Ted Poley

Ted Poley is an American hard rock and glam metal singer and drummer from Englewood, New Jersey. Born in 1964, he begins his music career on drums before moving into lead vocals and becoming best known for his work with Danger Danger and a series of later projects.

Early work and Prophet

Poley starts out in the band Lush as a drummer, alongside bassist Joe Slattery, who later works with him again. He then joins the New Jersey progressive rock band Prophet, also as a drummer, and sings lead on some of their songs. Prophet releases its first album in 1985, while Poley is involved with work on the band’s second album.

Danger Danger

In 1987, Bruno Ravel and Steve West invite Poley to join Danger Danger, and he accepts. With the band, he helps define its late-1980s hair rock sound and records two albums, Danger Danger and Screw It!. The group tours with acts including KISS and Alice Cooper. Poley finishes recording the band’s third album, Cockroach, in 1993, but is then removed from the group. The album is later issued in 2001 in a two-disc form, one disc containing his vocals and the other featuring new vocals by Paul Laine.

Bone Machine and later bands

In 1993, Poley forms Bone Machine with guitarist John Allen III, who has also worked with Tommy Lee’s band. Bone Machine releases Dogs in 1994, tours the UK in 1995 and issues the live recording Search and Destroy that same year. Its final album, Disappearing, Inc., appears in 1996 and is noted for cover art that suggests a premonition of the 2001 attacks.

In 2000, Poley joins Melodica with guitarist Gerhard Pichler. The group releases albums including USAcoustica and Lovemetal. During this period, Poley returns to the US and performs for the first time in seven years. In 2002, the Poley/Pichler partnership releases Big, which includes Joe Slattery on bass. He rejoins Danger Danger in 2004 and resumes touring with the band.

Other projects

Poley also works with Vic Rivera of AdrainGale in a project called Poley/Rivera. His associated acts also include Tokyo Motor Fist, Modern Art and Pleasure Dome.