Shameless

Shameless is a German glam rock band from München, Germany. It forms in 1989 and remains active. The group is associated with glam, sleaze rock, hard rock, glam metal, hair metal and Oi influences.

Band history

The project is started by Alexx Michael, a songwriter and bass player from Munich who has a long-standing idea of creating what he sees as an ultimate rock and roll band. He is influenced by KISS from childhood, begins on guitar at 15, and later switches to bass. The original version of the band breaks up by the end of 1991 after the vocalist leaves.

Michael continues writing songs and later rebuilds the group with help from drummer Eric Singer, who puts him in touch with the right contacts for a debut album. Steve Summers, Stevie Rachelle and Eddie Robison all contribute vocals at different points in the early recordings. Robert Sweet, Brian Tichy and Eric Skodis also play drums on the first album, while B.C., Michael’s longtime friend and former bandmate, flies to Los Angeles to add guitar.

Recordings and releases

The first album, Backstreet Anthems, is recorded and mixed in Studio City, California with producer Gilby Clarke and released on Red Skunk Records. A cover of KISS’s “Flaming Youth” also appears on the German KISS tribute KISS Deutschland.

The follow-up, Queen 4 a Day, is recorded in 2000. It includes 13 tracks, among them an acoustic version of KISS’s “Tomorrow” for the tribute release KAOL 2 – Creatures of the Net. Gene Simmons calls Stevie Rachelle during the sessions and tells the band it can record a song he co-writes with Tommy Thayer. Jani Lane contributes backing vocals on “Far Away” and “Lonely Nite in Paradise”.

Splashed follows in 2001 and features 11 tracks performed by Steve Summers, Alexx Michael, Keri Kelli, B.C., Mike Fasano and Stevie Rachelle. The release also includes video material from the 2000 tour with Bruce Kulick and the video for “Don’t Hesitate”.

A live album, The Shameless Super Hardcore Show, comes next and includes two studio covers: “Daydream Believer” by The Monkees and “Start Me Up” by the Rolling Stones. After a break, Michael begins work on another studio album, Famous 4 Madness, with guest appearances from Jani Lane, Eric Singer and Phil Lewis of L.A. Guns. It is released in 2007.

Later work

In 2022, Shameless releases So Good, You Should..., described as the band’s first covers album. It also includes two new songs. Michael works on the record with guitarist B.C., Charlotte Tybalt, Dennis Post, Stevie Rachelle, Frankie Muriel and Tod T Burr, and the album is recorded remotely across 12 locations including Munich, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Copenhagen and Auckland.

Line-up

The group’s listed members are Tod T. Burr, Stevie Rachelle, Michael Thomas and Michael Trinkl.