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American Heartbreak Biography

american-heartbreak
  • Formed in: San Francisco, CA
  • Years Active: 2000s
  • Genre: Rock & Alternative

San Francisco's American Heartbreak was formed in 1996 by guitarist Billy Rowe, recently orphaned by the dissolution of the commercially ignored but critically favored Jetboy, also featuring ex-Hanoi Rocks man Sam Yaffa. Together with vocalist Lance Boone, bassist Michael Butler (formerly a member of Bay Area thrash kings Exodus!), and a few long since departed musicians, Rowe introduced American Heartbreak's '70s-based glam rock formula (think T. Rex, Starz, Cheap Trick, and of course, the New York Dolls) to fans with 1997's What You Deserve EP, but it would take an additional three years before the band's first full-length, Postcards from Hell, finally surfaced. 2001 saw the release of a split CD with the Libertines and the arrival of rhythm guitarist Casey Crenshaw; 2003, the release of the part-live/part-studio/part-acoustic/all-sardonic You Will Not Be Getting Paid collection; and, following ever increasing touring stints with Backyard Babies, the Donnas, and others, American Heartbreak (now rounded out by drummer Paul Scavuzzo) recorded and released their eponymous second LP through Liquor and Poker in 2006. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, Rovi

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