Bassist GREG CHAISSON Quits JAKE E. LEE's RED DRAGON CARTEL

Bassist Greg Chaisson has announced his departure from RED DRAGON CARTEL, the band led by former OZZY OSBOURNE and BADLANDS guitarist Jake E. Lee. Greg says: “I’m afraid to say real life just jumped right up and got in the way of my good time. I can no longer take any more time away from my regular job. I want to thank everyone in the RED DRAGON CARTEL organization, and most of all, my best friend Jake E. Lee. And a very special thanks to all of you who have treated me so great! They will continue on without me and it will be fantastic as always.”

Chaisson and Jake E. Lee were half of the short-lived BADLANDS, which also featured current KISS drummer Eric Singer and the late singer Ray Gillen (who also had a brief stint in BLACK SABBATH). After the first BADLANDS album, Singer was replaced by Jeff Martin. The group lasted from 1988 to 1993 and released two albums, “Badlands” (1989) and “Voodoo Highway” (1991) before Gillen left and was replaced by John West. Ray‘s death in 1993 effectively ended any hopes of a BADLANDS reunion. The album “Dusk”, consisting of BADLANDS demo recordings from 1992-1993, was released in 1998.

RED DRAGON CARTEL last week announced the departure of singer Darren James Smith. He has since been replaced by Michael Beck.

Michael Beck is the owner, engineer, and producer at SoundVision Recording Studio in Mesa, Arizona. He has worked with such acts as SOILWORK, MARILYN MANSON, ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and DAATH.

RED DRAGON CARTEL‘s self-titled debut album sold around 5,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 69 on The Billboard 200 chart. Released on January 28, 2014 via Frontiers Records, the CD was recorded at Las Vegas’ The Hideout Recording Studio — owned and operated by Kevin Churko (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, IN THIS MOMENT) — and was produced by R. Bernard Mann (a.k.a. Ronnie Mancuso) and Jake E. Lee, and executive-produced, mixed and mastered by Churko.

RED DRAGON CARTEL‘s setlist includes new material like the singles “Feeder” and “Deceived”, as well as major hits from Jake E. Lee‘s glorious past: “Bark At The Moon”, “The Ultimate Sin” and “Rock ‘N’ Roll Rebel” (all originally recorded by OZZY OSBOURNE), as well as “Shine On” and “High Wire” (BADLANDS).

Video footage of RED DRAGON CARTEL performing in Dayton, Ohio:

Fonte: Blabbermouth.net