Rhabstallion.
A genuine New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) band are rocking the music scene once again.
The band originally formed in Halifax, West Yorkshire during the emergence of the NWOBHM movement and consisted of Stuart Toddington, Dave Thompson, Andy Wood on guitars, Graham Hooper bass, Jack Himsworth drums with Steve Ancliffe on vocals.
They rocked the early 80’s with TV appearances and national media features, alongside sharing the stage with the best including, Hanoi Rocks, Diamond Head, Stampede, Trust and the mighty Saxon.
Rhabstallions’ style of music is ROCK, HONEST, HARD AND FAST.
This new era began when the band realised it had unfinished business. So on a cold January morning in 2018 in the corner of a dark satanic mill in Halifax the band were pieced back together. The line up is almost unchanged, Andy Wood has emerged as a strong vocalist replacing Steve Ancliffe, and Stuart Toddington retired early 2023 but apart from that the band still Rocks as well as ever.
The release of their first album in March 2021 appropriately named “Back In The Saddle” has seen many great reviews and awards, not bad when considering the recording and production was carried out in the midst of Covid lockdown.
Catch them live if you get chance, to witness for yourselves the raw northern energy, three guitars, soaring vocals, backed by a thunderous rhythm section, but don’t be surprised at some of the tracks!! After all!!!!!!. This is NWOBHM with a twist.
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A more indepth look at the bands history
Rhabstallion to return with a vengeance
Rhabstallion - The New Wave of British Heavy Metal band from Yorkshire are back with a vengeance.
If you walked into any rock venue in the 80’s there was one band that you couldn’t miss... Rhabstallion who rode the wave of ‘Heavy Metal’ glory, with TV appearances and national media features, alongside sharing the stage with bands such as, Hanoi Rocks, Diamond Head, Stampede, French band Trust and Saxon. These guy’s dominated the scene by pumping out their rock - honest, hard and fast...
Well now, it’s your chance to get to witness this onslaught of guitars and soaring vocals once again!
In a cold 2018 January, tucked away in a corner of West Yorkshire the band began rehearsals, original members Dave Thompson and Stuart Toddington (Gtr’s), Jack Himsworth (Skins) Graham Hooper (Bass) and Andy Wood (Vocals & Gtr) started to piece back together the foundations of this exciting band from Yorkshire. Promising to be a bigger, harder and more unforgiving sound, Rhabstallion prepare their return to the stage with a new format that features three guitars.
The History
In 1980 the band were working hard the length and breadth of the country, having featured on the NWOBHM album, ‘New Electric Warriors’.
‘81 saw the release of their first vinyl single, Day to Day / Breadline. The exposure attracted a large following and delivered outstanding reviews in local and national music press, culminating in a near sell out appearance at St Georges Hall in Bradford.
Soon after, Rhabstallion featured on the BBC’s ground breaking music show, ‘Bubbling Under’, a showcase for exciting and original performers on the edge of national and international success. The TV show saw recorded ‘live’ performance in front of a mass of fans – the ‘perfect format’ for a band who were used to delivering a power packed performance to satisfy their dedicated following.
Taken from the show ‘Stranger Stranger’ and ‘You’re to Blame’ are classic examples of the on-stage power and energy of Rhabstallion.
Hear ‘Stranger Stranger’ www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG4z1CY4nJI
Despite the band receiving a considerable amount of record company and media attention in the early eighties, offers fell short, and this talented New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) band decided, reluctantly to go separate ways. A great shame for the fans who lost a band that effortlessly encapsulated the excitement and sound of the NWOBHM.
In 1994 Vinyl Tap Records approached the band to produce an album covering the complete chronology of Rhabstallion. The album was simply named, ‘Day to Day’, and contains a variety of recordings, including demo tapes, and releases. A feature track on the album is the classic version of ‘Chain Reaction’ recorded at Cargo Studios for the ‘New Electric Warriors’ compilation album and released by Logo Records.
Two live tracks, ‘Stranger Stranger’, ‘You’re to Blame’ were also included taken from the BBC’s ‘Bubbling Under’ Show, and a further two tracks not previously available were recorded for inclusion on the album. ‘Sioux Child’, with its superb twin guitars and a band and fans favourite, ‘DayGlo Disco’.
The brief return to the studio in 1994 led to rumours of a reformation, but in the intervening years the band members had ventured off in different directions involving themselves with various other independent musical projects, the best deal now was to agree... ‘Never Say Never’.
And as they gear up for a return, that agreement forms the title of a new Rhabstallion anthem.
www.vinyltap.co.uk/rhabstallion-day-to-day
www.discogs.com/Various-New-Electric-Warriors/release/3154820 -
Two more appearances on compilation albums followed... ‘Shock & Roll’ featured on Hallmark Records ‘Noise Level Critical’
https://www.discogs.com/Various-Noise-Level-Critical/release/4715256
‘Chain Reaction’ was included on the ‘Noise from the Valleys’ quadruple CD set, released by Bradford Noise Records
The Future
The band are now in rehearsals and live shows are being planned for winter 2018/19 , a buzz of anticipation surrounds the bands future as word get’s out.
They are rekindling the atmosphere of the original experience by faithfully reproducing the awesome fury of back catalogue, plus a wealth of fresh material.
This will be a show not to be missed.