Band bio

The History of the Notorious Rock Band FRENCHEE

Luke Luv founder of Frenchee started the band back in 1983. The 1st singer was Tony Harnell who eventually left Frenchee to join Rock band TNT. Just one of they're Hit songs was 10,000 Lovers. Luke wanted a clean slate and start a new chapter of Frenchee, so he started auditioning new band members.
First he started with the bass player situation. Two bass players answered the ad together they were friends from Queens NY and wanted to come down to audition together. They were Kelly Nicols & Punky Lazar. Luke decided on Punky & Kelly went to Los Angeles and Joined a band called Faster Pussycat but got into a bad motorcycle accident which resulted in a bad broken leg and a long stay in the hospital. Faster Pussycat just signed a Record deal and had to replace him, but shortly after that he joined L.A. GUNS and was they're bass player for the 1st 3 records. Luke liked Punky for his Glam Image and solid and melodic bass playing. It turned out to be the right fit.

Next thing on Luke's agenda was finding the right charismatic good looking singer frontman. Well Sable Sex answered the ad and Sable didn't get the nickname "SEX" for nothing! Sables motto was "Sables the Name Sex is the game the man get's all the dames and they're never the same!" When Sable arrived to audition he walked down the stairs with a hot chick on each arm and sounded and looked the part. But it was the crazy off the wall personality that won him the job as Frenchee's fearless leader! Wow he found the right frontman that was just as crazy and partied just as hard as him & Punky.

6 Months earlier Sable meet soon to be drummer Niki Shea at a Rock Nightclub called L'AMOURS the rock capitol of Blkyn. Niki Shea was on tour at the time with a band opening up for Warlock. Sable called Niki and told him he joined a promising Rock band called Frenchee with a Record company interest from Polygram Records and we need a drummer and your the 1st one that came to mind to complete the Ultimate Glam Sleaze Band. Well the east cost tour was just finishing up for Niki. So he came down for the audition. Luke, Punky & Sable all gave the thumbs up and proceeded to celebrate with a dozen bottles of champagne. Marking the beginning of Frenchee's crazy booze & sex filled debauchery! And Frenchee soon became notorious for there drunken backstage sex party's. Even the Groupies Mom's weren't safe! Some on tour stories can't be told!

Within 6 months Frenchee became the east coast Motley Crue. And also became one of the most sort after bands in the tri-state area.
Soon the word got out about Frenchee's high octane flashy, drum stick twirling, explosive pyrotechnic stage show and record company's were knocking on they're door. It was Polygram, Metal Blade,Virgin, Atlantic & CBS. So the next move was to get into the recording studio to start the demo recordings.

Luke decided the best sound engineer for the job was original Kiss engineer from they're 1st 3 tours and 1st 2 records. His name is Eddie Solan.
So Frenchee started recording at North Lake sound studios in Westchester NY. During the 1st day of pre-production and tracking Eddie Solan was so impressed he got on the phone with his best friend to produce this project. He called Ace Freehley from KISS and told him "Ya might wanna come down and produce this band they're gonna be big". Ace finally strolls in 4 hours late with a camera case filled with pills posing as a out of town tourist. Well instead of getting right to work with Frenchee he decides to start drinking with the band wile Luke was doing his guitar tracks. Two cases of Heineken & Two bottles of Jack Daniels and 100 on tour KISS story's later, Ace was in no shape to produce anything. With the limo waiting outside all night for him, Eddie & Frenchee decided to put him in the limo and start fresh in the morning. When 10 AM arrived Frenchee walks in the studio and asks Eddie "Where's Ace? When will he be here? Eddie points to front page of the NY Daily News & the NY POST. Headlines read "Ace Freehley from KISS arrested for forging Dr.Scripts and hundreds of pills on him". Eddie said "So I don't think Ace will be joining the party today". So Frenchee and Eddie forged ahead without him.

*This New release of old Re-Mastered material are the Drunken Cocaine recording sessions from 1985*.

Later that year the band was getting bigger and more popular with they're show commercials playing on MTV in heavy rotation, they started head lining all the top venues in the NY NJ Conn area. The Paramount, The Cat Club, L'AMOURS East, China Club, Agura Ballroom. With the buzz getting stronger CBS / Catawba Records finally inked a major international record deal for the boy's in Frenchee and they went directly into the studio to start pre production on the debut album. Wile in the studio the band & label had issues with the R&B producer CBS thought was a good idea to hire trying to turn Frenchee into a Funky Hair Metal Band. Plus CBS was not very happy about Frenchee's excessive partying.

So the band went out on the road till it was all hashed out. Opening for a bunch of national acts Frenchee was playing in arena's and theaters now. Frenchee became a seasoned live act, but the drugs and alcohol fuled tour derailed the fun and progress of French's career right when they band was at they're highest point in they're journey, No pun intended. And landing drummer Niki Shea into rehab. With Frenchee slated to fly to Europe the next morning. The band & management had to put the European tour on hold. When Niki finally out of rehab after 28 days later the band and label decided on a Rock Producer named Bo Blaze and started new demo's at Broccoli Rabe Studio's. After the first 4 songs were in the can the band was released dropped from the record label as a insurance risk do to excessive parting and contractual disagreements with the lable. That's how it was in the mid 80's Excess is best! was Frenchee's motto.

Now with Virgin Citro of London Records in the mix the boy's went back to the studio were the band didn't really like the mixes so they went back to North Lake Sound Studios where it was re-mixed by Eddie Solan and a Photo session for the album was shot by one of the greatest rock photographer in the world Bob Gruen. The 4 songs were released by Frenchee as a Rare Special EP. Frenchee Lipstick Ammunition.

The band started out on the road again but shortly after Frenchee broke up!

When Niki got back to LA he landed a New record deal for Frenchee but none of the members wanted to get back together and move out to Los Angeles. So Niki worked with a lot of artist from Rock to Dance to R&B earning him 2 gold and 6 Platinum Records for session work. He also has endorsements by Zildjian Cymbals, Pearl Drums and his signature series drumstick put out by Vic Firth Sticks.

After Niki Shea came back to NYC in 1993 he was offered to join Buck Cherry as a original member at the time they were called Slam Hound shortly the label made them change they're name to Buck Cherry. Niki just moved into a new building on Lexington Ave. in NYC with his wife to be. She did not want to move or live in Los Angeles. So Niki turned down Josh's offer but instead he called up Punky Lazar & Sable Sex from Frenchee and put a punk band together called "Who Killed Bambi?" Shortly after, the band started not getting along and Niki left. Who Killed Bambi went on and signed a Indie Record deal and did a few CD's and a US tour.

Niki called Luke Luv after Leaving "Who Killed Bambi?" and they put together a new Glam Band in the vein of NY Dolls meets Motley Crue called "STARR" was managed by Bill Aucoin KISS's original manager. STARR has world renowned success with 3 CD releases and had they're own TV show on Fox Saturday Mornings 8 AM and was #1 in they're time slot. The band caused havoc from 1996-2001

Due to signing a New Record Deal with FnA Records in Jan. 2013 Frenchee will be Re-Release & Re-Mastered recordings and previously un-released songs the Frenchee Boy's will be getting back together for a reunion tour, and also look out for a brand new Frenchee album of new songs that you can sink your teeth into.

Frenchee thanks all our fans all over the world!

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