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The rock band “China” was founded in 1985. Original members included guitarists Claudio Matteo & Freddy Laurence, drummer John Dommen, vocalist Math Shiverow and bassist Marc Lynn. The group enjoyed some international success from the late eighties into the early nineties. Their albums reached the Billboard Top 10 in Switzerland as well as reaching into the top 40 in England, Germany and Japan. Their sound was influenced by groups such as Van Halen ,Thin Lizzy, Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe. By 1988, hard work and a bit of luck landed the group an International Major Label recording contract with Phonogram Records Germany. This led to the release of their first album “China”. With positive media feedback and a rapidly growing fan base they went on to record their critically acclaimed second album "Sign in The Sky". For this album a more mature sound was required and new members were brought on board. Patrick Mason took over on vocals and Brian Kofmehl on the bass. The group was noted by the press not only for it’s excellent melodic hard rock tracks and breathtaking live shows, but also for it’s singer changes as well. And it was between the strenuous ninety city "Sign in The Sky" tour and the “China Live” album that another singer “Eric St. Michaels” appeared. With Eric, the band recorded their first live CD and the studio album “Go All The Way”. In May 1993, China banded together with “Marc Storace” the legendary singer and long-standing front man of “Krokus” to perform a live concert for the Swiss National Radio DRS 3. The recording of this concert was recently discovered and re-mastered as the CD “Alive”. In 1995 China recorded another studio album called "Natural Groove" and this album while it explored some new directions for the band and received positive reviews, it could not sustain the heavy burden the band was under financially and the boys thought to give China a break for awhile. In the year 2000, millennium fever and nostalgic mood brought about the “China-Revisited” tour. Claudio, Freddy, Brian and Giovanni brought three singers together: Struebi (1st CD), Eric St. Michaels (3rd & 4th CDs) and Mark Storace (alive CD). This ensemble of hard rock talent gave the fans a heart pumping two hours of China’s best loved songs and brought back the real power of the music. Roll the clock forward to Spring 2007.
A phone call from Swiss concert promoter “Free & Virgin”
to China founding member Claudio Matteo asking if he thinks China
would like to come back together to open the Spirit Of Rock Festival
2007 featuring Heaven & Hell, Mötley Crüe, Motörhead,
U.D.O. & Saxon. That phone call lead to the reunion and the
subsequent “Rock Never Dies” tour currently under way. |
