Representative Albums: "Soulcrusher," "Nothing to Lose"
Biography
It has been suggested that nostalgia tends to run on 15- to 20-year cycles. If that's the case, then the Los Angeles alternative rock outfit Operator are right on schedule, because their blend of booming, full-throated vocals and punk- and metal-influenced guitar riffs calls back strongly to the grunge rock sound of 1992, when Soundgarden and Pearl Jam were first hitting the musical mainstream. Operator began as a solo project by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Johnny Strong, who along with those pursuits is also a stuntman, competitive fighter, and occasional actor who had a small role in Ridley Scott's war drama Black Hawk Down. The first Operator album, 2004's Can You Hear Me Now, was a self-released demo that attracted the attention of Atlantic Records, which signed Operator in 2005. Strong began recording Operator's Atlantic debut as a solo album, but eventually lead guitarist Paul James Phillips (formerly of the nu metal hitmakers Puddle of Mudd), rhythm guitarist Ricky Thomas, bassist Wade Carpenter, and drummer Dorman Pantfoeder completed the lineup. Thus aggregated, Operator's Atlantic debut, Soulcrusher, was released in the summer of 2007. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
Operator began as a solo project by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Johnny Strong, who along with those pursuits is also a stuntman, competitive fighter, and occasional actor. The first Operator album, 2003's Can You Hear Me Now, was a self-released demo, and is very hard to find. But soon, it attracted the attention of Atlantic Records, which signed Operator in 2005.
"Soulcrusher" and breakthrough
Strong soon began recording Operator's Atlantic debut as a solo album, but eventually lead guitarist Paul Phillips (Puddle of Mudd), rhythm guitarist Ricky Thomas, bassist Wade Carpenter, and drummer Dorman Pantfoeder completed the lineup. Thus aggregated, Operator's Atlantic debut, Soulcrusher, was released in the summer of 2007. The album has since sold over 7,500 copies and peaked #14 on the heatseekers chart and has produced three singles: Soulcrusher, Nothing to Lose, and Delicate.
Future plans
Guitarist Ricki Lixx soon left the band in 2008 and joined Rev Theory. Soon, guitarist Paul Phillips left the lineup as well. On April 3, 2008 the Jacksonville Florida band Society Red announced on their Myspace page via a bulletin that Paul Philips was joining the band. In June 2008, the band (what was left) released a cover of Guns 'N Roses' It's So Easy on their MySpace page. It is currently unknown whether or not the track will be included on the next album. However, on June 13 2008, they posted a bulletin via their Myspace announcing that they will be recording another album.
"Nothing to Lose", featured on the soundtrack of Burnout Paradise[1] The song has also been confirmed as TNA Wrestling 2008 PPV event Lockdown's official theme song.
"The Only One", which is the current theme song for the television series UFO Hunters.
