Tony Portaro

In this picture, Tony Portaro is playing a red six string BC Rich Bich.

Tony: We did a few demos before signing with Roadrunner. You're talking about nearly 30 years ago. I remember two of the demo titles..."Looking Death in the Face" and "Thunderstruck". That was recorded in Sonic Studios in Long Island where Manowar worked in the past. One night, after working on some guitar leads, we left the studio in Tony Bono's van. We were stopped at a red light on the Sunrise Highway and this guy plowed into the back of the van. We went flying. My right arm snapped when I landed on the Marshall head. The police estimated the car that hit us was going 90+ mph. The steering wheel went through the guys chest and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The doctor in the emergency room said I could get a cast and have to wait 6 weeks to start therapy or I could have rods put in to stabilize it and begin therapy while it healed. I opted to get two 13" titanium rods and a screw in my arm that are still there to this day. Two days later I had my Gibson SG in the hospital bed and my right arm was gently falling over the strings. About 3 weeks later I finished the guitar leads. That was the demo that got all the attention from the labels.