Niacin

J

ohn Novello (keyboard/guitar/vocals), Dennis Chambers (ex-Chick Corea/ex-Steely Dan/ex-Parliament Funkadelic/ex-James Brown; drums) and Billy Sheenan (ex-Talas/ex-David Lee Roth/ex-Mr. Big; bass) were veterans each of the music industry. By merging collective decades of rock, fusion and jazz, they launched (thus far) 5 releases under the Niacin title, Niacin (1995), High Bias (1998) as well as a Japanese live album, then Deep in 2000. Niacin's experienced staff also led to equally experienced influences of Grand Funk Railroad, Led Zeppelin, Huble Pie, Spooky Tooth, Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, Jon Lord (of Deep Purple), Ken Hensley (of Uriah Heep), Yes, Electric Ladyland (Jimmy Hendrix and others, collectively known as "The B-3" sound; a sound generated by any instrument able to imitate the Hammond organ.

Niacin's 2000 release, Deep, was their largest project to date. Sounding much like it was jettisoned out of the easy rock movement of the 1970s, the retro-styled disc came complete with a cover version of Van Halen's Mean Streets, as well as a guest vocal performance by Glenn Hughes, and Steve Lukather as a guest guitarist; both were featured on the track Things Ain't What They Used To Be, an almost poetic way of highlighting the musical style that this band loves so much, a style not regularly featured anymore. Time Crunch (2001) then followed in their retro progressive rock style. organik (2005) and Krush (2013) followed. Two live albums, Live (1997) and Live! Blood, Sweat & Beers (2000) would also be released.