Enuff Z'Nuff | |
|---|---|
 Founding members Chip Z'Nuff and Donnie Vie | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Blue Island, Illinois,U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Labels | |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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| Website | enuffznuff |
Enuff Z'Nuff (asensational spelling of "enough's enough") is an American glammetal band fromBlue Island,Illinois, founded by singerDonnie Vie and bassist Chip Z'Nuff. The band charted two times on the US Hot 100; "Fly High Michelle" (#47) and "New Thing" (#67).[1]
TheChicago-area band has continually recorded and toured throughout their career of more than 30 years, releasing 17 studio albums and 27 official recordings to date. Their songs have been recorded by several other musicians, includingPaul Gilbert,the Wildhearts, andNelson. The group has appeared onMTV,The Howard Stern Show and TheLate Show with David Letterman. Their music has been released on the major labelsAtco Records andArista Records, as well as several independent label releases.
Enuff Z'Nuff formed in 1984 as "Enough Z'Nuff." The band soon grew a live following and recorded their first demo songs, some of which would be officially released later in their career. The band's first single, "Fingers On It", received some minor recognition when it was featured in the 1986 movieHenry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.[2] Band members during this period also included drummer B.W. Boeski and guitarists Gino Martino and Alex Kane, the latter of whom moved on to lead guitars forLife, Sex & Death and eventually formed the bandAntiProduct.
By 1989, Enough Z'Nuff had revised their band name to "Enuff Z'Nuff" and released their first major label offering, aself-titled debut album onAtco Records. For this recording, founding membersDonnie Vie and Chip Z'Nuff were joined by ex-Le Mans guitarist Derek Frigo and drummer Vikki Foxx. The band had two charting hits with the psychedelic-flavored pop rock songs "New Thing" and "Fly High Michelle", both of which received steady airplay onMTV. A few years later, the band's heavyglam rock appearance in the music videos would be parodied onBeavis & Butthead.
Frontman Donnie Vie has expressed disappointment that the label marketed the group as aglam metal act during this period instead of as apower pop group, which he considered to be a better descriptor of their sound, and suggested that the group would have retained their popularity had they been promoted as such.[3]
For their follow-up album, 1991'sStrength, the band consciously toned down their glam image.Strength was released in 1991 onAtco to strong reviews, includingRolling Stone magazine calling the group "The Hot Band of the Year."[4] There were promotional videos for the singles "Mother's Eyes" and "Baby Loves You", as well as an appearance on theLate Show with David Letterman. However, this follow-up album did not sell nearly as well as their first.
The band filed for bankruptcy and leftAtco Records, but soon after was picked up byClive Davis'Arista Records label for their 1993 albumAnimals with Human Intelligence. Before this album's release, drummer Vikki Foxx quit the band to joinVince Neil's solo band. Foxx would be airbrushed out of the album cover, despite performing on each track of the recording. Foxx was replaced by New Jersey resident and formerWar and Peace member Ricky Parent, who also appeared for most of the album's promotional material. The band performed on Letterman again and shot a video for the single "Right by Your Side". However this release, much likeStrength, received some critical acclaim but ultimately disappointed commercially.[5]
A short time after Enuff Z'Nuff parted ways from Arista Records, guitarist Derek Frigo left the band, though he still recorded on occasion with them. Despite this setback, the band continued touring and recording, releasing albums on several indie labels and finding a solid fanbase overseas.[6] Some notable events include many appearances onThe Howard Stern Show, local appearances on theMancow's Morning Madhouse radio program, a 1998 performance onThe Jenny Jones Show, a pair of features onVH1 about hair bands in 1999, and attaining an opening slot forPoison's 2001 "Glam Slam Metal Jam" tour.[7]
Lead singer and songwriterDonnie Vie stopped touring with the group in 2002 out of frustration and to embark upon a solo career. Enuff Z'Nuff continued to tour in his absence as a "3-piece," with their lead guitarist Johnny Monaco also serving as the band's lead singer.[8] Despite not touring, Vie would still write and record with the band in future studio releases.
On May 28, 2004, former lead guitarist Derek Frigo died from an apparent drug overdose at the age of 37, soon after the band planned a Japanese tour with the original line-up.[9] Another tragedy struck when the band's drummer Ricky Parent lost his long-time battle with cancer in October 2007.[10] Parent had been with the band for approximately 12 years.
In 2006, original members Chip Z'Nuff andDonnie Vie reconvened to shoot a pilot for theVH1reality television show,Bands on the Run.[11] The show'spilot episode never aired. However, during that time the reunited band held their initial recording sessions for their 12th record. Several songs from these sessions eventually helped create their studio album,Dissonance, which also features formerOzzy Osbourne /Badlands guitaristJake E. Lee on guitar. With Vie rejoining the live shows in 2008,Dissonance was released in 2009 in Japan, with a U.K. release following in 2010.[12] In support of the album, Enuff Z'Nuff toured both Japan and Europe, including theDownload Festival in the U.K.[13] As of May 2013, Donnie Vie once again left the band. Johnny Monaco returned to Enuff Z'Nuff as the band's singer.[14]
There was more band member shuffling in May 2014 when guitarist Tory Stoffregen and drummer Randi Scott each left the band.[15] Drummer Erik Donner joined on drums in June, while Enuff Z'Nuff continued touring as a 3-piece. In April 2016, Metal Sludge confirmed via an interview with Johnny Monaco that he is no longer in the band.[16] The band continued with Chip Z'nuff as the lead singer, Tory Stoffregen back on lead guitar,Tony Fenelle (Ultravox) on guitar and Daniel B. Hill on drums.
Enuff Z'nuff released an album of older, previously unreleased original material onFrontiers Records in late 2016, titledClowns Lounge.[17] It mainly features demo material from studio sessions originally recorded in 1988 and 1989. Enuff Z'nuff released an album of new material with Chip Z'nuff on lead vocals,Diamond Boy, in 2018 on the Frontiers label. It was their first recording without contributions from former Enuff Z'nuff singer/songwriter Donnie Vie. Vie is still active musically and created a PledgeMusic campaign for his latest solo album, which released July 15, 2019.[18] On March 11, 2019, guitarist Tony Fennell announced his departure from the band in a statement that was posted on the band'sFacebook page.[19] He was replaced by Alex Kane, a previous Enuff Z'nuff band member who had played with the band before their first major label breakthrough.
Enuff Z'Nuff continues to release new recordings. Their 15th studio album, namedBrainwashed Generation, came out in 2020 through Frontiers Records. In August 2021, a 3-CD set of formerly unreleased demo recordings titledNever Enuff was released through Cleopatra Records. A Beatles cover album,Hardrock Nite, released in 2021 through Frontiers Records. The newest Enuff Z'nuff album,Finer than Sin came out in late 2022. Chip also released his second solo albumPerfectly Imperfect that year.
Enuff Z'Nuff's music is a combination ofglam metal,[20][21][22]hard rock,[23]power pop,[24] andpsychedelic rock.[25]
Current members
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