Week of August 24, 1997
Formed in London, England in 1973 the band consisted of Gary Holton (vocals),
Mickey
Waller
(guitar), Ron Thomas (bass),
Danny
Peyronel (keyboards/vocals) & Keith Boyce (drums). Signing
surprisingly quickly to Atlantic Records the band released their self-titled
debut album in 1974. Quickly gaining popularity on the live club circuit
in and around the London area, playing brash street metal, the band followed
up their debut album with "Anvil Chorus" in 1975. However, Gary Holton's
volatile nature got the band into trouble at various
gigs.
He even broke his leg on an ill-fated American tour. Danny Peyronel departed
at this point to join
UFO. Subsequently
dropped by Atlantic Records, the band was undeterred and released their third
and last album. "Kitsch" appeared on RAK Records in 1977, full of tough street
metal rockers. It still did not give the band the break it needed and Heavy
Metal Kids folded shortly after its release. Gary Holton went on to pursue
an acting career and will best be remembered for his role as Wayne, a streetwise
cockney jack-the-lad in the hit television series Auf Wiedersehen Pet. Sadly,
he died of a drugs overdose during the timing of the series.
Albums: Heavy Metal Kids (1974), Anvil Chorus (1975), Kitsch (1977).
(from "The Guinness Who's Who of Seventies Music", Guinness Publishing, UK, ISBN: 0-85112-727-4)
British pop band Smokie guest-starred on Kitsch; on which John Sinclair (later with Uriah Heep & Ozzy Osbourne Band) was the keyboardist. "She’s No Angel" was a minor hit in the charts and on Top of the Pops.
