Thrills

An AOR band that got a small taste of success in the early '80s, the Thrills formed in Penn Hills, PA. Made up of Tony Monaco (keyboards and vocals), Dave Fullerton (guitars and vocals), Bill Gilbert (bass and vocals), and Rob Owens (drums), the band would relocate to New York City in 1977. Gigging heavily, the band won an opportunity to record and release their debut, First Thrills, in 1980 and signed to G&P Records. Riding on the wave of success that comes from a Top 200 record and a well-received single ("Breaking My Heart"), the band released their follow-up, Front Page News, in 1981. Even though the album featured the standout single "Tonight," the band found itself without a label to release their third offering, the Los Angeles-recorded Thrills 3, in 1983. The stresses that ensued split the band apart, and the record remained unreleased until 2000, when the band -- now joined by Linda Mackley on drums -- got back together to found a label to release Thrills 3 and to play to new audiences. They continued their rebirth with live releases that chronicled their new life. ~ Chris True