ROCKY NEWTON

Biography

Bands/Discography:

Great bassist, also a skilled composer. It's a pity he hasn't been too active in music scene (or, at least, I'm not aware of that).

THE NEXT BAND 

This was a trio:

They only released a 4-songs EP, Four by three, and it seems they changed their name to Wild Fire.
 
Click for short, additional info on bandmates:
John Lockton
Someday, these musicians will be fully covered here:
Frank Noon
WILD FIRE 

I don't have data about this band, except that Rocky Newton and Frank Noon played on it.

Sometime later, Newton and Noon joined Lionheart.
Click for short, additional info on bandmates:
John Lockton
Someday, these musicians will be fully covered here:
Frank Noon
LIONHEART 

A very interesting band, although they didn't enjoy too much luck during their career. Lots of personnel changes, as we're going to read.

The band was formed around November 1980, by Dennis Stratton (from Iron Maiden) and Jess Cox (from Tygers of Pan Tang):

But, after their first gig at The Marquee, Jess Cox leaves in January 1981. But, again, the singer leaves the band after the first gig, in February 1981. Reuben Archer (from Lautrec) joins them. A major change happens in the band when Reuben Archer and Frank Noon abandon the band before in June 1981, to join Wild Horses (with Laurence Archer. More info about Wild Horses in my pages about Jimmy Bain). Surprisingly, the new drummer, Clive Edwards, also came from the band Wild Horses. Vocal duties are shared between Stratton and Rocky. But the drum seat was never too permanent in the band. After some time (help with additional info will be welcomed!), Clive Edwards joins Grand Prix, and here he comes a veteran musician, Les Binks. That was the lineup that played at Reading Festival in 1981. I don't know how much time Les Binks stayed in the band, but next drummer was soon to arrive: Hopgood stayed in the band until 1983, being replaced by another veteran, great drummer Dave Dufort: In 1984, they get a new drummer, as well as a lead vocalist, as in their early times: They released the album Hot tonight, with a session drummer, Bob Jenkins, and with help from a horn section by Ray Kelley (clarinet) and Gary Herbig (sax).

Can you guess what was to be the next change? Yes, a new drummer. Plus a sixth member, keyboardist Phil Lanzon (currently in my loved Uriah Heep). This was November 1984.

New changes happened in August 1985: By that time, guitarist Steve Mann also played in a parallel band, Stratus (with members of fantastic band Praying Mantis).

And, in a Spanish magazine from July 1985, I also see info about a band called Max and The Broadway Choir, and their drummer happens to be Andy Bierne (and it says, ex-Lionheart), so I don't know if Bierne had left the band by that time. Any help?

A new lineup is assembled in early 1986 (lineup #11!!):

And, in April 1986, Steve Mann and Rocky Newton leave the band, to join Macauley Schenker Group.

Many years later, in 1999, another album was released, comprising old, unreleased tracks. It's called Unearthed - Raiders of the lost archives, comprising 30 tracks, ranging from December 1981 to September 1985. Obviously, different lineups are featured here. Dennis Stratton, Rocky Newton and Steve Mann play in all tracks, and other featured musicians are: Clive Edwards (drums), Bob Hawthorn (vocals), Chad Brown (vocals), Phil Lanzon (keyboards), Nicko McBrain (drums), Bob Jenkins (drums), Bruce Bisland (drums) and Andy Bierne (drums).
 
 

Click for short, additional info on bandmates:
Jess Cox
Steve Mann
John Farlam
Reuben Archer
Steve Hopgood
Chad Brown
Bob Jenkins
Andy Beirne
Keith Murrell
Toby Sadler
Kevin Fitzpatrick
Someday, these musicians will be fully covered here:
Dennis Stratton
Frank Noon
Les Binks
Clive Edwards
Dave Dufort
Phil Lanzon
MACAULEY SCHENKER GROUP 

This was the new band assembled by guitar maestro Michael Schenker in April 1986. Teaming with singer Robin Macauley, he changed the name of his band to reflect this, although they still were billed as MSG.

Their first album was Perfect timing. The tour promoting the album saw the great Mitch Perry playing guitar, instead of Steve Mann, in May 1987: After the tour, Steve Mann was back in the band. Their new album was Save yourself, released in 1989.

And, sometime around 1990, Michael dissolved the band. Steve Mann and Rocky Newton still appear in the forthcoming album, but only on background vocals, so I'll include it in the sessions page.
 
 

Click for short, additional info on bandmates:
Robin MacAuley
Steve Mann
Bodo Schopf
Someday, these musicians will be fully covered here:
Mitch Perry
Someday, these musicians will have a short tribute here:
Michael Schenker
MIDNIGHT  

This was a band formed by guitar player Stuart Smith. After several lineup changes, Rocky joins them in 1990, in its reformation:

The band recorded some demos in 1991. But some problems arised between the band and the singer, and they soon had a replacement, Kelly Hansen: But the band stability soon broke, and Kelly and Stuart kept on with the band name, while the other members left.
 
Click for short, additional info on bandmates:
Stuart Smith
Tommy Rendine
Dave Bedner
Peter LaRue
Kelly Hansen
And then?  

Sadly, I haven't been able to find current info about Rocky. So, if anyone can help, please write me...


Sessions

Press here to read about Rocky Newton sessions (soon).

Related links:
Musicians mentioned in this page that I have projected to cover in my site someday: And short tributes to:

Family tree

Coming soon (I hope so!).

Thanks section

Very special thanks to: .

Special thanks to: Jon Hinchliffe, for mutually sharing info on Lionheart (check his superb site on Praying Mantis).

Thanks to: .


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Page created by Miguel Terol on: 08/May/1998. Last modified on: 30/March/1999. 1