Steelheart
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1989 in Norwalk, Connecticut, United States |
| Founder | Miljenko Matijevic, Chris Risola, Frank DiCostanzo, James Ward, John Fowler |
| Headquarters | Norwalk , United States |
Area served | United States, Asia, United Kingdom |
Key people | Miljenko Matijevic (lead vocals), James Ward (bass), Mike Humbert (drums), Joe Pessia (lead guitar) |
| Products | Albums, EPs, singles |
Number of employees | 4 (current members) |
| Website | www |
Steelheart is a glam metal group originating from Norwalk, Connecticut, established in 1989. The founding members were vocalist Miljenko Matijevic, lead guitarist Chris Risola, rhythm guitarist Frank DiCostanzo, bassist James Ward, and drummer John Fowler. Presently, the band consists of Matijevic, Mike Humbert, Joe Pessia, and James Ward.
Their initial album, Steelheart, launched on May 10, 1990, achieved RIAA gold certification by July 30, 1991. The album’s popularity was largely fueled by the track "I'll Never Let You Go", which climbed to number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Despite this accomplishment, it remained their sole significant chart presence in the United States.
History
Originally named Red Alert, Steelheart’s lineup included James Ward on bass, Chris Risola handling lead guitar duties, Jack Wilkenson on drums, and Miljenko Matijevic ('Mike') as vocalist. After Wilkenson exited the band, former Rage of Angels members Frank DiCostanzo (rhythm guitar) and John Fowler (drums) joined the group. Following their move to Los Angeles and securing both a record contract and management team, they adopted the name Steelheart. Their debut album Steelheart (1990) reached number 40 on the Billboard 200 and earned Gold status from the RIAA in 1991.
Their sophomore release, Tangled in Reins (1992), attained a peak position of #144 on the Billboard 200; however, none of its singles charted domestically. Nevertheless, the song "Mama Don't You Cry" reached number one across several East Asian countries such as Hong Kong, leading to an Asian tour. During a 1992 concert in Denver supporting Slaughter, frontman Matijevic sustained serious injuries when a lighting rig collapsed onto him.
In 1996, Steelheart reassembled with guitarist Kenny Kanowski, bassist Vincent Mele, and drummer Alex Makarovich joining Matijevic as the only original member remaining. This configuration produced the album Wait, which marked a stylistic shift towards alternative metal. While it did not chart in the U.S., the track "We All Die Young" was featured in the 2001 film Rock Star.
The 2006 EP titled Just a Taste contained songs that were later included on the 2008 full-length release Good 2B Alive. "We All Die Young" appeared both on Wait and on the soundtrack for Rock Star.
In 2016, Steelheart served as headliners for day two of Rockingham 2016—a glam metal festival held in Nottingham, UK—featuring Marten Andersson and Lizzy Borden on bass. Subsequent releases included Through Worlds of Stardust in 2017 and the live album Rock'n Milan in 2018.
Current members
- Miljenko Matijevic – lead vocals, rhythm and acoustic guitar, piano (1989–1992, 1996, 2006–present)
- James Ward – bass, piano, backing vocals (1989–1992, 1996, 2023–present)
- Mike Humbert – drums, percussion (2006–present)
- Joe Pessia – lead guitar (2017–present)
Former members
- Chris Risola – lead guitar, backing vocals (1989–1992, 2006–2014)
- Frank DiCostanzo – rhythm guitar, bass, backing vocals (1989–1992)
- John Fowler – drums (1990–1992; died 2008)
- Kenny Kanowski – lead guitar (1996; died 2017)
- Vincent Mele – bass (1996)
- Alex Makarovich – drums (1996)
- Bill Lonero – lead guitar (2008)
- Jack Wilkenson – drums (1989–1990)
- Sigve Sjursen – bass (2006–2007)
- Rev Jones – bass (2007–2016)
- Uros Raskovski – lead guitar (2006–2008, 2009–2010, 2014–2017)
- Marten Andersson – bass (2016–2022)
Studio Albums
- Steelheart (1990)
- Tangled in Reins (1992)
- Wait (1996)
- Good 2B Alive (2008)
- Through Worlds of Stardust (2017)
Live Recordings
- Rock'N Milan (2018)
Compilation Albums
- 30 (2022)
Extended Plays
- Just a Taste EP (2006)
Singles
| Year | Title | US Hot 100 | US Main Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | "Can't Stop Me Lovin' You" | — | — |
| 1991 | "I'll Never Let You Go" | 23 | 24 |
| "She's Gone" | 59 | — | |
| "Everybody Loves Eileen" | — | 34 | |
| 1992 | "Mama Don't You Cry" | — | — |
| 1996 | "Wait" | — | — |
| 2008 | "Good 2B Alive" | — | — |
| 2011 | "Black Dog" (Led Zeppelin cover) | — | — |
| 2017 | "Got Me Runnin" | — | — |
| "Lips of Rain" | — | — | |
| 2020 | "My Freedom" | — | — |
Video Releases
| Year | Title | Certifications |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Steelheart – The Videos
Pioneer Artists, Laserdisc |
— |
| 2006 | Steelheart – Still Hard
Steelheart Records, DVD |
— |
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- Steelheart
- American hard rock musical groups
- American musical quartets
- Glam metal musical groups from Connecticut
- Heavy metal musical groups from Connecticut
- Musical groups established in 1990
- Musical groups disestablished in 1992
- Musical groups reestablished in 1996
- Musical groups disestablished in 1996
- Musical groups reestablished in 2006