Vinnie Vincent
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| Vinnie Vincent | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 6, 1952 Bridgeport, Connecticut |
| Alias(es) | Vincent John Cusano |
| Genre(s) | Glam metal, Speed metal, Hard rock, Heavy Metal, Shred metal |
| Affiliation(s) | Kiss Vinnie Vincent Invasion |
| Years active | 1976 - 1998 |
Vinnie Vincent Cusano (born August 6, 1952, in Bridgeport, Connecticut), is a virtuoso guitarist better known as Vinnie Vincent, and is most famous for his brief membership in the band Kiss. Vincent has also been a staff songwriter for the television series Happy Days & his own band Vinnie Vincent Invasion.
Contents |
[edit] Before Kiss
Prior to joining Kiss Vincent was in several bands, the most popular being Treasure (1978-1979).
- 1976 - Kid Cashmir & Winnie LeCoux
- 1976 - Hitchhikers
- 1977 - Treasure
- 1978 - Laura Nyro
- 1978 - Dan Hartman
- 1979 - Felix Cavaliere
- 1980 - Warrior
- 1981 - Heat
- 1981 - Carmine Appice
He toured with Dan Hartman, whose 1978 release Instant Replay produced an international single by the same name.
Vincent co-wrote, with Adam Mitchell, the song "Tears" under his real name. It was later recorded by former Babys lead singer John Waite (whom Ace Frehley wanted as lead singer for his post-Kiss band Frehley's Comet some years later) for his No Brakes album, which was released on EMI America records. Waite also released the song as a single and it reached #37. Peter Criss also recorded a version of the song for his album, Let Me Rock You, which was released outside of the USA in 1983.
[edit] Kiss Involvement
Vincent was brought in as a songwriter and uncredited studio replacement for Ace Frehley during recording for Creatures of the Night. He contributed to several songs on the album, including "I Love It Loud", and "I Still Love You". Vincent was chosen to replace Frehley permanently, and Kiss bassist Gene Simmons suggested he change his performing name to Vinnie Vincent. Guitarist Paul Stanley created the Egyptian Ankh hieroglyphic for Vincent's makeup and persona. According to author C.K. Lendt in "The Making Of A Super Group", Vincent never signed his contract with The Kiss Company. Aside from songwriting credits under his given name, Vincent's involvement with recording for Creatures Of The Night was not widely publicized for several years, with Ace Frehley appearing on the cover of the original album. When the album was re-mixed and re-released in 1985 with a different cover and a slightly different song order (to reflect the band's roster change and abandonment of their makeup and costuming), Vincent was again absent from the album cover, as then-current lead guitarist Bruce Kulick appeared on the updated cover. The liner notes accompanying the re-mixed LP, however, credit both Ace Frehley and Vinnie Vincent with lead-guitar performances.
Vincent was referred to as "Vinnie 'Wiz' Vincent" by MTV VJ's at this time.
Vincent's personality did not mesh well with Stanley or Simmons, and he was first fired from Kiss at the end of the Creatures tour. He was rehired before recording started for Lick It Up, when Simmons and Stanley could not find a new guitarist on such short notice, although British heavy metal magazine Kerrang! reported that late Ratt guitarist Robbin Crosby had been considered for the slot. Gene Simmons has also stated in his biography, Kiss And Make Up, that around this time Eddie Van Halen expressed interest in leaving Van Halen (due to personality clashes with then-vocalist David Lee Roth) and joining Kiss. However, Simmons persuaded Van Halen to return to his band. At this time Vincent, again according to Simmons' book, started actively pushing to join Kiss, despite misgivings Simmons and Paul Stanley had about his personality. He was taken into the band, and Stanley designed his "Ankh" makeup. Vincent originally wanted to use his given name, Vincent John Cusano, but this was vetoed by Simmons on the grounds that it sounded "too ethnic". Vincent then suggested the name "Mick Fury" but this was also disallowed.
Lick It Up marked the end of Kiss' "makeup era", with Vincent joining the band in removing the makeup and elaborate costumes. Personality issues arose once again, and Vincent was fired following the Lick It Up tour. He was replaced by Mark St. John. Lick It Up is the only instance of Vincent appearing on a Kiss album by image, and is the only album where he receives unambiguous and exclusive lead-guitar credit. Vincent's work on Creatures of the Night was not fully recognized for a time. It is interesting to note that on the Japanese version of that album's cover, Kiss appears in makeup and costume; Paul, Gene, and Eric appear (strangely) in their Elder/Killers outfits from 1981-'82, while Vinnie is in his Creatures of the Night outfit.
Rumors have circulated for years amongst Kiss fan circles regarding the true reason for Vincent's dismissal, with at least one band member refusing to comment, except to say that legally, it wasn't up for discussion. Simmons stated in an interview several years later that Vincent's firing was for "unethical behavior", but he did not elaborate.
[edit] Later career
After Kiss, he formed Vinnie Vincent Invasion, which released two LPs: Vinnie Vincent Invasion (1986) and All Systems Go (1988).
The VVI line-up included Mark Slaughter and Dana Strum, who later formed the hair band Slaughter, as well as Bobby Rock, who went on to join Nelson.
He later helped Kiss with songwriting on the 1992 album Revenge, for the songs Unholy, Heart Of Chrome, and I Just Wanna. Before long, however, Vincent and the band fell out with each other for a third time.
He also helped The Bangles with songwriting and played guitar on the 1988 album Everything for one song, Make a Play For Her Now.
Thereafter, he has released an EP (Euphoria, 1998), and an album entitled Speedball Jamm.
[edit] Vinnie Vincent Jackson Guitar
Vinnie also had his own signature model Double V guitars, which were based on Jackson Randy Rhoads model (that Vinnie used while with Kiss), but differed from the Rhoads as they had a second shadow V at an offset angle behind the front V. Originally made by Jackson (As seen in the 'Boyz are gonna rock' video and short appearance in 'That time of year' video) and debuting in 1986, but Carvin (As seen in 'That time of year' and 'Love Kills' videos), Ibanez (short appearance at the end of 'Love Kills' video) and Washburn (after the Vinnie Vincent Invasion broke up and while Grover Jackson was making guitars for Washburn) also made the guitar for Vinnie. Only a few were sold through Jackson between 1986 and '88 (around 25 were sold), and the other makers never offered the guitar for sale. It is believed that Vinnie received between 2 and 5 Jackson VV's (some of his guitars were re-painted), 1, Carvin, 1 Ibanez and 1. Washburn. Vinnie oddly requested that his guitars feature the out of date original non-fine tuning Floyd Rose tremolos on all of his guitars. Vinnie was the second player to use the Randy Rhoads V model in 1982 while with Kiss. Randy Rhoads only received his first Rhoads V (in black) just before his death in 1982 and only one photo is known to exist of Randy Rhoads playing the guitar.
[edit] Legal Troubles
Vinnie Vincent sued Kiss twice after being fired for the second time in 1984. The first lawsuit (for $6 million) was filed around 1986, over royalties that Vincent believed he was owed for performance and songwriting. That suit was found in favor of Kiss, as Vincent was determined to be a salaried employee of the band
In 1987, Vincent was quoted in "Rock Scene" magazine as saying that Kiss would not allow him to use their name either to promote his solo career or to even mention the band in interviews. Throughout this interview, Vincent persistently and bitterly referred to Kiss as either "The White Face Band" or simply "The Blank Band".
In late-1988, Vincent's $4 million contract with Chrysalis Records (for 8 albums) [1] was taken away from him because he overextended his credit line with the label. The contract was transferred to Invasion members Dana Strum and Mark Slaughter, who then formed the band Slaughter.
Vincent's second suit against Kiss in 1992 (again for $6 million) was for songwriting royalties and other claims. That suit was dismissed because the amount Vincent requested was excessive, and once again, he was found to have been a salaried employee of the band. The band has had no contact with Vincent since the lawsuit.
On October 2nd 2006,Vincent lost a Supreme Court appeal regarding the age old dispute between his former band mates over song and music royalties. [2]
[edit] Guitars
Starting in 1982, Vinnie was briefly the spokesman for Charvel/Jackson Guitars, following the death of Randy Rhoads; a few pictures show Vinnie playing a version of Rhoads' white Jackson guitar. He later switched to a more personalized pink "double shark fin" guitar which he helped design along with Grover Jackson seen here: http://www.geocities.com/fullshred_2000/guitarwerks.html
Vinnie then became a spokesman for Carvin Guitars and http://carvinmuseum.com/images/yearbyyear/1989/89_vinnievincent-large.jpg
[edit] Discography
- Kiss - Creatures of the Night (1982)
- Kiss - Lick It Up (1983)
- Vinnie Vincent Invasion (1986)
- All Systems Go (1988)
- Euphoria (EP) (1996)
- Archive Volumes I: Speedball Jamm
[edit] Quotes
"I named Vincent Cusano, Vinnie Vincent. That's the only gift he's allowed. It's interesting that Vinnie hasn't changed his name back to Vinnie Cusano. Vinnie, for the record, was fired for unethical behavior, not because of lack of talent. The guy is very talented. He was unethical. He was fired." - Gene Simmons
"My chemistry with the band helped put them back on top and gave them a musical credibility that they'd never had before, yet I couldn't get the recognition I needed. I felt like I was imprisoned in a small cubicle, like it was someone else's house..." (Vinnie about leaving Kiss in Kerrang! Magazine. Black Diamond (writer: Dale Sherman), 1997)
[edit] Trivia
- Vinnie's all time favorite guitar player and hero is Jeff Beck.
- Vinnie began playing in bands around the age of sixteen.
- Vinnie met Gene Simmons through Adam Mitchell, who was a mutual song writing partner of the two.
- Around the time of joining Kiss, Vinnie was a staff writer for the television show "Happy Days." He used to sit on the set of the show and write all of the songs that Joanie and Chachi sang for the last few years of the show's run.
- Vinnie had a nickname due to his guitar playing: "The Wiz."
- Vinnie was not considered an "official" member of Kiss. He never signed a contract.
- Vinnie's famous "V-shaped" Jackson guitar was actually a prototype for the late guitarist Randy Rhoads. When Randy died, guitar manufacturer Grover Jackson gave the guitar and its design copyright to Vinnie.
- In January, 1987, Vincent and Dana Strum came to the city of Goshen, Indiana to lend their support to the editor of a local rock magazine who was supposedly being harassed by the minister and members of a local Assemblies of God congregation. Vincent and Strum held a press conference at Goshen's City Hall and met privately with the minister, Rev. Paul McGechie, who was quoted in the local press as calling Vincent and Strum "punk rockers".
[edit] External links
- VinnieVincent.com - fan site
- Interview with Vinnie Vincent
- Kiss FAQ - Vinnie Vincent biography
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' opinion regarding 'Cusano V. Klein' 2001.
- Vinnie Vincent History with Bobby Rock
| Preceded by Ace Frehley |
Lead Guitarist of Kiss 1982–1984 |
Succeeded by Mark St. John |
