Point Blank

Groove-based Southern Rock with a hint of AOR for good measure!

Point Blank is an American rock and roll band hailing from Texas. They were formed in 1974 by guitarists Rusty Burns (who was once a guitar technician for ZZ Top) and Kim Davis, vocalist John O’Daniel, drummer Buzzy Gruen and bassist Phillip Petty. Over the next eight years the band would log over a million miles, thousands of concerts and produce six albums. Between 1974 and 1982 Point Blank toured with ZZ Top, Journey, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aerosmith, Kiss, Allman Brothers, Bob Seger, Foghat, Doobie Brothers and numerous other major acts. The band is best known for their 1981 hit single "Nicole", which reached #20 on Billboard Magazine's Rock Tracks chart and hit the Top 40 on Billboard's Hot 100.

Point Blank's sound was rooted in southern rock and boogie, but drifted to hard rock and mainstream AOR by the early 1980s. Although musically easily in the same league as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet and other great U.S. acts, Point Blank didn’t seem to enjoy the same acclaim as these other bands. Point Blank was a band that toured constantly averaging more than 250 one nighters annually and lived by the adage “When the Going gets tough – the tough go touring.”

in September, 1982 Rusty broke his back in a sky diving accident. During his recovery time the band and management had a parting of the ways and Point Blank would disappear for twenty three years. They reunited for a benefit concert in 2005 for an original road crew member that needed a liver transplant operation. They are still touring and last year they released their first studio album in twenty seven years, "Fight On!". Now the band makes a welcome return to Blues on the Farm - a welcome return for all friends of hard-hitting melodies and that genuine Southern atmosphere.

At this point we’re extremely sad to report the recent passing of bass player Phillip Petty. Phillip was one of the original members of the band when they formed in 1974 and he was all set to be with us at Blues on the Farm before his sudden and untimely passing. He will be greatly missed, not only by his fellow band members, but by fans of this terrific band.

However, as the saying goes “the show must go on”, so Point Blank are still flying-in to headline the evening, led by two other original members Rusty Burns – guitar, and John O’Daniel – vocals. The band has been reinforced with Mouse Mayes – guitar (Black Oak Arkansas), Larry Telford – keyboards (Lee Roy Parnell), Ronnie Ellis - bass, and David Crockett - drums. Point Blank recently completed a European tour. The band performed shows with Aerosmith, REO Speedwagon, Govt. Mule and others during that tour. They also filmed the TV show “Rockpalast” in Germany and were one of six bands chosen to be recorded at “Sweden Rock Festival” and broadcast on Sweden Public Radio.

“Point Blank is the great unsung Southern rock band, and they might have been denied the spotlight for two reasons – one, they are from a little left of the dial, from Texas, and two, they rocked too hard for radio tastes. While other bands – almost to a shameful man – toned down the rhetoric and the raunch to chase the dollar, Point Blank continued to make hard-crafted roots rock with integrity and heart for miles.” Martin Popoff, Author – Southern Rock Review