We are featuring in exclusive at plotn08 the Eönian Records release of HAILMARY ’90s recordings, the band formed in 1989 by the remaining members of the at the time just disbanded LEATHERWOLF.
After LEATHERWOLF support tour for their last album 1989’s ‘Street Ready’, band members had their differences and lead vocalist & guitarist Michael Olivieri and guitarists Geoff Gayer and Carey Howe formed HAILMARY – also known as HAIL MARY.
The trio known, known as the “Triple Axe Attack” (3 guitarists in the same band) was thus still active, trying to counter the burgeoning grunge hype. The band was a successful The Marquee resident and rocked all the Sunset Strip between 1990-1992.
Meanwhile, HAILMARY recorded their own songs as part of a development deal with Epic Records. The recordings were produced & engineered by Tom Fletcher (Dokken, Ozzy Osbourne, Scorpions) but the band’s material never was released… until now.
Under the title ”Disturbing The Peace”, Eonian Records is releasing for the first time these HAILMARY early ’90s tapes, all recorded with a top quality sound production and now fully remastered from the original tapes.
In 1989, shortly after the release of their third album “Street Ready,” the legendary LEATHERWOLF and their “Triple Axe Attack” of Gayer, Olivieri, and Carey Howe sensed that their rhythm section was becoming indifferent towards the band.
The decision was taken by the trio to start afresh, and after acquiring the dynamic duo of Marco Forcone on drums and Patrick Guyton on bass, they continued to work and perform as LEATHERWOLF until legal issues arose with a former bandmate over the name.
This rift caused the quintet to seek out a new moniker and feel the need to throw the “long-ball” into the end zone, the re-birth of LEATHERWOLF as HAILMARY was used as the launchpad to thrust the band into a new musical direction. With fists clenched and a relentless “take no prisoners” attitude, HAILMARY, would either live triumphantly or leave a hell of a scar trying.
Calling Huntington Beach, California home, HAILMARY saw the raw energy from many of the new bands coming through as a refreshing change to the bombastic glitter of the Eighties, but this outfit also had another weapon in their armory – a rabid existing fanbase. In fact, when the line-up of LEATHERWOLF that would go on to become HAILMARY booked their ‘return’ performance, the show at The Marquee Club in Westminster, California, would break records.
Having put out mountains of fliers for the show with just the venue, date, and a line-up photo but no actual band name, when Geoffrey, Michael, Carey, Marco, and Patrick arrived on the day of the gig, they were shocked to see that the line to get in was wrapped completely around the building, five people deep.
And that was only those who couldn’t gain entry due to the sold-out venue already being overfilled to capacity. Amazingly, the amassed throng outside stayed to listen through the walls, and that night The Marquee ended up shattering its all-time attendance record, which had formerly been held by SKID ROW.
With a fearsome live reputation, HAILMARY would regularly delight its fans at venues such as the world-famous Roxy Theatre, The Troubadour, Madame Wong’s, The Whisky a Go-Go, and of course, The Marquee, which was virtually their second home.
When not thrilling audiences, rehearsing, or keeping the bar staff at The Marquee on their toes, HAILMARY could, of course, be found with a bucket of wallpaper paste as they plastered fliers for their upcoming shows all over town.
And with the band highly respected throughout Orange County, which had long supported LEATHERWOLF, it was only a matter of time before they became regulars on KNAC Radio and local TV. With magazines such as BAM, Screamer, and RAW all getting behind them, all HAIL MARY lacked to take them over the top was that ever-elusive record deal.
With a dozen A&R reps being regular at their shows, the five-piece entered talks and even went into pre-production with Epic Records and MCA. But with grunge acts becoming more and more prevalent on every label’s roster, both pulled the plug on HAILMARY halfway through recording.
The band did, however, track multiple pro demos, including a development deal with Epic Records alongside producer Tom Fletcher and ‘E’ from For the Record.
However, the breakthrough never did quite materialize in how their music was deserved, and the core guitar trio of the band instead reformed the much-loved LEATHERWOLF in 1999.
The HailMary recordings that have been dusted off and are now officially being released. If you are familiar with the early LEATHERWOLF albumsyou need to check out ”Disturbing The Peace”. These are muscular early ’90s American guitar driven hard rock tunes, at times with bombastic vocals by Olivieri and tonnes of juicy guitar-work.
”Disturbing The Peace” takes you back in time and to a band that was also an example and victim of a major record company not knowing how to market heavy rock music in 1992.
Not only HAILMARY collaborated and were fully involved with this CD release, but they also got together and re-recorded the song ‘Media Lobotomy’ especially for ”Disturbing The Peace”. The rest of the material are the very good 1991 Tom Fletcher recordings, plus a couple of songs in demo form, the last written / taped by HAILMARY before split in 1993.
1. Mr. Keeper
2. The Way I Am
3. Media Lobotomy
4. Be My Suicide
5. This Kid
6. Friends
7. Killing My Dreams
8. Crush Of Love
9. D.A.D.
10. I Don’t Understand (Demo)
11. What’s Your Civilization (Demo)
Michael Olivieri – Vocals & Guitar
Geoff Gayer – Guitar
Carey Howe – Guitar
Patrick Guyton – Bass
Marco Forcone – Drums