War Babies, the classic heavy metal/hard rock/grunge band of the late 80s and early 90s, is releasing its first album in over 30 years, in collaboration with NW Metalworx Music. They are digging deep in the band's vaults to bring you some never-before heard recordings and live material from 1989 - 1993 (including some music that was intended for a second album).
Bio: War Babies was formed in 1988 by Tom McMullin (guitar/vocals), Guy Lacey (guitar), Joe Lockett (bass) and Richard Sturverud (drums). McMullin sang lead, initially, as well as played guitar. Eventually, Brad Sinsel was approached by Stuverud to sing for the band, as he had worked with him previously on the Suicide Squad project/EP, and Sinsel joined mid-1989. Lockett was replaced initially by Jeff Ament (who formed Pearl Jam not long after with former Mother Love Bone bandmates) in 1990, and then Shawn Trotter shortly after the band got a record deal with Columbia in mid-1990.
War Babies recorded and released a self-titled album in the following year, produced by Thom Panunzio, which also featured a couple of songs co-written with KISS member Paul Stanley. Three singles were released from the record, "Hang Me Up," "Blue Tomorrow" (a tribute to Mother Love Bone singer Andy Wood) and "Cry Yourself To Sleep." The songs received a good bit of airplay and videos were done for the first and second singles, and additionally the song "In The Wind" was used in the movie Buffy The Vampire Slayer in 1992.
War Babies played various shows during the time they were together at The Central Tavern, The Vogue, Natasha’s, The Backstage, Ballard Firehouse, The Farside, The Off Ramp, Roseland Theater, etc. with Alice In Chains, Metal Church, My Sister’s Machine, SGM, Mother Love Bone, Love On Ice, Sweet Water, Red Platinum, Hall Aflame, and others. They also toured the US and Canada in support of their debut album, and played the Seattle Center Mural Aphitheatre, and the Rock The Enviroment Benefit at the Columbia Gorge Amphitheatre with Heart, Queensryche, Metal Church and others - both in 1992.
Despite plans towards a follow-up album, and some material written and recorded for that, War Babies were dropped by their label in 1993 and broke up not long after. Lacey went on to join the band Sledgeback, who released an album in 2006, and had a song on the Reality Bites soundtrack.
Sinsel went on to do a handful of TKO Reunion shows over the years, as well as recording projects & live performances with Stone Gossard & Mike McCready (Pearl Jam). Sinsel is currently working alongside Brynn Arens & and various musicians with Angels of Dresden. NW Metalworx Music issued the unreleased recordings TKO made in 1979, Round Two, in 2018. McMullin went on to play in the bands Dead Letters, Gunn And The Damage Done/Gunn, and released albums in 2010 and 2013. NW Metalworx Music also collected and released studio and live recordings from his pre-War Babies band, Slaughter Haus 5, Reckless Endangerment, in 2022. Sturverud went on to do Three Fish with Jeff Ament and Robbi Robb of Tribe After Tribe, and Three Mountains with Mike McCready of Pearl Jam and Doug Pinnick of Kings X. Sturverud also filled in for Matt Cameron, in Pearl Jam, for a couple of shows at the Oakland Arena in April of 2023.
Look for War Babies upcoming compilation album on NW Metalworx Music in 2024, on limited edition LP and CD, online at nwmetalworxmusic.com or at your favorite local stores.
