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Medicine Hat - Biography
Medicine Hat was formed from the gutted remnants of U.K. rock band 'Mournblade', (Steve Loveday - Guitar, and Garry Bowler - Drums), who, along with New Zealand born vocalist Mark Jackson, fused their respective roots into the band's hard driving yet emotive genre-defying style.
After recording a demo CD, the self titled 'Medicine Hat', in 1993 & tearing up the London club scene, the band secured a deal with 'Gut Reaction Records', (famous for popsters 'Aswad' & 'Space'. It was at this time the band also recruited a new country-picking guitarist Mark Wright.
They were soon in the famous Nam's Studio's in Olympia, London, where they recorded an EP entitled C'mon Here, to be released in the summer of '95 along with a video shot in southern Spain.
The video received plays on VH1, the ITV Chart Show & MTV, while the band played raucous sessions on Virgin radio, Radios 1 & 2, and GLR.
However, the record company were unhappy about the level of success achieved and they parted company soon after. The band finished their best year yet opening up the British Music Fair at the Wembley Conference Centre, without a deal, but still holding onto existence.
As 1996 dawned, things looked bleak, so the band retuned to gigging and getting support in the caves and holes at the U.K. club scene. One bright note in '96 was the release of a live version on C'mon Here on a compilation album called 'Cowpunks', on Vinyl Junkie records. The band barnstormed their way through a set at the launch party for the album in Kensington where a shaken Johnny Walker declared on stage, "Now that was country music with attitude!". Another supported was D.J. Bob Harris who the band recorded a jingle for. There were support slots for Albert Lee and Dan Baird, (ex-Georgia Satellites), plus numerous gigs at the 12-bar club, London and around the U.K. which kept the band alive & willin'.
During '97 & '98, the guys recorded songs for a new CD and continued gigging at some of their favourite haunts like The Witchwood in Ashton-under-Lyne, The Spitz, Mean Fiddler, and Torrington in London, and many other venues.
In the Spring of '98, Mark & Steve, (vocalist & guitarist), decided to take a trip to the MidWest of the U.S. the new CD was ready, (named 'Bone-Dry'), and they wanted to see what Americans would make of a Brit-band playing American influenced music. The people they met were impressed by the CD and their trip went well..
While Mark & Steve were in Rockerville, South Dakota, they met a LaKota Indian called Paha Ska, and after receiving some instruction visited Bear Butte in the Black Hills, a sacred plains Indian prayer site, where both men prayed for the same thing - a deal for 'Bone-Dry'!!
A few days upon their return, Mark received a blind phone-call from Rick Goldstein at Way-Out-West Records. He'd heard the C'mon Here EP, liked it, and wanted the band to do an album - "Where they interested?"
Immediately the band reorganised. Out went original bassist John Brown, and in came Lol Dalziel, (whose frenetic style compliments the bands dizzying guitars), and keyboard player, (a first for Medicine Hst), James Whiteman . The band soon appeared on two Cover CD's for magazines 'Guitarist' and 'Classic Rock', and hit the road re-energised. After a long wait, a re-packaged, re-recorded and re-engineered version of 'Bone-Dry' was released in July 2000 to coincide with the band playing at the Americana festival.
The album got some great reviews and Ritz Radio Country nominated it for Album of the year.
The climax of the year found the band on their best tour yet. The gigs were packed and a management company, (Halo Management), witnessed several of these and were determined to give the veteran six-piece a try.
Halo's first move in 2001 was to send the band to Spain to do another video, this time for the Way-Out-West released single 'I Still Bleed'. The single received play on Channel4, Channel5, and rock shows and stations around the U.K.
The band also invested in a web-site and the summer culminated in the recording of a live album and video at The Junction, Cambridge - a venue close to their hearts & packed with fans. The bands' persistence had paid off.
Late in 2001, with new tracks on the way, the band undertook a month long U.K. tour. They returned wiser, none the richer, but with many good stories to tell.
Recent coups include a 4-track promo video shot & interview for Sky TV, and interview & play for a new track 'Lightnin' for Sky Sports, and a documentary filmed by Image Wizard TV charting the bands' work.
Early 2002 saw the band on tour, (as usual), supporting the 'I Still Bleed' (EP) single.
Blistered Hands, Bald Heads, and Battered Hearts not withstanding, this band's got a Story To Tell !! |