Tank (band)
Encyclopedia
Tank is a British
heavy metal
band, formed in 1980 by Algy Ward
, a former member of The Damned. The band is known as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal
movement. Tank was often compared to Motörhead as both bands, trios fronted by singing bassists, played a loose, almost punk
-styled metal music with often colourful lyrics.
Their 1982 debut album, Filth Hounds of Hades
, was positively received by both punk and metal fans as well as most critics, regarded now as one of the best albums of the NWOBHM movement. Allmusic critic, Eduardo Rivadavia; described it as "Tank's best album ever, and qualifying it as an essential item in the record collection of any serious '80s metal fan."
As was the case with many other bands of the era, Tank was never able to build on the promise shown by their first album. The band continued on for years through lineup changes and waning commercial fortunes before finally disbanding in 1989. Ward resurrected the band in 1997 playing tour dates around Europe and Japan for a couple of years. A new album, Still At War, emerged in 2002. In August 2006 Ward reported that he was putting the finishing touches on the demos for the next Tank album, Sturmpanzer. The band's website has listed the release date for this album as "TBA" for years.
On December 20, 2008, a new lineup was announced. Guitarists Mick Tucker and Cliff Evans were joined by original drummer Mark Brabbs and former Bruce Dickinson
bassist Chris Dale
. Algy Ward was replaced by former Rainbow
singer Doogie White
. The first Tank album featuring this new lineup is entitled War Machine and was released in October 2010.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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, formed in 1980 by Algy Ward
Algy Ward
Alasdair Mackie "Algy" Ward is an English rock and roll bass guitarist and singer.-Biography:He was first active as a member of the Australian punk band The Saints before joining British group The Damned and playing on Machine Gun Etiquette...
, a former member of The Damned. The band is known 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. Tank was often compared to Motörhead as both bands, trios fronted by singing bassists, played a loose, almost punk
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...
-styled metal music with often colourful lyrics.
Their 1982 debut album, Filth Hounds of Hades
Filth Hounds of Hades
Filth Hounds of Hades is the debut album of heavy metal band Tank, released in 1982.The album was produced by "Fast" Eddie Clarke, and recorded between December 1981 and January 1982 at Ramport Studios in London. The Attic Records pressing had an alternate blue cover with the dogs in maroon and...
, was positively received by both punk and metal fans as well as most critics, regarded now as one of the best albums of the NWOBHM movement. Allmusic critic, Eduardo Rivadavia; described it as "Tank's best album ever, and qualifying it as an essential item in the record collection of any serious '80s metal fan."
As was the case with many other bands of the era, Tank was never able to build on the promise shown by their first album. The band continued on for years through lineup changes and waning commercial fortunes before finally disbanding in 1989. Ward resurrected the band in 1997 playing tour dates around Europe and Japan for a couple of years. A new album, Still At War, emerged in 2002. In August 2006 Ward reported that he was putting the finishing touches on the demos for the next Tank album, Sturmpanzer. The band's website has listed the release date for this album as "TBA" for years.
On December 20, 2008, a new lineup was announced. Guitarists Mick Tucker and Cliff Evans were joined by original drummer Mark Brabbs and former Bruce Dickinson
Bruce Dickinson
Paul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
bassist Chris Dale
Sack Trick
Sack Trick are an eccentric British music collective who have been compared to the humour of Monty Python and musical madness of Frank Zappa. The bassist Chris Paulo Dale is the center of the group, guiding the audience through a universe that is more rock circus than rock opera, with a partiality...
. Algy Ward was replaced by former Rainbow
Rainbow (band)
Rainbow were an English rock band, controlled by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore from 1975 to 1984 and 1994 to 1997. It was originally established with American rock band Elf's members, though over the years Rainbow went through many line-up changes with no two studio albums featuring the same line-up...
singer Doogie White
Doogie White
Doogie White , is a Scottish rock vocalist, who has sung for Midnight Blue, Rainbow, Cornerstone, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Praying Mantis and Rata Blanca...
. The first Tank album featuring this new lineup is entitled War Machine and was released in October 2010.
Albums
- Filth Hounds of HadesFilth Hounds of HadesFilth Hounds of Hades is the debut album of heavy metal band Tank, released in 1982.The album was produced by "Fast" Eddie Clarke, and recorded between December 1981 and January 1982 at Ramport Studios in London. The Attic Records pressing had an alternate blue cover with the dogs in maroon and...
(Kamaflage 1982) - UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
Number 33 - Power of the HunterPower of the HunterPower of the Hunter is the second album by heavy metal band Tank, released in 1982. The album was produced by Nigel Gray, better known for his work with The Police. "Crazy Horses" is a cover of the 1972 hit by The Osmonds.- Track listing :...
(Kamaflage 1982) - This Means War (Music for NationsMusic For NationsMusic For Nations was a British independent record label focusing mainly on rock and metal. They were a subsidiary of the larger label distributor Zomba Records who in turn is owned by BMG....
1983) - Honour & BloodHonour & BloodHonour & Blood is the fourth album by the British heavy metal band Tank, released in 1984. By the time of this album Algy Ward was the last original member of the group remaining, as the Brabbs brothers had been replaced by Cliff Evans on guitar and Graeme Crallan on drums...
(Music for NationsMusic For NationsMusic For Nations was a British independent record label focusing mainly on rock and metal. They were a subsidiary of the larger label distributor Zomba Records who in turn is owned by BMG....
1984) - Tank (GWR 1987)
- Still At War (Zoom Club 2002)
- War Machine (Metal Mind ProductionsMetal Mind ProductionsMetal Mind Productions is a Polish record label founded in 1987. Currently it is one of the lead independent labels in Poland with over 1000 of licences and over 10 million of data mediums sold. The label focuses mainly on rock and heavy metal genres...
2010)
Singles
- "Don't Walk Away" (Kamaflage 1981)
- "Stormtrooper" (Kamaflage 1982)
- "Turn Your Head Around" (Kamaflage 1982)
- "Crazy Horses" (Kamaflage 1982)
- "Echos of a Distant Battle" (Music for NationsMusic For NationsMusic For Nations was a British independent record label focusing mainly on rock and metal. They were a subsidiary of the larger label distributor Zomba Records who in turn is owned by BMG....
1983)
Compilation / live albums
- Armour Plated (Rawpower 1985)
- The Return of the Filth Hounds Live (Rising Sun 1998)
- War of Attrition (live '81) (Zoom Club 2001)
- The Filth Hounds of Hades - Dogs of War 1981-2002 (Metal-Mind 2007)
Members
| Dates | Releases | Instruments | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vocalist | Bassist | Guitarist | Guitarist | Drummer | |||
| 1980–1982 | Filth Hounds of Hades Filth Hounds of Hades Filth Hounds of Hades is the debut album of heavy metal band Tank, released in 1982.The album was produced by "Fast" Eddie Clarke, and recorded between December 1981 and January 1982 at Ramport Studios in London. The Attic Records pressing had an alternate blue cover with the dogs in maroon and... & Power of the Hunter Power of the Hunter Power of the Hunter is the second album by heavy metal band Tank, released in 1982. The album was produced by Nigel Gray, better known for his work with The Police. "Crazy Horses" is a cover of the 1972 hit by The Osmonds.- Track listing :... |
Algy Ward Algy Ward Alasdair Mackie "Algy" Ward is an English rock and roll bass guitarist and singer.-Biography:He was first active as a member of the Australian punk band The Saints before joining British group The Damned and playing on Machine Gun Etiquette... |
Pete Brabbs | Mark Brabbs | Original line up as a 3 piece | ||
| 1983 | This Means War | Pete Brabbs | Mick Tucker | 1st line up as a 4 piece | |||
| 1984 | Honour & Blood Honour & Blood Honour & Blood is the fourth album by the British heavy metal band Tank, released in 1984. By the time of this album Algy Ward was the last original member of the group remaining, as the Brabbs brothers had been replaced by Cliff Evans on guitar and Graeme Crallan on drums... |
Cliff Evans | Graeme Crallan Graeme Crallan Graeme Crallan was a British heavy metal drummer from Hartlepool, England. Also known as Crash Crallan, he formed White Spirit along with Janick Gers in 1975. They released their debut album in 1980. The album flopped and they split up in 1981. Crallan then joined up with Tank in 1984, and played... Michael Bettel |
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| 1985 - 1988 | Tank | Gary Taylor | |||||
| 1997 - 2001 | Steve Hopgood | ||||||
| 2001 - 2008 | Still At War | Bruce Bisland | |||||
| 2009 | Doogie White Doogie White Doogie White , is a Scottish rock vocalist, who has sung for Midnight Blue, Rainbow, Cornerstone, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Praying Mantis and Rata Blanca... |
Chris Dale Sack Trick Sack Trick are an eccentric British music collective who have been compared to the humour of Monty Python and musical madness of Frank Zappa. The bassist Chris Paulo Dale is the center of the group, guiding the audience through a universe that is more rock circus than rock opera, with a partiality... |
Mark Brabbs (returns) | 1st line up as a 5 piece | |||
| 2010 | War Machine | Dave "Grav" Cavill | |||||
| 2011–Present | Mark Cross | ||||||