The man who brought us Stakk Attackk, Trash Queen and the unforgettable (Na Na) Nukklear Rokket returns to London with ‘Rocky Shade’s Wrathchild’, on April 5th.
Wrathchild always garnered everyone’s attention both the good and the bad but they were never met with indifference.
As the NWoBHM broke in the early 1980s, bands came and went and hazy memories of Sweet Acid, Titan, Sinner and also Medusa all fell away in the face of the rise of denim and leather. Wrathchild emerged not from the smoke and dirt of the factories but from the fumes of thousands of cans of hairspray, seeking to emulate the success of bands like The Sweet and Slade a decade earlier.
Wrathchild were born to us as a shining beacon in what became an increasingly drab world of drab British metal. At this point it was not new it was stale. Wrathchild were new, exciting and something totally different. Always getting the press’ attention above and before the rest of the scene in publications like Okej, Burrn!, Kerrang! And Sounds.
An indie deal came quickly NEON / BULLET records release the debut ep stack heel strut and then the gloriously tacky and catchy anthem do you want my love. A front colour cover of SOUNDS magazine got them a headline slot at the Salford glam fest. Then time stopped for the band after all the initial fury they gained other lesser bands were getting the attention they had paved the way for and rightly deserved. The band were losing time so to get an album out they signed with Heavy Metal Records….
Stakk Attakk was born to a heap of praise (Best debut LP of ‘84 by Kerrang! no less) and all of a sudden, all the attention returned, so much so they were asked to support W.A.S.P. on their highly anticipated UK tour. The dream pairing gave the headliners the battle they wanted and in due course Wrathchild won over a lot of new fans.
Unlike many other bands of the time the band got to record a full length show to be shown on TV and was later released commercially another first and still a cherished document of a band on fire, the fun the show the attitude and the songs.
A reminder of Wrathchild performing live in London in 1984
RCA RECORDS America approached the band to rerecord Stakk Atakk for the American market, but the band’s label back home had other ideas. Legal wrangling basically hit the band hard preventing them from recording anything. With West coast US bands entering the scene citing Wrathchild as a major influence, the likes of Jetboy Poison Kery Doll and more with the latter showing their love with an album called ‘Rock N Roll Freakshow’.
Spurred into working again, Wrathchild re-grouped, cut a demo and then stuck a plaster over the troubles at the label and got to record again. 1988’s The Biz Suxx resulted in perhaps the band’s most memorable hook laden song ‘(Na Na) Nukklear Rokket’ . Accompanied by a promo video made by Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson things were riding high again for the band.
Of course, all good things come to an end and the wild life, the excitement, the fog and fumes of the copious hairspray canisters eventually disappeared. Until now, dry your glittered eyes because Rocky Shades is back to reclaim the crown he wore so regally back then. He is back with his version of Wrathchild. Rocky Shades’ Wrathchild.
| The line-up is now completed by: |
Gaz Wilde, Drums: Originally from Sinful Kixx, an underground glam band, they released one album in 1992. Gaz was also a founder member of Knock Out Kaine, Wildside Riot and New Generation Superstars. He also produces and mixes tracks for other artists at his own studio (Insonic)
“I remember seeing Wrathchild back in the day and was totally blown away. I thought that’s the type of band I want to be in. Now to be playing with ROCKY SHADES WRATHCHILD and the Godfather of Glam is so surreal!”
Oz Paul, Lead Guitar: I grew up in 80s listening to rock heroes such as Ozzy, Crue and Wrathchild. This led to Oz’s first band of note NIGHTSHIFT whose first video featured on The Noisy Mothers rock show’s unsigned feature presented by Krusher Joule. Oz then left the rock scene as it “All went to shit, Grunge and Screamo really isn’t my thing!”
Around 2008 He started the band SUICIDE TUESDAY and toured with the likes of Faster Pussycat and Enuff z’ Nuff. Move on a few years and he was back on stage with the band WILDSIDE RIOT only performing once (HRH Sleaze) in 2017 before tragedy struck in the form of a Cancer diagnosis. Vowing not to let him hold him down, he got it beat and is back with ROCKY SHADES WRATHCHILD. ” I grew up in 80s listening to rock heroes such as Ozzy, Crue and Wrathchild. I’m over the f##king moon to playing with one of my heroes”
Jonny Suicide, Bass Guitar:
The New Generation Superstars bassist says, “I remember seeing the Nukklear Rokket video on TV, I think it was Raw Power, and I thought ‘I like that’ but they looked crazy!! I think Rocky was interviewed on the same show!
Who would know that 30 years later I would be playing that song live with Rocky! I can’t wait to get this thing on the road!”
Rocky Shades:
Rocky has this to say about his bandmates:
“These guys are my best friends and the best musicians I have ever worked with. They are all fans of Wrathchild’s music, so it was a no brainer who to have in the new line up of the band. We are flying the glam/sleaze flag loud and proud!”
The glitter drenched glam anthems are coming back now after having been lying dormant in diamante covered bourbon casks. Once again you get to experience the British Sultans of Sleaze, Titans of Trash and Mascara Mercenaries of Mayhem, often copied never equalled!
Rocky Shades Wrathchild will be playing in London alongside Swedish sleaze icons Crashdïet on April 5th. Tickets are available here:
https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/search?q=Crashdïet
The band will also be playing Hard Rock Hell Sleaze and Call of the Wild Festival with further headline shows to be announced including The Gifford Arms in Wolverhampton on May 19th;
https://www.facebook.com/events/1892434887546124/
ROCKY SHADES WRATHCHILD
Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/RockyShadesWrathchild/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rswrathchild
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