Starfighters (band)
Starfighters are an English heavy metal band from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement founded in Birmingham, England in 1979. They attracted a strong British cult following but were not able to translate this into any lasting success.
Career
Initially called Savage, they changed their name to Starfighters and released the single, "I'm Falling", on the independent record label, Motor City Rhythm Records. This original line-up consisted of Steve Burton (vocals), Pat Hambly (guitar) Stevie Young (guitar), Doug Dennis (bass) and Spencer Scrannage (drums). They were then signed up by Jive Records (a part of Zomba). After the release of their debut album Starfighters, Scrannage was replaced by Steve Bailey.
They then won a support slot with AC/DC (Stevie Young is the nephew of AC/DC leaders Malcolm and Angus Young). Signing up with Krokus manager Butch Stone, in 1983 they released the follow-up album, In-Flight Movie, again produced by Tony Platt. Jive however were not prepared to pay for further tour promotions, and the band resorted to appearing in small British clubs. Despite receiving good reviews and publicity, particularly in Kerrang! magazine, this album did no better and Jive dropped them. The band consequently folded.
In 1987, the band reformed with the line-up of Burton (vocals), Young (guitars), Rik Sandford (guitars), Redvers (bass) and Jamie Hawkins (drums). Redvers had been known as Steve Hill up to this point, but was rechristened with his middle name, to avoid the confusion of having three 'Steves' in the band. Despite attracting a strong local following in Birmingham, they could not secure another recording contract, and the band folded after little more than a year. Sandford and Hawkins had very brief stints with UFO and Hawkwind respectively. Redvers became Steve Redvers and joined The Grip, before linking up with Young and Ian Charles (Chaz) in Little Big Horn.
Starfighters reformed again for a one off show on 10 November 2006 at 'The Roadhouse' in South Birmingham to raise money for charity, with the line-up of Burton (vocals), Young (guitars and vocals), Hambly (guitars), Dennis (bass and vocals) and Tony Bayliss (drums).
As of July 2010, Burton was still regularly singing in various bands around the West Midlands.
Discography
- Starfighters (1981) - Jive Records
- In-Flight Movie (1983) - Jive Records