Bob Heathcote
Encyclopedia
Bob Heathcote is best known for his bass playing in the crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies
.
and Chris Squire of Yes
. One of his first bands was with Suicidal Tendencies
drummer Amery Smith
and guitarist Rick Battson. In 1984 he traveled with Suicidal Tendencies as their sound engineer. On May 12th he landed his first professional engineering gig at the Grand Olympic Auditorium
with Suicidal Tendencies, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, SS Decontrol, Minutemen
and The Abandoned. That show was Heathcote’s introduction to the punk scene and sparked his interest in playing in a band again. That concert was to be one of the last Suicidal Tendencies shows before they were banned from playing L.A. (for fan violence) and the beginning of their four year recording hiatus. Frontman singer songwriter Mike Muir
invited Heathcote to play bass in Los Cycos
a side project he was forming alongside New Regime
guitarist Anthony“Bob”Gallo
which at the time also included longtime friend Amery Smith on drums. After only a few rehearsals drummer Amery Smith and Bob Heathcote left Los Cycos to start a band with ex Suicidal Tendencies guitarist Jon Nelson
and Todd Moyer called The Brood
which later changed their name to Uncle Slam
, resulting in a few demos in 1987. Los Cycos Replaced Heathcote with bassist Louiche Mayorga
and Smith with drummer Sal Troy from No Mercy. They added lead guitarist Grant Estes
for the Welcome to Venice
recording of "It's Not Easy". Eventually Heathcote started playing in a cover band with future Suicidal guitarist Rocky George
and drummer Sterling Roberts, playing songs by The Scorpions, Judas Priest
and Motorhead. When Heathcote heard Suicidal Tendencies was looking for a guitarist he suggested that Rocky audition for them and a few days later Rocky got the gig. Lucky for Heathcote when Muir was thinking of replacing bassist Louiche Mayorga Rocky returned the favor and suggested Heathcote for the job.
in 1988 a year after the release of Suicidal’s second studio album Join The Army
on Frontier Records
. Heathcote was in the band from March of 1988 to February of 1989, he recorded the bass on their third studio album and first Epic Records
release How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today
, and toured around Europe an the US. Just When the band was getting ready to record their fourth studio album,Controlled by Hatred/Feel Like Shit...Déjà Vu
which was certified Gold
by the RIAA
.he was unexpectedly asked to leave and was subsequently replaced by future Metallica
bassist Robert Trujillo
. Leaving behind the music industry in 1992, it was ten years later in 2002 he moved to the San Francisco bay area with his wife and kids and continued to study photography. After leaving Suicidal Tendencies Heathcote seemed to just disappear and some even questioned if he was still alive.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.168938943159146.50819.168938919825815&type=1
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...
.
Early Life
Robert ”Bob” Heathcote was born May 27th, 1964. He grew up in Westchester, California. His main bass guitar influences were Geddy Lee of RushRush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
and Chris Squire of Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
. One of his first bands was with Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...
drummer Amery Smith
Amery Smith
Amery "AWOL" Smith is a drummer from Los Angeles, California. He is best known for playing drums in the Venice punk band "Suicidal Tendencies."-Early Life:...
and guitarist Rick Battson. In 1984 he traveled with Suicidal Tendencies as their sound engineer. On May 12th he landed his first professional engineering gig at the Grand Olympic Auditorium
Grand Olympic Auditorium
The Grand Olympic Auditorium is the former name of a sports venue in Los Angeles, California, United States. Located at 1801 S. Grand Avenue, the venue was built in 1924 specifically for the 1932 Summer Olympics, which saw the boxing, weightlifting, and wrestling events held there. At the time it...
with Suicidal Tendencies, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, SS Decontrol, Minutemen
Minutemen
Minutemen were members of teams of select men from the American colonial partisan militia during the American Revolutionary War. They provided a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force that allowed the colonies to respond immediately to war threats, hence the name.The minutemen were among the first...
and The Abandoned. That show was Heathcote’s introduction to the punk scene and sparked his interest in playing in a band again. That concert was to be one of the last Suicidal Tendencies shows before they were banned from playing L.A. (for fan violence) and the beginning of their four year recording hiatus. Frontman singer songwriter Mike Muir
Mike Muir
Mike Muir is the lead vocalist of the Venice skate punk bands Suicidal Tendencies Los Cycos and the funk rock band Infectious Grooves...
invited Heathcote to play bass in Los Cycos
Los Cycos
Los Cycos is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1984 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Suicidal Tendencies frontman Mike Muir. The only recording of the band appears on the rare 1985 release "Welcome to Venice," the debut album and first release from Suicidal Records.-Band biography and...
a side project he was forming alongside New Regime
New Regime (band)
New Regime is a Los Angeles, California punk band based out of the San Fernando Valley. Co-founded in 1979 by vocalist Todd Payden and bass player Michael Brevetz. The band was initially called "Sodomy Squad." Needing a drummer and guitarist, Brevetz and Payden recruited Marc Woodson and Anthony...
guitarist Anthony“Bob”Gallo
Anthony Gallo
Anthony "Bob" Gallo is an American lead and rhythm guitarist. He started out at age 16 in the early eighties punk scene and progressed into heavy metal and rock. His career has spanned over 30 years, playing and recording with Megadeth drummer Nick Menza, L.A...
which at the time also included longtime friend Amery Smith on drums. After only a few rehearsals drummer Amery Smith and Bob Heathcote left Los Cycos to start a band with ex Suicidal Tendencies guitarist Jon Nelson
Jon Nelson (guitarist)
Jonathan D. "Jon" Nelson is best known for playing lead guitar in the controversial punk band Suicidal Tendencies.-Early life:...
and Todd Moyer called The Brood
The Brood
The Brood is a 1979 Canadian horror film written and directed by David Cronenberg, starring Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar and Art Hindle.The film depicts a series of murders committed by what seems at first to be a group of children...
which later changed their name to Uncle Slam
Uncle Slam
Uncle Slam was an American crossover thrash band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1984 under the name The Brood. They were influenced by punk rock bands of the '80s like Suicidal Tendencies , D.R.I., Corrosion of Conformity, Black Flag and the Circle Jerks, as well as heavy metal bands like...
, resulting in a few demos in 1987. Los Cycos Replaced Heathcote with bassist Louiche Mayorga
Louiche Mayorga
Louiche Mayorga is best known for his bass playing in the Venice punk band "Suicidal Tendencies."He co-wrote many of their earlier songs including the punk classic "Institutionalized" from their 1983 debut album on Frontier, as well as" "War Inside My Head," "Possessed To Skate." and the title...
and Smith with drummer Sal Troy from No Mercy. They added lead guitarist Grant Estes
Grant Estes
Grant Estes is an American guitarist from Santa Monica, California. He was one of the guitarists for the highly influential band Suicidal Tendencies, during the band's hardcore punk era.-Suicidal Tendencies/Los Cycos:...
for the Welcome to Venice
Welcome to Venice
Welcome to Venice is a crossover thrash album that features local Venice Beach, California punk and metal bands. It was released in 1985 on Suicidal Records.-Album History:...
recording of "It's Not Easy". Eventually Heathcote started playing in a cover band with future Suicidal guitarist Rocky George
Rocky George
Rocky George is an American heavy metal guitarist who has been a member of several notable musical acts. George's guitar playing career began in 1982 when he joined a local punk rock band called Pap Smear. He became lead guitarist of Suicidal Tendencies in 1984 and stayed with the band until their...
and drummer Sterling Roberts, playing songs by The Scorpions, Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
and Motorhead. When Heathcote heard Suicidal Tendencies was looking for a guitarist he suggested that Rocky audition for them and a few days later Rocky got the gig. Lucky for Heathcote when Muir was thinking of replacing bassist Louiche Mayorga Rocky returned the favor and suggested Heathcote for the job.
Suicidal Tendencies
Bob Heathcote joined Suicidal TendenciesSuicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...
in 1988 a year after the release of Suicidal’s second studio album Join The Army
Join the Army
* "War Inside My Head", "Human Guinea Pig", and "You Got, I Want" were originally written by previous guitarist Jon Nelson. He traded the rights for "War Inside My Head" for a Flying V guitar after he left the band....
on Frontier Records
Frontier Records
Frontier Records is an independent record label, started in 1980 in Los Angeles by Lisa Fancher, a former employee of Bomp! Records and writer of the liner notes for the first album by The Runaways....
. Heathcote was in the band from March of 1988 to February of 1989, he recorded the bass on their third studio album and first Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
release How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today
How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today
How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today is the third album by the American crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies, released on Epic Records on September 13, 1988....
, and toured around Europe an the US. Just When the band was getting ready to record their fourth studio album,Controlled by Hatred/Feel Like Shit...Déjà Vu
Controlled by Hatred/Feel Like Shit...Déjà Vu
- Song notes :* "Master of No Mercy", "Waking the Dead", "Controlled by Hatred" and "Choosing My Own Way of Life" were compositions by guitarist Mike Clark's previous band No Mercy....
which was certified Gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
.he was unexpectedly asked to leave and was subsequently replaced by future Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
bassist Robert Trujillo
Robert Trujillo
Robert Trujillo is an American bassist who currently plays bass in Metallica. He has also played in Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves, Black Label Society, and with Jerry Cantrell and Ozzy Osbourne.-Career:...
. Leaving behind the music industry in 1992, it was ten years later in 2002 he moved to the San Francisco bay area with his wife and kids and continued to study photography. After leaving Suicidal Tendencies Heathcote seemed to just disappear and some even questioned if he was still alive.
Life after Suicidal Tendencies
Since his departure from Suicidal Tendencies Bob Heathcote has been raising a family of five children, three daughters and two sons, and is a professional photographer. He shoots mostly motor sports and is a track photographer at Laguna Seca Raceway, in Monterey, California.Suicidal Tendencies
- 1988 Trip at the BrainTrip at the Brain"Trip at the Brain" is a song by the American crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies. It is the first track on their 1988 third album How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today and was the album's first single...
(Single) - 1988 InstitutionalizedInstitutionalized (song)"Institutionalized" is a song by the American hardcore punk band Suicidal Tendencies. It was released in 1983 as the only single from their debut album, Suicidal Tendencies. It is often classified as the band's signature song and would be re-recorded for the album Still Cyco After All These Years...
(Single) - 1988 How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile TodayHow Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile TodayHow Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today is the third album by the American crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies, released on Epic Records on September 13, 1988....
- 1989 How Will I Laugh Tomorrow (Single)
- 1990 Lights... Camera... Suicidal (Video/VHS)
- 1992 Nobody Hears (Single) Bass (Track 3)
External links
http://photos.bobheathcote.com/http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.168938943159146.50819.168938919825815&type=1