Black Spiders
Black Spiders are an English rock band based in Sheffield, England. Their third studio album entered the UK Rock Chart reaching No. 9. re-entering again at No. 28, after Record Store Day (drop ii)[1]
Black Spiders | |
|---|---|
Black Spiders performing at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany (2015). | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | United Kingdom |
| Genres | Hard rock, stoner rock |
| Years active | 2008–2017 2020–present |
| Labels | Dark Riders |
| Members | Pete 'Spider' Spiby Ozzy 'Owl' Lister Mark 'Dark Shark' Thomas Wyatt 'Octopus' Wendels Adam 'The Fox' Irwin |
| Website | blackspidersband |
History Edit
The band formed in early 2008, originally playing a few shows under the name 'the Black Spiders'. They released the three track single "St. Peter" in December 2008, to coincide with a small run of dates with Airbourne on mainland Europe in December of the same year, their first ever tour.
A four track EP Cinco Hombres, Diez Cojones followed in June 2009, shortly after the band's first appearance at the Download festival at Castle Donington which was to be the first release on the band’s own record label Dark Riders.
The band’s second EP No Goats in the Omen was released in May 2010, to coincide with the band's first headline tour of the UK.
Black Spiders gained early positive reviews in the rock press, with Kerrang! and Classic Rock featuring them on their 'Introducing'[2] and 'High Hopes'[3] sections. Both Rock Sound[4] and Classic Rock also listed them among their 'ones to watch'.[5]
After favourable reviews of early shows in the press the band picked up support slots for numerous other acts. They played UK dates supporting Airbourne and Black Stone Cherry,[6] The Datsuns, Stone Gods and Danko Jones to name a few. In September 2009 they supported The Wildhearts on their UK tour and The Answer in November. A further tour with Airbourne of the UK and Ireland followed before the band embarked on their own headline tour which consisted of sixteen dates across the UK.[7] In 2009, the band played Download Festival and the Hard Rock Hell III festivals.[citation needed]
In 2010, the band played at the iTunes Festival with Ozzy Osbourne, after winning a competition held by MySpace and iTunes, to find an unsigned band in the UK, which had over 500 other entries. The band also played festivals in Essen Devilside, headlined SOS in Manchester, Zwarte Cross in the Netherlands and a show in Victoria Park at the High Voltage Festival, alongside Orange Goblin, ZZ Top, Heaven & Hell and Down. They played at Sonisphere 2010 at Knebworth on the Bohemia stage. They also played the Main Stage at Bloodstock Open Air in 2010. They were named the 'Best Underground Band' in the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards in 2010.[8] At the end of 2010, the band embarked on a huge European tour with Airbourne and after some cancelled dates with Volbeat the band finished off the year playing the rest of the UK dates with Airbourne.[citation needed]
The band’s debut album Sons of the North was released on 7 February 2011 to positive reviews in the press, both in the UK and in mainland Europe. Towards the end of February 2011 they embarked on a sold out headline UK tour with Turbowolf and Viking Skull in support, with a further set of sold out dates to follow in May 2011 with support from Japanese Voyeurs. In between these tours Black Spiders were invited to play in China, at the Beijing Stadium in Chaoyung Park along with other UK acts. The band played six shows over three days, climaxing with their headline appearance on the final day on the main stage. After their return, they played at various festivals across Europe including the prestigious Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park in Germany and Graspop Festival in Belgium and award shows[9] for Kerrang! and Metal Hammer. The band then played to one of their largest audiences to date in the UK as headliners on the Jägermeister Stage on 9 July at the Sonisphere Festival at Knebworth Park.[10] In the summer of 2011, the band were asked for a second year to play at the High Voltage Festival this time playing as main support on the Metal Hammer stage to Neurosis on 24 July. This was followed by three dates with Karma to Burn. At the end of 2011, Black Spiders played UK dates with Volbeat and then ended the year with their longest tour in mainland Europe with New Jersey Stoner/Space Rockers Monster Magnet.[citation needed]
2012 began with Black Spiders starting the writing and recording of new material for their second studio album. In April they joined Skindred and Therapy? on the Jagermeister Tour 2012, with a week long run of dates in the UK.[11] They will then be supporting Irish rockers Thin Lizzy in May on their second leg of their 2012 UK tour and Guns N' Roses on selected dates of their Up Close and Personal Tour.[citation needed]
In 2012, Black Spiders covered "The God That Failed" by Metallica for Kerrang's Black Album Covered.[citation needed]
Black Spiders played at Bingley Music Live on Saturday 1 September 2012.[citation needed]
In May 2013, the band announced that their second album would be called This Savage Land which is planned for release in September 2013. The production of the new album was funded by fan pledges via an online music pledge service.[12] An eight day UK tour was announced to follow at the beginning of October 2013[13]
In 2016, the band announced their breakup with a "F*** Off Black Spiders" eight day farewell tour in the UK. Their last performance was at Sheffield Corporation on 16 June 2017 (rescheduled from 2 May 2017).[14]
In September 2020, the band announced that they have reformed and would be recording new material and playing live again with new drummer Wyatt Wendels.[15]
In March 2021, after writing a new album throughout COVID-19 lockdowns and recording when able to, the band released their new self title album 'Black Spiders' to very positive reviews.
Unable to follow this up with a tour, due to the Pandemic, the band were only able to play a warm up show and Bloodstock festival in August 2021, with an album tour planned for November 2021.
Musical style Edit
Their music is fast paced and energetic, drawing upon bands such as Black Sabbath, Motörhead[16] AC/DC, Turbonegro, Led Zeppelin, The Stooges and Aerosmith as influences.[17]
Discography Edit
Studio albums Edit
- Sons of the North (2011) UK chart peak: No. 172[18]
- This Savage Land (2013) UK chart peak: No. 59[19]
- Black Spiders (2021) UK Independent Albums Chart: No. 7[1] UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart: No. 4[20]
- Can’t Die, Won’t Die (2023) UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart: No. 11[21]
Singles Edit
- St. Peter (2008)
- Stay Down (2009)
- Just Like a Woman (2010)
- Kiss Tried to Kill Me (2012) UK Official Physical Singles Chart: No. 10[22]
- Creatures (2012)
- Balls (2013)
- Teenage Knife Gang (2013)
- Stick it to the Man (2014)
- Fly in the Soup (2020)
- Good Times (2021)
- Give Em What They Want (2021)
- Hot Wheels (2023)
- Alright Alright Alright (2023)
- Destroyer (2023)
EPs Edit
- Cinco Hombres, Diez Cojones (2009)
- No Goats in the Omen (2010)
- Rat Mansion (2014)
- Deaf Proof (2021)
Compilations Edit
- Volume (2011) - compilation of the first single and first two EPs
References Edit
- ^ a b "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50 - 16th April 2021". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
- ^ Kerrang! Magazine, January 2009
- ^ Classic Rock Magazine, March 2009
- ^ Rock Sound Magazine, January 2008
- ^ Classic Rock Magazine, January 2010
- ^ . Theblackspiders.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
- ^ . Metal Hammer. 24 February 2010. Archived from the original on 9 July 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
- ^ . Metalhammer.co.uk. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ Kerrang! Article about Awards show line up 18 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ . Metalhammer.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 October 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ Kerrang! Article about the Jagermeister Tour 27 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ . Archived from the original on 4 June 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
- ^ "Help! Have a Question?". Allgigs.co.uk. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ Lach, Stef (7 December 2016). "Black Spiders announce farewell tour dates". Loudersound.com. from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
- ^ "Black Spiders - Guess Who's Back in Town?". YouTube. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
- ^ . Metal Hammer. 5 December 2009. Archived from the original on 13 February 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
- ^ "Artist Profile - Black Spiders". Eventseeker.com. from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
- ^ Tobias Zywietz. "The official Zobbel homepage". Zobbel.de. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart UK Top 100 - 8th September 2013". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
- ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40 - 16th April 2021". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40 - 26th May 2023". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ "Official Physical Singles Chart - 13th May 2012". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
External links Edit
- Official website