Q5

is an American hard rock/heavy metal band, formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1983 by guitarist Floyd

Rose and singer Scott Palmerton (AKA Jonathan K.) who were bandmates in Seattle legend The Core. The

Core disbanded and Rose and Palmerton having a number of new songs written, needed to fill out a new roster.

They acquired Rick Pierce (guitar), Evan Sheeley (bass) and Gary Thompson (drums) from local Seattle band

TKO. They were signed to management by Ken Kinnear, who also managed Seattle band, Heart. Q5's first album "Steel

The Light" was mostly recorded in Los Angeles at Cherokee and Orca Studios, with finishing touches at The Music

Source in Seattle. The album was produced by Grammy award-winning producer Mike Flicker and by Floyd

Rose.  Steel The Light was released in late 1983 on the London based Music For Nations label and became an

instant hit in Europe. Lesser known in the U.S. and because of the success of Steel The Light in Europe, Q5

was seen as a European style band and was sometime lumped in with the NWOBHM groups. Steel The Light

enjoyed great success and is still viewed as an iconic album worldwide.

Q5 released its second album in 1986.

Titled "When The Mirror Cracks" It was a slight departure from the sound of the first album but was strong

enough to get the band signed to Polygram Records and a production deal with Q Prime in New York. A third

album of songs was started in 1988. Sadly the band began having the usual musical differences of opinion and

the record company also was demanding a slightly watered down sound.

The membership fractured in 1989.

 Two of the members, Palmerton (Jonathan K.) and Pierce, formed a new group they called Nightshade.

Q5 officially disbanded at that point. Nightshade continued with live shows playing new material mixed with Q5. Nightshade eventually released three albums on European label,  Hellion Records.

 In  2009 a version of Q5 re-formed with three original members, Jonathan K., Rick Pierce and

Evan Sheeley playing a show in Germany. It took several more years but the Q5 name was dusted off and the

band presented itself at a one-off at the Sweden Rock Festival in 2014. Q5 was back. In 2016 they were signed

to Frontiers Records SRL and their highly anticipated third album was released to critical acclaim in 2017.  Titled “New World Order”,  it heralded the band's triumphant return to the hard rocking sound fans had been clamoring for.