Wolfsbane (band)

This article is about the band. For other uses, seeWolfsbane (disambiguation).

Wolfsbaneare an English heavy metal band, active from 1984 to 1994, and again since 2010, following two brief reunions.To date, the band has released five studio albums, two live albums, two compilation albums, two EPs and three demos. Wolfsbane are now notable for being vocalistBlaze Bayley's band before he went on to replaceBruce DickinsoninIron Maidenand then pursue a solo career. In addition to Bayley, the band's current lineup includes guitarist Jason "Jase" Edwards, bassist Jeff Hateley and drummer Steve Danger.

Wolfsbane
Origin	Tamworth, Staffordshire,England
Genres	Heavy metal hard rock
Years active	1984–1994 2007 2009 2010–present
Labels	Def American Bronze
Members	Blaze Bayley Jason Edwards Jeff Hateley Steve Danger
Past members	Poo Poos Stakk
Website	wolfsbaneband.com

History

Initial career (1984–1994)

Wolfsbane were formed in 1984 inTamworth, Staffordshire,England.They signed toDef Americanrecords, andRick Rubinproduced their first album,Live Fast, Die Fast,released in 1989.Prior to this, they had recorded three demos entitledWolfsbane(1985),Dancin' Dirty(1987) andWasted but Dangerous(1988); the former was recorded in an old cellar.Wolfsbane's second release, an EP titledAll Hell's Breaking Loose Down at Little Kathy Wilson's Place,was released in 1990, followed a year later by the band's second full studio albumDown Fall the Good Guys(1991), which gave them their onlyUK Singles Chartentry with "Ezy"charting at No. 68. Despite not achieving the level of success that Def American had expected, Wolfsbane played from clubs to larger venues during the late 1980s and early 1990s with several notable acts, includingIron Maiden,Motörhead,Ozzy Osbourne,Alice Cooper,Anthrax,Overkill,Sepultura,Kreator,Dark Angel,King Diamond,Magnum,The Almighty,The Wildhearts,The Quireboys,among others.

Being an English band, signed to anAmericanrecord label did not work out well for them. Def American dropped Wolfsbane as they felt that the band were not selling well enough. This did not stop the band from being voted as theUK's best unsigned act in 1993. The same year, the band released a live album,Massive Noise Injection,through theBronze Companylabel.

The band released its third studio album, the self-titledWolfsbane,in 1994, again on the Bronze Company label. A limited edition of this album included the EPEverything Else.However, whenBruce DickinsonleftIron Maiden,Blaze Bayleygot the audition as their new singer and left Wolfsbane later on that year. Wolfsbane disbanded as a result.

Post-breakup (1994–2007)

Jason Edwards, Jeff Hateley, and Steve Danger, the remaining members of Wolfsbane, joined with Jez 'Spencer' Housden to form the band Stretch in 1995. They released a 6-track mini-albumWorld of Stretchon the Cottage Industry label.

One-off shows and reunion (2007–2021)

On 9 September 2007, Wolfsbane reformed for a one off short set at theRock of Ages Festivalin Tamworth. This was followed by their first UK tour in 13 years, with the band playing five dates as support forthe Wildheartsin December 2007. Their next tour came in December 2009 supportingthe Quireboyson their 'A Little Bit of What You Fancy 20th Anniversary Tour'.

Jason Edwards is currently a record producer, having most recently produced and mixed theself titled Wildhearts albumand the Blaze Bayley albumPromise and Terror.He also mixed two tracks on Ginger Wildheart's555album and recorded and produced two bonus tracks for Ginger's Hey! Hello! project as well as mixing tracks for German punk band Radio Dead Ones. He is also one of three guitarists inGinger & the Sonic Circus(project of Ginger, songwriter/frontman of the Wildhearts), and plays guitar for the God Damn Whores, alongside 'Random'Jon Poole(formerly ofCardiacs,previously stand-in bassist for the Wildhearts and also in the Sonic Circus), Denzel (also of the Sonic Circus), and Robochrist.

Blaze Bayley subsequently left Iron Maiden and embarked on a solo career with forming his own band, Blaze and later a new line-up with the Blaze Bayley Band, before he switched again as a solo artist since 2012. During Blaze Bayley's tour in support of his then new album,Promise and Terror,tensions rose within the band. In the end of May 2010, both manager Anna Di Laurenzi and drummer Larry Paterson left the band to join Sinocence who had been the support band on the first leg of the tour. A couple of weeks later, in early June, Wolfsbane announced that they would be reuniting full-time and release a new album in 2011.Blaze Bayley continues to perform as a solo artist alongside singing with Wolfsbane.

On 12 March 2011, it was announced that Wolfsbane would release the EP,Did It for the Money,on 9 April.They played a headline show at the Borderline in London on the same day the EP was released (9 April 2011).This was followed by a tour supportingSaxon,in April 2011.On 7 October 2011, it was announced that Wolfsbane would release their fourth studio album in 2012. TitledWolfsbane Save the World,it is available on the band's official website as well as via the merchandise stand on the band's upcoming tour.

On 24 October 2011, the band embarked on a UK tour.Joined by Manchester's Obsessive Compulsive as support for the tour. Footage from the 2011 UK tour can be seen on the Official Wolfsbane YouTube channel.On 15 December 2011, a video of the song "Smoke and Red Light" was added to the official Wolfsbane YouTube channel.The song is taken from the new albumWolfsbane Save the Worldand is based on the early days of the band's career.

On 17 October 2012, the band embarked on an 11 date UK tour. Special guest Givvi Flynn joined the band on stage for four of the shows to perform "Illusion of Love". On sale at the show was an album titledThe Lost Tapes: A Secret History.

Geniusand next album (2022–present)

On 11 May 2021, Wolfsbane announced on their Facebook page that they had begun writing their first album in nearly a decade.FrontmanBlaze Bayleyconfirmed in a February 2022 interview that the band was "listening to the rough mixes" of their new album and "finishing off a little bit here and there", and also expressed hope that it would be released in June.Geniuswas revealed as the title of the album on 30 April 2022,and it was released on 5 June.

On 6 August 2024, Wolfsbane announced on their Facebook page that they are in the studio working on a new album.

Members

Current members

• Blaze Bayley- Lead vocals
• Jason Edwards - Lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Jeff Hateley - Bass guitar, backing vocals
• Steve Danger - Drums

Former members

• Amanda "Poo Poos" Hemmings - Drums (1984)
• Jason Lee Farrow - Drums (1984)
• Jon Buckingham "Stakk Smasher" - Drums (1985-1986)

Discography

Studio albums

• Live Fast, Die Fast(1989)
• Down Fall the Good Guys(1991)
• Wolfsbane(1994)
• Wolfsbane Save the World(2012)
• Genius(2022)

Live albums

• Massive Noise Injection(1993)
• The Lost Tapes: A Secret History(2012)
• Go Loco at the Asylum(2018)

Compilation albums

• Lifestyles of the Broke and Obscure(2001)
• Howling Mad Shitheads (The Best of Wolfsbane)(2009)

EPs

• All Hell's Breaking Loose Down at Little Kathy Wilson's Place(1990)
• Everything Else(1994)
• Did It For the Money(2011)
• Rock!(2015)

Demos

• Wolfsbane(1985)
• Dancin' Dirty(1987)
• Wasted But Dangerous(1988)

External links

• Allmusic artist page
• Official Wolfsbane website