Point Blank (band)

Point Blank is an American rock band hailing from Irving, Texas, United States. The band formed in 1974 and recorded six albums between 1974 and 1982.[1] Garnering occasional airplay on AOR radio stations, the band is best known for their 1981 hit single, "Nicole" and their prior hit "The Hard Way" gained much exposure.

Point Blank
Point Blank at the Billy Bob's France, June 2007
Background information
OriginIrving, Texas, United States
Genres
Years active
  • 1974–1984
  • 2005–present
LabelsArista, MCA
Past membersJohn O'Daniel (deceased)
Rusty Burns (deceased)
Kim Davis (deceased)
Phillip Petty (deceased)
Peter Buzzy Gruen
Steve Hardin (deceased)
Bill Randolph (deceased)
Karl Berkebile
Shannon Day
Bubba Keith
Mike Hamilton (deceased)

History

The band was discovered and managed by Bill Ham's Lone Wolf Productions (ZZ Top, Jay Boy Adams, and Eric Johnson). The original six albums were recorded in Memphis with engineer/producer Terry Manning. Point Blank's sound is rooted in southern rock and boogie, but drifted towards hard rock and mainstream AOR by the early 1980s.[1] In 1981, they released their fifth album, American Exce$$,[1] which included the hit single "Nicole". With strong air-play on AOR radio stations the track reached #20 on Billboard Magazine's Rock Tracks chart. Subsequently, "Nicole" was also released as a 45 RPM single and peaked inside the Top 40, at #39 on Billboard's Hot 100. In their heyday they were known for their relentless touring, sometimes playing more than 200 shows per year. In 1984, the band broke up.[2]

The band's core members reunited for a benefit concert in 2005. The benefit concert, held on September 17, 2005 was recorded and became a new live album titled Reloaded. After its initial release, they continued touring. In late 2009, Point Blank released Fight On!, their first studio album in 27 years. Both the Reloaded and Fight On! albums were released on the Dixiefrog label.[3]

Bassist Phillip Petty died from cancer on June 7, 2010. Guitarist Kim Davis died on October 18, 2010.[4] The studio musician Michael Hamilton, who played keyboards for the group died, also from cancer, on May 13, 2011.

In January 2014, the band completed Volume 9, a Kickstarter-funded project originally titled Locked, Stocked and Two Smoking Barrels.

Replacing bassist Philip Petty after his death was Kirk Powers. In 2012, after receiving a phone call from Billy Gibbons recommending him, the band hired drummer Greg Hokanson.[5]

James Russell Burns, better known as Rusty Burns, died in Denver from cancer on February 19, 2016, aged 63.[6]

The singer and a founding member, John O'Daniel, died from cancer on November 17, 2018.[7] The last surviving founding member is Buzzy Gruen.[8]

Discography
  • Point Blank (Arista, 1976)
  • Second Season (Arista, 1977)
  • Airplay (MCA, 1979)
  • The Hard Way (MCA, 1980)
  • American Exce$$ (MCA, 1981)
  • On A Roll (MCA, 1982)
  • Reloaded (Dixiefrog, 2006)
  • Fight On! (Dixiefrog, 2009)
  • Volume 9 (Fairway, 2014)
  • Very Best (2019)

Members
  • Bold = Original members
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