Nelson

Formed by twin brothers Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, the group Nelson traces its lineage to 1950s teen idol Rick Nelson, their father, and to entertainers Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, their grandparents. The pair scored a major commercial breakthrough in 1990 via the debut album After the Rain, whose polished pop-metal track “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection” reached the top of the charts. Although label difficulties and the rise of grunge later sidelined them from mainstream attention, the brothers have sustained the project across two decades, issuing favorably received albums such as Lightning Strikes Twice (2010), Peace Out (2015), and A Nelson Family Christmas (2022).

In the early 1980s the siblings performed in the heavy metal outfit Strange Agents. By decade’s end the lineup had dwindled to the twins alone, prompting the adoption of Nelson as the band name. Matthew handled bass duties while Gunnar played guitar, supported by seasoned players that included guitarist Brett Garsed and former Vinnie Vincent Invasion drummer Bobby Rock. Their first release arrived in 1990 with After the Rain, a glossy, radio-oriented pop-metal set that achieved platinum status in the United States, yielded the number-one single “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection,” and sent three further tracks into the Top 40.

Geffen Records, however, rejected the heavier, concept-driven follow-up Imaginator, forcing the band into a five-year creative layoff. When the largely acoustic Because They Can finally surfaced, shifting musical tastes limited its impact, and the label dropped Nelson. The brothers then established the independent imprint Stone Canyon Records, named after their father’s group.

Regaining creative control, Matthew and Gunnar issued Imaginator on Stone Canyon in 1996 and the progressive-leaning The Silence Is Broken the next year. In 1998 they explored country influences on Brother Harmony before returning to melodic pop-rock with the album Life. The year 2000 brought the live tribute Like Father, Like Sons, which spotlighted covers of Rick Nelson classics.

Several years passed before the next studio effort, yet the early 2000s kept the brothers occupied with touring and separate ventures. Gunnar joined the cast of VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club for its third season in 2006. In 2007 Nelson contributed a version of the holiday standard “Jingle Bell Rock” to the Razor & Tie collection Monster Ballads Xmas. Signing with Italy’s Frontiers Records in 2010, they returned to anthemic pop-metal on Lightning Strikes Twice. The same label issued their similarly styled follow-up Peace Out in 2015, and the holiday project A Nelson Family Christmas appeared in 2022.