A classic American Hard Rock act founded in the mid seventies as the rather unwieldy sounding YESTERDAY AND TODAY. The band its their feet playing top forty covers and remained only a cult novelty until the more sensible adoptation of the title Y&T. Their thunderous 'Earthshaker' album of 1981 impressed the Rock world with its caustic mix of melody and uninhibited raw guitar and paved the way for a worthy career. Indeed, the album was so impressive that the band would later find it to be a millstone around their necks when discussing fine efforts such as 'Black Tiger' and 'Down For The Count'.

Based in Oakland / San Francisco, the group was formulated in its most familiar line-up circa 1973 with Dave Meniketti on vocals and lead guitar, Phil Kennemore on bass and Leonard Haze on drums. Rhythm guitarist Joey Alves was duly enticed away from a rival band entitled CRUTCH. However, the original incarnation had comprised Haze, Robin Irons on guitar, Bobby Gardner on bass and Wayne Stitzer handling piano and trombone. An evolution of band members resulted in the introduction of Meniketti and Kennemore.

One of the budding quartet's early achievements would be as winners of the 1974 Hayward 'Battle of the Bands' competition. London Records snapped the band up after a concert opening up for QUEEN at the Berkeley Community Theater in 1975. Y&T made its presence felt with a brace of 1976 albums, an eponymous debut and 'Struck Down', which garnered the band commendable underground appreciation. Frontman Dave Meniketti had taken up the guitar in 1969 and performed live for the first time in 1971 with a performance in Berkley, California in front of an audience full of rather elderly black gentlemen! However, Y&T was his first recording band and the quartet soon built up a genuinely loyal following in the Bay Area, regularly supporting acts such as JOURNEY, the DOOBIE BROTHERS and MONTROSE. The group's debut in Los Angeles came as opening act to KISS and JO JO GUNNE at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Unfortunately the fervent fan appreciation did not translate into hard record sales and the group found itself ditched by London. A sustained live campaign inevitably led to the band, now monickered Y&T, being signed to A&M Records primed by an explosive hometown showcase with upstarts MÖTLEY CRÜE as support.

'Earthshaker' immediately made waves globally, fans and critics revelling in Y&T's combination of guitar rawness and strong song-writing. In the USA, the group embarked upon supports to AC/DC and KISS. In the UK, Y&T put in a performance at the Castle Donington 'Monsters Of Rock', much to the chagrin of the musicians who failed to warm to a British audience traditionally indulging in enthusiastic bottle throwing. Behind the scenes, OZZY OSBOURNE requested the services of Meniketti as a replacement for BRAD GILLIS, an offer the Y&T man turned down.

The band journeyed to the UK to cut the follow up 'Black Tiger' with producer Chris Tsangarides. Adopting a more refined approach the album made a minor dent on the British album charts. Tsangarides would be employed for their next outing, 'Mean Streak', this record hosting the radio hit 'Midnight In Tokyo'. Touring in Europe put the band in front of rabid OZZY OSBOURNE fans but unfortunately, 1984's 'In Rock We Trust' witnessed a slide in sales.

The 1985 single 'Summertime Girls', a beach n' bikini evoking pop song, gave Y&T their nearest stab at chart success. The song proved a staple on American rock radio and was to give the band their only serious singles chart action in America. That same year Dave Meniketti made his presence felt on Ronnie James Dio's HEAR N' AID Africa benefit track 'Stars' by vocalising the opening lines. Y&T enhanced their profile strill further with nationwide tours opening for MÖTLEY CRÜE on their 'Theatre of Pain' dates, HEART, then AEROSMITH in 1986.

The band garnered a healthy international fan base but found it difficult to score a major hit. A disenchanted Y&T split with A&M citing lack of enthusiasm and at the same juncture quite remarkably ditched their powerhouse drummer Haze, with many believing the skinman's obvious lack of regard for image as a prime contributing factor. Haze would later emerge as part of GILLAN's band in the 90s after a short spell in 1987 with LE MANS.

The slimmer, younger more hirsute Jimmy DeGrasso made his drumming debut on the well crafted 'Contagious' album as Y&T bowed in with their opening salvo for new label Geffen Records. Alves departed shortly after and for 1990's 'Ten' the rhythm guitar position was now occupied by Stef Burns. Under his real name of Stef Burnbaum the six stringer boasted terms with BERLIN and MICHAEL BOLTON. Although Jimmy DeGrasso was credited with drums for the 'Ten' album, and did perform on two tracks, it was JOURNEY's Steve Smith that featured on the majority.

Although few could argue with the consistency of Y&T releases, the band felt it were merely going through the motions and folded in late 1990, Burns finding an immediate home as part of ALICE COOPER's band. DeGrasso's talents saw him first contributing to recording with FIONA, part of WHITE LION then thrashers SUICIDAL TENDENCIES. Meniketti pitched in working alongside PETER FRAMPTON.

Y&T would return for 1995's 'Musically Incorrect' then 1997 'Endangered Species' album, but then retired from the scene once again. The Japanese version of 'Endangered species' saw the addition of two exclusive tracks 'Rocco' and 'Hands of time '97'. STEF BURNS issued a solo album 'Swamp Tea' during 1998. DeGrasso became a member of MEGADETH. 2000 found Burns credited as a member of AOR act THE VU with ex members of THE STORM for the 'Phoenix Rising' album. These tapes had originally been recorded pre Burns term with Y&T.

Y&T, with a line up of Meniketti, Kennemore, Haze and Burns, would reform for a short run of Californian dates in November 2001. By the summer of 2002 DAVE MENIKETTI was performing shows as a solo artist once more but had resurrected Y&T once again for November gigs comprising headliners and support shows to MONTROSE and JOURNEY. Spanish gigs scheduled for February 2003 would be curtailed when Meniketti contracted pneumonia. However, the group would tag up with WHITESNAKE and GARY MOORE for the 'Monsters Of Rock' UK tour throughout May.

Reports emerged in July that guitarist Joey Alves had broken his fifteen year absence from the band and was set to appear with Y&T as a guest artist on European dates. Meantime a collection of band compiled demos and rarities entitled 'UnEarthed Vol. 1' emerged in December. The band conducted European dates in April of 2004. That November a second collection of previously unreleased material, 'UnEarthed Vol. 2', was released via their official web site. The group also announced that a brace of back to back gigs at The Mystic Theatre in early December would be filmed for a DVD release. Y&T scheduled a set of UK dates during June 2005, followed by a run of Spanish shows supported by SANDALINAS. September East Coast US dates saw BLOCKK 16 as opening act.

Y&T parted ways with longstanding drummer Leonard Haze in June 2006, citing an impasse having been reached after "numerous attempts at trying to resolve a musical performance difference". New man on the drum stool would be ex-SOULMOTOR man Mike Vanderhule. European tour dates, backed by GPS, were set for September 2006. In November the group was set to play at the Californian 'Wrestle Rock '06' events, held at the The Redding Convention Center, Redding and The Rainbow Ballroom in Fresno, alongside JANI LANE'S WARRANT and DEATH ANGEL. However, these shows were cancelled.

During early 2007 Dave Meniketti managed to find time to guest on the comeback album for cult Heavy Metal band LIZZY BORDEN. That July Y&T appeared at a once in a lifetime gathering of 80s Rock acts dubbed 'Rocklahoma', a three-day outdoor festival held in Pryor, Oklahoma, sharing the billing with RATT, VINCE NEIL, WARRANT, SLAUGHTER, QUIET RIOT, WINGER, DOKKEN, JACKYL, FASTER PUSSYCAT, ENUFF Z'NUFF, STEELHEART, 36 INCHES, POISON, FIREHOUSE, BULLETBOYS, BANG TANGO and GREAT WHITE.

Locomotive Records released the two-DVD/CD set entitled 'Live: One Hot Night' by Y&T in North America in August 2007, recorded at a Netherlands show in October 2006.

In 2008 the band announced the North American 'In Rock We Trust' tour backed by ENUFF Z'NUFF, BULLETBOYS and FATAL SMILE.

February 2010 saw the inclusion of Y&T's 'Struck Down / 25 Hours A Day' included on the Swedish MOUNTAIN OF POWER album 'Volume 2'. It was also learned that Y&T were bavk in the studio crafting a fresh album.

Garry Sharpe-Young