Atomkraft Videos
Atomkraft Biography
atomkraft originally formed in newcastle england in 1979, by tony dolan, steve white and paul spillet. they recorded two demo tapes at wallsends neat records, but split up in 1983. ex-tysondog drummer ged cook, had appeared on vinyl drumming on tysondogs beware of the dog album released on neat records. his brother eric cook was also in the same building, he had an office at neat records as he was managing the labels biggest band venom. venom were doing very well and where looking set for the big time, drummer ged and brother eric thought it might be a good idea to put another band together, a band that could sit alongside venom and possibly be a credible backup, incase egos in the venom camp led to future problems. they first approached tony dolan who had been hanging around neat records with his new pal cronos since the collapse of his own band atomkraft. both cook and dolan needed each other dolan needed cook for his connections to venom and neat, and cook needed dolan for his undoubted songwriting ... so now they both needed a guitarist with the rockstar looks and talent. robert matthew redhead was only 16 when he auditioned for atomkraft.. he was the bands first auditionee, and was cooks first choice having known all about the youngster, via demo tapes sent to neat, tysondog auditions, recomendations from venom drummers.. etc it seemed the kid was everywhere. dolan wasnt so sure, he wanted his old pal steve white to join... but cook was determined to get the young redhead onboard. at the audition the three musicians hit it off, rob joined the band which was now to be called atomkraft. atomkraft recorded a demo tape at neat records recording studio impulse in 1985 which led directly to a record deal a few weeks later, atomkraft released their debut album future warriors in the summer of 1985, their first gig together was supporting slayer at the marquee in london, months later they hit the road and toured europe supporting exodus and venom.
atomkraft went into the studio in early 1986 and began working on their second album.. but weeks into the recording tony dolan left atomkraft... frustrated at the lack of money royalties from the bands debut release, and also frustrated at the bands management. brothers ged and eric cook decided that dolan had no legal ground to own the name atomkraft, so they set about replacing him. ex-avenger singer ian davison swift and newly discovered bassist daren cooper were drafted in.. atomkraft now a four piece began rehearsing before heading back into the studio... immediately redhead penned two of atomkrafts most recognised tracks.. queen of death and protector. in 1986 the album queen of death was released as an ep by neat records... it recieved excellent reviews from the british press.
an american tour was being planned. bassist darren cooper was strangelly ousted in late autumn 1986 and original member tony dolan rejoined the band. atomkraft immediatelly hit the road again appearing at hollands eindhoven festival in front of 14 thousand dutch metal fans... touring with nuclear assault and exhumer... appearing at londons hammersmith odeon which would be aired live on the bbc radio 1.
in 1987 atomkraft released their third album via neat records entitled conductors of noize, again to criticall acclaim from the music press, atomkraft where now being seen as a credible new british band.. they had gained a reputation for being a hard working great live band too. 1988 saw the band again tour europe for the third time this time with nasty savage amongst others... finally it seemed the work was paying off as crowd numbers swelled. the band decided to embelish their sound live with an added guitar, former bassist darren cooper rejoined and tony dolan moved onto rythm guitar, more touring followed, kerrang magazine heralded atomkraft as the new messiahs of the metal scene proclaiming their appearance at londons dingwalls venue as being one of the best thrash gigs of all time... metal hammer magazine proclaimed neither onslaught nor venom have the capacity for making it big in 1987 that atomkraft do. atomkraft were scaling heights .. their star was in ascendancy....and at the end of 1988 they appeared in front of a 25 thousand crowd of screaming metal maniacs at the katowice stadium in poland.
however all was not as it seemed, the band was still signed to independant label neat records.. much to the bands frustration. in early 1989 atomkraft had just completed a demo recording of their next album fittingly entitled atomized, they were also doing intermediete gigs in britiain when guitarist redhead suddenly left the band, citing reasons, lack of royalties, poor management and the unwillingness of the band to evolve creativelly. months later bassist tony dolan left again for the second time to join venom as replacement to cronos. drummer cook continued with atomkraft for a few more months before the band ground to a halt in late 1989.
it had been one hell of a journey for the young band... full of highs and lows.. but the decade was coming to a close...... Looking back now though it is evident the important role atomkraft played in shaping todays modern metal, the era now described as being nwobhm. atomkrafts story is very much that of what could have been.. having broke free from the shadow of labelmates venom they established themselves as a great british metal band.. at the time.. the best british metal band.... and yet today the name atomkraft is not nearly as recognisable as many of the american bands nor that of venom. but with timeless metal classics like total metal, queen of death and teutonic pain, their can be no doubt that the sweet music of atomkraft will live on forever.
Atomkraft Photo Gallery
Atomkraft Discography
Future Warriors |
Queen of Death  |
Conductors of Noize  |
Total Metal  |
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