Wrathchild UK was formed in October 1980 after Rocky Shades answered an ad for a new singer which Marc Angel and Phil Volkins had put in a local Birmingham Newspaper. Rocky Shades (under his real name of Robert Barclay) had previously been a member of the band Titan.
The first version of the band employed a 70's glam styled image, which saw Rocky donning a white cloak and cracking a whip onstage, prior to the mascara, leather, spikes and studs they became notorious for. Indeed, Marc was credited with "special effect trousers", Volkins with "downmarket chic" and Brian Parry as "near normality".
Before they recorded anything they substituted their guitarist Phil Volkins to another great guitarist, Lance Rocket, and they also substituted their drummer Brian Parry to Eddie Star. Both these new recruits was drafted from another UK band called Medusa.
After Wrathchild had recorded their first demo in 1982 called "Mascara Massacre", the Bullet Records offered the punk-glamsters from Evasham the chance of making their vinyl debut with a singles deal. This union resulted in the EP called "Stackheel Strutt" in March 1983. The guys later followed this up with the single "Do You Want My Love" in 1982/1983. Wrathchild shortly after signed a contract with the Heavy Metal Records in Wolverhampton which resultated (in June 1984) in the best album recorded ever, "Stakk Attakk". I've uploaded the video of the song "Stakk Attakk" on this site, just use the scrollbar to get down there and watch it...
1984 - Stakk Attakk (First album)
First single from Stakk Attakk was "Alrite With The Boyz". The song "Alrite With The Boyz" is actually a cover of Gary Glitter.
In 1984 Wrathchild made their first tour as opening band for W.A.S.P. Wrathchild attempting to steal the headliner's glory every night. Wrathchild actually outsold W.A.S.P. on the ticket count in many towns. This tour became big a success for the guys and they had a lot of fun. Maybe Rocky had a little bit to much funny trix going on once when Blackie Lawless (singer of W.A.S.P.) got a little mad at him, hehe.. Some of you guys knows what i mean! ;)
Just when it looked as if they were about to seriously breakthrough, Wrathchild got big problems. The record label RCA Records tried, unsuccessfully, to extract the band from the Heavy Metal contract and this resulted in that the legal unjuction said that Wrathchild was supposed be off the road for three years.. But ofcourse they ignored it. However, the band's name was kept in public gaze with the release of the VHS/DVD called "War Machine"/"Live from London".
To make matters worse, an American manager landed the band with huge debts during this period. The band actually split up for a while when Rocky joined the punk act Discharge in February 1987. (I've asked Rocky if I could get something from him that they recorded but he told me that they decided back then to not spread them.) Meantime, Lance enrolled into the gothic band called Bang Bang Machine.
Wrathchild finally re-emerged in 1988 with their long-awaited second album, "The Biz Suxx", after apparently settling their legal problems with Heavy Metal, with whom the band remained signed. This resulted in the single "Nukklear Rokket" which also was recorded as their first video. If I'm not wrong it's actually Bruce Dickinson (singer of Iron Maiden) that's playing that old hag with the sign that says "Give peace a chance" in the video.. hehe! I will soon upload this video too so watch out!
1988 - The Biz Suxx (Second album)
Just as Wrathchild were coming to a conclusion with the legal shit they had to take on some more legal shit when Wrathchild America tried to steal their name in 1989. The real Wrathchild won the case with the Americans re-titling themselves Wrathchild America (This is why Wrathchild is often called Wrathchild UK.)
A third album, the self-produced "Delirium" recorded in Wales and featuring Steve Grimmet on backing vocals, appeared in 1989 on Heavy Metal's mother label FM Revolver but the group soon ground to a halt coz of all the legal shit they had been going through. Then, in 1990 the enevitable happens: Wrathchild UK split up.. Rocky then formed the band "One Track And Dirty". But they soon split up too. Lance becomes a guitar teacher and amp repairer, Eddie and Marc does nothing for fifteen years.
1988 - Delirium (Third album)
In 2005 the Majestic Rock label Eddie and Lance joins their old band Medusa again to record the album "Clash Of The Titans".
The latest years Rocky has been bluesing around the world with his great band called Birmingham Blues Brothers which all ya guys should check out at www.birminghambluesbrothers.com! And the original guitarist Phil Volkins, drummer Eddie Star and bassist Marc Angel has now done a Wrathchild UK "reunion".
They tried to make Rocky join them and they had some rehearsals and Rocky really wanted to join them but the other guys thought Rocky would have to decide between the Birmingham Blues Brothers and Wrathchild UK coz they felt he wouldn't have that much time to spend with Wrathchild otherwise. There was also some transportation issues; Rocky did all his time in Wrathchild UK travel four hours just to rehearsal and if he was about to join them for a reunion he felt that he needed them to pick him up everytime and drive him these fours. He would have paid all the fuel but they said no.
As Rocky didn't join them, you couldn't call this a Wratchild reunion so they changed the name to Psychowrath. Gaz Harris from Beyond Recognition joined them on vocals.
In the beginning of 2007 Rocky started to spend less time with his Blues Brothers and started to build up his own Wrathchild as he just didn't think Psychowrath is Wratchild. This is where we are now and the band is called Rocky Shades Wratchild (R.S.W.). Rocky says it'll sound like the classic Wratchild from back in the days but with a lil' more touch of the darker and heavier sound as that's how he likes it. He also says they will play the old Wrathchild songs! For more info, read the new interview in my blog.
Anything you want to ask Rocky about Wrathchild, just go to http://www.myspace.com/rocky_shades and leave him a message!
Watch out wrathchildren!
If anybody of you guys got any kind of Wrathchild UK stuff at home, please contact me whatever it is! Or if you wanna contact me about something else you can reach me at [email protected] or www.myspace.com/alleballe.