1. Dana Strum first achieved commercial success as a member of an ex-Kiss guitarist act, Vinnie Vincent Invasion, along with his future Slaughter bandmate Mark Slaughter.
44 Facts About Dana Strum
1. 2.
Dana Strum was born in Washington, DC and spent his childhood in Pasadena, California.
3.
Dana Strum's father was a scientist working in neurobiology and a professor and researcher of psychiatry and neuroscience.
4.
Dana Strum began playing bass guitar aged eight despite his parents' disapproval.
5.
Dana Strum began playing professionally on the Los Angeles Club Circuit aged sixteen.
6.
Dana Strum began his career in the late 1970s as a member of the progressive hard rock band BadAxe in Los Angeles, California.
7.
In November 1976, BadAxe recorded an album at Stronghold Studios with Dana Strum serving as producer.
8.
Dana Strum left BadAxe in the summer of 1979 when he was offered the opportunity to audition for Ozzy Osbourne and become his new bass player.
9.
Dana Strum is credited with introducing Randy Rhoads to Osbourne at that time.
10.
In January 1983, while still a member of Modern Design, Dana Strum held auditions for Ozzy Osbourne, who was searching for a replacement guitar player following the death of Randy Rhoads in a plane crash in March 1982.
11.
Dana Strum contributed to the album as a writer on the tracks "Good Girl" and "Looks Like Trouble".
12.
In 1985, Dana Strum joined former Kiss guitarist Vinnie Vincent to form Vinnie Vincent Invasion.
13.
Mark Slaughter, who Dana Strum met while producing Sin, was brought in as the Vinnie Vincent Invasion new lead vocalist.
14.
Dana Strum spent the next months touring North America with Vinnie Vincent Invasion, opening for acts such as Alice Cooper and Iron Maiden.
15.
Dana Strum played somewhat of a producer role to Vinnie as they tracked solos, since he offered excellent suggestions and direction along the way, and got great performances out of him.
16.
Dana Strum was an extraordinary engineer when it came to "punching in", which is kind of like doing live edits.
17.
Dana Strum was credited as co-producer, arranger, and engineer while recording the band's albums.
18.
Bobby Rock stated in an interview that Dana Strum played a producer role to Vinnie Vincent, offering suggestions and direction while tracking solos, and being "an extraordinary engineer when it came to "punching in.
19.
Dana Strum revealed that despite having similar modes of thought, he and Slaughter were "two distinctly different animals".
20.
Dana Strum produced the band's debut album, Stick It To Ya, alongside Mark Slaughter.
21.
Dana Strum described it as the "most ridiculously fun thing" they had done as a band.
22.
The album was recorded in the same studio the band tracked their first, The Red Zone in Burbank, California, with drums recorded at Pasha Records, where Dana Strum had previously worked and lived.
23.
Dana Strum later explained that it was their "way of giving the fans something the regular public couldn't get".
24.
In September 1992, Dana Strum was invited to serve as a guest host for the popular radio show Rockline, filling in for Bob Coburn.
25.
Dana Strum played an instrumental role in the production of Slaughter's third studio album, Fear No Evil.
26.
Dana Strum later admitted that if he hadn't been wearing a helmet he'd be dead.
27.
The tour, for which Dana Strum came up with the name and concept, was created to showcase bands from the "hair-metal" era, with acts like Whitesnake, Vince Neil, Warrant, and Ratt.
28.
Dana Strum has remained active with Slaughter in the last two decades even though they haven't released any new studio material since their album Back To Reality.
29.
In 2007, Dana Strum joined Vince Neil's solo band as the bass player.
30.
The decision to recruit Dana Strum was made at Jeff Blando's suggestion, who was tasked with assembling a backing band for Neil.
31.
In 1978, Dana Strum played bass in the band BadAxe and regularly performed on the LA Club Circuit, sharing the stage with the acts such as Van Halen and Quiet Riot.
32.
Dana Strum was ultimately recruited as Osbourne's new bassist and the two spent time driving around LA to audition prospective guitarists.
33.
Dana Strum suggested Rhoads as the ideal candidate for the band Osbourne did not take his suggestion.
34.
In September 1979, Dana Strum contacted Rhoads frequently to persuade him to audition for a new band that Ozzy Osbourne was forming.
35.
However, Dana Strum, who had booked the studio time and convinced Rhoads to come down to play despite his lack of interest in Black Sabbath, was determined not to let this opportunity pass.
36.
Dana Strum woke Osbourne up, pulled him into a dimly lit control room and made him listen to Rhoads' playing.
37.
Dana Strum toured with Osbourne's band in Europe and North America.
38.
George Lynch was reportedly upset by the decision, with Strum later recalling that Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne favored Jake E Lee's overall vibe and style.
39.
Dana Strum was influenced by various musical styles throughout his life.
40.
In 2012, Dana Strum acknowledged Black Sabbath's groundbreaking approach to music, stating that "nobody sounds like these people" and that they were "onto something different".
41.
Dana Strum revealed that the Fender Prcision still had its stock pickups, stating that it was the only bass that he had ever recorded with.
42.
In recent years, Dana Strum has been using a white Bluesman Vintage custom Superbird bass during his live performances.
43.
Dana Strum produced and co-wrote the themes for the syndicated radio programs "Rockline" and "Powercuts".
44.
Dana Strum is often falsely credited as the guitar store clerk in the movie Wayne's World.