Thunder
Danny Bowes (Vocals)
Luke Morley (Guitar)
Ben Matthews (Guitar/Keyboards)
Chris Childs (Bass)
Harry James (Drums)
Once described (by themselves) as being as “the biggest rock'n'roll band you've never heard ofâ€, Thunder are one of the great British rock acts (they sound like a cross between Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, The Rolling Stones and Bad Company ). They’ve toured the world extensively since 1989, and released a huge body of records (both studio and live), and they've notched up 18 top 40 UK hits. How? Not with massive Radio and TV support, no far from it, their success has been down to a combination of their reputation as a phenomenal live act, and the fanatical support of their ever growing fanbase. Thunder have toured with acts such as Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Whitesnake, Status Quo, Deep Purple, Bryan Adams, ZZ Top, Metallica, the list goes on. They've won awards galore, including best Rock Vocalist (Danny Bowes - Burrn magazine Japan) and Best Live Rock Act by readers of Kerrang magazine UK. )
Following the release of their debut album ‘Backstreet Symphony’ in 1990, Thunder, not for the last time in their career, would play the 'Monsters Of Rock' event at Donington Park in the same year. The band returned to Donington (much higher up on the bill) in 1992 in support of their 2nd album Laughing On Judgement Day, while 1995’s Behind Closed Doors tour saw them play Stadiums all over the U.K. and Europe with Bon Jovi and Van Halen – including an unforgettable performance at Wembley Stadium!
Luke Morley - “Big outdoor shows suit us. Whether it’s Donington or Wembley Stadium with Bon Jovi in 1995, we do these kinds of shows very well. We're a very natural, festival band. Perhaps that's because we encourage people to enjoy themselves?†)
However, as the Grunge scene took hold, one by one the rock bands fell away, along with the magazine support. So in May 2000, having spent 10 years solidly releasing records and touring, Thunder, somewhat disillusioned, split up. )
We thought it was all over….. Not so. Like the proverbial bad penny, Thunder returned in 2002. So, why reform? Danny explains….)
“We were all pretty busy doing different things, so it was a bit of shock when we were invited to get back together to play with Alice Cooper on the 'Monsters Of Rock' tour in the UK. I took it back to the rest of the guys, who basically bit my arm off! Luke wanted to do a record straight away, but I knew it would get out of hand, and I wasn’t ready to jump straight back into the fire, so we settled on an EP to start with. When the news got out, we were offered record deals, but with the advances in technology and the internet, we felt we knew enough about the record business to form and run our own label, and cut out all the bullshit. It’s not all beer and skittles, whatever that means, it’s hard work, but it’s worth it to be in control.
The first offering from the band’s label was the 'Back For The Crack' EP at the end of 2002. It sold incredibly well, as did the follow up 'Shooting At The Sun' album. The fans were still there, and as the band have done more in the years since, the fanbase has continued to grow.)
Two more studio albums have followed (‘The Magnificent Seventh’ in 2005 and ‘Robert Johnson’s Tombstone’ in 2006), along with a fistful of DVDs and EPs, and they’re currently writing and recording album number 9!
There’s no stopping the buggers….
LP Discography:
Backstreet Symphony (1990)
Laughing On Judgement Day (1992)
Behind Closed Doors (1995)
Their Finest Hour (And A Bit) – The Best Of Thunder (1995)
The Thrill Of It All (1997)
Live (1998)
Giving The Game Away (1999)
Shooting At The Sun (2002)
The Magnificent Seventh (2005)
Robert Johnson’s Tombstone (2006)
Further info & links to all things Thunder are waiting for you at
www.thunderonline.com
