Cloven Hoof (band)
Encyclopedia
Cloven Hoof are a heavy metal
band from Wolverhampton
that was active from 1979
to 1990
, and again from around 2000
onwards. The band were associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal
movement, alongside bands such as Iron Maiden
and Diamond Head
. Enduring many lineup changes through their career, only founding bassist Lee Payne
has remained throughout the band's career.
- David "Water" Potter, Steve "Fire" Rounds, Lee "Air" Payne
and Kevin "Earth" Poutney. This line-up recorded the band's successful demo tape from 1982, along with The Opening Ritual
EP
, and Cloven Hoof
.
Following the release of their self-titled debut, David Potter left the band to be replaced by Rob Kendrick
, who took up the "Water" pseudonym. This line-up only managed to record the live album Fighting Back, before splitting up completely soon after the release of the album; Lee Payne was the only member left.
and guitarist Andy Wood from Tredegar
along with drummer Jon Brown.
With a whole new set of musicians in place, the band dropped the stage names and went on to record two more albums - 1988's Dominator
and 1989's A Sultan's Ransom
. Former member of Tredegar
Lee Jones was brought to the band for the role of second guitarist soon after the release of these two albums, but contractual difficulties caused the band to split up in 1990.
After a few years' work and failure to entice back any previous Hoof members, Eye of the Sun
was recorded and released in 2006 with the help of studio musicians Matt Moreton on vocals, Andy Shortland on guitars, and Lynch Radinsky on drums. According to Payne, it was the first Cloven Hoof album to have been produced without any obstacles that plagued them in the 1980s, but even though he was proud of the album's successful production, he still wanted Russ North to provide his own vocals for it instead of Moreton's.
Following the successful comeback release, the three hired musicians by Payne left once Russ North returned to the band. A brief period of line-up fluctuation could be seen on the band's website over the following few months, with former member Jon Brown briefly listed as being back on board.
Eventually the line-up seemed to settle with Mick Powell, a guitarist almost hired by Cloven Hoof in the early '80s. In another unannounced change, Jon Brown rejoined, shortly before which lead guitarist Ben Read was added to provide twin guitars to the line-up.
was released in early 2008, with a new album to be called Throne of Damnation scheduled for release in 2010. Mick Powell played rhythm guitar and keyboards on The Definitive Part One whilst lead guitar duties were dealt with by Ben Read, however Powell had left the band by the time it was released. Cloven Hoof continued for a few months as a four-piece again before Powell briefly rejoined in April 2008 and was eventually replaced by Christian Horton.
In October 2009, both Horton and vocalist Russ North left Cloven Hoof, and Mick Powell joined the band for the third time to replace Horton.
In early 2010, following the exit of Russ North, Matt Moreton was hired to record the vocals that appeared on the Throne of Damnation
EP
although never committed to rejoining the band. In early 2010 they toured Valencia and touring vocalist Carl Grocutt was added to the lineup until Russ North rejoined the band sometime in 2010. and the rest of the band members (guitarists Mick Powell and Ben Read, and longtime drummer Jon Brown) left bassist Lee Payne during their 2010 tour after musical differences. Carl Grocutt and Ben Read now play for local hard rock band Undue.
On December 13, 2010, Cloven Hoof released their first DVD, A Sultan's Ransom - Video Archive, taken from the original 1989 concert at Lichfield Art Centre and also features two music videos for the songs "Mad, Mad World" and "Highlander," both from the studio album of the same name
.
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 Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
that was active from 1979
1979 in music
See also:Record labels established in 1979* 1979 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1979.-January–February:*January 1...
to 1990
1990 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.-Events:*January 21 – MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with British band Squeeze...
, and again from around 2000
2000 in music
See also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
onwards. The band were associated with 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, alongside bands such as Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
and Diamond Head
Diamond Head (band)
Diamond Head are an English heavy metal band formed in 1976 in Stourbridge, England. The band is recognised as one of the leading members of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and is acknowledged by later bands like Metallica and Megadeth as an important early influence.-Early history:Formed by...
. Enduring many lineup changes through their career, only founding bassist Lee Payne
Lee Payne (bassist)
Lee Payne is the founding bassist and main songwriter of the British heavy metal/power metal band Cloven Hoof. Payne is a self-taught musician and is the only member of Cloven Hoof to feature in every line-up of the band to date.He started playing guitar at age of 17, but eventually switched to bass...
has remained throughout the band's career.
1979-1987
Cloven Hoof went through a few early line-up changes, including a brief spell with vocalist Steve Sammon, before settling on a steady line-up that would last their first few recordings. Theatrical from the beginning, the four band members took up pseudonyms after the four elementsFour elements
Four elements may refer to:* Classical elements, such as air, fire, earth and water* 4 Elements, an album by Chronic Future* Group 4 element, one of the chemical elements in Group 4 of the periodic table...
- David "Water" Potter, Steve "Fire" Rounds, Lee "Air" Payne
Lee Payne (bassist)
Lee Payne is the founding bassist and main songwriter of the British heavy metal/power metal band Cloven Hoof. Payne is a self-taught musician and is the only member of Cloven Hoof to feature in every line-up of the band to date.He started playing guitar at age of 17, but eventually switched to bass...
and Kevin "Earth" Poutney. This line-up recorded the band's successful demo tape from 1982, along with The Opening Ritual
The Opening Ritual
The Opening Ritual is an EP by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof, their debut release. The track in this EP, "The Gates Of Gehenna" was re-recorded by the same band for their self-titled first full-length studio album...
EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, and Cloven Hoof
Cloven Hoof (album)
Cloven Hoof, released in 1984, is the first full-length studio album by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. The track "Gates Of Gehenna" from the band's debut E.P., The Opening Ritual, was re-recorded in this album...
.
Following the release of their self-titled debut, David Potter left the band to be replaced by Rob Kendrick
Rob Kendrick
Rob Kendrick is best known as guitarist for the English band, Trapeze. Trapeze had major musical success in the 1970s and early 1980s with their hit single, "Black Cloud".The original band, Trapeze, broke up in the 80's...
, who took up the "Water" pseudonym. This line-up only managed to record the live album Fighting Back, before splitting up completely soon after the release of the album; Lee Payne was the only member left.
1988-1990
Lee Payne started the band again in 1988, hiring vocalist Russ NorthRuss North
Russ North, born 22 July 1965 in England, is a singer, best known for his role in the heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. North had two stints with Cloven Hoof, from 1987 to 1990, and again from 2006 to 2009...
and guitarist Andy Wood from Tredegar
Tredegar (band)
Tredegar were a British heavy metal band formed in 1982.It was named after the town in Wales.-History:Tredegar were formed by former Budgie members Tony Bourge and Ray Phillips. Their debut album was recorded in 1986 with the help of Persian Risk's Carl Sentance as a guest vocalist as the band did...
along with drummer Jon Brown.
With a whole new set of musicians in place, the band dropped the stage names and went on to record two more albums - 1988's Dominator
Dominator (Cloven Hoof album)
Dominator, released in 1988, is the third full-length studio album by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. This science fiction concept album debuts singer Russ North and guitarist Andy Wood in the band, as well as drummer Jon Brown...
and 1989's A Sultan's Ransom
A Sultan's Ransom
A Sultan's Ransom, released in 1989, is the third full-length studio album released by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. It is also the last Cloven Hoof album to feature Andy Wood on guitar, due to contractual difficulties that forced the whole band itself to split up from 1990 to 2001...
. Former member of Tredegar
Tredegar (band)
Tredegar were a British heavy metal band formed in 1982.It was named after the town in Wales.-History:Tredegar were formed by former Budgie members Tony Bourge and Ray Phillips. Their debut album was recorded in 1986 with the help of Persian Risk's Carl Sentance as a guest vocalist as the band did...
Lee Jones was brought to the band for the role of second guitarist soon after the release of these two albums, but contractual difficulties caused the band to split up in 1990.
2001-2007
In the summer of 2001, Lee Payne began putting a new line-up together for the next reincarnation of Cloven Hoof when Andy Wood had phoned him about the contractual difficulties that had ultimately caused the band to split up for a whole decade.After a few years' work and failure to entice back any previous Hoof members, Eye of the Sun
Eye of the Sun
Eye of the Sun, released in 2006, is the comeback album of the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof, the first since their split in 1990. Of the four band members, only Lee Payne had actually been a member of Cloven Hoof in their first incarnation....
was recorded and released in 2006 with the help of studio musicians Matt Moreton on vocals, Andy Shortland on guitars, and Lynch Radinsky on drums. According to Payne, it was the first Cloven Hoof album to have been produced without any obstacles that plagued them in the 1980s, but even though he was proud of the album's successful production, he still wanted Russ North to provide his own vocals for it instead of Moreton's.
Following the successful comeback release, the three hired musicians by Payne left once Russ North returned to the band. A brief period of line-up fluctuation could be seen on the band's website over the following few months, with former member Jon Brown briefly listed as being back on board.
Eventually the line-up seemed to settle with Mick Powell, a guitarist almost hired by Cloven Hoof in the early '80s. In another unannounced change, Jon Brown rejoined, shortly before which lead guitarist Ben Read was added to provide twin guitars to the line-up.
2008 onwards
A collection of re-recorded songs The Definitive Part OneThe Definitive Part One
The Definitive Part One, released in 2008, is a compilation album by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. Apart from one new song, "Mutilator", all of the tracks are re-recorded versions of existing Cloven Hoof songs from the past....
was released in early 2008, with a new album to be called Throne of Damnation scheduled for release in 2010. Mick Powell played rhythm guitar and keyboards on The Definitive Part One whilst lead guitar duties were dealt with by Ben Read, however Powell had left the band by the time it was released. Cloven Hoof continued for a few months as a four-piece again before Powell briefly rejoined in April 2008 and was eventually replaced by Christian Horton.
In October 2009, both Horton and vocalist Russ North left Cloven Hoof, and Mick Powell joined the band for the third time to replace Horton.
In early 2010, following the exit of Russ North, Matt Moreton was hired to record the vocals that appeared on the Throne of Damnation
Throne of Damnation
Throne of Damnation is an EP by British power metal/heavy metal band Cloven Hoof, released in 2010. It features three new songs and two are re-recordings of existing Cloven Hoof songs...
EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
although never committed to rejoining the band. In early 2010 they toured Valencia and touring vocalist Carl Grocutt was added to the lineup until Russ North rejoined the band sometime in 2010. and the rest of the band members (guitarists Mick Powell and Ben Read, and longtime drummer Jon Brown) left bassist Lee Payne during their 2010 tour after musical differences. Carl Grocutt and Ben Read now play for local hard rock band Undue.
On December 13, 2010, Cloven Hoof released their first DVD, A Sultan's Ransom - Video Archive, taken from the original 1989 concert at Lichfield Art Centre and also features two music videos for the songs "Mad, Mad World" and "Highlander," both from the studio album of the same name
A Sultan's Ransom
A Sultan's Ransom, released in 1989, is the third full-length studio album released by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. It is also the last Cloven Hoof album to feature Andy Wood on guitar, due to contractual difficulties that forced the whole band itself to split up from 1990 to 2001...
.
Studio albums
- Cloven HoofCloven Hoof (album)Cloven Hoof, released in 1984, is the first full-length studio album by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. The track "Gates Of Gehenna" from the band's debut E.P., The Opening Ritual, was re-recorded in this album...
(19841984 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1984.-Janury-March:*January 21 – "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart, despite being banned by the BBC; it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40.*January 27 – Michael Jackson's...
) - DominatorDominator (Cloven Hoof album)Dominator, released in 1988, is the third full-length studio album by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. This science fiction concept album debuts singer Russ North and guitarist Andy Wood in the band, as well as drummer Jon Brown...
(19881988 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....
) - A Sultan's RansomA Sultan's RansomA Sultan's Ransom, released in 1989, is the third full-length studio album released by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. It is also the last Cloven Hoof album to feature Andy Wood on guitar, due to contractual difficulties that forced the whole band itself to split up from 1990 to 2001...
(19891989 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1989.-Events:*January 14 – Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in the USSR...
) - Eye of the SunEye of the SunEye of the Sun, released in 2006, is the comeback album of the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof, the first since their split in 1990. Of the four band members, only Lee Payne had actually been a member of Cloven Hoof in their first incarnation....
(20062006 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band....
) - Dominator re-releaseDominator (Cloven Hoof album)Dominator, released in 1988, is the third full-length studio album by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. This science fiction concept album debuts singer Russ North and guitarist Andy Wood in the band, as well as drummer Jon Brown...
(20111988 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....
)
Compilation albums
- The Definitive Part OneThe Definitive Part OneThe Definitive Part One, released in 2008, is a compilation album by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. Apart from one new song, "Mutilator", all of the tracks are re-recorded versions of existing Cloven Hoof songs from the past....
(Compilation albumCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
) (20082008 in music2008 was a huge year in music history with the emergence of pop superstars Lady Gaga and Katy Perry into the mainstream. Also, this is the year that is widely agreed upon by critics as the start of the fall of hip hop from the mainstream and the rise of Synthpop into the mainstream due to acts such...
)
Live albums
- Fighting Back (Live albumLive albumA live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
) (19861986 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1986.-January-June:*January 23 – The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame takes place...
)
Demos/EPs
- 1982 Demo (19821982 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music from 1982. 1982 was a big year in music with Madonna making her debut as well as the year that Michael Jackson released Thriller which became the world's best selling album and it still holds that title today....
) - Second 1982 Demo (19821982 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music from 1982. 1982 was a big year in music with Madonna making her debut as well as the year that Michael Jackson released Thriller which became the world's best selling album and it still holds that title today....
) - The Opening RitualThe Opening RitualThe Opening Ritual is an EP by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof, their debut release. The track in this EP, "The Gates Of Gehenna" was re-recorded by the same band for their self-titled first full-length studio album...
(EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
) (19821982 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music from 1982. 1982 was a big year in music with Madonna making her debut as well as the year that Michael Jackson released Thriller which became the world's best selling album and it still holds that title today....
) - Throne of DamnationThrone of DamnationThrone of Damnation is an EP by British power metal/heavy metal band Cloven Hoof, released in 2010. It features three new songs and two are re-recordings of existing Cloven Hoof songs...
(EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
) (20102010 in music2010 in music may refer to:*2010 in American music*2010 in Australian music*2010 in British music*2010 in Canadian music*2010 in European music *2010 in Irish music*2010 in Japanese music*2010 in New Zealand music...
)
Line-up
- Lee PayneLee Payne (bassist)Lee Payne is the founding bassist and main songwriter of the British heavy metal/power metal band Cloven Hoof. Payne is a self-taught musician and is the only member of Cloven Hoof to feature in every line-up of the band to date.He started playing guitar at age of 17, but eventually switched to bass...
- Bass (1979–1990, 2000-) - Joe Whelan (Guitarist) (2011 -)
- Mark Gould (Drummer) (2011 -)
- Chris Coss (Guitarist) (2011 -)
- Ash Cooper (Vocals) (2011 -)
- Peter Baker (Keyboards) (2011 -)
Vocals
- Steve Sammon (1979–1981)
- David Potter (1982–1986)
- Karl Johnson
- Derek John Hodd (1985)
- Rob KendrickRob KendrickRob Kendrick is best known as guitarist for the English band, Trapeze. Trapeze had major musical success in the 1970s and early 1980s with their hit single, "Black Cloud".The original band, Trapeze, broke up in the 80's...
(1986) - Matt Moreton (2006, 2009)
- Carl Grocutt (2010)
- Russ North (2006 - 2009)
Guitar
- Steve Rounds (1982–1986)
- Mick Grafton (1984–1985)
- Andy Wood (1988–1990, 2004)
- Lee Jones (1989–1990)
- Andy Shortland (2005–2006)
- Christian Horton (2008–2009)
- Ben Read (2007–2010)
- Mick Powell (2007, 2008, 2009–2010)
Drums
- Kevin Pountney (1982–1986)
- Richard Wilson
- Lynch Radinsky (2005–2006)
- Simon Heywood (2007)
- Jon Brown (1987–1990, 2007–2010)