Spread Eagle

Spread Eagle is a hard rock band from New York, United States, active from 1989 to the present. The group forms around vocalist Ray West, guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bassist Rob De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo, who all come from an earlier band called Bang. The band also includes a long list of later members and contributors across its career, including Kirke Blankenship, John Macaluso, Thommy Price, Dave Femia, Chris Caffery, Gerry White, Dennis Kimak, Rik De Luca, Ziv Shalev and Jommy Puledda.

Early years and debut

Spread Eagle builds its early sound from hard rock with sleaze, sexual imagery and a raw street-level style. The group is signed quickly after forming, and much of the material for its first album is written while it is already recording. Its self-titled debut features sharp guitar work and explicit lyrics, with songs such as “Back On The Bitch” and “Scratch Like A Cat” reflecting that approach.

Open to the Public and first split

During work on the second album, Tommi Gallo is in and out of the band, and session players record most of the drums on Open To The Public. For that record the group softens its lyrics and responds to criticism of the debut’s content. The album does not match the impact of the first release, and after the supporting tour, with Dave Femia on drums, Spread Eagle breaks up.

Reformation and later activity

Spread Eagle reforms in 2006 with Rob De Luca and Ray West. The debut album, which has been out of print for more than a decade, is remastered and reissued by Lovember Records. The reunited band begins touring with Chris Caffery on guitar and John Macaluso on drums, first playing only a small number of shows before finding new guitarist Dennis Kimak. Rob De Luca also returns to New York after touring with Sebastian Bach and UFO.

In December 2010, Rik De Luca, Rob De Luca’s cousin, joins on drums and the band tours through the northeastern United States. Dennis Kimak leaves in 2012 and is replaced by Ziv Shalev, who plays his first two shows with the group in December of that year. Spread Eagle later confirms European tour dates in 2017, including appearances at Hull Metal Heaven and HRH Sleaze, and after that UK and European run it signs to Frontiers Music SRL and begins writing and recording again.

Recent releases and recognition

The band releases Subway To The Stars in 2019. Its first single, “Sound Of Speed”, appears with a video filmed in the Poconos, Pennsylvania and directed by Phil Allocco. The song is adopted by the Australian drag racing team West Coast Pro Modifieds as its official track for the 2019/2020 racing season, and an Australian fan club creates a “Pro Mod Edit” of the video using real drag racing footage. Subway To The Stars appears in several end-of-year lists for 2019, including a top five hard rock release ranking from Ultimate Guitar and top 20 album placements in polls from Sleaze Roxx readers and The Rock Pit Australia.

In 2020 the band releases a lyric video for “More Wolf Than Lamb”.

Line-up and recorded material

By the period described in the later entries, the line-up is Ray West on lead vocals, Rob De Luca on bass and vocals, Ziv Shalev on guitars, and Rik De Luca on drums and percussion. The group also has a planned EP titled The 1989 Demos and a 35th anniversary tour associated with its debut album. A further album, The Brutal Divine, is listed for release in 2026.