This Swedish act began life as Kingpin, with Harry K. Cody (guitar), Tim Tim aka Tim Skold (b. Thim Sk”ld, 14 December 1966, Sk”vde, Sweden; bass) and Stixx Galore (b. Pekka Ollinen, Sweden; drums) joined by ex-Easy Action vocalist Zinny J. Zan (b. Bo Stagman, Sweden), releasing Welcome To Bop City in 1988. A subsequent relocation to Los Angeles, USA, saw a name change for both band and (remixed) album. Shotgun Messiah was set apart from other glam metal albums by the quality of musicianship, Cody evoking Steve Vai and Joe Satriani with his fluid soloing. Zan departed after touring was complete, with Skold taking the vocalist slot while Bobby Lycon (b. USA) joined as bass player for 1991's Second Coming, which offered promising songwriting progression and gruff, powerful vocals from Skold. However, the band failed to expand beyond their cult status despite enthusiastic press support, and both Lycon and Stixx Galore left after I Want More, an EP of cover versions (the Ramones, New York Dolls, the Stooges) and acoustic reworkings of older material.

Listen to Shotgun Messiah at Finetune.

• (1991)  Second Coming

• Heartbreak Blvd.
• Sexdrusrock'n'roll
• Red Hot
• Living Without You
• Nobody's Home

• Metallica
• Motley Crue
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Skid Row
• Guns N' Roses
• Def Leppard
• Scorpions
• Cinderella
• Slaughter
• Ratt
• Bon Jovi
• Judas Priest
• Tesla
• Poison
• Warrant
• Twisted Sister
• AC/DC
• Iron Maiden
• Van Halen
• Accept

• dharmanavy