Rough Cutt is an American hard rock/heavy metal band formed in 1981 in Los Angeles, at the heart of the burgeoning glam metal scene. The band is notably known for its blend of heavy metal power, catchy melodies and instrumental virtuosity, with a style close to that of bands like Dokken, Ratt and Quiet Riot. The classic line-up includes Paul Shortino (vocals), Jake E. Lee (guitar, briefly before joining Ozzy Osbourne), Chris Hager (guitar), Matt Thorr (bass), Dave Alford (drums) and Claude Schnell (keyboards, later with Dio). The band was supported in its early days by Ronnie James Dio, whose wife Wendy Dio was their first manager. Their first album, Rough Cutt (1985), was produced by Tom Allom (Judas Priest), followed by Wants You! (1986). Despite good critical reception and a solid fan base, the band never broke through commercially to the level of the big names in glam metal. Paul Shortino then joined Quiet Riot from 1987 to 1989, marking a major change for the band. Returning to Rough Cutt in 2000, he followed up with the third album Sacred Place (2002), credited to Paul Shortino's The Cutt. After several break-ups and reformations, Rough Cutt continued sporadically. In 2016, 1980s members Shortino, Alford, Hager and Derakh reunited to record album III, released in 2021. Present from 1983 to 1987, then from 2016 to 2019, Chris Hager died on May 19, 2025 at the age of 67.
