SLAUGHTER AND THE DOGS


Taking their name from two of their biggest influences - Mick Ronson's "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" and David Bowie's "Diamond Dogs", Slaughter and the Dogs formed in April 1976 at Manchester's Wythenshawe Sharston High School with a line-up of Mick Rossi (guitar), Wayne Barrett (vocals), Howard "Zip" Bates (bass) and Brian "Mad Moffet" Grantham (drums). Following a series of local gigs the band managed to convince Malcolm McLaren they had a 'huge following' and so blagged the support slot to the Sex Pistols legendary show at Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall on July 20 1976, a gig that also saw the first performance by the Buzzcocks.


A couple of support slots to The Damned plus their own headlining shows at venues like London The Roxy and Swindon The Affair, persuaded the May '77 release of the band's debut single "Cranked Up Really High"/"The Bitch" was released by Manchester Independent label Rabid Records and coupled with the band's manic and highly visual live show helped establish Slaughter and the Dogs on the the booming punk circuit. Two cuts "Boston Babies" and "Runaway" were included on the brilliant compilation "Live At The Roxy", and were filmed by Don Letts for the Punk Rock Movie. All this helped lead to a deal with Decca Records, also at the time home to Cocksparrer, and later, Adam and the Ants.

August 29 1977 saw the release of "Where Have All the Boot Boys Gone" - 3 minutes of unadulterated power and aggression that had a marked effect in laying the foundation to the early 80's Oi! movement.

Late November 77 saw the release of their second Decca single "Dare To Blame" and it was promoted by a short tour of London venues like the Marquee, The Nashville, Dingwalls, and a national tour with Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers.

For February 1978 "Quick Joey Small" 7" Slaughter were augmented by a guest appearance by Mick Ronson, but even his presence couldn't help kick this cover of a 60's classic into the charts. A short jaunt across the UK taking in such venues as Manchester Poly (with John Coopper Clarke), Birmingham Town Hall (with Eater), and Liverpool Eric's (with Johnny Moped) was mixed up with final recording sessions for the debut LP.

But by the time of the final release "Do It Dog Style" on June 13 1978 the band had split up for the 1st time. It looked like the world had heard the last of Slaughter and the Dogs, but two of the founder members Mick Rossi and bassist Howard Bates formed a new band - Studio Sweethearts. With new recruits drummer Phil Rowland (ex Eater) and guitarist Billy Duffy (of Cult fame). This band lasted only one show and one single "I Believe" on DJM.

It was announced on July 26 through the music press the band were back. The relaunch was at Manchester's The Factory on August 10th (recorded and released in the early 80"s as "Live At The Factory"). A few more gigs followed before the release on November 8th of the single "You're Ready Now". The Sounds review stated "great fun, I never knew they were this good". The single was promoted by 3 sold out nights at the London Marquee, though this sudden surge in popularity wasn't enough to persuade Wayne Barrett to stay with the band and he quit in early 1980 to pursue a career on his own songwriting.

With a recording contract to fulfil Rossi, Baker and Rowland quickly recruited vocalist Eddie Garrits aka Ed Banger, ex of the Nosebleeds who released the brilliant "I Ain't Been To Music School" 45. His vinyl debut came courtesy of March 1980's "East Side Of Town" 45 which was quickly followed by the album "Bite Back" - both releases issued under the shortened name Slaughter. A mini tour took place with Abrasive Wheels as support at BIrmingham, Manchester and London Electric Ballroom (with Cockney Rejects).

June 25th saw the release of the single "I'm The One". A full UK tour followed (taking in Retford, Edinburgh, Dunfries, Grangemouth, Paisley, Dundee, Blackpool, Blackburn, Derby and London). But eventually lack of chart success led to Rossi quitting in August '80 - putting the Dogs down for the next 16 years.

Mick Rossi remained the most active of the band following its demise - recording an album with ex Heavy Metal Kids vocalist Gary Holton and 2 other projects The Swingers and The Monsters. He moved to Los Angeles to do acting and hook up with a part time covers band with Steve Jones (Sex Pistols) called Usual Suspects.

Rumours were rife of a reunion in the early nineties after a low profile release of an album called "Shocking" on Receiver Records. It wasn't until 1996 when everybody followed the Sex Pistols Filthy Lucre example that Slaughter and the Dogs headlined the "Holidays In The Sun" festival in Blackpool UK, 1996 - captured on limited edition CD, coloured vinyl LP and more recently DVD "Back and Biting". The last 9 or so years have seen the band touring Europe, USA, and Japan regularly. A new album "Beware Of" was released in 2003 and a follow up is currently being planned along with a new DVD ("Live in San Francisco/Japan").


More info: www.slaughterandthedogs.com



Last update: 17 June 2005

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