Mike Pinera is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer who started professionally in the late 1960s with the group Blues Image, which had a #4 hit in 1970 with their song "Ride Captain Ride". After the breakup of that group, he joined Iron Butterfly, and later formed the group Ramatam. Pinera was then the founding member of the band New Cactus, a later incarnation of the band Cactus. He was the lead guitarist for Alice Cooper from 1980 to 1982. He is currently performing with his solo band and The Classic RockAll Stars.
Career
Early years
Mike Pinera and his group Blues Image were co-founders and house band at Thee Image, a Miami Beachconcert venue they opened and co-headlined on weekends, playing with such groups as Cream, Grateful Dead, The Yardbirds, The Animals, Frank Zappa and many more. Blues Image soon signed with Atlantic Records where they scored the major hit "Ride Captain Ride" which Pinera co-wrote and sang. Blues Image performed with Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Iron Butterfly and many more. Pinera joined Iron Butterfly in 1970, and recorded the albumMetamorphosis, with Pinera and Rhino. He was one of the first guitarists to use the "Guitar Talk Box" which is featured on the song "Butterfly Bleu" written by Pinera. The album reached the top 20 and has achieved multi-platinum status. During this time he and Lee Dorman produced the band Black Oak Arkansas which went platinum. In 1972 Pinera and Jimi Hendrix's drummer Mitch Mitchell formed the band Ramatam on Atlantic Records and was produced by the legendary Tom Dowd, who was quoted as saying this album was one of his all time favorites. In 1973 Pinera helped formed The New Cactus Band. They recorded the album Son of Cactus on Atlantic Records. In 1975 Mike formed the band Thee Image and they recorded two albums on Manticore Records, Thee Image and Inside the Triangle produced by Pinera.
Solo career
In 1978, Pinera's first solo album, Isla, was released on Capricorn Records. It was followed by Forever in 1979 on Capitol Records. The songs were written and produced by Pinera. The Forever album contained the single "Goodnight My Love," which spent eight weeks on the BillboardHot 100, peaking at number 70 in February 1980. It was also a hit in Latin America featured in Tele-Novelas Latin TV Series.
