Mitch Bland – Lead Vocals
Gary Shaine Horrie – Drums/Vocals
Josh Thompson – Lead Guitars/Vocals
John Massaglia– Bass/Vocals
The unHandsome Devils are certainly not just a bunch of pretty faces. They are faces that show years of musical confidence. The band boasts some of Central Illinois finest talents in the musical arts and performance. Yes, they are a Rock and Roll band and aren’t afraid to show it. But, they are all very diverse musicians as well and that certainly shows in the music that they cover.
What does this mean, you ask? Well… you will get one of the truly most memorable & entertaining shows around. UHD thinks of every show as an actual “concert.” That’s what people want & expect. When performing, it doesn’t matter the size of the crowd, you will see an energetic & entertaining performance with all kinds of stage antics.
When it comes to the songs they perform, there is virtually no limit on what these guys can pull off. They’re known for doing anything from Elton John, Van Morrison, Doobie Brothers, Prince to Motley Crue, Guns ‘n Roses, Sixx:AM, Avenged Sevenfold & Pantera. Keeping the dance floor moving along with maintaining a steady flow of music is their main goal. “Yes, we love to play the heavier music, but each place we play may call for different types of music. We try to read the crowd and cater to what they’re looking for. We want people to have a great time at our show and remember us,” says drummer/singer Gary Shaine Horrie. “We want to grab their interest from the start & keep it throughout the show.”
Josh Thompson is a guitarist know to be able to play just about anything AND sing over top of it with a vocal range that is not easily matched. He’s been the “go-to” guy for guitar work for some years & has his own shop in Pekin called “Josh’s Guitar Shop”. Gary is second to none when it comes to putting on a show on the drums, in which he does effortlessly. Not only is he one of the most stunning drummers you will ever watch & listen to, he also can do lead vocals or harmonies that most would not attempt. John is the newest to the band, but probably has been on his instrument the longest, and it shows. John also provides great vocal harmonies giving UHD a powerful 4 part harmony ability. Last but not least, Mitch Bland stepped into the vocal spotlight a few years back and pushed the band forward with some of the best vocals the area has to offer.
Together, they form a combination that is hard to surpass in a “Local Cover Band”. The talent in this band is off the charts. It’s not surprising to see any of the members “filling in” with other bands when they need a hired gun. Each is a very sought after musician.
The band was formed in 2009 by Gary & Josh. Both have played in MANY bands around the area & beyond. Gary has been playing in the Peoria scene since the early 90’s with bands such as Krankinstein, Braille, The Shake, StepDown and Nashville’s “Hot Action Cop” to name a few. Josh is also no stranger to the scene having been in such bands as Rude Awakening, Medicine Man, Braille, The Shake & Uncle Pucker. With a few line-up changes along the way, they landed Mitch on vocals and John on bass. Both come from years of playing spanning from the 80’s/90’s. John has played with Purgatory, Jynx, Megasonics, Thomas to mention a few.
Additional Info & Fun Facts about the band:
- Josh has his own store in Pekin called “Josh’s Guitar Shop” where he is the go-to guy in the area for guitar repairs.
- Gary played drums for Lava/Atlantic Records recording artist, HOT ACTION COP based out of Nashville, TN in 2007-2008 and toured across several states in the US. -Check out this lists of movies sound tracks they were on.
- John is currently endorsed by Spector basses.
- Members of the band have shared the stage with the likes of: Mudvayne, Quiet Riot, Autograph, Slaughter, 10 Years, Default, George Lynch, Tracii Guns, Warrant, Ratt, Jackyl, Lillian Axe, Stryper, Jack Russell (Great White), Mike Tramp (White Lion), Lita Ford, Femme Fatale, The Bullet Boys, Damon Johnson (Brother Cane), Kansas, Every Mother’s Nightmare & a lot more.
- Mitch could have become a renown opera singer (if he really wanted to)
- Gary played drums on a song for SEBASTIAN BACH of Skid Row called “Another Nail” as featured on Liberty N Justice’s Soundtrack for a Soul.– Check out the song here. Checkout the Blabbermouth article here!
- John has played bass on more CDs than he can count from Jynx, Megasonics, Thomas, Jeff Oakley Band, Brent Stortzum & more.
- Gary also recently played drums for the Pantera Tribute band “Cemetery Gatez” for about a year.
- Back even further into the 90’s files, Gary was the drummer of the well known group known as KRANKINSTEIN, who played to sold out shows all around Illinois.
- Gary started out his musical career in a band with ex Guns ‘n Roses & current Sixx:AM guitarist DJ Ashba.