Mike Starrs
Encyclopedia
Mike Starrs is a vocalist of Scottish
origin. He left Scotland
in the 1970s to work with Rick Wakeman
on various projects. Starrs was signed by the record producer
Tony Atkins for Marquee Productions and released several singles
. He joined Colosseum II
in 1975 and featured on their first album
, Strange New Flesh in 1976. Starrs' singing style, produced a powerful, distinctive, mid Atlantic delivery, which soared in and around the frenetic guitar work of Gary Moore
, the keyboards
of Don Airey
and the rhythm section of Neil Murray
and Jon Hiseman
. The end result was a British
supergroup
in the making, with the potential to take the progressive rock
world by storm, as evidenced on that first album.
The album was not a commercial success but the band were already working on the follow-up, when Starrs was sacked, along with the bass guitarist Neil Murray, by the group's then record label
, (Bronze Records
). Colosseum II went on to produce two further, largely instrumental
albums, with a different record label, which also failed to achieve a commercial breakthrough.
Starrs toured Europe
and the United States
with Colosseum II in 1975-76, and also had a spell with a version of The Animals
. Then moving to Hamburg
, he subsequently joined Lucifer's Friend
, taking over from John Lawton
, and featured on two of their albums, Good Time Warrior
(1978) and Sneak Me In
(1980), after which Lawton took over again.
He was also involved in tours and albums with the German
bands
, Toneband and Duesenberg. In 2002, he joined up with Lake (band)
reformed under Alex Conti, regularly touring and appeared on their 2005 album, The Blast of Silence, taking lead vocals and co-writing one of the tracks.
Starrs' vocal
stylings surfaced again on the reissued and expanded Strange New Flesh (2005) which contained unreleased material from the original Colosseum II line up.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
origin. He left Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in the 1970s to work with Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman
Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...
on various projects. Starrs was signed by the record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Tony Atkins for Marquee Productions and released several singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. He joined Colosseum II
Colosseum II
Colosseum II was a British band formed in 1975 by the former Colosseum drummer and leader, Jon Hiseman, following the 1974 demise of his band Tempest. Hiseman announced his plan to form the band eventually named Colosseum II in November 1974, but only Gary Moore was named. Rehearsals were due to...
in 1975 and featured on their first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Strange New Flesh in 1976. Starrs' singing style, produced a powerful, distinctive, mid Atlantic delivery, which soared in and around the frenetic guitar work of Gary Moore
Gary Moore
Robert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer....
, the keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
of Don Airey
Don Airey
Donald Airey has been the keyboardist in the rock band Deep Purple since 2002, succeeding Jon Lord...
and the rhythm section of Neil Murray
Neil Murray (British musician)
Philip Neil Murray is a Scottish bass player, best known for his work in Whitesnake and Black Sabbath.-Early days:Originally a drummer, Murray formed his first band with school friends in 1967 and his musical tastes were heavily influenced by the mid-1960s 'blues boom' bands and musicians,...
and Jon Hiseman
Jon Hiseman
Jon Hiseman is an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer and music publisher.-Career:...
. The end result was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
in the making, with the potential to take the progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
world by storm, as evidenced on that first album.
The album was not a commercial success but the band were already working on the follow-up, when Starrs was sacked, along with the bass guitarist Neil Murray, by the group's then record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, (Bronze Records
Bronze Records
Bronze Records is an independent English record label set up in 1971 by record producer Gerry Bron, and based in Chalk Farm, London.Bron had been producing Uriah Heep for Vertigo Records, and he set up this new label for future Uriah Heep releases, along with Juicy Lucy, Richard Barnes and Colosseum...
). Colosseum II went on to produce two further, largely instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
albums, with a different record label, which also failed to achieve a commercial breakthrough.
Starrs toured Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with Colosseum II in 1975-76, and also had a spell with a version of The Animals
The Animals
The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London...
. Then moving to Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, he subsequently joined Lucifer's Friend
Lucifer's Friend
Lucifer's Friend was a 1970s German Rock band. Allmusic author, Eduardo Rivadavia, noted the group as, "early practitioners of heavy metal and progressive rock." They also incorporated elements of jazz into their music. The band have also been cited as one of the pioneers of doom metal.-History:The...
, taking over from John Lawton
John Lawton (musician)
John Lawton is a rock and roll and blues vocalist best known for his work with Lucifer's Friend, Uriah Heep and the Les Humphries Singers.-Biography:...
, and featured on two of their albums, Good Time Warrior
Good Time Warrior
Good Time Warrior is the sixth album by Lucifer's Friend, an album in which Mike Starrs, formerly of Colosseum II, replaced John Lawton on vocals for the first time. This album and the following Sneak Me In were an attempt at a more commercial, mainstream style which met with limited commercial...
(1978) and Sneak Me In
Sneak Me In
Sneak Me In is seventh album by Lucifer's Friend, an album in which Mike Starrs, formerly of Colosseum II, replaced John Lawton on vocals for a second time. This album and the previous Good Time Warrior were an attempt at a more commercial, accessible style which met with limited success...
(1980), after which Lawton took over again.
He was also involved in tours and albums with the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
bands
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, Toneband and Duesenberg. In 2002, he joined up with Lake (band)
Lake (band)
Lake is a German rock music band that formed in the early 1970s under the name Tornados, changing their name to Lake in 1973. They mostly covered material by other bands in their early years, but released three singles, Come Down/We're Gonna Rock, King Of The Rock'n Roll Party, and Sailor...
reformed under Alex Conti, regularly touring and appeared on their 2005 album, The Blast of Silence, taking lead vocals and co-writing one of the tracks.
Starrs' vocal
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
stylings surfaced again on the reissued and expanded Strange New Flesh (2005) which contained unreleased material from the original Colosseum II line up.