Tesla: Background

The Sacramento band Tesla has come a long way. First they changed their name from City Kid while recording Mechanical Resonance, their debut album, in 1986 at the behest of their manager. Then the group distanced themselves from misclassification.

Tesla originally played with glam rock bands like Def Leppard and Poison, but they were really just a hard rock band with a hint of the blues. Wearing T-shirts and jeans on stage, they were obviously not the same type of act. While those groups used synthesizers, Tesla relied only on the instruments they had, the guitar, the drums, and occasionally the piano.

The fans rewarded them with the success of their second album, The Great Radio Controversy, and their first truly hit single, “Love Song”. The badn had even greater commercial and critical success with the third studio album, Psychotic Supper, two years later in 1991.

The group was not impervious to the pressures and temptations of the rock and roll life style, though. Tesla took a long break starting in 1994, when the guitarist Tommy Skeoch needed to deal with his drug addiction. The members took the time to try their own projects, before reuniting in 2000.

Tesla: The 21st Century

The group made there comeback with Replugged live in 2000. They then went on to play the Rock Never Stops Tour in 2002 fully intact, wit lead singer Jeff Keith, guitarist Frank Hannon, bassist Brian Wheat, drummer Troy Luccketta, and guitarist Tommy Skeoch. In 2006 Skeoch left the band permanently. This time his reason for leaving was the birth of his son and not the pressures of drugs. The group replaced him with Dave Rude, and holds no feelings against him.

Telsa is once again on the touring front in 2008, this time promoting their third DVD, Comin’ Atcha Live! 2008. The tour takes them to Europe in June and back to the United States in July, where they will stay until the fall. Tesla fans are hungry for tickets and The Seats has them. The online ticket broker has the greatest selection of Tesla tickets around for the summer/fall touring schedule.