Tesla started as Earthshaker in 1981, who changed their name to City Kidd one year later. The hard rock and heavy metal group from Sacramento, California, changed their name for a second time and chose Tesla in 1986 before they finish their first album. After several changes to the formation, the group’s members were Jeff Keith (vocals), multi-instrumentalist Frank Hannon (mainly guitar), Brian Wheat (bass), Troy Luccketta (drums) and Tommy Skeoch (guitar).
During Tesla’s first years, the group toured with great bands like Def Leppard, Poison and Alice Cooper and their debut album named “Mechanical Resonance” was released in December of 1986. It was followed by the two times platinum “The Great Radio Controversy” in February of 1989, which included the hit “Love Song”, that entered at no. 10 on the US charts. The group’s next release was the live album “Five Man Acoustical Jam” in 1990, with the cover of Five Man Electrical Band’s “Signs” to separate.
Tesla’s next album was “Psychotic Supper” in 1991 and it’s the group’s most successful album. Its sound was hard rock with blues-rock elements and reached no. 13 on the album charts in the USA. After their fourth album, 1994's “Bust a Nut”, Skeoch abandoned the group in order to recover from his drug addiction. He returned a few months later but he left again and the group dissolved until 2000 when they performed live in Sacramento. After the release of another two live albums, Tesla finished their fifth album named “Into the Now” which came out in March of 2004. Two years later, during their summer tour, Skeoch left the group permanently this time and Dave Rude took his place later.
In 2007, Tesla followed a worldwide tour and the next summer they appeared live in various fests, such as Rocklahoma and Graspop Metal Meeting. Their group's sixth album was 2008's “Forever More” and after an acoustic album in 2011, Tesla’s next album “Simplicity” was released in 2014. They followed a tour along with Def Leppard and REO Speedwagon in 2016, while they celebrated 30 years from their debut album with the release of “Mechanical Resonance Live”, in the summer of the same year. Tesla’s upcoming studio album is going to come out in March of 2019, under the name “Shock”.
Tesla
