Kane Roberts

Kane Roberts (born Robert William Athas; January 16, 1962) is an American heavy metal guitarist best known for his tenure in Alice Cooper's band from 1985 to 1988.[1] Additionally, he has performed as a solo act, and his cover of the unreleased Bon Jovi song "Does Anybody Really Fall In Love Anymore" (which had already been covered by Cher on her Heart of Stone album) cracked the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. He also played a cameo role as a forklift driver in Wes Craven's Shocker.

Kane Roberts
Birth nameRobert William Athas
Born (1962-01-16) January 16, 1962
GenresHard rock, Glam metal, Heavy metal
Occupation(s)Musician, Singer-Songwriter, Video game designer, Guitarist, Body Builder
InstrumentsGuitar, Vocals, Bass, Drums, Keyboard
Years active1985–present
Associated actsAlice Cooper, Steve Vai, Status Quo, Berlin, Rod Stewart, Desmond Child

Roberts is notable for his Rambo-like appearance and physique and his usage of an electric guitar shaped like a machine gun.

Career

Roberts was the guitarist who played on Alice Cooper's Constrictor and Raise Your Fist and Yell and their respective tours. He is the man responsible for Alice's metal years in the late 1980s,[1] as he co-wrote nearly every track from those albums. Just by being on stage, he was a part of the show with his huge physique and rocket shooting guitars.[1]

After Raise Your Fist, Roberts released his first solo album, Kane Roberts,[1] which featured Cooper's lyrics on "Full Pull." He then guested on Cooper's 1989 Trash album, playing guitar on "Bed of Nails," which he co-wrote. Two years later, he released a second solo album, Saints and Sinners,[1] which contained the Bon Jovi-penned "Does Anybody Really Fall in Love Anymore?", previously recorded by Cher as well.

While he is primarily a guitar player, Roberts is also a skilled vocalist, capable of extreme high range, as is evident on his solo projects. He has contributed backing vocals on several albums, including Steve Vai's Sex & Religion, Desmond Child's Discipline, and the song "Shocker" by the Dudes of Wrath, which served as the title track from the 1989 film of the same name.

His additional musical contributions include playing on the Bob Ezrin-produced Count Three & Pray album by Berlin, and the 1986 Rod Stewart album Every Beat of My Heart. He also co-wrote "Take It Off" with Paul Stanley and Bob Ezrin, which appeared on Kiss' Revenge album.

Roberts took a long hiatus from music after his second solo album, but returned in 1999 with a band called Phoenix Down, named for a life potion in the video game franchise Final Fantasy. Phoenix Down recorded two albums, entitled Under A Wild Sky and New Place Now.[2] Fans of both say that much of the record is inspired by the seventh game in the series, one of Roberts' favorite games.

After several years away from the music industry, working in graphic arts and as a video game programmer, Roberts began work on a new album, Touched, in 2006.

On October 23, 2011, Roberts performed with Talon at Firefest VIII, marking his first live performance in over twenty years. In 2012, Roberts released Unsung Radio, a collection of previously unreleased tracks. In 2016, Roberts featured on a track for the Northern Ireland-based hard rock outfit, Maverick. The track and video (also featuring Kane) for "Asylum" also included Jakob Samuel from Sweden's The Poodles.

On January 25, 2019, Roberts released a new solo album, The New Normal, on Frontiers Records.

In late 2019 it was reported that Kane Roberts is working on his next solo album which was described as being heavier than the previous album.

Discography

Studio albums

with Alice Cooper

with Phoenix Down
  • Under a Wild Sky (1999)
  • New Place Now (2000)
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References
  1. Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who’s Who of Heavy Metal (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 299. ISBN 0-85112-656-1.
  2. https://www.sickthingsuk.co.uk/08-musicians/m-kaneroberts.php
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