Poets & Pornstars

A Los Angeles-based group in the classic California rock band tradition of Mötley Crüe, GNR, and Van Halen, Poets & Pornstars specialize in three-chord stompers full of characters straight out of pulp fiction. Led by frontman, singer, guitarist, and writer Hal Ozsan, the band also includes lead guitarist Tom "Domo" Domaracki, keyboardist Randy Austin, bassist Sally Hope, and drummer Dave Plesh. Ozsan, who was born in Cyprus but raised in Essex, England, moved to L.A. when he was 19 years old. After playing for a time in the short-lived band the Beautiful Spiral, he began committing some of his songs to four-track, and Poets & Pornstars were officially born when he drafted in some musician friends to help him with the project. The initial version of the band didn't quite click correctly, but in time the current lineup came together in fine fashion. The group released the self-titled Poets & Pornstars in 2005. A revamped version of the album appeared from Adrenaline Records in 2007.