For the past 6 years Black Valentine has established itself as one of the premier Hard Rock bands in Los Angeles, carving out a niche as a band with great Originals and great Re-Makes of so many overlooked Covers.
After performing hundreds of Shows (including Headlining the world famous Whisky A Go-Go twice), releasing 3 full length original Albums, a full length Re-Make album, and an ambitious double-album of Re-Makes, Black Valentine found itself in the midst of a Pandemic Shutdown.
Founding member Frank Yanno took this time to write and Demo over 30 new Originals. However, with Shows being cancelled and no Rehearsals it was inevitable that the band would lose members.
Black
Valentine
!Black Valentine's New Reality
In June of 2020 Frank and Jesse Wolff parted ways with singer Earl Drummond and bass player Merle Gregory and began the process of rebuilding the Band.
Frank asked Jose Ferro to play on the Record. Since the Album's Please Tris "Duke" Carpenter has joined the band. What he brings Musically and Sonically will take the band to a whole new level.
Frank also took this opportunity to assume the role of Lead Singer- something many people had been encouraging him to do for some time.
With everything shut down, the obvious choice was to move forward with a new Original album. Rehearsals began immediately on 12 of the Originals that Frank wrote in isolation culminating in the album New Reality taken from a title of one of those songs. Not only did it perfectly describe life in the Pandemic, it also described the evolution of the band. The album is scheduled to be released in early 2021
Now with their latest Release Love Letters and Hate Mail this new iteration of Black Valentine.has come into their own presenting 11 Songs about Love, Hate, and everything In between.
Joseph Timmons of Xombiewoof Magazine says Black Valentine’s originals are “…drenched in attitude and emotions ranging from aggression and anger to hurt and pain, from frustration and discontent to determination and resolve. Each track literally screams out loud what most of us have only thought all wrapped up in perfectly catchy Songs delivered with exceptional musicianship.”
Freelance Journalist Paul Boutin (Newsweek, The New York Times) describes their Re-Makes as “…great songs that sound even better as hard rockers. Black Valentine doesn't "cover" these songs -- they stomp the stuffing out of them. Frank Yanno is my personal guitar hero in Los Angeles, and the rest of the band sounds like an elephant let loose in Nazareth's rehearsal space.”
Black Valentine has opened up for such famous Acts as Stephen Pearcy (RATT), Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow, Deep Purple), Orgy, Juan Croucier (RATT), Graham Bonnett (Rainbow, Alcatraz), and Bang Tango and their Live Performance is not to be missed -delivering their electrifying Stage Show to those who like smart Music served up HEAVY!!
Jesse Wolff
Drums, Background Vocals
Born in: Los Angeles,,Ca
Formal Training: Hamilton Magnet Music Academy, Drum Corp and Jazz Band, Graduated Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School
Executive Chef at: IL Sole in Los Angeles
Opened for: Orgy, Stephen Pearcy, Graham Bonnett, Joe Lynn Turner, Bang Tango.
Worked at: Drum Paradice as a Session Set Up Engineer, Can Am Recording Studio as Production and Mixing Assistant for such names as Death Row Records, Motley Crue, Pat Benatar, and Madonna
Grew up on Tour with: father Marty Wolff (Long Time Lighting and Road Manager for the Doobie Bros.)
Frank Yanno
Guitarist, Lead Singer
Born in: Dansville, New York
Formal Training: AS in Graphic Designs, BFA in Illustration from the Rochester Institute of Technology
Guitarist for: Angel City Rockers, tHe CoNStAnT, Luther Braque, White Widow, Das Butt, Triphammer
Performed Live with: Kenny Aronoff, Ellis Hall, Martin GuiGui, Chris Peterman, Valeri Gaina,
Opened for: KIX, Orgy, Stephen Pearcy, Graham Bonnett, Joe Lynn Turner. Bang Tango, Y&T, Talas, Ronnie Montrose, Loudness, Keel, Radio Fee Europe, Gaina, Master, Legion, Powder
Owner: Gossamer Studios Van Nuys, Ca
Producer, Engineer for: Angel City Rockers, Guitar and Whisky Club, Daisy DelaHoya, Kylie Francesca, tHe CoNStAnT, Against Empire, Greg Gomes Band, Gary Leslie, Chico Rey, Paul Bradley, Howard Lubin
Wrote and Recorded Songs for: Daisy DelaHoya, Kylie Francesco, Clive Hellshayde, Dustin Penrod, Various Television and Movies
Featured Actor on: Clean House, Clean House Comes Clean
Graphic Designer/ Artist for: Black Valentine's Re-Making History Part 1, Re-Making History Parts 2 and 3, Already Here, Slingshot Rebels, World Gone Wrong, tHe CoNStAnT’s Sometimes Things Just Happen, The Letter, and NINETIMESTEN, Darkly Sunny Days, Das Butt’s Happy, Spinman (self titled), Human Horse (self titled), Gary Leslie’s Just a Little Attitude
Endorsed by: Zemaitis Guitars, Baker Guitars, GHS Strings, Rocktron Electronics, Pickworld Guitar Picks, Screaming Images Stage Banners, BestInCase Roadcases
Tris "Duke" Carpenter
Bass, Lead and Background Vocals
Born in: Boston, Massachusetts
Formal Training: Syracuse University, UMass Amhearst Graduate School
Musical Styles: Hard Rock, Alternative, Heavy Metal, 80s Pop, Blues, Funk, Punk, Country, Hip Hop, and pretty much everything in between
Bass Player for: INXSive (INXS Tribute), STC (Stone Temple Pilots Tribute), Sanctuary (The Cult Tribute), Gypsy Dreams (Fleetwood Mac Tribute), Auntie M (Morphine Tribute), Looking For Trouble, JP McDermott and Western Bop, HeXx Henderson
Opened for: Los Lobos, Jonathan Richman, Chris Duarte, the Beach Boys, Juice Newton, Kim Wilson and the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Twisted Sister
Endorsements: Ashdown, Lakland
