Urchin (band)
| Urchin | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Evil Ways |
| Origin | England, United Kingdom |
| Genres | Hard rock |
| Years active | 1972–1980 |
| Labels | DJM Records |
| Associated acts | The Broadway Brats Berlyn ASAP The Untouchables Iron Maiden Psycho Motel The Entire Population of Hackney |
| Past members |
Adrian Smith John Hoye Dave Murray Maurice Coyne Barry Tyler David Hall Alan Levett Andy Barnett Richard Young |
Urchin (originally Evil Ways) were an English hard rock band.
The band was formed in 1972 by childhood friends Dave Murray and Adrian Smith. Along with bassist John Hoye and various drummers, they entered a few local talent competitions and played their first gigs in Hoye's school.
Early in 1974 Murray decided to leave and join a 'proper' band and Smith and Hoye met up with guitarist Maurice Coyne who was a friend of a friend. After a jam session in Hoye's school hall, they decided to form a band and Evil Ways was reborn. A drummer Barry Tyler then joined the band. After gigging around local pubs they decided that they needed a singer/frontman, and recruited Dubliner David Hall.
By this time Evil Ways were playing regularly at most of the well known London venues. In August 1976 they were signed by Nomis/Morgan (owned by Simon Napier-Bell) who changed the band's name to Urchin, and got them a recording contract with DJM Records. Their first single was going to be "Without Love", written by Dave Hall, with "Rocka Rolla" (the Judas Priest song) as the B-side. They were recorded in a studio in Denmark Street, London but were never released. Soon after, Hoye left the band and was replaced by Alan Levett (an old school friend of Tyler's).
"Black Leather Fantasy", was released on 13 May 1977 and is now a very rare collectors item. Hall left the band in July 1977, followed by Coyne in January 1978. Coyne was replaced, briefly, by Dave Murray who had left Iron Maiden after an argument. Murray decided not to stay and after playing on the recording of the band's second single - "She's a Roller" (originally called "I'm a Roller")/ "Long Time No Woman" - he returned to Iron Maiden. Urchin carried on and recruited guitarist Andy Barnett and later keyboard player Richard (Dick) Young. However, the advent of punk rock led to the loss of their recording contract and meant that live work was drying up as their brand of hard rock was no longer fashionable. Eventually the band broke up and in early 1980 Smith and Barnett formed The Broadway Brats with ex members of Blazer Blazer. Later that year Smith was invited to replace guitarist Dennis Stratton in Iron Maiden.
...
Wikipedia