This sleazy hard rock outfit was formed in Los Angeles, California, USA in 1995 by Keith Nelson (guitar) and Josh Todd (b. Joshua Todd Gruber, 4 April 1971, Los Angeles, California, USA; vocals), with Jonathan Brightman (bass) and Devon Glenn (drums) added to the line-up shortly afterwards. Fronted by the cocksure Todd, the band’s blistering live show earned them a serious word-of-mouth reputation on the Los Angeles music scene. Bolstering the line-up with a second guitarist, Yogi, the band was signed to the newly-formed DreamWorks label, and set about recording their self-titled debut with established rock producer Terry Date and ex-Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones. Their avowed intention to rescue rock ‘n’ roll was thrillingly realised on the opening track ‘Lit Up’ (with its insinuating ‘I love the cocaine’ chorus), but the remainder of the album was a disappointing, over-hyped mess, lacking the sheer rock ‘n’ roll intensity of predecessors such as Guns N’Roses and Kiss. The band’s 2001 follow-up Timebomb repeated many of the faults of the debut.
With Todd nursing solo ambitions, the band announced it was splitting up the following July. When Todd’s You Made Me bombed the singer reuinted with Nelson to re-form Buckcherry at the start of 2005. Stevie D. (guitar), Jimmy Ashhurst (bass) and Xavier Muriel (drums) completed the recording of 15, which was released in Japan at the end of 2005. A North American release followed in April 2006 and, against all the odds, the album turned into the biggest hit of the band’s career. A string of hit singles undoubtedly helped, with ‘Crazy Bitch’, ‘Everything’ and ‘Sorry’ all performing well on the US rock charts, and the latter reaching the mainstream Top 10.
