XYZ’s Terry Ilous and Patt Fontaine – EP090

Episode Description:

We talk with XYZ’s founders Terry Ilous and Patt Fontaine about their history and the recent Monsters Of Rock Cruise, as well as what’s coming up for the band.  Since we love XYZ, we decide to do a quick top 3 showcasing some of our favorite tunes from the band’s catalog.

What’s The Story?

XYZ came together in Lyon (France) where bassist Patt Fontaine and vocalist Terry Ilous were born and grew up. The band migrated to Los Angeles in 1986. XYZ started off as the unofficial house band of “The Whisky A Go Go“. The original members were Terry Ilous (vocals), Bobby Pieper (guitars), Patt Fontaine (bass) and Joey Pafumi (drums). A tour of the US with Enuff Z’Nuff and Alice Cooper followed the success of their 1989 Enigma-released debut album, and they were signed by major label Capitol for their second. – Source Wikipedia

The Band’s History

XYZ played clubs throughout the mid 1980’s and first got a record deal in 1989 with Don Dokken as their producer. Ilous and Fontaine then recruited Mark Diglio (guitars) and Paul Monroe (drums) to replace the departing Pieper and Pafumi, to record their debut album. Terry Ilous’s vocal style on the band’s first album was very similar to Dokken’s. The album contained the hits “Inside Out” and “What Keeps Me Loving You.” Videos for both songs received reasonable airplay and the album reached No. 99 on the Billboard charts. A third single from the album, “Maggy,” was used in the 1990 Dolph LundgrenmovieI Come in Peace.

The next album, Hungry, released in 1991, failed to chart, but I loved it. Diglio and Monroe left the band and were replaced by Tony Burnett and Joey Shapiro, respectively. After the next tour was finished, band members went separate ways once again. XYZ reunited in 2002 with the lineup of Ilous, Fontaine, Tony Marcus, and Shapiro, and still perform to the present day. – Source Wikipedia

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2 thoughts on “XYZ’s Terry Ilous and Patt Fontaine – EP090

  1. XYZ is an incredible band. Thank you for doing this interview. Seems like Hollywooooooooooooooooood took the leading role and did a great job. Keep up the great work.

    1. Well Dr. Love – Thanks for listening. Glad you like XYZ like us. Your perception is dead on – Hollywoooood did take the lead on that and did d an awesome job as always. That why we love our partnership. Teamwork makes the Dreamwork LOL – Again thanks for listening and thanks for the feedback. Rock On !!

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