Tytan (band)

Last updated

Tytan
Tytan (51518953801).jpg
The band in 2021 (L-R Kev Riddles, Seth Marks, Tony Coldham, Peter Welsh)
Background information
OriginLondon, England
Genres NWOBHM, hard rock, heavy metal
Years active1981–1983, 2012–present
LabelsKamaflage, Majestic, High Roller
MembersKevin Riddles
Andrew Thompson
Ian Nash
Past members Steve Mann
Tom Barna
James Wise
Kal Swan
Les Binks
Dave Harrison
Dave Dufort
Tony Boden
Simon Wright
Gary Owens
Stuart Adams
Mikey Ciancio
Steve Gibbs
Andrew Prestidge
Grant Foster
Dave Strange
Seth Markes
Peter Welsh
Tony Coldham
Garry Bowler

Tytan are a British rock band that lasted about two years during the early 1980s, founded by former Angel Witch bassist Kev Riddles. The album Rough Justice was released after their split. They formed during the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement and are best known for their strong melodies. The band reformed in 2012 to play at the Keep It True festival in Germany and have been touring ever since. In 2016 the band recorded a second album, Justice Served, with Chris Tsangarides for High Roller Records; it was released in May 2017.

Contents

History

Tytan was formed at the height of the new wave of British heavy metal in the autumn of 1981 by the former Angel Witch rhythm section, bassist Kevin Riddles and drummer Dave Dufort (ex-E. F. Band), Scottish vocalist Norman 'Kal' Swan, and guitarists Steve Gibbs and Glasgow-born Stewartie Adams. The latter unfortunately had to leave the band and Gary Owens (ex-A II Z, Aurora) had a brief stay before Steve Mann (ex-Liar, Lionheart) joined. [1]

Signed to Kamaflage Records, a subsidiary of DJM, Tytan recorded their first album at Ramport Studios in Battersea with Will Reid-Dick manning the boards. Former Judas Priest and Lionheart drummer Les Binks joined the band just in time for the recording, in place of Dave Dufort. Jody Turner of Rock Goddess made a guest vocal appearance on the song Women On The Frontline. Binks would be replaced by Tony Boden on the band's October 1982 UK tour with the Tygers of Pan Tang. He left shortly thereafter, to be replaced by Simon Wright (ex-Tora Tora, A II Z, Aurora).

Kamaflage folded before the album was released but managed to release the single 'Blind Men and Fools' in both 7" and 12" formats in September 1982. The band split up the following summer. [2] Wright would later join AC/DC and subsequently worked with Dio, Rhino Bucket, and UFO. Vocalist Kal Swan moved to Los Angeles, where he formed the band Lion with former Lone Star guitarist Tony Smith, [3] whose replacement was future Dio and Whitesnake guitarist Doug Aldrich. Swan and Aldrich went on to record a further three albums in the 1990s under the name Bad Moon Rising. Steve Mann returned to Lionheart and recorded the 1984 album Hot Tonight with the band before joining the McAuley Schenker Group, Sweet, and German prog rock act Eloy.

In 1985, London-based label Metal Masters released the shelved Tytan tapes as the Rough Justice LP. A Japanese CD bootleg followed in the early 1990s, before Majestic Rock Records gave the album an official CD re-issue in 2004 and again in 2006, with four BBC 'Friday Rock Show' live session tracks ('Cold Bitch', 'The Watcher', 'Far Side of Destiny' and 'Blind Men and Fools') and a live DVD added as bonuses with the second edition.

In 2012, an invitation to perform at Keep It True XV Festival in Germany saw Tytan reform with a revised line-up. [4] Joining original band members Kevin Riddles, Steve Gibbs and Steve Mann were vocalist Tom Barna (from the band Diamond Faith), Andrew Thompson on keyboards, and Angel Witch drummer Andrew Prestidge. [5] Steve Gibbs left the band in early 2014. Drummers Chris Benton and then Mikey Ciancio joined during 2012 and 2013 respectively, and between 2015 and 2017 James Wise took over the role, followed by current drummer Seth Markes. Meanwhile, Dave Strange joined the band in November 2014, when Steve Mann departed. Dave Strange was replaced in 2021 by guitarist Peter Welsh. Welsh left Tytan in 2022 and went on to join More. Tom Barna's replacement, Tony Coldham, performed his last show with the band on 13 October 2018, as he had decided to concentrate on his other outfit, The Deep. In December 2018, the band recruited vocalist Grant Foster. In 2021, Tony Coldham returned to complete the current Tytan lineup; he also joined Kev Riddles' Baphomet on vocals in 2022.

In 2017, Tytan released a follow-up album to Rough Justice, Justice Served, through German label High Roller Records. [6] [7] [8] At the same time, the company also re-issued the group's out-of-print debut album, Rough Justice.

Discography

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Steer</span> British guitarist

William Geoffrey Steer is a British guitarist and co-founder of the extreme metal band Carcass. He is considered a pioneer and an essential contributor to grindcore and death metal due to his involvement in Napalm Death and Carcass, two of the most important bands of those genres. Presently he plays with Gentlemans Pistols, the reactivated Carcass and appeared as a live second guitarist for Angel Witch from 2011 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angel Witch</span> English heavy metal band

Angel Witch are a British heavy metal band which formed in London in 1976. Despite never achieving major success, they were an integral part of the early 1980s new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) movement, and have been acknowledged as an influence by many bands of the then-emerging thrash, speed, doom and extreme metal genres. Angel Witch have released five studio albums to date, and have undergone numerous lineup changes throughout their 48-year career, leaving frontman and lead guitarist Kevin Heybourne as the only constant member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Wright (musician)</span> English drummer (born 1963)

Simon Wright is an English drummer best known for his work with rock bands AC/DC and Dio. He started playing drums at the age of 13 and cites Cozy Powell, Tommy Aldridge and John Bonham as his greatest influences. He was also the drummer for Rhino Bucket, UFO and Operation: Mindcrime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tygers of Pan Tang</span> British heavy metal band

Tygers of Pan Tang are an English heavy metal band who are part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. They formed in 1978 in Whitley Bay, England, and were active until 1987. The band reformed in 1999 and continue to record and perform. The name is derived from Pan Tang, a fictional archipelago in Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné fantasy series whose wizards keep tigers as pets.

E.F. Band was a Swedish band that sometimes were mixed up with the New wave of British heavy metal movement, even though they were Swedish. The band was formed in 1978 by bassist/vocalist Pär Ericsson and guitarist Bengt Fischer, two former members of the progressive rock band Epizootic, who were initially joined by Tommy Lager on drums. The "E.F." portion of the band's name was derived from the first letter of Ericsson and Fischer's last names. After recording their first (split) single, the band released another single on the independent Aerco label, using "Another Day Gone" as the B-side, adding "Night Angel" on the A-side. After the single, the band hired British drummer Dave Dufort, who had played with Mike Oldfield and Screaming Lord Sutch to solidify the line-up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Les Binks</span> Northern Irish drummer

James Leslie Binks is a Northern Irish heavy metal drummer. He was the drummer for Judas Priest from 1977 to 1979.

Lionheart is a British hard rock band formed in late 1980, originally featuring singer Jess Cox, guitarist Dennis Stratton, guitarist/keyboardist Steve Mann, and bassist/vocalist Rocky Newton, and drummer Frank Noon. The band split up in 1986 but reformed in 2016 with a line-up featuring Stratton, Mann, Newton, plus vocalist Lee Small and Clive Edwards on drums.

East of Eden were a British progressive rock band, who had a Top 10 hit in the UK with the single "Jig-a-Jig" in 1970. The track was stylistically unlike any of their other work. Although some might consider them a symphonic progressive band, others state that their style is mostly jazz-oriented.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McAuley Schenker Group</span> Rock band

McAuley Schenker Group was a multi-national rock band based in Los Angeles featuring core members Robin McAuley (vocals) and Michael Schenker (guitar), a successor to Schenker's earlier band Michael Schenker Group. McAuley was initially contacted to replace singer Gary Barden in MSG. However, the strong partnership immediately formed between McAuley and Schenker led to the change of the name from Michael Schenker Group to McAuley Schenker Group, retaining the same initials of the previous band MSG.

A II Z were an English heavy metal band founded in 1979 in Manchester, England, by the guitarist Gary Owens. The original line-up consisted of David Owens (vocals), Gary Owens (guitar), Cam Campbell (bass), Karl Reti (drums). For a short time they were one of the forerunners of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. They disbanded in 1982.

Lion was an American rock band known for the theme song in The Transformers: The Movie (1986), their debut song "Love Is a Lie" in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984), and their songs "Never Surrender" and "Power Love" in The Wraith (1986).

Shadowkeep are an English heavy metal band formed in Guildford in 1999 by guitarists Chris Allen and Nikki Robson.

Stampede are a British hard rock band formed in 1981 by songwriting partnership Reuben Archer and Laurence Archer. The band signed to Polydor Records, emerging as part of the new wave of British heavy metal scene. Stampede disbanded in 1983, and guitarist Laurence Archer went on to play with UFO and Phil Lynott's Grand Slam, amongst other projects. The band reformed 26 years later in 2009, and a new studio album titled 'A Sudden Impulse' was released on 9 May 2011 on the Grind That Axe label, a subsidiary of Rock Candy Records.

Dave du’Fort is a British rock drummer who has played with Ian Hunter, Kevin Ayers, Mike Oldfield and Screaming Lord Sutch, and was a member of the new wave of British heavy metal bands E. F. Band, Angel Witch and Tytan. He is the brother of Denise Dufort, drummer with Girlschool.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystal Viper</span> Polish heavy metal band

Crystal Viper is a Polish heavy metal band founded in 2003 by singer and guitarist Marta Gabriel.

Deep Machine were an English heavy metal band from the East London, England, that first came into existence in 1979. Founded by lead guitarist Bob Hooker, the band's music was influenced by other NWOBHM bands such as Iron Maiden and in particular Judas Priest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Mann (English musician)</span> English musician and producer

Steve Mann is an English guitarist, keyboardist, record producer and engineer, best known as a member of Andy Scott's Sweet from 1989 to 1995 and as a member of many bands by German guitarist Michael Schenker.

References

  1. "Tytan Interview (2011)". RockUnited.com.
  2. "Interview with Tytan". MetalInvader.net. 19 February 2016.
  3. "The strange story of Lone Star, the band punk killed (or did it?)". LouderSound.com. 13 May 2016.
  4. "Resurrected NWOBHM Band Tytan Confirmed For 15th-Anniversary Edition Of Keep It True Festival". Blabbermouth.net. 25 December 2010.
  5. "Kevin 'Skids' Riddles (Tytan/Angel Witch) Interview". MetalExpressRadio.com. 14 March 2016.
  6. "Back In The Ring – Going Another Round with NWOBHM band Tytan". GaryAlikivi.com. 25 May 2017.
  7. "Tytan – Justice Served (Review)". MetalExpressRadio.com. 29 May 2017.
  8. "Tytan – Justice Served (Review)". Metal-Temple.com. 4 July 2017.