Member | Active Years | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Anthony | 1973–1977 | Rhythm guitar, vocals, songwriter |
| Ruben De Fuentes | 1973–1978, 2013, 2018–2023 | Lead guitar, songwriter |
| Terry Rae | 1973–1977, 2013, 2018–present | Drums, vocals, songwriter |
| Scott Phares | 1973–1974, 2013, 2018–present | Lead vocals, songwriter |
| Gary Van Dyke | 1973–1974, 2013 | Bass guitar |
| Kevin Barnhill | 1974 | Bass guitar |
| Michael Rummans | 1975–1978, 2018–2019, 2023–present | Bass, vocals |
| Bobby Drier | 1975–1978 | Drums |
| Al Austin | 1978 | Vocals |
| Bryce Mobrae | 1978 | Bass guitar |
| Chezz Monroe | 2018–2023 | Rhythm guitar, vocals, songwriter |
| Nigel Taylor | 2020 | Bass, vocals |
| John Schayer | 2021–2022 | Bass, vocals |
| George Keller | 2023–present | Lead guitar |
| Jeff Jourard | 2023–present | Rhythm guitar |
Discography
| Format | Title | Label | Recording Year | Release Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LP, Cassette, 8-track | The Hollywood Stars | Arista Records | 1976 | 1977 |
| 7" Single | "All The Kids on the Street" b/w "All For Love" | Arista Records | 1976 | 1977 |
| Promo Yellow Vinyl 7" Single | The Kinks "Sleepwalker" b/w The Hollywood Stars "All The Kids on the Street" | Arista Records | 1976 | 1977 |
| 7" Single | "Stay The Way You Are" b/w "All For Love" | Arista Records | 1976 | 1977 |
| LP | Shine Like A Radio: The Great Lost Album Of 1974 | Last Summer Records | 1974 | 2013 |
| 7" EP | King of the Night Time World | Blank Records | Recorded in 1974 and 1976 | Released in 2017 |
| CD, LP | Sound City | Burger Records | Recorded in 1976 | Released in 2019 |
| CD | Live on the Sunset Strip: July 18, 2019 | Golden Robot Records | Recorded in 2019 | Released in 2021 |
| Digital EP | Still Around | Golden Robot Records | Recorded in 2022 | Released in 2023 |