Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 12.08.2014 at 17:00

Written by Totenlieder on 12.08.2014 at 08:54



Just the NWOBHM bands then:
Judas Priest
Venom
Iron Maiden
Motorhead

Motörhead and Judas Priest aren't part of the NWOBHM

Why not? Isn't NWOBHM more of a time period then a sound?
They were starting out at that time. Judas Priest earlier than Motorhead though.

NWOBHM actually starts in 1979 when Sounds magazine coined the phrase in the May issue of thaat year.

Iron Maiden might have started in 1975 but released their first recording in 1979
Saxon started in 1977 first release also in 1979
Samson first release in 1978 but made an impact in 1979
Diamond Head made impact in 1979
Angel Witch in 1980
Venom first release in 1980
Tygers Of Pan Tang first release in 1979
Def Leppard first release in 1979
Raven first release in 1980
Blitzkrieg first release in 1980


Judas Priest already had five full-lengths out by 1979 (they only more or less were part of it with British Steel and not with Unleashed In The East (since that although released in 1979 contained songs from before that time)
Motörhead had one full-length out by 1979 (so they can be considered borderline NWOBHM come to think of it)

It is with this, good, reason, Lars Ulrich didn't include JP and Motörhead on his NWOBHM Revisited compilation.
Also anyone into metal and more specifically NWOBHM at the time didn't consider those two bands part of it because both bands had already released albums before NWOBHM took off.

However both JP and Motörhead have had influence on NWOBHM bands. the twin guitaring of JP especially and the roughness of Motörhead (especially on Venom)

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.08.2014 at 12:37

NWOBHM actually starts in 1979 when Sounds magazine coined the phrase in the May issue of thaat year.

Iron Maiden might have started in 1975 but released their first recording in 1979
Saxon started in 1977 first release also in 1979
Samson first release in 1978 but made an impact in 1979
Diamond Head made impact in 1979
Angel Witch in 1980
Venom first release in 1980
Tygers Of Pan Tang first release in 1979
Def Leppard first release in 1979
Raven first release in 1980
Blitzkrieg first release in 1980


Judas Priest already had five full-lengths out by 1979 (they only more or less were part of it with British Steel and not with Unleashed In The East (since that although released in 1979 contained songs from before that time)
Motörhead had one full-length out by 1979 (so they can be considered borderline NWOBHM come to think of it)

It is with this, good, reason, Lars Ulrich didn't include JP and Motörhead on his NWOBHM Revisited compilation.
Also anyone into metal and more specifically NWOBHM at the time didn't consider those two bands part of it because both bands had already released albums before NWOBHM took off.

However both JP and Motörhead have had influence on NWOBHM bands. the twin guitaring of JP especially and the roughness of Motörhead (especially on Venom)

I agree with you. I have sometimes seen Quartz mentioned as the first NWOBHM band. They released their first album in 1977, which makes them more of a predecessor to NWOBHM IMO. Do you consider them as part of NWOBHM, or as a predecessor to it?

Written by Aristarchos on 13.08.2014 at 16:46


I agree with you. I have sometimes seen Quartz mentioned as the first NWOBHM band. They released their first album in 1977, which makes them more of a predecessor to NWOBHM IMO. Do you consider them as part of NWOBHM, or as a predecessor to it?

A bit of an anomaly, just like Motörhead. Their first albbum of course falls outside of the NWOBHM, but the album that made them popular (Stand Up And Fight) falls fully into it.
As for Quartz being the first NWOBHM band, that isn't the case, since there isn't a single band which can be called the first NWOBHM band because like I said the term was first used in an article in Sounds describing a wave of British bands and there a whole slew of bands are mentioned.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.08.2014 at 12:37

NWOBHM actually starts in 1979 when Sounds magazine coined the phrase in the May issue of thaat year.

Iron Maiden might have started in 1975 but released their first recording in 1979
Saxon started in 1977 first release also in 1979
Samson first release in 1978 but made an impact in 1979
Diamond Head made impact in 1979
Angel Witch in 1980
Venom first release in 1980
Tygers Of Pan Tang first release in 1979
Def Leppard first release in 1979
Raven first release in 1980
Blitzkrieg first release in 1980


Judas Priest already had five full-lengths out by 1979 (they only more or less were part of it with British Steel and not with Unleashed In The East (since that although released in 1979 contained songs from before that time)
Motörhead had one full-length out by 1979 (so they can be considered borderline NWOBHM come to think of it)

It is with this, good, reason, Lars Ulrich didn't include JP and Motörhead on his NWOBHM Revisited compilation.
Also anyone into metal and more specifically NWOBHM at the time didn't consider those two bands part of it because both bands had already released albums before NWOBHM took off.

However both JP and Motörhead have had influence on NWOBHM bands. the twin guitaring of JP especially and the roughness of Motörhead (especially on Venom)

Alright that makes sense.
Thanks for the enlightenment man.
With that in mind I would change Judas Priest to Saxon.
I bought their Denim and Leather album on vinyl at my local cd store for 99 cents.
Besides Venom, I don't know much about the other bands except for Def Leppard and Raven.

Written by Totenlieder on 14.08.2014 at 02:32


Besides Venom, I don't know much about the other bands except for Def Leppard and Raven.

Check out the compilation we mentioned that was compiled by Lars Ulrich together with Geoff Barton from Sounds who coined the NWOBHM phrase.

NWOBHM 79 Revisited can be heard in its entirety here.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.08.2014 at 12:37
Judas Priest already had five full-lengths out by 1979 (they only more or less were part of it with British Steel and not with Unleashed In The East (since that although released in 1979 contained songs from before that time)
Motörhead had one full-length out by 1979 (so they can be considered borderline NWOBHM come to think of it)

It is with this, good, reason, Lars Ulrich didn't include JP and Motörhead on his NWOBHM Revisited compilation.
Also anyone into metal and more specifically NWOBHM at the time didn't consider those two bands part of it because both bands had already released albums before NWOBHM took off.

However both JP and Motörhead have had influence on NWOBHM bands. the twin guitaring of JP especially and the roughness of Motörhead (especially on Venom)

This is what I thought about Judas Priest. I'd lump them more with Rainbow and Rush (despite the differences in sound) period-wise than with the NWoBHM lot.

Iron Maiden, Saxon, Def Leppard (reluctantly) and Venom... Diamond Head/Angel Witch/Tygers of Pan Tang? Seems a massive drop off after the first 3

Most NWOBHM bands only released one or two 7"s and only a couple of bands were really popular.
Most bands didn't even play outside of England. A couple of the smaller bands came over to The Netherlands but that's about it.

I agree whit Marcel , as in old days I was digging in MA, many NWOBHM bands has maybe 1 album what I heard in vibrations of doom (some are in classic metal samples) there was like ne band one 7 , beautiful ashley something I cant remember, like yellow cover, 2 songs its all ad man NWOBHM bands was like that

http://strappadometalblog.blogspot.se/2009/10/chartered-hurricane-cathy-come-home.html#axzz3AlPTNWAf

many band just relised some good album and desapeared, and many come back up after '00' since that think, vinyls, trad, NWOBHM came back, many re start play, nd some wrote albums as well ....

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 18.08.2014 at 11:30

Most NWOBHM bands only released one or two 7"s and only a couple of bands were really popular.
Most bands didn't even play outside of England. A couple of the smaller bands came over to The Netherlands but that's about it.

I might sound like an idiot here, but what happened with all the NWOBHM music/bands then? The subgenre isn't really my strong suit.

Written by Warman on 19.08.2014 at 11:35

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 18.08.2014 at 11:30

Most NWOBHM bands only released one or two 7"s and only a couple of bands were really popular.
Most bands didn't even play outside of England. A couple of the smaller bands came over to The Netherlands but that's about it.

I might sound like an idiot here, but what happened with all the NWOBHM music/bands then? The subgenre isn't really my strong suit.

Most died out in obscurity pretty early (Ethel the Frog). A handful lasted for a while longer (Diamond Head) but couldn't keep up with the big boys (such as Iron Maiden etc). Some later reformed for only some tours, perhaps a new album, and/or released compilation albums in the 90's/00's collecting together their various recordings (Trespass) but largely unheard of since.

Written by Silent Jay on 15.08.2014 at 19:56

This is what I thought about Judas Priest. I'd lump them more with Rainbow and Rush (despite the differences in sound) period-wise than with the NWoBHM lot.

Iron Maiden, Saxon, Def Leppard (reluctantly) and Venom... Diamond Head/Angel Witch/Tygers of Pan Tang? Seems a massive drop off after the first 3

Why do you say "reluctantly" for Def Leppard? They had some killer albums as well as some duds. I always felt they were one of the more important bands coming out of this scene.

Written by Warman on 19.08.2014 at 11:35

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 18.08.2014 at 11:30

Most NWOBHM bands only released one or two 7"s and only a couple of bands were really popular.
Most bands didn't even play outside of England. A couple of the smaller bands came over to The Netherlands but that's about it.

I might sound like an idiot here, but what happened with all the NWOBHM music/bands then? The subgenre isn't really my strong suit.

bands split up 90% if they did when that period was over, not many reach 90's Iron maiden became heavier, more different and Bruce left... Saxon became also heavier , not so many fans ....Cloven Hood split up, Tank, Def leppard became shit pop, Venom never ever created good album after 1th ... Satan split up, same di Diamon Head and try come back in 90's failed ... many even didn't survived 2. album.... only modern metalheads what nowadays thinks tapes, cassetes and bad quality demo is good, re unite and re born that genre ... in mid 00's

Just because there was a big 4 of thrash doesn't necessarily mean that there were only 4 big NWOBHM bands.

Written by Zombie94 on 19.08.2014 at 23:13

Just because there was a big 4 of thrash doesn't necessarily mean that there were only 4 big NWOBHM bands.

there were IMO 2 NWOBHM ... IM and Saxon

My favourite British bands:
Bolt Thrower
Carcass
Saxon
Motorhead

Written by Infernal Eternal on 02.01.2015 at 14:31

My favourite British bands:
Bolt Thrower
Carcass
Saxon
Motorhead

I doubt Bolt Thrower will belong to BIG 4 in british metal .. its unknown band

Written by Bad English on 04.01.2015 at 19:05

Written by Infernal Eternal on 02.01.2015 at 14:31

My favourite British bands:
Bolt Thrower
Carcass
Saxon
Motorhead

I doubt Bolt Thrower will belong to BIG 4 in british metal .. its unknown band

Notice "my favourite".

Written by Infernal Eternal on 05.01.2015 at 12:09

Written by Bad English on 04.01.2015 at 19:05

Written by Infernal Eternal on 02.01.2015 at 14:31

My favourite British bands:
Bolt Thrower
Carcass
Saxon
Motorhead

I doubt Bolt Thrower will belong to BIG 4 in british metal .. its unknown band

Notice "my favourite".

yes but it don't means big 4

Written by Bad English on 05.01.2015 at 12:09

yes but it don't means big 4

Well, since we can't have a solid Big 4, I mentioned my favourite bands. I don't think there are certain bands that popularized British Heavy Metal (because that's what the Big 4 is for American Thrash). Besides, Iron Maiden, Saxon belong to the NWOBHM while Judas Priest and Motorhead are earlier bands.

Iron Maiden
Saxon
Venom
Diamond Head

Diamond Head! <3
Angel Witch
Blitzkrieg
Sweet Savage

So tired of everyone re-doing the Big 4. It was just a marketing thing for the Thrash genesis...

Hahahaha at some of the suggestions here. I see band sthat didn't sell more than a couple of Thousand copies. BIG means BEST SELLING at the time for the Big 4 of Thrash. Damn, how many more times does that have to be exxxplained?

Actually the Big 4 of Thrash aren't relative to sales at all. It means the first 4 Thrash bands that landed good record Deals. Just that.

Written by raveneffect on 19.02.2015 at 11:25

Actually the Big 4 of Thrash aren't relative to sales at all. It means the first 4 Thrash bands that landed good record Deals. Just that.

No, it referred to the four biggest selling, attendance drawing thrash bands at the time.
The four most popular thrash bands at the time.

Not sure why that concept is, nearly 30 years on, still so difficult to grasp.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 19.02.2015 at 14:50

Written by raveneffect on 19.02.2015 at 11:25

Actually the Big 4 of Thrash aren't relative to sales at all. It means the first 4 Thrash bands that landed good record Deals. Just that.

No, it referred to the four biggest selling, attendance drawing thrash bands at the time.
The four most popular thrash bands at the time.

This was already covered in a lot of documentaries in articles. They were the first 4 that landed contracts, which was big because all the bands were working hard to get them. The fact that they sold more and got bigger was a result of this, obviously, since they were the poster boys for the whole Thrash movement. Being a Big 4 got them more exposure, thus bigger gigs, thus more sales, etc..

Overkill got a record contract before Megadeth, hence proving you, and other 'revisionists' wrong.

Oh and Megaforce, the label Metallica signed to, didn't exist before Metallica signed, it was specifically set up by John Zazula for Metallica, because no label wanted to sign Metallica.