Rogue Male (band)
Encyclopedia
1980s
Rogue Male was the brainchild of Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
born singer/guitarist Jim Lyttle, who had previously been in the seminal Northern Irish punk band Pretty Boy Floyd and The Gems. Moving to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the early 1980s he decided to put together a band that would mix punk styles and aggression with the more metal sounds of the NWOBHM bands of the time. After a series of line-ups a stable touring band was produced, whose live performances gained the attentions of several record companies. Within weeks the band had secured a deal with the UK metal label Music for Nations
Music For Nations
Music For Nations was a British independent record label focusing mainly on rock and metal. They were a subsidiary of the larger label distributor Zomba Records who in turn is owned by BMG....
and subsequently Elektra
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
in the USA. Shortly afterwards, the band were invited to appear on the seminal E.C.T. (Extra Celestial Transmission) Heavy Metal music programme on England's Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
where they performed 2 songs live, straight to air on 19th April 1985.
The first Rogue Male album, First Visit, was recorded by Jim Lyttle Guitar/Vocals, John Fraser-Binnie Lead Guitar, Kevin Collier Bass, and Steve Kingsley Drums, (later replaced by Danny Fury). The album was well received critically, gaining album of the month status worldwide, and Rogue Male toured the UK/Europe and the USA extensively in support of it. Kerrang magazine in the UK gave the band several features, and a front cover article (in issue 101) that helped gain momentum. This led to more touring, and the release of the "All Over You" 12 inch single. A bigger budget was now being allocated for the bands futuristic image, fuelled by Jim Lyttle's love of Science Fiction and motorbikes, and the stage clothes they wore became more extreme over time. The second album Animal Man, was released a year later, and also gained worldwide attention, ultimately receiving an award for Top International New Artist on the French leg of the Animal Man tour and a memorable television appearance on a French pop programme. Unfortunately, the band were becoming increasingly unhappy with the business dealings surrounding them, and Rogue Male subsequently dropped their record companies after they failed to promote the band's career, and started legal proceedings against their manager. The 1980s incarnation of the band played their final show in late 1987.
2000s
Both the original albums First Visit and Animal Man were re-released on "Metal Mind" records (an independent PolishPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
label) in 2007.
In an interview in the March 2009 edition of Classic Rock Magazine, Jim Lyttle stated that he had recently recorded a new Rogue Male album. This featured Bernie Tormé
Bernie Tormé
Bernie Tormé is a rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, record label and recording studio owner.-Early career:...
(ex-Gillan
Gillan
Gillan was a rock band formed in 1978 by Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan.-History:In 1978 Ian Gillan had become dissatisfied with the jazz fusion style of his band called the Ian Gillan Band and dissolved it, retaining only keyboard player Colin Towns, and formed a new band entitled Gillan...
, ex-Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
) on guitar and was called Nail It. A new track "Cold Blooded Man" appeared on the CD which accompanied the magazine. Bassist Pete D was recruited in April 2009, original lead guitarist John Fraser Binnie rejoined the band in October that year, and current drummer Paul Westwood completed "Rogue Male Mk 2" in March 2010.
Jim Lyttle has now relaunched the band as a going concern and plans to tour extensively with the new lineup.
Studio albums
- First Visit (1985) Music for NationsMusic For NationsMusic For Nations was a British independent record label focusing mainly on rock and metal. They were a subsidiary of the larger label distributor Zomba Records who in turn is owned by BMG....
MFN40 /Elektra RecordsElektra RecordsElektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
96 04231- Crazy Motorcycle, All Over You, First Visit, Get Off My Back, Dressed Incognito, Unemployment, On The Line, Devastation, Look Out
- Animal Man (1986) Music for NationsMusic For NationsMusic For Nations was a British independent record label focusing mainly on rock and metal. They were a subsidiary of the larger label distributor Zomba Records who in turn is owned by BMG....
MFN68 /Elektra RecordsElektra RecordsElektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
- Progress, L.U.S.T., Take No Shit, You're On Fire, The Real Me, Animal Man, Belfast, Job Centre, Low Rider, The Passing
- First Visit (2007) Re-release on Metal Mind ProductionsMetal Mind ProductionsMetal Mind Productions is a Polish record label founded in 1987. Currently it is one of the lead independent labels in Poland with over 1000 of licences and over 10 million of data mediums sold. The label focuses mainly on rock and heavy metal genres...
- Crazy Motorcycle, All Over You, First Visit, Get Off My Back, Dressed Incognito, Unemployment, On The Line, Devastation, Look Out, The Real Me, All Over You (full version)
- Animal Man (2007) Re-release on Metal Mind ProductionsMetal Mind ProductionsMetal Mind Productions is a Polish record label founded in 1987. Currently it is one of the lead independent labels in Poland with over 1000 of licences and over 10 million of data mediums sold. The label focuses mainly on rock and heavy metal genres...
- Progress, L.U.S.T., Take No Shit, You're On Fire, The Real Me, Animal Man, Belfast, Job Centre, Low Rider, The Passing, Rough Tough (Pretty Too)
- Nail It (2009) RM2K Music RMCD01
- Cold Blooded Man, Street Credibility, Up In Smoke, Stars N Stripes, Time, Never, Meteorite, Forever Wild, Dangerzone, Bless My Soul
Singles
- All Over You (1985) - 12" Music for NationsMusic For NationsMusic For Nations was a British independent record label focusing mainly on rock and metal. They were a subsidiary of the larger label distributor Zomba Records who in turn is owned by BMG....
12KUT114 /Elektra RecordsElektra RecordsElektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
- All Over You (full version), All Over You (edit), The Real Me
- Belfast (1986) - 12" Music for NationsMusic For NationsMusic For Nations was a British independent record label focusing mainly on rock and metal. They were a subsidiary of the larger label distributor Zomba Records who in turn is owned by BMG....
12KUT122- Belfast, Rough Tough (Pretty Too), Take No Shit
Compilation albums
- Welcome To The Metal Zone (1985) Music for NationsMusic For NationsMusic For Nations was a British independent record label focusing mainly on rock and metal. They were a subsidiary of the larger label distributor Zomba Records who in turn is owned by BMG....
MFN49- Crazy Motorcycle
- MFN: The Singles Album (1986) Music for NationsMusic For NationsMusic For Nations was a British independent record label focusing mainly on rock and metal. They were a subsidiary of the larger label distributor Zomba Records who in turn is owned by BMG....
MFN71- Belfast
- Nightmare On Carnaby St (1988) Music for NationsMusic For NationsMusic For Nations was a British independent record label focusing mainly on rock and metal. They were a subsidiary of the larger label distributor Zomba Records who in turn is owned by BMG....
MFN83- The Passing