Quartz (British band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1974 in Birmingham, England |
| Founder | Mick Hopkins |
| Headquarters | Birmingham , England |
| Products | Heavy metal music |
Quartz is a heavy metal group originating from Birmingham, England, known for their involvement in the new wave of British heavy metal movement. Their formation dates back to the mid-1970s.
History
The band initially formed in 1974 under the name Bandy Legs. Prior to Quartz, founder Mick Hopkins was a member of Wages of Sin, a Birmingham-based band that toured alongside Cat Stevens in 1970. After that group disbanded, Canadian siblings Ed and Brian Pilling created Fludd; Hopkins briefly joined Fludd in 1972 but departed following the loss of their record deal.
Touring and recording
In 1976, Bandy Legs secured a contract with Jet Records and served as opening acts for prominent bands such as Black Sabbath and AC/DC. The group adopted the name Quartz for their 1977 debut album, Quartz, which was produced by Tony Iommi. To support the release, they toured with Black Sabbath. Of particular interest, Queen guitarist Brian May attempted a remix of the track "Circles," which included backing vocals from Ozzy Osbourne, although this remix was ultimately not utilized. "Circles" was issued as a B-side single and later appeared as a bonus track on the 2004 reissue of Stand Up & Fight.
Quartz appeared at the Reading Festival in the years 1977, 1978, and 1980, sharing stages with leading hard rock acts like Iron Maiden, Saxon, UFO, Gillan, and Rush.
In 1979, keyboardist Geoff Nicholls left Quartz to join Black Sabbath, where he contributed from their 1980 album Heaven and Hell through to 2004.
The band released two additional studio albums: Stand Up and Fight in 1980 and Against All Odds in 1983 before dissolving in 1984.
Post-dissolution
Doom metal band Orodruin covered Quartz’s "Stand Up and Fight" on their album Claw Tower released in 2004.
Quartz reunited in 2011 for a reunion concert held on December 16 at The Asylum in Birmingham. The lineup featured Geoff Nicholls, Mike Hopkins, Derek Arnold, Malcolm Cope, and former vocalist David Garner.
Original frontman Mike "Taffy" Taylor passed away on September 27, 2016. Geoff Nicholls died from lung cancer on January 28, 2017.
New album and compilation
In July 2014, Quartz revealed plans for a new album alongside a compilation containing previously unreleased studio recordings from the 1980s, set for release through Skol Records. The album titled Quartz: Too Hot To Handle was launched on January 31, 2015.
Their fifth studio record, On the Edge of No Tomorrow, was released in 2022.
Musical style
As described by Metal Injection, Quartz maintained a sound that straddled both hard rock and heavy metal genres over many years, producing music that resonated with fans across both styles.
Current
- David Garner – vocals (1982–1983, 2011–present)
- Mick Hopkins – guitar (1974–present)
- Derek Arnold – bass (1974–1982, 2011–present)
- Malcolm Cope – drums (1974–1984, 2011–present)
Former
- Steve McLoughlin – bass (1982–1984)
- Geoff Nicholls – guitar/keyboards (1974–1979 and 2011–2017; deceased 2017)
- Geoff Bate – vocals (1983–1984)
- Mike "Taffy" Taylor – vocals (1974–1982; deceased 2016)
Studio albums
- Quartz (Jet Records, 1977; reissued in 1980 under the title Deleted)
- Stand Up and Fight (MCA Records, 1980)
- Against All Odds (Heavy Metal Records, 1983)
- Fear No Evil (High Roller Records, 2016)
- On the Edge of No Tomorrow (HNE Recordings Ltd, 2022)
Singles
- "Street Fighting Lady" paired with "Mainline Riders" (Jet Records, 1977)
- "Satan's Serenade" / "Bloody Fool" / live version of "Roll Over Beethoven" (Logo Records, 1980)
- "Nantucket Sleighride" alongside "Wildfire" (Reddingtons Rare Records, 1980)
- "Stoking Up the Fires of Hell" coupled with "Circles" (MCA Records, 1980)
- "Stand Up and Fight" backed with "Charlie Snow" (MCA Records, 1981)
- "Tell Me Why" together with "Streetwalker" (Heavy Metal Records, 1983)
Live and compilation albums
- Live Quartz (Reddingtons Rare Records, 1980) – Captured live at Digbeth Civic Hall, Birmingham on December 1, 1979
- Resurrection (Neat Records, 1996) – A collection of live recordings from 1976 to 1979
- Satan's Serenade (Castle Records, 2004) – A mix of live performances and studio tracks
- Live and Revisited (Self-released, 2013) – An extended play featuring live material
- Too Hot to Handle (Skol Records, 2015) – Studio recordings from the years 1981 to 1982