Walk on Fire
Encyclopedia
Walk on Fire was a British
melodic rock band
whose album Blind Faith (1989) yielded two minor hit singles: "Blind Faith" and "Wastelands".
The band was formed by Dave Cairns
and Alan King in 1987, signing to UNI/MCA Records in the US and MCA UK & initially managed by Bill Curbishley
of The Who
fame. The early pre-production of the album was produced by Dave Cairns' former Secret Affair
band-mate Dennis Smith, who also co-wrote one of the album tracks, "Tell It Like It Is" with Alan King. The album was recorded at Hook End Manor & The Virgin Manor Studios, Oxford, in the UK and produced by Walter Turbitt, engineer and producer of The Cars
. It featured Steve Ferrone
(drums), Keith Airey (guitar), Richard Cottle and Pete Vitesse (keyboards).
The live band featured Alan King (vocals), Mike Caswell (guitar), Trevor Thornton (drums), Phil Williams (bass) & Dave Cairns
(keyboards) and the band toured with Foreigner
, The Dan Reed Network and Nils Lofgren
and toured the UK extensively, but despite favourable reviews following the US release, the album was not a commercial success.
A second album was due to begin produced by Eddie Kramer
of Hendrix, Stones, and Led Zeppelin
fame but the act were dropped by MCA just prior to pre-production. The act broke up shortly afterwards (it was rumoured the band were un-recouped to the tune of over one million dollars).
Alan King went on to sing the lead role in Jeff Wayne's follow up to 'War of The Worlds' - Spartacus - alongside Catherine Zeta Jones and with a cast that included Anthony Hopkins
& Dave Cairns
went on to be appointed Special Projects & Events Manager for Gibson Guitars USA through the '90's. Dave Cairns
has recently reformed Secret Affair
with Ian Page
and appeared at The Isle of Wight Scooter Rally, August 22 & The London Astoria, Sept 13th 2008 and play Dublin, March 6 & The Camden Centre, London, on May 30, 2009.
Guitarist Mike Casswell was invited by the bassist Neil Murray
to join the Queen
guitarist Brian May
's touring band in 1991. Casswell left the band after the band's South American tour. Having performed and recorded with the UK based Japanese blues guitarist Saiichi Sugiyama (musician)
, whose band also featured Phil Williams on bass, Casswell subsequently formed a band with the veteran British rock drummer Cozy Powell
. Casswell co-wrote and co-produced with Powell what turned out be the drummer's last album session. The album was released as "Especially For You" after Powell's death on a British motorway accident.
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...
melodic rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
whose album Blind Faith (1989) yielded two minor hit singles: "Blind Faith" and "Wastelands".
The band was formed by Dave Cairns
Dave Cairns
Dave Cairns is an English rock guitarist and songwriter, best known for his role in the 1970s/1980s band Secret Affair...
and Alan King in 1987, signing to UNI/MCA Records in the US and MCA UK & initially managed by Bill Curbishley
Bill Curbishley
Bill Curbishley is a music producer and band manager, best known for his work with English rock groups The Who and Judas Priest as well as artists Jimmy Page and Robert Plant....
of 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...
fame. The early pre-production of the album was produced by Dave Cairns' former Secret Affair
Secret Affair
Secret Affair were a mod revival band, formed in 1978 and disbanded in 1982. They reformed to perform and record in the 2000s.-Career:In a period of a little over two years, Secret Affair posted five releases in the UK Singles Chart and released three albums...
band-mate Dennis Smith, who also co-wrote one of the album tracks, "Tell It Like It Is" with Alan King. The album was recorded at Hook End Manor & The Virgin Manor Studios, Oxford, in the UK and produced by Walter Turbitt, engineer and producer of The Cars
The Cars
The Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the early New Wave music scene in the late 1970s. The band consisted of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson...
. It featured Steve Ferrone
Steve Ferrone
Steven "Steve" Ferrone is a British drummer.He was a member of the Average White Band, and has recorded and performed with numerous other high-profile acts, including Slash, Chaka Khan, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Scritti Politti...
(drums), Keith Airey (guitar), Richard Cottle and Pete Vitesse (keyboards).
The live band featured Alan King (vocals), Mike Caswell (guitar), Trevor Thornton (drums), Phil Williams (bass) & Dave Cairns
Dave Cairns
Dave Cairns is an English rock guitarist and songwriter, best known for his role in the 1970s/1980s band Secret Affair...
(keyboards) and the band toured with Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
, The Dan Reed Network and Nils Lofgren
Nils Lofgren
Nils Hilmer Lofgren is an American rock music recording artist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist...
and toured the UK extensively, but despite favourable reviews following the US release, the album was not a commercial success.
A second album was due to begin produced by Eddie Kramer
Eddie Kramer
Edwin H. Kramer is an audio engineer and producer who has worked with, among others, Led Zeppelin, Triumph, Kiss , Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Spooky Tooth, Peter Frampton, Curtis Mayfield, Santana, Anthrax, Carly Simon, Loudness, and Robin Trower.-1960s:Eddie...
of Hendrix, Stones, and 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...
fame but the act were dropped by MCA just prior to pre-production. The act broke up shortly afterwards (it was rumoured the band were un-recouped to the tune of over one million dollars).
Alan King went on to sing the lead role in Jeff Wayne's follow up to 'War of The Worlds' - Spartacus - alongside Catherine Zeta Jones and with a cast that included Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
& Dave Cairns
Dave Cairns
Dave Cairns is an English rock guitarist and songwriter, best known for his role in the 1970s/1980s band Secret Affair...
went on to be appointed Special Projects & Events Manager for Gibson Guitars USA through the '90's. Dave Cairns
Dave Cairns
Dave Cairns is an English rock guitarist and songwriter, best known for his role in the 1970s/1980s band Secret Affair...
has recently reformed Secret Affair
Secret Affair
Secret Affair were a mod revival band, formed in 1978 and disbanded in 1982. They reformed to perform and record in the 2000s.-Career:In a period of a little over two years, Secret Affair posted five releases in the UK Singles Chart and released three albums...
with Ian Page
Ian Page
Ian Page is a British singer and author, achieving notoriety as singer in the band Secret Affair in the late 1970s.Teaming up with guitarist Dave Cairns while at school, Ian Page formed power pop/punk band New Hearts and signed to CBS Records in 1977, releasing two singles and touring with The Jam...
and appeared at The Isle of Wight Scooter Rally, August 22 & The London Astoria, Sept 13th 2008 and play Dublin, March 6 & The Camden Centre, London, on May 30, 2009.
Guitarist Mike Casswell was invited by the bassist Neil Murray
Neil Murray (British musician)
Philip Neil Murray is a Scottish bass player, best known for his work in Whitesnake and Black Sabbath.-Early days:Originally a drummer, Murray formed his first band with school friends in 1967 and his musical tastes were heavily influenced by the mid-1960s 'blues boom' bands and musicians,...
to join the Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
guitarist Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
's touring band in 1991. Casswell left the band after the band's South American tour. Having performed and recorded with the UK based Japanese blues guitarist Saiichi Sugiyama (musician)
Saiichi Sugiyama (musician)
Saiichi Sugiyama is a British-based guitarist, singer and composer, best known for his writing and performing collaborations with Pete Brown, the lyricist for Cream since 2002 to date...
, whose band also featured Phil Williams on bass, Casswell subsequently formed a band with the veteran British rock drummer Cozy Powell
Cozy Powell
Colin Flooks , better known as Cozy Powell, was an English rock drummer who made his name with many major rock bands.-Early history:...
. Casswell co-wrote and co-produced with Powell what turned out be the drummer's last album session. The album was released as "Especially For You" after Powell's death on a British motorway accident.
Band members
- Alan King: Vocals
- Mike Caswell: Guitars
- Dave Cairns: Keyboards, Additional Acoustic Guitar
- Phil Williams: Bass & Backing Vocals
- John Henderson: Drums
Discography
- Blind FaithBlind Faith (Walk On Fire album)"Blind Faith" is the debut record by British AOR band Walk on Fire. It was released in 1989 on MCA and featured production by Walter Turbitt, who was known for his work with The Cars...
(MCAMCA RecordsMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
/UNIUni-Education:*uni, a shortened word for university*University Professors Program, an interdisciplinary program for gifted students at Boston University*University High School *University High School...
, 1989)