Savage coming home

SWEET Savage - Belfast pioneers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal - are coming home to bring their classic metal sound to the Spring and Airbrake on Friday, 3rd October.

It has been widely noted that it was the influence of the music of Sweet Savage were among those that inspired the young members of Metallica to start the band in the early 80’s.

The energy and sound of Sweet Savage proved to be what they were looking for in a band of their own. With Metallica being named as the most inspirational Heavy Metal band in this years Kerrang! Awards, perhaps Sweet Savage could claim the inspiration to the Inspired Award...

Sweet Savage formed in 1978 with band members including Vivian Campbell on guitar, Trev Fleming on guitar, David Bates on drums and Ray Haller on bass and vocals.

In 1980 Sweet Savage released their first single " Take No Prisoners " Which included the NWOBHM classic track " Killing Time " reaching No. 1 in the NWOBHM charts.

During this period they toured Britain with bands such as Budgie, Motorhead, Wild Horses, Wishbone Ash, Ozzy Osbourne. They also toured with Thin Lizzy and was the opening act at the first Slane Castle Concert which included U2 and Thin Lizzy. In fact Sweet Savage was the first act ever to play at Slane!

After recording two further singles ( never released ) Vivian Campbell left the band to pursue other music projects including DIO and Whitesnake, finally settling in as a lead guitarist for Def Leppard after the tragic death of Steve Clark.

It has been widely noted that it was the influence of the music of Sweet Savage that inspired the young members of Metallica to start the band in the early 80’s, the energy and sound of Sweet Savage proved to be what they were looking for in a band of their own.

In the late 90's Metallica covered Sweet Savage track "Killing Time" for their Garage Inc. record, after its mainstream release and performance live in concert, there was large interest in music of Sweet Savage and as a result the band released 2 new studio records. The first full length studio release was 1996’s Killing Time, the second release was 1998’s Rune, both of which were brought out on UK label, Neat Metal Records. Despite this initial success, the band later split up.

Sweet Savage has now reformed, as a favour to a promoter and since then things have unexpectedly began to bloom for the boys, the current lineup included two of the founder member and is in full: Ian Wilson on guitar, Trev Fleming on guitar, Jules Watson on drums and Ray Haller on bass and vocals.

As well as being invited over to London as special guests of Saxon as part of their St George’s day celebrations, Sweet Savage have been playing some of Europe’s Premier music festivals.

If you are don't remember them from first time arouund (I'm old enough to remember a raucous Queen's set and some excellent Belfast Hall support slots) and are into no nonsense Heavy Metal then Sweet Savage is the band to see!
www.myspace.com/sweetsavageni