WildeStarr - BIO - Dave Starr

Dave Starr is a true Metal veteran with a career going back over 25 years, with numerous albums, MTV videos, DVD's, and concert tours to his credit. Known mostly for his bass work with Vicious Rumors over that last 22 years, Dave is also a talented guitarist and song writer who has just recorded the debut album "Arrival" with his new band WildeStarr.

Many people are content with who and what they are, and what they have achieved in life. Dave Starr was not, and is not like that. After playing with the legendary VR (Vicious Rumors) on bass for over 12 years and on all of the bands 7 greatest albums... some would consider that a nice career and stick with it. But Dave wanted more.

"Playing in VR was great, it was a wild ride... for a lot of years. But I always felt something was missing". "I never really felt satisfied musically as a bassist. Geoff, Mark, and Carl got most of the credit in the band and many of my ideas never made it to the albums".

When Dave hit his 40's... he came to a cross road in life. "I really wanted to keep playing music, but not as a bass player anymore. London and I started to lay the ground work for WildeStarr as far back as 2003 when we first sat down and began writing some songs together and talking about ideas for the band. In the meantime... I did session work with David Chastain in 2004, and I came back to VR for the WarBall album in 2006... but that had more to do with personal reasons then it did with professional. I knew my future was for London and I to have our own band and write our own songs, and for me to play guitar. First thing I had to do was get sober after battling 10 years of heavy drinking, and then lock myself away for a few years to get good on the guitar and write some music."

Having recorded albums with such guitar greats as Vinnie Moore, David Chastain, Brad Gillis, Geoff Thorpe and Mark McGee was a big help. "I never sat down and learned any licks or riffs from those guys, but just being around them was enough for me to have all that talent rub off, I also knew that with all I had in my background, it put pressure on me to get my shit together and succeed."

Once Dave was free of the substance abuses that held him back for years, the ideas really began flowing. "When my mind cleared up from the booze, many great things happened to me. I got real healthy mentally and physically. I spent hours every day playing the guitar and it became almost an obsession. I always played guitar a bit over the years, but nowhere near the level I can play at now. I originally planned on having help on this album from some of the guitar greats I have worked with in my past, but the more I worked on my playing and song writing, the more comfortable and less intimidated I felt."

The result was Dave ended up playing all the guitars and bass himself on the entire WildeStarr debut album. "I put more work into this album then all the other records I have done in the past combined. I think the results speak for themselves. I will put this album up against anything I have done in my past. This album was an incredible journey for London and I. It was an insane amount of work for the two of us, but we did it... and we are both very proud of the results and of each other. London's vocals are superb, and on par with all of my favorite singers, that includes the likes of Rob Halford and VR's very own Carl Albert. And I feel my guitar work and writing is right up there with the many talented people I have worked with over the years."

"I am so excited about our music and what the future holds... I am already writing songs for the next album!" WildeStarr... has "ARRIVED"

Dave Starr Discography and credits:

Albums With Vicious Rumors:

Soldiers of the Night Shrapnel Records 1986
Digital Dictator Shrapnel Records 1988
Guitar Masters Compilation Shrapnel Records 1989
Vicious Rumors Atlantic Records 1990
Welcome to the Ball Atlantic Records 1991
Live in Tokyo Atlantic Records 1992
Tribute to Carl Albert GTM Records 1995
The Last Word TyperPaw Records 2000
WarBall Mascot Records 2006

Other Albums:
Laaz Rockit "Prelude to Death" EP 1983 LR Records
Destillery "Behind the Mask" (song writer) Iron Glory Records 2000
Press "PRESS" 30 Days Records 2003
CHASTAIN "In an Outrage" Leviathan Records 2004