If there's ever been a "Best kept secret in Rock & Roll", Hanoi Rocks is definitely it. Originating from Helsinki, Finland, they started out homeless in the Stockholm streets, but soon relocated to the South London slums.

Their debut album, "Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks" was released in early 1981. The same year, they started touring England as they became based in London, where they recorded "Oriental Beat", released in 1982. They created a new scene in London, playing weekly at the original legendary Marquee Club for a couple of months and went on to become the "Darlings of the Press", and the hottest new band in England, ready to take the world.

In Japan, their success reached the heights of a "Beatlemania" type of hysteria. On their Far East Tour in 1983, their concert in Bombay, India caused a riot as rabid fans refused to leave the venue and got into fights with the local police. At the same time, an album of B-sides, singles and outtakes was released titled "Self Destruction Blues", which included a number one hit single in Finland called "Love's An Injection". In 1983, they also recorded and released "Back To Mystery City", and at the end of the year, did a live album at the Marquee Club entitled "All Those Wasted Years".

CBS Records signed Hanoi to a world-wide deal. The band flew to New York City to record "Two Steps From The Move" with producer Bob Ezrin. which came out in 1984. As their cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Up Around The Bend" was climbing the U.K. and U.S. charts, they were right on the verge of breaking big in the States. However, about three weeks into their first nationwide U.S. tour, on December 9th, 1984, tragedy struck the band. Their British drummer Razzle was killed in a drunk driving accident while a passenger in a car driven by Vince Neil singer of Mötley Crüe. Not being able to recover from the loss, Hanoi Rocks disbanded in early 1985.