Aeriel Stiles

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Aeriel Stiles


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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Origin = Hollywood, California, United States
Genre = Hard rock, glam metal
Years_active = 1982–present
Label = MCA
Mausoleum
Delinquent Records
Perris Records

Aeriel Stiles is the first guitarist and prime songwriter from the hard rock band Pretty Boy Floyd from Hollywood, California formed in 1987. He was replaced by guitarist Kristy Majors. Pretty Boy Floyd are most famous for their 1989 debut album "Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz" and the two singles from it; "Rock and Roll" and "I Wanna Be With You".

History

In 1985, Aeriel entered into a band called Doll. In 1986 the bass player left to form Salty Dog, so Doll dissolved. Aeriel was looking to put together a new group still doing the same thing, and he found Steve Summers through an ad in Music Connection magazine. He came down and they hit it off. One year and a half they found the bassist Vinnie Chas and the drummer Kari Kane. From there, Pretty Boy Floyd was born.

Aeriel wrote most of the Pretty Boy Floyd songs himself, before Pretty Boy Floyd was formed. He wrote "Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz", "Wild Angels", "48 Hours", and "The Last Kiss" in 1984/1985 while he was in Doll. He wrote "I Wanna Be With You" in 1982, two years before he came to L.A. In 1986/1987, while he and Steve were trying to find other members, Aeriel wrote "Only The Young Understand", "Rock 'N' Roll Outlaws", and "Your Mama Won't Know".

In 1988 Aeriel Stiles was replaced by guitarist Kristy Majors, and after 8 shows Pretty Boy Floyd were snapped up by MCA Records. Their debut album named "Leather Boyz with Electric Toyz" was released in 1989 and produced by Motörhead producer Howard Benson. It reached #130 on the United States Billboard charts.

Aeriel rejoined the band in January of '91 and stayed with the band until about spring of '94 when they finally broke up.

tratosphere

In 1995 Aeriel Stiles created a band called "Stratosphere". The band were then forced to take nearly a year hiatus when Stiles suffered a back injury which required surgery. Afterwards, Stiles recorded an additional 10 songs at his home studio. They narrowed the 15 tracks down to 10 and released the CD "Time" in 1997. The band recruited drummer Jay Rezendes and bassist John Binkley in time to appear on the cover art, but the "Time" CD was already finished prior.

Stratosphere began playing regular shows in the L.A. area. Aeriel Stiles was nominated by Rock City News magazine for best guitarist for 3 consecutive years. Their live shows were a retro-hippie stage set which featured lots of lighting effects, including the use of invisible fluorescent paints which made Jeff Alpin's artwork banners and scrims reveal hidden images when the black lights came on. The band played its final live shows in 2002. The band eventually disbanded before its 2nd CD was completed.

In 2003, Aeriel, Purcell, and Rabatin formed the Psychedelic Blues Experience as a working cover band for about a year. In 2005, Aeriel and Purcell joined up again and formed Throttlehold, an original metal band in the vein of Tool but with electronica elements. Stiles relocated to Nashville in 2006 and is in the process of forming another group.

Recent Times

Currently, Aeriel is working in his project Throttlehold, and he is also working with Steve Summers for a possible new Pretty Boy Floyd album in 2008. The Myspace of band have a new sound from Aeriel and Steve called "Take You Down".

Aeriel also work for FOX Interactive and produce funny comedy songs and parodies to Loony Music.

Endorsements

Aeriel Stiles is the demonstration guitarist for the effects pedals at the web sites for Guyatone & Maxon effects. He play with his favorite pedals, Guyatone's metal monster, and Maxon's OD9 and SD9. Aeriel also endorses Fisher saturn V guitars.

Discography

Albums

*Stratosphere - "Time" - (1997)

EP

*Rattlin' Bones - (1995)

Compilations

*Pretty Boy Floyd - "Tonight Belongs to the Young" Remastered demos - (2003)
*Pretty Boy Floyd - "The Demos Collection" - (2003)
*Pretty Boy Floyd - "Dirty Glam" - (2004)

External links

* [http://www.prettyboyfloyd.tv Official Pretty Boy Floyd official website]