Winger disbanded in 1994. In 2001 they reunited and have since conducted several successful tours. In 2006, the band's 1993 touring line-up (minus Paul Taylor but including John Roth) reunited to record the band's first studio album in over 13 years, IV, and toured in support of the album into 2008.
In 2009, the band released their fifth album, Karma. As of 2013, Winger was performing on mini-tours, festivals and private events. Their most recent album, Better Days Comin', came out in 2014.
History:
Main career and break-up (1987–1994).
The debut album, Winger, was released on August 10, 1988 on Atlantic Records. The record was a success, achieving platinum status in the United States, and gold status in Japan and Canada. On February 11, 1989, the album peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200, and was in various places on the chart for 63 weeks. Radio and MTV hits from the album included "Madalaine", "Seventeen", "Headed for a Heartbreak" and "Hungry". In 1990, the band was nominated for an American Music Award for "Best New Heavy Metal Band".
Shortly after that tour, Winger released its second album In the Heart of the Young, which went 1-and-1/2 platinum in the U.S. and gold in Japan. Hit radio tracks and MTV videos included "Can't Get Enuff", "Miles Away" and "Easy Come Easy Go".
Winger followed the release of its second album with a 13-month world tour, playing over 230 dates with Kiss, Scorpions, ZZ Top, Extreme and Slaughter. Paul Taylor left the band after the tour, citing exhaustion after years of touring. Their third studio album, Pull, produced by Mike Shipley, was recorded in 1992/1993 as a three-piece band. It was originally to be called Blind Revolution Mad, after the opening song. Reportedly, Kip Winger, anticipating that critics would dismiss the album out of hand, renamed it Pull as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the CD being used by critics as a skeet-shooting target. The album was not as successful as the previous albums sales wise, but gained solid reviews. On the following tour, John Roth was called in to replace Paul Taylor on rhythm guitar. The album coincided with the rise of grunge, which swept aside the brand of melodic pop metal that Winger represented.
In the 1990s, Winger was subject to mockery from MTV's animated series Beavis and Butt-head. Series creator Mike Judge later revealed that he had been incorrectly informed that Kip Winger had asked the network not to make jokes about the band on the series, which led to further jokes about the band, but later learned from Winger himself that he had never made any such stipulation. “Stewart”, an early character from the TV show, wore a Winger t-shirt during the shows original run on MTV during the early 90s.
After disbanding in 1994, bassist/lead vocalist Kip Winger went on to a solo career, guitarist Reb Beach went on to touring projects with artists Dokken, Alice Cooper and has held a permanent guitar spot in Whitesnake since 2002. The band's other members pursued or resumed careers as session musicians.
Reunions (2001–present)
In 2001, it was announced that all original members of the band would return to the studio to record the song "On the Inside" for The Very Best of Winger. In 2002, all five members embarked on a reunion tour of the U.S. and Canada on a bill with Poison. According to Kip Winger, in a 2008 interview with rock and roll comic C.C. Banana, it was important to include all five members because "it was the big, long-awaited reunion so I wanted to include everybody who had ever been in the band." In 2003, it was confirmed that activity had been halted due to Reb Beach's touring commitment with Whitesnake as well as his solo album "Masquerade" and involvement with "super-group" project The Mob with King's X frontman Doug Pinnick and Night Ranger drummer Kelly Keagy.
On July 16, 2005, it was announced that Kip Winger would perform as the lead singer for the Alan Parsons Live Project at the Common Ground Music Festival in Lansing, Michigan. In May 2006, it was confirmed that Winger had reformed without one of its original members Paul Taylor, to record another album and tour Europe. The album, IV, was released in Europe in October and the nine-country "Winger IV Tour" ran in the last two weeks of the same month.
On February 25, 2008, the band performed in Providence, Rhode Island, as part of a benefit for survivors of the Station nightclub fire. The concert, along with other artists was debuted on VH1 Classic on March 23, 2008. In late 2009, it was confirmed that Winger would record a fifth album Karma, with a tour to support it. Most recently, John Roth became the guitarist for Giant and would appear on their forthcoming album Promise Land then set for release in February/March of 2010.
Winger released their sixth studio album titled, Better Days Comin' in April 2014, after teasers were published on Kip Winger's website and on the official Winger Facebook page as well.
As of late 2018, Winger was playing club dates. They were scheduled on Dec 29, 2018 in Westland, Michigan.
Style and influences.
The band's musical style combines elements of glam metal and progressive metal. Kip Winger, in description of the band's musical ability and style, said, "Our band was known to musicians, and a lot of musicians showed up to see me play — watching, trying to figure out how I'm playing. We were like the 'hair band' (version of) Dream Theater."
Right Up Ahead
Winger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sleeping in the sand every-night
Cindy's holding protests
But it ain'tno use to blame
Both sides feel the pain tonight
Hold yourself real tight
Deny...
Votes down, now fight!
The ground bleeds fire, hope they're watching my back
Eyes burning and my muscles eat glass
Kiss my frag, hope it sets me free
As I pray to the sky
Breakdown the door with a one legged huh!
Graduate, now you've worn your gun in
Now you're one...
Best be prayin' to the sky
You're dancing out your head, a free fall....
You see your angel flying
Your heart is dying
You never saw it coming
Might be right up ahead
Chasing a shadow that's moving through ash
You hold her in your minds as your way to get back home
And she prays to the sky
While the frozen shock lights the back of your face
Only seen the sun for a hundred and two days
Hits you right between the eyes
You're dancing ougt your head, a free fall...
You see your angel flying
Your heart is dying
Will you see it coming?
Might be right up ahead
Now many ways can you hold on
If you know I believe in you?
The ground bleeds fire and your eyes burn green
But you gotta believe that we're all born free
Not just left to do or die
You're dancing ougt your head, a free fall...
You see your angel flying
Your heart is dying
Will you see it coming?
Might be right up ahead
The lyrics to Winger’s song “Right Up Ahead” reflect on a world caught in a state of unrest, from the perspective of the singer who is on a battleground. The singer describes an angel who wears a green bar for a living and sleeps in the sand every night. As Cindy holds protests against the war, both sides feel the pain. The singer urges the people to hold themselves tightly, deny the situation, and fight back with a vote.
In the second stanza, the singer's experience on the ground in a military conflict is clearly conveyed. The ground is bleeding fire while he hopes someone is watching his back. The imagery of the piercing eyes and teary muscles that eat glass-driven by the fear of impending doom-is potent. He prays for freedom as he kisses his frag. The third stanza presents the singer remembering a loved one he left behind. He pictures her as his angel, praying for safety as she wanders through ash. The singer reminds her and himself that they are born free not just left to do or die.
Line by Line Meaning
Angel wore a green bar for a living
The person is describing a military personnel's life
Sleeping in the sand every-night
The military personnel is sleeping in the sand in a war zone
Cindy's holding protests
Someone named Cindy is protesting against something
But it ain'tno use to blame
Blaming won't solve the issue
Both sides feel the pain tonight
The conflict is causing pain for both sides
Hold yourself real tight
The person is advising to hold oneself tightly
Deny...
There is a hesitation to accept something
Votes down, now fight!
The votes have been cast, and now it's time to fight
The ground bleeds fire, hope they're watching my back
The person is in a war zone, and hopes for backup
Eyes burning and my muscles eat glass
The person is in immense pain
Kiss my frag, hope it sets me free
The person is hoping for a speedy death
As I pray to the sky
The person is praying to God or a higher power
Breakdown the door with a one legged huh!
The person is breaking down a door with one leg
Graduate, now you've worn your gun in
After graduation, one carries a gun
Now you're one...
The person is feeling like a lone wolf in the conflict
Best be prayin' to the sky
The person is giving an advice to pray to God or a higher power
You're dancing out your head, a free fall....
You're dancing crazily without any worries
You see your angel flying
The person is seeing an angel flying
Your heart is dying
The person is feeling heartbroken
You never saw it coming
The person didn't expect something to happen
Might be right up ahead
There might be something difficult coming up
Chasing a shadow that's moving through ash
The person is chasing something illusory
You hold her in your minds as your way to get back home
The person is holding onto something in their mind as a way to go back home
And she prays to the sky
The person's subject of thought is also praying to God or a higher power
While the frozen shock lights the back of your face
The person is experiencing a sudden shock that is freezing their face
Only seen the sun for a hundred and two days
The person has been in the conflict/war zone for 102 days
Hits you right between the eyes
Something has hit the person hard
Now many ways can you hold on
There are multiple ways to hold on to something
If you know I believe in you?
If you know that I have faith in you
The ground bleeds fire and your eyes burn green
The person is in the midst of a fiery conflict, and their eyes are burning
But you gotta believe that we're all born free
One should believe that everyone is born free
Not just left to do or die
One should not be left with only one option
You see your angel flying
The person is seeing an angel flying
Your heart is dying
The person is feeling heartbroken
Will you see it coming?
The person is wondering if something is coming
Might be right up ahead
There might be something difficult coming up
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, A SIDE MUSIC LLC D/B/A MODERN WORKS MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: KIP WINGER, REB BEACH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
KingVKelly
Angel wore a green bar for a living
Sleeping in the sand every-night
Cindy's holding protests
But it ain'tno use to blame
Both sides feel the pain tonight
Hold yourself real tight
Deny...
Votes down, now fight!
The ground bleeds fire, hope they're watching my back
Eyes burning and my muscles eat glass
Kiss my frag, hope it sets me free
As I pray to the sky
Breakdown the door with a one legged huh!
Graduate, now you've worn your gun in
Now you're one...
Best be prayin' to the sky
You're dancing out your head, a free fall....
You see your angel flying
Your heart is dying
You never saw it coming
Might be right up ahead
Chasing a shadow that's moving through ash
You hold her in your minds as your way to get back home
And she prays to the sky
While the frozen shock lights the back of your face
Only seen the sun for a hundred and two days
Hits you right between the eyes
You're dancing ougt your head, a free fall...
You see your angel flying
Your heart is dying
Will you see it coming?
Might be right up ahead
Now many ways can you hold on
If you know I believe in you?
The ground bleeds fire and your eyes burn green
But you gotta believe that we're all born free
Not just left to do or die
You're dancing ougt your head, a free fall...
You see your angel flying
Your heart is dying
Will you see it coming?
Might be right up ahead
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Kip Winger / Reb Beach
Right up Ahead lyrics © A Side Music LLC D/B/A Modern Works Music Publishing
Giampaolo Melis
Incredible band
Charlie C
One of my favs and probably my fav Winger album - so catchy. Chorus is so good
Michael Turman
Metallica this is how it's done 👍🏽
You go Winger 🤘🏿
Paul Campbell
Heavy...complex...one of their best!
steved2112
This song is so great. Amazing vocal!
gxm777
Tremendous band. Nice work fellas.
NJ Road History
Loved this song when it came out; wish they still played it!
Michael Francis
Cheers from Texas!
🤘😎🤘
As a military veteran who deployed...
This album is yuss!!
All the best guys!
M
Laur Făgădar
Gotta love these guys!!! :D
Dave Thorpe
Amazing.