Metal After Midnight: Alcatrazz “Islands In The Sun”

Alcatrazz was a band formed to showcase former Rainbow vocalist Graham Bonnet and Swedish superstar guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen.

Former Iron Maiden driver Clive Burr was originally in the band but quit after they set up base in the United States.

Malmsteen was only in the band for a year or so before being replaced by Steve Vai.  The rest of the band was a revolving door as well that prevented the band from ever achieving mainstream success.  They were and still are big in Japan and other places throughout the world.  One of their downfalls was lack of a real image in the early days of MTV.  Bonnet's suit and tie look never really took off with Metalheads, I remember some people thinking he was Robert Palmer!

They had a huge Rainbow influence and considering the members who came and went they were an important band in the formation of the early days of Melodic Power Metal.