Heavy Pettin’ first stirred into action when vocalist Hamie, guitarists Gordon Bonnar and Punky Mendoza, drummer Gary Moat and bassist Brian Waugh first burst out of Glasgow in 1981. They were vibrant, priapic, anthemic and focused. As they showed on a three-track demo, and on the subsequent debut single for independent label Neat (‘Roll The Dice’__/’Love Xs Love’), they were more than mere Def Leppard slaves. In fact, the Pettin’ had an international sound that owed something to AC/DC, UFO, Thin Lizzy and Foreigner, but also had its own raging momentum.
Not that the band found the road straightforward. But, thanks to a work ethic that took them around the country, plus a valuable session for Radio 1’s prestigious ‘Friday Rock Show’, the band eventually landed a crucial deal with the major label Polydor Records. Moreover, their 1983 debut album (‘Lettin’ Loose’) was co-produced by the creative Mack together with Queen guitarist Brian May. Now, that’s pedigree.
Amazingly, that album has survived more than 20 years of high-speed hi-tech developments intact. While other, more celebrated records have dated badly, ‘Lettin’ Loose’ re-affirms the belief back then that the Pettin’ would follow Leppard to big time stature. What went wrong at the time has little to do with the band, or lack of ambition/talent.
In America, where they should have broken big long before Bon Jovi gave Love A Bad Name, they were held back by the label’s insistence on an anaemic re-mix (as well as a title change to ‘Heavy Pettin’, which caused more confusion than anything else). If the band’s essential, vital British brio had been left as conceived in the first place, who knows what might have been achieved. Still, a slot on the bill for the 1983 Reading Festival, the day that Black Sabbath infamously headlined when fronted by Ian Gillan, did them no harm and touring with Kiss, Ozzy, and Motley Crue helped the quintet’s progress.
Two years later, the Pettin’ return to the studio, this time with producer Mark Dearnley (who’d worked with AC/DC and Krokus). The result? ‘Rock Ain’t Dead’, which surprised many with a slicker yet conversely tougher approach. The lads really had progressed, although ironically if things had gone to plan, this would have been produced by Lance Quinn, of Bon Jovi and Lita Ford fame. However, just hours before the band were due to fly to Philadelphia, to work with Quinn at his Warehouse Studios, the decision was taken by PolyGram (to whom both Heavy Pettin and Bon Jovi were signed in the US) that, instead, he should start work immediately on what was to be Jovi’s second record, ‘7800 Degrees Fahrenheit’.
Perhaps then, it should have been obvious that record company politics were to scupper Pettin in the crucial American market. Despite continuing to show up well in the UK, once again the US was to prove elusive – through no fault of the five musicians. In many respects, this was the point when the writing was scrawled over every available wall space. Regardless of their obvious determination and grassroots support in Britain, it seemed as if Pettin’s realistic chance of significant international success had gone. A third album, ‘The Big Bang’, was released by FM Revolver in 1989. Although it still proved this lot were way ahead of so many others who were selling truckloads of units and getting acclaim from the media; as the 1980s faded into memory, so too did Heavy Pettin’.
Driven by a desire, a passion and a capacity simply to invoke the magic and rapport the band enjoyed, they released Prodigal Songs in 2007. The album was well-received by their loyal fans and the limited pressing sold out making it a highly sought-after collector’s item.
In 2017, original members Hamie, Punky, and Gordon joined by Jez Parry on bass and Michael Ivory on drums performed for the first time in 25 years at Scotland’s Winter Storm. Reinvigorated, Heavy Pettin, now joined by ex-Gun guitarist Dave Aitken due to Punky hanging up his guitar and going into retirement, did several shows in 2018 including a 6 date UK tour, with 3 sold-out gigs in Nottingham, London and Edinburgh, as well as 2 sold-out headline gigs in Milton Keynes and Glasgow.
The 2019 Heavy Pettin’ assault started in North Wales with HRH AOR Festival, then off to Germany’s Headbangers Open Air Festival in July, and Aug/Sept tour including The Golden Age of Rock Festival Belgium, with Dee Snider and Angel, plus a mainland British tour with RockGoddess.
Heavy Pettin’ is currently finishing 2019 recording and mixing a new EP, ‘4 Play’ for mid-February release.
Track Listing :
1. Get Back To You
2. Tell Me Why
3. Who We Are
4. Hard to Hold
All in a CD Jewel Case
Release date: February 14, 2020
The 2020 touring season starts with The Monsters of Rock Cruise ‘MORCX’ Feb 8th, 2020 (Florida, Belize, & Mexico) and a Premier Launch for the bands EP 4 Play with Sirius FM’s Eddie Trunk and KNAC’s Metal Will on the Worlds largest cruise ship Independence of the Sea before the band return to UK to headline Brofest UK on Feb 28th 2020, Also Heavy Pettin’ Headline laNau in Barcelona June 6th 2020 with many more dates to follow.
Hamie has said “…the demand and support for new HP material has been so overwhelming, we are excited to say we’re now working on brand new HP Album and other projects will also be released later in 2020… and it’s going great!”
(LOS ANGELES, CA – January 13, 2020) – “I Want To Know What Love Is.” “Cold As Ice.” “Hot Blooded.” “Juke Box Hero.” “Urgent.” “Dust In The Wind.” “Carry on Wayward Son.” “Point of Know Return.” “The Final Countdown.” “Carrie.”
These are some of the iconic songs of summer by rock’s ultimate Juke Box Heroes. Legendary band FOREIGNER, special guest KANSAS, and featuring EUROPE will bring these hits to your city this summer with the Juke Box Heroes 2020 tour.
Set to launch in Albuquerque, NM on July 9th, presented by Live Nation, FOREIGNER will be joined by fellow acclaimed artists, special guest KANSAS, and featuring EUROPE for an unforgettable night of night of rock ’n’ roll. Tickets go on sale on January 17, 2020, at 10 am local time at www.livenation.com. The full routing can be found below.
With 10 multi-platinum albums and 16 Top 30 hits, FOREIGNER is universally hailed as one of the most popular rock acts in the world with a formidable musical arsenal that continues to propel sold-out tours and album sales, now exceeding 80 million. Responsible for some of rock and roll’s most enduring anthems including “Juke Box Hero,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Waiting For A Girl Like You,” “Feels Like The First Time,” “Urgent,” “Head Games,” “Say You Will,” “Dirty White Boy,” “Long, Long Way From Home” and the worldwide #1 hit, “I Want To Know What Love Is,”
FOREIGNER still rocks the charts more than 40 years into the game with massive airplay and continued Billboard Top 200 album success. FOREIGNER’s November 2019 release of Double Vision, Then & Now Is a DVD/CD package that celebrates the 40th anniversary of FOREIGNER’s iconic album. It features a stunning reunion concert that brings together the current and original band members playing all the hits at the top of their game. 2020 will kick off with a three-day run at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra in mid-January. Another highlight forthcoming is a residency at The Venetian, Las Vegas which kicks off on January 24, 2020.
“We can’t wait to hit the road with our good friends KANSAS and EUROPE and bring all our biggest hits to cities across the country,” says FOREIGNER founding member, songwriter and lead guitarist Mick Jones. “We always have such a good time together and combined we share some of the greatest songs in rock and roll. We are so excited to see our fans from coast to coast, and plan to make this summer our most epic tour yet!”
With a legendary career spanning more than four decades, KANSAS has firmly established itself as one of America’s iconic classic rock bands. This “garage band” from Topeka released their debut album in 1974 after being discovered by Wally Gold, who worked for Don Kirshner and have gone on to sell more than 30 million albums worldwide. Composing a catalog that includes fifteen studio albums and five live albums, KANSAS has produced eight gold albums, three sextuple-Platinum albums (Leftoverture, Point of Know Return, Best of KANSAS), one platinum live album (Two for the Show), and two one million-selling gold singles, ‘Carry On Wayward Son’ and ‘Dust in the Wind.’ KANSAS appeared on the Billboard charts for over 200 weeks throughout the ’70s and ’80s and played to sold-out arenas and stadiums throughout North America, Europe, and Japan. ‘Carry On Wayward Son’ continues to be one of the top five most played songs on classic rock radio, and ‘Dust In the Wind’ has been played on the radio more than three million times. Last month “Carry On Wayward Son” was certified as a 4x Platinum-selling single, and “Dust in the Wind” was certified as a 3x Platinum-selling single by RIAA.
Says KANSAS, “We look forward to touring with FOREIGNER. It has been nearly ten years since both bands have done a full tour together. That run was a blast, and we are excited to get started this summer. The bands and the crews get along great, and we’ll all be working tougher to perform an exceptional show for the fans.”
With over three decades and dozens of millions albums sold, including a number one hit in 25 countries, EUROPE’s Joey Tempest (vocals), John Norum (guitars), Mic Michaeli (keyboards), John Leven (bass) and Ian Haugland (drums) are as hardworking as ever, annually performing concerts worldwide and producing new albums that are critically acclaimed by fans and the music industry alike. Their eleventh studio album, WALK THE EARTH, was released on October 20, 2017, on Hell & Back Recordings (Silver Lining Music). It was recorded at famed Abbey Road Studios in London with Grammy® Award-winning producer Dave Cobb (Rival Sons, Shooter Jennings, Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton) and won a Swedish Grammy for Best Album.
“The band is super thrilled that this summer, we’ll be back in the USA… the birthplace of rock and roll” says EUROPE’s Joey Tempest. “It’s been four long years and we are honored to be on the road with FOREIGNER and KANSAS for this extensive tour across North America. Strap yourself in! Europe in America once again!”
Check out the tour at any of the following steps. Fans can visit livenation.com for updates on tour dates and news.
This is the debut album from a band who were actually formed as long ago as 1983. They managed to secure some good tours and even signed a record deal in the Eighties, but by 1990 they had broken up and that was the end of it, at least until September 2013 when they reformed for a one-off gig. That has led to them supporting Aerosmith, Foreigner, UFO and Scorpions along the way and touring the UK with FM and Romeo’s Daughter. They have also performed at major festivals such as Hard Rock Hell AOR, Download, London Calling, Ramblin’ Man, Steelhouse, Rockingham and the Frontiers Rock Festival in Milan. They have now finally released their debut album, but what should be a totally joyous occasion has been dampened somewhat due to founding member, bass player and close friend Paul Boyd losing his battle with cancer in 2017. Paul appears on the album and the band is respectfully dedicating its release to his memory.
As soon as I heard this I was taken back to the Nineties, and particularly to a magazine called Frontiers. Unlike the other fanzines around at the time these guys had gone glossy and it was much more like a “proper” magazine. One of the real delights was the cover CD that came with each issue which introduced me to bands I would have never have heard of otherwise (this was pre-internet and the media hated melodic rock nearly as much as they hated prog). As soon as I started playing this I had to turn to my library as this was reminding just so much of bands like The Loveless and Be Sharp, both of whom featured on the second cover CD before the now-famous Frontiers label had emerged. NHA is melodic rockers with strong hints of Bad Company, some Foreigner, a tad of classic Journey, the melodic side of UFO and possibly even some later Whitesnake. What it doesn’t sound like at all is a band releasing their debut in 2018, but if this had come out thirty years or more ago then I am sure that we would have been hearing a great deal about it.
It is great that the guys finally seem to be getting some real recognition, and we can only hope that it keeps going in the way that it has to date. As it is, this is a melodic hard rock album that has that edge that removes it from AOR yet will still be appreciated by fans of that slightly softer genre. Strong harmonies, hooks, and a great production, this is well worth looking out for.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
