Former VIRGIN STEELE guitarist JACK STARR went solo and teamed up with ex-RIOT vocalist RHETT FORRESTER and THE RODS rhythm section of Carl Canedy and Gary Bordonaro for his first album, 1984's 'Out Of The Darkness', which was licensed to Music For Nations in Europe by the Passport label. RAINBOW drummer Gary Driscoll plays on 'Let's Get Crazy Again'. The album was co-produced by Jack and Carl. The same year Starr appeared on the DEVIL CHILDE self titled Thrash album although going under the pseudonym of 'Lucifer'.

The man's second album 'Rock The American Way' found Starr working with vocalist Frank Vestry, bassist John Rodriguez and Tony Galtieri.

The line up shifted once more for 1986's 'No Turning Back' the album seeing the talents of former LAST LIX and present day HOLY MOTHER vocalist Mike Terrelli, bassist Thumper (actually SAVATAGE man Keith Collins) and erstwhile STEELER drummer MARK EDWARDS. The album was produced by Starr's VIRGIN STEELE colleague David De Feis who also added keyboard touchs.

For 1987's 'Blaze Of Glory' William Fairchild (going under the stage name of 'Free Bass') and HOLY MOTHER drummer Jim Harris appeared with Tirelli fronting the whole affair once more. The 1989 'Burning Starr' record (also known as 'Orange') had Ed Spahn on keyboards. The follow up 'A Minor Disturbance' was a purely instrumental solo affair credited simply to JACK STARR, with ex-MORNING THUNDER and HOLY MOTHER bassist RANDY COVEN along with ZEBRA keyboard player Felix Hannemann. Coven issued his solo album 'Funk Me Tender' the same year.

Jack Starr featured as part of STRIDER in 1991. Starr then created an act titled OXYGEN comprising of vocalist Melissa Brown, bassist Jack Di Fiori and veteran RAINBOW, BLACK SABBATH and BLUE OYSTER CULT drummer Bobby Rondinelli. Only demos were recorded before the band folded in 1994.

In 1996 Starr has issued a much mellower album 'Some Day Will Come'. The 'No Turning Back' album was re-issued in 1998 by the Sentinel Steel label with the addition of bonus tracks in the form of newly remixed versions of the tracks 'Burning Starr' and 'Metal Generation'.

A brand new BURNING STARR opus was set to be recorded with ex-MAJESTY and DREAM THEATER vocalist Chris Collins during 1998.

Subsequently, Coven put in appearances with both YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and A.R.K. During mid 2002 it would be revealed that Mike Tirelli had assembled a German / American project band billed as MESSIAH'S KISS, recording a debut album 'Prayer For The Dying' for the SPV label.

Starr convened JACK STARR AND THE GUARDIANS OF THE FLAME during 2002. The February 2003 album 'Under A Savage Sky' witnessed an array of impressive guest performers including former UFO guitarist PAUL CHAPMAN, RAVEN guitarist Mark Gallagher, RAVEN drummer Joe Hasselvander, FUNNY MONEY bassist Ned Meloni and erstwhile PICTURE vocalist Shmoulik Avigal. The band signed a new record deal with Magic Circle Music, the label founded by the veteran Heavy Metal band MANOWAR, in March of 2004.

In 2005 Mike Tirelli would front veteran act RIOT for their appearance at the February 2005 'Atarfe Vega Rock' festival in Granada, Spain.