Biography
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Years Active
1980 – present (44 years)
There are at least six bands called "Weapon" (see below). The first band listed, from Alberta, Canada, owns the trademark for the name. As a result, the only other active Weapon as of 2012 (number 5, whose bio is listed below as Weapon 1980) have changed their name to Weapon UK in a settlement arrangement with the Canadian blackened death metal band WEAPON.
1) canadian black metal/death metal band
2) Folk/metal/ambient project from Portugal
3) Melodic Death Metal band from Newfoundland, Canada
5) british heavy metal band
6) Heavy Metal from United States
1) Weapon, the black/death act was formed in 2003 by Vetis Monarch in Calgary, Canada. After the formation of the band, Vetis Monarch the frontman temporarily moved to his birthplace of Dhaka, Bangladesh, where the 'Within the Flesh of the Satanist' Demo tape and 'Violated Hejab' EP were recorded. On that time In 2005, Vetis moved back to Canada, but relocated Weapon to Edmonton.
WEAPON signed internationally with Relapse Records in 2011 in anticipation of a full-length debut in 2012, supported by a North American tour with Marduk starting in May 2012.
On 28th June, 2013, it was confirmed that the majestic journey of the weapon has been ended up
2) Weapon 1980
Danny Hynes – Lead vocals
Jeff Summers – Lead Guitar/Vocals
Baz Downes – Bass/Vocals
Bruce Bisland – Drums
In March 1980 Danny placed an advert in Melody Maker looking for a band, at the same time Jeff had placed one looking for a singer. Danny auditioned and was offered the job in Jeff’s band, Fast Relief. After several weeks’ rehearsal and one gig under their belt, Danny & Jeff decided to replace the rhythm section. Danny recommended his best friend, bassist Baz Downes (ex- Inner City Unit), who played along side him in Snatch. Jeff suggested drummer Bruce Bisland (ex- Lip Service) one rehearsal later and Weapon was formed.
After doing a showcase gig for Laurie Dunn, then head of Virgin Publishing, the band were signed to Virgin.
Whilst playing at The Venue, in London’s Victoria, Eddie Clarke from MOTORHEAD happened to be in the audience, he liked what he heard and put it to the rest of the band and management team that Weapon should support them on their forthcoming tour.
A showcase gig was hastily arranged for the band at The Camden Palace, where MOTORHEAD and their manager came to see them.
There had been a lot of personal problems between band members during the day, to the point where they were on the verge of splitting up so by the time they went on stage they were full of aggression and really pissed off with each other. This of course made for a great show; basically they didn’t give a toss what happened. In the words of Lemmy “any band that can have that amount of contempt for their audience have to tour with us”
Weapon was offered, and accepted, the tour.
The 32 date U.K. ‘Ace Up Your Sleeve’ Tour started on 22nd October 1980 at Ipswich Gaumont and ended in November with a four-night stint at London's Hammersmith Odeon.
The band released one single ‘It’s A Mad Mad World’ b/w ‘Set The Stage alight’, which got to number 2 in the Heavy Metal charts. They also recorded several tracks for an album ‘Set The Stage Alight’, which never saw the light of day until October 2003 when it was released by Zoom Club Records.
The band toured for the following 18 months before calling it a day due to managerial/contractual problems but all the guys remained the best of friends so much so that in the summer of 2005 they got together to celebrate what would have been their 25th anniversary. After a couple of warm-up shows in London they played Germany’s ‘Headbangers-Open-Air Ball’ On Saturday, 8th July. A good time was had by all!!
After which the members returned to their ‘proper’ jobs. Danny to his band, the legendary Paddy Goes To Holyhead. Bruce to Andy Scott’s Sweet, Jeff to Statetrooper and Baz, unfortunately due to illness, has had to retire from live work.
With a renewed interest in all things ‘New Wave of British Heavy Metal’, and a new manager on the horizon, Danny & Jeff have decided it’s time for Weapon to ‘Set The Stage Alight’ again! Tracks taken from 'The Headbangers-Open-Air Ball' 2005 are currentley being mixed in London and there are plans to release the album, 'Set The Ball Alight', later this year or early 2010, the bands 30th anniversary.
With Bruce unavailable, due to his commitments to The Sweet, and Baz retired due to ilness. Weapon have recruited the services of
Bassist, Gavin Cooper (Lionsheart, Paul DI'Anno's Battlezone & Killers, and Statetrooper) and
Drummer, Ian Sweeting (The Risen, The Sweethogs, "2Mentall" & Stone Katz)
To a packed and hugely receptive audience, Weapons new line-up debuted at Premier London music venue “The Peel” on Saturday 14th November 2009. Hot on the heels of this, the band were offered the headline slot at the “Vikings Ball” during Britain’s “Hard Rock Hell 3” festival on the 3rd December 2009.
The band are currently rehearsing the material for the new Weapon album which along with “Set the ball alight (Live)” is scheduled for release during the first quarter of 2010, ironically the bands 30th Anniversary.
More live work to support the new releases are being worked on for 2010 and so far the band have been offered shows in Ibiza, Greece and Italy! Look out world, rock and roll is back on the menu!!
3) A melodic death metal band from St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. Released single full-length album The Forging in 2008, before changing name to Deadgaard in 2012 after a cease-and-desist from #2.
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