Doc McGhee (born September 5, 1950) is an American music manager, best known for working with hard rock bands Kiss,[1] Bon Jovi[2] and Mötley Crüe.[3] The latter two groups experienced their rise to stardom under his management. He has also worked with Hootie & the Blowfish.
He was in a reality series for VH1 called Supergroup along with Scott Ian, Ted Nugent, Evan Seinfeld, Sebastian Bach and Jason Bonham. He was also seen on the AMC reality series 4th and Loud, which chronicled his, Gene Simmons', and Paul Stanley's roles as owners of the Los Angeles Kiss Arena Football League team.
Moscow Music Peace Festival
In 1989 McGhee joined with Russian musician and promotor Stas Namin to create the Moscow Music Peace Festival which brought together hard rock and metal bands from the United States, Europe and Russia to benefit programs to help drug addicts.[4] Over 100,000 people attended and it was broadcast in 59 countries.[5] The concert inspired one of the bands, the McGhee-managed Scorpions, to write the top-selling song Wind of Change.[6] McGhee's life and involvement in the Festival is featured in episodes 5 and 6 of the podcast Wind of Change.[7][8]
Drug smuggling conviction
In November 1982, McGhee was arrested for contributing to the import of 20 tons of marijuana into North Carolina via shrimp boat. The 21-count indictment said that McGhee and the smugglers had the intent to distribute the marijuana. McGhee would have to serve 30 years in jail and be fined $140,000, but the possession-with-intent-to-sell charge was changed.[9] Identified as a link between US smugglers and the Colombian drug suppliers, McGhee pleaded guilty and was ordered to spend $250,000 and 3,000 hours dedicated to his Make a Difference Foundation, a non-profit aimed at deterring youth drug use.[10][11] After the sentence, neither McGhee nor his office would comment on the sentencing.[9]
Bands managed
- Niteflyte (1978–1982)
- Pat Travers (1978-1981)
- Mötley Crüe (1982–1989)
- Bon Jovi (1984–1991)
- Guns N' Roses (2010–2011)
- Kiss (1995–2023)
- Skid Row (1988–)
- The Front (1989–1994)
- Hootie & the Blowfish
- Scorpions
- Benise
- Jypsi (2007–2010)
- Nico Vega (2009–2010)
- Night Ranger (2007–)
- Crooked X (2007–2008)
- Vintage Trouble (2010–)
- TNT
- Drew Davis Band
- Down
- Chasin' Crazy (2015–2016)
Solo artists managed
- Bonnie McKee (2004–2009)
- Cheyenne Kimball (2007–)
- Darius Rucker
- Ted Nugent
- Paul Stanley
- Sacha Edwards
- Bob Schnieder
- Richie Sambora
- Yoshiki
- Orianthi
- Mallary Hope
Discography
Year | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
1979 | Niteflyte - Niteflyte | executive producer |
1982 | Pat Travers - Black Pearl | management |
1983 | Mötley Crüe - Shout at the Devil | management |
1984 | Bon Jovi - Bon Jovi | management |
1985 | Bon Jovi - 7800° Fahrenheit | management |
1985 | Mötley Crüe - Theatre of Pain | direction |
1986 | The Unforgiven - The Unforgiven | direction |
1987 | Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet | management |
1987 | Mötley Crüe - Girls, Girls, Girls | management |
1988 | Bon Jovi - New Jersey | management |
1989 | Skid Row - Skid Row | management |
1989 | Mötley Crüe - Dr. Feelgood | management |
1989 | Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell | executive producer |
1990 | Scorpions - Crazy World | management |
1991 | Richie Sambora - Stranger in This Town | management |
1993 | Scorpions - Face the Heat | management |
1994 | Roger Taylor and Yoshiki - Foreign Sand | executive producer |
1994 | Roger Taylor - Happiness? | executive producer |
1995 | God Street Wine - $1.99 Romances | A&R |
1998 | Kiss - Psycho Circus | management |
2003 | Kiss - Kiss Symphony: Alive IV | Kiss management |
2011 | Night Ranger - Somewhere in California | management |
References
- ↑ Criss, Peter (2013). Makeup to Breakup: My Life In and Out of Kiss. Simon and Schuster. p. 279. ISBN 9781451620832. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
- ↑ Olson, Margaret (2013). Bon Jovi: America's Ultimate Band. Scarecrow Press. p. 56. ISBN 9780810886629. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
- ↑ Neil, Vince (2010). Tattoos & Tequila: To Hell and Back with One of Rock's Most Notorious Frontmen. Grand Central Publishing. p. 99. ISBN 9780446574693. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
- ↑ Keller, Bill; Times, Special To the New York (August 13, 1989). "Leather Rockers Take Moscow, A New Market for West's Fringes". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ↑ Hilburn, Robert (August 12, 1989). "ROCKIN', ROLLIN' RUSSIA". The Washington Post.
- ↑ Bienstock, Richard (September 2, 2015). "Scorpions' 'Wind of Change': The Oral History". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ↑ "5. I Follow The Moskva". Crooked Media. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ↑ "6. The Doctor Is In". Crooked Media. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- 1 2 Rosenbluth, Jean (February 13, 1988). "Doc McGhee Pleads Guilty to Drug-Smuggling Charges". Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 7. p. 82. ProQuest 226974297.
- ↑ "SMUGGLING TRIAL. A government witness in a..." The Orlando Sentinel. December 8, 1989. Archived from the original on October 14, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ↑ Jarvis, Charles (February 17, 1989). "Rock star makes anti-drug appearance for convicted manager". UPI. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
- ↑ Billboard 20. jul 1985, p. 33, at Google Books
External links
- McGhee Entertainment
- Doc McGhee at IMDb
- Interview with Doc McGhee - The Unwritable Rant podcast