Vain (band)

Vain

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1986
Headquarters	San Francisco Bay Area, California , United States
Key people	Davy Vain (lead vocals), Joel Proto (guitar), Ashley Mitchell (bass), Tommy Rickard (drums)
Products	Music albums

Vain is a glam metal group originating from the San Francisco Bay Area, California, established in 1986. As of 2018, the ensemble features Davy Vain on lead vocals, Joel Proto handling guitar duties, Ashley Mitchell on bass, and Tommy Rickard behind the drums.

Following the creation of a demo, Davy Vain assembled the band in 1986 by recruiting Dylana Nova Scott, Danny West, Ashley Mitchell, and Tom Rickard. The group secured a contract with Island Records in 1988 and launched their first album, No Respect, in 1989, which reached number 154 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Despite recording a follow-up album, Vain was released from their contract with Island in 1991. That same year, former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler invited Davy to join his band Road Crew, prompting Vain to pause their activities. Road Crew disbanded within the year due to Adler's struggles with substance abuse. In 1993, Vain reassembled and experienced various lineup changes during subsequent releases. By 2005, Scott and West had rejoined; Rickard returned in 2009, sharing drumming responsibilities with Louie Senor.

The band’s discography includes eight studio albums: No Respect (1989); All Those Strangers (1991); Move On It (1993); Fade (1995); On The Line (2005); Enough Rope (2011); Rolling With The Punches (2017); and Disintegrate Together (2024).

Formation and No Respect (1986–1990)

Before forming his own band, Davy Vain worked as a record producer and was involved in producing Death Angel’s debut album The Ultra-Violence. In 1986, he recorded a demo with Kirk Hammett of Metallica. Subsequently, he founded Vain in the San Francisco Bay Area by bringing together bassist Ashley Mitchell, drummer Tom Rickard, and guitarists Dylana Nova Scott and Danny West. Initially performing at local venues, the band later relocated to Los Angeles where they opened for Guns N' Roses prior to that band's rise to fame and appeared on the cover of Kerrang!. After showcasing to several major labels including Geffen Records, Vain signed with Island Records in 1988.

Their debut album No Respect, produced by Paul Northfield, was released in 1989 and peaked at number 154 on the Billboard 200 chart. It garnered favorable reviews from critics and earned cover features on both Kerrang! and BAM. Geoff Barton from Classic Rock described it as "a Maybelline-metalised debut par excellence," emphasizing its unrefined vigor reminiscent of early Mötley Crüe. To promote the album, Vain toured across the United States and supported Skid Row during their UK tour in November 1989.

Dropped by Island and Road Crew Era (1990–1991)

Vain commenced work on their second album titled All Those Strangers, collaborating with producer Jeff Hendrickson. Although promotional efforts took place in Japan and pre-release cassette versions circulated among fans, the album was never officially released after Island Records was acquired by PolyGram in 1991 and subsequently dropped the band. That same year saw departures from Danny West and Tom Rickard.

The remaining members enlisted guitarist Shawn Rorie along with former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler and rebranded themselves as Road Crew—a name previously used by Adler’s earlier group featuring Slash and Duff McKagan. They recorded new material that attracted label interest; however, Adler’s ongoing substance abuse problems ultimately led to Road Crew’s breakup within the year.

Reformation and Later Albums (1993–2008)

In 1993, Vain reunited with drummer Danny Fury, previously of The Lords of the New Church, to produce their third studio album Move On It, which was released exclusively in Japan through Polystar Records. However, the growing popularity of Seattle's grunge scene hindered the album's commercial impact compared to their earlier work No Respect. By the time their fourth album was underway, Scott, West, and Fury had departed; Scott went on to audition for Ozzy Osbourne and joined Big Blue Hearts, while West pursued a solo career with the EP Taste the Sounds. For Fade (1995), also released via Polystar, Davy Vain took on multiple roles including vocals, guitar, and production, supported by Mitchell on bass and Louie Senor on drums.

Davy launched his solo debut In From Out of Nowhere in 2000, featuring Mitchell, Senor, and guitarist Craig Behrhorst, with Scott returning for contributions. The following year, Davy expanded his expertise by serving as assistant engineer on Christina Aguilera's album Stripped.

In 2005, No Respect was reissued through Gott Discs with West rejoining the lineup. To promote this re-release, Vain embarked on a UK and European tour—their first performances in the UK since 1989. Kerrang! lauded their Nottingham show, emphasizing how the industry had overlooked the band’s talents.

The band recorded On the Line at Davy’s Groove Room studio; it was released on August 23, 2005 by Perris Records. Critics praised the album for merging elements from both No Respect and Fade, reinforcing Vain’s reputation as a significant reunion act. They continued touring through 2006 and appeared at festivals such as Rocklahoma and Rock the Bayou in 2008.

All Those Strangers, Enough Rope, and Rolling with the Punches (2009–present)

Original drummer Tom Rickard rejoined Vain in 2009. The band toured the UK between November 24 and December 1 with Fraser Lunney from San Francisco handling bass duties. Having secured the master tapes, Vain released All Those Strangers in 2010 via Davy’s Jackie Rainbow Records; this album had initially been slated for a 1991 release. Raoul Hernandez from The Austin Chronicle observed that while the album’s sound had evolved from its original conception, it retained lasting appeal.

In 2011, Vain toured Europe featuring guitarists Cat Casino and Skinny Disco from Deathstars alongside bassist Fraser Lunney. Their album Enough Rope was released on October 28 across the US and Europe through Music Buy Mail and in Japan via Spiritual Beast/Universal. This record included drum performances by Rickard, Senor, and Adler; bass by Ashley Mitchell and Lunney; as well as previously unreleased tracks from their Road Crew period. The Japanese version contained an extra Road Crew song.

The 2017 release Rolling with the Punches showcased fresh material and was supported by tours across the UK and Germany. Founder Davy Vain—now recognized as a multi-patented inventor of guitar equipment—continues to record and perform selectively after relocating to Nashville in 2009 to focus on his amplifier company, 3rd Power Amplification. In 2017, he publicly announced his transgender identity.

The newest member of Vain is guitarist Joel Proto from the Bay Area, who has been active in local groups such as GhostTown alongside Dean Delray. Proto also performs with Featherwitch (which includes drummer Tommy Rickard), AC/DZ (an AC/DC tribute band featuring Exodus vocalist Zetro), as well as Riff Raff, another AC/DC tribute ensemble.

Personnel

Present lineup

• Davy Vain – lead singer, supplementary guitar (1986–1991, 1993–present)
• Ashley "Ash" Mitchell – bassist (1986–1991, 1993–present)
• Dylana "D.N." Nova Scott – lead guitarist (1986–1991, 1993–1994, 2000–present)
• Tommy "Tom" Rickard – drummer (1986–1991, 2009–present)
• Joel Proto – rhythm guitarist (2016–present)

Past members

• Danny West – rhythm guitar (1986–1991, 1993–1994, 2005–2015)
• Louie Senor – drums (1994–2009)
• Danny Fury – drums (1993–1994)

Discography

Albums

• No Respect (1989)
• All Those Strangers (1991)
• Move On It (1993)
• Fade (1995)
• On the Line (2005)
• Enough Rope (2011)
• Rolling with the Punches (2017)
• Disintegrate Together (2024)

Independent releases

• Holdin' On For Love (1988)