The Animals were an English rock band that released three albums and nine singles between 1964 and 1966 on Columbia and Decca. They formed in Newcastle and conquered London just in time to play a key role in the 1964 British Invasion that swept the US. They topped charts in multiple territories with their second […]
John Miles (April 23, 1949 — December 5, 2021) was an English vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, and songwriter who shot to fame on Decca with the 1976 album Rebel and the singles “Highfly” and “Music.” It was produced by Alan Parsons, who also handled Miles’ 1979 fourth album More Miles Per Hour. Concurrently, Parsons enlisted the […]
Skip Bifferty was an English pop-psych band from Newcastle that released three singles on RCA, culminating with a popular 1968 self-titled album. They moonlighted as Heavy Jelly for the 1969 Island single “I Keep Singing That Same Old Song,” a record-breaker for longest a-side. Select members also recorded with Every Which Way, ARC, and Glencoe. […]
Junco Partners were an English rock band from Newcastle, formed as an R&B/beat sextet in 1964. After issuing one single on Columbia in 1965, they underwent a series of lineup shifts, eventually morphing into a four-piece hard-rock/psych band. This iteration released a self-titled album on Barclay in 1970 and disbanded the following year. The nameplate […]
Tysondog were an English hard-rock/metal band from Newcastle upon Tyne that debuted with the single “Eat the Rich” on Neat Records in 1983, followed by the album Beware of the Dog in 1984. A four-song EP appeared on the label in 1985, followed by Crimes of Insanity in 1986, after which the nameplate was benched […]
Blind Fury were an English hard-rock/metal band from Newcastle-upon-Tyne that released the album Out of Reach on Roadrunner in 1985. Members: Lou Taylor (vocals), Steve Ramsey (guitar), Russ Tippins (guitar), Graeme English (bass), Sean Taylor (drums), Kevin Heybourne (guitar, 1983-84), Pete Gordelier (bass, 1983-84), Dave Hogg (drums, 1983-84) Discography: Out of Reach (1985)
Kestrel was an English symphonic-rock band that released a self-titled album on Cube Records in 1975. Guitarist Dave Black promptly joined a resurrected Spiders from Mars for an eponymous album in 1976. Members: Dave Black (guitar, vocals), John Cook (guitar, synthesizer), Tom Knowles (vocals), Fenwick Moir (bass), Dave Whitaker (drums, percussion) Inception Kestrel came together […]
Lindisfarne was an English folk-rock band from Newcastle upon Tyne that released four albums and a live disc on Charisma between 1970 and 1973, followed by a fifth studio title on Elektra in 1974. After a mid-1970s disbandment where frontman Alan Hull recorded solo and the others formed Jack the Lad, the two parties reconvened […]
Jack the Lad were an English folk-rock band from Newcastle Upon Tyne that released three albums on Charisma during 1974 and 1975, followed by a fourth on United Artists in 1976. The band emerged from the initial breakup of Lindisfarne, retaining four members plus two new recruits. For their 1976 Jackpot tour, the band donned […]
Alan Hull (1945—1995) was an English singer-songwriter from Newcastle, best known as the mastermind of folk-rockers Lindisfarne. As a solo artist, he debuted with the 1973 Charisma release Pipedream. Alan Hull was born in Newcastle upon Tyne on February 20, 1945. Discography: Pipedream (1973) Squire (1975) Phantoms (1979) On the Other Side (1983) Another Little Adventure […]
Ginhouse was an English rock trio from Newcastle upon Tyne that released a self-titled album on B & C and Philips in 1971. Along with contemporary titles by T2, Fuzzy Duck, Leaf Hound, Quatermass, and High Tide, the album has since become a collectible artifact of progressive hard rock. Members: Stewart Burlison (bass, vocals), Geoff […]
Beckett was an English rock band from Newcastle that released a self-titled album on Raft Records in 1974. Singer Terry Wilson-Slesser subsequently fronted Back Street Crawler, formed by ex-Free guitarist Paul Kossoff. After Kossoff’s death, that band morphed into Crawler. In 1983, he joined Charlie and sang on their transatlantic hit “It’s Inevitable.” Members: Kenny […]
Cirkus was an English symphonic-rock band from Newcastle upon Tyne that released the album One on self-press RCB (Projects) Ltd. in 1973. The band morphed into Future Shock for a second album in 1977. Members: Stuart McDade (drums, percussion, backing vocals), Derek G. Miller (organ, piano, Mellotron), John Taylor (bass), Dog (guitar), Paul Robson (vocals, […]
Raven are an English metal band that released three albums and a live disc on NWOBHM-specialty label Neat Records between 1981 and 1984. Members: John Gallagher (vocals, bass), Mark Gallagher (guitar), Paul Bowden (guitar, 1975-79), Paul Sherrif (drums, 1975-76), Mick Kenworthy (drums, 1976-77), Sean Taylor (drums, 1977-79), Pete Shore (guitar, 1979-80), Rob “Wacko” Hunter (drums, […]
Blitzkrieg were an English metal band from Leicester that released the album A Time of Changes on Neat in 1985. Members: Brian Ross (vocals), Jim Sirotto (guitar, 1980-81, 1984-86), Ian Jones (guitar, 1980-81), Steve English (bass, 1980-81), Steve Abbey (drums, 1980-81), Mick Moore (bass, 1981, 1984-86, 1991), John Antcliffe (guitar, 1981), Sean Taylor (drums, 1984-86, […]
Punishment of Luxury was an English post-punk band from Newcastle that cut a 1978 standalone single followed by the 1979 UA album Laughing Academy. After two cassette-only releases, Punilux cut a second album, 7, in 1984 on Red Rhino Records. Members: Nevilluxury (vocals, guitar, synthesizers), Steve Sekrit (drums, vocals), Jimi Giro (bass, vocals), Brian Bond […]
Vashti Bunyan (born 1945) is an English singer/songwriter from Newcastle upon Tyne who released a single apiece on Decca and Columbia circa 1965/66, followed by the album Just Another Diamond Day on Philips in 1970. Approximately two album’s worth of mid-’60s recordings were later released on a double-CD by archivists FatCat Records. Discography: “Some Things […]
Atlas were an English hard-rock trio from Newcastle that released the album Against All the Odds on self-press Emerging Records in 1978. Members: Darrel Wilkes (guitar, vocals), Paul Greenwood (bass, keyboards), NHK Pheasant (drums) Discography: Against All the Odds (1978)
Avenger were an English heavy metal band from Newcastle upon Tyne that released a standalone single and two albums on NWOBHM-specialty label Neat between 1983 and 1985. Members: Brian Ross (vocals, 1982-83), Ian Swift (vocals, 1983-86), Steve Bird (guitar, 1982-83), John Brownless (guitar, 1983-84), Les Cheetham (guitar, 1984-85), Greg Reiter (guitar, 1985-86) Discography: “Too Wild […]
