b. 29 September 1948, Tampa, Florida, USA. Guitarist Mike Pinera first achieved recognition as a member of the Miami-based Blues Image. In 1970 he replaced Erik Braunn in the then popular Iron Butterfly, contributing to Metamorphosis (1970) before leaving for the ill-fated Mother’s Milk. In 1972 Pinera surfaced in Ramatam, which also featured former Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell, before switching to the New Cactus Band in 1973. This itinerant musician then formed Thee Image, a promising unit which completed two albums, before he embarked on a lucrative career as a session musician. Pinera was lead guitarist with Alice Cooper from 1979-82 his work appearing on Special Forces (1981) and Zipper Catches Skin (1982). He also released two low-key albums in his own right. Pinera spent the best part of the next two decades working in the video format, assembling a huge collection of performances by classic rock artists. He instigated the Iron Butterfly reunion of the early 90s and released a new solo album in 1996. He also founded the Classic Rock All-Stars, a nostalgia-driven live attraction that played to large audiences throughout America. Mike Pinera died on November 20, 2024 due to liver failure; he was 76 years of age.