And for today’s piece of New Wave of British Heavy Metal (not so) total recall we’ll take a look at Lionheart. Suppose you’d call them something of a NWOBHM “super group” given the collection of various well-connected names which passed through the ranks and put out just the one album – Hot Tonight – in 1985.
Formed in 1980, Lionheart boasted Dennis Stratton (ex-Maiden)and Jess Cox (ex-Tygers Of Pan Tang) to give some weight to the “super group” tag with the line-up also consisting of Steve Mann (ex-Liar), Rocky Newton and Frank Noon. A none-too-well received debut at the Marquee saw Cox shown the door with Rueben Archer replacing him. Archer was in Lautrec thus keeping the NWOBHM connection intact.
With the support slot to Def Leppard secured in 1981 it looked like Lionheart were set for the big time though the line-up changes were somewhat frequent as ex-Judas Priest drummer Les Binks replaced Noon who went on to Wild Horses as did Archer for a while then Clive Edwards came in the opposite direction (Wild Horses to Lionheart) shoving out Binks. Confused? Yeah, me too.
Anyhoo. It didn’t quite happen for them although they did bag a deal with the American arm of CBS eventually which saw yet more personnel upheaval and a new singer (Chad Brown) and yet another butt on the drum stool in the form of Bob Jenkins. And lo, their one and only album was created. Given the band’s rich NWOBHM pedigree, Hot Tonight turned out to be something of a radio friendly AOR-tinged offering perhaps aimed at the American audience.
Sadly for Lionheart, Hot Tonight did not do the business in terms of sales though the band did sterling keeping the HR department busy whilst temporarily soldiering on. Two former members of Grand Prix came in (Phil Lanzon and Andy Bierne) for a bit though it made no difference and Lionheart disbanded in 1986 after a brief but promising career.
Although Hot Tonight is not exactly out-and-out NWOBHM, don’t let that put you off. Whilst more melodic that power-chord crazy, it is a fine piece of NWOBHM-related obscura (not sure if that’s a real word) worth the curiosity of checking out. It’s sort of in the Stratus territory – another NWOBHM “super group” of a similar time.
Hot Tonight has recently been re-mastered and reissued by the marvellous Rock Candy records featuring also (as they usually do) a page full colour booklet 3,000 word essay, enhanced artwork, memorabilia, rare photos. For NWOBHM completisits or fans of period Boston/REO Speedwagon/Foreigner/Styx it’s right up there.
>> CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT HOT TONIGHT ON AMAZON <<
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