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Sons of Apollo

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Sons of Apollo
Sons of Apollo performing in 2018. (L–R: Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Derek Sherinian, Jeff Scott Soto, Mike Portnoy and Billy Sheehan).
Sons of Apollo performing in 2018. (L–R: Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Derek Sherinian, Jeff Scott Soto, Mike Portnoy and Billy Sheehan).
Background information
GenresProgressive metal, hard rock[1]
Years active2017–2023
LabelsInside Out Music
SpinoffsWhom Gods Destroy
Spinoff ofDream Theater
Past members

Sons of Apollo was an American progressive metal supergroup formed in 2017 and composed of drummer Mike Portnoy, bassist Billy Sheehan, keyboardist Derek Sherinian, vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, and guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal.

History

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Sherinian and Portnoy played together in progressive metal band Dream Theater, from which Sherinian was asked to leave in 1999, while Portnoy left in 2010, and rejoined in 2023. Sheehan and Portnoy formed rock group The Winery Dogs with Sheehan's former Mr. Big bandmate Richie Kotzen. Portnoy, Sheehan, and Sherinian also worked together on a short-lived, live instrumental project with Tony MacAlpine called PSMS. Because of this, Portnoy considers MacAlpine to be part of Sons of Apollo's history as well as "part of the extended family".[2] While touring, Sherinian asked Portnoy to join him in a full-time project. When Portnoy's schedule allowed, he agreed,[3][4] and suggested Jeff Scott Soto and Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal to complete the line-up, having previously worked with Bumblefoot on Metal Allegiance and knowing Soto after his solo band opened several The Winery Dogs shows in South America.[5] The members had insisted in multiple interviews that the supergroup was a full-time band and not just a side project.[6][7][8]

The name of the band was proposed by Sherinian after he scrolled through a list of suggestions by Portnoy and saw the word "Apollo" among them. It was picked due to Apollo being the god of music.[9][8] But because the band suspected there could be another band called Apollo, they thought of possible variations, which is how the name was chosen.[8]

Their debut album, Psychotic Symphony, was produced by Portnoy and Sherinian (as "The Del Fuvio Brothers") and was released on October 20, 2017, via Inside Out Music/Sony Music.[3][4] On August 30, 2019, the band released their first live album, Live with the Plovdiv Psychotic Symphony, filmed at the Plovdiv Roman theatre in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Their second album, MMXX, was released on January 17, 2020.

In an interview with We Go To 11 on October 13, 2023, Thal claimed that the band had broken up, claiming, "When the pandemic hit, not everybody was on board to keep moving it forward and doing more with it. [...] I hope everybody enjoyed it. Past tense."[10] In an early 2024 post on his Instagram account, Sherinian referred to MMXX as the band's "second and final album".[11] Sherinian and Thal have since formed a new band, Whom Gods Destroy.[12]

Members

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Lineup

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Touring Members

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Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan, Derek Sherinian, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal and Jeff Scott Soto

Discography

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Studio albums

Live albums

Extended plays

  • Alive/Tengo Vida (2018)[13]

Singles

  • "Signs of the Time" (2017)
  • "Coming Home" (2017)
  • "Just Let Me Breathe (Live)" (2019)
  • "Labyrinth (Live)" (2019)
  • "Goodbye Divinity" (2019)
  • "Fall to Ascend" (2019)
  • "Desolate July" (2020)
  • "Asphyxiation" (2020)

References

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  1. ^ Everley, Dave (October 20, 2017). "Son's Of Apollo Talk Us Through Their New Album". Prog. Team Rock. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  2. ^ Altaf, Rodrigo (January 6, 2020). "MIKE PORTNOY Talks New SONS OF APOLLO Album: "MMXX Is Us Taking the Band Into The Present and The Future"". Sonic Perspectives. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Munro, Scott (August 1, 2017). "Supergroup Sons Of Apollo announce debut album". TeamRock.com. Future Publishing. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  4. ^ a b Alexandra, Michels (August 1, 2017). "Sons Of Apollo: "Psychotic Symphony"-Album erscheint im Oktober". Rock Hard (in German). Rock Hard Verlags- und Handels- GmbH. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  5. ^ Skostas, Stephen (November 15, 2017). "A Conversation with Mike Portnoy". The Prog Mind. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  6. ^ "SONS OF APOLLO Debut "Lost In Oblivion" Music Video; Psychotic Symphony Album Out Now". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. October 20, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  7. ^ Altaf, Rodrigo (October 13, 2017). "Derek Sherinian keyboardist of Sons of Apollo Interview". Lots of Muzik. Archived from the original on March 27, 2018.
  8. ^ a b c "Nouvelle interview avec Mike Portnoy pour SONS OF APOLLO". Loud TV (in French and English). October 4, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  9. ^ "SONS OF APOLLO (Introduction Pt.2)". InsideOutMusicTV. YouTube. August 30, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  10. ^ Blabbermouth (October 14, 2023). "BUMBLEFOOT On Status Of SONS OF APOLLO: 'I Hope Everybody Enjoyed It. Past Tense.'". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  11. ^ Sherinian, Derek (January 18, 2024). "MMXX (pronounced "2020" is the second and final studio album by American supergroup Sons of Apollo, released on January 17, 2020 via Inside Out Music". Instagram. Meta. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  12. ^ Ewing, Jerry (December 12, 2023). "Derek Sherinian and Bumblefoot unveil new band Whom Gods Destroy". louder. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  13. ^ "SONS OF APOLLO Release 'Tengo Vida' Lyric Video". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. March 28, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
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