Hi,
and welcome to my website I’d like to take you back to the beginning
almost 30 years ago to Cardiff South Wales...
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Leading
Star (1975-1978)
Leading
Star was the very first band that I joined. We formed
in Cardiff around 1975 and were together
up
to 1978. I played lead guitar for the first year or so,
then took the job of lead singer but still
playing
lead guitar. We did record some original songs around
1977 but only on to cassette tape.
I
listened to the tape only the other day and it was very
interesting as I hadn’t heard it
for
about 20 years, a real trip down memory lane! |
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Persian
Risk (1980-1986)
After
playing with some smaller local bands I joined Persian Risk with
some of the lads who were in “Leading Star” (Nick and Raz).
I
replaced singer John Deverill who left to join the “Tygers of
Pan Tang”. We recorded our first demo tape around 1980 in an
8 track studio in Wales, and shortly after we recorded our first
single “Calling For You” about a year later. There were only
1000 copies
made
which makes it very collectable today!
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In 1983 we had our first
record deal with Neat records, which unfortunately didn’t
turn out to be such
a
good deal. We never saw a penny from our second single
“Riding High” which got to the top 5 in the Rock
charts.
Around
this time we started to get popular and played venues
around the country working our way
into
the London scene, getting interest from papers and Magazines.
We also recorded for compilation
album’s
such as “Heavy Metal Heroes” and “Sounds and
Neat”. We then found ourselves a deal
with
a publisher and small record company. It was at this time
that we headlined at the
London
Marquee. Sadly shortly after this we lost Phil Campbell
who went to join “Motorhead”. |
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We
missed Phil very much at the time, but as it turned out it actually
helped the band. We got the UK tour with “Motorhead” in 1984.
Also in this year we were lucky enough to play on E.C.T, the rock
show which took over from the Tube on channel 4, prime time television.
This gave us a lot of exposure. Around the same time came the 12”
single “Two Different” which also did well in the charts.
So we kept playing gigs around London and writing for our first
album. During this time we changed management and had lots of interest
from different labels and we also recorded for the Tommy Vance Radio
1 Rock Show.
All this gave me the exposure that I needed, and
I received an offer to go on tour for one month around Europe (supporting
“Blue Oyster Cult”) singing with “Tokyo Blade”. Within
two weeks of finishing the tour I got a phone call from Smallwood
Taylor, Iron Maiden's management to go for an audition with “Geezer
Butler” ex-“Black Sabbath”.
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Geezer Butler Band
(1986-1988)
I
joined Geezer Butler in 1986 and was working with them
for about two and a half years, and
during
this time we produced 20 demo songs, video’s, showcases,
and I co-wrote some of the songs.
I
wrote most of the melody for Master of Insanity from the
De-humanizer album. I later heard that
Ronnie James Dio of “Black Sabbath” used
part of my melody, although I did not get any
recognition
for this it was a great experience. After two and a half
years no record deal was finalised. |
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In the mean
time I had received an offer from a band called “Monroe”
from Wales who had a record deal in Germany. Smallwood Taylor thought
it was a good idea for me to join this band, probably foreseeing
that Geezer would leave within a few months and join his old friend
from “Black Sabbath”, Ozzy Osbourne, which is what
he did.
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Monroe
(1988)
My
time with Monroe was quite short lived around 3 months!
I travelled to Germany with them to
record
demos for a new album, for a major label. They were great
songs and had a
fantastic
session drummer, once again a good experience, great lads
and good fun. |
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Tokio Rose
(1988-1989)
After
“Monroe” around Nov 88 I came back to Cardiff S.Wales
and joined up with some old friends
“Tokio Rose”. We had recorded my old favourite
song from “Persian Risk”, (Jane) as well
as
some new material, we also did lots of gigs and head lined
the Marquee in London and made some
video’s.
But something was missing for me which took me to auditions
with other bands including
“Marillion” I was so close to joining the band
when the big boys from E.M.I. came in, along with
half
the band they had realized that I was a rock singer and
not that arty type like Steve Hogarth,
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which looking
back now they were right!
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Paul Chapman's Ghost
(1990-1992)
About
1989-90, I had a phone call from Paul Chapman ex “UFO”,
“Wasted”, to go and sing in
his
band. I haven’t a clue what they were called? I came up
with the name Ghost, which I think he still
uses
today. We did Demos, Videos, and show cases in New York,
for Sony, and had a lot of
interest
but I think this was a bad time for rock bands as the
grunge bands on the Seattle scene were
taking
over from 80’s rock. So I moved to Orlando Florida and
joined up with a new manager to
reform
Persian Risk U.S.A. |
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Paul now
has a C.D. for sale which has the songs;
Don’t Walk Away - (Sentance)
Ghost – (Sentance)
I Can Feel Your Love – (Sentance)
Follow your heart – (Sentance/Chapman)
These tracks
were originally written and arranged by me with collaborations from
my buddy Lee Jones. Paul wrote a different verse for Follow your
heart and the solo change in Ghost! These tracks will be on sale
on this site very soon.
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Persian Risk U.S.A.
(1992-1995)
1992
was a great time and experience, we had dabbled in a new
sound of rock which changed for a
lot
of people in the early 90’s, it should have been a great
success but due to line up changes, then
management
problems I was sadly forced to move back to England.
During
my time in this band I made a great friend and writing
partner Mark Lanoue. |
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Krokus
(1999-2002)
Before
I joined Krokus I had been singing and acting in musicals which
had been a fantastic experience for me and took me a step
further
with my vocal abilities. In 1999 I joined the band, what can I say
this rocked! I was pleased to have helped Krokus climb back
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up the ladder. We recorded
the album Round 13 which to me and lots of Krokus fans
was not the best of their albums, but it was still damn
good.
Although I had nothing to do with the writing of that
album (it was written before I joined)
I
was starting to write for the new one, and in the mean
time playing lots of big shows, including Basle
Football
stadium in Switzerland with “AC/DC”, playing in
front of 30,000 people. We also played
festivals
like “Bang Your Head”, in Germany, and lots more!
I
was getting real excited about writing and recording for
Krokus but sadly they wanted 50% of |
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everything
I wrote and more! And once again as a band they could not keep hold
of musicians, which made it hard for me to sign long term contracts!
I then got cold feet and finally they got a new manager Patrick
Aeby who is now their drummer? …….hummmmm, anyway one day I got
an E-Mail (not a phone call) saying that Marc Storace (the
original singer for Krokus) had joined back with them and weeks
later they also fired the drummer? ………hummmmmm, and guitar player!
Long story but I'll leave it there! Well that’s about it, I don’t
regret one minute with Krokus, we had some great times and it was
a fantastic experience. Getting Marc back in the band was a good
thing but a shame Fernando could not see the new fresh possibilities.
Its not always the best thing to take the easy way out! Good luck
and keep rocking guys.
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Whole Lotta Metal
(2005)
O
my god! Rock n F..king Roll this is the most fun I’ve
ever had on stage and sometimes off.!
great
show hope to be doing it again soon so any managers, agents
out there wanna put this
great show on then give us a call!!!! |
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Don
Airey and Friends
This year
(2006) Ive been busy writing and giging with XXX Band and also came
the release of Power Project! CD.
with Vinny Appice/Jeff Pilson and
Carlos Cavazo.
