Roxus

courtesy of www.myspace.com/roxusband

Big hair and hard rock were the impetus behind Roxus' drive up the Australian charts during the early 90s.

The band had been playing Van Halen and Living Colour-styled rock around Melbourne(their hometown) and Sydney since 1987,(touring with the likes of The Angels,The Divinyls,Underworld...) but it was as a support act to Poison and Bon Jovi during their respective Australian tours in 1989 and 1990, that first brought the band to mass public attention.

Ian "Molly" Meldrum signed the band to his Melodian label (through Michael Gudinski!s Mushroom Records) and issued two singles in 1989: "Stand Back" and "Body Heat" both produced by American Jim Faracci,best known for his earlier work with LA Guns

By 1990, Roxus had cemented itself as a popular live drawcard; the band's style of black leather, bandannas, and ripped jeans were exemplified by popular lead singer Juno Roxas and a live EP was released, Roxus Live,(recorded at Melboune Billboard) to capitalize on their perceived overnight success.


Early 1991 saw Australian stalwart Mark Opitz appointed as chief producer for their debut album(Later to be titled Nightstreet)
Opitz had worked with virtually the entirity of the Australian rock industry(The Angels,AC DC,INXS,Jimi Barnes,Divynls,Cold Chisel,Swanee,Richard Clapton) with his most recent client being Croatian metal Gods,Steelheart.
In April 1991, Roxus supported Warrant during their Australian tour and released their debut full-length album, Nightstreet.
It reached number 5 on the Australian national charts and spawned the top 5 single,"Where are you now?"

The band went on to record four songs for what was suppsoed to be their second album with American producer/singer/songwriter, Jeff Paris but the record was niether finished nor any of the material released.