Tesla

Tesla Artistfacts

  • 1981-
    Jeff KeithVocals1981-
    Tommy SkeochGuitar1984-2006
    Frank HannonGuitar, keyboards1981-
    Brian WheatBass1981-
    Troy LucckettaDrums1984-2021
    Steve BrownDrums2021-
  • They are named after scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla, who they learned about from a book called Tesla: Man Out of Time. Nikola Tesla got kind of a raw deal historically, with his peer Thomas Edison becoming much more famous. The band tried to raise his profile by giving the Smithsonian Institute a bust of the scientist, which they rejected. Tesla the scientist got a lot more recognition with the 2020 movie about him, titled Tesla.
  • A Tesla is a unit of magnetic flux. Many of us learned about it in physics class but quickly forgot about it. One who didn't was Elon Musk, who named his electric car company Tesla.
  • Tesla is a very durable band, active since 1981 with a hiatus from 1995-1999. Their three core members - lead singer Jeff Keith, guitarist Frank Hannon and bass player Brian Wheat - have been with them since they formed.
  • They formed in Sacramento, California, where they build their following. A disk jockey at the local radio station KRXQ helped get them back together to tour by organizing a reunion concert on October 25, 2000 that was very well received.
  • Jeff Keith lived in small towns in Arkansas and Oklahoma before coming to Sacramento after high school and joining the band. "I'm just a small-town boy," he said in a Songfacts interview. "I didn't join the band till I was 24. And never grew up with the magazines going, 'I want to be a rock star.'"
  • Tesla's first big hit was "Love Song" in 1989. They promoted the song by doing a lot of radio station performances where they played the song acoustically since it wasn't practical to bring amps around with them. These acoustic sets went over so well, they booked a show at the Trocadero Theatre in Philadelphia in 1990 on a day off when they were opening for Mötley Crüe, where they played a full acoustic concert with selected covers, including "Signs," originally recorded by the Five Man Electrical Band in 1970. The show went really well, so they put it out as an album called Five Man Acoustical Jam and issued "Signs" as a single. The song went to #8 and energized the "unplugged" trend, leading to hit acoustic covers of "I'll Be There" by Mariah Carey and "Layla" by Eric Clapton.
  • No Tesla album ever charted in the American Top 10, but none of their albums charted any lower than #33, a testament to their loyal fanbase.

Comments: 10

  • Ily from Wellington, New ZealandAwesome band!!! I cant Belive they aren't famous
  • Lester from New York City, Ny'Psychotic Supper' and 'The Great Radio Controversy' are two GREAT rock albums.
  • Samantha from Missouri, Moi love tesla they have such a good band and great song!
  • Coverqueen from Schuyler, United StatesTommy Skeoch was born on Feb. 5, 1962, in Santa Monica, CA. He is not from Yugoslavia.
  • Greg from Okc, OkWas the introduction to Love Song (by Tesla) based on or actually a classical piece? Bueller? Bueller?
  • Bubba from Perth, AustraliaNikola Tesla is of Yugoslav decent... and it seems that Tommy Skeoch is from that region...
  • Shari from Whittier, CaNo, they were not Navu Seals. Also, Tesla is not a horrible band, obviously you just have absolutely no taste.
  • Mike from Baltimore, MdGreat scientist, horrible band. Heavy metal crap.
  • Rick from Austin, TxTesla..One of the greatest/underrated True Rock and Roll bands of all time. Great lyrics Awesome guitar licks and kick ass vocals. What happend to rock and roll like this..
  • James from Anaheim, CaWhen I was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, I heard the band members were former "Navy Seabees". Is this true?
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