The International Encyclopedia of Hard Rock & Heavy Metal/Artists

A

 * Lee Aaron (Canada)
 * "A female-fronted band which features ex-Moxy, Reckless and Wrabit members. Their album has contributions from Frank Soda, Santers and the re-formed Moxy. A name to watch."
 * This lady is an outstanding vocalist. Her introductory album went out under the banner of the Lee Aaron Project and featured a selection of well-known Canadian rock musicians (members of Moxy, Reckless, Santers, Frank Soda and Wrabit, etc.) playing songs specially written for the occasion. With her identity sold, albeit sexually, her reputation has spread across the world and gained her the necessary media exposure to the point where she looks set for major recognition. Visits to the UK (first in 1983) and Europe (support to Bon Jovi, 1985) have added to the buzz. Sh has been able to form a more resilient and permanent backing band. Metal Queen is a vast improvement on the debut album, but Call of the Wild is as complete hard rock as you'll likely hear - taut rhythm, fiery guitar and totally unrestrained vocal gymnastics.


 * Accept (Germany)
 * "Formed in 1977, Accept's first album featured Frank Friedrich on drums before Kaufmann replaced him. Quite popular in their home country as well as with American fans of Euro-metal, Accept's best products are Breaker and Restless and Wild. The former features guitarist Jörg Fischer who left the band following a support tour of Europe with Judas Priest. Restless and Wild is often aggressive and generates the best of power-metal music. Accept follow the German trend set by the Scorpions, with sexist album covers, throaty vocals, chainsaw guitar-work and powerhouse drumming. They are a good live band and feature pyrotechnic guitar and drumstick routines. International recognition has come their way. Accept is joining the world's top league of hard rock outfits."
 * AC/DC (Australia)
 * "At first regarded as a punk band, AC/DC hit Britain in 1976. Lead singer Scott attracted attention with his raunchy vocals, while Young impressed with his guitar skills, and amused himself and some others by decking himself out in schoolboy dress. The band came to Britain in 1976 and proceeded to blow the musical world into submission with their totally relentless boogie onslaught. Within two years, AC/DC had taken themselves from relative obscurity to almost headline status. Let There Be Rock was probably the turning-point for the band and their popularity grew rapidly with the release of each subsequent album. On the verge of worldwide success and following their most successful tour, the band suffered a severe setback in 1980 when Bon Scott died by choking on his own vomit after a drinking bout. Many thought the band would fold, but within four months a new lead vocalist had been chosen. Brian Johnson, ex-Geordie and a singer whose voice could halt a high-speed train, took over the driving-seat. The band set about recording Back in Black, their tribute to Bon Scott. With sales of twelve million copies worldwide, it was the LP which brought them international success and shot them up into the top rungs of the superstar first division. The 1981 LP For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) and the 1982 world tour capitalized on this fact and convinced those who had any doubts about their capabilities. A remarkable stable band throughout their career, AC/DC have had only one minor line-up change (other than Johnson's signing), with the exit of Mark Evans (bass). He was replaced by Cliff Williams, ex-Home and Bandit. Evans returned to Australia and formed Contraband. Musically, AC/DC have stuck doggedly to their basic twelve-bar boogie and crushing guitar attack. Drummer Phil Rudd 'retired' in the summer of 1983 for personal reasons and was replaced by Simon Wright, ex-Tytan. Later albums appear to suggest that the band has already peaked musically and popularly."
 * Aceium (Canada)
 * "Canuk band who sound like a cross between Angelwitch and Holocaust. Their only output so far is a thirteen-track demo. They describe themselves as wicked metal."
 * Achilles (USA)
 * "One track called "HM King" - which is a good savage workout - has surfaced on a US compilation album."
 * Acid (Belgium)
 * "Raw, hard, fast-driving metallurgists - with leather dominatrix Kate looking and sounding equally lusty. This is savage stuff for real metal die-hards and even a Venom fan might be silenced by them."
 * Bryan Adams (Canada)
 * "A singer-songwriter whose songs are similar to REO Speedwagon/Prism. Good, heavy radio-fodder."
 * "Incredibly talented singer-songwriter Bryan Adams has found enormous success in the interim period between these two editions. His debut album made inroads into the Canadian charts, an area he had known as a member of Sweeney Todd. You Want It You Got It secured his Canadian position and opened the USA to pave the way for the enormous-selling Cuts Like a Knife opus. Obviously his best work, the album climbed the North American charts rapidly and songs like 'Take Me Back', 'I'm Ready' and 'This Time' became radio standards. Reckless helped him crack Europe and he subsequently gained massive critical acceptance as he toured as support to Tina Turner. As a songwriter Adams is unique in his ability to pen poignant lyrics dressed in brilliantly catchy melodies. On the other hand there are many who find his music bland and predictable, albeit commercial."
 * Adam Michaels Band (USA)
 * "Paul Adams and Paul Michaels form the basis of this band from Pittsburg. They have a sound similar to Phillips MacLeod."
 * Aerial (Canada)
 * "Aerial's debut was a mixture of soft pomp and multiinstrumental dexterity. It was recorded with Gary O'Connor on guitar, but he left before Manoeuvers, which is far superior, more aggressive and rockier. An interesting band, who evidently earn vast sums working the bar circuits with a Beatles' tribute. In between, they record their own music at Anthem's expense"
 * Aerosmith (USA)
 * "New Hampshire provided the geographical setting for the birth of the rock band Aerosmith in 1970. The focal-point of the group was Boston-area-based Steven Tyler, a fan of British bands and himself called a 'Jagger-like' vocalist. Earlier in his career Tyler had been a dance-band drummer who had supported major groups. Tyler, together with Perry, Whitford, Hamilton and Kramer, signed Aerosmith to US Columbia in August 1972, and a first album titled after the band was released early in the following year. This and subsequent releases put the group into US supergroup class, with Toys in the Attic being regarded as the peak release of the mid-1970s. The album ran for two years in the Billboard album chart and spawned two top-selling singles, 'Dream On' and 'Walk This Way'. By September 1976 the band was grossing $900,000 for a month's work. Perry left the group in 1980 to form his own outfit, and for a period there was uncertainty about the group's future. Any fears of Aerosmith's disintegrating or merely being remembered for a number of fine classic hard rock cuts were allayed in 1982 when the group turned in one of the year's best album releases: Rock in a Hard Place, featuring new members Rick Dufay and Jimmy Crespo (ex-Flame) on guitar. Their superb, heavy swank 'n' sass sound feeds on R'n'B roots. The original line-up re-formed in 1984."
 * A Foot in Cold Water (Canada)
 * This early Canadian heavy outfit was much influenced by other bands of the time, including Bang, but nevertheless revealed some good guitarwork. They went on to form Private Eye. Hughie Leggat released a solo album in 1982 and vocalist Machin later turned up fronting the superb band Champion"
 * Agnes Strange (UK)
 * "A mid-1970s English heavy blues band. They never made it out of the club circuit but always turned in a creditable performance. Strange Flavour has good heavy rock with some acoustic blues numbers."
 * Airbourne (USA)
 * "This is another band made up of session musicians, like Toto, and the music is much the same. It is good solid pomp/US radio rock. 'No Exception to the Rule' is an all-time classic. Beau Hill went on to join Shanghai, and later found fame as a world-class producer. Ratt and Airrace are among the many who have profitited from his production.""
 * "This is another band made up of session musicians, like Toto, and the music is much the same. It is good solid pomp/US radio rock. 'No Exception to the Rule' is an all-time classic. Beau Hill went on to join Shanghai, and later found fame as a world-class producer. Ratt and Airrace are among the many who have profitited from his production.""


 * Air Force (UK)
 * Air Raid (USA)
 * A La Carte (USA)
 * Alexis (USA)
 * Alias (USA)
 * Alien (UK)
 * Alkatrazz (UK)
 * Alleybrat (USA)
 * Allison (Norway)
 * Allman Brothers (USA)
 * Alpha Centauri (Canada)
 * Alverna Gunn (UK)
 * The Amboy Dukes (USA)
 * Ambrosia (USA)
 * Americade (USA)
 * American Noise (USA)
 * American Tears (USA)

B

 * Banchee (USA)
 * Black Sabbath (UK)

C

 * Cheap Trick (USA)
 * Cold Chisel (Australia)
 * "Australian hard rock with R'n'B tints. Cold Chisel achieved huge popularity with Breakfast at Sweethearts in their home country and changed style on East to a radio-bias AOR sound which attracted worldwide attention. A good band with superb songs."
 * Colored Balls (Australia)
 * "Sporting skinhead haircuts, the Colored Balls wreaked heavy-rock havoc from 1971 to 1974 with such mighty power that being banned from venue to venue was taken as an occupational hazard. No albums are known, but two singles 'Liberate Rock' and 'Mess of Blues' have been documented. The band changed their name to Buster Brown in 1974."
 * Colossus (UK)
 * Coma (UK)
 * Conductor (USA)
 * Coney Hatch (USA)
 * Brian Connolly (UK)
 * Gary O'Connor (Canada)
 * Contraband (Australia)
 * Graham Cooper (UK)
 * Cosmos Factory (Japan)
 * Couchois (USA)
 * John Cougar (USA)
 * Coven (USA)
 * Coz (Spain)
 * Crabby Appleton (USA)
 * Crack The Sky (USA)
 * Crane (USA)
 * Crash Bang Wallop (USA)
 * Crawler (UK)
 * Cream (UK)
 * Creed (USA)
 * Crimson Tide (USA)
 * Peter Criss (USA)
 * Crossfire (Belgium)
 * Crowbar (USA)
 * Crowcus (Canada)
 * Crown (Switzerland)
 * Crucifixion (UK)
 * Cruiser (Canada)
 * The Cry (Canada)
 * Cryer (UK)
 * Crystal Pride (Sweden)
 * Crystal Suspension (USA)
 * Crysys (USA)
 * Cub Koda and the Points (USA)
 * Culprit (USA)
 * Cherie Curris (USA)
 * Curtis Knight Zeus (UK)

D

 * Dokken (Germany/USA)

E

 * Elf (USA)

F

 * Foreigner (USA)

M

 * Midnight Oil  (Australia)
 * "An Australian band with a sound similar to Angel City but with new-wave influences. They have a psychotic singer who looks and moves like something out of a horror film. They are quite extraordinary in concert."
 * Midnight Traveller (USA)

N

 * Ted Nugent

Q

 * Q (USA)
 * "Q are very similar to Mother's Finest, but more funky than heavy."
 * Quarterflash (USA)
 * "Quarterflash are an AOR band consisting of six members. They had massive US hits with Harden My Heart and the follow-up, Find Another Fool - both were also minor hits in the UK. The band's debut album also hit big Stateside."
 * Quartz (UK)
 * "A Birmingham band with their beginnings in 1974, Quartz signed to Jet in 1976 under the name of Bandylegs. Hopkins played in The Idle Race with Jeff Lynne (also in The Move and Electric Light Orchestra) in the early 1970s. Quartz was produced by Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi and the group supported their fellow Midlanders - as well as AC/DC - on gigs. In 1979, Midland's independent Reddington's Rare Records issued Quartz's up-date of the Mountain classic 'Nantucket Sleighride'. The group recorded 'Count Dracula' and 'Live Songs'. Logo picked up the latter and released it as an album. They also issued a 12-inch red vinyl three-track single. A track 'Back in the Band' found its way on to EMI's Muthas Pride EP. MCA signed the band and released Stand Up and Fight with the present line-up. Quartz play basic hard rock and have Black Sabbath overtones, but with less menacing vocals and they are more given to melody."
 * Quatermass (UK)
 * "A really aggressive organ-dominated band who could have pushed themselves to the forefront of progressive rock at the time. However, like so many, they did not succeed. Gustafson formed Hard Stuff then worked with the Ian Gillan Band. Underwood went to Strapps and finally to the Ian Gillan Band."
 * Michael Quatro (USA)
 * Michael is the brother of Suzi Quatro. In Collaboration With the Gods is a triumphant mixture of classical themes played on multi-keyboards, beefed up with severe brutal guitar passages courtesy of Rick Derringer. The second album is less adventurous with shorter and more conventional tracks. His first two LP's feature guitar work by Ted Nugent."
 * Queen (UK)
 * "Queen is one of the world's highest-earning outfits in the general pop world. Their early heavy-metal fire of the 1973-4 period has largely ceased save for an occasional track like 'Put Out the Fire' on Hot Space and parts of Live Killers. However, in 1983 May told the music press that Queen's heavy days were not over and he promised explosive material from the foursome in future times. That statement, however, has appeared to be ineffectual. Queen, despite their popular widebased musical approach, continue to grow in populalarity. During 1984-5 all Queen members save John Deacon issued solo albums."
 * Queen City Kids (Canada)
 * "Queen City Kids produce good hard rock. Their style is like Aerosmith mixed with Cheap Trick."
 * Qwest (Canada)
 * "A newly formed Canadian four-piece, with good Loverboy-type sounds."
 * The Quick (USA)
 * "The Quick are like a new-wave or hard-pop version of The Babys."
 * Quiet Riot (USA)
 * "This band featured the late Randy Rhoads. The music is poor pop-rock with dire lyrics, but Rhoads' style can be heard on all tracks and especially on those of the far superior second album. Also featured is Rudy Sarzo. Rhoads and Sarzo featured in the Ozzy Osbourne Band during its formative period. After Rhoads met his death in 1982, Sarzo rejoined the band and the line-up became Dubrow, Banali (ex-Billy Thorpe and Hughes / Thrall) on drums, and Carlos Cavazo (ex-Snow) on guitar. The new line-up makes the old crowd irrelevant. Both of Quiet Riot's early albums were recorded specifically for the Japanese teen market and remain unreleased elsewhere."
 * "Both of Quiet Riot's early albums were recorded specifically for the Japanese teen market and remain collector's items. The success of Metal Health stunned the American music business and heralded a resurgence of interest in hard rock; it sold in excess of five million copies in America alone. The album is a reasonable amalgam of current metallic trends relying heavily on simplistic sing-a-long hooklines for its effectiveness and dressed in a superb production from Spencer Proffer. Metal Health's success became the band's cursory downfall for the vital album that followed failed to achieve the same kind of sales. Critics and radio programmers tore the album apart and a subsequent American tour to promote the record was met with less enthusiasm and there were empty seats at many venues. The album's production was equally as impressive as the first and the record did sell more than a million. Sarzo has teamed with Tommy Aldridge (from Ozzy Osbourne's band) and the band's days may be numbered."

R

 * Ram Jam (USA)

T

 * Thin Lizzy

A

 * Abattoir
 * Ace Lane
 * Adam Bomb

L

 * Little River Band
 * "They spent considerable time as a smooth pop-based AOR band, only occasionally straying into heavy rock fields. They scored enormous popularity in the USA where their LPs and singles charted consistently throughout the late 1970s and early 80s. Tired with producing formularized and accessible drivel, the band redefined their direction and produced the incredibly raunchy Playing to Win LP, a masterpiece in melodic sounding metal with similarities to Toto, Le Roux and Foreigner."
 * The International Encyclopedia of Hard Rock & Heavy Metal, Tony Jasper and Derek Oliver, 1986
 * Lizzy Borden
 * "Visually very posey (leather, gaudy tassels, etc.) but on record they display a strange passion for British-influenced metal á la Raven, Iron Maiden and Savage. They released a mini-album, Give 'Em the Axe, to acclaim and followed this by their well-received debut album."
 * The International Encyclopedia of Hard Rock & Heavy Metal, Tony Jasper and Derek Oliver, 1986