Joel Ellis grew up in the Rock & Roll capital of the world, Cleveland, Ohio during the greatest era in Rock history. Rising up from the mean streets and smokey bar scene of the 1970s classic Rock era in the rust belt and within months after landing in Hollywood, he quickly became a major label artist thanks to Atlantic Recordsfounder, Ahmet Ertigun's impeccable eye for talent. At the time, Joel was fronting his hometown band Merri Hoaxx. However, he would also lend his vox to Warner Brother's Rough Cutt who even opened for the legendary Ronnie James Dio!
He then formed Cats In Boots in Hollywood, CA, in 1987 when Guitarist Takashi "Jam" Ohashi and bassist Yasuhiro "Butch" Hatae, came from Tokyo to LA and met lead vocalist Joel Ellis and drummer Randy Meers. After seeing Joel and Randy perform live, Takashi and Yasuhiro convinced the pair to jam. The boys quickly found their groove and laid down studio tracks for the self-produced Demonstration East Meets West. Immediately after the final LP was pressed the self-managed band embarked on a 60 date high-energy rock tour in Japan as their shows oversold and the record went to #1 on the inde charts with an impressive 50,000 units monthly through Japanese fan magazines in the Japan Rock underground. After getting the dizzying phone call from Joel in Tokyo, Frank Zappa responded “Joel, we should all have such problems, enjoy all that’;s coming to you, don’t sign anything, and I’ll have you a deal before your plane touches a US runway”, and that is exactly the story for the band as they were signed to EMI and the classic Kicked and Klawedalbum was released. After receiving great reviews, charting singles, radio and MTV airplay, the band enjoyed gold status and returned to Japan with yet another #1 spot and a Billboard Top 3 record of the year behind 1) Prince’s Batman Soundtrack and 2) The Rolling Stones Steel Wheels and one spot above their label mate Richard Marx.
In 1990 lead vocalist Joel Ellis of Cats in Boots, formed Heavy Bones, which is a more musically versatile and dynamic band with songwriting reminiscent of classic 70’s bands. In his quest to fulfill a new deal offer from Warner Bros with a new band, Joel found guitarist Gary Hoey living a block away in Hollywood, and rang up his good friend Franki Banali (Quiet Riot) and later bassist Rex Tennyson would charm the guys in audition to complete the lineup. Released on the specialized Warner Bros. label Reprise Records in 1991, Heavy Bones is a vibe, it gets down into your bones. To the group, Bones is a Rock musical metaphor of the soul, and the album does much more than get into your soul, it affixes itself to in your mind. The songs have a special dreaminess about them, in the midst of heavy grinding hard hitting grooves and there's always a sweeping melodic change, a catchy chorus, or an amazing riff right around the corner that will grab your attention and keep you wanting more, and after all these years more Heavy Bones is finally here in this 3 part series and limited re-issue beginning with Volume One of The Real Heavy Bones.
After Heavy Bones, Joel evolved from a creative cleansing, enlightening, and energizing experience with Bobby Womack and The Stones to write, produce, and record his innovative sessions for Ellis Island solo effort together with Cats guitarist Takashi “Jam” Ohashi and a talented LA blues guitarist named Jimmy Zollo and noting the major influence of Bobby Womack and Keith Richards while he swapped session nights with Bobby during his “Resurrection” studio Lp sessions.
The Ellis Island sessions were recorded in the early day’s Hollywood apartment basement studio of Jimi Hendrix’s and later the studio host for Frank Zappa’s Hot Rats Lp, and also included several new players: Phil Chen on bass (Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart), Larry Abberman on drums (Stevie Ray & Vaughn Bros), Spider Middowman on baritone sax (Goddamn Liars, Tom Waits), George Shelby on tenor and piccolo sax (Anita Baker, Sting), Hassim Jeffries on 6 string fretless bass, Michael Lord piano, engineered by Barry Saunders (Moody Blues). From this 24hr -7-day experience 7 songs were created. This was picked up by Shelly Yakus and A&M Records and mixed at A&M Studios in Hollywood. This project destined for success on A&M Records was upended by a series of black swans beginning with his father’s cancer, the ’94 LA earthquake, fatherhood, and the industry flood of Rap music only now to be yet another of the resurrected Joel Ellis Master’s Series in production in 2024. Teaming up with world renowned Russian artist Uldus Bahktiozina for their “Collaboration For Peace through the power of Art”, ( joelEllisMusic.com/collaboration-for-peace) Ellis Island will not only be available in 2025 on a very limited remixed vinyl release of its own, but will also be featured in the collaboration as a museum exhibit music video and select global theater sound and vision production.
In 2013, Joel teamed up with his son, Joey Angel (age 16 on guitars), to produce the Ellis&Angel sessions, in what began as a professional studio recording learning experience for Joey but becoming an Ep worthy of SONY Music Nashville interest and immediate fan favorite on KJ97 San Antonio’s Sunday night listener show after catching the attention of the Clearwater VP of programming and Nashville producer George Tutko (Rod Stewart, Merri Hoaxx).
Joel states “E&A was a magical production where everything came out right, fell into the groove, and you didn’t want to go back to change a thing.” Ellis and Angel is impressively backed by engineer Dave Jenkins (Roy Thomas Baker, Alan Parsons), John “JT” Thomas piano-B3 (Bruce Hornsby, Tracy Chapman), Don Peak guitar ((Ray Charles, Motown, Phil Specter), Chris Mostert sax (The Eagles, Joe Walsh), Dave Chamberlin bass (Albert Lee), Lisa Haley fiddle (Grammy -Blue Fiddle), Richie Onori drums (DIO, Slash, The Sweet), and members of Bonnie Raitt’s band. Ellis and Angel have a unique blend of Rock n Roll, bluesy countrified Classic Rock feel and a true gutsy melodic sound with Joel’s smooth but trademark edgy vocals and Joey’s old-soul glassy to grinding mature guitar work, their music transcends genres and generations.
Joel has returned to the city of his Rock and Roll roots, Cleveland Ohio, now as the solo artist Joel Ellis and producing partner of .5bd Music Productions to embark on the next chapter of his musical and artistic journey. Joel Ellis Music or JEM, will encompass unheard treasures from the past as well as new material and unique collaborations. Fans can expect the new multi-volume Real Heavy Bones and the WMG Heavy Bones ’92 debut remastered and specially packaged reissue in 2024 in addition to the full catalog of unreleased and past releases of Cats In Boots, Merri Hoaxx, and solo efforts of the Joel Ellis Masters Series, subscribe and follow one of Rock’s most talented artists at JoelEllisMusic.com.
The Real Heavy Bones Volume One is available January 12, 2024
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