Legend -

Legend was an English heavy metal band from Jersey island that released the 1981–82 albums Legend and Death in the Nursery and the EP Frontline on local-press Workshop.

Members: Mike Lezala (vocals), Peter Haworth (guitar), Marco Morosino (guitar, 1980-82), Eggy Aubert (bass, 1980-82, 2003-present), David Whitley (drums, 1980-84), Neil Haworth (bass, guitar 1982-84, 2011-present)

Formation

Legend formed in August 1980 in St. Helier on Jersey, a British isle in the Channel Islands. Singer Mike Lezala and guitarists Peter Haworth (lead) and Marco Morosino (rhythm, acoustic) constituted the original lineup with bassist Eggy Aubert and drummer Dave Whitley.

Haworth first played in Vortex, a hard-rock covers band active in 1976 on Jersey. In 1978, he demoed original material with Dogwatch (not the Bridge House act), which alerted EMI. He first played with Whitley in the 1979 band Dr. Morbius.

Legend rehearsed and wrote songs before their late 1980 live debut. With no mainland contract offer, they formed Workshop Records for their own releases.

Legend

Legend released their self-titled debut album in June 1981 on Workshop Records.

The album features five originals by lead guitarist Peter Haworth, including the epics “Torture” and “Song for a Soldier.” He co-wrote “Taste of Life” and “Hiroshima” with rhythm guitarist Marco Morosino.

“Badgirl” springs from a brisker bounce and a heightened lead vocal. “Taste of Life” sinks from a doubled vocal opening into a slow, heavy riff, then lifts through a firmer bounce. “Buried Alive” broods on a deep riff and half-spoken entrance before its instrumental middle hits with added weight. “Negligence” drifts through an airy opening and blurred vocal effects.

“Torture” coils around the same spectral vocal treatment. “Hiroshima” lowers the voice into darker color over grimy rhythm work. “Song for a Soldier” waits on a steadier bounce before a militaristic percussive break drives the final stretch.

A1. “Badgirl” (4:34)
A2. “Taste of Life” (4:46)
A3. “Buried Alive” (6:00)
A4. “Negligence” (5:07)

B1. “Torture” (7:12)
B2. “Hiroshima” (5:12)
B3. “Song for a Soldier” (9:13)

Guitarist Peter Haworth produced the album in February 1981 at Jersey’s Music Workshop Studios, where in-house soundman Tony Spence engineered Legend amid studio recordings by Paul Woodson and the Jack Duff Quartet.

Legend appeared in a plain b&w sleeve with credits in Blackletter font and a plain-clothed group pic by one Bill Newington.

After this album, Morosino quit and Legend continued as a four-piece.

Death in the Nursery

Legend released their second album, Death in the Nursery, in 1982 on Workshop Records. It features nine originals by Peter Haworth.

“Choices” dodges between isolated vocal passages and hard rhythm, with a solo over a bubbling bass line. “Time Bomb” clips through quick, straight-lined figures. “Lazy Woman” detonates from its opening guitar burst and stays in a quick lane. “Why Don’t You Kill Me?” opens with a windblown vocal entrance, then tightens into dragged fretwork.

“Anthrax Attack” mopes through muddy electric color and acoustic-tinged patches. “Prisoner” starts with muddy electric figures and returns to acoustic-tinged interludes. “Death in the Nursery” speeds through a short-struck chorus.

A1. “Choices” (4:22)
A2. “Warrior” (4:09)
A3. “Time Bomb” (2:36)
A4. “Lazy Woman” (3:19)
A5. “Why Don’t You Kill Me?” (4:21)

B1. “Anthrax Attack” (3:38)
B2. “Prisoner” (5:48)
B3. “Death in the Nursery” (4:42)
B4. “Prologue” (6:33)

Sessions took place in March 1982 at Music Workshop with Spence and producer Steve Burnett, a soundman for Voxx Records punks The Wombats.

Haworth painted the cover art, which depicts two headless suits under at a barren evening setting (background) with a pair of abandoned, bleeding headphones (foreground).

Frontline

In late 1982, Legend released a 12″ informally titled Limited Edition Four Track Single.

The EP features four Haworth originals. “Frontline” grinds on a slowly charging main riff and clipped section breaks. “Sabra and Chatila” lingers on a slow beat, distant guitar color, dream-textured layers, and a brooding solo at the fade. “Stormers of Heaven” lifts through a high-set chorus. “Open Up the Skies” bustles on a choppy, simple rhythm, a heavy low end, and a fingertapped solo.

In 2016, Finnish archivists Full Contact Records reissued the songs as part of a full-length LP titled Frontline, which features six additional 1982–83 demos for a possible third album.

A1. “Frontline” (5:27)
A2. “Sabra & Chatila” (4:25)
A3. “It’s Not the Same” (3:33)
A4. “The Other Day” (3:08)
A5. “Take Me Away” (3:07)

B1. “Stormers of Heaven” (3:10)
B2. “Open Up the Skies” (3:37)
B3. “Question & Answer” (4:02)
B4. “Catch a Moment” (3:58)
B5. “Out of Luck” (4:25)

Discography: