Atomic Mass (band)
Encyclopedia
Atomic Mass were an English
hard rock
/heavy metal
band from Sheffield
, who formed in 1977 as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal
movement. The group's core members along with newly-recruited singer Joe Elliott
would go on to become Def Leppard, who would eventually become one of the UK's top-selling hard rock bands.
, Nick Mackley, Pete Doubleday and Tony Kenning, all students in the same year at Tapton School
in Sheffield
, formed Atomic Mass in 1977. Pete Willis
, a year ahead of the members of the band at Tapton and who played guitar
, heard of the band and asked to audition. He brought along a friend of his, Paul Hampshire, who played the bass guitar
. They performed a few songs with Rick and Tony and earned their places in the band, Pete replacing Doubleday, who had been on holiday in France
at the time. Paul Holland briefly replaced Mackley, who had departed shortly after Doubleday was replaced. Paul Hampshire was also soon replaced on bass by Andy Nicholas. During this time, Atomic Mass played their only public show in Tapton's gymnasium. Their setlist included songs such as Led Zeppelin
's Whole Lotta Love
and The Who
's Boris The Spider
. Holland and Nicholas were soon gone and the band found itself without a singer or bass player. Following a chance meeting with Willis after missing a bus, 18-year old Joe Elliott
, who had been in attendance at Atomic Mass's show at Tapton, auditioned for the band as a guitarist. During his audition, however, it was decided that he was better suited to be lead vocalist. Rick Savage also switched to bass as it was deemed that Pete Willis was a more solid guitarist.
, resembling the spelling of Led Zeppelin
, though the band insists that was coincidental. The band went on to achieve international fame and success, selling in excess of sixty million albums worldwide.
(1977)
(1977)
Nick Mackley – lead vocals
Pete Willis
– guitars, backing vocals
Rick Savage – guitars, backing vocals
Paul Hampshire – bass, backing vocals
Tony Kenning – drums, percussion
(1977)
Paul Holland – lead vocals
Pete Willis – guitars, backing vocals
Rick Savage – guitars, backing vocals
Paul Hampshire - bass, backing vocals
Tony Kenning – drums, percussion
(1977)
Paul Holland – lead vocals
Pete Willis – guitars, backing vocals
Rick Savage – guitars, backing vocals
Andy Nicholas - bass, backing vocals
Tony Kenning – drums, percussion
(1977-September 1977)
Pete Willis – guitars, backing vocals
Rick Savage – guitars, bass, backing vocals
Tony Kenning – drums, percussion
(September 1977-November 1977)
Joe Elliott
– lead vocals
Pete Willis – guitars, backing vocals
Rick Savage – bass, backing vocals
Tony Kenning – drums, percussion
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
/heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, who formed in 1977 as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal
New Wave of British Heavy Metal
The New Wave of British Heavy Metal was a heavy metal movement that started in the late 1970s, in Britain, and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. The movement developed as a reaction in part to the decline of early heavy metal bands such as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Black...
movement. The group's core members along with newly-recruited singer Joe Elliott
Joe Elliott
Joseph Thomas "Joe" Elliott Jr is an English singer-songwriter, and musician, best known as the lead vocalist and occasional rhythm guitarist of the British rock band Def Leppard. He has also been the lead singer of David Bowie cover band, the Cybernauts and the Mott the Hoople cover band, Down...
would go on to become Def Leppard, who would eventually become one of the UK's top-selling hard rock bands.
Formation
Rick SavageRick Savage
Richard "Rick" Savage is the bassist and one of the founding members of the English rock band, Def Leppard. He is called "Sav" to avoid confusion between him and the other Rick in the band, drummer Rick Allen. He and lead vocalist, Joe Elliot, are the only remaining original members of the band...
, Nick Mackley, Pete Doubleday and Tony Kenning, all students in the same year at Tapton School
Tapton School
Tapton Secondary School, is a Comprehensive school located in Crosspool, in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It is a state school, sited next to another secondary, King Edward VII School, and near to Lydgate Junior School, Lydgate Infant School and Notre Dame High School. Tapton School has...
in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, formed Atomic Mass in 1977. Pete Willis
Pete Willis
Pete Willis was one of the original guitarists for the British rock band Def Leppard, until he was replaced by Phil Collen in 1982...
, a year ahead of the members of the band at Tapton and who played guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, heard of the band and asked to audition. He brought along a friend of his, Paul Hampshire, who played the bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. They performed a few songs with Rick and Tony and earned their places in the band, Pete replacing Doubleday, who had been on holiday in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
at the time. Paul Holland briefly replaced Mackley, who had departed shortly after Doubleday was replaced. Paul Hampshire was also soon replaced on bass by Andy Nicholas. During this time, Atomic Mass played their only public show in Tapton's gymnasium. Their setlist included songs such as Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
's Whole Lotta Love
Whole Lotta Love
"Whole Lotta Love" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin. It is featured as the opening track on the band's second album, Led Zeppelin II, and was released in the United States and Japan as a single. The US release became their first hit single, it was certified Gold on 13 April 1970, when it...
and The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
's Boris The Spider
Boris the Spider
"Boris the Spider" is a song written by The Who's bassist, John Entwistle. It appears as the second track of their 1966 album, A Quick One. This song is claimed to be John's first composition. The song was a live staple...
. Holland and Nicholas were soon gone and the band found itself without a singer or bass player. Following a chance meeting with Willis after missing a bus, 18-year old Joe Elliott
Joe Elliott
Joseph Thomas "Joe" Elliott Jr is an English singer-songwriter, and musician, best known as the lead vocalist and occasional rhythm guitarist of the British rock band Def Leppard. He has also been the lead singer of David Bowie cover band, the Cybernauts and the Mott the Hoople cover band, Down...
, who had been in attendance at Atomic Mass's show at Tapton, auditioned for the band as a guitarist. During his audition, however, it was decided that he was better suited to be lead vocalist. Rick Savage also switched to bass as it was deemed that Pete Willis was a more solid guitarist.
Def Leppard
In November 1977, Atomic Mass became Deaf Leopard, a name Joe had come up with while designing posters for a fictitious band for an art class. According to Joe, Tony Kenning suggested changing the spelling to Def LeppardDef Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
, resembling the spelling of Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, though the band insists that was coincidental. The band went on to achieve international fame and success, selling in excess of sixty million albums worldwide.
Former members
- Nicholas Mackley – lead vocals (1977)
- Paul Holland – lead vocals (1977)
- Joe ElliottJoe ElliottJoseph Thomas "Joe" Elliott Jr is an English singer-songwriter, and musician, best known as the lead vocalist and occasional rhythm guitarist of the British rock band Def Leppard. He has also been the lead singer of David Bowie cover band, the Cybernauts and the Mott the Hoople cover band, Down...
– lead vocals, guitars, backing vocals (September–November 1977) - Peter Doubleday - guitars, backing vocals (1977)
- Pete WillisPete WillisPete Willis was one of the original guitarists for the British rock band Def Leppard, until he was replaced by Phil Collen in 1982...
– guitars, backing vocals (1977–November 1977) - Rick SavageRick SavageRichard "Rick" Savage is the bassist and one of the founding members of the English rock band, Def Leppard. He is called "Sav" to avoid confusion between him and the other Rick in the band, drummer Rick Allen. He and lead vocalist, Joe Elliot, are the only remaining original members of the band...
– guitars, bass, backing vocals (1977–November 1977) - Paul Hampshire – bass, backing vocals (1977)
- Andy Nicholas – bass, backing vocals (1977)
- Tony Kenning – drums, percussion (1977–November 1977)
Lineups
>- Nick Mackley – lead vocals
- Peter Doubleday - guitars, backing vocals
- Rick SavageRick SavageRichard "Rick" Savage is the bassist and one of the founding members of the English rock band, Def Leppard. He is called "Sav" to avoid confusion between him and the other Rick in the band, drummer Rick Allen. He and lead vocalist, Joe Elliot, are the only remaining original members of the band...
– guitars, backing vocals - Tony Kenning – drums, percussion
Pete Willis
Pete Willis was one of the original guitarists for the British rock band Def Leppard, until he was replaced by Phil Collen in 1982...
– guitars, backing vocals
Joe Elliott
Joseph Thomas "Joe" Elliott Jr is an English singer-songwriter, and musician, best known as the lead vocalist and occasional rhythm guitarist of the British rock band Def Leppard. He has also been the lead singer of David Bowie cover band, the Cybernauts and the Mott the Hoople cover band, Down...
– lead vocals