LILLIAN AXE's roots are very firmly established in Louisiana, although Texan audiences had embraced the talents of band founder and guitarist Stevie Blaze, who put the group together following the break up of his previous outfit OZ. In the interim Blaze had contributed guitar to ex-BLACK OAK ARKANSAS vocalist JIM DANDY's 'Ready As Hell' album.

The original incarnation of the group comprised Blaze, vocalist Johnny Vines, bassist Michael Maxx and drummer Danny King. Initially a Glam band LILLIAN AXE opened for such acts as NIGHT RANGER, CHEAP TRICK and AUTOGRAPH and recorded a six track demo prior to softening their image and taking the unusual step of merging with another group, in this instance the Houston based STIFF. The Texan band's vocalist Ron Taylor replaced Vines, STIFF bassist Rob Stratton filled Maxx's shoes and the Houston band's guitarist Jon Ster was added to form a twin pronged attack with Blaze. Completing the revised line-up was drummer Danny King.

Signing a deal with RATT manager Marshall Berle, the new LILLIAN AXE were picked up by MCA Records and the band's 1988 debut album was produced by RATT guitarist Robbin Crosby. Additional keyboards on the album came courtesy of Michael Dorian. Kip Winger's brothers Nate and Paul are credited as backing vocalists.

After its release the band toured as guests to HURRICANE, KROKUS, LITA FORD and KING'S X before the group commenced recording the Tony Platt produced 'Love And War'. The album featured a cameo by Soul singer/actress Vanity on the cover of GIRL's 'My Number'.

With a British tour booked for late 1989, MCA suddenly pulled the plug and dropped LILLIAN AXE. By the time East Coast indie label Grand Slamm signed the band and issued a compilation of the best moments of the two MCA records the new rhythm team of bassist Darrin De Latte and ex-DIRTY LOOKS drummer Gene Barnett had joined the band.

Tommy Stewart, a veteran of HALLOWS EVE and LESTREGUS NOSFERATUS, replaced Barnett for the 1993 'Psychoschizophrenia' album, this opus including 'The Day That I Met You', later covered by JESS HARNELL. Barnett hooked up with SAVATAGE's Chris Caffery and Jon and Criss Oliva alongside ex-KING DIAMOND bass player Hal Patino in a new heavyweight project dubbed DOCTOR BUTCHER. Meantime, Stewart joined the Boston based GODSMACK going on to enjoy platinum status with that act.

After the break up of the group Stevie Blaze formed and fronted a new outfit, NEAR LIFE EXPERIENCE with drumming brother Craig Nunenmacher, ex-CROWBAR, rhythm guitarist Bob Bearden and bassist Jeff 'Okie' Okoneski. The group debuted with a self-titled album in 1998.

Meantime, Ron Taylor would be touting the more acoustical THE BRIDGE alongside Drew Smith, an ex-BITTER SWEET and STIFF veteran, going so far as releasing a quite Poppy demo. Quite incredibly news emerged in 1999 that Blaze had joined the regrouped 70's Pomp Rock legends ANGEL. Ron Taylor and Darrin DeLatte would unite in a 2001 act entitled VELVET POKER DOGS. Blaze meantime issued a second NEAR LIFE EXPERIENCE album in mid 2002.

A reformed LILLIAN AXE announced a 2002 double live album 'Tear It Up- Live' (later changed to simply 'Live 2002'), recorded in Houston, Texas on the 4th of May, through their new label Red & Gold Records. Rumours surfaced in early 2004 that the band's 6th March show in Schaumburg, Illinois, was to be the last with vocalist Ron Taylor. Indeed, later that month Taylor confirmed he closing his fifteen year career with the band.

The singer would keep his hand in, uniting with LILLIAN AXE bassist Darrin DeLatte in an acoustic covers duo entitled TAYLOR/DELATTE. Meantime, guitarist Steve Blaze turned up in an unexpected role, playing the part of a 300-year-old vampire named Marcus in the movie 'Slayer Zed And The City Of The Dead'.

September saw the announcement that LILLIAN AXE had secured Derrick LeFevre as their new vocalist. New recordings, entitled 'Waters Rising', would also be set to include the ANGEL and HARDLINE credited Michael T. Ross on keyboards. The band would debut its new line up with a gig on New Year's Eve in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The band got into the festive spirit later that year by donating the track 'Here Is Christmas' to the Perris Records seasonal compilation 'The Glam That Stole Christmas Vol. 1'.

In mid 2005 Ron Taylor and Darrin DeLatte fired up a side band dubbed LOWSIDE. Also active on the live front would be covers bands from DeLatte, THE DAZE, and Derrick LeFevre, MPH. The singer also donated his vocals to a version of 'Livin' On A Prayer' on a BON JOVI tribute album, 'Always', through Versailles Records. Stevie Blaze made an impact outside of the Rock n' Roll arena, with an acting role in the Horror movie 'Tao Of M', portraying the vampire Midael. The movie, directed by James L. Bills and shot by Velvet Life Productions, also starred Pete Steele of TYPE O NEGATIVE and members of TWISTED SISTER.

LILLIAN AXE lost the services of bassist Darrin Delatte in May 2006, drafting Eric Morris of NEAR LIFE EXPERIENCE and CATCH VELVET as substitute. Meantime, Derrick LeFevre was to feature on a swathe of tribute albums for Versailles Records, fronting GUNS N' ROSES 'Rocket Queen' on 'It's So Easy - A Millennium Tribute to Guns N Roses', DAVID LEE ROTH's 'Just Like Paradise' on 'Just Like Paradise: A Millennium Tribute to Diamond David Lee Roth', BON JOVI's 'Living On A Prayer' on 'Always: A Millennium Tribute to Bon Jovi' and also a SAMMY HAGAR set.

LILLIAN AXE, signing to Metro City Records in October 2006, a division of Screaming Ferret Wreckords, announced a new album, entitled 'Water's Rising', for July 2007. The group's 1999 'Fields Of Yesterday' album was reissued with two bonus tracks on 10th December 2007 as part of Z Records 10th anniversary celebrations.

The band announced in September 2008 that 'A Sad Day On Planet Earth' was being used as the tentative title of its new album. LILLIAN AXE contracted a four-album worldwide deal with the Swedish label Blistering Records in January 2009 resulting in the album 'Sad Day On Planet Earth', released in June. LILLIAN AXE played their first European show since 2004 on 21st November 2009 at JB's club in Dudley, West Midlands in the UK.

Garry Sharpe-Young