Killing Floor (British band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1968 in London, England |
| Defunct | 1972 |
| Fate | Disbanded; reunited in 2002 |
| Headquarters | London , England |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Killing Floor is a British blues rock ensemble established in 1968. Prior to their breakup in 1972, they released two albums and four singles. After reuniting in 2002, they have produced an additional two albums. The band's name is inspired by Howlin' Wolf's 1964 song, "Killing Floor".
Career
Initially, Mick Clarke (lead guitar) and Bill Thorndycraft (vocals/harmonica) were members of a blues outfit called The Loop. They formed Killing Floor in London by recruiting Lou Martin (piano), Stuart McDonald (bass), and Bazz Smith (drums) through an advertisement in Melody Maker. Following their debut performance, former DJ and agent John Edward took on management duties and secured a deal with Spark Records. Their eponymous first album was recorded at Pye Recording Studios in 1969 within a span of less than two weeks. Despite having no prior production experience, Edward produced the album. The record primarily featured reinterpretations of Chicago blues classics, including a prominent cover of Willie Dixon's "You Need Love". AllMusic characterized the album as a "heavier update of The Yardbirds rave-up sound". In the United States, it was issued under the Sire label.
John Edward also arranged significant live performances for the band, including supporting acts such as Ten Years After and Jethro Tull at venues like the California Ballroom and London's Marquee Club. In 1969, Killing Floor expanded their audience by touring the UK alongside blues guitarist Freddie King. Additionally, they served as backing musicians for Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup. After releasing their debut album and participating in several BBC Radio 1 sessions, Lou Martin departed from the group. The band continued as a quartet and appeared at Hamburg's Easter Festival in 1970. Subsequent lineup changes included the addition of former Juicy Lucy vocalist Ray Owen, drummer Rod de'Ath, and bassist Mick Hawksworth.
Their sophomore album, Out of Uranus, was launched in 1970 via Penny Farthing Records. Production was again handled by John Edward with Larry Page acting as executive producer. According to AllMusic, this album was "rawer and more irreverent than most British blues-rock of the era". The single "Call For the Politicians" received airplay on BBC Radio 1 and achieved notable sales in Germany.
By mid-1972, Killing Floor had dissolved. Thorndycraft left the music scene; Smith joined other musical groups; McDonald briefly played with Paul Rodgers' Peace before returning to Wales; Lou Martin became part of Rory Gallagher's band alongside de'Ath; Mick Clarke established SALT and later pursued a solo career with the Mick Clarke Band, releasing nineteen solo albums to date.
Both original Killing Floor albums were later reissued by Repertoire Records and See for Miles Records.
In 2002, the founding members reunited and released Zero Tolerance in 2004 through Appaloosa Records. Following this release, they toured extensively across Europe. In May 2012, their fourth studio album, Rock 'n' Roll Gone Mad, was unveiled as a tribute to the late guitarist Hubert Sumlin.
The group performed at the Sweden Rock Festival in June 2012 alongside renowned acts such as Motörhead and Blue Öyster Cult.
Lou Martin passed away in Bournemouth on 17 August 2012 at age 63, followed by Rod de'Ath’s death on 1 August 2014 at age 64.
Albums
| Year | Album Title | Record Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Killing Floor | Spark Records |
| 1970 | Out of Uranus | Penny Farthing Records |
| 2004 | Zero Tolerance | Appaloosa Records |
| 2012 | Rock 'n' Roll Gone Mad | Rockfold Records |
Singles
| Year | Single Title | Record Label | Associated Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | "Wow Wow Wow" | Spark Records | Template:Non-album single |
| 1970 | "Call For the Politicians" | Penny Farthing Records | Out of Uranus |
| 1971 | "Milkman" / "Where Nobody Ever Goes" | Penny Farthing Records | Out of Uranus |
| 1972 | "Out of Uranus" / "Sun Keeps Shining" | Yanki Plak Records (exclusive to Turkey) | Out of Uranus |
External links
- Short description with empty Wikidata description
- 1968 establishments in England
- English psychedelic rock music groups
- English hard rock musical groups
- English pop rock music groups
- English blues rock musical groups
- Musical groups established in 1968
- Musical groups disestablished in 1972
- Musical groups reestablished in 2002
- Rock music groups from London
- Spark (UK record label) artists