Earlier this month the site featured Tytan main man Kev Riddles talking up a night of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal on Friday 13^th October when Tytan, Trespass, Tailgunner and Kev Riddles’ Baphomet are booked to play at Leo’s Red Lion in Gravesend.

Sharing the bill is Suffolk based Trespass, I got in touch with guitarist Mark Sutcliffe and asked why do you think NWOBHM is still alive over 40 years later?

“The early eighties was an interesting time. Full of change and quite tough at times. It was a time for self-expression and freedom. The NWOBHM was part of that”.

“The new bands of that era had great influences. I never thought it would endure this long but I am proud and honoured to be a part of it”.

Mark added “Back then we played the Marquee in London. First time was opening for Girl with Phil Collen who went on to join Def Leppard. We headlined later and actually broke their Monday night attendance record”.

“Did we use pyro? Sadly it was a double edged sword when we used pyro. We had a roadie injured at Leeds Forde Green and at a gig in Gravesend Red Lion we blew a trip switch. This meant an early drum solo as it was on the opening chord!”

The band featured on NWOBHM ten track compilation albums ‘Metal for Muthas’. Vol 1 included Iron Maiden, Samson, Praying Mantis and Angel Witch, Vol 2 had Dark Star, White Spirit and Trespass.

“That was an interesting but perhaps disappointing time for us. EMI had been showing real interest in the band and suggested we had two tracks on Vol 2” explained Mark.

“We recorded One of these Days and Stormchild in Spaceward studios in Cambridge – also used by Maiden. This echoed Maidens two tracks on Vol 1 and we got excited and assumed as much”.

Major labels were in the process of hoovering up NWOBHM bands – MCA collared Fist and Tygers of Pan Tang, Raven signed with Atlantic and Phonogram pulled in Def Leppard. What could go wrong?

“EMI asked us to their studio in London to record a session. Despite a good performance we didn’t succeed in getting signed. I guess they wanted the path clear for Maiden”.

“The independent label we were on at the time may have put them off, also EMI were going through a take-over at the time so it may have been that. We’ll never know”.

This year Trespass released a new album ‘Wolf at the Door’ to a number of hot reviews.

“We are very proud of this set of songs. It’s been interesting reading the reviews. One of the things that struck me was, that people can hear the NWOBHM in there”.

“Not something we did deliberately or even thought about. We just did what we do, as it were. Songs from the album have been going down well live, even on first listen, so that’s great.”

“Our last live show was at Head Bangers Open Air in Germany. It was awesome and great fun. These festivals are like family events. It’s like coming home.”

“And with four bands on the NWOBHM bill on October 13^th, Leo’s Red Lion can expect classic tracks from across the Trespass years when the Wolf meets the Lion!”

Trespass 2023 line up: Wil Wilmot bass, backing vox, Mark Sutcliffe lead vox guitar, Joe Fawcett guitar, backing vox, Jason Roberts drums.

Alikivi   August 2023

KEEP ON TURNING with TYTAN main man Kev Riddles | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE (garyalikivi.com)