Having released a quite obscure, self-titled album on the Everfall label, limited to 15'000 copies, in 1979, TALAS was pretty much a secret outside of the group's native Buffalo, New York, although tales had reached outside ears of bass player BILLY SHEEHAN's prowess with four strings. Sheehan actually formed a stable line-up of TALAS as far back as 1974, having cut his musical teeth in a variety of different local outfits ranging from a 60's influenced Jazz trio to more run of the mill Rock outfits.

Sheehan quit the group in 1978 to team up with a formative version of the MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP but this liaison was brief. Equally fleeting was a spell within the ranks of Canadian outfit MAX WEBSTER, and within a year Billy had hooked up with TALAS once more in time to cut the first record. Media suggested that Sheehan was a veritable 'Eddie Van Halen of the bass' and the world got their first taste of the man once power trio TALAS had inked a deal with the New York based distribution company Important.

The trio of Sheehan, guitarist David Constantino and drummer Paul Varga, recorded the second TALAS album, 'Sink Your Teeth Into That' in 1982 and it was issued through Important distribution's custom label in America and new British label Food For Thought in Europe. Sheehan's reputation led him to be invited to temporarily replace the departed PETE WAY in UFO on a European tour during 1982, although the bassist would return to American after a chaotic show in Athens, Greece during which Billy was hit by an object thrown from the crowd. Back in Buffalo, both Varga and Constantino split to pursue a less weightier form of Metal, Sheehan thus assembling a brand new incarnation of TALAS.

A live album, 1983's 'High Speed On Ice', was thus revealed that marked the recording debut of a new TALAS line-up involving Canadian born vocalist PHIL NARO, previously with the Attic signed CHAIN REACTION, HOTSHOT guitarist Al Pitrelli and drummer Mark Miller. Pitrelli's tenure was brief (he would of course later go on to ALICE COOPER, ASIA, WIDOWMAKER, SAVATAGE, BLUE OYSTER CULT and MEGADETH) and the band pulled in ex-STEELER man MITCH PERRY. In turn, Perry was replaced after the live album's release by erstwhile ZILLION guitarist Johnny Angel. Perry would go on to play with the likes of Australians HEAVEN and MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP.

Having previously been the subject of rumours linking him to VAN HALEN (despite Michael Anthony still being very much in the band), Sheehan was eventually tempted away from Buffalo and TALAS to the sunnier climes of California. The bassist took up an offer from, ironically, ex-VAN HALEN frontman DAVID LEE ROTH to join guitarist STEVE VAI in the extravagant showman's solo band.

Before he quit New York State, the bassist gave his blessing for TALAS to carry on without him. However, with New Yorker Bruno Ravel, of HOTSHOT and briefly a member of WHITE LION, filling Sheehan's shoes it all went pear shaped when a fan handed Ravel a shirt to wear on stage emblazoned with the words 'Billy Who?' Once word drifted back to Sheehan the man immediately put a stop to the group continuing with the TALAS moniker, a move that effectively ended things there and then.

After the demise of TALAS Phil Naro created the ill fated 24K before forming his own act NARO, whilst Bruno Ravel found greater success back in New York City with his role in DANGER DANGER after a spell playing bass with JOE LYNN TURNER. Johnny Angel formed the Glam outfit ROCK CANDY.

The debut TALAS album saw a timely re-release in 1991 on Metal Blade Records, the original producer Larry Swist having enhanced the original tapes with a remix. By this time Sheehan was reaping the benefits of global success within the more commercially inclined MR. BIG.

During a hiatus away from MR. BIG Sheehan reformed the classic TALAS line-up for a reunion show in Buffalo on 29th November 1997. The two set show was recorded for a live album 'If Only We Knew Then What We Know Now'. The record would include a take on KING CRIMSON's '21st Century Schizoid Man' and two previously unheard TALAS numbers in 'Power To Break Away' and 'Tell Me True'. Japanese editions on the Warner label boasted a brand new studio track 'Doin' It Right' plus a narrated message from Sheehan to Japanese fans.