Feature Photo courtesy of Steve Plunkett
If you’re old enough to remember Autograph’s “Turn Up the Radio,” you’ll recall that it was sort of a sensation. With a shredding solo laid down by Steve Lynch, and a bigger-than-big chorus bellowing from the throat of vocalist/rhythm guitarist Steve Plunkett, the single, which came off Autograph’s 1984 debut, Sign in Please, is pure Eighties ecstasy.
Autograph had it all, and they hit at the perfect time. As for Plunkett, he was born for it. “I grew up in a small Arizona town without much of a scene,” he says. “But there were several bands that played school dances, etc. We started having our own gigs a at rented hall. We played anywhere that would have us.”
That level of passion is unsurprising, given that Plunkett had been at it since he was a kid. “My dad taught me to play mandolin at age nine,” he says. “Then, I started playing electric guitar at age 10 in my first band (all instrumental) like the Ventures. We played lots of gigs, county and state fairs.”
With all those gigs—experience that would serve him well later—Plunkett needed proper gear. Luckily, his dad had something laying around. And we’re not talking the usual cheap stuff, either. “My first guitar was a Gibson Melody Maker,” Plunkett says. “It was my dad’s. I found it in his closet one day and was captivated. I didn’t know he had an electric guitar. That was it for me, I had to play. Later, I got a Fender Jaguar and a Bassman amp.”
Once Plunkett got rolling, it was full steam ahead. Before long, he was gigging with a eye toward becoming a full-time musician. Luckily, LA’s Sunset Strip was teeming with talent, leading to Plunkett cutting his teeth with Wolfgang, a Strip Staple, Looker, and Earl Slick’s group, Silver Condor.
Plunkett hit it hard, playing with Wolfgang “six or seven nights a week,” which he recalls as “good training for becoming a songwriter.” And that was a good thing as he was about to meet the man who would change his fortunes forever. “I met Steve Lynch through a mutual friend,” Plunkett says.
“I was immediately impressed with Lynch’s playing and really wanted to work with him,” he says. “And there was Looker, but we never actually found a drummer that fit and never played a gig. I think we had one rehearsal but the relationship between me and Lynch had started.”
Not long after meeting, Plunkett and Lynch rounded out Autograph’s lineup with bassist Randy Rand, Steven Isham on keyboards, and Keni Richards on drums—who would be especially important in cementing the young band’s fortunes. “Our drummer Keni was friends with David Lee Roth,” Plunkett says. “And one night he played our demo tape for him.”
He adds: “Dave liked it and asked us to open the 1984 tour! I had known Eddie and the boys for many years also, so it was very comfortable. Ed [Van Halen] used to come and see my band Wolfgang in Hollywood back in the day.”
A lot of lore surrounds Autograph’s first tour. It’s been said that Autograph’s first show as opener for Van Halen was their first official gig—that’s true. “The first Autograph gig was opening for Van Halen in Jacksonville, FL on the 1984 tour,” Plunkett confirms.
Adding, “We had never played a live show, only rehearsals. So, it was scary. We were warned by Alex [Van Halen] that opening acts for Van Halen were usually booed off the stage, and not to be offended if we didn’t last out the week. After 48 shows, at the request of RCA records, we left the tour of our own accord to go back to LA and start recording the first album. Van Halen did us a big favor with that tour.”
It’s also been rumored that Steve Lynch—who was not a kid, but a 31-year-old veteran—was instructed by Eddie Van Halen’s people to cut his two-handed tapping out. Lynch had confirmed as much in interviews over the years, but according to Plunkett, regardless of the tapping incident, Van Halen and Autograph got on just fine.
“They treated us well,” Plunkett says. “We always got a sound check. The first night Ed came into the dressing room, and we talked about Wolfgang and the old days in Hollywood. He remembered what guitar I used to play in that band!”
He recalls, “Later on, at Madison Square Garden, I introduced Eddie to Andy Johns, who went on to produce Van Halen. Andy was a close friend.”
Autograph’s debut, Sign in Please, and its follow up, 1985’s That’s The Stuff, did well. They’re remembered as iconic staples of what’s been retrospectively dubbed “hair metal.” But like most groups of that era, the good times only rolled for so long, and by 1989, with grunge nipping at their heels, Autograph folded.
But Plunkett didn’t. “I was playing guitar and in the recording studio every day,” he says. “I had over 170 songs released during that seven-year period. Then I went on to become GM of Meteor 17 (Spencer Proffer’s Co.) and worked on 50-plus movies as well as many other projects. Never felt screwed over, just blessed. My songwriting career has continued and I’m still doing it.”
Autograph saddled up again in 2013, and they asked Plunkett aboard—but he was busy and had no interest in hitting the road. Keni Richards died in 2017, Steve Lynch left in 2019, and Randy Rand died in 2022. Along the way, legal battles ensued over the Autograph name, not that Plunkett had anything to do with any of it.
But in 2023, Lynch—who has remained in contact with Plunkett—won the rights to the Autograph name. And according to Plunkett, he’s open to recording with Lynch again as Autograph. Time will tell if that happens, but in the meantime, he’s got a solo record out called Straight Up.
“Straight Up is a pure rock record,” Plunkett proudly says. “It’s back to basics, meaning guitars, bass, drums, vocals and hooks. After many years of focusing on writing for other people’s projects and targeting the music for their specific use, it was nice to focus on myself. I had no parameters, except to have fun.”
Though he cautions—this is not an Autograph record. “I just plugged in the guitar, and did what feels good,” he says. “It’s up-tempo rock, no ballads. I’m not trying to be too clever lyrically but doing what I did back in the day. I think it’s a fun album and made to be played loud! It’s not an Autograph album and hopefully will be taken as a solo album without comparisons.”
But no matter how hard he tries, especially given it’s back-to-basics sound, Straight Up—and everything Steve Plunkett does—will undoubtedly be compared to Autograph. Maybe that’s why it took so long for him to do it. “It was not planned at all,” he says. “I never knew if I’d do another solo album or not. It had more to do with having time and inspiration to write songs. For me it all begins with the songs.
Speculation is afoot given Lynch’s court victory, and Plunkett’s willingness to work together. He’s not planning to tour behind Straight Up and has a project that he “can’t disclose any details” of—which will only lead to further speculation.
But maybe that’s how Plunkett wants it. Though he says he “doesn’t feel underrated,” there’s no denying that Autograph is often forgotten when supposed “best of the best” lists crop up. For now, though, Plunkett says the secret to his sound is that there’s “not secret, just fun,” and that it’s best we simply “stay tuned.”
Tell me about recording Sign in Please. Steve gets a lot of credit, but you were a big part of the guitar sound, too.
Steve Lynch is an awesome guitarist and deserves the credit. My guitar playing was the rhythm basis for the songs, similar to Malcom Young in AC/DC. Neil Kernon produced us at the LA Record Plant, and we were happy with his result. We knew all the staff at the Record Plant because we had previously worked with Andy Johns there. It went pretty quickly since we were well rehearsed. It was a blast. We were on fire and full of energy.
What are your memories of recording “Turn Up the Radio?” Did you know it was special from the jump?
I used a ‘76 Les Paul Custom through a 100-watt Marshall. We loved the song, but nobody knew that it was single material at first. It was one of the last songs written for the album. The recording came out great, but it wasn’t until a promo guy at RCA Records had an edit idea that it “clicked” at radio.
He knew how amazing Steve Lynch was and wanted to showcase his playing for rock radio. So, we added the entire intro to the song so Steve could play that famous beginning guitar stuff. It worked perfectly and RCA immediately added that version to the album for pressings. Radio loved it and the new full-length version was perfect for AOR.
What was your overall approach to guitar and why did it work with Steve’s?
My approach was solid rhythm and good meter, which I had learned with Silver Condor. I also added extra inversions and melodies as part of the rhythm parts. Songs like “Friday” and “Send Her to Me” show that. Steve and I just gelled; he was so good that he knew what to play and what holes to fill. I kept my stuff pretty simple.
What did your touring rig look like, and how did that impact your studio gear going into Autograph’s second record, That’s The Stuff?
Touring I always played Guild. First X80s and then Blade Runners. I loved the small necks and EMG pick-ups. We had a Crate endorsement, and we used Crate amps live and in the studio. They were solid-state but sounded great.
We also used vintage Marshalls to record some stuff. Did you have any notable guitar or gear endorsements then? Crate, Guild, Charvel, Ampeg, Dean Markley, Kahler and Kramer. After Autograph, I endorsed Fender and became GM of Fender Records.
You supported Motley Crue on tour. What were your memories of that, considering they were a wild band?
The Motley guys were great to us. They treated us extremely well. Once again, they were old friends from the Sunset Strip days. Theater of Pain was a wild tour, but not any wilder than Van Halen was. I think we did 42 shows and loved it. I hung out with Tommy [Lee] a bit in LA after that tour. Great guy.
What led to Autograph’s decline after its third album, Loud and Clear, leading to its breakup in 1989?
Music was changing at radio. Grunge was coming in and that wasn’t us. Rock radio stations were changing to keep listeners. We had parted ways with both RCA and our manager, and our sound just wasn’t the flavor of the month anymore. We could all read the writing on the wall and decided it was time to shake hands and walk away. We had a good run.
What did you get into after that? Did you feel screwed over?
After Autograph, I made a publishing deal and became the main staff writer with All Nations Music, writing constantly for artists, like the Go-Go’s, Graham Nash, Vixen, Edgar Winter, as well as TV, like 7th Heaven, Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place, and movies, like Rock Star, and Like Father Like Son.
When Autograph reunited in 2013, why weren’t you interested?
The guys wanted to hit the road again. They called me but I wasn’t interested. I was very busy writing and producing and didn’t have the time or desire to go back out on the road. I can’t write on the road. I was in a different headspace, and it wasn’t right for me. So, I gave them my blessing and said go have some fun!
Has it been difficult watching the battle over the Autograph name from the sidelines? Are you still in touch with Steve?
Truthfully, I wasn’t watching any of it. I wasn’t involved in the suit and didn’t know any of the new band and had never seen them. I don’t do social media, so I didn’t know much about it. Yes, I’m in touch with Steve Lynch and he kept me informed as it pertained to me.
Would you ever consider recording music with Steve Lynch as Autograph again?
Of course. I’ve learned not to predict the future. I don’t plan out what will happen next musically, but Steve is a real talent, and I always want to work with musicians of that caliber. I’m sure we could click like we did back in the day.
Looking back, there’s no denying that Autograph deserves a better shake than it’s gotten, no?
Eighties rock was thriving and there were lots of big bands selling lots of records and touring. It was a good time for rock and rock radio. There were good rock shows everywhere. It’s been said that Autograph smoked most competing bands. Autograph was a great live band, and we got stronger as we played more and more. We did well on the big tours we were on. There was a fire in us, and we wanted to be great.
So, do you have any regrets or wish anything had been different?
No regrets. We all do the best we can in each situation and each time. Don’t feel underrated. I’m happy that I was able to be in a successful band and have a hit record, which was always my dream. I feel blessed!
Photo courtesy of Steve Plunkett
Steve Plunkett of Autograph: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2024
