Dana Strum

Dana Strum (born Dana Strumwasser on December 13, 1957) is an American musician who is a co-founder, bass player, and one of the two primary songwriters of the US-based hard rock band Slaughter, an American Music Awards winner, formed in 1988.

He first achieved commercial success as a member of an ex-Kiss guitarist act, Vinnie Vincent Invasion, along with his future Slaughter bandmate Mark Slaughter.

Based in Los Angeles, Strum has claimed responsibility for introducing the legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads to Ozzy Osbourne, as well as bringing Jake E. Lee to Ozzy's solo band following Rhoads's death.

Strum has worked with a number of artists and groups, playing bass, co-writing, and/or producing songs, such as The Beach Boys, Détente, Sweet Savage, Ace Frehley, Kik Tracee, Dennis Bono, Vince Neil, and Ozzy Osbourne, among others.

Strum's family came from Trinidad, British West Indies.

He was born in Washington, D.C. and spent his childhood in Pasadena, California.

His father was a scientist working in neurobiology and a professor and researcher of psychiatry and neuroscience.

Strum's mother worked on creating cling-free nylon.

Strum began playing bass guitar aged eight despite his parents' disapproval.

Growing up in Los Angeles during his teenage years, his playing was influenced by rock performers such as Black Sabbath and Grand Funk Railroad.

His first concert was a Black Sabbath/Captain Beyond gig in Hollywood, California.

He began playing professionally on the Los Angeles Club Circuit aged sixteen.

Strum began his career in the late 1970s as a member of the progressive hard rock band BadAxe in Los Angeles, California.

The band performed on the LA Circuit Scene alongside Van Halen and Quiet Riot.

BadAxe gained attention for their sound, which was similar to that of bands like Black Sabbath and Deep Purple.

In November 1976, BadAxe recorded an album at Stronghold Studios with Strum also serving as producer.

A limited number of test pressings of the album were released by Earth Breeze Productions.

The following year, the band recorded the single "Cry For Me" / "All You Can Stand" at Dalton Studios in Santa Monica, CA with Strum also co-producing.

Strum left BadAxe in the summer of 1979 when he was offered the opportunity to audition for Ozzy Osbourne and become his new bass player.

Osbourne was looking to form a new band following his split from Black Sabbath.

Strum is credited with introducing Randy Rhoads to Osbourne at that time.

In the early 1980s, Strum joined the group Modern Design, with Ron Mancuso on guitar, Louie Merlino on vocals, and Joey DePompeis on drums.

In January 1983, while still a member of Modern Design, Strum held auditions for Ozzy Osbourne, who was searching for a replacement guitar player following the death of Randy Rhoads in a plane crash in March 1982.

Jake E. Lee, lead guitarist for the band Rough Cutt, was ultimately chosen for the position, beating out George Lynch, the former guitar player for Xciter and The Boyz.

While working at Pasha Records, Strum along with other members of Modern Design collaborated with Danny Spanos, a former drummer turned singer, who was also recording at the studio.

In late November 1983, they opened for Cheap Trick in Kiel Opera House, St. Louis, MO, and the performance was recorded live for the RKO Radio Network.

The band's album Looks Like Trouble was produced by Spencer Proffer and released in 1984.

Strum also contributed to the album as a writer on the tracks "Good Girl" and "Looks Like Trouble".

In 1985, Strum joined former Kiss guitarist Vinnie Vincent to form Vinnie Vincent Invasion.

Robert Fleishman, the ex-vocalist for Journey, was hired as their lead singer.

Over the next few months, the band went through a process of auditioning drummers until the Houston-born Bobby Rock joined the band in October 1985.

Vinnie Vincent Invasion signed an eight-album deal with Chrysalis Records.

After releasing their self-titled debut album in 1986, Fleischman left the group.

Mark Slaughter, who Strum met while producing Sin, was brought in as the Vinnie Vincent Invasion new lead vocalist.

The video "Boys Are Gonna Rock", directed by Jeff Stein, was produced featuring Mark Slaughter as the singer over Fleischman's vocal track.

The video received heavy rotation on MTV.

At that time, the band's look was entirely over the top glam.

According to Mancuso in an interview from 2010, the band had significant interest from well-known producers and engineers.

Modern Design began working with Pasha Records, a label that at the time was releasing records for The Beach Boys and Vanilla Fudge, among others.

Despite being close to securing a record deal with multiple labels, it ultimately fell through.