U.P.O.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1997 in Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Founder | Shawn Albro, Chris Weber, Ben Shirley, Tommy Holt |
| Defunct | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Music albums |
U.P.O. was a rock ensemble originating from Los Angeles, established in 1997. The founding members were Shawn Albro on lead vocals, Chris Weber handling guitar duties, Ben Shirley playing bass, and Tommy Holt on drums. Prior to the band's dissolution in 2004, Shirley and Holt were succeeded by Zoltan Bathory (who later joined Five Finger Death Punch) and Philippe Mathys.
The band produced two full-length albums: No Pleasantries released in 2000 and The Heavy which came out in 2004.
History
Both vocalist Shawn Albro and guitarist Chris Weber began their musical journeys in the glam metal scene of the mid-1980s. Weber was among the original members of Hollywood Rose, which served as a forerunner to Guns N' Roses, while Albro fronted the band Wicked Teaze.
Formation and No Pleasantries (1997–2001)
The partnership between Weber and Albro started after they met at England’s Reading Festival during the mid-1990s. Their collaborative songwriting attracted attention from major record labels. They then enlisted bassist Ben Shirley and drummer Tommy Holt, forming U.P.O., and secured a deal with Epic Records. Their debut album, No Pleasantries, produced by Rick Parashar, was released in 2000. It reached number 19 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Chart, with singles "Godless" and "Feel Alive" peaking at positions 6 and 25 respectively on the Mainstream Rock Chart. The track "Feel Alive" was also included on the soundtrack for Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2. U.P.O. supported their release by touring alongside Slipknot, Slayer, Mudvayne, and Sepultura during the Tattoo The Earth tour; their song "Dust" was featured on the live compilation Tattoo The Earth: The First Crusade. After extensive touring, the band paused activities while Albro auditioned for The Project, which would later evolve into Velvet Revolver.
The Heavy and Hiatus (2004–present)
In 2004, U.P.O. made a comeback with their sophomore album The Heavy, again produced by Rick Parashar and distributed via DRT Entertainment/Nitrus Records. At this time, Logan joined as a second guitarist; meanwhile, original members Ben Shirley and Tommy Holt left due to creative disagreements and were replaced by Zoltan Bathory on bass and Philippe Mathys on drums. The band embarked on a promotional tour for the album; however, after a performance in October, guitarist Weber experienced a seizure and was diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor. He underwent successful surgery in November 2004. Shortly thereafter, U.P.O. disbanded. Following the breakup, Bathory formed Five Finger Death Punch, while Mathys became part of Hydrovibe.
Studio albums
- No Pleasantries (2000)
- The Heavy (2004)
Members
Final lineup
- Shawn Albro – lead vocals (1997–2004)
- Chris Weber – guitar (1997–2004)
- Logan – guitar and backing vocals (2004)
- Zoltan Bathory – bass (2004)
- Philippe Mathys – drums (2004)
Original members
- Ben Shirley – bass (1997–2004)
- Tommy Holt – drums (1997–2004)