| Wrathchild | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Origin | Evesham, Worcestershire, England |
| Genres | Heavy metal, glam metal, hard rock |
| Years active | 1980–1990, 2009+ |
| Labels | Bullet, Heavy Metal Records |
| Associated acts | Grim Reaper Bang Bang Machine Psychowrath R.S.W. |
| Website | http://www.myspace.com/wrathchildofficial |
| Members | |
| Gaz Psychowrath Marc Angel Phil Wrathchild Eddie Star |
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| Past members | |
| Rocky Shades Lance Rocket Brian ‘Thunderburst’ Parry |
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Wrathchild (sometimes known as Wrathchild UK in the United States due to a naming conflict with Wrathchild America) were an English heavy metal band. Formed in 1980, the group was an early band of the glam metal genre, starting off about the same time as bands of the genre such as Mötley Crüe. However, they did not gain the same level of success or influence as their American counterparts.
In their home country, the bands speciality was in its D.I.Y. aesthetic (common for many NWOBHM bands), over the top stage shows, and striking image. During their early days, they would often play in pubs but still used confetti, pyrotechnics, and dressed in full glam metal gear, including their trademark platform boots and huge, teased hair.
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Wrathchild was formed in 1980 in Evesham, England by Marc Angel and Phil "Wrathchild" Vokins. They recruited Rocky Shades for lead vocals, and Brian "Thunderburst" Parry on drums. Phil Vokins left in 1981 to join Bill Ward (Black Sabbath)in America with a new band Max Havoc and Brian Parry left and returned to his hometown of Chester.
The band soon added two members from the band Medusa; guitarist Lance Rocket and drummer Eddie Star who became mainstays in the band and completed the much recognised over the top lineup for a decade of touring and recording.
After releasing a string of demos, such as Mascara Massacre in 1982, the band was offered a record deal by Bullet Records. On this label the group put out their first official release in 1983, an EP called Stackheel Strutt.
In 1984, the band recorded and released their debut studio album, Stakk Attakk. It would spawn two singles; a cover version of the Gary Glitter classic "Doing Alright with the Boys" and "Trash Queen".
Unfortunately, just as Wrathchild was garnering success, they came embroiled in contractual problems with their label, Heavy Metal Records. RCA Records, a major label, unsuccessfully attempted to sign the band from Heavy Metal Records in an effort to free them from their contract. Meanwhile, the group released a video compilation in called War Machine in 1984.
After finally settling the dispute with Heavy Metal Records nearly four years later, the band released their second album, The Biz Suxx, in 1988. The album spawned a single, Nukklear Rokket, which had a promotional video that was produced by Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden. Bruce plays the protester in the video whilst the performance was filmed in the car park at his home in Chiswick. Ron Kennedy directed and edited the video as well as appearing as the mad professor. Steve Prior was the cameraman.
The band's third and final studio album, Delirium, was released shortly after in 1989. It featured Grim Reaper's Steve Grimmet on backing vocals. Soon after the release Rocky Shades left to join the punk band Discharge and with the onset of grunge, Wrathchild broke up.
In 2005 Marc Angel and Eddie Star got back together along with original guitarist Phil 'Wrathchild' Vokins and recruited vocalist Gaz 'Psychowrath' Harris, formerly of the band Beyond Recognition. This new line-up went under the name Psychowrath until 2009, then acquired the trademarks for Wrathchild & Wrathchild UK and reverted to using their original name Wrathchild. They have played several gigs between 2005 and 2009.
Marc Angel, Eddie Star, and Phil Vokins, along with new singer Gaz Harris started a band in 2005 called Psychowrath. In 2009 they acquired the trademarks for Wrathchild & Wrathchild UK and reverted back the name WRATHCHILD and released "STAKKATTAKKTWO" in August 23, 2011 from PERRIS RECORDS.
Rocky Shades Wrathchild, also known as R.S.W., was started by former lead vocalist Rocky Shades in 2006. They recorded the demo 'Dead Good' which was featured on their myspace website for a short time. The current lineup is Rocky Shades, Jon Sudbury, and James Crofts. They were set to play the Hard Rock Hell III festival in December 2009, but were removed from the bill in October; reason as quoted by Hard Rock Hell promotors "All involved in Hard Rock Hell felt that without being able to use the name to advertise, and without more than one member of the original line-up in the band, what we were left with was simply not what we booked. It’s as if we had booked Genesis and got Phil Collins. Hence it was not a proper booking, to which the agent who booked it agreed too." [1]
In December 2010 Rocky Shades decided to start fresh by creating a new band with nothing to do with the Wrathchild name. Wildside Riots original line up was Rocky Shades on vocals, Iggie Pistolero and Rob D'Var on guitars, Natt Kid on bass and Gaz Wilde (Gary Hunt) on drums the current line up is Rocky Shades on vocals, Joss Riot and Jamez Gunn on guitars, James Crofts on bass and Gaz Wilde (Gary Hunt) on drums. The band was launched in August 2011 and are currenty recording their debut album to be released early 2012.[2][3]
| Line-Up #1 |
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| Line-Up #2 |
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| Line-Up #3 current line-up |
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