Oney

"GOOD GUYS WEAR BLACK" LINE-UP

CHUCK ONEY - Lead Vocals and Keyboard

SCOTT CARR - Lead Guitar

MICKEY DANIELS - Lead Guitar, Keyboard and Backing Vocals

KYM KOSTER - Bass Guitar and Backing Vocals

JERRY LAWSON - Drums



'BUST 'EM DOWN" LINE-UP

CHUCK ONEY - Lead Vocals and Keyboard

SCOTT CARR - Lead Guitar and Backing Vocals

MICKEY DANIELS - Lead Guitar and Backing Vocals

STEVE TINNEY - Bass Guitar and Backing Vocals

KYLE VIRGIN - Drums

Can Somebody Tell Me, What The Hell An ONEY Is?

ONEY was formed January 1st 1987 by vocalist Chuck Oney. The original ONEY line-up recorded a five song demo in early 1987, which showed their early influences by including covers from UFO and The Raspberries. Also on the demo were three ONEY originals, of which "Surprise, Surprise" received moderate local airplay. The summer of 1987 saw ONEY hitting the road for the first time, touring throughout Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and Georgia. When ONEY returned from the road they opened for major label recording artist HELIX (Capitol Records).





1988 took ONEY back into the studio(The Recording Workshop Chillocothe, OH) to record their debut single "Lady of the Night" b/w "Don't Break My Heart". Both songs from the single received airplay on radio stations in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. In May of '88 ONEY opened for LEATHERWOLF (Island Records). ONEY released a cassette single called "ONEY 45" on their 4Play Records label and began working on their debut e. p..

During their first year ONEY went through several personel changes but in 1988 they had settled into the strong line-up of CHUCK ONEY (Lead Vocals and Keyboards) - SCOTT CARR (Lead Guitar) - MICKEY DANIELS (Lead Guitar, Keyboards and Backing Vocals) - KYM KOSTER (Bass Guitar and Backing Vocals) and JERRY LAWSON - (Drums). This line- up would complete and release the ONEY debut e.p. "Good Guys Wear Black" in November of 1989. Later that same month ONEY opened for FASTER PUSSYCAT (Elektra Records).

















1990 saw ONEY continue to play throughout the country and promote their e.p. "Good Guys Wear Black". During this time ONEY opened for ENUFF Z'NUFF (ATCO Records) and filmed a video for their song "When You're Ready For Love". When completed, the video received airplay on several college stations as well as public access stations. A couple shows of note during this period include opening for the then unsigned JACKYL (Geffen Records) at a club in Cicinnati and performing at The Ohio Rock Fest in September. At the end of 1990 ONEY relocated to Columbus, OH. With this move there is a line-up change. KYLE VIRGIN(Drums) had joined in early 1990 replacing JERRY LAWSON and once ONEY settled into Columbus, STEVE TINNEY(Bass Guitar) was brought in to replace KYM KOSTER.

Over the next two years ONEY quickly became a staple on the Columbus music scene and played all the hottest clubs and also received heavy rotation on the local Z-Rock radio staion. ONEY opened for national recording artists such as TUFF, CHILD'S PLAY, PETER CRISS and TALL STORIES as well as local faves SHOCK TU and SADDLEBACK SHARK. ONEY returned to the studio to record the follow up to "Good Guys Wear Black". Unfortunately at the completion of these recording seesion ONEY disbanded. With the changing climate in the music industry and internal tensions ONEY decided it was time to move on. The completed recording sessions, which were intended to be released as "Waysted Love" have never been released.





After the demise of ONEY ex-members continued to be active in the music business over the years with varrying degrees of success and continue to pursue other interests. 2005 saw the first official release of "Good Guys Wear Black" on cd, through indie label Retrospect Records. With renewed interest in the ONEY back cataloge, Retrospect Records will also be releasing the "Bust 'Em Down" cd this year, which will include all the songs from the previously unreleased "Waysted Love" sessions.

Click on logo to buy CD:

Chuck Oney Interview
Most people probably don't know who Chuck Oney is, and that's all right, that's what this site is for. To bring you what nobody else will, the true heroes of music. Chuck was the lead singer in Oney and is currently the lead singer in The Vague. Chuck was one of the many who almost made it, but just couldn't quite get there.

JM: Can you give us a brief overview of your musical History?
CO: "I started playing drums when I was 12 years old, from there it progress to playing in bands when I was 17 years old. One day a guitarist that I used to jam with, but not in a band with suggested I should try singing in bands instead of playing drums, because I was a better singer than a drummer and besides the singer gets all the girls, and that was the only reason why I wanted to be a musician was to impress the girls!.
JM: How did Oney come about and why did you use the name Oney?
CO: "At the time I started the band, I had been in numerous bands that had broken up after less than a year. I had just been kicked out of a cover band I was touring the nation with and decided that I wanted to do an original project with some cash I had saved up and record some songs I had written. At the time the biggest bands around were Bon Jovi, Dio, and Dokken. I figured that I wouldn't ever quit the band, so we could keep on going using the same name if anybody quit and besides, I was footing the bill!"
JM: Who have you opened for and toured with while in Oney?
CO: "We never toured with anybody, but we did open for Helix, Leatherwolf, Faster Pussycat, Enuff Z'Nuff (Who we've remained friends with to this day), Child's Play, Tuff and Peter Criss
JM: When was the bands peak?
CO: "I would say we were at our best in Feb 1990, we were together from Jan 1987-June 1992"
JM: When was the Good Guys Wear Black Ep recorded?
CO: "We did it in I believe in April 1988-July 1989"
JM: Any other Oney recordings ever released?
CO: "Yeah we released a 45 single and a cassette single called "45".
JM: When was Oney signed and to what label?
CO: "We never did get signed to a label, though we did get turned down by Elektra and Combat Records. So we decided to form our own label called 4Play Records."
JM: With a debut in the works why did Oney split?
CO: "It was pretty much decided by our drummer Kyle and one of our guitarist Scott that they were not going to continue in the band unless we kicked out our bassist Steve and the only other original member, besides me, the other guitarist Mickey. I was caught in a rock and a hard place, but the bassist was being really flakey in the band, not showing up for rehearsals and what not and the guitarist Mickey was developing a really bad drug problem. I had no problem getting rid of the bassist, but the guitarist was hard for me to do. By the time I made up my mind and fired the 2 guys, the other 2 guys moved on to another band behind my back. I literally found out they had joined another band, while I was waiting to meet another guitarist who wanted to audition at the rehearsal space. The rehearsal space owner and I had become friends and he told me about Scott and Kyle joining a rival band. So I had no band left and I wanted to move on to other types of music."
JM: Did the debut ever get released?
CO: "No but we did finish it and broke up a week later"
JM: After Oney disbanded what did you do?
CO: "I joined a cover band for about a year after a ill fated attempt at a band with Bassist Steve from ONEY. Then Scott and I started talking again, buried the hatchett and formed The Vague"
JM: When and how did The Vague come about?
CO: "Early 1994 after Scott and I joined forces again in late 1993 to write some songs together."
JM: When and what label signed The Vague?
CO: "We are not signed no any label, just a DIY type of band, though we are looking."
JM: For those who don't know, what type of sound is The Vague?
CO: "Power Pop, Foo Fighters meets The Beatles. Though we get compared to The Posies, Redd Kross, Elvis Costello, and Cheap Trick a lot!"
JM: How many albums have you released with that band?
CO: "Just one album, lots of demo's and compilations we've been on though. CD #2 is being recorded right as we speak."
JM: Is the band still together, plans for a new record, tour, etc.?
CO: "Yes and YES!!!!
Final Questions
JM: Any chances of a Oney reunion?
CO: "I never say never in life, but who knows? And I'm not sure who would care! I'd love to do it, maybe in West Virginia would be cool, we had a good following there."
JM: Any Hair bands you would like to see reunite?
CO: "Most have that I like, but a band I liked from LA called Roxanne, I never got to see play live. Southgang would be cool, never seen them live. "Probably though I'd like to see the guys in Lillian Axe's first band called STIFF, they were awesome!!"
JM: Your fondest memories of the Hair Metal era?
CO: "Mostly the girls at the clubs!! They were everywhere!! It was a good time and a lot of fun, say what you want, but I loved it!!"
JM: What do you think of today's music?
CO: "I like a lot of bands like Foo Fighters, Lit, Butch Walker, Jason Falkner & Matchbox 20. I'm not really a Nu-Metal fan, but I can handle some of it."
JM: Anything else you want to add Chuck.
CO: "Mostly that ONEY has been dead for well over 10 years, but hardly a week goes by that we don't get some kind of email or posting on our message board about that band from different people who saw us play. I meet a lot of younger musicians in town that tell us how much they liked us when they saw us way back when. I think that's a testament to our music and work ethic."

Get the latest about Chuck and his band The Vague at www.thevaguecd.com

Scott Carr Interview
Here's a special treat for you this holiday season. Scott honed his guitar skills in Oney and many other Ohio based Hair bands during the late 80's and early 90's. Today he's keeping the dream alive with his Power Pop band The Vague. Mainstream success may have eluded him, but quality music hasn't. Hopefully one day success will meet with his music.

JM: Can you tell us about your musical history?
SC: I started playing guitar at a very early age. I came from a musical family, my oldest brother played guitar and was in bands. Some kids are born with a silver spoon, well I was born with a guitar in hand.
JM: What musical projects have you been apart of?
SC: Let's see. With Oney we recorded the EP "Good Guys Wear Black" and we also recorded a full length cd called "Waysted Luv", but it has never been released. With The Vague, my current bands, we released our debut cd "Divorcing the Shame" and have contributed tracks to several different compilations and tribute cds, among them a tribute to 70's glam rockers Sweet and another tribute to Chicago pop rockers Enuff Znuff. You can find all the info @ thevague.com
JM: How did you get involved with Oney?
SC: At the time, Chuck and I were playing in rival bands. He had came off the road with a band called St. Michael and formed ONEY and I was in a band called Harlott. We played all the same clubs and had a lot of mutual friends, although I didn't really know the guys in ONEY. When they lost their guitar player, a friend of mine called me up and said I should go audition, so I did and I got the gig.
JM: How long were you apart of Oney?
SC: 1988-1992
JM: Was any of the Oney material ever released on CD?
SC: Not yet, but we are looking into it.
JM: If not, is there any chance we'll ever see it released? As you know, many lost Hair Metal gems are finally seeing the light of day thanks to companies like Metal Mayhem, Perris and Suncity Records. Fans really dig this stuff.
SC: Chuck and I have discussed it a little and I think it would be great to get it released. We were thinking of putting the 'Good Guys.." ep and "Waysted Luv" together as one package. I think there is a die-hard market for that kind of music and it would be nice to have our music heard.
JM: What caused you to leave Oney?
SC: Basically it was the early 90's and the music industry was going through big changes and I think as a band we were feeling a little lost. I just thought it was time to move on.
JM: When you defected Oney what rival band did you join?
SC: There were a series of several different bands. First up was EZ Thrill, then Mutha Nature and another band called Savanna.
JM: Were they all Hair Metal bands or did you switch musical styles?
SC: They were still kinda in the hair band style but more riff rock, not as poppy as ONEY.
JM: Did you release any material with the other bands?
SC: Recorded with all those bands but never released anything, just some demos.
JM: What happened with those bands and how long did it take for you to bury the hatchet with Chuck?
SC: Again it was the changing musical times and that style of music was becoming a hard sell. People weren't coming out to see rock bands like they had in the past, so it was time to re-evaluate things. Pretty much through all the time I was in those other bands Chuck and I didn't talk much, well, not at all really. But around '93-'94, the ice was broken and we started talking again.
JM: When you and Chuck started The Vague how did both of you decide what musical direction to take and was there any conflict over it?
SC: No conflict really, we just decided to put together band that we would like to hear. We have a lot of the same influences, like The Knack, The Raspberries, Cheap Trick, The Beatles. We wanted The Vague to have elements of those bands. We just decided screw being trendy, let's just be who we are and have fun. It's definitely been a harder road but very satisfying artistically.
JM: Since the bands formation in 94' has the band been constant in style and membership or have many things changed over the years?
SC: We've kinda been like Spinal Tap in the drummer department; I think we've officially lost count. Style-wise, it's pretty much been the same, although some of our newer material has a harder edge but at the same time we have some newer material that is taking us in different directions and a little more experimental for us.
JM: How is new album coming along?
SC: It's rolling along pretty good now, we suffered a set back over the summer, with some drum tracks being lost but we got the ball rolling again now.
JM: Has The Vague sparked any more label interest since I last talked to Chuck?
SC: We are talking with some people but nothing set in stone, if we can't get anyone to release it, we will get it out on our own.
Final Questions
JM: Any Hair bands you would like to see reunite or see in concert if they're still around? SC: Let's see, I always tended to like to lesser known ones, right off the top of my head - Vain, Lillian Axe (with all original members), Kik Tracee, Saigon Kick, Hanoi Rocks.
JM: What are your fondest memories of the Hair Metal era?
SC: The whole era was just real exciting and people seemed to really enjoy going out and having fun. The bands from that time period always cared about giving a good show and entertaining their fans. I'm happy to have been around during that time.
JM: What do you think of today's music?
SC: I think there is a lot of good music out there, it's easy to get discouraged with the state of music, but I always seem to find music that still turns me on. I think Green Day is amazing, I just saw them recently and they are definitely bring the show back to rock, very cool to see that. I also like Fountains of Wayne, Butch Walker (formerly of Southgang and Marvelous 3), The Killers, Lit., Foo Fighters. There's always something cool that comes along.
JM: Anything else you want to add Scott.
SC: Just that I think it's cool that you have taken an interest in underground glam/rock bands. It's nice to see that the music of that time has left an impression on people and that a new audience is still discovering it. Thanks for your interest in ONEY. We will keep you posted on any new happenings.
Get the latest about Scott and his band The Vague at www.thevaguecd.com

ONEY had tons of funny stories and Spinal Tap moments in the studio, out on the road and live gigs over the years. But this is a funny story not too long after ONEY had broken up and Scott and I started The Vague. The Vague used to rehearse in this rehearsal space that had alot of bands coming in and out. One day after we finished rehearsing Scott and I were loading up my truck with our amps when we heard a young band in the other room going over a song. Scott and I both looked at each other like we were trying to figure out what song it was. No one was singing it but it sounded like something we had heard before. It took us about 35-45 seconds of listening to figure out it was
"When You're Ready For Love". We kept listening and nobody was singing it, they were just going over the music over and over. Now, I thought they were playing the song because we were in the hallway loading out our gear and they may have saw us, because their door to their room was cracked a little. I told Scott that if they play it again, I'm gonna go in the room and sing it with them because nobody was singing it and I could see thru the door crack, a mic on a mic stand.
Sooo... the band starts up the song again and just about where the first verse starts, I run into their room and grab the microphone yelling, "I know this song, I'll sing it!!" Much To My Horror the band stops playing and they are all staring at me like, "Who the hell are YOU, to barge into OUR room!!" I then realize they didn't have a clue who I was. But they were looking very pissed off that I ran into their room. I sheepishly backed out of the doorway and said I was sorry. Scott in the meantime has watched all this go down, was rolling on the floor laughing his ass off. He asks me laughingly, "What Happened?" and I said, "They stopped playing the song and looked at me like I was an idiot and that they wanted to kill me!" Scott who was STILL laughing said," Yep too bad they don't know that your the guy who wrote that song they were playing, don't they know who you are!"

Strange but true!!
We never saw that band again.

Chuck Oney

Find Oney on Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/oneyrocks

Scott Carr (on MySpace) http://www.myspace.com/scottcarr

Chuck Oney (on MySpace) http://www.myspace.com/beatlekiss

The Vague (Chuck and Scotts current band on MySpace) http://www.myspace.com/thevagueonline 

Bub "Kym" Koster (Former ONEY bassist on MySpace) http://www.myspace.com/lost_boy_graphix

Mickey Daniels (Former ONEY guitarist on MySpace) http://www.myspace.com/120581405

Jerry Lawson (Former ONEY Drummer on MySpace) http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=45259140

Trace Ritter (Former ONEY Guitarist on MySpace)) http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=3841944

Noah Shaye (Former ONEY Drummer on MySpace) http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=87688218