China (band)
| China | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Switzerland |
| Genres | Hard rock |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Labels | Vertigo/Phonogram, EMI, Universal, Metal Heaven, Blue Martin/K-tel |
| Associated acts | Danger, Bloody Six, Stormbringer, Killer, Crown, Krokus, Fast Forward, Gotthard, Acoustical Mountain, Big Trouble, Criminal Minds, The Windfields, Asskick, Adrenaline 101 |
| Website | www |
| Members | Eric St. Michaels Claudio Matteo Mack Schildknecht Dan Grossenbacher Billy La Pietra |
| Past members | Brian Kofmehl Douglas McCowan Johnny Giorgi Freddy Laurence John Dommen Marc Storace Patrick Mason Math Shiverow Marc Lynn |
China is a hard rock band from Winterthur, Switzerland founded in 1985. In 1988 they got a contract with Phonogram, releasing their debut album the same year. The most successful song from China is "In the Middle of the Night",[1] which peaked at #11 in Switzerland. All of the band's studio albums between 1988 and 2013 have entered the Top 40 album charts in Switzerland.
Formed in 1985, the original line-up consisted of vocalist Math Shiverow, guitarists Claudio Matteo (ex-Bloody Six, Danger) and Freddy Laurence, bassist Marc Lynn (ex-Stormbringer), and drummer John Dommen. By 1988, China had signed a record contract with the German branch of Phonogram Records resulting in the band's eponymous debut album which managed to climb all the way to Nr. 6 on the Swiss album charts.
Their 1989 sophomore effort, Sign In The Sky, saw a couple of line-up changes as former Crown vocalist/guitarist Patrick Mason, also briefly with Krokus and Fast Forward, was brought in as the new lead vocalist and Brian Kofmehl (ex-Killer) took over bass duties for Lynn who would re-surface with Gotthard a couple of years later. The Stephan Galfas produced Sign In The Sky, recorded in New York, would become China's most successful album. It reached Nr. 2 on the Swiss album charts, eventually achieving gold status, and cracked the Top 50 in Germany. The band supported the album with an extensive European tour as opening act for Yngwie Malmsteen.
However, Mason's tenure would be short lived due to health problems and the band's 1991 Live album, recorded at the Marlboro Music Rock'in on September 29, 1990 in Locarno, Switzerland, featured yet another vocalist, American Eric St. Michaels, formerly with New Yorkers Big Trouble. St. Michaels would make his studio debut on Go All The Way, released in 1991. It would mark China's swan song for the Vertigo label. Upon St. Michaels' exit and return to the U.S. in 1992, China teamed with legendary vocalist Marc Storace of Krokus fame for several shows in 1993, including a concert broadcast live on Swiss national radio DRS3, issued in 2000 as the Alive album.
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Wikipedia