Thor (band)
Encyclopedia
Thor is a heavy metal
band from Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Canada
.
In 1976 Jon Mikl Thor met guitarist Frank Soda while touring Canada. They formed the first incarnation of Thor called "Thor and The Imps". The band toured constantly in the Eastern USA and Canada region building a large following. The first album was recorded in Toronto, Canada under the name Thor and The Imps and was called "Muscle Rock". Released by the independent label, God Of Thunder Records, the record became an immediate success. The buzz created, grabbed the attention of various managers and producers who wanted to sign the act. Jon Mikl Thor was offered a large deal to star in a production at the Aladdin in Las Vegas called Red Hot and Blue. Frank Soda wanted to keep touring with the band. Frank Soda and The Imps were formed. Jon Mikl Thor went on to star in Las Vegas and was discovered by Merv Griffin. Merv had Thor perform live on the Merv Griffin show from Caesars Palace on national televeision.
Thor's performance was a hit. The offers poured in from various major labels.
Thor decided to sign with RCA records in late 1976.
This new incarnation of Thor was formed in 1977 by Jon Mikl Thor
and released their debut album Keep the Dogs Away. After much touring, Jon Mikl Thor resided in New York City. He formed a new band with Rusty Hamilton aka Queen Pantera, Mike Favata, Steve Price and Keith Zazzi in 1983 and released the Unchained EP. The record, which was on Mongel Horde Records in the USA got picked up for distribution in England through Albion Records. The band travelled to London, England to perform at the Marquee. They were sensations overnite and signed with Motorhead's manager Douglas Smith. In 1984, the band decided to live in the UK. Most of the time was spent at Studios in London, writing and recording new material. The songs "Let The Blood Run Red" and "Thunder On The Tundra" became instant chart toppers with Thunder On The Tundra reaching number one on the British rock chart. the success of the singles soon led to 1985's Only the Strong. Thor's stage performances involved antics such as Jon Mikl breathing into hot water bottles until they burst, breaking bricks over his chest and head and bending steel bars and microphone stands. In 1986, Thor released "Recruits- Wild In The Streets" on GWR Records. The band would break up in 1987 and Jon Mikl entered the world of acting, starring in such movies as Recruits, Zombie Nightmare,Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare.
Ten years later the band released the compilation album Ride of the Chariots (An-Thor-Logy) Following this release the band returned with new material and in 1998 they released Thunderstruck (Tales from the Equinox) and have since released five additional albums.
From 2000-2011,Thor continued to record, release albums and tour, building a larger following and connecting with a new generation. Albums released have been Dogz II (2000), Triumphant (2002), Beastwomen From The Centre Of The Earth (2003), Are U Ready (2004), Thor Against The World (2005), Devastation Of Muscularion (2006) Into The Noise (2007), Steam Clock (2008) Sign Of The V (2009), The Guardian (2010) and the new release Soundtrack (2011).
Thor wrote the music for and are starring in the new movie "Thor-The Rock Opera".
In 2009 Thor performed at the Sweden Rock Festival, Sauna Open Air Festival in Finland and the Muskelrock Festival (named after Thor and The Imps first album "Muscle Rock") in Alvesta, Sweden.
In 2011 Thor will headline the Shock Stock Festival in London, Ontario, April 30. The band consisting of original guitar player Frank Soda as well as new additions Joel "Savage" Watts on drums and Sean "Killer" Kilby on bass will head over to Scandinavia where they will headline at DOM(The Dome) in Helsinki, Finland June 1 before returning to the Muskelrock Festival June 2–4.
A new album is in the works to be released in 2012.
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 Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Biography
Thor started out out as a concept band in 1973. They were first called "Centaur" and then "Mikl Body Rock". These entities were the brainchild of Jon Mikl Thor, a vocalist, musician and body building champion who won titles such as Mr. USA and Mr. Canada. He decided to combine Muscle with Music. Mikl Body Rock toured throughout North America seeking fame and to garnish enough attention to secure a record deal. The press dubbed them "Kings of Muscle Rock" or " Warriors of Gladiator Rock".In 1976 Jon Mikl Thor met guitarist Frank Soda while touring Canada. They formed the first incarnation of Thor called "Thor and The Imps". The band toured constantly in the Eastern USA and Canada region building a large following. The first album was recorded in Toronto, Canada under the name Thor and The Imps and was called "Muscle Rock". Released by the independent label, God Of Thunder Records, the record became an immediate success. The buzz created, grabbed the attention of various managers and producers who wanted to sign the act. Jon Mikl Thor was offered a large deal to star in a production at the Aladdin in Las Vegas called Red Hot and Blue. Frank Soda wanted to keep touring with the band. Frank Soda and The Imps were formed. Jon Mikl Thor went on to star in Las Vegas and was discovered by Merv Griffin. Merv had Thor perform live on the Merv Griffin show from Caesars Palace on national televeision.
Thor's performance was a hit. The offers poured in from various major labels.
Thor decided to sign with RCA records in late 1976.
This new incarnation of Thor was formed in 1977 by Jon Mikl Thor
Jon Mikl Thor
Jon Mikl Thor , is a bodybuilding champion, actor, songwriter, screenwriter, historian, vocalist and musician....
and released their debut album Keep the Dogs Away. After much touring, Jon Mikl Thor resided in New York City. He formed a new band with Rusty Hamilton aka Queen Pantera, Mike Favata, Steve Price and Keith Zazzi in 1983 and released the Unchained EP. The record, which was on Mongel Horde Records in the USA got picked up for distribution in England through Albion Records. The band travelled to London, England to perform at the Marquee. They were sensations overnite and signed with Motorhead's manager Douglas Smith. In 1984, the band decided to live in the UK. Most of the time was spent at Studios in London, writing and recording new material. The songs "Let The Blood Run Red" and "Thunder On The Tundra" became instant chart toppers with Thunder On The Tundra reaching number one on the British rock chart. the success of the singles soon led to 1985's Only the Strong. Thor's stage performances involved antics such as Jon Mikl breathing into hot water bottles until they burst, breaking bricks over his chest and head and bending steel bars and microphone stands. In 1986, Thor released "Recruits- Wild In The Streets" on GWR Records. The band would break up in 1987 and Jon Mikl entered the world of acting, starring in such movies as Recruits, Zombie Nightmare,Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare.
Ten years later the band released the compilation album Ride of the Chariots (An-Thor-Logy) Following this release the band returned with new material and in 1998 they released Thunderstruck (Tales from the Equinox) and have since released five additional albums.
From 2000-2011,Thor continued to record, release albums and tour, building a larger following and connecting with a new generation. Albums released have been Dogz II (2000), Triumphant (2002), Beastwomen From The Centre Of The Earth (2003), Are U Ready (2004), Thor Against The World (2005), Devastation Of Muscularion (2006) Into The Noise (2007), Steam Clock (2008) Sign Of The V (2009), The Guardian (2010) and the new release Soundtrack (2011).
Thor wrote the music for and are starring in the new movie "Thor-The Rock Opera".
In 2009 Thor performed at the Sweden Rock Festival, Sauna Open Air Festival in Finland and the Muskelrock Festival (named after Thor and The Imps first album "Muscle Rock") in Alvesta, Sweden.
In 2011 Thor will headline the Shock Stock Festival in London, Ontario, April 30. The band consisting of original guitar player Frank Soda as well as new additions Joel "Savage" Watts on drums and Sean "Killer" Kilby on bass will head over to Scandinavia where they will headline at DOM(The Dome) in Helsinki, Finland June 1 before returning to the Muskelrock Festival June 2–4.
A new album is in the works to be released in 2012.
Line-up
- Jon Mikl ThorJon Mikl ThorJon Mikl Thor , is a bodybuilding champion, actor, songwriter, screenwriter, historian, vocalist and musician....
- vocals - Steve Price - guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
- Mike Favata - drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s - Mike Kischnick - guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
- Frank Soda- ((lead guitar))
- Joel "Savage" Watts (drums)
- Sean "Killer" Kilby (bass)
- Vincent Romagnoli (drums)
Albums
- Keep the Dogs AwayKeep the Dogs AwayKeep the Dogs Away is the first studio album by the heavy metal band Thor, released in 1977.-Track listing:#"Keep The Dogs Away" - 3:30 #"Sleeping Giant" - 3:30 #"Catch A Tiger" - 4:38 #"I'm So Proud" - 2:30 #"Tell Me Lies" - 3:12...
(1977) - Only the StrongOnly the Strong (Thor album)Only the Strong is the fifth album by Canadian/American heavy metal band Thor. Previous albums were 1976 THOR and The Imps, "Muscle Rock", 1977 "Striking Viking", 1978 "Keep The Dogs Away", 1983 "Unchained"...
(1985) - Recruits - Wild in the StreetsRecruits - Wild in the StreetsRecruits is the third album by Canadian heavy metal band Thor. It is also the soundtrack for the 1986 film Recruits.-Track listing:#"Recruits " - 3:44 #"Heartbreak Choir" - 3:18 #"Who's to Blame" - 3:16...
(1986) - The Edge of Hell (1986) (Credited as Tritonz)
- Thunderstruck: Tales from the Equinox (1998)
- Triumphant (2002)
- Beastwomen From the Center of the Earth (2004)
- Thor Against the World (2005)
- Devatation Of MusculationDevastation of Musculation (album)Devastation Of Musculation is an album by heavy metal band Thor. It was released in 2006 on Smog Veil Records, and features a new guitarist, Mike Kischnick, who also co-wrote and co-produced the record with singer Jon Mikl Thor.-Track listing:...
(2006) - Into the Noise (2008)
- Sign Of The V (2009)
- The Guardian (2010)
- Soundtrack-from the movie THOR-The Rock Opera (2011)
EPs
- Muscle Rock (1977) (Credited as Thor & the Imps)
- Gladiator (1979)
- Striking Viking (1980)
- UnchainedUnchained (Thor album)Unchained is an EP by Canadian heavy metal band Thor. The albums title is taken from the film Hercules Unchained. Tracks Rock the City and When Gods Collide were rerecorded for Only the Strong.-Track listing:#"Lightning Strikes Again" - 2:37...
(1983) - Odin Speaks (2001) (Split with Thor & the Ass Boys)