Intro (Edit)

Tesla is an American heavy metal band. They formed in Sacramento, California, in the year 1985. To this date the band has sold over 16 million albums, in the U.S. alone.

In 1985, the band was formed as City Kidd. The band was formed out of an earlier, already locally popular band, which dated back to 1982.

With the music the band was writing, their name didn’t seem to fit. So as a suggestion of their management, they changed their name. They chose Tesla, after the inventor, Nikola Tesla. Nikola Tesla pioneered the radio, but got late credit for it.

The band’s original line-up was vocalist, Jeff Keith, guitarists Frank Hannon and Tommy Skeoch, drummer Troy Luccketta, and bassist Brian Wheat.

After playing many gigs around L.A. and gaining a local fanbase, they got signed to Geffen Records. On Geffen Records, the band released their debut album, Mechanical Resonance.

Mechanical Resonance was released in 1986. The album peaked at number 32 on the Billboard 200 in the U.S. The singles from the album were Modern Day Cowboy and Little Suzi. Modern Cowboy peaked at number 35 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks, where Little Suzi peaked at number 22 on the same chart. The single, Little Suzi also was on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 91.

After touring, the band released their second album three years later. The Great Radio Controversy was released in 1989. The album was propelled by the single, Love Song. The song received much airplay on the radio and MTV. This song propelled the band to stardom. The album itself peaked at number 18 on the Billboard 200. The song, Love Song, peaked at number 7 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks and number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other singles from the album were, The Way It Is and Hang Tough. The Way It Is peaked at number 13 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

The band’s next release, Five Man Acoustical Jam, was released in 1990. It is a live album that was inspired to be recorded by MTV’s Unplugged series from this time. The biggest hit from this album was the cover, Signs. The album peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200. The song, Signs, peaked at number 2 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks and number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song, Paradise, peaked at number 28 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks.

In 1991, the band released their next album, Psychotic Supper. The album peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200. The singles, Edison’s Medicine, Call It What You Want, What You Give, Song & Emotion, and Stir It Up, all were in the Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart, peaking at, number 20, 19, 7, 13, and 35, respectively. The song, What You Give, also broke into the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 86.

When the album was reissued in the U.S. in 2000, it included 3 new bonus tracks. The songs were covers of, Rock The Nation, I Ain’t Superstitious, and Run Run Run.

Bust A Nut, was the band’s next album. The album was released in 1994 on Geffen Records. This, however, would be the band’s last studio album on Geffen Records. The album peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200 chart. The singles from the album were Mama’s Fool, Need Your Lovin’, and A Lot To Lose. They all charted on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart at number 5, 19, and 35, respectively.

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History (Edit)

In 1995, the band released a best of compilation album. It was called, Times Makin’ Changes – The Best of Tesla. The album just barely edged its way into the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at number 197. The only single from the album was, Steppin’ Over. It peaked at number 31 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

After the band’s best of album, the band went into hiatus. At first it was only to support Tommy Skeoch during his battle with substance abuse. Then the band went separate ways when the members slowly started getting involved in solo projects.

Jeff Keith and Tommy Skeoch both formed another band called Bar 7. They wanted to continue making music in the vein of Tesla, so they just formed another band to do so. Brian Wheat formed another band called Soulmotor and Frank Hannon formed a band called, Moon Dog Mane. Troy Luccketta worked with many local artists during the band’s hiatus.

After a six year hiatus, the band reformed. While on the reunion tour, the band recorded a double live album. The album, Replugged Live. The album featured 20 live tracks from their earlier albums. The album also peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Top Internet Albums chart. In 2002, the band released a single CD version of this album called, Standing Room Only.

Into The Now, was the band’s next studio album. The album was released in 2004. The album peaked at number 31 on the Billboard 200 chart. The albums two singles, Caught In A Dream, peaked at number 21 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The other single, Words Can’t Explain, peaked at number 35 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

The band’s next release was, Real To Reel. It was released in July of 2007. The album is covers of classic rock and blues songs from the 1960’s and 1970’s. The album was recorded using vintage equipment to give the album a more vintage sound.

Later in September of 2007, the band released, Real To Reel, Vol. 2. Again on this album, the songs were from 1960’s and 1970’s songs that inspired the band. This album was recorded with vintage equipment as well.

In November of 2007, the band released and EP called, A Peace of Time. Again, 4 out of the 7 songs are cover songs. There is an alternate recording of a classic Tesla song and it includes an acoustic version of the  Christmas song, Silent Night. The song, Signs, is not an acoustic song as it was on their previous albums. It was recorded in the ‘actual’ version.

In 2008, the band released, Forever More. The album peaked at number 33 in the U.S. charts. The album spawned the singles, I Wanna Live, Fallin’ Apart, and Breakin’ Free.

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