DEREK ST. HOLMES had worked as an integral part of TED NUGENT's band during the mid 70's sharing lead vocal duties with the self-styled Motor City Madman on many of his top selling albums of the period. Holmes, no doubt craving greater recognition, opted out for a solo career, teaming up with TED NUGENT bassist Rob Grange and ex MONTROSE drummer Denny Carmassi to create ST. PARADISE. A band that sounded not disimilar to what St. Holmes had been creating with TED NUGENT, if perhaps a little more melodic and lyrically lighter.

ST PARADISE recorded a solitary album for Warner Brothers before the trip split. Whilst Carmassi re-joined Ronnie Montrose in the guitarist's new outfit GAMMA and would ultimately join HEART, St. Holmes went on to team up with AEROSMITH's guitarist Brad Whitford to form the short-lived WHITFORD/ST. HOLMES, whose one album for Columbia, released in 1981, wasn't that far removed from ST. PARADISE.

Derek later returned to the TED NUGENT camp after a brief stint playing on tour with the MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP during 1983. Whilst working with Ted Nugent again in the late 80's Derek formed an abortive liaison with guitarist Ron Bloom to form BLOOM/ST. HOLMES that had picked up interest from CBS Records but nothing came of the project. St. Holmes released a long-awaited solo album, 'Then & Now', during 1998.

St. Holmes also operated BIG PEOPLE in the late 90's, a band that included PAT TRAVERS and ex .38 SPECIAL guitarist Jeff Carlisli.