Founded in 1981 FLOTSAM AND JETSAM was to rise above the Thrash melee with a strong debut album 'Doomsday For The Deceiver'. In spite of this strong start, unfortunately the band are known in many media circles more for being the source of METALLICA's Jason Newsted and despite major label back up have struggled to rid themselves of that stigma. Nevertheless, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, signing to MCA Records, would stick to their guns releasing a string of commendable Metal albums and put in punishing tour schedules that never betrayed a sniff of compromise.

Newsted's first band was the 1977 high school combo DIAMOND. His next outfit would be titled GANGSTER. This unit evolved during 1980 to feature Newsted on lead vocals and bass, lead guitarist Mark Vasquez, rhythm guitarist Kevin Horton and drummer Kelly David-Smith. In this formation the band performed live for the first time at the Mason Jar lounge in Phoenix billed as DREDLOX. Deciding that the group need a frontman, Eric A.K. auditioned, being asked to learn four JUDAS PRIEST songs.

In 1983 and Horton made way for Ed Carlson, enticed away from another Phoenix act dubbed EXODUS, as the band re-titled itself DOGZ. Carlson's early inspiration had come from KISS, his first listen of their classic 'Alive' album prompting him to pick up the guitar. In this guise the group built up a local following supporting the likes of SURGICAL STEEL, ARMORED SAINT, RIOT, MALICE, AUTOGRAPH, EXCITER, MERCYFUL FATE and ALCATRAZZ. Another name switch then gave the band FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, this being inspired the the names of characters from the J.R.R. Tolkien trilogy 'Lord Of The Rings'. Unfortunately, Kelly David-Smith, indicted for the sales of narcotics, was jailed for a month. During their drummer's incarceration the band also lost the services of Mark Vasquez. FLOTSAM AND JETSAM pulled in the then seventeen year old Mark Gilbert from THE KIDS.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's demo tapes, starting with 1985's 'Metal Shock', funded by The Bootlegger club owner and SACRED REICH manager Gloria Bujnowski. This session was enhanced by a rough and ready promotional video for the song 'Hammerhead', filmed in Newsted's apartment, and a live video taped at The Bootlegger. The studio demo was followed by '1985 Bootleg', attracted the attention of several leading Metal indie labels resulting in the band debuting with tracks on the compilation albums 'Speed Metal Hell II' and 'Metal Massacre IV'. The inclusion on the latter led to a deal with Metal Blade Records whilst Roadrunner Records licensed the album for Europe.

The band's first album 'Doomsday For The Deceiver', produced by Brian Slagel at Music Grinders in Eldorado and Track Recording Studios in Hollywood on a budget of $12,000, was a well received release, chock full of quality aggressive metal. 'Doomsday For The Deceiver' saw US release on July 26th 1986. The leading British magazine 'Kerrang!' would go so far as to grant the album six points on their five point rating system.

Newsted's departure to METALLICA occurred in late October 1986. Upon the recommendation of Brian Slagel and Elektra's Mike Alago, and with band mates Mike Gilbert and Kevin Horton assisting him in learning the METALLICA songs, Newsted beat out other auditioning candidates to replace the late Cliff Burton. Previous to landing this position, Newsted had in fact been homeless, living in FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's rehearsal space. Newsted honoured his final FLOTSAM AND JETSAM gig commitment on October 31st and by November 8th was performing onstage with METALLICA at the Country Club in Reseda. The band carried out live commitments utilising the temporary services of SACRED REICH's Phil Rind. Following these early post-Newsted live dates, ex-SENTINEL BEAST bassist Mike Spencer was hired. FLOTSAM AND JETSAM were picked up by METALLICA's label Elektra and the group gained the valuable support slot on a European tour with MEGADETH in 1987.

However, Spencer lost his position in early 1988 to Troy Gregory. The 1988 album 'No Place For Disgrace' was produced by Bill Metoyer at no less than four Californian recording locations, the band hopping between Music Grinder and Track Records once again plus Pacific Studios in Chatsworth and Preferred Sound in Woodland Hills throughout December 1987 into February 1988. Newsted's presence was still being felt, credited for songwriting on three tracks - 'No Place For Disgrace', 'N.E.Terror' and 'I Live, You Die'. The album scored extra press attention for its rip-roaring version of the ELTON JOHN hit 'Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting'. Although the band fared well opening for KING DIAMOND in America during 1988 by the end of the tour their major label deal with Elektra had been lost.

Some fifteen months later the group had bagged a new deal with MCA Records and began recording third album 'When The Storm Comes Down' with producer Alex Perialas in New York. The album, regrettably clad in an amateurish sleeve design, was to be appear in 1990. Troy Gregory gave notice mid-term into a US tour, forcing the band to curtail projected European dates. Eventually, an auditioning process located Chicago native Jason Ward to fill the vacancy.

1992's adventurous 'Cuatro' outing, produced by Neil Kernon at Dotch City Sound in Glendale, although a solid release, regrettably did little to improve their status. On an international scale, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's sales frustratingly hovered around the quarter of a million mark for each album release, a trend that would continue.

Cuatro also presented the group with a dilemma as early works had been lyrically Jason Newsted's domain, this role then succeeded to by Gregory. In response, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM enlisted band manager Eric Braverman to put words to the music. The band recorded a track co-written with Dave Ellefson of MEGADETH 'Date With Hate' although strangely this did not make the running order for the album and only saw a release as the B side to the 'Swatting At Flies' single.

1995's 'Drift', committed to tape in a home built studio in a friend's pecan farm outside of El Paso, Texas, was once again produced by Kernon with a final mix handled by Michael Barbiero. Expanding their sound somewhat, the group's first use of keyboards came on tracks 'Blindside' and 'Missing'. The 'Drift' record would be dedicated to the late NINE INCH NAILS guitarist Jeff Ward, Jason's brother, who had succumbed to heroin addiction. Road work saw the band out on tour in America supporting MEGADETH but, despite impact on radio with the track 'Smoked Out', upon completion of this expedition MCA let the band go. Gregory bailed out to join PRONG.The four-stringer would later found Psychedelic Rock act THE WITCHES.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM returned to the scene after a lengthy absence reuniting ties with their former record company Metal Blade. The resulting album 'High' proudly stated the band's intentions towards true metal with song titles mimicking many household name band logos such as JUDAS PRIEST, KISS and AC/DC. At this juncture FLOTSAM AND JETSAM also coined the retaliatory phrase "It's Metal so fuck off!' which summed their attitude up to a tee. The album also includes a version of LARD's 'Fork Boy'.

The band returned to live action debuting their new drummer Craig Neilson at the 'Bang Your Head' festival in Southern Germany headlined by BLIND GUARDIAN prior to a lengthy bout of touring alongside ANVIL and EXCITER.

Upon their return the band drafted in a further new member guitarist Mark Simpson who made his debut on January 1999's, James Lockyer co-produced 'Unnatural Selection' album. Simpson did actually leave the band to join George Lynch's LYNCH MOB but had returned to the fold by the summer of 2000 as FLOTSAM AND JETSAM set to work on another album. With FLOTSAM AND JETSAM gearing up for release of a May 2001 album 'My God', (discarding a previously announced title of 'Obsessive Repulsive') again using Bill Metoyer's talents behind the desk, it was revealed that Eric A.K. was doing the club circuit with a Country & Western band titled THE A.K. CORRAL!

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM themselves commenced a short burst of American club dates kicking off with a Los Angeles Troubadour gig on 28th July. As August drew to a close it was reported that Eric A.K.. The band's vocalist for more than twenty years, had departed. His speedily announced replacement would be James Rivera of DESTINY'S END and HELSTAR. With the tour wrapped up Rivera would then team up with SEVEN WITCHES, debuting with the band at their July appearance at the 'Classic Metal Fest II' in Cleveland, Ohio. In parallel, Rivera fired up a unique tribute band, SABBATH JUDAS SABBATH, honouring both JUDAS PRIEST and BLACK SABBATH, also including HELSTAR colleague Mike Heald on guitar.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM were offered a support tour to Swiss Rockers KROKUS toward the end of 2002 but found themselves in the awkward position of not having a lead singer. As 2002 closed it would revealed that FLOTSAM AND JETSAM bassist Jason Ward was scheduled to deputise for HALFORD's Ray Riendeau for a bunch of New Year shows, the regular HALFORD bassist having suffered a family tragedy just beforehand. However, the gigs would be cancelled when mainman Rob Halford was denied entry to the USA with visa difficulties.

James Rivera forged an all new act in August 2003 uniting with ex-DESTINY'S END guitarist Eric Halpern and SYMPHONY X bassist Mike Lepond in DISTANT THUNDER. This trio soon scored a deal with Massacre Records. FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, vocalist Eric A.K., guitarists Ed Carlson and Mark Simpson, bassist Jason Ward and drummer Craig Nielsen, signed a two album deal with Crash Music in May 2004. Surprisingly, the band laid down a version of METALLICA's 'Damage Inc.', contributed to the Big Deal Records tribute 'Metallic Attack'.

The band allied with OVERKILL and DEATH ANGEL for the September 'Thrash Domination' tour of Japan. THE AK CORRAL, the Country & Western side-project of Eric A.K., issued the album 'A Different Brand Of Country' in November through their own label, Stillwest Records. FLOTSAM AND JETSAM resumed live work in 2005, appearing at the 'Deep Freeze Winter Metal' festival in Westminster, Colorado.

The band, utilising Tom Giatron and Mark Simpson as their production team, spent the early part of the year at Genesis Studios in Phoenix, Arizona recording a new record 'Dreams Of Death'. The record closed with a hidden track, 'Bathing In Red'. Meantime, former FLOTSAM AND JETSAM guitarist Mark Simpson joined up with BEAUTIFUL CREATURES. Craig Nielsen guested on the album 'Modes Of Alienation' by Boston based, instrumental Progressive Metal project THE ALIEN BLAKK.

For FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's appearance at the June 2006 'Bang Your Head' festival in Germany guitarist Ed Carlson was replaced by former member Mike Gilbert. European shows were scheduled for November, but then cancelled. The band offered a quite unique excuse, explaining that Eric A.K. had enrolled himself into a helicopter firefighting course, which clashed with the dates.

The band's first album 'Doomsday For The Deceiver' gained a special re-release in October on Metal Blade Records. This expanded edition hosted both the 'Iron Tears' and 'Metal Shock' demo tracks plus a DVD disc including early film footage, interviews and a live set recorded at the Bootleggers venue in 1985.

The group formed up an impressive billing for the December 2008 'Death To Xmas' European tour alongside HATCHET, SAMAEL, DISMEMBER, HELSTAR, ONSLAUGHT, HEATHEN and MONSTROSITY.

The group signed with Driven Music Group, the label created by former KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch, for the album 'The Cold' issued in 2009. Metal Mind Productions released FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's DVD, entitled 'Once In A Deathtime', in Europe on 16th June. This disc contained footage of the band's 8th March 2008 performance at the 'Metalmania' festival in Katowice, Poland plus biography, discography, photo gallery, desktop images and weblinks. European concerts were plotted for August.