Shark Island (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1986 in Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Albums, singles, live performances |
Shark Island is a glam metal group originating from Los Angeles, California, established in 1986 and reassembled in 2017. They are presently performing at clubs and hair metal festivals across Europe. The band gained recognition primarily for their cult classic album, Law of the Order.
1979–1982: Sharks
The origins of Sharks trace back to 1979 when vocalist Rick Czerny (later known as Richard Black) and lead guitarist Spencer Sercombe, who connected during their high school years, began composing original songs. Sercombe was employed by B.C. Rich guitars and played a role in designing their iconic Warlock model.
Rehearsals took place in a modest studio located in Arcadia, decorated with Mickey's Big Mouth bottles that inspired the band's initial logo. The lineup was completed by Maryland-born drummer Dave Bishop.
This original trio independently produced the album Altar Ego in 1982, with Jerry Tolman as producer and featuring organist Mike "The Fin" Finnegan, both linked to Stephen Stills. Recording and mixing were handled by Rick Holbrook in North Hollywood.
Sharks also issued three singles: a uniquely shaped triple fin 45 rpm record including "Kid Sister" and "Your Car or Mine," recorded at Mystic Studios; "Hey," a live single captured during a 1981 Pasadena performance accompanied by Mark Bolan's "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" on the B-side; and "I'm Electric," which utilized a drum machine instead of Bishop's live drumming, paired with a humorous take on "Heading Out to the Highway" titled "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" on its reverse side. This last single was handed out as memorabilia at concerts.
Throughout this era, Sharks gained prominence within the Los Angeles glam metal circuit, performing alongside bands such as Mötley Crüe, Quiet Riot, and the Michael Schenker Group at notable venues including The Whiskey, The Icehouse, The Roxy, and The Troubadour.
Richard Black’s unique performance style left an impression on musicians like Axl Rose. Meanwhile, drummer Dave Bishop was recognized for his extensive use of cowbells and a bass drum decorated with shark jaws facing the audience.
1985–1986: Name change and S'cool Buss
In 1985, Sharks underwent a rebranding to become Shark Island and assumed the role of house band at Gazzari's on the Sunset Strip. Bill Gazzari, owner of the club, assisted in producing a rendition of Frank Sinatra’s "New York, New York," which appeared on their self-released 1986 album S'cool Buss. The ensemble featured Richard Black (lead vocals), Spencer "Burner" Sercombe (guitar/vocals), Walt Woodward III (drums/vocals), Tom Rucci (bass/vocals/keyboards), and Michael Guy (guitar/bass). The album was predominantly produced by Rick Derringer, with 1,200 copies pressed; "Palace of Pleasure" emerged as the unofficial single. Four tracks were co-written by former Sharks drummer Dave Bishop.
Shark Island obtained a one-year record development agreement with A&M Records that did not guarantee a full contract. During this interval, drummer Walt Woodward III departed to join the Scream, while guitarist K.K. Martin also exited. Drumming duties were temporarily assumed by Rob Pace. Additionally, Sercombe contributed guitar work to Sparks' 1988 album Interior Design.
1989–1994: Law of the Order, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Point Break
In 1989, Chris Heilman teamed up with drummer Greg Ellis to produce Shark Island's debut album, Law of the Order. This record, overseen by producer Randy Nicklaus for Epic Records, featured the single "Paris Calling," which was accompanied by a complex music video. Nevertheless, the studio recordings did not fully convey the band's dynamic live performance.
The album suffered from weak CD sales and insufficient promotion by Epic Records, leading to the band gradually disappearing from public attention as members engaged in other endeavors. In 2004, French label Bad Reputation re-released Law of the Order as a two-disc set that included additional tracks from the July 14, 1989 Bastille Day - Alive At The Whiskey EP, selections from the 1989 Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure soundtrack ("Father Time," "Dangerous"), "My City" from the 1991 Point Break soundtrack, along with live recordings of "Spellbound" and "Sanctuary."
Shark Island made an effort to revive their career in 1994 with a lineup featuring Ricky Ricardo on bass, Eric Ragno (Takara, Seven Witches) handling keyboards, Richard Black on vocals, Simon Wright (AC/DC, Dio) on drums, and Damir Simic Shine playing guitar.
1991–2012: Solo projects
- In 1991, Richard Black became part of the short-lived supergroup Contraband, which included Michael Schenker, Bobby Blotzer (Ratt), Share Pedersen (Vixen), and Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns). During the mid-1990s, he established the band Black 13, although no albums were released. By 2000, Black was announced as lead vocalist for Bourgeois Pigs, a group formed by guitarist Michael Guy (formerly of Shark Island, Fire, House of Lords) alongside Jake E. Lee (ex-Ozzy Osbourne, Badlands) and Tony Franklin (ex-the Firm, Blue Murder); however, this project dissolved before producing any recordings.
- Spencer Sercombe collaborated with Michael Schenker on MSG’s 1992 acoustic release Unplugged Live. He recorded the Love Revolution EP with Jamie Rio And Newmatic Slam in 1993 and toured Europe in 1994 with the Riverdogs. Additionally, he contributed to Rob Lamothe’s 1996 solo album Gravity. Sercombe and drummer Ronnie Ciago joined Bill Ward’s solo band; only Ciago appeared on the 1997 album When the Bough Breaks. Sercombe also performed with ZZ Top tribute act Fandango before relocating to Germany. There he guested on Gigantor’s 2001 album Back to the Rockets and Eddie St. James’ 2013 release Streets Cry Freedom, performing as an acoustic duo.
- Greg Ellis worked alongside Michael Monroe and Jerusalem Slim (Monroe and Steve Stevens), releasing one album in 1992. He later formed the world music duo Vas with Iranian singer Azam Ali, producing four albums between 1997 and 2004. Ellis also contributed to Steve Stevens’ 1999 solo album Flamenco A Go-Go, collaborated with Psytrance group Juno Reactor, and led ambient ensemble Biomusique, which released 10,000 Steps in 2008.
- Chris Heilman had previously been a member of Tormé before joining Chromosapien alongside vocalist Doni Castello (Burning Tree), bassist Dan Rothchild (ex-Tonic), guitarist Craig McCloskey, and session drummer Dan Potruch.
- Walt Woodward III became part of the Scream, contributing to their debut record Let It Scream, followed by collaborations with surf guitar pioneer Dick Dale. Returning to New Jersey, he played in local groups including The Painkillers. Woodward passed away on June 8, 2010, due to liver failure.
2005–2013: Gathering of the Faithful and revised lineup
In 2005, Shark Island reunited to re-record a selection of previously composed and demoed tracks, culminating in the album Gathering of the Faithful. This project was produced by guitarist Spencer Sercombe, with additional production support from German Villacorta and lead vocalist Richard Black. The ensemble featured Black on vocals, Sercombe handling guitars, piano, synthesizer, and backing vocals, Christian Heilman on bass, and newly appointed drummer Glen Sobel, who later joined Alice Cooper. The album saw its European release through Frontiers Records in 2006 and was distributed in the United States by Manifest Music in 2007.
By 2013, Richard Black assembled a refreshed Shark Island lineup to perform their classic repertoire across Europe, including a notable appearance in Zagreb, Croatia.
2019–present: Latest studio release
Shark Island unveiled Bloodline in 2019, a limited edition capped at 1,111 copies worldwide. The current formation includes Richard Black (vocals), Damir Šimić-Shime (guitar), Alen Frjlak (drums), and returning bassist Christian Heilmann, with Marko Karacic also credited on bass. The album was produced by Alex Kane and mixed by Sylvia Massy. It features ten original compositions along with a rendition of Depeche Mode's "Policy of Truth".
Current members
- Richard Black – lead vocals
- August Zadra – guitar
- Alex Kane – guitar
- Christian Heilmann – bass
- Mike Dupke – drums
Former members
- Spencer Sercombe – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
- Damir Šimić-Shime – guitar
- Greg Ellis – drums
- Alen Frljak – drums
- Michael Guy – guitar, bass
- Tom Rucci – bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
- Walt Woodward III – drums
- Jimi Brand – bass guitar
- Dave Bishop – drums
- Robert 'RP' Pace – drums
Studio albums
- Altar Ego (1981)
- S'cool Buss (1986)
- Law of the Order (1989)
- Gathering of the Faithful (2006)
- Bloodline (2019)
- Bloodline 2.020 (2020)
Promotional EPs
- July 14, 1989 Bastille Day - Alive at the Whiskey (1989)
Singles
- "Kid Sister" b/w "Your Car or Mine" (1980)
- "Hey" b/w "Get It On" (1981)
- "I'm Electric" b/w Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (1983)
Soundtrack appearances
Title |
Release | Soundtrack |
|---|---|---|
| "Father Time" | 1989 | Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure |
| "Dangerous" | ||
| "My City" | 1991 | Point Break |