Here’s one you might (or might not…) remember from the NWOBHM days. A band from the Manchester/Stockport area with the moniker of A II Z. Apparently the inspiration for their name comes from the popular street map atlas handbook things which were popular at the time before we had smartphones and GPS to help us not get lost.
Anyhoo – the band were part of the original New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene though it never happened for them despite signing with big player label Polydor and having Kennedy Street Enterprises manage them. A brief career saw then split in 1982 apparently due to the usual contractual problems/musical differences which has claimed so may.
With a tidy following in the local area, Polydor sent a mobile recording unit to capture one of the band’s gigs at the not very rock ‘n’ roll venue of Hazel Grove High School (yes, I know, go figure….) which resulted in the band’s debut album – The Witch of Berkeley – being a live album of that show.
An unusual move to issue a live album as a debut offering. A somewhat questionable sound wasn’t a barrier to record company support and some upbeat journalistic reviews. A II Z seemed to be on the ladder to success landing the support slot on one of Iron Maiden’s early tours. I recall seeing them on that at the Sheffield Top Rank of all places.
Building on that tour, doors did start to open up in a big way with a support slot on the British leg of Black Sabbath’s Heaven and Hell tour. I was there for that too at the now long-gone Queens Hall in Leeds though must admit going only as cult Canadian band Max Webster was on first and I really wanted to see them over A II Z and Sabbath.
To capitalise on the Sabbath tour, the next move was a single – arguably a hit reaching the lower ends of the top 50 – and a tour with another big NWOBHM name – Girlschool. And then that was that for A II Z. Guitarist Gary Owens went on to join the legendary Tytan though not sure what happened musically to the other band members.
So put A II Z down along the many early NWOBHM bands who looked set for takeoff without ever getting above taxiing speed. For the curious or completist, the Witch of Berkeley is available on CD and download. Bag it to see what the New Wave of British Heavy Metal was all about. The cover’s a bit rude too (ooooo-errrr).
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