Magnum | Artist

Magnum is an English hard rock band formed 1972 in Birmingham, UK, by Tony Clarkin (guitar), Bob Catley (vocals), Dave Morgan (bass) and Kex Gorin (drums). They have undergone several lineup changes but the core of Catley and Clarkin remain to the present day. In 1976 the band's sound was filled out with the addition of Keyboards player Richard Bailey. After several years of gigging the clubs of Birmingham, the band got a break supporting Judas Priest on their Sin After Sin UK tour. The following year they landed a recording deal and released their debut album Kingdom of Madness on Jet Records, which reached #58 in the UK Chart. Although the album was well reviewed, they continued as support act for headline tours by NWOBHM bands Whitesnake, Def Leppard and Tygers of Pan Tang. This changed with the release of their highly successful third album, the Jeff Glixman produced Chase The Dragon (1982), which reached #17 in the UK, and included several songs that would be mainstays of the band's live set, including "Soldier of the Line", "Sacred Hour" and "The Spirit". Glixman was previously known for his work with US Proggers Kansas, and this was the first Magnum release to feature the artwork of fantasy artist Rodney Matthews. Magnum went on to become one of the UK's leading AOR bands, with their brand of fantasy-influenced melodic progressive rock. To-date they have released 23 studio albums, standouts include Chase the Dragon, On a Storyteller's Night, Princess Alice and the Broken Arrow, and On The Thirteenth Day.

Artist Website: magnumonline.co.uk

Featured Albums: Magnum

Related Artists: Bob Catley, Trapeze