Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

XS ROCK

Hard Rock & Metal

King Kobra….Where Are They Now?

King Kobra....Where Are They Now?

King Kobra was started by drummer Carmine Appice after he finished work touring with Ozzy Osbourne for the “Bark At The Moon” tour.  The band was rounded out by mostly unknown musicians at the time consisting of Mark Free (Lead Vocals), Mick Sweda (Guitar), David Micheal Phillips (Guitar) and Johnny Rod (Bass).  All band members except for Appice had bleached-blonde hair that was considered somewhat of a unique look at that time. King Kobra released two studio albums featuring the original lineup for Capitol Records, Ready to Strike (1985) and Thrill of a Lifetime (1986). The song “Iron Eagle (Never Say Die)” was featured on the soundtrack album from the 1986 movie Iron Eagle and the video garnered the band a lot of airplay on MTV. Later, the band released King Kobra III (1988), Hollywood Trash (2001) with various lineups before reuniting the original lineup except for Free, who was replaced by Rough Cutt and Quiet Riot vocalist Paul Shortino for two albums with Frontiers Music, King Kobra (2011) and King Kobra II (2013). The band went on hiatus in 2013.

So…Where are they now?


Mark Free – vocals (1983-1987)

Mark Free performed lead vocals on the first two King Kobra albums “Ready to Strike” and “Thrill of a Lifetime” before leaving the band in 1986. Free then released two albums with the band “Signal” Loud & Clear (1989) and Signal Live (2000). Mark Free then fronted the band Unruly Child which released their debut in 1992. Free still fronts “Unruly Child” but has gone by Marcie Free after reportedly suffering from gender dysphoria for most of his/her life. People who experience gender dysphoria are typically transgender. Marcie Free has recorded the following albums with “Unruly Child” Tormented (1995), Worlds Collide (2010), Down the Rabbit Hole (2014), Can’t Go Home (2017), and Big Blue World (2019).


David Michael-Phillips – guitar, keyboards, synthesizers (1983-1989, 2010)

David played on five King Kobra albums: Ready to Strike (1985), Thrill of a Lifetime (1986), King Kobra III (1988), King Kobra (2011), and II (2013). David also played on two albums by Lizzy Borden as well as in the band Big Cock with Warrant’s Robert Mason.  David continues to compose and produce original projects as well as perform locally with his Arizona-based cover band Trailer Park


Mick Sweda – guitar, synthesizers (1983-1987, 2000-2001, 2010)

Mick Sweda left King Kobra in 1987 and started The BulletBoys with Lonnie Vincent and Marq Torien. The Bulletboys signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1988 and released three albums.  Their debut album received rave reviews from critics and fans alike, with many critics drawing a comparison in their sound to Van Halen.  However, the second and third albums sold less with each release and Sweda eventually left the band in 1993.  In 2020, The Bulletboys announced that the original lineup of Marq Torien, Lonnie Vincent, Mick Sweda, and Jimmy D’Anda would reunite and embark on a U.S. tour with the possibility of newly recorded material in the near future.


Johnny Rod – bass guitar (1983-1986, 2010)

Johnny Rod started out in his mainstream career with King Kobra. Rod left King Kobra to join W.A.S.P. in 1986. After W.A.S.P.’s The Last Command tour, guitarist Randy Piper departed the band. Former King Kobra bassist Johnny Rod joined W.A.S.P. as Lawless went back to playing rhythm guitar. He performed with W.A.S.P. from 1986–1989, and again from 1992–1993. In 2010 he reunited with the other King Kobra original members with Paul Shortino handling vocals in place of Mark “Marcie” Free.


Carmine Appice – drums (1983-1989, 2000-2001, 2010)

Carmine Appice has been in some of the great bands in rock history from the ’60s,  ’70s, and ’80s. Known for bands like Vanilla Fudge; Cactus;  Beck, Bogert & Appice; Rod Stewart; Ted Nugent, Ozzy Osbourne, King Kobra; and Blue Murder.  Appice started King Kobra after his stint of touring with Ozzy Osbourne for the “Bark At The Moon” album, Appice formed King Kobra. Later Carmine went on to form the critically acclaimed rock group “Blue Murder” with John Sykes. Recently, Carmine released the album Sinister as “Appice” with his brother Vinny Appice which showcases both brothers drumming skills. The two brothers have been doing Drum Wars performances for many years.

We asked Carmine a while back about King Kobra and the chance of a reunion with the original members and this is what he had to say about it:

XS ROCK: So you mentioned King Kobra. I’m a huge fan and I’ve followed the band since the first album, which is one of the best rock debut records to come out in the ’80s. Now the original vocalist was Mark Free, which has since undergone a transformation and is now known as Marcie Free. Do you still ever talk to each other anymore?

Interview With Legendary Drummer Carmine AppiceCarmine: I don’t anymore. I used to speak to “them” all of the time. I say them because it’s so weird for me to call Mark Free, Marcie now (laughs). About two or three years ago, I was doing a record deal with a label and we were just getting catalog stuff together. Somebody had given me a DVD of King Kobra live in Mexico. There’s no real money in it because people just don’t buy a lot of DVDs nowadays. So I had a deal that was maybe worth $500. It was going to cost me $150 to do the menus and all of that stuff. So we’d have $350 and we could just divide it equally among all of the original members. I just wanted to get it out there so the fans had something to watch because we never really had any live video footage. So Mark (Marcie) Free says no way! I’m not going to sell my voice for $50 and if you do it I’m going to sue you. I said, “come on dude, what are we talking about here?” We’re not talking about in the ’80s, there’s no money in this thing. We’re just doing it for the fans, really.  So I said, you know what? I don’t need to do it. I don’t financially or creatively need to do it. So if you don’t want to do it, then “Fuck it”! So that’s the last time that I talked to him.

Interview With Legendary Drummer Carmine Appice

XS ROCK: So there’s never going to be a chance that there will be a reunion of the original lineup then?

Carmine: No, no. When the Frontiers thing came about. I got Paul Shortino. He’s a well-known singer, and he said he’d love to do it. And we put out two of the greatest King Kobra records that I think we ever did. I want to do some live King Kobra shows next year because we have King Kobra at the Sweden Rock Festival coming out. So now David Michael-Phillips doesn’t want to tour and Mick Sweda is in the movie business. So I guess if we do come out, it’ll be me, Paul, Johnny Rod and the guitar player that we took out on the live album. He’s really great. We’ll have one original member and one really well-known member. Most bands only have one original member now anyways…(laughs).

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/KingKobraOfficial/

https://www.carmineappice.net

You May Also Like

Featured Articles

During the 80’s hard rock ruled the airwaves. Quiet Riot’s Metal Health became the first #1 metal album of all time. Soon after the...

Featured Articles

For every Motley Crue, Def Leppard, and Van Halen, There were many other bands that were really good, but somehow didn’t quite make it...

Hard Rock & Metal

Recently, I received an advanced release for Josh Todd & The Conflict’s debut album, “Year Of The Tiger”. Most of you probably know Josh...

Hard Rock & Metal

Formed in 1982 by Tom Keifer and Eric Brittingham, Cinderella was one of the biggest bands of the ’80s rock and metal era.  Following several...

Christian Rock & Metal

01. Stryper-Stryper has to be at the top of this list. Not because I think they’re the best, but because their contribution to Christian...

Hard Rock & Metal

Britny Fox was formed in 1985 with “Dizzy” Dean Davidson on vocals, former Cinderella drummer Tony Destra, former Cinderella guitarist Michael Kelly Smith and...

Featured Articles

  Battle Axe – Burn This Town Burn this town? More like burn this album cover! Although, apparently this was only supposed to be...

Featured Articles

The 1980s and early 90s saw hard rock and heavy metal go mainstream and reach a large audience worldwide. The genre was split into...

Featured Articles

During the 80’s glam and melodic metal ruled the airwaves. For all of the bands that made it big, there were plenty of other...

80s Rock & Pop

80s Rock & Pop

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts have just announced a brand new EP called Mindsets that’s releasing on June 2, 2023. Check out the first...

80s Rock & Pop

Tina Turner’s Official Facebook page has posted the following regarding the singer’s death: It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of...

The Go-Gos Jane Wiedlin Bares It All In New Photo On Her 65th Birthday The Go-Gos Jane Wiedlin Bares It All In New Photo On Her 65th Birthday

80s Rock & Pop

The Go-Gos guitarist and backing vocalist Jane Wiedlin happily shows of her birthday suit in a new photo on her 65th birthday. On Jane’s...

Who is Kate Bush, The New Rock Hall Of Fame Inductee? Who is Kate Bush, The New Rock Hall Of Fame Inductee?

80s Rock & Pop

While I rarely agree with The Rock N’ Roll Hall Of Fame and many of the inductees that it chooses, (even more so, the...

The University of Florida confers an honorary Doctor of Music degree on Tom Petty The University of Florida confers an honorary Doctor of Music degree on Tom Petty

80s Rock & Pop

In honor of the occasion, the Tom Petty family has established a powerful endowment to expand the Guitar program and the Music Business &...

Alternative-Punk-Electronic

Punk Legends PANSY DIVISION celebrates 30th Anniversary of "Undressed" with U.S. Shows

Alternative / Punk

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of their debut album Undressed (Lookout! Records, 1993), Pansy Division is hitting the road in 2023 for nine national shows...

Watch New Video For "Apartment For Two" By Punk Icons "The Hard-Ons" Watch New Video For "Apartment For Two" By Punk Icons "The Hard-Ons"

Alternative / Punk

Golden Robot Records is proud as punch to announce that Australian punk icons, The Hard-Ons, are back with a new single, impending album – and...

“Congratulations, You’re In A Cult” “Congratulations, You’re In A Cult”

Alternative / Punk

Alt-rock iconoclasts SIN SHAKE SIN are back with a brand new single! The trio’s latest offering, titled “Congratulations, You’re In A Cult”, is available...

Watch New Video For "Behead The King" By Death Ray Vision Watch New Video For "Behead The King" By Death Ray Vision

Alternative / Punk

Birthed at the juncture where hardcore and punk meet metal, DEATH RAY VISION have announced their forthcoming third album, No Mercy From Electric Eyes,...

Listen To New Song "Face Down" By Filter Listen To New Song "Face Down" By Filter

Alternative / Punk

“Face Down” the latest song from platinum-selling alternative-industrial rock pioneers Filter, will be available digitally today via Golden Robot Records. “Face Down” follows the release...

Alternative / Punk

SUM 41 has decided to disband after 27 years. You can see their statement below:

Rock News

Foo Fighters Announce New Album "But Here We Are"

Rock

But Here We Are is the new album from Foo Fighters, and marks the band’s return after a year of staggering losses, personal introspection,...

Listen To "Systematic Minds" By Sammy Hagar's Son Andrew Hagar Listen To "Systematic Minds" By Sammy Hagar's Son Andrew Hagar

Hard Rock & Metal

Rocker Andrew Hagar, son of the red rocker, Sammy Hagar, has released his latest single “Systematic Minds” to all major platforms. “As we race...

Aerosmith Announces "Peace Out" Final Tour Aerosmith Announces "Peace Out" Final Tour

Hard Rock & Metal

Announcing Aerosmith’s PEACE OUT Farewell Tour Today, four-time GRAMMY® award-winning and diamond-certified rock legends Aerosmith have announced their final outing – PEACE OUT with...

Triumph Announce US Festival 40th Anniversary Special Edition Package Triumph Announce US Festival 40th Anniversary Special Edition Package

Hard Rock & Metal

May 29, 1983 will forever be an important day in the history of heavy metal. After all, it was on this date that the world’s...

The Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde Wants Nothing To Do With The Rock Hall of Fame...Even After Being Inducted The Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde Wants Nothing To Do With The Rock Hall of Fame...Even After Being Inducted

80s Rock & Pop

Chrissie Hynde, the vocalist for the Pretenders, took to social media to vent her frustrations with the Rock N’ Roll Hall Of Fame, even...

Pink Floyd Release 50th Anniversary Dark Side Of The Moon Deluxe Box Set Pink Floyd Release 50th Anniversary Dark Side Of The Moon Deluxe Box Set

Rock

Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a deluxe box set to commemorate one of the best-selling...

Hard Rock & Metal News

Hard Rock & Metal

Extreme turn up the melody with new single “Other Side Of The Rainbow” – a track that joins the ranks of “More Than Words,” Hole...

Listen To Fates Warning Vocalist Ray Alder's New Song "My Oblivion" Listen To Fates Warning Vocalist Ray Alder's New Song "My Oblivion"

Hard Rock & Metal

Once again, just like for Ray Alder’s acclaimed solo debut album “What The Water Wants” back in 2019, the new album was written with...

Featured Articles

The 1980s were an awesome time thanks to the glam/hair metal scene. The image almost became as important as the music during this period,...

The Rods Release New Album "Live At Rose Hall" The Rods Release New Album "Live At Rose Hall"

Hard Rock & Metal

“Live at Rose Hall” by The Rods was independently released by the band on May 19, 2023. The Rods – “Live at Rose Hall”...

Hard Rock & Metal

After touring Australia and Japan as well as kicking off this year’s festival season by introducing new bassist Peter Baltes last month, U.D.O. —...

The mighty FIFTH ANGEL is proud to announce their epic fourth album, When Angels Kill, which will be released on June 16th, 2023 through Nuclear Blast Records. The mighty FIFTH ANGEL is proud to announce their epic fourth album, When Angels Kill, which will be released on June 16th, 2023 through Nuclear Blast Records.

Hard Rock & Metal

US metal legends FIFTH ANGEL have released a new single from their upcoming new studio album, When Angels Kill, which will be out on June 16th via...