Guitarist Jake E. Lee’s band Red Dragon Cartel have named former Jones Street singer Shawn Crosby as their latest vocalist. He is the band’s fifth singer in just four months.
Darren James Smith appeared on the band’s 2014 self-titled debut album, but left in March over concerns regarding touring plans. His replacement Michael Beck lasted just a few short weeks before former Lynch Mob and Jason Bonham man Chas West signed on – only to replaced by Paul D’Eath, who’s now out of the picture.
Crosby says, “I will be singing for Jake E Lee’s Red Dragon Cartel for the month of July and, hopefully, for many months and years after. That is, if we can all play nice in the sandbox together! I’m sure we will. I couldn’t be playing with a cooler bunch of guys.”
Crosby will make his debut on July 9th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, joining a lineup that also includes third bassist Anthony Esposito and drummer Jonas Fairley.
Red Dragon Cartel’s album was Lee’s first after more than two decades away from the music business. Last year he said he was resisting calls to record a follow-up – and he’d consider shutting the band down if the pressure became too much.
Red Dragon Cartel tour dates:
Jul 9: Philadelphia Legendary Dobbs, PA
Jul 10: Poughkeepsie Chance Theater, NY
Jul 11: Elmhurst Blackthorn 51, NY
Jul 14: Old Orchard Beach Mr Goodbars, ME
Jul 16: Londonderry Tupelo Music Hall, NH
Jul 17: Binghamton Eclipse, NY
Jul 18: Newton Theatre, NJ
Jul 22: Asbury Park Stone Pony, NJ
Jul 23: Halethorpe Fish Head Cantina, MD
Jul 24: Johns Creek 37 Main, GA
Jul 27: Nashville Basement East, TN
Jul 28: Little Rock Rev Room, AR
Sep 15: Tokyo Shibuya Club Quattro, Japan
Sep 16: Tokyo Shibuya Club Quattro, Japan
Sep 17: Osaka Umeda Club Quattro, Japan
additional source: classicrock.teamrock.com
5 Responses
“Last year he said he was resisting calls to record a follow-up – and he’d consider shutting the band down if the pressure became too much.”
I don’t really get this. He’s obviously having some major issues finding someone to sing. I know the music industry is a joke these days, but how many times are you going to play Shot in the Dark and Bark at the Moon and the few Badlands hits? I think the RDC album was ok, had some misses on it, for sure, but at least it was something new. It would be nice if classic rock format radio actually played new music from the artists they’ve been overplaying for the last 30 years, but then it’s not “classic” anymore I suppose, eh? Yeah, I know, people want to hear those songs over and over again, see the current VH tour.
To be honest, it’s late in the game for Jake to be hitting the road and have success. He played the local bar/venue here 2 or 3 times now. The 2 times I saw him, there weren’t many people there.
Gotta disagree… Jake’s Red Dragon album is one of the best things I’ve heard in along time. It was well written, had a fresh sound to it and maintained that same energetic vibe that all of Jake’s albums have. I will be very happy if he does a follow-up, but will be content with this one if he doesn’t. Given the state of the music industry these days… I’m sincerely thankful that any of these guys have the tenacity to hang in there and record new stuff!
As for Classic Rock radio or whatever… That’s what make guys like Eddie such an icon! He’s not afraid to play the new stuff by all of these artists. His last few shows have featured new Armored Saint, new (old) Whitesnake, new stuff from Europe and many, many more.
I’ve always been a Jake fan, but this RDC carousel has to stop. It’s embarrassing. Sort of like the Spinal Tap drummers. It just shows a high level of disorganization and… I don’t know what.
If you watch the new documentary on Quiet Riot, you see how sad it has gotten for them. I think the revolving door of singers and band members is laughable. I feel really sorry for Frankie Banali, who’s trying SO hard to keep that machine running. But it’s become a joke. And now Jake has sort of filled that same space. I think part of the problem is his own mindset. When you listen to him talk or read interviews, he’s just consumed with doubt and insecurities. He repeatedly said he didn’t think people missed him. WHAT??? People had been clamoring for 20 years for him to surface! It’s this “do I or don’t I” dance that’s hurting him. And no one is going to take him seriously when he can’t get a singer to stay in the band for more than a week at a time. It started with their very first live show, being completely unprepared and has gone on from there. It totally bums me out because he’s such huge talent.
Now filling in….Mick Shrimpton….oh, wait he is deceased!!
Holy crap I just youtubed this guys red dragon cartel performance and he sucks canal water. Eddie did you get a chance to talk to Jake at the rockbar about his revlolving door of singers? I saw and talked with Chaz West with RDC at the rockbar a couple of months ago when they played. Not only was he pretty damn awesome he was also a great guy t talk with. You could tell he took pride in researching the songs he needed to learn and he sung them well. What happened with him do you know? Seems like Jake is just furfilling obligations at this point and really doesnt care about establishing anything that would carry on RDC. Quite disapointing becasue I`m a fan of Jakes and he still seems to give it all when he performs but damn its time to fold this band. He needs to join a group thats alread estabablished or join some “supergroup” Ray used to say Jake was very talented but he was also very lazy and hard headed, seems like that hasn`t changed unfortunately.