When they
first burst out of Glasgow in 1981, they were vibrant, priapic, anthemic
and focused. As they showed on a three-tarck demo, and on the subsequent
debut single for independent label Neat (‘Roll The Dice’/’Love Xs Love’),
they were much much more than mere Def Leppard slaves. In fact,
the Pettin had an international sound that owed something to AC/DC,
UFO, Thin Lizzy and Foreigner,
but also had its own raging momentum. Not that the band found the road
forward straightforward. But, thanks to a work ethic that took them around
the country, plus a valuable session for Radio 1’s
prestigious ‘Friday Rock Show’, the band
eventually landed a crucial deal with the major Polydor
Records. Moreover, their 1983 debut album (Lettin’
Loose) was co-produced by the creative Mack…together
with Queen guitarist Brian May.
Now, that’s pedigree.
Amazingly,
that album has survived more than 25 years of high-speed, hi-tech
developments intact. While other, more celebrated records have dated badly,
Lettin’ Loose re-affirms the belief back then that
the Pettin would plunge to big time stature. What went wrong at the time
has little to do with band, or lack of ambition/talent. In America, where
they should have broken big, long before Bon Jovi
gave Love A Bad Name, they were held back by the label’s insistence on an
anaemic re-mix (as well as a title change to ‘Heavy Pettin’, which caused
more confusion than anything else). If the band’s essential, vital British
brio had been left as conceived in the first place, who knows what might
have been achieved.
Still, a slot
on the bill for the 1983 Reading Festival, the day
that Black Sabbath infamously headlined when fronted by
Ian Gillan, did them no harm. And touring with
both Kiss and Ozzy helped the quintet’s
progress.
Two years
later, the Pettin return to the studio, this time with producer Mark
Dearnley (who’d worked with AC/DC and Krokus).
The result? Rock Ain’t Dead, which
surprised many with a slicker yet conversely tougher approach. The lads
really had progressed, although ironically if things had gone to plan, this
would have been produced by Lance Quinn, of Bon Jovi and Lita
Ford fame. However, just hours before the band were due to
fly to Philadelphia, to work with Quinn at his Warehouse
Studios, the decision was taken by PolyGram
(to whom both Heavy Pettin and Bon Jovi were signed in the US) that,
instead, he should start work immediately on what was to be Jovi’s second
record, 7800 Degrees Fahrenheit.
Perhaps then,
it should have been obvious that record company politics were to scupper
Pettin.. A third album, The Big Bang, was released by
FM Revolver in 1989 – and still proved this lot
were way ahead of so many others who were selling truckloads of ‘units’ and
getting acclaim from the media But, as the 1980s faded into memory, so too
did Heavy Pettin.
However, what
has happened over the past two decades is that every so often, people will
dust down those Pettin recordings, scratch their heads in confusion and
wonder what went wrong. Well, recriminations never help; they only serve to
fuel frustrations. But now the band are back ! – not for nostalgic reasons,
not re- capture a long past youth. Not to right past wrongs. But to make
music. So, here we are, not looking backwards to those years, when this lot
were ready to take on the world and toured with Motley
Crue and Ratt. No, this is about the
21st Century. Driven by a desire, passion, and a capacity simply to invoke
the simple magic and rapport of what this band once stood for. Since
stepping back out in 2017 the new line up fronted by frontman Stephen
“Hamie” Hayman, the band have been going about the business of reclaiming
their reputation as a “tour de force” live. 2018 saw them on tour in the UK
with American legends Angel. 2019 a headline set at
HRH hell followed by another headline appearance
this time in Germany at the Headbangers festival, rounding off the year
with another tour around the UK with Rockgoddess. 2020 promised to
be the best yet, starting off with the amazing Monsters of Rock Cruise X
followed by another headline festival appearance at the Brofest
festival in Newcastle. Then of course Covid happened! In
August 2022 after which felt like an eternity the band went out on a run of
shows that would see them play in 5 deferent countries across Europe.
Kicking off with a headline slot at the Legends of Rock
Festival followed by a triumphant return to their hometown
of Glasgow as “Special guests” to the legend that is Michael
Schenker! The band have their eyes set firmly on 2023. This
will be the 40th anniversary of the debut album Letting
Loose. To mark the occasion a new remastered version of the
Brian May produced original is slated for a March release followed by a run
of shows. The plan is to record these shows for a 40th anniversary Live
release later in the year. During the lock down period a new album was
written, which is high on the agenda to round off 2023. With a new
management deal and solid line up in place the future looks bright. Rock
ain’t Dead!
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