Guitarist Howard Leese, known for his 22 year tenure with multi-platinum artist HEART commencing in 1975 and featuring on 20 US top 40 singles, 3 International no. 1 singles, a no. 1 album in 1985, receiving four Grammy nominations and selling over 40 million records worldwide.

His foundation in music came with the Seattle based band THE ZOO, this unit featuring his future HEART colleague drummer Mike Flicker. At the age of just 15, Leese debuted commercially for Ed Cobb's Sunburst imprint with the 1968 album 'The Zoo Presents Chocolate Moose'. In 1974, whilst working as a production manager at Mushroom Studios, Leese worked on demo tracks by the Wilson sisters, Ann and Nancy. Flicker and Leese co-produced their 'Dreamboat Annie' album sessions, leading into the guitarist's induction into HEART.

Leese enjoyed major international success with the band. Guest sessions during this period saw Leese appearing on SPIRIT's 1984 album 'Thirteenth Dream' and LITA FORD's 1991 opus 'Dangerous Curves'. Following a decision to leave HEART in 1997, Leese formed BRIGADE, an act that strongly featured renditions of FREE classics.

In 1997 the singer PAUL RODGERS, of FREE and BAD COMPANY repute, relocated from England to Vancouver and duly invited Leese to join his band. Subsequently the guitarist became a touring session member of the reformed BAD COMPANY. When Rodgers joined Brian May in QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS, Leese cut tracks for a solo album entitled 'Secret Weapon'. Featured musicians included ex-RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE singer JOE LYNN TURNER, on 'Alive Again' and 'Hot To Cold', Keith St. John on 'In These Eyes', Paul Rodgers on 'Heal The Broken Hearted', Keith Emerson on 'French Quarter', Andrew Black on 'I've Been Leavin' You' and ex-SURVIVOR vocalist JIMI JAMISON on 'The Vine'.

Italian label Frontiers Records issued 'Secret Weapon' in July 2009.