There is more than one artist with this name:

1) Contraband was a short-lived super group featuring some of the biggest names in the 80's metal scene. They released just one album of good time hard rock before members went their separate ways.
The band consisted of Shark Island singer Richard Black, L.A.Guns and former Guns N'Roses guitarist Tracii Guns, guitarist Michael Schenker of MSG, UFO and Scorpions fame, Vixen bassist Share Pedersen and Ratt drummer Bobby Blotzer.
Shark Island guitarist Spencer Sercombe also lent his hand at guitar duties. Despite the huge names involved, the album was a commercial disappointment, as the debut single "All The Way From Memphis" got limited airplay. The group was never able to match the material or success of their previous and current bands. Most of the members went on to rejoin their previous outfits, and Black later resurfaced with Jake E. Lee in the short lived Bourgeois Pigs.

2) Contraband was a melodic hardcore punk band from Bridgeport, Connecticut formed in 1985. They were featured on the Connecticut Fun compilation along with bands such as Youth Of Today, 76%Uncertain, and Vatican Commandos. They put out one LP, Girls of All Nations, and recorded a second unreleased LP. They disbanded in the late 80s. Drummer Rich Salvo died of a pulmonary embolism in Tiajuana, Mexico in 1996. In 1997, guitarist / vocalist Jeff Roberts died in a car accident. The only remaining band member is bassist, Terry Swords.

3) Contraband is an unsigned hardcore/punk band from Northern Ireland. Their four recorded tracks are "Sinatra", "Heidi Fleiss", "Beretta" and "Start Switch Repeat".

http://www.myspace.com/contrabandrebelgold

4) Contraband is an alias of the collaboration between Benji Vaughan (Prometheus, Younger Brother) & Dermid Harrison-Murray (Havana, Sleaze) who appeared on Twisted Records Backroom Beats 1 & 2 compilations

5) Contraband is a band from Ghent, Belgium.

Contraband brengt Nederpop die in gelijke mate geïnspireerd wordt door de kleinkunsttraditie van de lage landen als door de beatbands van de jaren '60. De composities zijn van zanger Bart Decleer, en worden ondersteund door het melodieuze gitaarwerk van René Monsma (William Seens Transport Music, NL) en Jan Vermeulen (Cinnamone), het subtiele vioolspel van Marijn Thissen (Oberon Strijkkwintet, Nadar Ensemble) en, sinds kort, door de potige drums van Brecht Decroos (voorheen bij Waldorf, ook bij Kowzi). Soms, als de gelegenheid het toelaat, treedt de groep op met een (100% vrouwelijk!) strijkkwartet, dat de nummers verder inkleurt met sprankelende arrangementen. De recentste verwezenlijking is de EP 'Man van de avond', waarop de groep weer een stukje van het Nederlandstalige rockterritorium inpalmt.
http://www.contraband.be and http://www.myspace.com/contrabandgent

6) Contraband was a Scottish folk rock band.

Contraband featured Mae McKenna, George and Billy Jackson, John Martin, Peter Cairney and Alec Baird. Contraband's music was an exciting mixture of Irish and Scots traditional tunes, dramatic folk-rock arrangements of classical ballads and contemporary songs. They attacked their music with youthful vigour and energy. ''We loved playing together'' Mae recalls, ''We always used to play and sing on the way to gigs and coming back from them. Looking back I couldn't have wanted a better band to begin touring with''. Life on the road was an adventure and Contraband toured all over Scotland and England.

Contraband signed with Transatlantic records in 1973. They recorded their debut album ''Contraband'' in Chipping Norton studios in Oxfordshire. Released in May 1974 ''Contraband'' caught the young band in the cusp of their youthful musical prowess and joie de vivre. Mae sang and played violin, viola and piano and joined with George and Billy's multi instrumental talents, Peter's country tinged guitars, John's expert traditional fiddling and Alec's solid drumming to create a fresh new Celtic Rock sound. Contraband disbanded in 1975.

http://www.maemckenna.com/biog.html

7) Contraband is za jazz group playing songs from Contra (NES game).

http://www.myspace.com/contrabandjazz


8) Contraband was an american jazz/rock group in the 70ies. They recorded an LP, "Time and Space," for Epic Records, and in a four star review Downbeat wrote, "With Weather Report, Miles Davis, and others, Contraband makes music of eclectic inspiration, multi-dimensional in scope, striking of passion."

Personnel on this jazz-fusion-noise-space odyssey "Time and Space" (Epic 30814 - 1971):
David Pritchard: guitar
Charles Orena: tenor and soprano saxophones, flute
Pete Robinson: piano, electric piano, organ, melodica, ring modulator
Bruce Cale: bass, electric bass, violin
Brian Moffatt: drums, percussion
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