The Bristol Heavy Rock Explosion revealed

Bristol music isn’t all about tr*p-h*p, you know. The latest release from Mike Darby’s estimable Bristol Archive Records is the 17-track compilation The Bristol Heavy Rock Explosion, celebrating the city’s hard rock and metal acts from the ’70s to the mid-’90s. Released on November 11 on CD, vinyl and digital download, it comes with a lavishly illustrated, anecdote-rich 20 page booklet telling the stories of the bands and what became of them. Here are some of those yarns.

The Commune Dwellers

In keeping with the spirit of the times, ’70s psychedelic hard rockers Magic Muscle lived together in a commune at 49 Cotham Road. They played at the 1971 Glastonbury Festival and also at the Bristol Free Festival on the Downs the same year. The band name comes from Captain Beefheart’s term for the male member.

The Band That Influenced Metallica

James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich of Metallica were in thrall to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. One of their many acknowledged influences was Bristol band Jaguar, who were barely out of their teens when they released their debut album, Power Games, which put a harder, faster spin on metal.

The Gallery Designer

The son of celebrated artist Frank Archer, Reuben Archer headed west to design and build Bristol City Museum’s geology gallery. He also founded local melodic hard rockers Lautrec with his talented stepson Laurence on guitar and a certain Clive Deamer (later of Portishead and Radiohead) on drums.

The Bizarre Running Accident

After Lautrec split up, Reuben and Laurence formed the superior Stampede, who released the excellent Hurricane Town album. Their career was scuppered after Reuben slipped and broke his hip and thigh while out running with Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson. At the subsequent Reading Festival, Reuben had to use his mic stand as a crutch. Today, he’s returned to the world of fine art.

The Emma Thompson Connection

Founded as a punk/free festival act by multi-talented guitarist/keyboard player Chris Goulstone back in 1976, Bronz launched a calculated attack on the mullet-era US melodic rock market with 1984’s Taken By Storm album. Look closely at their video for the single Send Down an Angel and you’ll see it stars the young Emma Thompson.

The Kerrang! Magazine Pin-Up

Back in the days when such disgraceful things were permitted, metal mag Kerrang! used to run regular pin-ups of rockin’ ladies. One of those selected for inclusion was Tania Lloyd. She fronted Bristol’s very own Headmaster, which was founded by Chris Goulstone after he became disillusioned with Bronz. And, yes, it’s that man Deamer on drums again.

The Film Producer

Late ’80s goth rockers Claytown Troupe enjoyed two major label deals, with EMI and Island Records, and built an impressive local following before splitting. Today, their pouty rock god frontman Christian Riou is a film producer whose credits include I, Superbiker.

The Metal Band Who Weren’t Metal Enough

Arguably the most under-appreciated, ahead-of-their-time band in the compilation, Shiva played complex, imaginative prog-metal long before it became a thing. Their Firedance album on Heavy Metal Records is a lost gem. Alas, the same label rejected their follow-up on the grounds that it was not metal enough.

Casualty and Jesus Christ

’90s rockers Voodoo popped up on the Beeb’s locally filmed drama Casualty, performing their song Horno Voodoo. Frontman Mike Blakemore was later cast in the title role of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Bristol Hippodrome in 2002.

The Colston Hall Ban and £1m Recording Contract

Enduring punks-turned-thrash metal pioneers Onslaught’s riotous 1987 Ashton Court Festival benefit show at the Colston Hall earned them a lifelong ban from the venerable venue and a reported £1m recording contract with London Records. Fans “hurled themselves off the stage on the heads of people below. Some were doing somersaults,” reported a suitably horrified Bristol Post.

Bristol’s Foremost Musical Globe-Trotters

After taking 15 years off for reasonably good behaviour, Onslaught got back together and released the unexpectedly outstanding Killing Peace album. Few Bristol bands could claim to tour as widely. This year alone, they’ve romped across most of continental Europe, plus Vietnam, Indonesia and Taiwan, and played an eight-date tour of China. They reach the Fleece on Nov 18 before heading off to Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador, Colombia and Costa Rica.

The Sword Maker

Few would have anticipated that musically ambitious, Crass-influenced Bristol squat punks Amebix would become one of the names to drop in today’s extreme metal scene. They were the first UK band to sign to Jello Biafra’s Alternative Tentacles label and split for 24 years after releasing Monolith on Heavy Metal Records in 1987. Today, founder Rob ‘The Baron’ Miller makes swords for a living on the Isle of Skye. How fucking metal is that?

 Read more: Metal & Prog picks: November 2016