Biography
Guitarist Brad Gillis stands out among musicians who depart one prominent rock ensemble only to achieve immediate prominence with a fresh project. Born and raised in San Francisco, he first entered the recording scene during the late 1970s as a member of the Bay Area funk-rock outfit Rubicon, which produced two little-known LPs—the self-titled 1978 debut and 1980’s American Dreams—before the group dissolved. Gillis then joined forces with two former Rubicon colleagues, vocalist/bassist Jack Blades and vocalist/drummer Kelly Keagy, to launch the harder-edged Night Ranger, whose lineup also featured guitarist Jeff Watson and keyboardist Alan Fitzgerald. Prior to securing a recording contract, however, Gillis received an invitation in 1982 to replace the late Randy Rhoads in Ozzy Osbourne’s band; he accepted, toured internationally, and contributed to the live album Speak of the Devil, a collection devoted entirely to Black Sabbath material.
When Osbourne later proposed a permanent role, Gillis chose instead to rejoin his Night Ranger associates, whose brief visibility from his Ozzy tenure helped them land a deal with MCA’s Camel imprint. That same year the band released its debut, Dawn Patrol, whose track “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” gained heavy MTV rotation and propelled the album into the Top 40. Night Ranger built on this momentum with 1983’s Midnight Madness, easing their approach slightly to earn multi-platinum certification on the strength of the hit singles and videos “Sister Christian” and “When You Close Your Eyes.” Gillis also supplied a fiery guitar solo to “Stars” on Ronnie James Dio’s all-star Hear ’n Aid project, which benefited famine-relief efforts in Ethiopia. The band sustained its commercial run with 1985’s 7 Wishes, which yielded another hit in the melodic rocker “Sentimental Street,” yet by the time of 1987’s Big Life the string of chart successes had ended, prompting the group’s initial breakup.
Gillis next formed the short-lived Mega-Mega, which placed one song on the soundtrack for the film Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead but never issued a full album. His first solo effort, Gilrock Ranch, arrived in 1993 and included the track “Honest to God,” co-written and performed with Gregg Allman. Reviving the Night Ranger name with Keagy as the sole other original member, Gillis oversaw the release of Feeding Off the Mojo in 1995; the classic lineup later reunited for Neverland (1997) and Seven (1998). Gillis issued his second solo album, Alligator, in 2000.
When Osbourne later proposed a permanent role, Gillis chose instead to rejoin his Night Ranger associates, whose brief visibility from his Ozzy tenure helped them land a deal with MCA’s Camel imprint. That same year the band released its debut, Dawn Patrol, whose track “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” gained heavy MTV rotation and propelled the album into the Top 40. Night Ranger built on this momentum with 1983’s Midnight Madness, easing their approach slightly to earn multi-platinum certification on the strength of the hit singles and videos “Sister Christian” and “When You Close Your Eyes.” Gillis also supplied a fiery guitar solo to “Stars” on Ronnie James Dio’s all-star Hear ’n Aid project, which benefited famine-relief efforts in Ethiopia. The band sustained its commercial run with 1985’s 7 Wishes, which yielded another hit in the melodic rocker “Sentimental Street,” yet by the time of 1987’s Big Life the string of chart successes had ended, prompting the group’s initial breakup.
Gillis next formed the short-lived Mega-Mega, which placed one song on the soundtrack for the film Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead but never issued a full album. His first solo effort, Gilrock Ranch, arrived in 1993 and included the track “Honest to God,” co-written and performed with Gregg Allman. Reviving the Night Ranger name with Keagy as the sole other original member, Gillis oversaw the release of Feeding Off the Mojo in 1995; the classic lineup later reunited for Neverland (1997) and Seven (1998). Gillis issued his second solo album, Alligator, in 2000.