List of Discharge band members

Last updated

Discharge performing live in 2006 Discharge1.jpg
Discharge performing live in 2006

Discharge are an English hardcore punk band from Stoke-on-Trent. Formed in early 1977, the group originally featured a lineup of vocalist Terry "Tezz" Roberts, guitarists Roy "Rainy" Wainwright and Tony "Bones" Roberts, bassist Nigel Bamford and drummer Tony "Acko" Atkinson. The band's current lineup features Rainy on bass (a constant member, save for the group's 1991–99 reunion), Bones on guitar (who originally left in 1982 and rejoined in 2001), Tezz on guitar (the band's drummer from 1977 to 1980 and 2001 to 2006, before rejoining in 2014), drummer Dave "Proper Caution" Bridgwood (since 2006) and vocalist Jeff "JJ" Janiak (since 2014).

Contents

History

1977–1987

Discharge were originally formed in early 1977 by vocalist Terry "Tezz" Roberts and guitarist Roy "Rainy" Wainwright, with second guitarist Tony "Bones" Roberts (Tezz's younger brother), bassist Nigel Bamford and drummer Tony "Acko" Atkinson. [1] [2] Acko left the band after the recording of their first string of demos between March and June, with Tezz switching to drums, Rainy taking over from Bamford on bass, and roadie Kelvin "Cal" Morris joining as vocalist. [1] After signing with local label Clay Records and releasing their first three EPs – Realities of War, Fight Back and Decontrol – the group lost another founding member as Tezz departed, who later explained that "we weren't refining [our sound] fast enough for my liking", adding "I had other plans... I wanted to play with as many bands as I possibly could." [3]

With new drummer Dave "Bambi" Ellesmere, the band issued their fourth EP Why in 1981, before Garry Maloney took over in the summer in time for recording of their fifth, Never Again . [4] After one final single, "State Violence State Control", Bones also left in late 1982 claiming that the band members "weren't getting along" and that Cal and Maloney were "letting [the band's growth] go to their heads". [5] The guitarist went on to form Broken Bones with brother Tezz. [6] He was replaced in Discharge by Peter "Pooch" Purtill, who is credited for introducing elements of heavy metal music into the band's sound. [7] After releasing Warning: Her Majesty's Government Can Seriously Damage Your Health , "The Price of Silence" and "The More I See" with Pooch, both he and Maloney left Discharge in the summer of 1984. [5]

Pooch and Maloney were replaced by Leslie "The Mole" Hunt and Micky "Heymaker" Gibson, respectively, who performed on 1985's "Ignorance" before leaving again. [8] With guitarist Stephen "Fish" Brookes and returning drummer Maloney, Discharge finally issued their second album Grave New World the following year. [7] The album was critically panned, with Classic Rock writer Sleazegrinder calling it "fucking horrible". [9] Rainy, the last remaining original member, left before the album's release, with Nick Bushell taking his place for the subsequent tour. [10] After the tour, the band was left with no early members as Cal also quit. [9] Wrathchild frontman Rob "Rocky Shades" Barclay briefly joined the band in his place, rehearsing for a planned run of shows. [11] In early 1987, however, the group disbanded. [10] [9]

From 1991

In 1991, Kelvin "Cal" Morris and Garry Maloney reformed Discharge, adding new guitarist Andy Green and bassist Anthony "Jake" Morgan. [10] The new lineup issued two studio albums – Massacre Divine in 1991 and Shootin' Up the World in 1993. [12] A second reunion followed in the summer of 2001, when the 1977–80 lineup of Cal, guitarist Tony "Bones" Roberts, bassist Roy "Rainy" Wainwright and drummer Terry "Tezz" Roberts recorded a self-titled album released the next year. [13] Speaking about the decision to reform, Tezz explained that "The truth is, that awful metal thing Discharge turned into was a big reason for coming back. We just had to do another record, we couldn't let Discharge go down like that." [10] In 2003, Cal was replaced by Varukers frontman Anthony "Rat" Martin, after refusing to go on tour. [14] [15]

Tezz left in 2006, with Dave "Proper Caution" Bridgwood taking his place in time for the recording of Disensitise. [7] [16] After a string of singles and EPs, including a split release with Off with Their Heads in 2011, [17] Martin was replaced in 2014 by Broken Bones vocalist Jeff "JJ" Janiak. [18] At the same time, bandmate Tezz returned for his third spell in Discharge, this time on guitar. [7] In 2015, Discharge signed with Nuclear Blast, who issued the band's first studio album in eight years, End of Days, the following year. [19]

Members

Current

ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions
Roy "Rainy" Wainwright
  • 1977–1987
  • 2001–present
  • bass
  • guitar (1977)
all Discharge releases from Realities of War (1980) to The Nightmare Continues... Live (1990), and from Discharge (2002) onwards
Tony "Bones" Roberts
  • 1977–1982
  • 2001–present
guitarall Discharge releases from Realities of War (1980) to "State Violence State Control" (1982), and from Discharge (2002) onwards, except Toronto '83: In the Cold Night
Terry "Tezz" Roberts
  • 1977–1980
  • 2001–2006
  • 2014–present
  • guitar (since 2014)
  • drums (1977–80, 2001–06)
  • vocals (1977)
  • Realities of War (1980)
  • Fight Back (1980)
  • Decontrol (1980)
  • Discharge (2002)
  • Tour Edition 001 (2004)
  • "Beginning of the End" (2006)
  • Early Demo's: March–June 1977 (2008)
  • Live 2014 (2015)
  • End of Days (2016)
Dave "Proper" Caution
(Dave Bridgwood)		2006–presentdrumsall Discharge releases from Disensitise (2008) onwards, except Toronto '83: In the Cold Night
Jeff Janiak.jpg
Jeff "JJ" Janiak 2014–presentvocals
  • Live 2014 (2015)
  • New World Order (2015)
  • End of Days (2016)

Former

ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions
Nigel Bamford
  • 1977
  • 2001
bassEarly Demo's: March–June 1977 (2008)
Tony "Acko" Atkinson1977drums
Kelvin "Cal" Morris
  • 1977–1987
  • 1991–1995
  • 2001–2003
vocals
  • all Discharge releases from Realities of War (1980) to Discharge (2002)
  • Toronto '83: In the Cold Night (2015)
Dave "Bambi" Ellesmere 1980–1981drums Why (1981)
Garry Maloney
  • 1981–1984
  • 1985–1987
  • 1991–1995
Peter "Pooch" Purtill1982–1984guitar
Leslie "The Mole" Hunt1984–1985"Ignorance" (1985)
Micky "Heymaker" Gibsondrums
Stephen "Fish" Brooks1985–1987guitarGrave New World (1986)
Nick Bushell1986–1987bassnone – live performances only
Rocky Shades
(Robert Barclay)		1987vocalsnone – rehearsals only
Andy Green1991–1995guitar
Anthony "Jake" Morganbass
Discharge live in Rome 2006.jpg
Anthony "Rat" Martin2003–2014vocalsall Discharge releases from Tour Edition 001 (2004) to "Legacy You Left Behind" (2011)

Timeline

List of Discharge band members

Lineups

PeriodMembersReleases
Early – mid/late 1977
  • Terry "Tezz" Roberts – vocals
  • Roy "Rainy" Wainwright – guitar
  • Tony "Bones" Roberts – guitar
  • Nigel Bamford – bass
  • Tony "Acko" Atkinson – drums
  • Early Demo's: March–June 1977 (2008)
Mid/late 1977 – late 1980
  • Kelvin "Cal" Morris – vocals
  • Tony "Bones" Roberts – guitar
  • Roy "Rainy" Wainwright – bass
  • Terry "Tezz" Roberts – drums
Late 1980 – spring 1981
  • Kelvin "Cal" Morris – vocals
  • Tony "Bones" Roberts – guitar
  • Roy "Rainy" Wainwright – bass
  • Dave "Bambi" Ellesmere – drums
Spring 1981 – late 1982
  • Kelvin "Cal" Morris – vocals
  • Tony "Bones" Roberts – guitar
  • Roy "Rainy" Wainwright – bass
  • Garry Maloney – drums
Late 1982 – summer 1984
  • Kelvin "Cal" Morris – vocals
  • Peter "Pooch" Purtill – guitar
  • Roy "Rainy" Wainwright – bass
  • Garry Maloney – drums
Late 1984 – summer 1985
  • Kelvin "Cal" Morris – vocals
  • Leslie "The Mole" Hunt – guitar
  • Roy "Rainy" Wainwright – bass
  • Micky "Heymaker" Gibson – drums
  • "Ignorance" (1985)
Late 1985 – summer 1986
  • Kelvin "Cal" Morris – vocals
  • Stephen "Fish" Brooks – guitar
  • Roy "Rainy" Wainwright – bass
  • Garry Maloney – drums
Summer 1986 – early 1987
  • Kelvin "Cal" Morris – vocals
  • Stephen "Fish" Brooks – guitar
  • Nick Bushell – bass
  • Garry Maloney – drums
none
Early 1987
  • Rocky Shades – vocals
  • Stephen "Fish" Brooks – guitar
  • Nick Bushell – bass
  • Garry Maloney – drums
Band inactive early 1987 – early 1991
Early 1991 – 1995
  • Kelvin "Cal" Morris – vocals
  • Andy Green – guitar
  • Anthony "Jake" Morgan – bass
  • Garry Maloney – drums
Band inactive 1995 – 2001
Summer 2001 – 2003
  • Kelvin "Cal" Morris – vocals
  • Tony "Bones" Roberts – guitar
  • Roy "Rainy" Wainwright – bass
  • Terry "Tezz" Roberts – drums
2003–2006
  • Anthony "Rat" Martin – vocals
  • Tony "Bones" Roberts – guitar
  • Roy "Rainy" Wainwright – bass
  • Terry "Tezz" Roberts – drums
  • Tour Edition 001 (2004)
  • Beginning of the End (2006)
2006–2014
  • Anthony "Rat" Martin – vocals
  • Tony "Bones" Roberts – guitar
  • Roy "Rainy" Wainwright – bass
  • Dave "Proper" Caution – drums
  • Disensitise (2008)
  • Japan 09 (2009)
  • Propaganda Feeds (2011)
  • "Legacy You Left Behind" (2011)
2014–present
  • Jeff "JJ" Janiak – vocals
  • Tony "Bones" Roberts – guitar
  • Terry "Tezz" Roberts – guitar
  • Roy "Rainy" Wainwright – bass
  • Dave "Proper" Caution – drums
  • Live 2014 (2015)
  • New World Order (2015)
  • End of Days (2016)

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References

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 Glasper 2014 , p. 185
  2. ↑ Deaux, John (9 January 2020). "UK Punk Icons Discharge Celebrite Their 40th Anniversary With 'Protest And Survive – The Anthology'". All About the Rock. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  3. ↑ Glasper 2014 , p. 188
  4. ↑ Glasper 2014 , p. 189
  5. 1 2 Glasper 2014 , p. 190
  6. ↑ "Broken Bones 'Dem Bones'". Jungle Records . Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Ankeny, Jason. "Discharge: Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  8. ↑ Glasper 2014 , p. 191
  9. 1 2 3 Sleazegrinder (4 May 2015). "Flash Metal Suicide: Discharge". Classic Rock . Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Glasper 2014 , p. 192
  11. ↑ Miller, Andrew (30 September 2013). "Rocky Shades of Wildside Riot Interview". Sleaze Roxx. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  12. ↑ Whyte, Joe (16 July 2016). "Discharge: Reissues – album reviews". Louder Than War. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  13. ↑ McFarlane, Dean. "Discharge - Discharge: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  14. ↑ Bade, Chris (19 October 2003). "Discharge At CBGB In New York and TLA In Philadelphia". Chorus & Verse. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  15. ↑ Horsley, Jonathan (5 September 2011). "Growing old dis-gracefully: Discharge frontman Rat on why punk's most explosive survivors can never die". Decibel . Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  16. ↑ "It's all the same to Discharge drummer Dave Bridgwood". Metal Transistor. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  17. ↑ Gentile, John (13 January 2012). "Discharge / Off With Their Heads - Split (7-inch)". Punknews.org. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  18. ↑ Gourlay, Dom (31 August 2018). ""We don't want to put out shit just for the sake of it": DiS Meets Discharge". Drowned in Sound . Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  19. ↑ Adams, Gregory (4 November 2015). "Discharge Sign with Nuclear Blast for First Album in 8 Years". Exclaim! . Retrieved 18 May 2020.
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