The Quireboys change name to Black Eyed Sons and announce debut album
It features Planet Rock's very own Joe Elliott
Guy Griffin’s version of The Quireboys have changed their name to Black Eyed Sons and they’ve announced a star-studded debut album.
After ousting frontman and founding member Spike in March 2022 in highly acrimonious circumstances, band leader Guy Griffin (guitar, lead vocals), Keith Weir (keyboards, piano), Paul Guerin (guitar), Pip Mailing (drums) and Nick Mailing (bass) have been performing as The Quireboys over the past two-and-a-half-years.
Spike, meanwhile, has also been playing live and recording music as Quireboys (without the definite article), and he has consistently maintained he has the right to continue the band name.
Putting the two-and-a-half-year dispute to bed, Guy Griffin's The Quireboys are now called Black Eyed Sons and they will release their debut album ‘Cowboys In Pinstriped Suits’ on Friday 28th January 2025 via Off Yer Rocka Recordings.
The record is essentially a rebrand of the album ‘The Band Rolls On…’ that was first announced two years ago in August 2022, and was originally set for release under The Quireboys name.
The new title ‘Cowboys In Pinstriped Suits’ is also the name of one of the eleven album tracks that features Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott alongside Alice Cooper guitarist Ryan Roxie and bass from Chip Z’Nuff.
Other guests on the record include Angry Anderson (Rose Tattoo), Charlie Starr (Blackberry Smoke), Dan Reed (Dan Reed Network), Josh Todd and Stevie D (Buckcherry), Scotti Hill (Skid Row), Steve Conte (New York Dolls, Michael Monroe) and Tim Mosher (Junkyard).
Guy Griffin says: "It's been nice to take a break and focus on the writing. Working with our own band as well as so many friends within the industry has done nothing but inspire us to write and create this exciting new project.
“We've done the hard work getting the tracks laid down, we're now looking forward to going back out on the road as Black Eyed Sons and delivering something entirely new from five musicians who've been playing together for over twenty years.
“Relationships break down sometimes, that’s Rock 'n' Roll, everyone does their thing, but we want to make sure there's no confusion as to what this is. Whilst we're proud of our musical history, that was then, this is now. It's onwards and upwards.. so let the music do the talking.”
Planet Rock’s very own Joe Elliott, who is a member of Down 'n' Outz alongside Paul Guerin, Guy Griffin and Keith Weir, enthuses: "Having worked with these guys since 2009 in the greatest “other” band I could ever hope to work with, The Down ’n’ Outz, it just felt totally natural for me to reciprocate the love these guys have shown me by contributing to what is essentially a new beginning for them.
“So welcome to the mad world of Rock ’n’ Roll, you Black Eyed Sons."
You can pre-order ‘Cowboys In Pinstriped Suits’ HERE
Black Eyed Sons’ ‘Cowboys In Pinstriped Suits’ track-listing:
Lie to me
Medicine (w/ Josh Todd and Stevie D)
Foolin' Yourself (w/ Steve Conte and Kyf Brewer)
Autumn Reigns (w/ Charlie Starr)
Cowboys in Pinstriped Suits (w/ Joe Elliott, Ryan Roxie and Chip Z’Nuff)
Don't Throw Me in the Corner (w/ Chip Z’Nuff)
Your True Colours (w/ Mike Tramp)
Savoir Faire (w/ Alan Clayton, Steve Conte and Chris Johnstone)
Dig Me Out of this Hole w(/ Scotti Hill)
So Glorious (w/ Dan Reed)
Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory (w/ Ryan Roxie)
The real names of famous rockers, including Spike:
Cozy Powell’s real name: Colin Trevor Flooks
Alex Lifeson’s real name: Alexandar Živojinović
'Lifeson' is a semi-literal English translation of the Yugoslavian surname Živojinović, which means 'son of life'
Ginger Baker's real name: Peter Edward Baker
John 5’s real name: John William Lowery
Yngwie Malmsteen’s real name: Lars Johann Yngwie Lannerback
Rudy Sarzo’s real name: Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont
Eric Carr's real name: Paul Charles Caravello
Vinnie Vincent’s real name: Vincent John Cusano
Tina Turner’s real name: Anna Mae Bullock
King Diamond’s real name: Kim Bendix Petersen
Joey Tempest's real name: Rolf Magnus Joakim Larsson
Michael Monroe’s real name: Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm
Mikkey Dee’s real name: Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou
Jonathan Cain’s real name: Jonathan Leonard Friga
Nikki Sixx's real name: Frank Ferrano
Steven Adler’s real name: Michael Coletti
Axl Rose's real name: William Bruce Rose
Bon Scott's real name: Ronald Belford Scott
Fish’s real name: Derek William Dick
Eddie Vedder's real name: Edward Louis Severson III
Peter Criss’ real name: George Peter John Criscuola
Freddie Mercury's real name: Farrokh Bulsara
Flea's real name: Michael Peter Balzary
Perry Farrell's real name: Perry Bernstein
Geddy Lee’s real name: Gary Lee Weinrib
Mick Mars' real name: Robert Deal
Tré Cool's real name: Frank Edwin Wright III
Courtney Love's real name: Courtney Michelle Harrison
Pat Smear's real name: Georg Albert Ruthenberg
Gene Simmons' real name: Chaim Klein Witz
Spike’s real name: Jonathan Gray
Iggy Pop's real name: James Newell Osterberg, JR.
Alice Cooper's real name: Vincent Damon Furnier
Slash's real name: Saul Hudson
Mike Dirnt's real name: Michael Ryan Pritchard
Ronnie James Dio's real name: Ronald James Padavona
Brody Dalle's real name: Bree Joanna Alice Robinson
Skin's real name: Deborah Anne Dyer
Nicky Wire's real name: Nicholas Jones
Amy Lee's real name: Amy Lynn Hartzler
Bill Wyman's real name: William Perks
Izzy Stradlin's real name: Jeffrey Isbell
Paul Stanley's real name: Stanley Eisen
Vince Neil's real name: Vincent Neil Wharton
Duff McKagan's real name: Michael McKagan
Jack Black’s real name: Thomas Jacob Black
Lemmy's real name: Ian Fraser Kilmister
John Paul Jones' real name: John Baldwin
Joan Jett's real name: Joan Larkin
Eric Clapton's real name: Eric Patrick Clapp
Siouxsie Sioux's real name: Susan Janet Ballion
Rachel Bolan’s real name: James Richard Southworth
David Bowie's real name: David Robert Hayward Stenton Jones
Little Richard's real name: Richard Wayne Penniman
Sid Vicious' real name: John Simon Ritchie
Ace Frehley's real name: Paul Daniel Frehley
Lou Reed's real name: Louis Firbank
Joe Strummer's real name: John Graham Mellor
Marc Bolan's real name: Mark Feld
The Edge's real name: David Howell Evans
Meat Loaf's real name: Marvin Lee Aday
Steven Tyler's real name: Steven Victor Tallarico
Ozzy Osbourne's real name: John Michael Osbourne
Jon Bon Jovi's real name: John Francis Bongiovi
Joey Belladonna’s real name: Joseph Bellardini
Jack White's real name: John Anthony Gillis
Bono's real name: Paul David Hewson
Sting's real name: Gordon Sumner
Billy Idol’s real name: William Michael Albert Broad
Geezer Butler’s real name: Terence Butler
Pat Benatar’s real name: Patricia Mae Giraldo
Bo Diddley’s real name: Ellas McDaniel
Muddy Waters’ real name: McKinley Morganfield
Stevie Nicks’ real name: Stephanie Lynn Nicks
Doro’s real name: Dorothee Pesch
Sebastian Bach’s real name: Sebastian Philip Bierk
Joe Perry’s real name: Joseph Pereira
Jimi Hendrix’s real name: James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix)
Zakk Wylde’s real name: Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt
Maynard James Keenan’s real name: James Herbert Keenan
Blaze Bayley’s real name: Bayley Alexander Cooke
Biff Byford's real name: Peter Rodney Byford
M. Shadows' real name: Matthew Charles Sanders
Syd Barrett's real name: Roger Keith Barrett
Chris Jericho's real name: Christopher Keith Irvine
Ginger Wildheart's real name: David Leslie Walls
Paul Di'Anno's real name: Paul Andrews
Phil X’s real name: Theofilos Xenidis
Peter Green’s real name: Peter Allen Greenbaum
Nicko McBrain’s real name: Michael Henry McBrain
Noddy Holder’s real name: Neville John Holder
Steel Panther’s real names
Michael Starr: Ralph Michael Saenz, Satchel: Russell John Parrish, Stix Zadinia: Darren Leader, Spyder: Joe Lester.