Rose Tattoo are an Australian rock and roll band, founded by slide guitarist Pete Wells in 1976, lead vocalist Tony Lake, rhythm guitarist Leigh Johnston, bassist Ian Rilen, and drummer Michael Vandersluys completed the bands first line-up. The band currently consists of lead vocalist Angry Anderson (since 1976), drummer Paul DeMarco (who first joined in 1992), bassist Mark Evans (since 2017) and guitarists Mick Arnold and Ronnie Simmons (both since 2022).
Rose Tattoo were formed in Sydney in 1976 with Leigh Johnston on rhythm guitar, Tony Lake on lead vocals and they were led by slide guitarist Peter Wells. Drummer Michael Vandersluys completed the line-up.[1] [2] [3] Ian Rilen from Band of Light soon joined on bass guitar,[4] guitarist Mick Cocks soon replaced Johnston. Lake and Vandersluys were substituted by former Buster Brown members Angry Anderson and Dallas "Digger" Royall, respectively.
in 1977 Rillen departed, Buster Brown bass guitarist Geordie Leach was recruited to record their self-titled debut LP, Rose Tattoo. Leach left the band in May 1979 and was replaced by Neil Smith,[5] before Lobby Loyde joined in October. By September 1980, Loyde had left and Leach returned.
Robin Riley replaced Cocks in 1982. In 1983, after the US tour, Riley, Royall and Wells all left. The remaining duo of Anderson and Leach recruited guitarists Greg Jordan and John Meyer, and drummer Scott Johnston. After recording 1984's Southern Stars, Leach left and the band went on a brief hiatus while Anderson pursued acting.
In 1985, Rose Tattoo returned with the line-up of Anderson, Johnston, Meyer, Andy Cichon (bass, piano) and Tim Gaze (slide guitar), Meyer left in 1986 and the remaining line-up recorded Beats from a Single Drum. Cichon left in late 1986 and was replaced by Jake Lardot (bass) and Rick Melick (keys) before the band disbanded in 1987.
In the early 1990s, Anderson tried to reunite Rose Tattoo, but Dallas Royall died in 1991.[6] Rose Tattoo supported Guns N' Roses on the Australian leg of their Use Your Illusion Tour. Anderson, Wells, Cocks, Leach were joined by new drummer, Paul DeMarco, from Wells' solo band reunited for the 1993 tour. The reunion was brief as each returned to solo projects.
Rose Tattoo, with original bassist Ian Rilen replacing Leach, reformed yet again in 1998 for the "All Hell Breaks Loose!!" tour, however Rilen remained with the band only for the duration of this tour. By the following year, Leach had returned to the fold once more, although his place was taken by Steve King in 2000, around the same time Cocks departed and was replaced by a returning Riley.
In 2002, Wells was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, but he continued to perform with Rose Tattoo,[7] although he was subbed in 2004 by Dai Pritchard.[8] Wells died on 27 March 2006, Cocks returned in 2005, with Riley moving onto slide guitar in Wells absence.[9] Mick O'Shea briefly replaced DeMarco in 2006.[10] Dai Pritchard returned in 2007, replacing Riley, alongside Leach, replacing King.[11] Mick Cocks died of liver cancer on 22 December 2009,[12] he had previously been subbed by Riley who stayed after his death,[13] until his departure in 2011. Guitarist Randall Waller joined as Riley's replacement, Geordie Leach left in 2013.[14] Rose Tattoo were inactive following the arrest and imprisonment of drummer Paul DeMarco.[15]
The band returned in 2017, with Anderson and Pritchard joined by bassist Mark Evans, guitarist Bob Spencer, and drummer John Watson.[16] Watson was replaced by Jackie Barnes in 2018,[17] Barnes was replaced by Justin Ngariki in 2019,[18] who had previously subbed for him in 2018.[19] Pritchard departed in April 2021.[20]
In 2022 the band were joined by Mick Arnold on slide guitar and returning Paul DeMarco on drums.[21] Bob Spencer departed in late 2022 and was replaced by Ronnie Simmons.[22]
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angry Anderson | lead vocals | all releases | ||
| Paul DeMarco | drums | |||
| Mark Evans | 2017–present | Outlaws (2020) | ||
| Mick Arnold | 2022–present | none to date | ||
| Ronnie Simmons |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Wells | ||||
| Tony Lake | 1976 | lead vocals | none | |
| Michael "Stork" Vandersluys | drums | |||
| Leigh Johnston | ||||
| Ian Rilen | Rose Tattoo (1978) | |||
| Mick Cocks | ||||
| Dallas "Digger" Royall | 1976–1983 | drums | ||
| Gordon "Geordie" Leach | ||||
| Neil Smith | 1979 | bass guitar | none | |
| Lobby Loyde | 1979–1980 | |||
| Robin Riley | ||||
| Scott Johnston | 1983–1987 | |||
| John Meyer | 1983–1985 | guitar | Southern Stars (1984) | |
| Greg Jordan | 1983–1985 | |||
| Tim Gaze | 1985–1987 | Beats from a Single Drum (1986) | ||
| Andy Cichon | 1985–1986 | |||
| Rick Melick | 1987 | keyboards | none | |
| Jake Lardot | bass guitar | |||
| Steve King | 2000–2007 | |||
| Dai Pritchard | slide guitar | |||
| Mick O'Shea | 2005 | drums | none | |
| Randall Waller | 2013–2016 | guitar | ||
| Bob Spencer | 2017–2022 | Outlaws (2020) | ||
| John Watson | 2017–2018 | drums | none | |
| Jackie Barnes | 2018–2019 | Outlaws (2020) | ||
| Justin Ngariki | none |
| Period | Members | Releases | |
|---|---|---|---|
| early 1976 |
| none | |
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| mid 1976 – 1977 |
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| 1977 – May 1979 |
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| May – October 1979 |
| none | |
| October 1979 – September 1980 |
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| September 1980 – 1982 |
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| 1982 – 1983 |
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| 1983 – 1984 |
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| 1985 – 1986 |
| none | |
| 1986 |
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| 1987 |
| none | |
| Inactive 1987 – 1992 | |||
| 1992 – 1993 |
| none | |
| Inactive 1993 – 1998 | |||
| 1998 |
| none | |
| 1999 |
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| 2000 – 2004 |
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| 2004 |
| none | |
| 2004 – 2005 |
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| 2005 |
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| 2005 – 2006 |
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| 2006 – 2007 |
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| 2007 – 2009 |
| none | |
| 2009 – 2011 |
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| 2011 – 2013 |
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| Inactive 2013 – 2017 | |||
| 2017 – 2018 |
| none | |
| 2018 – 2019 |
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| 2019 – 2021 |
| none | |
| 2022 |
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| 2022 – present |
| none to date | |