Jani Lane life and biography

Jani Lane was an American recording artist and the lead vocalist, frontman, lyricist and main songwriter for the glam metal band Warrant.

Born John Kennedy Oswald in Ohio, he played in several local metal bands in the late '70s before landing in Los Angeles in the mid-'80s. His band Plain Jane became a staple on the wild L.A. glam rock circuit. He and bandmember Steven Sweet were invited by Erik Turner to join his band Warrant. The group was signed by Columbia Records, and in true heavy metal fashion, Lane bought and smashed a black Corvette with his share of the money from the band's advance.

The group began to work on their legendary debut, Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, a process which led Lane into a psychiatric hospital for a nervous breakdown after he caught his best friend having an affair with his girlfriend. Once he fully recovered, Lane recorded his vocals and the album went on to be one of the biggest selling records of the glam metal era.

The band's follow-up Cherry Pie failed to meet their debut's success; this, combined with the emergence and popularity of grunge, led to Warrant's being dropped by their label. Lane left Warrant in 2002 to pursue a solo career. He released Back Down to One in 2003, but shortly after was admitted to a rehab center for alcohol and drug-related exhaustion. He rebounded, and after a few acting roles and appearances on compilations, attempted to restart his own version of Warrant. Lawyers for the original band quickly struck this down. He was most recently seen on VH1's reality series Celebrity Fit Club.

Discography:

With Warrant
1989 : Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich
1990 : Cherry Pie
1992 : Dog Eat Dog
1995 : Ultraphobic
1996 : Belly Belly
1997 : Warrant Live 86-97
1999 : Greatest & Latest (New versions)
2001 : Under the Influence

Solo
2002 : Back Down to One

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