Magnum (Band)

Magnum is a English hard rock band. It was founded in 1972 by Bob Catley and Tony Clarkin.

Band History

Until 1979

Initially, the band played background for Del Shannon and other American singers at their concerts in England. The success, however, was moderate, the concerts rather minor nature. The real breakthrough came Magnum until 1976 as the opening act for the metal band Judas Priest.

Despite the controversial mix of Judas Priest's Heavy Metal and the more "normal " Rock of Magnum Jet Records was - which is also the Electric Light Orchestra had its time under contract - pay attention to the group and offered them a record deal.

The first two albums, Kingdom of Madness ( should be maintained over 10 years in the live set whose title song ) and Magnum II appeared at a distance of less than one year.

Although Catley even David Coverdale - the singer of Whitesnake - listened to the sales in terms of stage shows, concerts were the exception. So there were only eight live performances before the release of Magnum II.

1980-1985

In 1980, the third plant Marauder out as a live album. At that time, worked out the long time existing members of the band keyboardist Mark Stanway with ( Richard Bailey ), drummer Kex Gorin and bassist Colin " Wally " Lowe. Gigs opening for bands like Blue Öyster Cult, Def Leppard, Tygers of Pan Tang, crocus and Ozzy Osbourne proved to be a springboard into the American music scene.

Not least by the producer Jeff Glixman and their performances as the opening act of Kansas - - In the fourth album Chase the Dragon, American influences were no longer to hear what Magnum earned a top 20 placement.

In 1983, it seemed at first as if the band would dissolve. The new album The Eleventh Hour sold far below the expectations of the record company.

When Mark Stanway returned to the band and Bob Catley found no other singer role of optimism rose again. With the last own money the album On a Storyteller 's Night was recorded at FM Records. This plate came in the album chart in the top 30 and brought alongside the best reviews for the band also signed a contract with Polydor and the opening of the Monsters Of Rock festival. On a Storyteller 's Night is widely regarded as the classic Magnum album, were measured on the all of the following.

1986-1995

Was released in 1986 that produced by Queen drummer Roger Taylor and Dave Richards Album Vigilante.

Wings of Heaven made ​​it in 1988 with a mix of on Vigilante and On a Storyteller 's Night -heard styles even in the Top 5 The title Pray for the Day urged the audience to pray for a fall of the Berlin Wall. Quote: " Pray for the day this city 's wall, concrete for chains, will crumble and fall ... "

In 1988, with three sold-out concerts at London's famous Hammersmith Odeon one of the most successful years of Magnum. The spectacle was captured on video and as a radio concert.

In 1990, the album Goodnight LA reaching neither the placement nor the positive reviews of its predecessor. The subsequent tour was released together cut on the album The Spirit.

In 1992, the album Sleepwalking was released under the record label Music For Nations.

This was published by FM Records in 1993 Keeping the Nite Light Burning corresponded entirely to the former trend of MTV Unplugged mind. This year also saw the first compilation came out with the title archives. This was in two parts first releases of songs from the early days of Magnum, was added to the Nest Studios in Birmingham in 1974, such as Sea Bird, Slipping Away, on the other hand edited or alternative / original versions of familiar songs like Kingdom of Madness, The Word, Lights Burned Out, etc.

1994 EMI released with rock type, the first plate since Kingdom of Madness.

End of 1995, the band broke up after a final live appearance in Wolverhampton. Clarkin and Catley made ​​as a duo Hard Rain continues, with new sounds and other musical styles. At the same time came out a double album called The Last Dance, impressively documented the last live performances of Magnum.

2002 to today

In 2002 the reunion; it appeared the studio albums Breath of Life and 2004 Brand New Morning, which has a distinctive style change to the melodic hard rock. A successful tour in 2005 celebrated the 20th anniversary of On a Storyteller 's Night album. The concert from the London Astoria was released on a live DVD titled Livin 'the Dream. On 23 March 2007, the album Princess Alice and the Broken Arrow appeared. Thereupon Magnum focus more on the quieter side of rock music and go with titles like Dragons Are Real back to fantastic themes. In 2009 they had the sixteenth studio album Into the Valley of the Moon King to it again gave a tour of Europe. In January 2011, the new album The Visitation has been published. End of the year also came the best-of compilation of evolution, the two new songs remixed and re-recorded versions and contains some of the best titles from 2002-2011. In September 2012, the new studio album On the 13th Day was released, which was advertised with an extensive European tour later this year. For this album, there was for the first time in many years, So Let It Rain again a single release.

Already in June 2013 an album for the spring of 2014 was announced. It bears the name Escape from the Shadow Garden. It was released in Germany on March 24.

Discography

Studio albums:

Expanded Editions:

  • 2005: Kingdom of Madness: Expanded Edition
  • 2005: Magnum II: Expanded Edition
  • 2005: Chase the Dragon: Expanded Edition
  • 2005: The Eleventh Hour: Expanded Edition
  • 2005: On a Storyteller 's Night: 20th Anniversary Expanded Edition

Live albums:

Sampler:

Singles:

  • 2012: So Let It Rain

Others

As an intro, in concerts and on the live albums, Magnum uses the Troika piece from the suite Lieutenant Kishe by Sergei S. Prokofiev.

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