THE WINKING WALNUT

Another wide ranging grab bag of musical obscurios for your enjoyment right here, right now.
For starters, The legendary N.W.O.B.H.M. band Tyrant were formed in Gloustershire in 1980. Their first recording was to be a six song 1982 demo cassette, "Demo". From the start, Tyrant's music had epic atmosphere, an amazing "street" vibe and one of the best "harsh" singers of all time. 1983 saw the release of their classic private pressing 7" "Hold Back The Lightning". Outstanding epic metal to blow your mind! The band lost both guitarists soon after the single's release & found replacements in the form of Danny Gwilym (later of TOKYO BLADE, SHOGUN & CHINATOWN), and Phil Volkins (later of WRATHCHILD & PERSIAN RISK). This line up recorded a two song 1984 Demo tape, but split up by the years end, with the "two Pete's", vocalist Kelser & drummer Walker forming a new band called CARRERA.
In 2006 Steel Legacy Records put out the full length "Days At The Farm : The Tyrant Anthology" album. It contained both the tracks from the mythical 7" plus the six 1981 demo songs. It was only released on vinyl in a limited numbered edition of 500 copies and is now long gone. Here is the album with the 1984 demo songs as an added bonus. Hail to the TYRANT!!!

TYRANT - Days At The Farm : The Tyrant Anthology (1982-84) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/148934665/TYRANT_-_Days_At_The_Farm_-_The_Tyrant_Anthology__UK-82-84_.rar

What's next then? A new expanded 3rd issue of the bootlegged "Rebound" studio album by the almighty Black Oak Arkansas, that's what. This adds 5 extra tracks to the original Goldwax Records release, and boasts better sound too. I don't think this is an official release, but it very likely is your only chance to hear many of these songs from the '70's & '80's. Here's what guitarist Rickie Lee Reynolds had to say about the earlier second issue of the album in 1992 on Goldwax Records : "Rebound on Goldwax Records is back out and I quote,"Digitally Re-Mastered" with a new cover with Jim on it. Rebound was a stolen product from us which we never did and still do make nothing off of. It was stopped the 1st time by the FBI,and will soon be stopped again. A lot of these songs were written by me, and are really pretty good tunes. If you are a collector of BOA stuff,you may want to try to get a copy before it's pulled off of the market for the SECOND TIME!!, but it IS a bootleg, and we will get nothing for it. I love a bunch of those tracks (and not just because they're like my children), and hate to see them done like this, but this most likely will be your only chance to hear stuff like "Nobody Wins In A War", and I can't blame anyone for pickin' it up while you can. It won't be around for long, though. Use your own judgement armed with the facts I've given you."

BLACK OAK ARKANSAS - Rebound Expanded ('73-'07) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/146746267/BLACK_OAK_ARKANSAS_-_Rebound_Expanded__USA-2007_.rar

Next, formerly known as SLAYER, this San Antonio, Texas based band prefixed their title with the name of their home city when confusion arose with the more prominent Los Angeles Thrashers of the same name. Famously, both SLAYERs - the Los Angeles version and the San Antonio version, shared a stage in 1985 at the Cameo Theater in San Antonio with support from MILITIA. Guitar players Art Villareal and Bob Catlin were both previously members of BLITZKRIEG. Art Villareal, who played on their debut, this one, the 'Prepare To Die' mini-album, released through Rainforest Records in 1983, was replaced by Ron Jarzombek who recorded the 'Go For The Throat' LP in 1984. At this juncture the shadow of their more famous Californian counterparts loomed large and a consideration was made to re-brand these recordings under the band billing SCYTHIAN PREY. However, the album finally emerged in 1988 credited to S.A. SLAYER. Following the albums, Jarzombek recorded with studio project the HAPPY KITTIES with his brother Bobby on drums. A mostly instrumental demo had been recorded with Jason McMaster of WATCHTOWER guesting on 'Hammer At The Ready' and Mike Grotheus of WINTERKAT on 'In Mind'. Bassist Don Van Stavern forged the MARK REALE PROJECT with RIOT guitarist Mark Reale. This project then became known as NARITA, as vocalist Steve Cooper and drummer Dave McClain also became involved. Von Stavern would join RIOT once Reale had resurrected his cult outfit. The bassist's later works included SUITE 16, including drummer Bobby Jarzombek and ex-WINTERKAT and DIRTY WATER guitarist Jonathan Grell issuing an album, and JACK RUBY, again alongside Bobby Jarzombek and his erstwhile S.A. SLAYER colleague Art Villareal on guitar, for a three song demo. Former guitarist Art Villareal forged KARION, recruiting original SLAYER vocalist Chris Kronk, bassist Pete Perez, and drummer Frank Ferreira. KARION folded in 1986. Following on from his NARITA tenure, Cooper briefly joined East Coast Progressive Metal outfit EXPLORER (a.k.a. EXXPLORER), post the 'Symphonies Of Steel' album. He also sang on the second JUGGERNAUT album, 'Trouble Within.' Dave McClain's subsequent NARITA stops would be CATALEPSY, the TURBIN band of ex-ANTHAX singer NEIL TURBIN, MURDERCAR and MINISTERS OF ANGER in alliance with a pre-DAMN THE MACHINE's Dave Clemmons, the latter act featuring on the 'Metal Massacre 'XI' compilation album. Guitarist Ron Jarzombek reared his head again in 1997 with the SPASTIK INK album 'Ink Complete'. Don Van Stavern turned up in 1992 as one of the instigators behind the Industrial Techno outfit PITBULL DAYCARE. Drummer Dave McClain later journeyed through SACRED REICH and MACHINE HEAD. S.A. SLAYER vocalist Steve Cooper died in the early morning hours of May 14th 2006 at a San Antonio, Texas hospital. A diabetic, Cooper had been in ill health and on kidney dialysis for several years prior to his untimely passing.

S.A. SLAYER - Prepare To Die Mini LP (1983) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/148908176/S.A._SLAYER_-_Prepare_To_Die_Mini_LP__USA-1983_.rar

Noted Manchester Thrash band BLOOD MONEY was rooted in the act WOLFBANE, a unit formed in 1980 and comprising guitarist Gramie Dee and bassist Dale Lee alongside singer Michelle Bibby and drummer Colin Seymoure. The latter would opt out the following year and in March of 1981 fresh sticksman Syd Mercury was enrolled. However, shortly after Bibby decamped and Dee took over lead vocal responsibilities for recording of WOLFBANE's "Bethany's Sin", demo recording. This tape was promoted nationwide with a series of gigs but bad luck befell the band as just before their debut at the prestigious London Marquee club Mercury was taken ill with suspected liver damage. WOLFBANE regrouped in October, inducting a new lead singer in Gary Owen. Mercury was to falter though and Chris Dadson, previously of Hull based ARAGORN, took on the drummer's role. Before long though Dadson disembarked to join SAM THUNDER. Dadson later wound up ensconced in CHATEAUX. Sid Oxton duly took over the reins to complete touring for that year. In 1982 the band undertook touring in mainland Europe but would be then dealt a further blow when Owen bailed out. Mike Osbourne would be drafted as replacement frontman but he too would back out leaving Dee to assume lead vocals once again for a further demo 'Metalyzed'. Pulling in drummer Rick Henshaw during 1983 the band entered a period of song writing and reflection that eventually resulted in a fresh start the following year re-billed as BLOOD MONEY and boasting two new members, ex-GRITTER singer Danny Foxx and drummer J.C. Clark. Much of 1985 would be spent intensively gigging on the 'Bring Out Your Dead' tour. Scoring a deal with the Hull based Ebony Records label BLOOD MONEY supplanted Clark with Brett Avock for recording of the band's debut album, 'Red Raw And Bleeding'.

WOLFBANE - Bethany's Sin Demo (1982) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/148905357/WOLFBANE_-_Bethany_s_Sin_Demo__UK-1982_.rar

Staying in the UK for now, Tracer were an obscure NWOBHM band formed in 1981. Their only release was the three song "Chanelled Agression" EP, released by Mousehole Records in 1983.
This is another title which is much sought after by collectors but seldom seen, and as such has begun to command a hefty price tag. No relation to the Maryland, USA quintet of the same name who released the 1990 "Screamer In The Night" album.

TRACER - Chanelled Agression EP (1983) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/148954064/TRACER_-_Chanelled_Agression_EP__UK-1983_.rar

Phenomenon were a San Diego based Hard Rock band formed in 1977 by future RATT guitarist Robbin Crosby and bassist Gregory Boaz, a friend since kindergarten. After relocating to Los Angeles they released one record, 1980's self-financed "The Final Word" 7". According to SHAMBLES member Kevin Donaker-Ring, Phenomenon were quite a live act, "Robbin always played a Gibson Flying V, and he'd be wearing platform shoes. The guy was well over six feet tall, and with those shoes below him and the hair on top he was an imposing figure. They played some serious rock 'n' roll and used flame pots. Real pyrotechnics shooting columns of fire fifteen to twenty feet in the air." Bassist Boaz left in 1981 and ended up playing in Punk band TEX & THE HORSEHEADS under the pseudonym/nickname of "Smog Vomit". TEX & THE HORSEHEADS released two studio albums and a live LP, splitting in 1985. Phenomenon carried on playing for a few months after Boaz's departure, before Crosby too jumped ship to join the fledgling RATT as lead guitarist. Crosby succeeded in making the RATT job his own and played on their self-titled Mini LP and the following five albums, throughout their glory years, eventually leaving due to drug problems in 1991. Gregory Boaz is now a respected blues musician and has in the past played with CANDYE KANE, JOHN "JUKE" LOGAN, VICKI HILL, THE CHILL ACES and BRENDA BURNS and is now the bassist in DAVE ALVIN & THE GUILTY MEN. Sadly, Crosby died after a long battle with A.I.D.S. in June 2002. He was just 42 years old.

PHENOMENON - The Final Word 7" (1980) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/148950386/PHENOMENON_-_The_Final_Word_7____USA-1980_.rar

Finally, Jodey were a shortlived NWOBHM band who released one single in 1979. The 45 in question, "The Rocker", on the Ellie Jay label, is now one of the rarest & most sought after NWOBHM items in collector circles. A recent auction saw a copy go for £150! Not bad for a band which had formed as a bit of fun whilst it's members were at college together. After Jodey split in 1980, guitarist Pat Shayler & bassist John Barr went on to found CHINASTREET, the band would later change it's name to CHINATOWN. In 1981, on Airship Records, Chinatown released the "Short & Sweet" 7" and, later in the year, the "Play It To The Death" album. In 1982 they played at the Reading Festival and had two songs featured on the album culled from the festival performances. Barr, however, had jumped ship in late '81, and joined LAST FLIGHT, appearing as the vocalist on their Heavy Metal Records "Dance To The Music" 7", which would prove to be their only release.

JODEY - The Rocker 7" (1979) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/148913397/JODEY_-_The_Rocker_7____UK-1979_.rar

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is that. For now anyway. More soon!

A DEAD HEAT IN A BLIMP RACE

Either it's my computer or imageshack or blogger or rapidshare. Or, it's a fucked up combination of one or more of the above, but i'm having a shitty time getting this post up. So it's gonna be a no frills affair regarding tonight's selection, quite apt as most of the music i'm serving up tonight is pretty no-frills too. But tasty nonetheless.
Firstly, The Black Riders were a five piece NWOBHM band who hailed from the unlikely locale of the Isle Of Man in the early 1980's. The band specialized in melodic and accessible Heavy Metal, and unlike many of their peers were blessed with a great vocalist, Darryl Fayle. They debuted with a full length album called "Chosen Few", on the GI record label in 1985. The records production and the quality of the songs were a cut above most '80's independent Metal releases and should have led the group to bigger things. Following the album's release the line up fragmented, but Fayle & guitarist Mike Byrne recruited three new members and kept the band going. In 1987, the new line up contributed the re-recorded song "Chosen Few" to the four way split EP "Battleaxe", on Other Records. The other featured bands on the EP were HOLOSADE, KES & TEACHER'S PET. Sadly this was to be the band's last hurrah, and The Black Riders split soon after.

THE BLACK RIDERS - Chosen Few (1985) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/146120087/THE_BLACK_RIDERS_-_Chosen_Few__UK-1985_.rar

Second item tonight is from SIX FEET UNDER who were a noted act mainly due to the bluesey vocals of ex-RAINFALL vocalist Björn Lodin. Formed in Borlinge, Sweden in 1981, the band debuted the following year with the "I'm Gonna Win" 7". 1983 brought the release of their self-titled debut album on the Europafilm label. 1984 saw the release of a further 7", "Candle In The Dark", and album number two, "Eruption". For the second album SIX FEET UNDER added new drummer Marcus Källström. Following the second album the band persevered for a while under the shortened title of SIX FEET with ex JAMMER vocalist Erik Hjalmarsson, bassist Johan Larsson, keyboard player Joel Lidgren and ex-VANTAGE drummer Jonas Lööfbefore disintigrating after a freshly recorded album was denied a release. Johan Larsson turned up later as part of TREAT. SIX FEET UNDER vocalist Bjorn Lodin joined BALTIMOORE before a brief stint with Swiss rockers KROKUS. Guitarist Tomas Larsson was to lend his skills to BALTIMOORE, JAMMER and YEAH BOP STATION. Larsson has also been a member of ex-DEEP PURPLE singer GLENN HUGHES solo project as well as recording his own solo album 'Freeride'. Jansson united with KEEN HUE. Källström joined JAMMER, SKY HIGH and STONECAKE. Björn Lodin contributed guest lead vocal tracks to cover versions of BUDGIE's 'In For The Kill' and NEON ROSE's 'Love Rock' for inclusion on OVERDRIVE and LOCOMOTIVE BREATH guitarist Janne Stark's November 2006 MOUNTAIN OF POWER tribute collection. Thomas Larsson also donated his guitar skills to this project.

SIX FEET UNDER - Six Feet Under (1983) Sweden

http://rapidshare.com/files/146130648/SIX_FEET_UNDER_-_Six_Feet_Under__SWE-1983_.rar

Brooklyn Brats were a Hard Rock quartet confusingly founded in Los Angeles in 1982 by guitarist Paul Hanson & drummer Dane Rage. Rage had previously been a member of LA Glam rockers LONDON alongside future MOTLEY CRUE man Nikki Sixx and W.A.S.P. mainman Blackie Lawless, and also played with the LED ZEPPELIN-esque THE WHITE. The band would become regular fixtures on the LA club circuit of the early '80's, building up a large local following. In 1984 the band released this five song Mini LP in picture disc form, entitled "We Live To Rock" it surfaced on Iron Works Records. This would prove to be their only release however, with the band splitting in 1985. Hanson went on to become an instructor at the Guitar Institute Of Technology, and produced several instructional video tapes and books. He was also called upon to be guitar coach to Michael J. Fox for the films "Back To The Future" and "Light Of Day".
He now plays with the band CHAINDRIVEN after stints with VANILLA FUDGE & ANDY TAYLOR. Dane Rage would later become Dane Scarborough, leaving drumming to become an inventor, eventually establishing the toy company Überstix LLC in 2005.

BROOKLYN BRATS - We Live To Rock Mini LP (1984) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/146136674/BROOKLYN_BRATS_-_We_Live_To_Rock_Mini_LP__USA-1984_.rar

Badger were a five piece NWOBHM band formed in 1980. Their first release was the three song "Over The Wall" EP on Noize Gate Records in 1981. The EP was produced by Gordon Rowley of STRIFE/NIGHTWING "fame". Following this they contributed the song "The Traveller" to the compilation album "Metal Plated" on Ebony Records in 1983. The band changed it's name in 1984, becoming the BADGER BELL BAND, and released a further single under this name in 1985. "Nothing Left", proved to be a prophetic title for the 7", as the band folded before the years end.

BADGER - Over The Wall EP (1981) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/146123909/BADGER_-_Over_The_Wall_EP__UK-1981_.rar

18th 1980, DeMaio struck up a strong alliance with their American guitarist Ross 'The Boss' Friedman, and they decided to piece together the ideal Metal band, an idea that had originally been formulated backstage at the BLACK SABBATH show at Newcastle City Hall. Adding ex-THE KIDS and HARLEQUIN vocalist Eric Adams and finally drummer Karl Kennedy, MANOWAR was born. After recording a crude demo tape at Vision Studios in Auburn for a mere $250, EMI America signed the group. Whilst recording their debut album 'Battle Hymns' with new drummer Donnie Hamzik, MANOWAR also gained backing from Bill Aucoin at Aucoin Management. Crafted in Florida, 'Battle Hymns' featured none other than the legendary Orson Welles appearing in a narrator's role on the track 'Dark Avenger'. Ambitiously, and successfully it must be added, De Maio re-sculpted Rossini's 'William Tell Overture' into a bass solo piece 'William's Tale'. Poor sales meant the band were unceremoniously dropped from EMI America's roster and also parted company with Aucoin when a new deal wasn't immediately forthcoming. The loss of the EMI America deal prevented MANOWAR from making a planned appearance at the Reading Festival in Britain during August 1982. Drummer Hamzik left in early 1983 and MANOWAR unveiled the new man behind the skins, Scott Columbus, at two gigs in New York opened by VIRGIN STEELE. MANOWAR then retreated upstate and recorded a brand new album 'Into Glory Ride', their first with Scott Columbus. By the Summer of 1983 MANOWAR had inked a new deal (in blood!) with Jonny Zazula's Megaforce label for the US & Music For Nations in Europe. The 'Into Glory Ride' album appeared around the same time as a second recording with Orson Welles,In most right thinking circles MANOWAR are regarded as being the pinnacle of true Heavy Metal. Over a lengthy career MANOWAR have steadfastly refused to compromise and as such have built up a staunch global fanbase. Bassist and band leader Joey DeMaio had first had a stab at creating a Metal band when he formed a power trio with ex-ELF vocalist / guitarist David Feinstein and drummer Carl Canedy dubbed DAVID FEINSTEIN'S THUNDER. This formative band contributed a track, 'Slippin' And Slidin'', to a BUDDY HOLLY tribute EP and issued a 1978 7" under the DAVID FEINSTEIN name, but in spite of achieving a heavy sound the triumvirate could not gel and Feinstein and Canedy quickly assembled THE RODS. MANOWAR was founded when De Maio was working as a stagehand to BLACK SABBATH. French act SHAKIN' STREET was the support band for the UK tour and, at the Newcastle upon Tyne City Hall concert on May 'Defender', materialized as this 12" single release backed with 'Gloves Of Metal'. Welles had recorded this piece at the same time as 'Dark Avenger', but the song had not made the 'Battle Hymns' album. The song was later re-recorded for their 1987 "Fighting The World" album, and has subsequently become a firm fan favourite.

MANOWAR - Defender 12" (1984) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/146139573/MANOWAR_-_Defender_12_____USA-1984_.rar

Sabre were a traditional Heavy Metal band created in 1982 by four guys serving in the U.S. Army whilst stationed in Karlsruhe West Germany. From 1983-1986 they played in and around the Karlsruhe area drawing big crowds whenever they played. They recorded this 2 song 45, "City Of Flames" and released it themselves in 1983. In 1985 they recorded the full length album, "Keepers Of The Sword", at Katapulton Studios and 500 copies were pressed by Palace Records. It has been highly sought after by collectors of 80's metal in more recent years and now commands a hefty price tag. The band were to go their separate ways soon after the album's release without issuing anything further.

SABRE - City Of Flames 7" (1983) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/146142106/SABRE_-_City_Of_Flames_7____USA-1983_.rar

Finally tonight, Tutch was a NWOBHM band that was only active in the late 1970's and early '80's. They only managed to produce a solitary 7" single, "The Battle", which was released by Gargoyle Records in 1980. Tutch folded soon after the record emerged.

TUTCH - The Battle 7" (1980) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/146144769/TUTCH_-_The_Battle_7____UK-1980_.rar

So there you have it, plenty of variety, plenty of quality, plenty of comments should be forthcoming. He hinted, oh so subtly... : )

A WELL SWEPT CHIMNEY

A good evening to you all, i've another fine overview from rock's mayhemic margins for you to peruse tonight, hope you find something amongst this little lot to scratch your rawk itch.
Up first, some more from redoubtable London NWOBHM troupe Desolation Angels. I'll pick up their tale just after the release of their self titled debut LP:
This album, "While The Flame Still Burns" was recorded in late '87 & early '88, but went unreleased as the band struggled to find a deal. It's unclear when exactly Desolation Angels finally split, but sightings became more & more sporadic and by 1990 it seems the band were no more. Strong ongoing interest from underground Metalheads over the years has given the band true cult status, and they have reformed in recent years as a result. The Miskatonik Foundation label, has had a remastered four cd Desolation Angels box set collection on it's release schedule for a few years now, but it has yet to see release.

DESOLATION ANGELS - While The Flame Still Burns (1988) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/143202803/DESOLATION_ANGELS_-_While_The_Flame_Still_Burns__UK-1988_.rar

For tonight's next album we cross the channel for the sole LP by Silvertrain. Silvertrain were a killer French hard rock crew with weaving melodies, vitriolic guitar leads and distinctive high-pitched vocals. They were formed in Strasbourg, Alsace in 1978, with all the members adopting Anglicised pseudonyms, this caused many to assume that they were in fact an English band, which explains why their records show up on many NWOBHM wants lists. They released this album "Which Platform Please?" in 1979 on the Omega Studio Music label. Amongst collectors, this album is considered by some to be one of the best late 1970’s hard rock albums.
A further independent single, "Keep The Flame" was issued in 1981, but the band disappeared soon after that.

SILVERTRAIN - Which Platform Please? (1979) France

http://rapidshare.com/files/143210718/SILVERTRAIN_-_Which_Platform_Please__France-1979_.rar

"Gentle Murder", was released by Riot City Records in 1982, which was followed by a further demo, the two song "1982 Demo". "Pulling Puppet Strings", was also released by Riot City in 1983. After some personnel changes "Bloodrush", was the final EP released by Vigilante RecordsNext, the debut EP from Mayhem were a NWOBHM/Punk crossover band from Southport who debuted with a 1981 demo then released three EPs in the early 1980's. This one, the first, in 1985. They also figured on various compilations, such as 1982's "Riotous Assembly", with the exclusive song "Psycho", and the 1984 international Maximum Rock'n'Roll collection "Welcome To 1984", with the exclusive song "I Defy". Maximium Rock'n'Roll magazine said this about Mayhem's "Gentle Murder" EP. "More exciting mayhem from MAYHEM, "Gentle Murder" and "Lie and Die" are tense mid-tempo numbers with loads of power and dynamism."Clean Cut" is a roaring thrasher like those on their debut EP, stunning." No arguments here!

MAYHEM - Gentle Murder EP (1982) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/143918105/MAYHEM_-_Gentle_Murder_EP__UK-1982_.rar

Up next, a couple of dazzling NWOBHM demos, very different in style, but even steven for their high quality. Firstly, TRANZZAM were a five piece NWOBHM band formed in Oxford in 1979.
Stevie After going through several drummers, former TREASON / CRASH K.O. sticksman Ace Finchum joined in 1982 prior to the recording of this, their first demo, the four song "Lionheart" tape. However, he jumped ship shortly thereafter to join up with former TREASON bandmateDenham aka Steevie Jaimz in notorious glam band TIGERTAILZ. With new drummer Andy Orme on board, the band recorded a further demo, the 3 song "Hypnotized" cassette in 1984. The band went on indefinite hiatus around 1985, but the members continued to play together on and off through the years under the name HIGH'n'MIGHTY. In 2000 High'n'Mighty released an album called "Pest" on Euphoria Records.

TRANZZAM - Lionheart Demo (1982) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/143912702/TRANZZAM_-_Lionheart_Demo__UK-1982_.rar

influences are obvious, both songs on the 45 are heavy and powerful as well, strongly appealing to both progressive and heavy metal fans alike. Next, DAWNWATCHER were a NWOBHM band formed in Keighley Yorkshire in 1976, by former members of prog rock band KABOSS. The band built up a strong live reputation over the next few years, and over the course of their career they played with the likes of HEAVY METAL KIDS, SAXON, BASTILLE and RHABSTALLION. In 1979, the band recorded this three song demo, featuring 3 lengthy ambitious songs which formed the backbone of their live set. 1980 saw the band release their first record, the privately pressed "Spellbound" 7". Although the progDAWNWATCHER then got nationwide (if not worldwide) exposure when “Firing On All Eight” was selected for inclusion on the legendary "New Electric Warriors" compilation LP released on Logo Records later the same year. Bizarrely, in the middle of all this positivity and promise the band split up when their soundman left to work with another band. The band regrouped in 1982, with Pete Darley replacing Ges Smith on keyboards and John Bootle arriving on bass, and recorded a further 7", "Backlash". Although very well received, with positive press from the likes of Kerrang! magazine, the band drifted apart again, splitting in 1983.

DAWNWATCHER - Demo (1979) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/143914983/DAWNWATCHER_-_Demo__UK-1979_.rar

BURNER were a NWOBHM quartet formed in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire in 1981.
Drummer Steve Peach explains: "We formed as Burner in 1981 but were called the SAVAGE DOGS previous to that, which was a kind of Punk/Metal band. After our first gig as the Savage Dogs, Andy Rotherham saw us play and asked a friend of ours if he could sing for us. We were offered a chance to get a track on a compilation album by Ebony Records in 1982, as they really liked Andy Rotherham's voice, but we were going through a line-up change on bass guitar so it never worked out". Following a 1982 demo called "Savage Killer", the band recorded a further 1984 demo, eventually splitting in late that year. In 2002 Zelinda Records released two of the 1982 tracks as this ltd edition 7". Following the interest generated by the release of "Savage Killer", the band reunited. "Old Enough To Know Better" from the 1984 recordings, then appeared on the "Total Metal Attack" NWOBHM Compilation from Old School Records. A further archive release "The Hammer Of The Gods" EP which was also recorded in 1984 but never released, followed in 2007. This year has seen the release of a full length album, on High Roller Records entitled "Resurrection".

BURNER - Savage Killer 7" (1982) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/143919114/BURNER_-_Savage_Killer_7____UK-1982_.rar

Finally, Twisted Ace were a NWOBHM quartet from Northern England. They were to release only one record, this one, 1981's "Firebird" 7" on Heavy Metal Records. A further single, "The Fire Inside" was scheduled to be issued in 1982, but it's unknown whether it was ever actually produced.

TWISTED ACE - Firebird 7" (1981) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/143916795/TWISTED_ACE_-_Firebird_7____UK-1981_.rar

And that's yer lot for now...
Apologies for not keeping up with the requests & comments from the comments section recently, i'll get caught up soon i promise, and reply & help out where i can. Enjoy the music.

THE MINCE MEDALLIONS

Hi folks, can't be arsed writing a big pre-amble tonight, just wanna get this stuff upped and kick back on the couch. So, without further ado...
Following on from their debut 1984 "Valhalla" 7" which was posted last time, here's the Desolation Angels album. Let's pick up their tale after the 7"'s release : Desolation Angels self financed numerous club dates and scores of adverts in the Metal press before eventually signing an album deal with Bulleon Records in late '84. However, the record company went bust prior to the self titled album's release and as a consequence the band had to fight long and hard to retrieve the master tapes. The album eventually surfaced on Thameside Records in 1986, although DESOLATION ANGELS parted company with drummer Adam Palfrey late in the year before deciding upon trying their luck in Los Angeles. A later incarnation of the band included OVERDRIVE drummer Richard Parish, and he completed the line up in time to record the five song "Fury" demo in 1987. More from Desolation Angels next time, for now, bask in the awesome power of this LP, it's a 24 karat keeper.

DESOLATION ANGELS - Desolation Angels (1986) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/141134931/DESOLATION_ANGELS_-_Desolation_Angels__UK-1986_.rar

To Scandinavia for our next item, a very heavy, yet melodic, band from Horsen in Denmark, PRETTY MAIDS was formed in 1981 by guitarist Ken Hammer (a.k.a. Kenneth Hansen) and originally started off as a THIN LIZZY and RAINBOW covers band, but soon progressed to their own material. The opening formation saw Hammer joined by ATTICA bassist John Darrow (a.k.a. Johnny Møller) and drummer Phil Moorheed (Henrik Andersen). The following year the group was brought up to full strength with the recruitment of frontman Ronnie Atkins (Paul Christensen), second guitarist Pete Collins (Jan Piete) and keyboard player Alan 'Stevie' Owen (Allan Nielsen). PRETTY MAIDS' first demo, recorded in late 1982, featured 'Shelley The Maid' and 'City Lights'. A few months later a second demo was cut, with the tracks 'Children Of Tomorrow', 'Fantasy' and 'Warchild'. Other demos included the 'Heavy Metal' session and 'Rave On', the latter comprising of 'Cold Killer' and 'Bad Boys'. These demo tracks were released by the Stoke-On-Trent based Bullet Records as this six song self-titled Mini LP in Britain, during October 1983. P.A.R. Records in North America and Fingerprint in Denmark released the record in early 1984 with different cover artwork. Not long after the 'Pretty Maids' mini-album appeared, PRETTY MAIDS secured initial dates in Britain supporting fellow Bullett act LE GRIFFE on a club tour in 1983. Much championed by 'Metal Forces' magazine supremo Bernard Doe, the act quickly gained a major deal with Epic in Denmark.

PRETTY MAIDS - Pretty Maids Mini LP (1983) Denmark

http://rapidshare.com/files/141144895/PRETTY_MAIDS_-_Pretty_Maids_Mini_LP__Den-1983_.rar

To the US of A next, Flynn was a sextet from California that should have achieved a lot more than it did. They played amazing heavy/power metal with AOR keyboards in the vain of RAZORMAID, RUFFKUT, LIXX & DIRECT TOUCH. Their only release was this incredibly rare self titled EP on Shontod Records released in 1985. The vocals of Mike Jensen and guitars of Evan Todd are just perfect both for fans of power metal & AOR and you won't find a weak song on this EP.

FLYNN - Flynn EP (1985) USA

http://rapidshare.com/files/141148349/FLYNN_-_Flynn_EP__USA-1985_.rar

If you download nothing else from tonight's selection, make it this next one, regardless of your musical taste, this one'll scratch your itch. The guiding fire behind the latter-day PINK FAIRIES, a founding member of MOTöRHEAD, and a house producer during Stiff Records' first flash of maverick brilliance, Larry Wallis is one of the legends of the British rock underground, an astonishing guitarist, and author of one of the classic singles of the era, "Police Car." He blazed across MICK FARREN AND THE DEVIANTS seminal "Screwed Up" EP in an age when Angry Young Man-style guitar was valued above any other musical attribute. Larry played angrier (and younger) than virtually anyone you could name. Wallis' pedigree reaches back to the early '70s, and a roll call of his bands includes the ENTIRE SIOUX NATION, SHAGRAT, BLODWYN PIG and Hard Rock heroes UFO, before he joined the PINK FAIRIES in time for their third (and finest) album, "Kings Of Oblivion". The band broke up following its release and, in 1975, Wallis reappeared in MOTöRHEAD, a move that the guitarist unhesitatingly describes as preordained: "It was just as if the serendipity fairy had arrived, Lemmy had been imprisoned in HAWKWIND and was now flexing his leathern wings.... It just had to be." Together, Wallis and Lemmy alchemized one of the hardest-hitting bands of the entire pre-punk era, and the handful of shows that the group played during this period was nothing short of the absolute revision of all that had taken place before. Certainly their label of the time, UA, was absolutely baffled by the band, sending them into the studio, before deciding that nothing the band did was actually marketable. The band was dropped from the label and the tapes were buried in a lead-lined box, figuratively if not literally. And they remained there until MOTöRHEAD became late-'70s superstars, and suddenly anything with their name attached seemed eminently saleable indeed. "On Parole", titled after one of Wallis' compositions, was finally released in 1978 and has been available ever since. Wallis departed MOTöRHEAD around the same time as they were dropped and, through early 1976, he led a revitalized PINK FAIRIES lineup around the London club scene as it lurched from pub rock to punk. By late summer, the FAIRIES had signed with Stiff Records and released the single "Between The Lines," the label's second-ever release, but with a sense of timing that they had long since perfected, the group announced that this moment of triumph was the ideal time to break up. Wallis remained with Stiff, recording this record, the "Police Car" 7"with HOT RODS/future UFO bassist Paul Gray and drummer Steve Nicol for release in spring 1977. He also produced the first two singles by THE ADVERTS, including the Top 20 hit "Gary Gilmore's Eyes," and became a star turn on the autumn 1977 LIVE STIFFS tour of Britain. Billed alongside IAN DURY, NICK LOWE, ELVIS COSTELLO, and WRECKLESS ERIC, he took the stage with an all-star band dubbed the PSYCHEDELIC ROWDIES, the "Live Stiffs" album includes an absolutely incendiary "Police Car", which i've included here as a bonus track, bumping the running time up to EP length. Wallis began work on a solo album in early 1978, recording with Deke Leonard, Big George Webley, and Pete Thomas, but record company politics saw the record shelved (it remains unreleased) and Wallis moved on. Further stints alongside MICK FARREN were interspersed by gigs with the MC5's Wayne Kramer. A mid-'80s PINK FAIRIES reunion was bookended by Wallis' own bands, THE DEATH COMMANDOS OF LOVE and THE REDBYRDS, while Wallis finally released a solo album, "Death In The Guitarafternoon" in 2001.

LARRY WALLIS - Police Car EP (1977) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/141136888/LARRY_WALLIS_-_Police_Car_7____UK-1977_.rar

We go Down Under now for this 45, "Television Addict", from 1977 was the first & most entertaining offering by Perth Australia's short-lived The Victims, the earliest recorded project of the youthful Dave Faulkner, later of HOODOO GURUS. The playful and poptastic old-school garagey-punky songs here are very enjoyable if you're not averse to such things. A-Side "Television Addict" is a furiously classic stomp along about the perils of the goggle box, and was later covered by THE HELLACOPTERS. The other side, "(I'm) Flipped Out Over You", is more frantic again, but retains the bands knack for spitting out ridiculously catchy choruses. Nowadays you're lucky if a whole album has anything half as essential as these two songs. You need this in your life. Remember, if you enjoy this one, you'll also find it's follow up, the 5 song "No Thanks To The Human Turd" EP was posted here a while back too.

THE VICTIMS - Television Addict 7" (1977) Australia

http://rapidshare.com/files/142901936/THE_VICTIMS_-_Television_Addict_7____AUS-1977_.rar

For the next one, i'm quoting the band's mainstay, he tells it better than i ever could. "RITUAL were formed in 1972 by myself, Gypsy Re Beth, as a three piece rock outfit with Phil Mason and John Gaster, all pros with track records. We were all from London and knew each other from school. In the early 1980's we released the album "Widow" and the single "Into The Night/Burning" which was frequently played by DJ Alan "Fluff" Freeman. I did lots of radio stuff including interviews with Tommy Vance who played the whole album to six million listeners on the BBC world service. Further albums, "Gypsy" [1983] "Never Look Back"[1984] "Cry In The Night"[1986] "Lady Night" [1987} and "Daughter Of Joy"[unreleased], and finally "Valley Of the Kings" [1993] with the single "Naisha" and an accompanying video. Unfortunately John Gaster died in 2001 so I decided to wrap it up, although I had already been working under my name for some years. All this material, which was written by me, will be coming out repackaged under the name Gypsy Re Bethe. I have now released 3 singles and we still work as a three piece and its going fine." One of the finest NWOBHM 7"'s, here's "Into The Night".

RITUAL - Into The Night 7" (1981) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/139843004/RITUAL_-_Into_The_Night_7____UK-1981_.rar

For our last item tonight, we remain in Blighty, but the year this time is 1984. After the eventual demise of Surrey's popular STATIC in the early months of 1983, mainman Noel Jones decided that he wasn't quite finished in the music business. While his erstwhile colleagues from the last STATIC line-up proceeded to form the AOR-friendly SNOWBLIND, Jones envisaged a rather more ambitious project. Within a year or so, he had teamed up with a new set of accomplices to form WHITE LIGHTNING, a band with a slightly more progressive edge to their music. After finding their feet and recording a couple of early demos, the quartet decided to release their own single. Issued on their own Wild Party label in 1984, the record featured "This Poison Fountain" and "Hypocrite", two numbers which showed the venture to be following the path of earlier acts such as SHIVA, CANIS MAJOR or BIG DAISY, carving a technical, semi-progressive niche for themselves, this being at a time when RUSH-influenced music was finding little favour amongst those in the music industry.This single was a fairly remarkable debut, with confident arrangements and original lyrics and the outfit were delighted with the favourable reaction from the rock fraternity.

WHITE LIGHTNING - This Poison Fountain 7" (1984) UK

http://rapidshare.com/files/141138544/WHITE_LIGHTNING_-_This_Poison_Fountain_7____UK-1984_.rar

Wrap your ears 'round this little lot and let me know what you think, i'm off to park ma arse in front of the telly and have a cuppa. More soon. Over and oot!