Starfighters (band)
Encyclopedia
Starfighters are an English
heavy metal
band from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal
movement founded in Birmingham
, England
in 1979. They attracted a strong British cult following but were not able to translate this into any lasting success.
, "I'm Falling", on the independent record label
, Motor City Rhythm Records. This original line-up consisted of Steve Burton (vocals), Pat Hambly (guitar) Stevie Young
(guitar), Doug Dennis (bass) and Spencer Scrannage (drums). They were then signed up by Jive Records
(a part of Zomba). After the release of their debut album Starfighters, Scrannage was replaced by Steve Bailey.
They then won a support slot with AC/DC
(Stevie Young is the nephew of AC/DC leaders Malcolm
and Angus Young
). Signing up with Krokus
manager Butch Stone, in 1983 they released the follow-up album, In-Flight Movie, again produced
by Tony Platt. Jive however were not prepared to pay for further tour promotions, and the band resorted to appearing in small British clubs. Despite receiving good reviews and publicity, particularly in Kerrang!
magazine, this album did no better and Jive dropped them. The band consequently folded.
In 1987, the band reformed with the line-up of Burton (vocals), Young (guitars), Rik Sandford (guitars), Redvers (bass) and Jamie Hawkins (drums). Redvers had been known as Steve Hill up to this point, but was rechristened with his middle name, to avoid the confusion of having three 'Steves' in the band. Despite attracting a strong local following in Birmingham, they could not secure another recording contract
, and the band folded after little more than a year. Sandford and Hawkins had very brief stints with UFO
and Hawkwind
respectively. Redvers became Steve Redvers and joined The Grip, before linking up with Young and Ian Charles (Chaz)
in Little Big Horn.
Starfighters reformed again for a one off show on 10 November 2006 at 'The Roadhouse' in South Birmingham to raise money for charity, with the line-up of Burton (vocals), Young (guitars and vocals), Hambly (guitars), Dennis (bass and vocals) and Tony Bayliss (drums).
As of July 2010, Burton was still regularly singing in various bands around the West Midlands.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal
New Wave of British Heavy Metal
The New Wave of British Heavy Metal was a heavy metal movement that started in the late 1970s, in Britain, and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. The movement developed as a reaction in part to the decline of early heavy metal bands such as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Black...
movement founded in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1979. They attracted a strong British cult following but were not able to translate this into any lasting success.
Career
Initially called Savage, they changed their name to Starfighters and released the singleSingle (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...
, "I'm Falling", on the independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
, Motor City Rhythm Records. This original line-up consisted of Steve Burton (vocals), Pat Hambly (guitar) Stevie Young
Stevie Young
Stevie Young is the nephew of AC/DC guitarists Angus and Malcolm Young. He is the son of their brother Alex. During the 1988 U.S. tour for AC/DC's album Blow Up Your Video, which started on May 3, 1988, Stevie filled in for Malcolm on rhythm guitar, while Malcolm left to deal with a growing alcohol...
(guitar), Doug Dennis (bass) and Spencer Scrannage (drums). They were then signed up by Jive Records
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
(a part of Zomba). After the release of their debut album Starfighters, Scrannage was replaced by Steve Bailey.
They then won a support slot with AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
(Stevie Young is the nephew of AC/DC leaders Malcolm
Malcolm Young
Malcolm Young is a Scottish-born Australian guitarist, best known as a founding member, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter for the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. Young was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, along with the other members of AC/DC...
and Angus Young
Angus Young
Angus McKinnon Young is a Scottish-born Australian musician, and the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the rock and roll band AC/DC. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other members of AC/DC in 2003 and is known for his energetic performances,...
). Signing up with Krokus
Krokus (band)
Krokus is a hard rock/heavy metal band from Switzerland. They enjoyed moderate success in North America during the 1980s.Krokus was founded in Solothurn in 1974 by bassist Chris von Rohr and guitarist Tommy Kiefer...
manager Butch Stone, in 1983 they released the follow-up album, In-Flight Movie, again produced
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...
by Tony Platt. Jive however were not prepared to pay for further tour promotions, and the band resorted to appearing in small British clubs. Despite receiving good reviews and publicity, particularly in Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
magazine, this album did no better and Jive dropped them. The band consequently folded.
In 1987, the band reformed with the line-up of Burton (vocals), Young (guitars), Rik Sandford (guitars), Redvers (bass) and Jamie Hawkins (drums). Redvers had been known as Steve Hill up to this point, but was rechristened with his middle name, to avoid the confusion of having three 'Steves' in the band. Despite attracting a strong local following in Birmingham, they could not secure another recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
, and the band folded after little more than a year. Sandford and Hawkins had very brief stints with UFO
UFO (band)
UFO are an English heavy metal and hard rock band, who were formed in 1969. UFO became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal...
and Hawkwind
Hawkwind
Hawkwind are an English rock band, one of the earliest space rock groups. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes. They are also a noted precursor to punk rock and now are considered a link between the hippie and punk cultures....
respectively. Redvers became Steve Redvers and joined The Grip, before linking up with Young and Ian Charles (Chaz)
Ian Charles (Chaz)
-Career:UK born drummer of some repute having worked with a multitude of bands and artists including Warhead, Starfighters, Little Big Horn, Family Cat, DT'S, Trevor Burton, E-Numbers, Vincent Flatts and many more to numerous to mention....
in Little Big Horn.
Starfighters reformed again for a one off show on 10 November 2006 at 'The Roadhouse' in South Birmingham to raise money for charity, with the line-up of Burton (vocals), Young (guitars and vocals), Hambly (guitars), Dennis (bass and vocals) and Tony Bayliss (drums).
As of July 2010, Burton was still regularly singing in various bands around the West Midlands.
Discography
- Starfighters (1981) - Jive RecordsJive RecordsJive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
- In-Flight Movie (1983) - Jive Records