Tyson Leslie is constantly writing, recording, and performing with many various artists and styles often on stage between 5 and 6 nights a week.
“The busiest man in show business (or at least in Kansas City)” is possibly the best way to describe Tyson Leslie’s current career status. After all, Leslie’s made quite a name for him by performing with up to 8 different bands at a time as an actual band member (and not just a sometimes fill-in). Leslie’s been performing and has been a staple of the Kansas City music scene for over 15 years. He began performing in bars and clubs at the age of 15 and is now performing large venues and even amphitheaters with headline bands and is beginning to create a name for himself as a solo artist. Tyson is currently a full-time member of the following bands and performs on stage up to 24+ days in a month:
Corey Taylor Solo Band (The Junk Beer Kidnap Band) – Keyboards/Guitar
90 Minutes (all 90’s covers) – Bass Guitar/Vocals
Jim Stapley (original throwback rock n’ roll) – Bass Guitar
Leslie has also performed with the following bands:
Lost Wax (Classic/Current R&B/Funk/Hip-Hop)
J.B.K.B. (Funk/Southern Rock Original Band)
Banshee (Original Power Metal) – Bass Guitar/Vocals
Pink Side Of The Floyd (Pink Floyd Tribute Band) – Keyboards/Organs/Synthesizers
Goodnight Nobody (Metal/Hard Rock covers) – Keyboards/Guitar/Vocals
The Affirmative Action Trio (Classic Rock to Current Covers) – Bass
Guitar/Vocals Little Big Man (Original Pop-Rock) – Guitar/Vocals
Shut Up And Sing (Rock N’ Roll Karaoke Band) – Bass/Keyboards
The Baloney Ponyz (80’s “Hair Metal” covers) – Keyboards/Guitar/Vocals
KARMA (classic funk/R&B) – Keyboards
Simplexity (Classic funk/R&B) – Keyboards
Wyred – (Original Progressive Metal) – Keyboards/Guitar
Alienation – (Original Progressive Rock)Guitar/Keyboards
Corey Taylor & The Junk Beer Kidnap Band – (keyboards/guitar) is best known as the frontman for the bands Slipknot and Stone Sour. Both bands have had 1 singles and albums across the world and continue to be two of the top draws in Hard Rock/Heavy Metal music today. Taylor caused a stir in January when he revealed plans to make his first solo album sometime in the next year. The biggest question for fans was what would happen with Taylor’s other group, STONE SOUR, whose last effort, “Come What(ever) May”, surfaced in 2006. Taylor told The Pulse of Radio that he’s keeping his priorities straight when it comes to new projects. “I think what got people up in arms is the fact that, you know, it was a question of what was going to come first, solo album or STONE SOUR?” he said. “What it comes down to is that we’ve put a lot of work into STONE SOUR, and for me to turn around and put out a solo album first would kind of destroy the foundation that we’ve built for STONE SOUR. So starting this fall, we are going to work on a new STONE SOUR album.” Taylor said he hopes to record the new STONE SOUR album next January and February, with a release in the Summer of 2010. He added that he will begin work on his solo album around that time as well. SLIPKNOT’s latest release, “All Hope Is Gone”, has been certified gold for moving more than 500,000 copies since its arrival last August. It was also the band’s first No. 1 debut on the Billboard chart.
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90 MINUTES – (bass guitar) – 90 Minutes is a weekly working band who pays tribute to all music from the 90’s decade performing everything from Sister Hazel and Alanis Morissette to Rage Against The Machine and Pantera.
90 Minutes has been the house band every Wednesday night at Jerry’s Bait Shop in Lee’s Summit, MO and continues to have a full house week after week after 3 years and going strong.
90 Minutes features some of Kansas City’s most popular and recognizable musicians including Go-Go Ray (Billy Goat, Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle), John Pyne (The Disappointments, Load Point Pull), Josh Johnson (The Slowdown), Sara Brazil (Audiovox), and Tyler Lyon (The Leo Project/Evalyn Awake)
90 Minutes has opened shows for Sister Hazel, The Gin Blossoms, Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers, Eve 6, Lucky Boys Confusion and continues to play around the city 4 to 5 nights a week.
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Banshee – (bass guitar) began in the Mid-80’s and were signed to Metal Blade records releasing Cry In The Night and then Race Against Time in 1988 on Atlantic Records. Their video for “Shoot Down The Night” was featured on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball and the song became a staple of Kansas City radio as they toured across the nation throughout the early 90’s when they disbanded as the scene took a drastic change with Grunge music’s arrival.
In 2008 for the Rocklahoma Festival, Banshee reunited and enlisted the talents of Tyson Leslie on the bass guitar. Having been the most successful draw on the Tri-Label stages for the entire weekend, Banshee is currently in rehearsals for a summer 2009 tour which looks to include another appearance at Rocklahoma 2009.