Tyketto

Tyketto surfaced near the close of the 1980s hair-metal wave as an American hard-rock ensemble whose high-energy approach echoed the arena-ready heavy-metal output of Whitesnake, Tesla, and Bon Jovi. Danny Vaughn, previously frontman of D.O.A., assembled the band after Waysted dissolved; their debut album, Don't Come Easy, surfaced in 1991 and briefly positioned the group for wider recognition, yet the rising dominance of grunge and alternative rock hindered further progress and prompted a split in 1996. The members reconvened as a touring unit in the late 2000s, then made the reunion permanent in 2012 with the studio album Dig in Deep; a subsequent full-length, Reach, followed in 2016. Two live albums appeared in 2017 and 2019, and the group maintained an active touring schedule into the next decade.

Vaughn launched Tyketto in 1989, completing the original roster with guitarist Brooke St. James, bassist Jimi Kennedy, and drummer Michael Clayton; the name derived from a piece of graffiti visible on a Brooklyn wall. The Richie Zito-produced Don't Come Easy arrived on Geffen in 1991 and contained the hit single "Forever Young." Kennedy exited midway through the accompanying U.K. tour, after which White Lion bassist James LoMenzo covered the remaining dates. Jaimie Scott joined as permanent bassist in time to record the follow-up, Strength in Numbers. Promotional copies had already shipped when Geffen dropped the band in 1992, so the finished album reached American stores only in 1994 via CMC. Vaughn stepped away to care for his ailing wife, and former Tall Stories singer Steve Augeri took his place for the third album, Shine, issued in 1995. The group disbanded soon afterward, citing the broader shift from hard rock and heavy metal toward grunge, although they still issued the concert recording Take Out & Served Up Live in 1996.

In 2000, Vaughn, Scott, and Clayton formed a new project simply called Vaughn that also featured guitarist P.J. Zitarosa and keyboardist Kyle Cummings. The classic Tyketto lineup of Vaughn, St. James, Kennedy, and Clayton played a European tour in late 2003 and continued occasional live appearances for several years, yet produced no new studio material. The hiatus ended in 2012 with the release of Dig in Deep on Frontiers, the band's first collection of original songs since 1995; longtime fans responded positively. Brooke St. James departed after the supporting tour and was replaced by guitarist Chris Green, who joined recently recruited keyboardist Ged Rylands. The refreshed lineup toured for four years before returning to the studio for their fifth album, the melodic-rock-oriented Reach, which appeared in 2016. The concert film and album Live in Milan followed the next year. Strength in Numbers, a live set marking the 25th anniversary of the band's second studio album, surfaced in 2019. Citing family reasons, co-founder Michael Clayton and guitarist Chris Green left in 2023, but Tyketto carried on, adding drummer Johnny Dee and guitarist Harry Scott Elliott.