Racer X (band)

Racer X
Origin	Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres	Heavy metal, speed metal
Years active	1984–1989, 1997-2009
Labels	Shrapnel, Universal Japan
Associated acts	Judas Priest, Mr. Big, Badlands, Dokken, The Scream, The Mars Volta, Big Sir, Fight, G3, Epidemic
Members	Juan Alderete Paul Gilbert Jeff Martin Scott Travis
Past members	Harry Gschoesser Bruce Bouillet

Racer X is an American heavy metal band formed in 1984 in Los Angeles, California. The group has gone through a hiatus, and a few lineup changes with founders Vocals Jeff Martin and bassist Juan Alderete being the sole constant members. The band is signed to Shrapnel Records.

Guitarist Paul Gilbert first gained notoriety when he was featured in Mike Varney’s Spotlight Column in the February 1983 issue of Guitar Player magazine. Gilbert was 16 years old and was living in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. He later moved to Los Angeles and enrolled at the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT), part of the Musicians Institute. After graduating from GIT, Gilbert was hired as an instructor and recorded the album "Trouble In The Streets" with Los Angeles metal band Black Sheep, released on Enigma Records in November 1985. While at GIT, Gilbert met fellow student Juan Alderete. Searching for a drummer, Alderete and Gilbert first turned to Scott Travis, who was living in Virginia at the time, but he turned down the offer due to his commitment to the band Hawk. Travis was receiving a salary from Doug Marks, the band's lead guitarist, and would not turn down the income. Alderete and Gilbert instead sought the services of fellow student Harry Gschoesser. After acquiring Gschoesser, Gilbert, with the help of Varney, recruited Jeff Martin of the Phoenix metal band Surgical Steel. Martin, who still lived in Phoenix and could not regularly write songs with Racer X in Los Angeles, began writing lyrics immediately for demo tapes that Gilbert had sent him. Recording for their first album began quickly. The band began the recording process in 1985, and Racer X's debut album Street Lethal was released on January 1, 1986 on Mike Varney's Shrapnel Records label.

...
Wikipedia