Jaguar: Just a great unbelievably amazing ride

Finally that has happened! An interview with the band that recorded the song "Axe Crazy" is posted in the blog called Axe Crazy! Yes, right, Jaguar. They helped to shape speed and thrash metal along with Raven and Venom. Their "Power Games" was a brilliant debut and the future seemed so bright. What could go wrong? I'm sure you know the story. The second LP "This Time" was mellower and AOR-ish than its predicessor. The press slammed it. The fans wondered where the aggression and sheer power disappeared. That was a disaster. The history of Jaguar is quite well documented, but usually it's Garry Pepperd, the guitarist, who does interviews (read a good one about the early days of Jaguar here). I decided to get in touch with the bass player Jeff Cox, who also was there from the day one, helped to bring the band back on track in 1998 and then stepped out. 

Satan: On Earth as it is in Hell

A few months ago I posted an interview with Russ Tippins and Andy Reed about the early days of Satan. Earlier this year the band released another masterpiece called “Earth Infernal”, so it’s time to talk to Mr. Tippins again. We discussed the new album only, and although that was really tough to avoid questions about other matters, I did my best and kept it straight!

Satan laughing spreads his wings: The early days of Satan

The story of this band is well documented in countless interviews (read one here for example). But I decided to bother Russ Tippins and the original drummer Andy Reed again and talk about the childhood years of Satan. What was an occasion? Well, basically my ongoing curiosity and a habit to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong, hehe. Actually the interview was done in 2020 when Listenable Records released “Early Rituals”, a compilation of Satan’s demos and singles, and I wanted to support it by publishing the interview in my (now defunct) printed magazine. So this is the first time the interview is posted online and in English.    

Bob Starling (Stormhunters, ex-Stormtrooper): Riding the storm

For many years Stormtrooper were known as a band who released sole single back in 1980 and detached Paul Merrell to Jaguar and Colin Bond to Stampede. But thank to Bristol Archive Records and High Roller Records who brought Stormtrooper's "lost album" to all NWOBHM followers, we discovered the mastery and the awesomness of this band. The Troopers managed to release another album before calling it a day once again. But guitarist Bob Starling refused to give up and is ready to release a new album with his new group Stormhunters (read the review here). I got in touchwith Mr. Starling for an in-depth interview about his music career with Stromtrooper and Hunted and the new beginning with Stormhunters.  

John Phillips (Lautrec, Megaton, Weapon, etc.): Fanfare for the humble man

There are musicians who happened to play a gig or two with some well-known bands and they live off of this legend for the rest of theit lives, telling the same story again and again and adding "ex-memeber of ..." to the posters of their shows at bars. And there is drummer John Phillips who have played with at least three very respectful NWOBHM bands and with Kenny Driscoll's Lone Star, auditioned for Ozzy Osbourne and Waysted. Never heard of this man? I'm not surprised as he is a very humble guy, and I even had to convince him that his memories are important for the history of NWOBHM. I also want to apologise: the interview was done in 2018 right before the blog went on hiatus and I kinda forgot about it for a few years. I'm really sorry for this, mr. Phillips! Here it is at last.   

Quartz: Against all odds... again!

 

A while ago I already posted an in-depth interview with Quartz done by my friend Alexander Zhoglichev, and here we go again talking to the guitarist Mick Hopkins about the band’s fifth full-length album “On the Edge of no Tomorrow” which came out May, 20^th, 2022. The album is a true gem as always (it seems the band discovered Midas’ secret how to turn everything they touch to gold) and it’s a real tribute to the late Geoff Nicholls as there are several tracks based on his ideas and included his playing/singing. Mr. Hopkins explains how it all became possible and how they overcame technical difficulties, Covid restrictions and David Garner’s departure in the middle of the process.

Original Sin: Guilty as charged

"The golden age (of metal, literature, humanity, art, whatever) has gone forever and will never be repeated" — this idea is as old as hills. Apparently, there won't be anything like NWOBHM with its sheer rawness, over the top enthusiasm of both bands and fans, excitement, electrified atmosphere (geez, I'm ready to burst into tears!). But modern days have their own advantages. There are way more opportunities to discover the bands that were overlooked back then, there are much more labels who are into re-releasing all sorts of NWOBHM stuff from classic albums to rough demos. What did I know about Liverpool's Original Sin 10 years ago? Only what was written in Malc MacMillan's book (i. e. very little). And now we can talk to the guitarist Kevin McGinn while waiting for the release of Original Sin's demo anthology on Obscure NWOBHM Releases label. Ready for another journey down the memory lane? Here you go!