HellsBelles
Encyclopedia
Hell's Belles was a heavy metal
band from England active from 1984 to 1987. They are considered part of the latter stages of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal
(NWOBHM).
's BBC Radio 1
Friday Rock Show
and rave coverage for both their live performances and recordings in metal magazines Kerrang!
and Metal Forces
.
They were unusual for their time for playing a distinct mix of punk rock
and more traditional heavy metal, a genre subsequently emulated by many bands such as Metallica
and others. The punk element came from the guitarist Pooch (born Peter Purtill) and from the bassist Gareth Holder. Pooch was previously a guitarist for Discharge
following the departure of Bones to join his brother in Broken Bones. Gareth Holder was a former member of Leamington Spa-based punk band The Shapes
and later in Jim Lyttle
's punk metal crossover band Rogue Male
.
The heavy metal and classic rock influence was provided by vocalist/lyricist Paul Quigley, formerly of heavy rock bands SwingFire with former The Hoax drummer Dave Raeburn and bassist Mick Paul; then London-based A.M. and later RAAM with former Metal Mirror guitarist Chris Haggerty (1960–2004). He subsequently founded London scene glam rock band BellaDonna
in 1987 who went on to perform with ex-drummer of Tokyo Blade, Andy 'A.D. Dynamite' Parsons (who later went on to play with Paul Di'Anno in Battlezone.
Drummer Spiv (born Anthony Smith), was previously a member of Brute Force, and replaced D-beat
pioneer Discharge drummer Garry Maloney in April 1984 shortly after the band's inception. Maloney subsequently rejoined Cal (born Kelvin Morris) in Discharge
for their 'Grave New World' and 'Massacre Divine' albums.
Paul Quigley also acted in the lead role in two promo videos for Bronze Records
' heavy metal band Girlschool
in their singles "20th Century Boy
", a cover version of the Marc Bolan
hit of the 1970s, and "Play Dirty
", which both featured on Girlschool's 1983 album of the same name, produced by Slade
's Noddy Holder
and Jimmy Lea. Paul Quigley's acting also appeared on MTV
favourite cartoon comedy show Beavis and Butthead which featured the "Play Dirty" Girlschool
video.
Hell's Belles released one full length album Hell's Belles (RAWLP015) in 1986, and one single "Barricades" on both 7" and 12" format in the same year (RAWSS001/RAWTS001), during their span on Castle Communications
' Raw Power label. They also featured with two tracks on Castle's Metal Killers Kollection Volume 1 & 2, as well as other rock compilations 'Rock Legends' and 'Rock Classics' on other record labels.
Hell's Belles' guest keyboard player, classically-trained Lyndsay Bridgwater had formerly been the touring keyboard player for former Black Sabbath
lead vocalist Ozzy Osbourne
the previous year on both the Diary of a Madman
tour with Randy Rhoads
, Bob Daisley
and Lee Kerslake
, and then on Ozzy's Speak of the Devil tour with Brad Gillis
replacing Randy Rhoads on guitar after his untimely passing in a plane accident on the U.S. tour, and with Rudy Sarzo
on bass. Bridgwater played the keyboard solo on the Hell's Belles single Barricades and the synth parts on album track Strangelove and Looks Like Love, which Metallica's James Hetfield 'borrowed' Quigley's lyrics from that song using them in a similar slow-paced section where both sing 'sleep with one eye open' in Metallica's multi-platinum-selling track 'Enter Sandman' on their Black album. Metallica's Hetfield, Ulrich and Burton and Megadeth's Dave Mustaine all had been long-time Discharge admirers in the early days, and used to go to Discharge gigs in the US in the early 1980s, and had subsequently recorded two of Discharge's songs for their Garage covers album work.
Discharge themselves, in various line-ups, later 'borrowed' Paul Quigley's 'Overload' song title in no less than two other subsequent album tracks 'Fantasy Overload' from the Discharge album 'Shootin' Up The World' (1993) and 'Fantasy Overload' on Discharge's 'Discharge' 2002 album, such was the influence of Paul Quigley's lyrical symbolism. Even UK glam band TigerTailz, who shared the stage many times with Hell's Belles at London's Royal Standard, Walthamstow during the early Eighties, managed to get in on the act with a track called 'Love Overloaded'.
Soon after the release of the first album in 1986, Holder left the band, and was replaced by Leamington-based bassist Jon Archer in late 1986. This line-up dissolved as a working band shortly thereafter.
HellsBelles released two new singles in 2011, 'Abyssinian Demesne' and '(Why Did They Kill) Joe Hill' , both critically acclaimed for their videos on YouTube.
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 England active from 1984 to 1987. They are considered part of the latter stages 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...
(NWOBHM).
1980s - Hell's Belles
They gained a considerable following and achieved major airplay and media coverage, with radio plays on Tommy VanceTommy Vance
Tommy Vance was a British pop radio broadcaster, born in Eynsham, Oxfordshire. He was one of the few music broadcasters in the United Kingdom to champion hard rock and heavy metal in the early 1980s, providing the only national radio forum for both bands and fans...
's BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
Friday Rock Show
Friday Rock Show
The Friday Rock Show was a radio show in the United Kingdom that was broadcast on BBC Radio 1 from 10pm to midnight on Friday nights from 1978 to 1993. Throughout most of its run it was hosted by Tommy Vance. Ostensibly for the genre of rock in general, it was most closely associated with heavy metal...
and rave coverage for both their live performances and recordings in metal magazines Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
and Metal Forces
Metal Forces
The British publication Metal Forces emerged during 1983 and aided greatly in the promotion of metal and rock genre music. The magazine was well known for its coverage of unsigned bands through its Demolition feature and championed the likes of Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, HellsBelles, Overkill,...
.
They were unusual for their time for playing a distinct mix of punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and more traditional heavy metal, a genre subsequently emulated by many bands such as Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
and others. The punk element came from the guitarist Pooch (born Peter Purtill) and from the bassist Gareth Holder. Pooch was previously a guitarist for Discharge
Discharge (band)
Discharge is a British hardcore punk band formed in 1977 by Terry "Tezz" Roberts and Roy "Rainy" Wainwright. They are often considered among one of the very first bands to play hardcore punk, and to mix punk with metal...
following the departure of Bones to join his brother in Broken Bones. Gareth Holder was a former member of Leamington Spa-based punk band The Shapes
The Shapes (UK band)
The Shapes were an English punk rock group that formed in the town of Leamington Spa in 1976. Different in many ways from their peers in the nascent punk subculture, they were known for eschewing the more political stances that were fashionable at the time, instead producing works of a cartoonish...
and later in Jim Lyttle
Jim Lyttle
James Lawrence Lyttle Jr. is a former major league baseball player from Hamilton, Ohio. He played as an outfielder for the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, Montreal Expos, and Los Angeles Dodgers...
's punk metal crossover band Rogue Male
Rogue Male (band)
-1980s:Rogue Male was the brainchild of Northern Ireland born singer/guitarist Jim Lyttle, who had previously been in the seminal Northern Irish punk band Pretty Boy Floyd and The Gems. Moving to London in the early 1980s he decided to put together a band that would mix punk styles and aggression...
.
The heavy metal and classic rock influence was provided by vocalist/lyricist Paul Quigley, formerly of heavy rock bands SwingFire with former The Hoax drummer Dave Raeburn and bassist Mick Paul; then London-based A.M. and later RAAM with former Metal Mirror guitarist Chris Haggerty (1960–2004). He subsequently founded London scene glam rock band BellaDonna
Belladonna (band)
Belladonna is an Italian Rock noir band.- Metaphysical Attraction :Belladonna was formed on February 14, 2005 in Rome, Italy by Luana Caraffa and Dani Macchi. During the course of the following months Belladonna wrote and recorded many songs, eleven of which would become their first full album:...
in 1987 who went on to perform with ex-drummer of Tokyo Blade, Andy 'A.D. Dynamite' Parsons (who later went on to play with Paul Di'Anno in Battlezone.
Drummer Spiv (born Anthony Smith), was previously a member of Brute Force, and replaced D-beat
D-beat
D-beat is a style of hardcore punk developed in the early 1980s by imitators of Discharge, for whom the genre is named. Discharge may have themselves inherited the beat from Motörhead. The first such group was The Varukers.The vocal content of D-beat tends towards shouted slogans...
pioneer Discharge drummer Garry Maloney in April 1984 shortly after the band's inception. Maloney subsequently rejoined Cal (born Kelvin Morris) in Discharge
Discharge (band)
Discharge is a British hardcore punk band formed in 1977 by Terry "Tezz" Roberts and Roy "Rainy" Wainwright. They are often considered among one of the very first bands to play hardcore punk, and to mix punk with metal...
for their 'Grave New World' and 'Massacre Divine' albums.
Paul Quigley also acted in the lead role in two promo videos for Bronze Records
Bronze Records
Bronze Records is an independent English record label set up in 1971 by record producer Gerry Bron, and based in Chalk Farm, London.Bron had been producing Uriah Heep for Vertigo Records, and he set up this new label for future Uriah Heep releases, along with Juicy Lucy, Richard Barnes and Colosseum...
' heavy metal band Girlschool
Girlschool
Girlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
in their singles "20th Century Boy
20th Century Boy
"20th Century Boy" is a song by T. Rex, written by Marc Bolan. It was released as a single in 1973 and reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart. The song did not feature on an original studio album but was included as a bonus track on a reissue of 1973 album Tanx.It later returned to the UK Top 20 in...
", a cover version of the Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
hit of the 1970s, and "Play Dirty
Play Dirty
Play Dirty is a 1969 British film inspired by the North African exploits of units such as the Long Range Desert Group, Popski's Private Army and the SAS during World War II. It was directed by André De Toth and written by Melvyn Bragg and Lotte Colin...
", which both featured on Girlschool's 1983 album of the same name, produced by Slade
Slade
Slade are an English rock band from Wolverhampton, who rose to prominence during the glam rock era of the early 1970s. With 17 consecutive Top 20 hits and six number ones, the British Hit Singles & Albums names them as the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles...
's Noddy Holder
Noddy Holder
Neville John "Noddy" Holder MBE is an English musician and actor. He was the lead vocalist and guitarist with the rock band Slade....
and Jimmy Lea. Paul Quigley's acting also appeared on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
favourite cartoon comedy show Beavis and Butthead which featured the "Play Dirty" Girlschool
Girlschool
Girlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
video.
Hell's Belles released one full length album Hell's Belles (RAWLP015) in 1986, and one single "Barricades" on both 7" and 12" format in the same year (RAWSS001/RAWTS001), during their span on Castle Communications
Castle Communications
Castle Communications was a British independent record label founded in 1983 by Terry Shand, Cliff Dane and Jon Beecher. The company was acquired by the American music distributor Alliance Entertainment in 1994 and in 2000 it was absorbed into Sanctuary Records Group...
' Raw Power label. They also featured with two tracks on Castle's Metal Killers Kollection Volume 1 & 2, as well as other rock compilations 'Rock Legends' and 'Rock Classics' on other record labels.
Hell's Belles' guest keyboard player, classically-trained Lyndsay Bridgwater had formerly been the touring keyboard player for former Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
lead vocalist Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
the previous year on both the Diary of a Madman
Diary of a Madman (album)
Diary of a Madman is the second studio album by Ozzy Osbourne. It was recorded from the 9th of Feb to the 23 of March 1981 inclusively - the end of winter in the UK and recording ending just into spring equinox. It was released on November 7, 1981, and re-issued on August 22, 1995. An altered...
tour with Randy Rhoads
Randy Rhoads
Randall William "Randy" Rhoads was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. A devoted student of classical guitar, Rhoads often combined his classical music influences with his own heavy metal style. While on tour with Ozzy Osbourne, he would seek out...
, Bob Daisley
Bob Daisley
Robert John "Bob" Daisley is an Australian musician, bassist and lyricist who has performed in genres of rock, blues, R&B, hard rock and metal.-Early career:...
and Lee Kerslake
Lee Kerslake
Lee Kerslake is an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer and backing vocalist for the rock band Uriah Heep, in addition to his work in the Ozzy Osbourne band...
, and then on Ozzy's Speak of the Devil tour with Brad Gillis
Brad Gillis
Brad Gillis is a guitarist most famous for playing with the band Night Ranger. He was in the band Rubicon during the 1970s before Night Ranger. He has also played for Ozzy Osbourne and Fiona, and has released solo albums....
replacing Randy Rhoads on guitar after his untimely passing in a plane accident on the U.S. tour, and with Rudy Sarzo
Rudy Sarzo
Rudy Sarzo is a Cuban American hard rock/heavy metal bassist. Sarzo has played with many well known heavy metal acts including Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Manic Eden, Dio and Blue Öyster Cult.-Early life:...
on bass. Bridgwater played the keyboard solo on the Hell's Belles single Barricades and the synth parts on album track Strangelove and Looks Like Love, which Metallica's James Hetfield 'borrowed' Quigley's lyrics from that song using them in a similar slow-paced section where both sing 'sleep with one eye open' in Metallica's multi-platinum-selling track 'Enter Sandman' on their Black album. Metallica's Hetfield, Ulrich and Burton and Megadeth's Dave Mustaine all had been long-time Discharge admirers in the early days, and used to go to Discharge gigs in the US in the early 1980s, and had subsequently recorded two of Discharge's songs for their Garage covers album work.
Discharge themselves, in various line-ups, later 'borrowed' Paul Quigley's 'Overload' song title in no less than two other subsequent album tracks 'Fantasy Overload' from the Discharge album 'Shootin' Up The World' (1993) and 'Fantasy Overload' on Discharge's 'Discharge' 2002 album, such was the influence of Paul Quigley's lyrical symbolism. Even UK glam band TigerTailz, who shared the stage many times with Hell's Belles at London's Royal Standard, Walthamstow during the early Eighties, managed to get in on the act with a track called 'Love Overloaded'.
Soon after the release of the first album in 1986, Holder left the band, and was replaced by Leamington-based bassist Jon Archer in late 1986. This line-up dissolved as a working band shortly thereafter.
2000s - HellsBelles
Paul Quigley has since revamped and reformed a new band called HellsBelles (one word, no apostrophes) with bass guitarist Steve Steadman and drummer Chris Connolly.HellsBelles released two new singles in 2011, 'Abyssinian Demesne' and '(Why Did They Kill) Joe Hill' , both critically acclaimed for their videos on YouTube.
Current members
- Paul Quigley - vocals, guitars,
- Steve Steadman - bass, cello
- Chris Connolly - drums
Original members
- Paul Quigley - vocals
- Peter "Pooch" Purtill - guitar
- Garry Maloney - drums
- Gareth Holder - bass
Other members
- Anthony "Spiv" Smith - drums
- Jon Archer - bass
- Lyndsay Bridgwater - keyboards (on LP 'Hell's Belles' - ex-Ozzy Osbourne, Blizzard of Oz, Budgie)