The short-lived Hard Rock outfit WILD HORSES was formed by former BLACK SHEEP and KINGDOM COME drummer James Kottak who ultimately found himself reunited with KINGDOM COME colleague Rick Steier alongside ex-SHOUT vocalist John Levesque. The original intention Kottak had after forming the group was to work with his old BUSTER BROWN colleague Johnny Edwards, but the singer was nabbed by FOREIGNER to fill LOU GRAMM's shoes and thus Levesque stepped in. Steier was enrolled after one Tony Bowles had initially been involved along with bassist Kevin Downs. The latter made way for Chris Lester.

Amusingly, WILD HORSES acquired their name after running a 'Name the band' contest in 'Metal Edge' magazine. Reader Stephanie Stone suggested the winning moniker. Until Jimmy Bain laughingly told Kottak about his old, long defunct British band of the same name Kottak was unaware that the handle had been used before.

The band's album, 'Bareback', was produced by Keith Olsen and those guesting on the record were DOKKEN bassist Jeff Pilson and DARE and THIN LIZZY keyboard player Darren Wharton. Overall the album, and especially Levesque's vocal stylings, was heavily Coverdale-esque in nature. An inspired Funky cover of STEVIE WONDER's 'Tell Me Something Good' closed the album.

Steier and Kottak would work together again in the ranks of WARRANT before Kottak would quit to front the Los Angeles based KRUNK with his wife to be (drummer Athena Bass, the sister of MÖTLEY CRÜE's Tommy Lee). Latterly Kottak has found prominence with veteran German Rockers the SCORPIONS.

John Levesque worked briefly on a band project for Atlantic with former WHITE LION guitarist Vito Bratta, but nothing came of the liaison. Levesque also fronted the Los Angeles AOR band EYES for a period before being replaced by ex-HURRICANE singer Kelly Hansen. An album of SHOUT material was released by Escape Music in 1997.

WILD HORSES, citing a line-up of John Levesque, Rick Steier, Jeff Pilson and James Kottak, would announce a reformation for a brand new album through the British Z Records label during 2002. In early 2005 Levesque joined LEGS DIAMOND. In May 2009 it was announced that James Kottak had joined ex-WARRANT singer JANI LANE's live band.