Autograph formed in 1983 with vocalist/guitarist Steve Plunkett joining up with guitarist Steve Lynch, bassist Randy Rand, keyboard player Steven Isham, and drummer Keni Richards. The band seemed to have it all: a fine commercial hard rock debut in 1984's 'Sign in Please', good looks, and great hair. Still, it wasn't enough, and by the time they released the following year's disappointing 'That's the Stuff' the 80s rock audience had moved on. Their 1987 single "Loud and Clear" got a bit of attention, thanks to Ozzy Osbourne's cameo in their video, but it all arrived too late to save the band, which split up in 1989. A posthumous collection of outtakes called 'Missing Pieces' was released about a decade later.
Despite scoring a massive MTV hit with their very first single, "Turn Up the Radio", which continues to be a classic rock staple, Autograph's songs got lost in the shuffle of the thriving Los Angeles pop metal scene. Still, interest in their first big hit continues, with the song featured in a variety of places such as the popular 'Grand Theft Auto: Vice City' video game. In 2003, Steve Plunkett put out a reunion album of sorts: an all-new material album entitled 'Buzz', which retained their 80s sound. They've also released the odds and sods album 'More Missing Pieces'.
Reunion (2013–present)
In late 2013, original members Steve Lynch, Randy Rand, and Keni Richards got back together for a reunion. Due to Plunkett not being interested in doing the reunion, they have replaced him with Jailhouse, Agent X, Flood, 1RKO, solo artist singer/songwriter/guitarist Simon Daniels.
Since 2014, by which time Richards had been replaced by Mark Wieland on drums, the band has played the Monsters of Rock Cruise, M3 Rock Festival, The Moondance Jam, The Halfway Jam, Firefest UK, Rockin the Rivers, The Iowa State Fair along with other festivals, theaters and worldwide touring.
On January 15, 2015, they released their first single, "You Are Us, We Are You," on iTunes. On April 21, they released their 2nd single, "I Lost My Mind in America," which made the Top 10 download of the charts. In July, the band was featured in USA Today NEWS after playing the famous Halfway Jam Rock Festival. On September 23, the band released their 3rd single "Every Generation" and is featured as track of the week on Classic Rock Magazine. On January 7, 2016, the new 5 song EP 'Louder', with 4 original new singles and a live version of "Turn up the Radio", was released and is available on the official website.
On January 10, 2017, the band completed the recordings for the new full album which was released as 'Get Off Your Ass' on OCTOBER 6 after signing with EMP Label Group owned by David Ellefson.
On April 8, 2017, Keni Richards died at the age of 60.
On July 24, 2019, Steve Lynch decided to move on to other projects so the band added a new guitarist on August 27, 2019. Jimi Bell previously played in the House of Lords and Maxx Explosion. Bell appeared in the 1986 film, Light Of Day, where he was both a performer in the movie and played on the soundtrack album. He is an official endorsee of GHS Strings, Marshall Amps (Europe), Ovation Guitars, Roberts Guitars, Viper Guitars, Charvel Guitars and PVX Guitars.
Autograph‘s long-time bassist Randy Rand passed away in April 2022. Rand was in Autograph from 1983 to 1989 and again from 2013 onwards. He was the lone remaining original member in the band. Three of the five original Autograph band members have now passed away with Rand in 2022, keyboardist Steven Isham in 2008 and drummer Keni Richards in 2017.
Loud and Clear
Autograph Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn it all the way to 10, uh
Do you know what I'm trying to say
Got to give it all away, wooooh
Loud and clear
I want to hear it
Loud and clear
Loud and clear
I gotta have it
Loud and clear
Yeah
One thing that you should know
If it's too loud
You're too old, too old
If you want to turn it down
Better get out of town
Loud and clear
I want to hear it
Loud and clear
Give it to me
Loud and clear
I gotta have it
Loud and clear
Yeah
Cheers for the play
Cheers for the rock
We're working our way
Up to the top, top
Yeah
(Loud and clear)
Loud and clear
(Loud and clear)
Loud and clear
(Loud and clear)
I said, Loud and clear
(Loud and clear)
Yeaaaahh
(Loud and clear)
The Autograph's song "Loud and Clear" is an anthem for the young and wild rockers. The lyrics are about celebrating the boys who win and turning it all the way to 10. The singer urges everyone to give it all away and to let their music be heard loud and clear. The repetition of the phrase "Loud and clear" is a manifestation of the passion and energy that the band wants to convey to the listeners. The line "If it's too loud, you're too old" is a direct attack on those who cannot appreciate the magnificence of loud rock music. The song is an ode to those who want to break free and live their lives on their terms. Cheers for the rock and the play, the band is working hard to climb to the top.
Line by Line Meaning
Celebrate the boys who win
Let's give a round of applause for the winners and support them
Turn it all the way to 10, uh
Crank up the volume to the maximum level, expressing our passion for music
Do you know what I'm trying to say
Do you follow my suggestion and message conveyed in this song?
Got to give it all away, wooooh
We have to put all our effort and energy into everything we do, with enthusiasm and confidence
Loud and clear
We demand that our music be played with full volume and clarity
I want to hear it
We are eager to listen to the music in its full, unfiltered glory
Give it to me
We expect the music to be delivered with passion and dedication, so that it resonates with our emotions
I gotta have it
Our love for music is so strong that we crave it, we need it to fuel our souls
Yeah
Affirmation of our passion for music
One thing that you should know
I have a piece of advice for you
If it's too loud
If the volume of music is painful to your ears
You're too old, too old
Then you are missing out on the joy and energy of youth
If you want to turn it down
If you are not a fan of such intense music
Better get out of town
Then it's better to leave this place and find some other activity
Cheers for the play
Let's show appreciation for the music that is being played
Cheers for the rock
Let's give a shout out to rock music genre specifically
We're working our way
We are putting in the effort and dedication to succeed in our music careers
Up to the top, top
We aim to become one of the best bands and reach the zenith of success
Loud and clear
Reiteration of our demand for high volume and clarity
I said, Loud and clear
Emphasis on our unaltered message
Yeaaaahh
Short expression of excitement and enthusiasm
Contributed by Jayce C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dermot BYRNE
Brilliant Album and great melodic Hard rock band with great Hooks in their songs.
Luke Kuykendall
I Love how enthusiastic the drummer gets in this song. He looks like he had a great time recording this video.
Pmetal62
One of the best sleeze/glam band ever heard. I got all theyr albums. Great band, great music. The reunion is near, but without Steve isn't it!
Greetings from Italy
Dave MacDonald
This is a great tune. Too bad it didn’t get the recognition it deserved.
SoundWavesSurfer
How a band like this fails... The world is not fair.
Mario R. Provencher
Ya, I know that's crazy, rock it up
Susanne S
Love the style of the groupies! I love THIS music! ! ! !
Chad Fortman
Loved this album nothing sounds better then metal and rock
ryerordstar2010
Wow, did not remember Vince and Ozzy being in this video. What a huge moment for Autograph. I almost forgot about this little gem. Awesome.
Phillip Samuels
Great band so underated the album loud and clear is a absolute gem