Cherry Bomb brought fire to the stages wherever they performed. The band were one of the few all girl bands of the time, before the days when being in a girl band was a way of life as it has become in the 21st century. The year was 1991 when the band first formed in Akron, Ohio. By March of 1992, Cherry Bomb started a trek that went on through November of 1995. Through good times and bad times, member changes, and thrilling shows, the band had one thing in its favor…the determination to play their own brand of rock and roll and treat their fans to Cherry Bomb’s music by performing live.

Cherry Bomb performed 120 shows over their 4+ year history including performances with Girlschool, Trixter, Living Colour, Southgang, Dee Snyder, Slaughter, and Bon Jovi. They released an LP, Code Green, recorded an LP at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles with former Runaways manager Kim Fowley producing and recorded with producer Jack Ponte.

The rock and roll music world has been a male dominated industry. The picking order has been for the men in the music business and the attitudes toward the women who dare challenge the same turf had better beware and prepared for the worst. While being an all-girl rock band will give you attention, it also can work against you. Cherry Bomb kept true to themselves and did not let these issues stand in their way.

 

Once guitarist Jen Elliot joined the band (Christmas of 1992) it did not take the band long to realize that recording was the next step for the band. In January, the band began recording their full length LP, Code Green at Modern Recording Studios in Cleveland. By April the recordings were complete and the single, “Lay Down in My Love” was already buzzing the local airwaves winning five consecutive nights on WRQK-FM’s “Rock Wars”. By the end of April the band began performing live with the new lineup. In July Cherry Bomb opened for Girl School at Flash’s Concert Club in Cleveland. In August the band was the featured act at the annual Kenmore Festival. In October, the band did an after show performance for Living Colour and Candlebox. Later that month Jeannine St. Clair performed “Close My Eyes Forever” with Lita Ford at a Lentine’s guitar clinic performed by Ford.

Eddie Wenrick, former manager of Warrant flew from Los Angeles to Akron and decided to work with the band. In January of 1994 the band trademarked the name Cherry Bomb. In April the band began to record their second LP at Big Adventure Studio in Akron. By August, the band flew to Los Angeles to record at Paramount Studios with former Runaway’s manager Kim Fowley producing a full length LP for Moonstone Records.

In November the band traveled to New Jersey to record with producer Jack Ponte. More shows followed including with Trixter in Akron, Ohio. In 1995 the band opened for Dee Snyder’s Widowmaker in Akron. In July, Megadeth guitarist and friend of the band Marty Friedman visited the band at their rehearsal house and practiced with them. They later meet with Megadeth after their Cleveland performance the next day. The following performance was one of their biggest opening at the Bon Jovi concert at Blossom Music Center. The band played extensively through the fall including an opening for Slaughter. By the end of November, however, bassist Rose Kuhel decided to leave the band and Cherry Bomb decided to go their separate ways.

 

From an interview in 1994, Kuhel said, "Our goal is to play music and make it good for our fans. We have the best fans in the world. We do. I can honestly say that. I guess our goal is to make more fans so as far as that goes to keep having a good experience with all of them at all of our shows. To just have a good show and keep rocking’.”

 

“Everyone in the band brings together a different background in music and they draw strength from their diversity,” Rose said. “None of us like the same thing. That’s a fact right there. If I like something then they hate it, but at the same time with us being so picky about our own styles is what makes us stand out because if we don’t like something then we’re not afraid to say so and go OK, let’s change it and that is what makes us unique. We just don’t go, OK, that’s all right. It’s because of the fact that we’re so different and we’re real strong headed that is why our songs come out real good. We each pick apart what we are playing.” Jen said, “We’re forced to find something that works together. It ends up sounding a little different. You know a lot of people, different bands, you will hear their stuff and they’ve got a style that runs through everything. A lot of people think that is real cool, and I think it is too; that it isn’t part of our style is the fact that we always try different shit. We’ve got so many different influences and likes that we experiment with them all. We like AC/DC and then we like Hendrix and then we like the Ramones, and Sex Pistols and Aerosmith.”

 

“Cherry Bomb was just an interesting band because it had so much chemistry, said Jeannine St. Clair. It was just strange how all of that worked out and I don’t know if you can recreate that. Things just unfolded naturally and that is how that is how Cherry Bomb was and you know we were all young and were still trying to grow up and trying to be very independent and we had a certain kind of style and a certain kind of sound and it just all worked together, you know?”

 

Looking back at the Cherry Bomb years, St. Clair said, “I think what the world needs to know about Cherry Bomb is that we were actually one of those bands that cared a lot about other people. I don’t know if you remember but we did a lot of things that were kind of on the side for a lot of people that people didn’t know about like Cancer Benefits and to that girl that Amy ,Rose and I wrote with for that young girl that was dying of cancer and I just think what people need to remember or know about Cherry Bomb is that we had our own agenda, they had in mind what they were going to do and had other people who were trying to come in and influence them and change things but we butted heads with a lot of that, and we weren’t going to be that trendy little all girl band wearing dresses and high heels. We were that rock band that came out and wore our LA Guns t-shirts and Cowboy boots and we were rocking, you know? We were there to make music and not there to stand there and look pretty. Yes, it was like you are into your own thing and wanted to develop your own style and not be just a bunch of girls up there trying to play music. We were up there and knew our instruments whether it was the bass guitar, guitar or drums, we knew what we were doing and learning as we went along and improving every day but I think we blew a lot of guys off the stage. It wasn’t just because we were a bunch of girls up there. We practiced and we worked hard and we wrote songs and we had creativity, but we had that chemistry and it was so important.”

 

During the 90s the band battled the attitudes of women playing rock music with a taste of their own medicine---hard rock and roll—honest and in your face.  “I think what people overlooked about us until they came and saw us was that we could actually play. We didn’t just write a bunch of stuff or had people writing for us and do what people told us to do, we were very independent and were creative and were talented and good players.”

 

“I think when you are doing a band with all guys and you are going under your own name, you are kind of responsible for everything yourself. You have to do all of the promotions; you have to call all the shots. You have to be on the same page and you just call your guys up and go OK we have a show. And I think in that aspect it is hard because you don’t have the same goals. The guys are like how much do we have to play and how much are we getting paid? It is easier when you have everyone on the same page and the same goals. I think the thing for us about Cherry Bomb it wasn’t about the money, it wasn’t about making money, it was going out there and doing what we loved doing. We had some really die-hard Cherry Bomb fans too. God Bless them. Russ and Tom, we will never forget him. He really cheered on that band so much.”

 

Cherry Bomb made a mark with their fiery and energetic music that was often called explosive and Runaways inspired hard rock but always a great live experience to behold. A band who defied the odds and put their hearts and souls into every song and every performance creating a sound and stage show that was truly one of the best ever.  Although the band is looking at this special night of rock and roll  with a reunion of band members and long time fans a one time event there may be hope of more to come from the band. St Clair added, "I can't wait to see everyone at the show and I hope this reunion show will be a new begining for us in some way."

 

Rippers is located at 2727 Manchester Rd, Akron, Ohio 44319

 

Discover Cherry Bomb on their new facebook page—

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cherry-Bomb/712049965527720?ref=profile

 

and a fan page--

 

http://cherrybombrock.wix.com/cherrybomb