BATTLEAXE - UK

Burn This Town - 1983 - Roadrunner
Power from The Universe - 1984 - MFN

Battleaxe image
  
 
Members
Vocals
DAVE KING>>Solo

Guitar
Steve Hardy


Bass
BRIAN SMITH

Drum
Ian Thompson - Satan>>IAN McCORMACK>>Pariah





History & Biography
The band was compared to a harder AC/DC and was first known for its Burn This Town single on Guardian Records in 1981, as well as an appearance on a Guardian Records compilation named Roxcalibur.

Battleaxe toured with Saxon, Twisted Sister, Anvil, Spyder and others. At this time, the band had became somewhat known given a recent radio one session for the famed DJ Tommy Vance. David King recalls the story of how a young band called Metallica had approached the band in 1983 for a tour, but was rebuffed by the Battleaxe team. The boys opened for Saxon during the Crusader tour which included two nights at the prestigious Hammersmith Odeon in London.

The band lost Steve Hardy after the Saxon Crusader tour which was a crucial time. Battleaxe was being considered for signing by Atlantic Records. Nick Percy and John Stormont joined the band on guitar. The band also featured Jason Holt at this time. The band changed drummers following Burn This Town and split for the first time soon after Power From The Universe. Battleaxe was working on its third album, Mean machine, when the label's support ended. The band also recorded a four-song demo at Trinity Heights Studio (owned by Fred Purcers of Tygers Of Pan Tang fame) in Newcastle. A reformation was reported in 1988 and another in 2001, the former featuring one John Stormont.

Singer Dave King, who had gone on to a life of cover versions and Tom Jones tunes, considered releasing the band's albums - including Mean Machine - for early 2005. Battleaxe got its own official website in late 2004. Dave King, the erstwhile singer, released a solo album called Rainbow's End. The album was not a heavy metal one. He was also working on releasing the band's catalogue, including the unreleased Mean Machine recording from 1997. Dave King had a new song in mid-2007 called The Warm Winds Of Dallas which was a tribute to John F. Kennedy. He was working on a new country-tinged album called Love Does What It Does.


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Battleaxe