CALLING FOR HUEY
Hi again, a thoroughly international selection for all y'all tonight, 3 UK items from the NWOBHM, one from the U.S.A, one from down under, a Swedish item and a Dutch one to cap it all off.
We'll start off in the USA, with East Lansing, Michigan's DED ENGINE, and their second and final album, 1988's "Hold A Grudge", released, appropriately enough, through the American independent company Grudge Records. This marked the end of the band's eight year career, with the members going their separate ways after album no.2 failed to give the band their breakthrough. With DED ENGINE's demise, bassist Marky DeSade relocated to New York, joining SMASHED GLADYS. Sadly, DeSade passed away in March 1994.
DED ENGINE - Hold A Grudge (1988) USA
http://rapidshare.com/files/150637254/DED_ENGINE_-_Hold_A_Grudge__USA-1988_.rar
Some NWOBHM for you now, WEAPON evolved in London from FAST RELIEF, an act dating to 1978 featuring guitarist Jeff Summers. Former SNATCH Danny Hynes had teamed up with Summers after the pair had both placed adverts looking for other musicians in 'Melody Maker'.
guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke caught the band live and, following a further concert at Camden Palace at which all of Ex-LIP SERVICE drummer Bruce Bisland and former INNER CITY UNIT and SNATCH bassist Barry Downes also joined the band in early 1980 as the band adopted the new name of WEAPON after scored a deal with Virgin Publishing following a showcase to Laurie Dunn. MOTÖRHEAD'sMOTÖRHEAD gave them the seal of approval, duly offered WEAPON the support slot on MOTÖRHEAD's UK 32 date 'Ace Up Your Sleeve' tour. The single, an excellent slice of NWoBHM entitled 'It's A Mad Mad World', was released in November on their own Weapon label to coincide with these dates and garnered considerable media praise. The B side, 'Set The Stage Alight' was a re-worked version of the earlier FAST RELIEF anthem 'Fast Relief'. WEAPON undertook various headlining shows in early 1981 and recorded further demos for a proposed album that year at Virgin's Townhouse Studios but soon ground to a halt. Summers took part in the one off project, THE HEADBANGERS, alongside former LEAFHOUND & ATOMIC ROOSTER vocalist PETE FRENCH. They recorded a lone single "Status Rock", which was a moderate UK hit, and saw them appear on TV's Top Of The Pops. Bisland quit to form an act with ex-MORE personnel guitarist Laurie Mansworth and ex-IRON MAIDEN vocalist Paul Mario Day. This liaison was short-lived however and Summers and Bisland formed WILDFIRE.
WEAPON underwent a major line-up shuffle adding ex-IRON MAIDEN and PRAYING MANTIS guitarist Rob Angelo and former MEGATON and LAUTREC drummer John Philips. Another former IRON MAIDEN man, Ron 'Rebel' Matthews, was then installed on drums. This version of the band only lasted a few months before folding. Angelo opted for the pub circuit with an act titled NITRO BLUES. WEAPON bass player Baz Downes joined THE SCREAMING MARIONETTES. Bisland's career has moved through ex MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP vocalist Gary Barden's STATETROOPER to SWEET, TANK and PRAYING MANTIS. Vocalist Danny Hynes has been fronting PADDY GOES TO HOLYHEAD, featuring the PRAYING MANTIS duo of Chris and Tino Troy for many years. In 2003 the Zoom Club label released this WEAPON album called 'Set The Stage Alight', collecting together all the band's recordings from 1980 & '81.
WEAPON - Set The Stage Alight (1980-81) UK
http://rapidshare.com/files/150645524/WEAPON_-_Set_The_Stage_Alight__UK-80-81_.rar
Forward now, but staying in the NWOBHM mood, Smokin' Roadie were a NWOBHM trio founded in 1981. Their recording debut was to be the "Midnight" 7", released on the Zone To Zone label in 1983. In 1984 the band recorded the eight song "1984 Demo", after which bassist Aldo Mazzei left to join RADIO MOSCOW, Brian Tatler's post DIAMOND HEAD band. He was replaced by Lee Faulkner and the band changed its name to TEMPEST. In 1985 Tempest recorded the "Hell Fire" single for Mak Records, before relocating to Los Angeles where they played at many of the main venues in L.A., such as The Whiskey A Go Go, The Troubador, The Roxy and Gazzari's. The band then recorded an album at Old Smithy Studios which went unreleased at the time. The band sadly split up when Rue Phillips joined BLACK SABBATH's BILL WARD, playing on his 1989 "Ward One : Along The Way" album. Later Rue formed a new band called THE NOW, with Kofi Baker on drums and Malcolm Bruce on guitar, who had both also taken part in the "Ward One" sessions. The earlier unreleased TEMPEST album was then issued in Japan under the name of THE NOW, but the band were to split soon after.
SMOKIN' ROADIE - 1984 Demo (1984)
http://rapidshare.com/files/150653186/SMOKIN__ROADIE_-_1984_Demo__UK-1984_.rar
Manchester Glam influenced NWOBHM band SACRED ALIEN was formed in 1980 by Sean Canning and Martin Ainscow. Having released a couple of independent singles, 1981's 'Spiritual Planet' and 1982's 'Eternal Flame', SACRED ALIEN's third effort, 'Legends', was a 1983 split single released on Steve Heighway's Heighway Robbery Records with fellow Glam outfit VIRGIN - who contributed the track 'Sitting In The Front Row'. "Legends" is included here as a bonus track for you completests. Drummer Darren Wilcock and bassist Paul Davies quit in mid 1983 to pursue more Metal minded music, with Wilcock later joining KLAN. After recruiting bassist John Murney and drummer Mark Robbo SACRED ALIEN finally split in late 1983 and Canning formed WHITE TRASH. Please note : there appears to be a degree of confusion as to whether the "Eternal Flame" single was ever actually released, with some reports suggesting it to be the work of a different band with the same name.
SACRED ALIEN - Spiritual Planet EP (1981) UK
http://rapidshare.com/files/150655903/SACRED_ALIEN_-_Spiritual_Planet_EP__UK-1981_.rar
Thanks to Dom for this next one & to credit to DaN for this review which i've pilfered from www.thecorroseum.com, who had this to say about Swedish band WULCAN's 1982 7" "Mysterier". "Another new discovery and possibly the best 'unknown super-rarity' I've come across so far. "Mysterier" ("Mysteries") is a deadringer for BLACK SABBATH's "Heaven and Hell" and therefore it is also a superb, ultra-heavy epic whose lack of originality feels totally irrelevant. The fact that B-side "Travellin'" sounds like warmed over STATUS QUO matters little when you can play the A-side over and over again while oogling the ultra-cult cover art without ever getting tired of that pounding lead riff. Let's pretend that 2nd aor 7" from '86 never happened."
WULCAN - Mysterier 7'' (1982) Sweden
http://rapidshare.com/files/150659588/WULCAN_-_Mysterier_7____Sweden-1982_.rar
We're off down under now, for Stingray, who were a traditional Heavy Metal/Hard Rock quartet formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1981. Although more commercially inclined, the band were good friends and tour mates of their highly regarded but equally underrated countrymen TAIPAN. Their only release was the "Good Time Loving" 45, released by Nidus Records in 1983.
Not to be confused with the Belgian, South African or Japanese bands of the same name.
STINGRAY - Good Time Loving 7" (1983) AUSTRALIA
http://rapidshare.com/files/150657862/STINGRAY_-_Good_Time_Lovin__7____AUS-1983_.rar
Finally tonight, Vault were a Dutch Heavy Metal band formed in Emmen, Drenthe in 1979. They debuted in 1983 with the "Hell Of A Block" 7" on NON Records. Two demo tapes followed the single, the 4 song "No More Escape" and the 7 track "Sword Of Steel". At the years end they released their final record, the full length "No More Escape" album. Sadly, that was it for the band, they were to split soon after the album's release.
VAULT - Hell Of A Block 7" (1983) Holland
http://rapidshare.com/files/150661642/VAULT_-_Hell_Of_A_Block_7____HOL-1983_.rar
That's yer lot for tonight, hope you enjoy tonight's selection. 10-4!
We'll start off in the USA, with East Lansing, Michigan's DED ENGINE, and their second and final album, 1988's "Hold A Grudge", released, appropriately enough, through the American independent company Grudge Records. This marked the end of the band's eight year career, with the members going their separate ways after album no.2 failed to give the band their breakthrough. With DED ENGINE's demise, bassist Marky DeSade relocated to New York, joining SMASHED GLADYS. Sadly, DeSade passed away in March 1994.
DED ENGINE - Hold A Grudge (1988) USA
http://rapidshare.com/files/150637254/DED_ENGINE_-_Hold_A_Grudge__USA-1988_.rarSome NWOBHM for you now, WEAPON evolved in London from FAST RELIEF, an act dating to 1978 featuring guitarist Jeff Summers. Former SNATCH Danny Hynes had teamed up with Summers after the pair had both placed adverts looking for other musicians in 'Melody Maker'.
guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke caught the band live and, following a further concert at Camden Palace at which all of Ex-LIP SERVICE drummer Bruce Bisland and former INNER CITY UNIT and SNATCH bassist Barry Downes also joined the band in early 1980 as the band adopted the new name of WEAPON after scored a deal with Virgin Publishing following a showcase to Laurie Dunn. MOTÖRHEAD'sMOTÖRHEAD gave them the seal of approval, duly offered WEAPON the support slot on MOTÖRHEAD's UK 32 date 'Ace Up Your Sleeve' tour. The single, an excellent slice of NWoBHM entitled 'It's A Mad Mad World', was released in November on their own Weapon label to coincide with these dates and garnered considerable media praise. The B side, 'Set The Stage Alight' was a re-worked version of the earlier FAST RELIEF anthem 'Fast Relief'. WEAPON undertook various headlining shows in early 1981 and recorded further demos for a proposed album that year at Virgin's Townhouse Studios but soon ground to a halt. Summers took part in the one off project, THE HEADBANGERS, alongside former LEAFHOUND & ATOMIC ROOSTER vocalist PETE FRENCH. They recorded a lone single "Status Rock", which was a moderate UK hit, and saw them appear on TV's Top Of The Pops. Bisland quit to form an act with ex-MORE personnel guitarist Laurie Mansworth and ex-IRON MAIDEN vocalist Paul Mario Day. This liaison was short-lived however and Summers and Bisland formed WILDFIRE.
WEAPON underwent a major line-up shuffle adding ex-IRON MAIDEN and PRAYING MANTIS guitarist Rob Angelo and former MEGATON and LAUTREC drummer John Philips. Another former IRON MAIDEN man, Ron 'Rebel' Matthews, was then installed on drums. This version of the band only lasted a few months before folding. Angelo opted for the pub circuit with an act titled NITRO BLUES. WEAPON bass player Baz Downes joined THE SCREAMING MARIONETTES. Bisland's career has moved through ex MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP vocalist Gary Barden's STATETROOPER to SWEET, TANK and PRAYING MANTIS. Vocalist Danny Hynes has been fronting PADDY GOES TO HOLYHEAD, featuring the PRAYING MANTIS duo of Chris and Tino Troy for many years. In 2003 the Zoom Club label released this WEAPON album called 'Set The Stage Alight', collecting together all the band's recordings from 1980 & '81.
WEAPON - Set The Stage Alight (1980-81) UK
http://rapidshare.com/files/150645524/WEAPON_-_Set_The_Stage_Alight__UK-80-81_.rarForward now, but staying in the NWOBHM mood, Smokin' Roadie were a NWOBHM trio founded in 1981. Their recording debut was to be the "Midnight" 7", released on the Zone To Zone label in 1983. In 1984 the band recorded the eight song "1984 Demo", after which bassist Aldo Mazzei left to join RADIO MOSCOW, Brian Tatler's post DIAMOND HEAD band. He was replaced by Lee Faulkner and the band changed its name to TEMPEST. In 1985 Tempest recorded the "Hell Fire" single for Mak Records, before relocating to Los Angeles where they played at many of the main venues in L.A., such as The Whiskey A Go Go, The Troubador, The Roxy and Gazzari's. The band then recorded an album at Old Smithy Studios which went unreleased at the time. The band sadly split up when Rue Phillips joined BLACK SABBATH's BILL WARD, playing on his 1989 "Ward One : Along The Way" album. Later Rue formed a new band called THE NOW, with Kofi Baker on drums and Malcolm Bruce on guitar, who had both also taken part in the "Ward One" sessions. The earlier unreleased TEMPEST album was then issued in Japan under the name of THE NOW, but the band were to split soon after.
SMOKIN' ROADIE - 1984 Demo (1984)
http://rapidshare.com/files/150653186/SMOKIN__ROADIE_-_1984_Demo__UK-1984_.rarManchester Glam influenced NWOBHM band SACRED ALIEN was formed in 1980 by Sean Canning and Martin Ainscow. Having released a couple of independent singles, 1981's 'Spiritual Planet' and 1982's 'Eternal Flame', SACRED ALIEN's third effort, 'Legends', was a 1983 split single released on Steve Heighway's Heighway Robbery Records with fellow Glam outfit VIRGIN - who contributed the track 'Sitting In The Front Row'. "Legends" is included here as a bonus track for you completests. Drummer Darren Wilcock and bassist Paul Davies quit in mid 1983 to pursue more Metal minded music, with Wilcock later joining KLAN. After recruiting bassist John Murney and drummer Mark Robbo SACRED ALIEN finally split in late 1983 and Canning formed WHITE TRASH. Please note : there appears to be a degree of confusion as to whether the "Eternal Flame" single was ever actually released, with some reports suggesting it to be the work of a different band with the same name.
SACRED ALIEN - Spiritual Planet EP (1981) UK
http://rapidshare.com/files/150655903/SACRED_ALIEN_-_Spiritual_Planet_EP__UK-1981_.rarThanks to Dom for this next one & to credit to DaN for this review which i've pilfered from www.thecorroseum.com, who had this to say about Swedish band WULCAN's 1982 7" "Mysterier". "Another new discovery and possibly the best 'unknown super-rarity' I've come across so far. "Mysterier" ("Mysteries") is a deadringer for BLACK SABBATH's "Heaven and Hell" and therefore it is also a superb, ultra-heavy epic whose lack of originality feels totally irrelevant. The fact that B-side "Travellin'" sounds like warmed over STATUS QUO matters little when you can play the A-side over and over again while oogling the ultra-cult cover art without ever getting tired of that pounding lead riff. Let's pretend that 2nd aor 7" from '86 never happened."
WULCAN - Mysterier 7'' (1982) Sweden
http://rapidshare.com/files/150659588/WULCAN_-_Mysterier_7____Sweden-1982_.rarWe're off down under now, for Stingray, who were a traditional Heavy Metal/Hard Rock quartet formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1981. Although more commercially inclined, the band were good friends and tour mates of their highly regarded but equally underrated countrymen TAIPAN. Their only release was the "Good Time Loving" 45, released by Nidus Records in 1983.
Not to be confused with the Belgian, South African or Japanese bands of the same name.
STINGRAY - Good Time Loving 7" (1983) AUSTRALIA
http://rapidshare.com/files/150657862/STINGRAY_-_Good_Time_Lovin__7____AUS-1983_.rarFinally tonight, Vault were a Dutch Heavy Metal band formed in Emmen, Drenthe in 1979. They debuted in 1983 with the "Hell Of A Block" 7" on NON Records. Two demo tapes followed the single, the 4 song "No More Escape" and the 7 track "Sword Of Steel". At the years end they released their final record, the full length "No More Escape" album. Sadly, that was it for the band, they were to split soon after the album's release.
VAULT - Hell Of A Block 7" (1983) Holland
http://rapidshare.com/files/150661642/VAULT_-_Hell_Of_A_Block_7____HOL-1983_.rarThat's yer lot for tonight, hope you enjoy tonight's selection. 10-4!
posted by bigfootkit at 4:33 PM
14 Comments:
I didn't want to post this one on the main page, but i thought some of you might be interested in hearing the NEW KISS ALBUM. New in that it's new recordings by the Simmons/Stanley/Thayer/Singer line up, but it is in fact an album of re-recordings of 15 of the bands best known back catalogue tracks. Only available in Japan, the original idea behind the re-recordings wasn't to put the CD out for sale, but to allow the band to license their music to TV and movies without record company involvement. money being the motivator which it is nowadays in the Kiss camp however, it was decided to release the album in Japan. See what you think:
KISS - Jigoku-Retsuden (New Re-Recordings) (2008) Jap Only
http://rapidshare.com/files/151244300/KISS_-_Jigoku-Retsuden__USA-2008_.rar
Oops, i forgot to include the tracklist:
01. Deuce
02. Detroit Rock City
03. Shout It Out Loud
04. Hotter Than Hell
05. Calling Dr. Love
06. Love Gun
07. I Was Made For Lovin’ You
08. Heaven’s On Fire
09. Lick It Up
10. I Love It Loud
11. Forever
12. Christine Sixteen
13. Do You Love Me?
14. Black Diamond (Lead Vocals : Eric Singer)
15. Rock And Roll All Nite
Thank you very much for these additions.
Cool to see that Vault 7" included. I remember seeing that on some of the first mail order lists I ever got, but I've never heard it.
Thanxx!
Many thanks for the Weapon album.
A forgotten group, who was good in the early 80's.
Nils
This blog always has great lead-in information/reviews, but nothing could be more perfect than the Wulcan info. Ha! A rip-off A-side that sounds retro-cool, and a dropoff in quality on the b-side that makes me absolutely terrified of hearing the 2nd single. Please don't post it-- I would probably listen to it. Vault sounds like one of the obscure nwobhm down-tuned bass heavy outfits. Thanks so much....
Wow...the Weapon release kicks some serious nwobhm ass. Thanks so much for posting this (and for introducing me to this forgotten band with your post). Also love the crisp sound from the CD-Rip. Hopefully you have some other digital nwobhm "forgotten gems" you'd be willing to share in future posts. \m/
I like the Ded Engine. Their sound, and the release date (1988) make them sound like part of the leftover wave of American bands that were trying to sound like the new wave of british heavy metal. Or as I prefer to type it, the LWOABTWTTSLTNWOBHM. Thanks again. Now I need to check out the real nwobhm stuff from this post.
Gotta agree with Ron on the Wulcan single, Cool Dio ere Sabbath rip off for the A side, dreadful pub rock b-side! Thanks for your excellent blog sir, every time i discover some great gems from the past.
Interesting NWOBHM section. Sacred Alien is nice, one of those endless releases that would have sounded awesome with better production. Kudos for including that bonus split track. Most of Smokin' Roadie doesnt sound anything like nwobhm. A couple tracks sound very much like it. Quite schizophrenic, eh? As for Weapon-- ooohhh baby they hit the bullseye for the sound of that era. Directly due to this download, I will spend the next week listening to similar nwobhm examples. Thanks so much.
ONE MORE THING
does anyone have any more info on the unreleased Weapon tracks? Year, session, etc...thanks
Hey! I'm Lama from Maldegem, Belgium. I've just discovered your blog, and I must say it's incredible!!! So much great stuff I've wanted to hear for years, and even more stuff I've never heard of. Man, I cannot wait to check it all out!! Aaahh there are not enough hours in a day... Was there already a post which contained the "1980 Demo" by Silver Mountain, or Virtue's "We Stand To Fight"-7"? Keep on going guys, and thanxxx!!!! Lama
Heya dude - just ran a quick google search on my band name (Calling For Huey) and your blog came up. I like that its a music blog, but do you reckon you could feature us sometime? Looking at what's going on there, we're not really the right type of music as a punk rock band - though I am a big metal fan. Drop us a line
cheers,
hi, just dropping in to say your blog is my alltime fave on the net! I am amazed that you posted the Sashay 7" and wanted to add some info -- it features a future member of Seattle 80's punk-h/c-rock greats The Dehumanizers. Ever Rat Records was one of the many d.i.y. sub-labels of Subway Productions/Subcore Records run by David Portnow.
Request: anyone out there got the Traitor "Shot Down" 12" EP?
cheers + deepest respect, jsn
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