John West, replaced Ray Gillen in 1992...

[gillenfan]

Anyone have shows w/John West fronting Badlands or Lynch Mob?
John West replaced Ray Gillen in 1992 after their final European tour. Was in the band for about 6 months.
He also sang for George lynch in Lynch Mob. He replaced original vocalist, Oni Logan, in 1998 for a short tour.
Can you help?

[Charvelised]

I saw Badlands on Last Tour..(15th July 1992..Rock City Nottingham UK)1it was Ray singing!
although I saw Royal Hunt with John West Here in UK..an amazing..Have You heard the Album John Did with Cozy powell!? it is phenomenal..
the Marc Ferrari stuff too!
and the album with Jeff Kollmann?

[pejale]

Didn't Badlands have a girl singer for a short while as well?? I think her name was Debbie or is my memory playing tricks on me??? I am nearly 40 after all!!!!

[Charvelised]

I did read that..but It was in kerrang..so it might not be true!

[PoetsandMadmen]

Didn't Badlands have a girl singer for a short while as well?? I think her name was Debbie or is my memory playing tricks on me??? I am nearly 40 after all!!!!

Huh Where can I find something about this?

[gillenfan]

Yes, There was a female vocalist. Her name is Debbie/Debra Halladay, I believe. The story I found is, While Badlands were recording their 3rd album, Ray went behind everyone's back and talked to record executives about going for a more commercial sound. When Jake got word, they got into a huge fight and Ray was out of the band. Badlands already had a European tour booked, enter the female singer.
There was such a backlash over the change, Ray was asked back to finish the tour. I read Ray had a few remarks for Jake while performing. Apparently, Jake gave Kerrang mag. an interview dissing Ray.
When Badlands got back to L.A., Ray was out, John West was in. John was in the band for about 6 months. They were working on an album when they were dropped by the label.
That is the version I know.
More on John West, I read he's auditioned for Iron Maiden, Judas Priest(apparently, He got the gig. They decided to go w/ Tim "Ripper" Owens.) He's also auditioned for Journey.
I think he has an amazing voice. He definitley could've pulled off the Journey gig(All the gigs for that matter!). He has a bluesy, ballsy voice. I have 2 bootlegs of JW fronting Lynch Mob, amazing! I wish he would've recorded w/ George Lynch.
So, you all know what I know. I wish someone would write a book of Ray's Life. It'll never happen. There is a great book, Black Sabbath-Never Say Die(You can get it cheap at Amazon.com). It covers the non-Ozzy years, All the vocalists who either auditioned or recorded with Black Sabbath. Some interesting, behind the scenes stories of Ray and the other singers.

[Charvelised]

At the Gig I was at Ray gave Jake a pair of socks...Jake had said that Ray Wasn't David Lee Roth so why did he Cancel a show for a Lanced Boil...Ray retorted with Jake Couldn't Fill Eddie socks..hence the Socks It was a great Gig but I knew it was the end..Ray Look extremely ill too!

[PoetsandMadmen]

Wow, interesting stuff! If John West auditioned for Journey, then what the heck was Neal Schon thinking by not hiring him? Geeze! I've often wondered why Neal didn't want Jeff Scott Soto to replace Steve Perry. To me, that's another no brainer! Those two guys did the Soul Sirkus project together. With that said, I can't imagine Jeff not wanting to do Journey considering the type of music he's currently making and by having Neal as a guest on his latest solo release. Kind of strange that Soto isn't in Journey right now, do you all think?

[gillenfan]

He probably doesn't want to screw Steve Perry's replacement, Steve Augeri over. I've thought the same thing of JSS. Soul Sirkus was a great band. By the way, Journey's 2001 album, "Arrival"(w/Augeri) is very good.

[PoetsandMadmen]

He probably doesn't want to screw Steve Perry's replacement, Steve Augeri over. I've thought the same thing of JSS. Soul Sirkus was a great band. By the way, Journey's 2001 album, "Arrival"(w/Augeri) is very good.

Well, I was meaning even before Augeri got the job. I'm assuming there were tryouts, but maybe not.

I agree, I've really became a fan of Augeri since Arrival. I have went as far as to purchase his Tall Stories disc, which is recommended if you don't have it. I'd like to see Journey's new lineup live soon.

[BadSeed]

the new Journey CD Generations is way better then the arrival disc.

[LouZ]

In the liner notes of 'Dusk', Jake mentions repaying J. "wannabe" West.
I don't have the liner notes in front of me so I'm not typing word for word, but I wonder what that was all about.

It's sad that Ray and Jake had such animosity at the end of Badlands. To me, they ended up like that because of the record company, who kept trying to make the band more commercial.

[mrmetal]

West has a new CD out. I heard some clips from melodic rock and it sounds pretty good.

[PoetsandMadmen]

In the liner notes of 'Dusk', Jake mentions repaying J. "wannabe" West.
I don't have the liner notes in front of me so I'm not typing word for word, but I wonder what that was all about.

It's sad that Ray and Jake had such animosity at the end of Badlands. To me, they ended up like that because of the record company, who kept trying to make the band more commercial.

John is too good of a vocalist just to be considered a wannabe dude! He could probably out sing 99.9% of the lead singers in rock music, hands down.

[PoetsandMadmen]

West has a new CD out. I heard some clips from melodic rock and it sounds pretty good.

Chris Caffery (Savatage, Doctor Butcher, TSO) is playing lead guitar, along with Jeff Plate (Savatage, Doctor Butcher, TSO) on drums. I don't see why Johnny Lee Middleton doesn't play bass and have an entire new version of Savatage! \nn/ It would be fine by me!