Ethel the Frog (band)

Ethel the Frog was a heavy metal band formed in 1976 in Hull, England. They are notable for being a part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. The band's unusual name was taken from a Monty Python sketch about the "Piranha Brothers".

Career

After building a local following, they released a heavy version of The Beatles song "Eleanor Rigby" in 1978. Ethel the Frog also contributed the song "Fight Back" to one of Neal Kay's Metal for Muthas compilations. In 1979, they signed a recording contract with EMI, which re-released the "Eleanor Rigby" single with "Whatever Happened to Love" as the B-side.^[1]

Their self-titled debut album was released in 1980. A CD release on a small record label, British Steel, appeared in 1997.

Post Ethel

Hopkinson is now a lecturer at the University of Leicester School of Archaeology.

Tognola and Conyers went on to join a band called Salem, releasing one single called "Reach for Eternity/Cold as Steel" before that band also split in 1983.

Doug Sheppard continued to play in cover bands, but then formed the band No Messiahs which lasted a couple of years, and he continues to play guitar in the Netherlands and has several original songs issued on Reverbnation.^[2]

Line-up

The original line-up was:

Paul "Doug" Sheppard (lead guitar)
Terry Hopkinson (vocals, bass)
Paul Tognola (vocals, lead guitar)
Paul Conyers (drums).

Discography

Metal for Muthas - Compilation (1980) Sanctuary Records
Ethel the Frog (1980) EMI

References