Killing Floor (British band)

Last updated

Killing Floor
Killing floor dagenham roundhouse 3.jpg
Killing Floor performing at the Dagenham Roundhouse in 1971
Background information
OriginLondon, England
Genres Blues rock, garage rock, pop rock [1]
Years active1968–1972; 2002–present [1]
LabelsSpark Records, Penny Farthing Records, Appaloosa Records, Rockfold Records
Members Mick Clarke
Bill Thorndycraft
Stuart McDonald
Bazz Smith
Past members Lou Martin
Rod de'Ath
Ray Owen
Mick Hawksworth

Killing Floor are a British blues rock band, who formed in 1968. They released two albums and four singles before initially disbanding in 1972. They have issued another two albums since their reformation in 2002. The band name came from the title of Howlin' Wolf's 1964 track, "Killing Floor". [1]

Contents

Career

Originally performing in a blues band known as The Loop, Killing Floor founder members Mick Clarke (lead guitar) and Bill Thorndycraft (vocals/harmonica) formed the band in 1968 in London, England, after placing an advertisement in Melody Maker . From this, they recruited Lou Martin (piano), Stuart McDonald (bass guitar) and Bazz Smith (drums). [1] After undertaking their maiden gig, former Wonderful Radio London DJ and agent, John Edward, [2] offered to manage the fledgling outfit. Edward led them to signing a recording contract with Spark Records and, in 1969, their self-titled debut album was recorded in less than two weeks at the Pye Recording Studios. [1] Edwards was listed as the record's producer, [3] although he had no previous experience in that field. [1] The majority of the tracks were re-workings of older Chicago blues material, although the only true cover version therein was of Willie Dixon's "You Need Love". AllMusic described the set as a " less reverent, and altogether heavier update of The Yardbirds rave-up sound". [4] In the United States, the album was released on the Sire label. [1]

The band were again indebted to Edward, who arranged for them to appear at the California Ballroom in Dunstable, where they supported Ten Years After, Jethro Tull, Chicken Shack, and The Herd. They also played at the Marquee Club in London, supporting Yes and The Nice. In 1969, the band expanded their loyal fan base when undertaking two UK nationwide concert tours with the American bluesman, Freddie King. [1] The band also took the opportunity to back Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup. [5] Following the release of Killing Floor and a couple of BBC Radio 1 sessions, Lou Martin left the band, and they continued for a while as a four piece. [1] In March 1970, the band played at the Easter Festival in Hamburg, Germany. [5] In 1970 and 1971, further line-up changes took place which included the former Juicy Lucy vocalist Ray Owen, drummer Rod de'Ath, and bassist Mick Hawksworth, joining the band. [1] The latter had previously been with Andromeda, [6] and later went on to join Fuzzy Duck. [7]

In 1970, the band's second album, Out of Uranus was released on Penny Farthing Records. [1] Although Edward retained record producer duties, [8] Larry Page oversaw the recording sessions as executive producer. [1] AllMusic commented that "Out of Uranus is rawer and more irreverent than most second-line British blues-rock of the late '60s and early '70s, as indicated by the title itself". [9] A single from Out of Uranus, "Call For the Politicians", received airplay on BBC Radio 1, and also sold well in Germany. [5]

However, by mid-1972, the group had decided to disband. Thorndycraft left the music industry, whilst Smith moved on to play in other bands. McDonald joined the former Free singer, Paul Rodgers, in a short-lived outfit called Peace, before McDonald moved back to his native Wales and played in locally based bands. By this time Lou Martin had already joined Rory Gallagher's band, where he was joined by de'Ath. Mick Clarke formed SALT, a pub rock outfit, before instigating the Mick Clarke Band. [1] Clarke subsequently issued nineteen solo albums and continues to tour with his band. [10] Repertoire Records and See for Miles Records reissued both of the Killing Floor albums. [1]

In 2002, the original 1968 line-up reconvened and, after a gap of almost 35 years, issued another Killing Floor album, Zero Tolerance (2004), on Appaloosa Records. [11] The band undertook concert dates across Europe, [5] and in May 2012 their fourth album, Rock 'n' Roll Gone Mad, was released. [12] [13] It was dedicated to the late Hubert Sumlin, who had been the lead guitarist on Howlin' Wolf's recording of the song "Killing Floor". [14]

The band performed at the Sweden Rock Festival in June 2012, on the same bill as Motörhead and Blue Öyster Cult. [5]

Lou Martin died in Bournemouth, Dorset, on 17 August 2012, aged 63. [15] Rod de'Ath, aged 64 died on 1 August 2014. [16]

Discography

Albums

YearTitleLabel
1969Killing FloorSpark Records
1970Out of Uranus Penny Farthing Records
2004Zero ToleranceAppaloosa Records
2012Rock 'n' Roll Gone MadRockfold Records [17]

[13] [18]

Singles

YearTitleLabelAlbum
1969"Wow Wow Wow"Spark RecordsNon-album single
1970"Call For the Politicians"Penny Farthing RecordsOut of Uranus
1971"Milkman" / "Where Nobody Ever Goes"Penny Farthing RecordsOut of Uranus
1972"Out of Uranus" / "Sun Keeps Shining"Yanki Plak Records (Turkey only)Out of Uranus

[19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howlin' Wolf</span> American blues musician (1910–1976)

Chester Arthur Burnett, better known by his stage name Howlin' Wolf, was an American blues singer and guitarist. He was at the forefront of transforming acoustic Delta blues into electric Chicago blues, and over a four-decade career, recorded blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and psychedelic rock. He is regarded as one of the most influential blues musicians of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chess Records</span> American record label (1950–1975)

Chess Records was an American record company established in 1950 in Chicago, specializing in blues and rhythm and blues. It was the successor to Aristocrat Records, founded in 1947. It expanded into soul music, gospel music, early rock and roll, and jazz and comedy recordings, released on the Chess and its subsidiary labels Checker and Argo/Cadet. The Chess catalogue is owned by Universal Music Group and managed by Geffen Records and Universal Music Enterprises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rory Gallagher</span> Irish guitarist (1948–1995)

William Rory Gallagher was an Irish musician and songwriter. He is known for his virtuosic style of guitar playing, and is often referred to as "the greatest guitarist you've never heard of". A number of guitarists, including Alex Lifeson of Rush, Brian May of Queen, and Eric Clapton, have cited Gallagher as an influence. He was voted as guitarist of the year by Melody Maker magazine in 1972, and listed as the 57th greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2015.

Rotary Connection was an American psychedelic soul band, formed in Chicago in 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Whitley</span> American blues/rock singer

Christopher Becker Whitley was an American blues/rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. During his 25-year career, he released more than a dozen albums, had two songs in the top 50 of the Billboard mainstream rock charts and received two Independent Music Awards. Whitley's sound was drawn from the traditions of blues, jazz and rock and he recorded songs by artists from many genres. He died in 2005 of lung cancer at the age of 45.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hubert Sumlin</span> American blues guitarist and singer

Hubert Charles Sumlin was a Chicago blues guitarist and singer, best known for his "wrenched, shattering bursts of notes, sudden cliff-hanger silences and daring rhythmic suspensions" as a member of Howlin' Wolf's band. He was ranked number 43 in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killing Floor (Howlin' Wolf song)</span> 1964 single by Howlin Wolf

"Killing Floor" is a 1964 song by American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist Howlin' Wolf. Called "one of the defining classics of Chicago electric blues", "Killing Floor" became a blues standard with recordings by various artists. It has been acknowledged by the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame, which noted its popularity among rock as well as blues musicians. English rock group Led Zeppelin adapted the song for their "The Lemon Song", for which Howlin' Wolf is named as a co-author.

Juicy Lucy was a British blues rock band officially formed on 1 October 1969. After the demise of The Misunderstood, Juicy Lucy was formed by US-born steel guitarist Glenn Ross Campbell, and prolific Blackburn saxophonist Chris Mercer. The group later recruited vocalist Ray Owen, guitarist Neil Hubbard, bassist Keith Ellis, and drummer Pete Dobson.

Albert Luandrew, known as Sunnyland Slim, was an American blues pianist who was born in the Mississippi Delta and moved to Chicago, helping to make that city a center of postwar blues.

<i>Blueprint</i> (Rory Gallagher album) 1973 studio album by Rory Gallagher

Blueprint is the third studio album and fourth album overall by Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher, released as a vinyl record in 1973. It entered the UK album charts on 24 February, and reached No. 12. With his first band Taste and with his solo band up to this point Gallagher was one of the first guitarists to lead a power trio lineup. With Blueprint Gallagher included a keyboardist for the first time.

<i>Calling Card</i> 1976 studio album by Rory Gallagher

Calling Card is the sixth studio album and eighth album overall by Irish singer/guitarist Rory Gallagher. A 1976 release, it was his second of four albums released on Chrysalis Records in the 1970s. Deep Purple/Rainbow bass guitarist Roger Glover co-produced with Gallagher: it was the first time that Gallagher worked with a "name" producer and the only successful such collaboration. It was also the last album Gallagher would do with Rod de'Ath (drums) and Lou Martin (keyboards). After Calling Card, Gallagher retained only his long-time bass guitarist Gerry McAvoy and hired Ted McKenna on drums. This revised power trio was Gallagher's line up for the next five years.

Louis Michael "Lou" Martin was a piano and organ player from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was an original member of the London-based band Killing Floor, and also worked with fellow Irish musician Rory Gallagher.

<i>BBC Sessions</i> (Rory Gallagher album) 1999 compilation album by Rory Gallagher

BBC Sessions is a blues rock album by Rory Gallagher, released in 1999. The album was compiled from live recordings made at the BBC by Gallagher's brother Dónal and released posthumously.

Wilgar William Campbell was an Irish blues rock musician, best known for his role as drummer with Rory Gallagher in the early 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rod de'Ath</span> Welsh rock drummer of the 1970s

Roderick Morris Buckenham de'Ath was a Welsh musician, best known for his role as drummer with Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher in the 1970s.

<i>Wheels Within Wheels</i> 2003 studio album by Rory Gallagher

Wheels Within Wheels is a blues and folk-influenced acoustic rock album by Rory Gallagher. Featuring a range of acoustic styles including flamenco, skiffle and traditional Irish music, the album was compiled from lost recordings and outtakes by Gallagher's brother Dónal and released posthumously. A number of notable musicians appeared on the album, and the songs were recorded in various locations all over the world between 1974 and 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samantha Fish</span> American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter

Samantha Fish is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter from Kansas City, Missouri. While often cited as a blues artist, Fish's work features and draws from multiple genres, including rock, country, funk, bluegrass, and ballads.

Andrew "Blueblood" McMahon was an American Chicago blues bass guitarist, singer and songwriter. McMahon played bass guitar in Howlin' Wolf's backing ensemble for over a decade. He also backed a number of other Chicago-based blues musicians on record. His own best known tracks are "Lost in the Jungle", "Special Agent", "Potato Diggin' Man", and "Worried All the Time", which have appeared on several compilation albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mick Clarke (musician)</span> Musical artist

Mick Clarke is a British blues rock and pop rock guitarist and songwriter based in Surrey, England. He is a founding member of the British band Killing Floor. He also co-founded SALT in 1975 and The Mick Clarke Band in the early 1980s. Clarke began his professional music career in 1968 and has released 22 solo albums as well as four studio albums with Killing Floor on various record labels.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Bryan Thomas. "Killing Floor | Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  2. ↑ "Offshore disc-jockeys of the 60s, E-G". Offshoreradio.co.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  3. ↑ "Killing Floor – Killing Floor | Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  4. ↑ Thom Jurek. "Killing Floor – Killing Floor | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Killing Floor – History". Marshalamp.com. 19 August 1969. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  6. ↑ Bruce Eder. "Andromeda | Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  7. ↑ "Fuzzy Duck | Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  8. ↑ "Out of Uranus – Killing Floor | Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  9. ↑ Richie Unterberger. "Out of Uranus – Killing Floor | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  10. ↑ "The Mick Clarke Band | Album Discography". AllMusic. 22 January 1996. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  11. ↑ "Killing Floor (2) – Zero Tolerance (CD, Album)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  12. ↑ "Killing Floor – Rock'N'Roll Gone Mad". Marshalamp.com. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  13. 1 2 "Killing Floor – Rock N Roll Gone Mad – Amazon.com.com Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  14. ↑ "Blues Blast Magazine – September 27, 2012". Thebluesblast.com. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  15. ↑ "A blue day for the blues - Lou Martin R.I.P." Rorygallagher.com. 17 August 2012.
  16. ↑ "Rod de'Ath dies". Ultimate Classic Rock. 2 August 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  17. ↑ "Rockfold Records". Marshalamp.com. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  18. ↑ "Killing Floor | Album Discography". AllMusic. 5 July 2004. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  19. ↑ "Killing Floor (2) Discography a". Discogs.com. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.