35 years ago today, Babylon A.D. released their self-titled debut album. Lead singer Derek Davis looks back on getting signed and their showcase performance for Arista Records Clive Davis...
"Getting a record deal and releasing our first record was one of the greatest highlights of my life. I had dreamed about getting “The Deal” and being in a recording artist since I was 8 years old. It just proved to me dreams can come true.
"I remember it like it was yesterday, The band had just moved to Hollywood in a one bedroom apartment at the infamous “Saint James” off Hollywood Blvd. There was 6 of us living there for less than a week when our manager called and said that Clive Davis the President of Arista Records wanted to see the band on that Saturday and they had arranged a showcase for us at SIR studios on Sunset Blvd. We had not practiced in a while do to the move from the Bay Area but we were ready! I mean this is “Clive Fukin Davis” The Music Mogul” the man who signed “Janis Joplin”, “Aerosmith”, Simon and Garfunkel”, “The Grateful Dead”, “Santana”,“Whitney Houston” and many more world renown artists and he wanted to see - US!!! WTF??????????
"That Saturday morning we practiced a 7 song set and Clive showed up around noon with two New York A&R guys and Randy Gerston the head of the West Coast A&R department. Our manager Jay Malla was there also and that was it! Five guys wearing suites, sitting on a big long couch right in front of the band. We were on stage and we blew through our set and nailed it, and the second we finished the last song “The Kid Goes Wild”, 'Clive Davis’ jumps up off the couch and opens his arms real wide and says, "Welcome To The Family Boys"! I will never forget the rush of that moment, We had been working for a moment like this our whole career. We signed a 10 album deal and the dream began with our first album the self titled "Babylon A.D.” which was released 35 years ago on October 3rd 1989!
"What a fantastic ride it has been and we plan to keep on going. There is no stoping us, “Babylon A.D.” is creating new music and we still get that rush every time we play together on stage and in the recording studio. The music and the fans keep us alive and let us live the dream we still have! We are truly grateful and blessed to be able to still do what we love!
"Stay tuned because we are just warming up!!!"
To celebrate their brand new album, Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day, Babylon A.D. and BraveWords are giving away an autographed guitar. Entering is easy, just head here and enter your email address. Good luck!
Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day is available now via Perris Records. Order/purchase the album here.
Tracklisting:
"Wrecking Machine"
"Pain"
"Sometimes Love Is Hell"
"Rome Wasn't Built In A Day"
"Looking For A Heartbeat"
"I Will Never Break Again"
"White Hot Bullet"
"Crashed Into The Sun"
"Face Of GOD"
"Shut Up"
"Super Beast"
"Sometimes Love Is Hell" video:
"Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day" video:
"Wrecking Machine":
Album details:
Produced, Mixed, Engineered by Derek Davis @ The BADMOFO’s Recording Studio, Pleasanton, CA.
Drums recorded by Gabriel Shepard @ 25th Studios Oakland CA.
Mastered By David Donnelly, DNA Mastering Los Angeles CA.
Photos - Angela Probst - Studio A
Vintage Artwork Concept Design - Derek Davis
Band Members:
Derek Davis - Vocals, Keyboard, Guitar
Ron Freschi - Lead Guitar, Background vocals
John Mattews - Lead Guitar
Craig Pepe - Bass, Background vocals
Dylan Soto - Drums / Background vocals
Background vocals on "I Will Never Break Again" - Lane Borchard
Tour dates:
October
26 - Vinnie's Bar & Grill - Concord, CA (107.7 Bone Night Out)
September 2025
5-8 - Hard Rock Hell Sleaze Festival at O2 Academy - Leicester, England
About Babylon A.D.:
Formed in 1987, Babylon A.D. hail from the San Francisco Bay Area, CA. Original members, Derek Davis vocalist/songwriter, guitarist's and music writers John Mathews and Ron Freschi drummer James Pacheco and bassist Rob Reid met in high school before they began playing together as "The Persuaders" making a name for themselves with their powerful live performances and catchy songwriting skills becoming one of the top drawing original Hard Rock bands in the Northern CA.
In 1989 the band changed their name to "Babylon A.D." and caught the attention of Arista Records President and industry music mogul “Clive Davis”, who signed them at a live showcase in Los Angeles thanks to their impressive three song demo and a home made video. John Mattews departed the band and was replaced by another high school friend Dan De La Rosa just before their self-titled album Babylon A.D. was released in 1990. The album included their hard rock classic hits "Bang Go The Bells”, “Hammer Swings Down” and “The Kid Goes Wild”, which featured Screaming "Sam Kinison" and was the trailer song and promotional video for Orion Pictures (Robo Cop 2). The band scored three #1 songs at Metal Radio and reached Gold status on their first release, which spent 38 weeks on the Billboard top 200, peaking at # 46. Their sophomore effort (Nothing Sacred) was produced by the legendary "Tom Werman" and released in 1992, it produced two more top-ten metal rockers. “Bad Blood” and “So Savage the Heart”. Constant touring throughout the early 1990s and several MTV videos made them one of hard rock fans favorite bands.
In 1999 the band and released Live In Your Face on Apocalypse Records, a compilation of live tracks recorded at various cities’ across America. Their next release American Blitzkrieg soon followed in 2002 and both records were well received by critics and fans alike. In 2008 the band released Babylon A.D. In The Beginning on Perris Records, a compilation of songs from the original demo tapes that secured them their recording contract with Arista Records.
After a long hiatus the band started playing and recording again in 2014. Touring across the States and Europe releasing the four song EP Lost Sessions. in 2018 John Matthews rejoined the group and the band signed with Frontiers Records for their forth studio release Revelation Highway. Four singles/ videos and more touring followed through the beginning of 2020. In 2022 original members James Pacheco and Robb Reid left the band for other pursuits remaining connected to the bands legacy and part of a brotherhood of friendship that has lasted for over 30 years!
Present Day...
Fast forward to 2023, Babylon A.D. announced new members Craig Pepe (bass) and Dylan Soto (drums) and a new live concert album Live Lightning from Perris Records. The new album included their top-ten rock-radio classic hits from their debut album as well as songs from “Nothing Sacred”, “American Blitzkrieg”, and “Revelation Highway”.
As 2024 rolls along, the band have released their fifth studio album, Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day, via Perris Record. The 11 track album is classic Babylon A.D. firing on all cylinders, showcasing great songwriting talent, performances and the hard rock sound the band is known for.
