Saraya was an American
hard rock
Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...
band, based in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
and featuring singer Sandi Saraya, guitarist
Tony "Bruno" Rey
Tony "Bruno" Rey is an American guitarist, writer, producer and arranger who has worked with bands including Saraya, the Mike Pont Band, Danger Danger, Billy Joel, Janet Jackson, Enrique Iglesias, Joan Jett & the Black Hearts, Kathie Lee, Tayl ...
, keyboardist Gregg Munier, bassist Gary Taylor, and drummer Chuck Bonfante. The band is best known for their 1989 song "Love Has Taken Its Toll".
History
In 1987, Sandi Saraya and keyboardist Gregg Munier began performing under the name Alsace Lorraine.
They eventually travelled to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
in search of stardom, changing their name to Saraya, because Sandi was the face of the band. After a short stint in Los Angeles, the band returned to New Jersey where Saraya and Munier spent the next year writing material for their debut album. Later in 1987, Saraya and Munier were joined by former
Danger Danger
Danger Danger is an American hard rock band formed in Queens, New York, in 1986.
History
Danger Danger was formed in 1986 by former Hotshot members lead vocalist Mike Pont (joined in 1987), bassist Bruno Ravel, and drummer Steve West (joine ...
guitarist
Tony "Bruno" Rey
Tony "Bruno" Rey is an American guitarist, writer, producer and arranger who has worked with bands including Saraya, the Mike Pont Band, Danger Danger, Billy Joel, Janet Jackson, Enrique Iglesias, Joan Jett & the Black Hearts, Kathie Lee, Tayl ...
, bassist Gary Taylor, and drummer Chuck Bonfante.
Saraya released their self-titled debut on PolyGram Records in 1989. Executives at PolyGram hoped to eventually develop Sandi Saraya into a
sex symbol
A sex symbol or icon is a person or character widely considered sexually attractive and often synonymous with sexuality. Pam Cook, "The trouble with sex: Diana Dors and the Blonde bombshell phenomenon", In: Bruce Babinigton (ed.), ''British St ...
, making her the "Next
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Sayreville, New Jersey in 1983. The band consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarists John Shanks and Phil X, percussionist Everett Bradley ...
". Promoters wanted to establish Saraya as a good rock band and gradually establish Sandi's sex appeal as the band received more exposure. The debut album saw some success, spending 39 weeks on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 79. Their first single, "Love Has Taken Its Toll" reached No. 64 on the Billboard 100, on the week of August 12, 1989, and their followup "Back to the Bullet" peaked at No. 63
on the week of December 2. The ballad "Timeless Love", released by future
EMI
EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...
label SBK Records, was actually recorded as a Sandi Saraya solo project and she was accompanied by session musicians, only that it was credited to her true band's name. Still, "Timeless Love" became their third and last single on the Hot 100, staying even lower at No. 85 on the week of January 20, 1990. Produced and penned by
Desmond Child
John Charles Barrett (born October 28, 1953), known professionally as Desmond Child, is an American songwriter and record producer. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008. He has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, a Primet ...
, it was Saraya's only song written and recorded for a film, in that case the horror comedy ''
Shocker''. Child explained in November 1989 that, pressed to meet a deadline, he got the idea to wrap Sandi Saraya in huge chains so that she could give her all in singing her lines during the "Timeless Love" session, after explaining to her the background of the song, because her previous takes were unemotional and unsuccessful. She later asked to be chained during the overdubs.
After the first
album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
, there were several line-up changes.
Barry Dunaway
Barry Dunaway is an American rock bassist, vocalist, and composer. His professional music career dates back to his early 1970s roles in groups Cheyenne and Bittersweet, and he performed with bands fronted by artists Pat Travers, Joe Lynn Turner, an ...
(formerly of
Yngwie Malmsteen
Yngwie Johan Malmsteen (; born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck, on 30 June 1963) is a Swedish-American guitarist. He first became known in the 1980s for his neoclassical metal, neoclassical playing style in heavy metal music, heavy metal, and has ...
) replaced Gary Taylor on bass.
Munier recorded keyboards and backing vocals on the second album, ''When the Blackbird Sings'',
but was unhappy with the direction of the music as it was more guitar driven.
He later left the band and was replaced with guitarist John Roggio.
After break-up
Sandi Saraya (now Sandra "Sandi" Saraya) was briefly married to Brian Wheat of
Tesla in the early 90s, but their marriage ended due to touring pressures. She then married actor Brendan Kelly in 1995 and lives in Princeton, New Jersey with her 5 children Peneth, Epith, Mowgly, Scotch, and Drax Kelly.
Gregg Munier died on February 3, 2006, at the age of 44, from complications of
pneumonia
Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...
. He is survived by his two sons, Shayne and Lucas.
Tony Rey has been the most prolific of all the band members, playing, writing and recording with, as well as producing, many prominent artists in the music industry, from
Joan Jett
Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin; September 22, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actress. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music#J, Godmother of Punk", she is regarded as a Pop icon, rock icon and ...
to
Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler (; born 8 May 1975) is a Spanish singer and songwriter. He started his recording career in the mid-1990s on the Mexican label Fonovisa where he released three Spanish albums ''Enrique Iglesias (album), Enrique ...
to
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. One of the List of music artists by net worth, wealthiest musicians in the world, List of awards and nominations received by Rihanna, her vario ...
.
In October 2010, Saraya planned to reunite for the Firefest Music Festival in the UK. Issues between Sandi Saraya and the Firefest Team, however, prevented the band from performing at the festival.
Final members
*Sandra "Sandi" Saraya - lead vocals, tambourine (1987-1992)
*
Tony "Bruno" Rey
Tony "Bruno" Rey is an American guitarist, writer, producer and arranger who has worked with bands including Saraya, the Mike Pont Band, Danger Danger, Billy Joel, Janet Jackson, Enrique Iglesias, Joan Jett & the Black Hearts, Kathie Lee, Tayl ...
- lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1987-1992)
*Chuck Bonfante - drums, percussion (1987-1992)
*
Barry Dunaway
Barry Dunaway is an American rock bassist, vocalist, and composer. His professional music career dates back to his early 1970s roles in groups Cheyenne and Bittersweet, and he performed with bands fronted by artists Pat Travers, Joe Lynn Turner, an ...
- bass guitar, backing vocals (1990-1992)
*Johnny "John" Roggio - rhythm and lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1991-1992)
Past members
*Gregg Munier - keyboards, piano, backing and lead vocals (1987-1991; died 2006)
*Gary "Skid" Taylor - bass guitar, backing vocals (1987-1990)
Discography
Albums
*''Saraya'' (1989)
# Love Has Taken Its Toll 5:21
# Healing Touch 4:43
# Get U Ready 3:11
# Gypsy Child 4:39
# One Night Away 4:39
# Alsace Lorraine 0:50
# Runnin' Out of Time 4:14
# Back to the Bullet 3:58
# Fire to Burn 4:38
# Saint Christopher's Medal 4:21
# Drop the Bomb 5:54
*''When the Blackbird Sings'' (1991)
# Queen of Sheba 6:17
# Bring Back the Light 6:05
# Hitchin' a Ride 5:44
# When You See Me Again... 4:37
# Tear Down the Wall 5:27
# Seducer 6:11
# When the Blackbird Sings... 5:29
# Lion's Den 4:14
# In the Shade of the Sun 4:44
# White Highway 5:08
# New World 3:36
Singles
*"Timeless Love", off the ''
Shocker'' soundtrack (1989)
*"Back to the Bullet", rock mix (1989)
References
{{Authority control
American hard rock musical groups
American pop rock music groups
Glam metal musical groups from New Jersey
Musical groups established in 1987
Musical groups disestablished in 1992
Polydor Records artists
Rock music groups from New Jersey
SBK Records artists