Autograph

Despite scoring a massive MTV hit with their very first single, "Turn Up the Radio," Autograph quickly got lost in the shuffle of the thriving L.A. pop-metal scene. Formed in the early '80s by vocalist/guitarist Steve Plunkett, guitarist Steve Lynch, bassist Randy Rand, keyboard player Steven Isham, and drummer Keni Richards, the band seemed to have it all: a fine commercial hard rock debut in 1984's Sign In Please, good looks, great hair, and even a cartoonish drummer (half jock, half animal). Still, it wasn't enough, and by the time they released the following year's disappointing This Is the Stuff, Autograph's 15 minutes were pretty much up. 1987's Loud and Clear showed improvement, but arrived too late to save the band, which split up soon after. A posthumous collection of outtakes called Missing Pieces was released a decade later. ~ Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide