Neal Kay
Encyclopedia
Neal Kay is a London-based DJ who along with Tommy Vance
was a significant factor in the rise of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal
. He himself helped in coining this term for this subgenre of heavy metal
.
He managed a rock club called 'Neal Kay's Heavy Metal Soundhouse', originally resident in the back room of the Prince of Wales public house in Kingsbury
, North London; this back-room venue was known as the 'Bandwagon'. As well as hosting rock discos and inviting live bands to perform, he also had use of a recording studio at Spaceward Studios in Cambridge and allowed new bands to cut demos there. Amongst these bands were Praying Mantis
and the now legendary Iron Maiden
; the resulting popularity of Iron Maiden's recording led to a record contract and ultimately major success. Several other NWOBHM bands also gained contracts due to their Soundhouse demos.
Kay compiled many of these demos onto an album called "Metal For Muthas
", and several volumes were released, becoming collector's items for fans. He also got involved in promoting heavy metal concerts and tours, and was an enthusiastic champion of US band Riot
. He later went on to manage and help co-ordinate an excellent, if sadly short-lived UK AOR sextet, Venture. Disappointingly, after a sole show at London's Marquee Club
, the band fell apart due to personal and musical differences. Kay turned his managerial eye to several other up-and-coming bands throughout the rest of the 80s and early 90s.
At the various incarnations of the Soundhouse, Neal Kay managed to bring together fans of both the softer Melodic Rock (Styx, Kansas, Boston etc.) and lovers of the harder-edged Heavy Metal (AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Motörhead), though he was occasionally criticized for refusing to play requested tracks not to his personal liking (i.e. Kiss were rarely featured on the Soundhouse turntable).
Tommy Vance
Tommy Vance was a British pop radio broadcaster, born in Eynsham, Oxfordshire. He was one of the few music broadcasters in the United Kingdom to champion hard rock and heavy metal in the early 1980s, providing the only national radio forum for both bands and fans...
was a significant factor in the rise of 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...
. He himself helped in coining this term for this subgenre of 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...
.
He managed a rock club called 'Neal Kay's Heavy Metal Soundhouse', originally resident in the back room of the Prince of Wales public house in Kingsbury
Kingsbury
Kingsbury is an area in the London Borough of Brent, northwest London. The name Kingsbury means "The King's Manor".-History:Kingsbury was historically a small parish in the Hundred of Gore and county of Middlesex. Until the nineteenth century it was largely rural with only scattered settlements....
, North London; this back-room venue was known as the 'Bandwagon'. As well as hosting rock discos and inviting live bands to perform, he also had use of a recording studio at Spaceward Studios in Cambridge and allowed new bands to cut demos there. Amongst these bands were Praying Mantis
Praying Mantis (band)
Praying Mantis are an English rock band. Although a part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene, they pursued a musical direction more melodic and AOR-sounding than their contemporaries.-Career:...
and the now legendary Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
; the resulting popularity of Iron Maiden's recording led to a record contract and ultimately major success. Several other NWOBHM bands also gained contracts due to their Soundhouse demos.
Kay compiled many of these demos onto an album called "Metal For Muthas
Metal for Muthas
Metal For Muthas is the name given to a series of heavy metal compilations made during the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. The original compilation was Metal For Muthas , released in February 1980...
", and several volumes were released, becoming collector's items for fans. He also got involved in promoting heavy metal concerts and tours, and was an enthusiastic champion of US band Riot
Riot (band)
Riot is an American heavy metal band founded in New York City in 1975 by guitarist Mark Reale. Reaching a peak in popularity in the early 80s, the band has continued a long-running successful career....
. He later went on to manage and help co-ordinate an excellent, if sadly short-lived UK AOR sextet, Venture. Disappointingly, after a sole show at London's Marquee Club
Marquee Club
The Marquee was a music club first located at 165 Oxford Street, London, England when it opened in 1958 with a range of jazz and skiffle acts.It was also the location of the first ever live performance by The Rolling Stones on 12 July 1962....
, the band fell apart due to personal and musical differences. Kay turned his managerial eye to several other up-and-coming bands throughout the rest of the 80s and early 90s.
At the various incarnations of the Soundhouse, Neal Kay managed to bring together fans of both the softer Melodic Rock (Styx, Kansas, Boston etc.) and lovers of the harder-edged Heavy Metal (AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Motörhead), though he was occasionally criticized for refusing to play requested tracks not to his personal liking (i.e. Kiss were rarely featured on the Soundhouse turntable).