Magnum (band)
Encyclopedia
Magnum are a British
progressive rock
band
from Birmingham
, England
. Formed as a four piece by Tony Clarkin (guitar), Bob Catley (vocals), Kex Gorin (drums) and Bob Doyle (bass) in order to appear as the resident band at The Rum Runner night club Birmingham. Magnum have undergone several changes in personnel over the years; however, the core of vocalist Bob Catley
and guitarist
/songwriter
Tony Clarkin
remain today.
Magnum's most notable success during their early years was Chase The Dragon
in 1982, which reached #17 in the UK Albums Chart
, and included several songs that would be mainstays of the band's live set, notably "Soldier Of The Line," "Sacred Hour" and "The Spirit".
Their breakthrough album came in 1985 with the gold certified
album On A Storyteller's Night
which featured the single "Just Like An Arrow". This success continued in the following years with the Roger Taylor
produced Vigilante
in 1986, the Top 5, silver certified album Wings Of Heaven
in 1988, which featured three Top 40 singles, and the Keith Olsen
produced Goodnight L.A.
reaching #9 in the UK Album Chart in 1990.
In 1995 Tony Clarkin
announced Magnum's split, and later forming another band, Hard Rain
. Magnum would eventually reform in 2001, their most recent album The Visitation
was released in January 2011.
at Birmingham
’s famous Rum Runner
night club (later the home of Duran Duran
). Joining Clarkin and Catley were drummer Kex Gorin
and former Uglys and Balls bassist Dave Morgan
(later a member of ELO
). The band line up remained the same from until 1972 when Les Kitcheridge joined temporarily on guitar. Bob Doyle left Magnum in 1972 to join Roy Wood
's Wizzard
Morgan comments: "I was absolutely broke, and the people who owned the Rum Runner
club were building this new night club called Snobs, and they got all the musicians that worked at the Rum Runner
helping out. I went to the Rum Runner
one night, so Tony Clarkin
said, "Come and earn some money building this new club." So I was down there every day helping them build this thing, and on the night I used to go down to the Rum Runner
just to see the groups. I was in there one night, and to cut a long story short, Bob Doyle the original bass player with Magnum left the band, and Tony Clarkin said, "Can you play bass?", I said "Yeah", he said, "You got the job!" That was it, I just happened to be there when Doyle left, so I got his job!"
They began to develop their own style by playing Clarkin's songs at a residency at The Railway Inn, in Birmingham's Curzon Street, in 1976. In 1975, Clarkin and Dave Morgan received an offer from Jake Commander to help with the construction of a studio, rather than being paid with money, Clarkin suggested being paid with Studio time. Much of Magnum's early demo material was recorded at Nest Studios on Birmingham, which would later lead to a recording contract with David Arden of Jet Records
. During the "Nest" sessions at least two songs written by Dave Morgan (and sung by Bob Catley) were recorded but never released. The titles were "Baby I Need" and "One More Round The Bend", which resurfaced on an acetate disc in 2005.
A one off deal with CBS
was arranged via producer Roger Greenaway
, and the band released a cover of The Searchers' "Sweets for My Sweet
" in February 1975; however this failed to trouble the charts. The original recording included a medley of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" but was edited out for the single release. Lead vocals on this song were by Morgan, who left the band soon after, and was replaced by Colin "Wally" Lowe. Success was still minimal; they were working as a backing band for artists such as Del Shannon
on small tours. The band was expanded to a five-piece with the addition of Richard Bailey on keyboards. May 1977 saw band support Judas Priest
on their Sin After Sin
UK tour, still without the backing of a record label.
was released on Jet Records
at the end of 1978 and reached #58 in the UK Chart, receiving a five star review from Geoff Barton
of Sounds
. They toured the UK in October/November 1978 as support to David Coverdale's Whitesnake
. Leo Lyons
, formerly bassist with Ten Years After
, produced the follow-up album Magnum II
— which was released in 1979, but failed to chart. Another support tour was organised for November 1979, this time with Blue Öyster Cult
. A live set, Marauder
, was released as an album and reached #34 in the UK, and a live double single ("Live at the Marquee", including "Invasion") reached #48 in the UK Singles Chart
. Bailey departed soon after and was replaced temporarily by Grenville Harding as support to Def Leppard
's On Through The Night
UK tour in March. For the second leg in April, permanent replacement Mark Stanway
took over keyboard duties. Magnum also appeared at the Reading Festival in 1980. April 1981 saw another support tour with Tygers Of Pan Tang
on their Spellbound
UK tour.
Their most notable success during these early years was the Jeff Glixman
produced Chase The Dragon
(1982) which reached #17 in the UK, and included several songs that would be mainstays of the bands live set, notably "Soldier Of The Line", "Sacred Hour" and "The Spirit". Glixman was previously best known for his work with Kansas
, and this was the first Magnum release to feature the artwork of fantasy artist Rodney Matthews
. The tour included a support slot with Krokus
in February on their One Vice at a Time
UK tour. as well as a few US
dates were played during the summer of 1982, supporting labelmate Ozzy Osbourne
– these would ultimately prove to be the only live gigs the band have ever played (to date) outside of the UK
and Europe
. The band returned to the UK in July for their own headlining tour of the UK.
Budgetary constraints at Jet denied Magnum the use of an outside producer for 1983's Clarkin-produced The Eleventh Hour
, which peaked at UK #38. A UK tour started in May 1983, featuring additional guitarist Robin George for live performances. Magnum also appeared at the 1983 Reading Festival, with George in attendance.
Magnum and Jet parted company shortly after, and there followed a twelve month period of instability with the band's future clouded by uncertainty. Many fans believed that Magnum had split up. Kex Gorin was replaced by Jim Simpson and Stanway took some time away from the band to work with Phil Lynott
and was replaced by Eddie George. An independent tour was organised for February 1984 without the backing of a record label. Lawrence Archer temporarily stood in for Tony Clarkin
, when he became ill.
, and was also notable for the cover by Rodney Matthews
. It reached #24 in the UK, and launched the band across Europe. For the May UK tour Jim Simpson was replaced by Mickey Barker
.
The success of Storyteller's
earned the band a major label deal with Polydor Records
, and they embarked on the most commercially successful period of their career - opening the famous Monsters of Rock
festival at Castle Donington
in August 1985, on a bill that also included Bon Jovi
, Metallica
, Marillion
and headliners ZZ Top
. A second leg for the Storyteller's
tour was concluded in December 1985.
The first release for the label was co-produced by Queen
drummer Roger Taylor
in 1986, entitled Vigilante
. The switch to Polydor saw an increase in the marketing budget, and promotional videos were made for the singles "Lonely Night" and "Midnight". A full UK and European tour scheduled in March 1986, including appearances at The Garden Party Festival, Milton Keynes Bowl in June and Out In The Green Festival. A second UK leg was organised in September 1986 and finishing in Europe in November 1986. In March 1987, the band embarked on a third UK and European tour and an appearance at 1987's Reading Festival.
Magnum enjoyed increased success with the album Wings Of Heaven
(#5 in the UK). Three singles from "Wings of Heaven" reached the UK Top 40, including a Top of The Pops
appearance with "Start Talking Love". A successful tour followed in December, and by now Magnum had been elevated to an 'arena' band in the UK, headlining the Birmingham
N.E.C.
and several nights at London's Hammersmith Odeon, supported by the Norwegian band Stage Dolls.
The band went to Los Angeles for the Keith Olsen
produced Goodnight L.A.
which peaked at #9 in the UK chart. The band performed at Berlin's Arena Festival, followed by a full UK and European tour in September 1990. They toured the UK again in November. Following Goodnight L.A.
's lukewarm reception Magnum parted company with Polydor. They released the live album The Spirit
in 1991 and toured the UK and Europe again to support the album. During the concerts in Germany the band played live with the Roger Taylor band The Cross. Magnum continued to release albums for various labels on one-off deals, the first being Sleepwalking
in 1992 on Music For Nations
with a full UK tour in October. This was followed by the acoustic album Keeping The Nite Light Burning
in 1993 with a UK tour in April.
Rock Art
was released in 1994 on EMI
. A UK tour was scheduled for April, but the remaining dates in May and June were postponed or cancelled. A low key tour was arranged for August and Europe in September. In the summer of 1995 Tony Clarkin announced the band were to split and a farewell tour of the UK and Europe took place in March, documented on the live album Stronghold
(titled The Last Dance
in mainland Europe).
, and they released the albums Hard Rain
and When The Good Times Come
. It was around this time that Catley launched a solo career using various songwriters, including Gary Hughes
of the band Ten
. However, Hard Rain found gig
s and bookings hard to come by, and there were discussions about renaming the band as Magnum. Also, at this time, Catley was becoming increasingly focused on his solo career, and he quit Hard Rain, marking the end of a working relationship with Clarkin that dated back to 1972. After a quiet period Clarkin announced the end of Hard Rain.
with a UK tour in December. They were again joined by Stanway, with former Hard Rain bassist Al Barrow
and former-Thunder
drummer Harry James
. This was subsequently followed by Brand New Morning
in 2004 with appearances at Germany's Bang Your Head Festival and Lorca Rock Festival in Spain with a tour around the UK and Europe in December.
Clarkin comments: "The break since the middle of the Nineties was definitely necessary for me. Since the end of the Seventies, in fact since we embarked on the preparations for our debut recording Kingdom Of Madness
, not a single month had gone by in which I didn't work for Magnum, composed for the group, or at least thought of them permanently. For almost twenty years, all my thoughts had revolved around the band. I needed a break to clear my head and to be able to devote myself to the band again with renewed energy." — Tony Clarkin
, 2002
When Harry James
returned full time to Thunder
, Jimmy Copley
became a full-time member of Magnum. The band toured in April 2005 to mark the 20th anniversary of On A Storyteller's Night they released a live DVD of the Astoria concert entitled Livin' The Dream, which came complete with a small documentary and promotional videos from throughout the band's history.
Magnum completed work on a new studio album, Princess Alice And The Broken Arrow
released on 26 March 2007, that also marked the return of cover artwork by Rodney Matthews
. The album entered the UK Album Charts at #70, the first time Magnum have charted in the UK since 1994. It also reached #4 on the BBC Rock Album Charts and #60 in Germany.
Magnum toured the UK and Europe in May 2007. Harry James
played drums temporarily for half the tour as Jimmy Copley
was taken ill.
In 2005 former drummer, Kex Gorin was diagnosed with kidney cancer
. Gorin had a kidney removed and underwent radiotherapy and steroid treatment, but died of the disease on 21 December 2007.
Magnum undertook a UK tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of Wings Of Heaven in November 2007. These shows were recorded for Wings of Heaven Live
album which was released in March 2008.
In 2007, Magnum played a one off show at the Robin 2, Bilston, Wolverhampton. This was a charity event in aid of former drummer Kex Gorin and his family. An auction of memorabilia was staged before the show which raised over £10,000. Magnum then played a two hour set of old and new material.
On 15 June 2009, they released Into the Valley of the Moonking
on SPV.
In 2010, the band released, The Gathering
, on Universal/Sanctuary; their first ever cross-career collection spread over five discs featuring a 1988 live recording from Hammersmith Odeon.
The band released their next album, The Visitation
, in 2011. The band toured in support of the album throughout March and April 2011.
On August 30th Magnum announce new compilation album Evolution celebrating the last 10 years on SPV GmbH
since their reformation in 2001. The album will be released on November 11th, 2011 in Germany and November 14th for the UK & rest of Europe. The set will feature songs culled from the band's previous 5 releases in re-recorded, remixed and remastered form with 2 new songs.
Temporary
Former
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...
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...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
from 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...
. Formed as a four piece by Tony Clarkin (guitar), Bob Catley (vocals), Kex Gorin (drums) and Bob Doyle (bass) in order to appear as the resident band at The Rum Runner night club Birmingham. Magnum have undergone several changes in personnel over the years; however, the core of vocalist Bob Catley
Bob Catley
For the Australian politician, see Bob Catley Robert Adrian 'Bob' Catley is a British musician, perhaps best known as the lead singer of the rock band Magnum. He is also an accomplished solo artist.- Early years :...
and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
/songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Tony Clarkin
Tony Clarkin
Tony Clarkin is a British musician, best known as the guitarist of the rock band Magnum...
remain today.
Magnum's most notable success during their early years was Chase The Dragon
Chase the Dragon
- Cover Sleeve :The cover art was designed by Rodney Matthews."My original brief for Magnum's 'Chase the Dragon' album cover was given by Tony Clarkin, founder member of the band, who writes all the music and lyrics. In the first instance the record was to have been called 'The Spirit' and my rough...
in 1982, which reached #17 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, and included several songs that would be mainstays of the band's live set, notably "Soldier Of The Line," "Sacred Hour" and "The Spirit".
Their breakthrough album came in 1985 with the gold certified
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
album On A Storyteller's Night
On A Storyteller's Night
On a Storyteller's Night is the fifth studio album by British melodic rock band Magnum, released in 1985 on FM Records. The album is widely considered as Magnum's breakthrough album. This album features one of the Tony Clarkin's most thoughtful songs, "Les Morts Dansant" — a simple song in that...
which featured the single "Just Like An Arrow". This success continued in the following years with the Roger Taylor
Roger Meddows-Taylor
Roger Meddows Taylor , known as Roger Taylor, is a British musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of British rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of...
produced Vigilante
Vigilante (album)
Vigilante is the sixth studio album by British melodic rock band Magnum, released in 1986 on Polydor.Capitalising on the success of On a Storyteller's Night, Magnum change to a more commercial direction with their 1986 album Vigilante...
in 1986, the Top 5, silver certified album Wings Of Heaven
Wings of Heaven
-Singles:Days of No Trust 7" #"Days of No Trust" [Edit] — 3:46#"Maybe Tonight" [B-Side] — 4:39Days of No Trust 12" #"Days of No Trust" [Edit] — 3:46#"Maybe Tonight" [B-Side] — 4:39#"The Spirit" [Live] — 0:00...
in 1988, which featured three Top 40 singles, and the Keith Olsen
Keith Olsen
Keith Olsen is one of the most prolific and successful music producers in the industry.-Career:With over 120 albums produced netting a 1 in 4 Gold or better ratio, of which more than 24 are Platinum or better, and more than 14 are multi-Platinum, sales from Keith Olsen’s work exceeds 110 million...
produced Goodnight L.A.
Goodnight L.A.
-Singles:Rockin' Chair 7" #"Rockin' Chair" [LP Version] — 4:10#"Mama" [LP Version] — 4:34Rockin' Chair 12" #"Rockin' Chair" [LP Version] — 4:10...
reaching #9 in the UK Album Chart in 1990.
In 1995 Tony Clarkin
Tony Clarkin
Tony Clarkin is a British musician, best known as the guitarist of the rock band Magnum...
announced Magnum's split, and later forming another band, Hard Rain
Hard Rain (band)
Hard Rain are a British Melodic Rock band from Birmingham, England. Formed in 1996, following the demise of Magnum. The core of the band are vocalist Bob Catley and guitarist/songwriter Tony Clarkin....
. Magnum would eventually reform in 2001, their most recent album The Visitation
The Visitation (Magnum album)
The Visitation is the sixteenth studio album by British rock band Magnum, released in 2011 by SPV.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Tony Clarkin — Guitar*Bob Catley — Vocals*Al Barrow — Bass*Mark Stanway — Keyboards*Harry James — Drums-External links:...
was released in January 2011.
Early years (1972—1978)
Magnum began as the house bandHouse band
For the British band that existed from 1984-2001, see The House BandA house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to...
at 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...
’s famous Rum Runner
Rum Runner (nightclub)
The Rum Runner nightclub was opened on Broad Street, Birmingham in the city centre in 1964. It was demolished in 1987 to make way for the Hyatt Hotel....
night club (later the home of Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
). Joining Clarkin and Catley were drummer Kex Gorin
Kex Gorin
Kex Gorin , was a British drummer. He was the original drummer for Magnum and played on the bands first four studio albums and one live album...
and former Uglys and Balls bassist Dave Morgan
Dave Morgan (musician)
David 'Dave' Morgan is an English songwriter and musician.-Career:He was a member of well-regarded Birmingham 60's group The Uglys with Steve Gibbons between 1967 and 1969, where Morgan was the bassist and vocalist...
(later a member of ELO
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
). The band line up remained the same from until 1972 when Les Kitcheridge joined temporarily on guitar. Bob Doyle left Magnum in 1972 to join Roy Wood
Roy Wood
Roy Adrian Wood is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He was particularly successful in the 1960s and 1970s as member and co-founder of the bands The Move, Electric Light Orchestra, and Wizzard. As a songwriter, he contributed a number of hits to the repertoire of these bands.-Career:Wood...
's Wizzard
Wizzard
Wizzard was a Birmingham-based band formed by Roy Wood, former member of The Move and co-founder of Electric Light Orchestra. The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits states, "Wizzard was Roy Wood just as much as Wings were Paul McCartney."-Biography:...
Morgan comments: "I was absolutely broke, and the people who owned the Rum Runner
Rum Runner (nightclub)
The Rum Runner nightclub was opened on Broad Street, Birmingham in the city centre in 1964. It was demolished in 1987 to make way for the Hyatt Hotel....
club were building this new night club called Snobs, and they got all the musicians that worked at the Rum Runner
Rum Runner (nightclub)
The Rum Runner nightclub was opened on Broad Street, Birmingham in the city centre in 1964. It was demolished in 1987 to make way for the Hyatt Hotel....
helping out. I went to the Rum Runner
Rum Runner (nightclub)
The Rum Runner nightclub was opened on Broad Street, Birmingham in the city centre in 1964. It was demolished in 1987 to make way for the Hyatt Hotel....
one night, so Tony Clarkin
Tony Clarkin
Tony Clarkin is a British musician, best known as the guitarist of the rock band Magnum...
said, "Come and earn some money building this new club." So I was down there every day helping them build this thing, and on the night I used to go down to the Rum Runner
Rum Runner (nightclub)
The Rum Runner nightclub was opened on Broad Street, Birmingham in the city centre in 1964. It was demolished in 1987 to make way for the Hyatt Hotel....
just to see the groups. I was in there one night, and to cut a long story short, Bob Doyle the original bass player with Magnum left the band, and Tony Clarkin said, "Can you play bass?", I said "Yeah", he said, "You got the job!" That was it, I just happened to be there when Doyle left, so I got his job!"
They began to develop their own style by playing Clarkin's songs at a residency at The Railway Inn, in Birmingham's Curzon Street, in 1976. In 1975, Clarkin and Dave Morgan received an offer from Jake Commander to help with the construction of a studio, rather than being paid with money, Clarkin suggested being paid with Studio time. Much of Magnum's early demo material was recorded at Nest Studios on Birmingham, which would later lead to a recording contract with David Arden of Jet Records
Jet Records
Jet Records was a small British record label set up by Don Arden with artists like Electric Light Orchestra , Roy Wood, Gary Moore, Ozzy Osbourne, Riot and Magnum. The first release on the "Jet Records" label was "No Honestly", a UK top 10 for its singer and writer Lynsey De Paul in November 1974...
. During the "Nest" sessions at least two songs written by Dave Morgan (and sung by Bob Catley) were recorded but never released. The titles were "Baby I Need" and "One More Round The Bend", which resurfaced on an acetate disc in 2005.
A one off deal with CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
was arranged via producer Roger Greenaway
Roger Greenaway
Roger Greenaway , is a popular English songwriter, best known for his collaborations with Roger Cook.-Career:...
, and the band released a cover of The Searchers' "Sweets for My Sweet
Sweets for My Sweet
"Sweets for My Sweet" is a song written by the songwriting team of Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, originally recorded by The Drifters. The group's first single featuring Charlie Thomas on lead vocal, "Sweets for My Sweet" reached #16 in October 1961. This was one of the few post-1958 Drifters singles...
" in February 1975; however this failed to trouble the charts. The original recording included a medley of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" but was edited out for the single release. Lead vocals on this song were by Morgan, who left the band soon after, and was replaced by Colin "Wally" Lowe. Success was still minimal; they were working as a backing band for artists such as Del Shannon
Del Shannon
Del Shannon was an American rock and roll singer-songwriter who had a No. 1 hit, "Runaway", in 1961.- Biography :...
on small tours. The band was expanded to a five-piece with the addition of Richard Bailey on keyboards. May 1977 saw band support Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
on their Sin After Sin
Sin After Sin
Sin After Sin is the third album by British heavy metal group Judas Priest, released in 1977. It was the band's first album on Columbia Records after their contract with Gull Records was terminated, as a consequence of which they lost all rights to Rocka Rolla and Sad Wings of Destiny, and any...
UK tour, still without the backing of a record label.
Jet Records (1978—1984)
Magnum's debut album Kingdom Of MadnessKingdom of Madness (Magnum album)
Kingdom of Madness is the debut studio album by British melodic rock band Magnum. It was recorded in 1976, and was released in 1978 by Jet Records....
was released on Jet Records
Jet Records
Jet Records was a small British record label set up by Don Arden with artists like Electric Light Orchestra , Roy Wood, Gary Moore, Ozzy Osbourne, Riot and Magnum. The first release on the "Jet Records" label was "No Honestly", a UK top 10 for its singer and writer Lynsey De Paul in November 1974...
at the end of 1978 and reached #58 in the UK Chart, receiving a five star review from Geoff Barton
Geoff Barton
Geoff Barton is a British journalist who founded Kerrang! heavy metal magazine and was an editor of Sounds music magazine.He joined Sounds at the age of nineteen after completing a journalism course at the London College of Printing. He specialised in covering rock music and helped popularise the...
of Sounds
Sounds (magazine)
Sounds was a long-term British music paper, published weekly from 10 October 1970 – 6 April 1991. It was produced by Spotlight Publications , which was set up by Jack Hutton and Peter Wilkinson, who left "Melody Maker" to start their own company...
. They toured the UK in October/November 1978 as support to David Coverdale's Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
. Leo Lyons
Leo Lyons
Leo Lyons is an English rock musician, who was also the bassist of the British late 1960s to 1970s rock group Ten Years After....
, formerly bassist with Ten Years After
Ten Years After
Ten Years After is an English blues-rock band, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Between 1968 and 1973, Ten Years After scored eight Top 40 albums on the UK Albums Chart...
, produced the follow-up album Magnum II
Magnum II
- Reissues :- Bonus tracks :Sanctuary Records released a 2005 Remastered and Expanded edition with a Bonus Tracks."Lonesome Star" Recorded during the Magnum II sessions, originally released as the B-Side to the "Changes" single....
— which was released in 1979, but failed to chart. Another support tour was organised for November 1979, this time with Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...
. A live set, Marauder
Marauder (Live)
Marauder is a live album by British melodic rock band Magnum. It was released in 1980 on Jet Records.Magnum recorded Marauder over one night at London's Marquee Club on 15 December 1979. It was an attempt by Jet Records to revive the success of the debut album Kingdom of Madness following the...
, was released as an album and reached #34 in the UK, and a live double single ("Live at the Marquee", including "Invasion") reached #48 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. Bailey departed soon after and was replaced temporarily by Grenville Harding as support to Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
's On Through The Night
On through the Night
On Through the Night is the debut album by British rock band Def Leppard, released in 1980. The album charted at #51 on The Billboard 200 and #15 on the UK Albums Chart...
UK tour in March. For the second leg in April, permanent replacement Mark Stanway
Mark Stanway
Mark Stanway is a keyboardist. He is famous for his work with British rock band Magnum, and also with Phil Lynott's Grand Slam. He also plays with M3 Classic Whitesnake, featuring ex-Whitesnake members Bernie Marsden, Neil Murray and Mick Moody....
took over keyboard duties. Magnum also appeared at the Reading Festival in 1980. April 1981 saw another support tour with Tygers Of Pan Tang
Tygers Of Pan Tang
Tygers of Pan Tang are a heavy metal band, formed in 1978 and originating from Whitley Bay, England. They are a notable band of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement...
on their Spellbound
Spellbound (Tygers of Pan Tang album)
Spellbound is the second album by British heavy metal band Tygers of Pan Tang, produced in 1981 on MCA. Spellbound is the first of two full length Tygers of Pan Tang albums to feature John Sykes, who later joined Thin Lizzy....
UK tour.
Their most notable success during these early years was the Jeff Glixman
Jeff Glixman
Jeff Glixman is an American record producer. He has produced, mixed or remastered artists such as Kansas, Gary Moore, Yngwie Malmsteen, the Georgia Satellites and Black Sabbath...
produced Chase The Dragon
Chase the Dragon
- Cover Sleeve :The cover art was designed by Rodney Matthews."My original brief for Magnum's 'Chase the Dragon' album cover was given by Tony Clarkin, founder member of the band, who writes all the music and lyrics. In the first instance the record was to have been called 'The Spirit' and my rough...
(1982) which reached #17 in the UK, and included several songs that would be mainstays of the bands live set, notably "Soldier Of The Line", "Sacred Hour" and "The Spirit". Glixman was previously best known for his work with Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, and this was the first Magnum release to feature the artwork of fantasy artist Rodney Matthews
Rodney Matthews
Rodney Matthews is a fantasy artist and illustrator.In 1978, he published Yendor: The Journey of a Junior Adventurer, a hard-back picture book featuring his distinctive paintings of "The Wild Country", a fantasy world seen through the eyes of young Yendor, named after his son...
. The tour included a support slot 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...
in February on their One Vice at a Time
One Vice at a Time
One Vice at a Time is Krokus' sixth album, released in 1982 on Arista Records. It was the first album to feature Mark Kohler on rhythm guitar. It includes a cover of The Guess Who's song "American Woman", and a song "Rock N' Roll" which is very similar to the Led Zeppelin song "Rock And Roll"...
UK tour. as well as a few US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
dates were played during the summer of 1982, supporting labelmate 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...
– these would ultimately prove to be the only live gigs the band have ever played (to date) outside of the UK
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...
and 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...
. The band returned to the UK in July for their own headlining tour of the UK.
Budgetary constraints at Jet denied Magnum the use of an outside producer for 1983's Clarkin-produced The Eleventh Hour
The Eleventh Hour (Magnum album)
-Cover Sleeve:The cover art was designed by Rodney Matthews."The Eleventh Hour illustration was mostly the brain child of Magnum's Tony Clarkin, a likable 'brummy' of eccentric appearance. He came to my studio where we listened to lyrics and he scribbled out a little sketch indicating the figure...
, which peaked at UK #38. A UK tour started in May 1983, featuring additional guitarist Robin George for live performances. Magnum also appeared at the 1983 Reading Festival, with George in attendance.
Magnum and Jet parted company shortly after, and there followed a twelve month period of instability with the band's future clouded by uncertainty. Many fans believed that Magnum had split up. Kex Gorin was replaced by Jim Simpson and Stanway took some time away from the band to work with Phil Lynott
Phil Lynott
Philip Parris "Phil" Lynott was an Irish musician who first came to prominence as a founding member, principal songwriter, and frontman of the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy....
and was replaced by Eddie George. An independent tour was organised for February 1984 without the backing of a record label. Lawrence Archer temporarily stood in for Tony Clarkin
Tony Clarkin
Tony Clarkin is a British musician, best known as the guitarist of the rock band Magnum...
, when he became ill.
On A Storyteller’s Night and chart success (1985—1995)
Stanway had returned to the band in 1984, and they toured the UK in January 1985. Magnum signed a one-off deal with FM Records, and released On A Storyteller's NightOn A Storyteller's Night
On a Storyteller's Night is the fifth studio album by British melodic rock band Magnum, released in 1985 on FM Records. The album is widely considered as Magnum's breakthrough album. This album features one of the Tony Clarkin's most thoughtful songs, "Les Morts Dansant" — a simple song in that...
, and was also notable for the cover by Rodney Matthews
Rodney Matthews
Rodney Matthews is a fantasy artist and illustrator.In 1978, he published Yendor: The Journey of a Junior Adventurer, a hard-back picture book featuring his distinctive paintings of "The Wild Country", a fantasy world seen through the eyes of young Yendor, named after his son...
. It reached #24 in the UK, and launched the band across Europe. For the May UK tour Jim Simpson was replaced by Mickey Barker
Mickey Barker
Allan Michael "Mickey" Barker is an English former professional association football player. He played for Newcastle United, Hartlepool United and Gillingham between 1973 and 1984.-References:...
.
The success of Storyteller's
On A Storyteller's Night
On a Storyteller's Night is the fifth studio album by British melodic rock band Magnum, released in 1985 on FM Records. The album is widely considered as Magnum's breakthrough album. This album features one of the Tony Clarkin's most thoughtful songs, "Les Morts Dansant" — a simple song in that...
earned the band a major label deal with Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
, and they embarked on the most commercially successful period of their career - opening the famous Monsters of Rock
Monsters of Rock
Monsters of Rock was an annual music festival held in England, then moved in other locations like The Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Chile.The Last show was in 2008....
festival at Castle Donington
Castle Donington
Castle Donington is a village, with a population of around 7000 in the North West of Leicestershire, part of the Derby postcode area and on the edge of the National Forest. It is the closest town to East Midlands Airport.-Transport and housing:...
in August 1985, on a bill that also included Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Marillion
Marillion
Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
and headliners ZZ Top
ZZ Top
ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
. A second leg for the Storyteller's
On A Storyteller's Night
On a Storyteller's Night is the fifth studio album by British melodic rock band Magnum, released in 1985 on FM Records. The album is widely considered as Magnum's breakthrough album. This album features one of the Tony Clarkin's most thoughtful songs, "Les Morts Dansant" — a simple song in that...
tour was concluded in December 1985.
The first release for the label was co-produced by Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
drummer Roger Taylor
Roger Meddows-Taylor
Roger Meddows Taylor , known as Roger Taylor, is a British musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of British rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of...
in 1986, entitled Vigilante
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
. The switch to Polydor saw an increase in the marketing budget, and promotional videos were made for the singles "Lonely Night" and "Midnight". A full UK and European tour scheduled in March 1986, including appearances at The Garden Party Festival, Milton Keynes Bowl in June and Out In The Green Festival. A second UK leg was organised in September 1986 and finishing in Europe in November 1986. In March 1987, the band embarked on a third UK and European tour and an appearance at 1987's Reading Festival.
Magnum enjoyed increased success with the album Wings Of Heaven
Wings of Heaven
-Singles:Days of No Trust 7" #"Days of No Trust" [Edit] — 3:46#"Maybe Tonight" [B-Side] — 4:39Days of No Trust 12" #"Days of No Trust" [Edit] — 3:46#"Maybe Tonight" [B-Side] — 4:39#"The Spirit" [Live] — 0:00...
(#5 in the UK). Three singles from "Wings of Heaven" reached the UK Top 40, including a Top of The Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
appearance with "Start Talking Love". A successful tour followed in December, and by now Magnum had been elevated to an 'arena' band in the UK, headlining the 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...
N.E.C.
National Exhibition Centre
The National Exhibition Centre is an exhibition centre in Birmingham, England. It is near junction 6 of the M42 motorway, and is adjacent to Birmingham International Airport and Birmingham International railway station. It has 20 interconnected halls, set in grounds of 628 acres making it the...
and several nights at London's Hammersmith Odeon, supported by the Norwegian band Stage Dolls.
The band went to Los Angeles for the Keith Olsen
Keith Olsen
Keith Olsen is one of the most prolific and successful music producers in the industry.-Career:With over 120 albums produced netting a 1 in 4 Gold or better ratio, of which more than 24 are Platinum or better, and more than 14 are multi-Platinum, sales from Keith Olsen’s work exceeds 110 million...
produced Goodnight L.A.
Goodnight L.A.
-Singles:Rockin' Chair 7" #"Rockin' Chair" [LP Version] — 4:10#"Mama" [LP Version] — 4:34Rockin' Chair 12" #"Rockin' Chair" [LP Version] — 4:10...
which peaked at #9 in the UK chart. The band performed at Berlin's Arena Festival, followed by a full UK and European tour in September 1990. They toured the UK again in November. Following Goodnight L.A.
Goodnight L.A.
-Singles:Rockin' Chair 7" #"Rockin' Chair" [LP Version] — 4:10#"Mama" [LP Version] — 4:34Rockin' Chair 12" #"Rockin' Chair" [LP Version] — 4:10...
's lukewarm reception Magnum parted company with Polydor. They released the live album The Spirit
The Spirit (album)
The Spirit is a live album by British melodic rock band Magnum, released in 1991 by Polydor.Recorded during the Goodnight L.A. tour, the selection of recordings was made according to the band's live set. The band selected the recording that they were most happy with...
in 1991 and toured the UK and Europe again to support the album. During the concerts in Germany the band played live with the Roger Taylor band The Cross. Magnum continued to release albums for various labels on one-off deals, the first being Sleepwalking
Sleepwalking (Magnum album)
Sleepwalking is the ninth studio album by British melodic rock band Magnum, released in 1992.Following the decision to leave Polydor, Sleepwalking was recorded within six months, and is the first self-produced album by Magnum since The Eleventh Hour. Tony Clarkin was much happier acting as...
in 1992 on 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....
with a full UK tour in October. This was followed by the acoustic album Keeping The Nite Light Burning
Keeping the Nite Light Burning
Keeping The Nite Light Burning is the tenth studio album by British melodic rock band Magnum, released in 1993 by Jet Records.Inspired by MTV Unplugged, Tony Clarkin liked the idea or rearranging some of their older material, with an acoustic and contemporary style...
in 1993 with a UK tour in April.
Rock Art
Rock Art (Magnum album)
-Singles:The Tall Ships CD # "The Tall Ships" [Edit] — 3:55# "The Tall Ships" [LP Version] — 5:06# "Hard Hearted Woman" [LP Version] — 3:49# "You Don't Have To Be Baby To Cry" [B-Side] — 5:24...
was released in 1994 on EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
. A UK tour was scheduled for April, but the remaining dates in May and June were postponed or cancelled. A low key tour was arranged for August and Europe in September. In the summer of 1995 Tony Clarkin announced the band were to split and a farewell tour of the UK and Europe took place in March, documented on the live album Stronghold
Stronghold (Magnum album)
Stronghold is a live album by British melodic rock band Magnum, released in 1997 by SPV. It is the UK re-release of The Last Dance, which originally was only distributed in Europe. This edition included bonus tracks....
(titled The Last Dance
The Last Dance (Magnum album)
The Last Dance is a live album by British melodic rock band Magnum, released in 1996 by SPV.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Tony Clarkin — Guitar*Bob Catley — Vocals*Wally Lowe — Bass*Mark Stanway — Keyboards*Mickey Barker — Drums-External links:...
in mainland Europe).
Split and Hard Rain years (1995—2001)
After Magnum split, a spin off group featuring Catley and Clarkin was formed called Hard RainHard Rain (band)
Hard Rain are a British Melodic Rock band from Birmingham, England. Formed in 1996, following the demise of Magnum. The core of the band are vocalist Bob Catley and guitarist/songwriter Tony Clarkin....
, and they released the albums Hard Rain
Hard Rain (Hard Rain album)
Hard Rain is the debut studio album by British melodic rock band Hard Rain. It was released in 1996 on German record label Semaphore GmbH....
and When The Good Times Come
When the Good Times Come (Hard Rain album)
When The Good Times Come is the second studio album by British melodic rock band Hard Rain. It was released in 1999 on Eagle Records.-Track listing:All Tracks written by Tony Clarkin.#"Eat It Up"#"Who You Gonna Trust"#"Rock Me In Ya Cradle"...
. It was around this time that Catley launched a solo career using various songwriters, including Gary Hughes
Gary Hughes
Gary Hughes is an English hard rock singer, songwriter and musician. Apart from his work as a solo artist, Gary Hughes is the front man and main songwriter of Hard Rock/Melodic Rock band Ten...
of the band Ten
Ten (band)
Ten is a British hard rock/melodic rock band which was formed in 1995 by vocalist/songwriter Gary Hughes and guitarist Vinny Burns.-Formation :...
. However, Hard Rain found gig
Gig (musical performance)
Gig is slang for a musical engagement in which musicians are hired. Originally coined in the 1920s by jazz musicians, the term, short for the word "engagement", now refers to any aspect of performing such as assisting with performance and attending musical performance...
s and bookings hard to come by, and there were discussions about renaming the band as Magnum. Also, at this time, Catley was becoming increasingly focused on his solo career, and he quit Hard Rain, marking the end of a working relationship with Clarkin that dated back to 1972. After a quiet period Clarkin announced the end of Hard Rain.
Reformation and beyond (2002—present)
Eventually, Clarkin and Catley re-launched Magnum with the album Breath Of Life in 2002 on SPVSPV GmbH
SPV GmbH is an independent German record label.Founded on January 1, 1984, it has slowly grown to be one of the largest independent distributors and record labels worldwide....
with a UK tour in December. They were again joined by Stanway, with former Hard Rain bassist Al Barrow
Al Barrow
Al Barrow is the bassist of the British band Magnum.Barrow joined Magnum in 2001 after he was a member of Hard Rain, a group formed by Magnum members, Bob Catley and Tony Clarkin, while activities around Magnum was set on pause. Officially the band was split, but made a comeback in 2001 with their...
and former-Thunder
Thunder (band)
Thunder were an English hard rock band, who originally formed in 1989 when the band Terraplane broke up, leaving lead singer Danny Bowes and guitarist/main songwriter Luke Morley to form a new group, namely Thunder...
drummer Harry James
Gary James
Gary Milton James, popularly known as 'Harry' James is the drummer for themelodic rock band Magnum,although he is best known as the drummer for the now defunct hard rock band Thunder....
. This was subsequently followed by Brand New Morning
Brand New Morning (Magnum album)
- Personnel :* Tony Clarkin — Guitar* Bob Catley — Vocals* Al Barrow — Bass* Mark Stanway — Keyboards* Harry James — Drums- External links :* — Official Magnum site...
in 2004 with appearances at Germany's Bang Your Head Festival and Lorca Rock Festival in Spain with a tour around the UK and Europe in December.
Clarkin comments: "The break since the middle of the Nineties was definitely necessary for me. Since the end of the Seventies, in fact since we embarked on the preparations for our debut recording Kingdom Of Madness
Kingdom of Madness (Magnum album)
Kingdom of Madness is the debut studio album by British melodic rock band Magnum. It was recorded in 1976, and was released in 1978 by Jet Records....
, not a single month had gone by in which I didn't work for Magnum, composed for the group, or at least thought of them permanently. For almost twenty years, all my thoughts had revolved around the band. I needed a break to clear my head and to be able to devote myself to the band again with renewed energy." — Tony Clarkin
Tony Clarkin
Tony Clarkin is a British musician, best known as the guitarist of the rock band Magnum...
, 2002
When Harry James
Gary James
Gary Milton James, popularly known as 'Harry' James is the drummer for themelodic rock band Magnum,although he is best known as the drummer for the now defunct hard rock band Thunder....
returned full time to Thunder
Thunder (band)
Thunder were an English hard rock band, who originally formed in 1989 when the band Terraplane broke up, leaving lead singer Danny Bowes and guitarist/main songwriter Luke Morley to form a new group, namely Thunder...
, Jimmy Copley
Jimmy Copley
Jimmy Copley, sometimes credited as Jim Copley is an English rock drummer who has worked with Jeff Beck, Graham Parker, Paul Young, Roger Glover, Magnum, Ian Gillan and Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple, Go West, Killing Joke, Tears for Fears, Seal, Tony Iommi and Paul Rodgers.Born James Copley in...
became a full-time member of Magnum. The band toured in April 2005 to mark the 20th anniversary of On A Storyteller's Night they released a live DVD of the Astoria concert entitled Livin' The Dream, which came complete with a small documentary and promotional videos from throughout the band's history.
Magnum completed work on a new studio album, Princess Alice And The Broken Arrow
Princess Alice and the Broken Arrow
-Singles:Like Brothers We Stand Digital # "Like Brothers We Stand" [Radio Edit] — 3:31# "Your Lies" [LP Version] — 4:32-Cover Sleeve:The cover art was designed by Rodney Matthews....
released on 26 March 2007, that also marked the return of cover artwork by Rodney Matthews
Rodney Matthews
Rodney Matthews is a fantasy artist and illustrator.In 1978, he published Yendor: The Journey of a Junior Adventurer, a hard-back picture book featuring his distinctive paintings of "The Wild Country", a fantasy world seen through the eyes of young Yendor, named after his son...
. The album entered the UK Album Charts at #70, the first time Magnum have charted in the UK since 1994. It also reached #4 on the BBC Rock Album Charts and #60 in Germany.
Magnum toured the UK and Europe in May 2007. Harry James
Gary James
Gary Milton James, popularly known as 'Harry' James is the drummer for themelodic rock band Magnum,although he is best known as the drummer for the now defunct hard rock band Thunder....
played drums temporarily for half the tour as Jimmy Copley
Jimmy Copley
Jimmy Copley, sometimes credited as Jim Copley is an English rock drummer who has worked with Jeff Beck, Graham Parker, Paul Young, Roger Glover, Magnum, Ian Gillan and Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple, Go West, Killing Joke, Tears for Fears, Seal, Tony Iommi and Paul Rodgers.Born James Copley in...
was taken ill.
In 2005 former drummer, Kex Gorin was diagnosed with kidney cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. Gorin had a kidney removed and underwent radiotherapy and steroid treatment, but died of the disease on 21 December 2007.
Magnum undertook a UK tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of Wings Of Heaven in November 2007. These shows were recorded for Wings of Heaven Live
Wings of Heaven Live
-Personnel:*Tony Clarkin — Guitar*Bob Catley — Vocals*Al Barrow — Bass*Mark Stanway — Keyboards*Jimmy Copley — Drums-First Leg :*10 November 2007 — Ironworks — Inverness*11 November 2007 — The Garage — Glasgow*12 November 2007 — 53 Degrees — Preston...
album which was released in March 2008.
In 2007, Magnum played a one off show at the Robin 2, Bilston, Wolverhampton. This was a charity event in aid of former drummer Kex Gorin and his family. An auction of memorabilia was staged before the show which raised over £10,000. Magnum then played a two hour set of old and new material.
On 15 June 2009, they released Into the Valley of the Moonking
Into the Valley of the Moonking
-Personnel:*Tony Clarkin — Guitar*Bob Catley — Vocals*Al Barrow — Bass*Mark Stanway — Keyboards*Harry James — Drums-External links:* — Official Magnum site* — at rodneymatthews.com...
on SPV.
In 2010, the band released, The Gathering
The Gathering (Magnum album)
The Gathering is a 5 disc career-spanning compilation album by British melodic rock band Magnum. It is set to be released in 2010 by Sanctuary Records...
, on Universal/Sanctuary; their first ever cross-career collection spread over five discs featuring a 1988 live recording from Hammersmith Odeon.
The band released their next album, The Visitation
The Visitation (Magnum album)
The Visitation is the sixteenth studio album by British rock band Magnum, released in 2011 by SPV.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Tony Clarkin — Guitar*Bob Catley — Vocals*Al Barrow — Bass*Mark Stanway — Keyboards*Harry James — Drums-External links:...
, in 2011. The band toured in support of the album throughout March and April 2011.
On August 30th Magnum announce new compilation album Evolution celebrating the last 10 years on SPV GmbH
SPV GmbH
SPV GmbH is an independent German record label.Founded on January 1, 1984, it has slowly grown to be one of the largest independent distributors and record labels worldwide....
since their reformation in 2001. The album will be released on November 11th, 2011 in Germany and November 14th for the UK & rest of Europe. The set will feature songs culled from the band's previous 5 releases in re-recorded, remixed and remastered form with 2 new songs.
Band members
Current- Bob Catley — Vocals (1972 — 1995; 2000 — present)
- Tony Clarkin — Guitar & Vocals (1972 — 1995; 2000 — present)
- Mark Stanway — Keyboards (1980 — 1984; 1985 — 1995; 2001 — present)
- Al Barrow — Bass Guitar (2001 — present)
- Harry James — Drums & Percussion (2001 — 2005; 2007 — present)
Temporary
- Les Kitcheridge — Guitar & Vocals (1972)
- Grenville Harding — Keyboards (1980) — Touring member for the 1980 UK tour
- Robin George — Rhythm Guitar (1983) — Touring member for The Eleventh HourThe Eleventh Hour (Magnum album)-Cover Sleeve:The cover art was designed by Rodney Matthews."The Eleventh Hour illustration was mostly the brain child of Magnum's Tony Clarkin, a likable 'brummy' of eccentric appearance. He came to my studio where we listened to lyrics and he scribbled out a little sketch indicating the figure...
tour - Laurence Archer — Guitar (1984) — Temporary touring member for the 1984 UK tour when Tony Clarkin was ill
- Eddie George — Keyboards (1984) — Touring member for the 1984 UK tour
Former
- Kex Gorin — Drums & Percussion (1972 — 1984)
- Bob Doyle - Bass Guitar (1972)
- Dave Morgan — Bass Guitar & Lead Vocals (1972 — 1975)
- Colin "Wally" Lowe — Bass Guitar & Vocals (1975 — 1995)
- Richard Bailey — Keyboards, Flute & Vocals (1976 — 1980)
- Jim Simpson — Drums & Percussion (1984 — 1985)
- Mickey Barker — Drums & Percussion (1985 — 1995)
- Jimmy Copley — Drums & Percussion (2005 — 2007)
External links
- www.magnumonline.co.uk — Official Magnum site
- www.bobcatley.com — Official Bob Catley site
- www.myspace.com/magnumuk — Magnum at MySpace.com
- www.myspace.com/bazaray — Al Barrow at MySpace.com
- www.myspace.com/bobcatley — Bob Catley at MySpace.com
- www.myspace.com/markstanway — Mark Stanway at MySpace.com
- www.myspace.com/jimmycopley — Jimmy Copley at MySpace.com
- http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/06/06/into-the-valley-with-magnum/ - Express & Star interview with Tony Clarkin, June 2009