Buckcherry

Did You Know?

• The band performed opening dates for AC/DC in the spring of 2000.
• Their eleventh album, Roar Like Thunder, was released in June 2025.

History

Josh Todd grew up in Anaheim Hills and later moved to Lake Forest, California. He fronted the Hollywood glam rock band Slamhound before meeting lead guitarist Keith Nelson through their tattoo artist Kevin Quinn. The duo made demos and were joined by bassist Jonathan Brightman and drummer Devon Glenn, forming Sparrow. After building a local following in Hollywood clubs, they signed with DreamWorks Records. The group changed its name to Buckcherry after a cease-and-desist letter from EMI's label Sparrow; the name is a spoonerism of Chuck Berry, though the band said it was inspired by a drag queen acquaintance named Buck Cherry. Their self-titled debut, produced by Terry Date, was released in 1999 and achieved gold sales, with singles including "Lit Up," "For the Movies," "Dead Again," and "Check Your Head. Rhythm guitarist Yogi Lonich joined in 1999, and the band toured extensively, opening for Lenny Kravitz and playing Woodstock 99. The follow-up Time Bomb (2001) was considered a disappointment by many critics. Todd and Nelson began writing a third album, but the band went on hiatus in July 2002.