Autograph and how they landed as Van Halen's opening act

http://tbtpics.tampabay.com/blogs/80s/lost-and-found-autograph-and-how-they-landed-as-van-halens-opening-act/2192868
Lost and found: Autograph and how they landed as Van Halen’s opening act
Kevin Wuench

In a recent SIT80′s, there was an excellent reader mailbag story in which the podcast listener (the mysterious Todd) found out his uncle was a jogging partner of Dan Akyroyd in the ‘80s. While “Jogging in the ‘80s” probably is never going to make its own podcast, we do have one more ‘80s jogging story to relay with the band Autograph.

Autograph drummer Keni Richards struck a casual friendship with David Lee Roth back in the early ‘80s and when DLR needed to get into shape for the upcoming “1984″ tour he needed a jogging partner and asked Richards if he jogged. Richards, of course, lied and said he was a jogger and so the two started running five or six miles a day through the Hollywood hills and a great friendship was forged. DLR invited Richards to come on tour as a friend, but he said he couldn’t since he had some sessions lined up with his new band – Autograph. DLR pushed for Autograph to open for Van Halen and after hearing their band tape, Eddie and they boys agreed to let Autograph open up many dates on the 1984 tour and they played their first concert together in front of 22,000 in Jacksonville.

On the strength of performances opening up for Van Halen, Autograph signed a record deal with RCA and released their debut album Sign In Please. The lead single Turn Up The Radio has grown into one of the ‘80s most popular rock anthems. The follow-up single for Autograph was Send Her To Me but did not chart. Autograph released two more albums in the ‘80s that sold well, but produced no chart-hitting singles.

The video for Send Her To Me is typical big hair nuttiness and hamming it up for cameras, but the song is great melodic rock with guitar acrobatics by Steve Lynch. Autograph is still around but with only two original members as lead singer Steve Plunkett left the band for his successful songwriting career for TV shows (including the theme for 7th Heaven) and other musicians. Richards is also no longer in the band, and has started a career in painting in addition to his signature pounding of drumsticks on his head