CONTRABAND was a short lived 'supergroup' consisting of SHARK ISLAND vocalist Richard Black, the SCORPIONS, UFO and MICHEAL SCHENKER GROUP credited German guitar hero Michael Schenker, L.A. GUNS guitarist Tracii Guns, VIXEN bassist Share Pederson, and RATT drummer Bobby Blotzer. Black (a.k.a. Richard Czerny) had started out with THE SHARKS under the stage name Race Revol.

CONTRABAND actually evolved from a VIXEN and RATT 'Unplugged' session on MTV on which Michael Schenker guested with RATT.

The resulting 'Contraband' album, released during 1991, included covers of DAVID BOWIE's 'Hang On To Yourself' and MOTT THE HOOPLE's 'All The Way From Memphis'. Album cut 'Tonite You're Mine' was a re-recording of a TIM KARR composition. The album was ill received and the band soon broke up on the road supporting RATT.

Schenker eventually returned to UFO. Guns resumed activities with L.A. GUNS and Blotzer followed suit with RATT. Black forged the short lived RICHARD BLACK PROJECT with English guitarist PAUL SAMSON whilst Pederson, under her new surname of Ross, founded BUBBLE.