DOKKEN guitarist GEORGE LYNCH, cited by many as one of the few genuine guitar heroes of substance to emerge from the Los Angeles scene, formed LYNCH MOB following his widely publicized rift with DON DOKKEN saw him finally split from the band and form LYNCH MOB.

The band's first line-up comprised of Lynch, vocalist ONI LOGAN, who had been lured away from ex-KEEL guitarist MARC FERRARI's new act FERRARI, and bassist Anthony Esposito who had briefly been a member of TALL STORIES as well as BEGGARS AND THIEVES and FRENCH LICK. Rounding off the band was a former DOKKEN colleague, drummer Mick Brown.

The debut album, October 1990's 'Wicked Sensation',co-produced by Neil Kernon and Max Norman, proved competent enough and would go on to sell nearly half a million copies. However, after touring to promote the album supporting QUEENSRYCHE in Europe Logan had departed to forge a brief union with ex-DIO guitarist Rowan Robertson and TRIANGLE drummer Jimmy Paxson titled FREEDOM. This outfit duly evolved into VIOLET'S DEMISE. LYNCH MOB pulled in former MAGNUM (the US version), ADRIAN DODZ and THE PACT man Robert Mason.

However, wary of jumping in at the deep end with another relatively inexperienced vocalist Lynch enlisted veteran ex-DEEP PURPLE and BLACK SABBATH star GLENN HUGHES for initial recording. As it turned out Hughes work was scrapped and Mason made a full time member of the band. Whilst recording the sophomore release Lynch also found time to dabble with the 'L.A. Blues Authority' guitar album that coincidentally featured Oni Logan and Hughes.

The second, eponymously titled, album witnessed the band drifting into more Rock n' Roll territory than its Hard Rock predecessor and even included a version of QUEEN's 'Tie Your Mother Down'. Shortly after its release LYNCH MOB disintegrated. Brown opted to re-unite with DON DOKKEN whilst Lynch recorded a solo album 'Sacred Groove' and, ultimately, would also team up with a reformed DOKKEN in 1994 for the 'Dysfunctional' and 'Shadowlife' albums.

Mason was heard reunited with some of his old friends from ADRIAN DODZ in New Jersey by joining SILENT WITNESS, whose debut album was released by Escape Music in 1997. One suspects the album was recorded before the singer joined LYNCH MOB for he since replaced Kelly Holland in fronting CRY OF LOVE.

Lynch predictably quit DOKKEN following an American tour in October 1997 and promptly reformed LYNCH MOB. First fruits of this new union was a release of old product on the 3 track 'Syzygy' EP released through Lynch's website. The guitarist's new band did at first include Oni Logan once more but this soon fragmented. By late 1998 LYNCH MOB comprised of ex-OIL members vocalist Kirk Harper and drummer Clancy McCarthy together with bassist Gabe Rozales. Robert Mason then made a return but pulled out upfront of scheduled live dates for an abortive union with RATT.

ARTENSION and ex-BADLANDS vocalist JOHN WEST plugged the gap. Logan was found operating HEAD SET on the club circuit in 2000 but would rejoin LYNCH MOB for a December show. Also included in the new line up was ex-BULLETBOYS drummer Jimmy D'Anda and former ROUGH CUTT, QUIET RIOT and GREAT WHITE bass player Sean McNabb. Disaster befell D'Anda though when at a gig in Florida the sticksman broke his arm. George Lynch's versatile guitar tech Tim Russell took over on drums to see the tour to completion.

During late 2001 Lynch would announce a band project in league with erstwhile DOKKEN bassist JEFF PILSON. After requesting suggestions for a band title from fans, the duo eventually settled on the succinct handle of LP. Meantime, in mid 2002 Oni Logan announced the reformation of an earlier project, VIOLETS DEMISE, in league with erstwhile DIO guitarist Rowan Robertson. Although the duo would make available officially widely pirated VIOLETS DEMISE material new tracks would be added and the product rebilled as LOGAN / ROBERTSON REVISITED. In addition an EP of three brand new tracks, credited simply to LOGAN / ROBERTSON, would be sold via Logan's website. Ex-LYNCH MOB drummer Jimmy D'Anda would be back in action too, uniting with present day RATT rhythm guitarist and former MÖTLEY CRÜE frontman John Corabi and REVEL 8 bassist Stevo Bruno in a brand new band billed as ZEN LUNATIC.

In mid 2002 Lynch revealed details of a new solo album comprising reworks of tracks from his career to date. Featured were set to be remakes of DOKKEN and LYNCH MOB songs with DOKKEN and LYNCH/PILSON bassist Jeff Pilson vocalising on the DOKKEN songs whilst Robert Mason handled the LYNCH MOB material. Anthony Esposito took on bass and the JET RED and LYNCH/PILSON credited drummer Fro (a.k.a. Michael Frowein) also involved.

In June of 2003 it was revealed that Lynch had embarked upon a further side project dubbed MICRODUST, a union with SNAKE RIVER CONSPIRACY guitarist Jason Slater. LYNCH MOB shows planned for August were pulled after Robert Mason was involved in a hit & run motorcycle accident, the singer sustaining 2nd-degree burns over a large portion of his upper body. The band announced a November / December run of US dates allied with MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP.

Early 2005 brought news that erstwhile LYNCH MOB singer Oni Logan had cut a solo album billed 'Stranger In A Foreign Land'. Studio session guests included CASANOVA, DEMON DRIVE and SILVER guitarist Michael Voss, DEEP PURPLE keyboard player DON AIREY and TOTO guitarist STEVE LUKATHER.

Robert Mason made headlines in mid 2005 by way of a partnership with ex-KING KOBRA guitarist David Michael Phillips and a new album 'Year Of The Cock' credited to BIG COCK. In 2005 Lynch contributed his interpretation of 'In My Ways' to a FRANK MARINO tribute album though WildMess Records entitled 'Secondhand Smoke'. Former LYNCH MOB vocalist ONI LOGAN announced his debut solo album, 'Stranger In A Foreign Land', for release in March 2006.

A surprise return for LYNCH MOB in 2008 witnessed a welcome reunion for the Lynch / Logan axis. They would be joined by one of Rock's valuable rhythm sections comprising MARCO MENDOZA, a man with THIN LIZZY, WHITESNAKE and TED NUGENT association, plus drummer Tommy Aldridge of OZZY OSBOURNE, THIN LIZZY, TED NUGENT and WHITESNAKE repute. This version of the band announced touring the USA in June 2008 alongside WARRANT, CINDERELLA and LYNAM. However, the dates were scrapped when CINDERELLA's Tom Keifer's left vocal cord hemorrhaged during pre-production rehearsals. The group played at the 'Rocklahoma' festival on Saturday, 12th July in Pryor, Oklahoma with CINDERELLA's Fred Coury deputising on the drum kit.

That December LYNCH MOB put in Australian dates on a co-headline bill with FASTER PUSSYCAT, performing in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane with a band involving singer Oni Logan, bassist Marco Mendoza and drummer Scott Coogan. In early 2009 this same unit crafted songs for a new album.

Frontiers Records issued 'Smoke And Mirrors' in September 2009 in Europe.

Garry Sharpe-Young