Formed in 1984, the five-man Sacramento-based band Tesla was usually lumped into the vast array of hair-bands of the era.
But the blue-collared, blues/rock-based quintet set itself apart from the Aquanet pack by producing stronger songs and possessing better musicianship than many other hard-rock bands of the time.
Right out of the gate, their first two albums, "Mechanical Resonance" and "The Great Radio Controversy" went platinum.
Now, more than two decades later, despite a few bumps along the way, including a temporary breakup, Tesla is still on the road and releasing albums with the core of its original lineup.
Tesla kicks off the summer-concert season at the Ogden Amphitheater tonight. It's also the beginning of a short summer tour for the group.
"The thing for us to do is prove we're still a band and still play," bass player Brian Wheat said by phone during a break from his side job as producer in his Sacramento studio.
The tour is also a chance to introduce the newest member of the band, guitarist Dave Rude, who replaces Tommy Skeoch.
Skeoch has been in and out of the band since 1994, addressing substance-abuse problems. But with a new baby at home, Wheat said that this time Skeoch's departure is full-time and for other reasons. "He just wanted to spend more time with his family after all these years," Wheat said. "It's hard. He'll always be a part of Tesla history."
Right before Tesla broke up in the mid-'90s, it continued touring as a quartet while Skeoch was out of the band. With Skeoch's most recent departure, Wheat said the decision was made to continue as a quintet rather than downsize — or worse, stop playing all together.
"We tried that once already," he said jokingly.
Rude met founding Tesla guitarist Frank Hannon through myspace.com, and for the past few months he was performing with Hannon in his side project, the Frank Hannon Band.
Tesla's last studio release was 2004's "Into the Now." The band hopes to get back into the studio soon to release an album of new material. In the meantime, Wheat said Tesla wants to release two other albums, including a box set — and an album of cover tunes, a project band members have been tossing around for eight years.
"It lets us do a lot of things," he said of the covers idea. "It's a lot of fun."
The covers project may include Led Zeppelin's "The Ocean," a B-side favorite among fans from the "Psychotic Supper" days, and Black Sabbath's "War Pigs," a tune the band occasionally likes to put into its set list.
If you go
What: Tesla,Eric Martin Band
Where: Ogden Amphitheatre, 25th Street and Washington Blvd., Ogden
When: Tonight, 6 p.m.
How much: $22
Phone: 467-8499 or 800-888-8499
Web: www.smithstix.com
E-mail: preavy@desnews.com