Tommy Thayer and Jaime St. James Release Six-Song EP ‘Bombshell’ After Writing Hiatus

Tommy Thayer, the guitarist for KISS, and Jaime St. James, the former singer of BLACK 'N BLUE, dropped a six-song EP called Bombshell. It's their first collaboration on new material since the late 1980s. These former BLACK 'N BLUE bandmates reconnected after decades apart. 

Six tracks appear on the recording. "Bombshell" opens the collection, followed by "Bulletproof," "Time of My Life," "Tonight's the Night," "Magnetic," and "I Wanna Fly." The duo wrote and recorded each piece.

"Our story has always been about friendship first," the pair said in a statement on their website. "From the beginnings of BLACK 'N BLUE, before the tours, the records, and craziness of the '80s, we were two friends writing songs and chasing dreams together. That bond has never changed."

They described how songs came together without pressure or strict planning. "'Bombshell' is the first time since the late '80s that we've written and recorded new music side by side. We didn't come into it with a plan, we just wanted to get together, write, and see where it took us."

Thayer handles guitar duties for KISS. He stepped in when Ace Frehley departed in 2002. St. James sings lead vocals. In 1981, they launched BLACK 'N BLUE in Portland, Oregon, after their earlier band, MOVIE STAR, shifted direction.

BLACK 'N BLUE released four albums with Geffen Records from 1984 through 1987. Their first album arrived in 1984, and "Hold On To 18" became a hit. More than one million copies sold across America. Gene Simmons from KISS produced two albums.

The band split in 1989. They regrouped in 1997, then once more in 2007. Thayer missed subsequent reunions because KISS kept him busy.

In 2022, they issued The Lost Tapes, a five-song EP containing forgotten recordings from the late 1980s. That project preceded their current work.

"These six songs are simply two best friends doing what we love most: creating and recording music together," they said. "That's where it started, and that's where it still lives."

Fans can purchase the EP at thayerstjames.com.