Night Ranger -

Night Ranger is an American hard-rock band from San Francisco that emerged with the FM cuts “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” and “Sing Me Away” from their 1982 MCA debut Dawn Patrol. They scored mega-hits with “When You Close Your Eyes,” “Four in the Morning (I Can’t Take Any More),” and the ballads “Sister Christian,” “Sentimental Street,” and “Goodbye” from their 1984/85 albums Midnight Madness and 7 Wishes. After their 1987/88 albums Big Life and Man in Motion, singer-bassist Jack Blades joined the supergroup Damn Yankees with Ted Nugent and Styx co-leader Tommy Shaw.

Members: Jack Blades (vocals, bass), Kelly Keagy (vocals, drums), Brad Gillis (guitar), Jeff Watson (guitar, 1980-91), Alan Fitzgerald (keyboards, 1980-88, 1996-2003), Jesse Bradman (keyboards, vocals, 1988-89)

Background

Night Ranger formed in San Francisco in 1980 as Ranger when bassist–singer Jack Blades and drummer–singer Kelly Keagy teamed with keyboardist Alan Fitzgerald and guitarists Brad Gillis and Jeff Watson.

Blades formed Stereo after the 1979 breakup of Rubicon with Gillis, Keagy, saxophonist Jerry Martini, and keyboardist Jim Pugh. Martini, a former Sly and the Family Stone saxophonist, formed Rubicon in 1976 and recruited Blades on bass. Gillis joined after an audition at Studio Instrument Rentals in San Francisco. Rubicon recorded two albums for 20th Century Fox and appeared at California Jam II at Ontario Motor Speedway. The group hired Keagy as touring drummer after the departure of Greg Eckler.

Blades started guitar at eight years of age and later studied pre-med at San Diego State University after College of the Desert. Gillis grew up in Alameda, Calif., and switched from drums to guitar at eight years of age. Rubicon recruited him from Arm & Hammer after he entered the Bay Area club circuit. Keagy started drums at seven years of age and joined school marching bands. He spent five years in an Oakland cover band, then joined Rubicon for road work. Fitzgerald played bass with Montrose and Gamma and keyboards on Sammy Hagar solo records. Watson started guitar in his final year of high school and formed the Jeff Watson Band for original material. Fitzgerald produced Watson recordings, and Ronnie Montrose later helped the guitarist obtain larger support slots. The Jeff Watson Band also received local radio play.

Stereo played the Palms, X’s, and the Old Waldorf in San Francisco from late 1979 into the following year. Blades lived with Fitzgerald, who proposed a five-piece rock group and brought Watson into the project. The five musicians first jammed as Ranger and wrote five songs at the initial session. Ranger played California dates with Sammy Hagar, who placed the unsigned band on ten Taking It to the People shows. Promoter Bill Graham saw Ranger on the Hagar run and booked larger bills with Rick Springfield, Loverboy, and Judas Priest. Hagar guitarist Gary Pihl gave the band access to his home studio for demos.

Ranger shopped a three-song demo to record companies. Producer Pat Glasser attended a Ranger showcase and signed the group to a production deal. Glasser financed a new demo and shopped the tape to record companies. Boardwalk executive Bruce Bird signed Ranger after the Glasser demo reached the label.

Gillis joined Ozzy Osbourne in spring 1982 as touring replacement for Randy Rhoads. Pat Glasser produced Ranger debut sessions at Allen Zentz Recording in Los Angeles. Gillis chose Ranger over a longer Osbourne role and returned to the group. A country group called the Rangers then asserted a prior claim to the name. Blades proposed Night Ranger from a song on the completed album, and the group adopted the new name. Boardwalk scrapped roughly 10,000 already-printed Ranger jackets for the newly named Night Ranger debut Dawn Patrol.

Discography: