Fronted by veteran headbanger Lizzy Borden, Starwood is a 21st century band with a long list of '70s and '80s influences -- some hard rock and pop-metal, some punk, some glam rock. The Los Angeles-based foursome (which shouldn't be confused with a different band of the same name that recorded country-rock in the '70s) is named after the Starwood, a legendary but long-gone rock club that once stood on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. Back in the '70s and early '80s, the Starwood was one of L.A.'s most famous rock hangouts -- it was right up there with the Whiskey-a-Go-Go, the Roxy, the Rainbow, the Troubadour, and Gazarri's (which became the Key Club after the death of owner Bill Gazarri). And Starwood's punk-influenced hard rock, pop-metal, and glam rock enthusiastically recalls not only the spirit of the famous club, but also that era in general. In contrast to all the ultra-introspective, serious-minded bands that have emerged in rock's post-Nirvana, post-Nevermind era, Lizzy Borden's outfit is an exercise in trashy, decadent, hedonistic fun. The L.A. residents bring a long list of influences to the table -- influences that include the New York Dolls, Slade, Sweet, and Alice Cooper as well as Kiss, Quiet Riot, Cheap Trick, and Guns N' Roses.

Starwood was officially formed in 2004 with a lineup that included Borden (lead vocals, electric rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar), Joey Scott-Harges (drums, percussion, background vocals), Joe Steals (electric lead guitar, rhythm guitar, background vocals), and the Swedish-born Marten Andersson (bass, background vocals). But truth be told, Starwood wasn't really a new band -- it was really a 20-year-old band with a new name, a new look, a new image, and a new sound. Starwood was actually the band Lizzy Borden -- Lizzy Borden, like Alice Cooper, was the name of both a band and a singer -- and Starwood's four members knew one another long before 2004. Singer Borden and Scott-Harges had been founding members of the band Lizzy Borden back in 1984, and Andersson (who has also been with the band Legacy) had been playing with them since 1992. Steals, meanwhile, knew Borden and Scott-Harges from the Diamond Dogs (a punk-influenced project that was named after one of David Bowie's great '70s albums).

In 2004, Starwood signed with Metal Blade Records -- a label that Lizzy Borden the band had been recording for since the '80s -- and their first album as Starwood, If It Ain't Broke, Break It!, was released in July of that year. Surprisingly, Metal Blade went out of its way to downplay singer Borden's history and his impressive track record; in various press releases, the singer was listed as simply "Lizzy," while Joey Scott-Harges was listed as simply Joey Scott. But savvy headbangers knew exactly what was going on and realized that Starwood was essentially the band Lizzy Borden (minus the influence of power metal artists like Iron Maiden). In October 2004, Starwood announced that they would be touring the U.K. with veteran metal/hard rock singer Vince Neil (of Mötley Crüe fame). ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi