Rockers are featured in new Frontman and Breaking the Band episodes
REELZ has announced its February 2022 lineup with new original stories every weekend of the month about towering rockers Jon Bon Jovi, Alice Cooper and KISS stars Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, the hits that made Whitesnake, and the band breakups of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. February 2022 premieres are anchored by the previously announced original documentary America’s Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List.
While most frontmen are by nature notoriously wild, unpredictable and full of excess Jon Bon Jovi was instead addicted to the business of music. February 2022 premieres begin with Bon Jovi: Frontman on Saturday, February 5ht at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT with a look at how the Bon Jovi founder and lead singer turned one of the most anarchic and decadent lifestyles as a rock star into a corporate leadership role. An uncompromising vision is also at the heart of heavy metal band Iron Maiden with their screeching vocals over a freight train of guitar and spectacular live shows. On Sunday, February 6th at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT Iron Maiden: Breaking the Band dives into the battles between founder Steve Harris whose vision for the band clashed with lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson after their meteoric rise was challenged by rising competition in a changing musical world. Immediately following on Sunday, February 6 at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT it’s Judas Priest: Breaking the Band about the prolific heavy metal band with their louder, faster, harder style defining a generation of music. But with massive success came life threatening addictions, an accusation of murder and a secret that could destroy the band.
A great band is always defined by its frontman who can be charismatic, egotistical and rarely able or willing to share the limelight. But KISS co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are different. A band of two frontmen with equal billing somehow sharing the stage they became one of the greatest performance bands in rock history. On Saturday, February 12th at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT in a special two-hour episode KISS: Frontmen reveals how Simmons and Stanley made it work and the drastic risks they took to keep the band alive. With more than 30 million album sales worldwide and a series of unforgettable music videos Whitesnake is an enduring and hugely successful British rock band with sing along anthems that became timeless. Whitesnake: Story of Their Songs on Saturday, February 19th at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT presents the stories behind the six songs that defined their career with original members guitarist Bernie Marsden and bass player Neil Murray sharing stories of the group’s early days and the drive they saw in lead singer David Coverdale who engaged in a relentless pursuit of perfection to make the band a success.
Wrapping February premieres is the godfather of shock rock Alice Cooper about the band and the man behind this pioneering force in music and how the alter ego of its lead singer almost became the thing that killed it all. Despite being the son of a pastor, Vince Furnier created the hell raising alter ego Alice Cooper as a wicked edge in the metal music scene of the early 70s with his ominous saying “there were too many rock heroes and not enough rock villains”. On Sunday, February 27th at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT Alice Cooper: Frontman dives into his life story from near death experiences and his deep religious faith to memorable hits and unforgettable stage antics.
