Witchfynde
Encyclopedia
Witchfynde are a heavy metal
band that was one of the forerunners of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal
. Witchfynde was formed in Derbyshire
, England
in 1974 by bass guitarist Richard Blower and vocalist Neil Harvey. Richard Blower discovered Montalo (Trevor Taylor) whilst in a band called Atiofel. When Richard left the band in 1975, they reformed Witchfynde with lead guitarist Montalo, bassist Andro Coulton, and drummer Gra Scoresby, soon recruiting vocalist Steve Bridges. The band released their first single, Give 'em Hell in 1979 and released its first full-length album, also entitled Give 'em Hell, on Rondolet Records in 1980. A major attribute to success may have originated with the frequent air play on the Friday Night Rock Show, hosted by Tommy Vance
on BBC Radio 1
. The band gained some exposure by touring the United Kingdom
with Def Leppard
in the summer of 1980. The band's sound incorporated a mix of influences, such as progressive
and hard rock
, with various aspects of the heavy metal
sound as well as prominent use of satanic
imagery.
After a line-up change and new albums in 1980, 1983, and 1984, the band faded away due to lack of interest until former band members reunited in 1999. Since then, the band have played at many events and festivals throughout the UK, Europe and America.
Their back-catalogue has been re-released on CD, and a new album was released in 2008.
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 that was one of the forerunners 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...
. Witchfynde was formed in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, England
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...
in 1974 by bass guitarist Richard Blower and vocalist Neil Harvey. Richard Blower discovered Montalo (Trevor Taylor) whilst in a band called Atiofel. When Richard left the band in 1975, they reformed Witchfynde with lead guitarist Montalo, bassist Andro Coulton, and drummer Gra Scoresby, soon recruiting vocalist Steve Bridges. The band released their first single, Give 'em Hell in 1979 and released its first full-length album, also entitled Give 'em Hell, on Rondolet Records in 1980. A major attribute to success may have originated with the frequent air play on the Friday Night Rock Show, hosted by Tommy Vance
Tommy 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...
on 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...
. The band gained some exposure by touring the United Kingdom
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...
with Def Leppard
Def 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...
in the summer of 1980. The band's sound incorporated a mix of influences, such as progressive
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
and 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...
, with various aspects of the 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...
sound as well as prominent use of satanic
Satanism
Satanism is a group of religions that is composed of a diverse number of ideological and philosophical beliefs and social phenomena. Their shared feature include symbolic association with, admiration for the character of, and even veneration of Satan or similar rebellious, promethean, and...
imagery.
After a line-up change and new albums in 1980, 1983, and 1984, the band faded away due to lack of interest until former band members reunited in 1999. Since then, the band have played at many events and festivals throughout the UK, Europe and America.
Their back-catalogue has been re-released on CD, and a new album was released in 2008.
Current line-up
- Luther Beltz (vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) - Montalo (Trevor Taylor) (guitarGuitarThe 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...
) - Pete Surgey (bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) - Gra Scoresby (drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
)
Former members
- Steve Bridges (vocals)
- Andro Coulton (bass)
- Alan Edwards ("Edd Wolfe") (bass)
- Dave Lindley (drums)
- Ron Reynolds (guitars)
- Dave Hewitt (bass/vocals)
- Neil Harvey (vocals)
- Harry Harrison (vocals)
- Richard Blower (bass guitar)
- Tez Brown (drums) (When they were called Witchfynde)
Albums
- Give 'em Hell (Rondelet, 1980; reissued by LemonCherry RedCherry Red is a London-based independent record label formed in 1978.-History:Cherry Red grew from the rock promotion company founded in 1971 to promote rock concerts at the Malvern Winter Gardens...
, 2004) - Stagefright (Rondelet, 1980; reissued by Lemon, 2005)
- Cloak and Dagger (Expulsion, 1983; reissued by Witchfynde Music, 2000)
- Lords Of Sin (Mausoleum, 1984; first 10,000 copies came with Anthems live EP)
- The Best Of Witchfynde (British Steel, 1996)
- The Witching Hour (NeatNeat RecordsNeat Records was a record label based near Newcastle, England. The label was established in 1979 by David Wood, who was the owner of Impulse Studios in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, England. The establishment of Neat coincided with the arrival at Impulse of Songwriter/Producer Steve Thompson who guided...
, 2001) - Play It To Death (Neat, 2008)
Singles
- "Give 'Em Hell" / "Gettin' Heavy" 7" (Rondelet, 1979)
- "In the Stars" / "Wake Up Screaming" 7" (Rondelet, 1980)
- "I'd Rather Go Wild" / "Cry Wolf" 7" (Expulsion, 1983)
- Anthems 12" (Mausoleum, 1984)
- "Conspiracy" / "Scarlet Lady" 7" (Mausoleum, 1984)