War Babies has partnered with NW Metalworx Music to release an album of never-before-heard recordings and live material.
Digging deep into the band’s vaults, this will be the first album from the band in over 30 years.
War Babies was formed in 1988 by Tom McMullin (guitar/vocals), Guy Lacey (guitar), Joe Lockett (bass) and Richard Sturverud (drums). McMullin sang lead initially, as well as played guitar. Brad Sinsel of TKO fame was approached by Stuverud to sing for the band, as he had worked with him previously and Sinsel joined mid-1989. Lockett was replaced by Jeff Ament (who formed Pearl Jam not long after with former Mother Love Bone bandmates) in 1990, and then Shawn Trotter joined shortly after the band got a record deal with Columbia in 1990.
War Babies recorded and released a self-titled album in the following year, produced by Thom Panunzio, which also featured a couple of songs co-written with KISS frontman Paul Stanley. Three singles were released from the record, “Hang Me Up,” “Blue Tomorrow” (a tribute to Mother Love Bone singer Andy Wood) and “Cry Yourself To Sleep.” Additionally, the song “In The Wind” was used in the movie Buffy The Vampire Slayer in 1992.
War Babies played various shows during the time they were together with bands like Alice In Chains, Metal Church, My Sister’s Machine, and Mother Love Bone.
Despite plans for a follow-up album, War Babies were dropped by their label in 1993 and broke up not long after. Lacey went on to join the band Sledgeback, who released an album in 2006, and had a song on the Reality Bites soundtrack. Sinsel went on to do a handful of TKO Reunion shows over the years, as well as recording projects and live performances with Stone Gossard and Mike McCready (Pearl Jam). Sinsel is currently working alongside Brynn Arens and various musicians with Angels Of Dresden. McMullin went on to play in the bands Dead Letters, Gunn And The Damage Done/Gunn, and released albums in 2010 and 2013. Sturverud went on to do Three Fish with Jeff Ament and Robbi Robb of Tribe After Tribe, and Three Mountains with Mike McCready of Pearl Jam and Doug Pinnick of King’s X. Sturverud also filled in for Matt Cameron in Pearl Jam for a couple of shows at the Oakland Arena in April of 2023.
Look for War Babies upcoming compilation album on NW Metalworx Music on limited edition LP and CD online at nwmetalworxmusic.com or at your favorite local stores.
