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{{Short description|English heavy metal band}}
{{unreferenced|date=September 2008}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2016}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox musical artist
{{Infobox musical artist
|Name = Witchfinder General
| name = Witchfinder General
| image = Witchfinder General (band).jpg
|Img =
| caption =
|Img_capt =
| alias =
|Background = group_or_band
| origin = [[Stourbridge]], England
|Alias =
| genre = [[Heavy metal music|Heavy metal]], [[doom metal]]
|Origin = [[Stourbridge]], [[England]], [[United Kingdom]]
| years_active = 1979–1984<br />2006–2008
|Genre = [[Heavy metal music|Heavy metal]]<br/>[[Doom metal]]
| label = Heavy Metal Records
|Years_active = 1979–1984<br>2006–present
| website = {{URL|witchfindergeneral.net}}
|Label = Heavy Metal Records
| current_members =
|Associated_acts =
| past_members = Phil Cope<br />Johnny Fisher<br />Steve Kinsell<br />Zeeb Parkes<br />Kevin McCready<br />Graham Ditchfield<br />Rod Hawkes<br />Dermot Redmond<br />Gary Martin
|URL =

|Current_members = Gary Martin<br/>Dermot Redmond<br/>Rod Hawkes<br/>Phil Cope
|Past_members = Zeeb Parkes<br/>Steve Kinsell<br/>Johnny Fisher<br/>Kevin McCready<br/>Graham Ditchfield
}}
}}
'''Witchfinder General''' were a [[doom metal]] band from [[Stourbridge]], [[England]]. They were part of the [[New Wave of British Heavy Metal]] scene and have been cited as a major influence on the [[doom metal]] genre. The band was a writing partnership between the founding members Zeeb Parkes ([[lyrics]]/Arrangements) & Phillip Cope Music/Arrangements


'''Witchfinder General''' was an English [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] band from [[Stourbridge]]. They were part of the [[new wave of British heavy metal]] scene and have been cited as a major influence on the [[doom metal]] genre.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://metaldescent.com/doom-metal/ |title=Heavy Metal Classifications: A History of Doom Metal — Metal Descent |access-date=19 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226090243/http://metaldescent.com/doom-metal/ |archive-date=26 December 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://whatculture.com/music/10-greatest-doom-metal-albums-of-all-time|title=10 Greatest Doom Metal Albums Of All Time|first=Christopher|last=Jennings|date=9 April 2013|website=WhatCulture.com}}</ref> They were named after the 1968 British horror film ''[[Witchfinder General (film)|Witchfinder General]]''.<ref name="LarkinHM">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Who's Who of Heavy Metal]]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1995|edition=Second|isbn=0-85112-656-1|page=390}}</ref>
==Biography==
Witchfinder General formed in 1979 in [[Stourbridge]], [[England]], as part of the [[New Wave of British Heavy Metal]] movement during the early 1980s. They are strongly influenced by [[Black Sabbath]], and are widely recognised today as one of the pioneers of the [[doom metal]] style. The band's importance became acknowledged mostly after they disbanded.


==History==
The band (minus vocalist Zeeb Parkes) reformed in November 2006, with new vocalist Gary Martin. In 2007 the band released ''Buried Amongst the Ruins'', a compilation CD featuring the "Burning a Sinner" single, the ''[[Soviet Invasion (album)|Soviet Invasion]]'' EP, and four live tracks including a live version of the unreleased track "Phantasmagorical". Whilst stating they will not perform live again, the band recently finished recording their third full length album, entitled ''[[Resurrected (album) | Resurrected]].
[[File:Witchfinder General logo.jpg|thumb|The group's logo]]
Witchfinder General formed in 1979 by Zeeb Parkes and Phil Cope in [[Stourbridge]], England, as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement during the early 1980s.<ref name="LarkinHM"/> They were strongly influenced by [[Black Sabbath]], and have been described as one of the pioneers of the doom metal style.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} The band's importance was acknowledged mostly after they disbanded.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} Witchfinder General disbanded sometime in 1984 amidst reported controversy of their sexually explicit album covers in the UK.

The band (minus vocalist and writer Zeeb Parkes) reformed in November 2006-- with new vocalist Gary Martin. The band released ''Buried Amongst the Ruins'' a compilation CD featuring the "Burning a Sinner" single, the ''[[Soviet Invasion (album)|Soviet Invasion]]'' EP, and four live tracks including a live version of the unreleased track "Phantasmagorical" in 2006. The band released their third full-length album ''[[Resurrected (album)|Resurrected]]'' in 2008.


==Members==
==Members==
* Phil Cope – guitar (1979–1984, 2006–2008), bass (1982)
===Current line-up===
* Johnny Fisher – bass (1979–1980)
* Gary Martin - [[singing|vocals]] (2007 - present)
* Steve Kinsell – drums (1979–1982)
* Phil Cope - [[guitar]], [[writer]] (1979-1984, 2006-present) (all recordings, [[bass guitar|bass]] on ''Death Penalty'' (as Wolfy Trope))
* Zeeb Parkes – vocals (1979–1984)
* Rod Hawkes - bass (1982-1984, 2006-present) (on ''Live '83'')
* Kevin McCready – bass (1981–1982; died 2008)
* Dermot Redmond - [[drum kit|drums]] (1983-1984, 2006-present) (on ''Live '83'')
* Graham Ditchfield – drums (1982–1983)
* Rod Hawkes - bass (1982–1984, 2006–2008)
* Dermot Redmond – drums (1983–1984, 2006–2008)
* Gary Martin – vocals (2006–2008)


'''Timeline'''
===Former members===
{{#tag:timeline|
* Zeeb Parkes - [[Singing|vocals]], [[writer]] (1979-1984) (All [[lyrics]] and arrangements (Single - [[Burning a Sinner]], Single - [[Soviet Invasion]], Album - [[Death Penalty]], Album - [[Friends of Hell]], Single - [[song|Music]] and all off-shoot compilations and live releases).
ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:19
* Johnny Fisher - bass (1979-1980)
PlotArea = left:100 bottom:60 top:0 right:15
* Kevin McCready - bass (1981-1982) (on "Burning a Sinner" and "Soviet Invasion" singles,''Buried Amongst the Ruins'')
Alignbars = justify
* Steve Kinsell - drums (1979-1982) (on "Burning a Sinner" and "Soviet Invasion" singles,''Buried Amongst the Ruins'')
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
* Graham Ditchfield - drums (1982-1983) (on ''Death Penalty'', ''Friends of Hell'' and "Music" single)
Period = from:01/01/1979 till:11/01/2008
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom
ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1979
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1980

Colors =
id:vocals value:red legend:Vocals
id:bass value:blue legend:Bass
id:guitar value:green legend:Guitar
id:drums value:orange legend:Drums
id:studio value:black legend:Studio_album
id:bars value:gray(0.9)
BackgroundColors = bars:bars

LineData =
layer:back color:studio
at:10/01/1982
at:05/01/1983
at:08/30/2008

BarData =
bar:Zeeb text:"Zeeb Parkes"
bar:Gary text:"Gary Martin"
bar:Phil text:"Phil Cope"
bar:Johnny text:"Johnny Fisher"
bar:Kevin text:"Kevin McCready"
bar:Rod text:"Rod Hawkes"
bar:Steve text:"Steve Kinsell"
bar:Graham text:"Graham Ditchfield"
bar:Dermot text:"Dermot Redmond"

PlotData=
width:11
bar:Zeeb from:01/01/1979 till:07/01/1984 color:vocals
bar:Gary from:11/01/2006 till:end color:vocals
bar:Phil from:01/01/1979 till:07/01/1984 color:guitar
bar:Phil from:03/01/1982 till:11/01/1982 color:bass width:3
bar:Phil from:11/01/2006 till:end color:guitar
bar:Johnny from:01/01/1979 till:12/31/1980 color:bass
bar:Kevin from:01/01/1981 till:03/01/1982 color:bass
bar:Rod from:11/01/1982 till:07/01/1984 color:bass
bar:Rod from:11/01/2006 till:end color:bass
bar:Steve from:01/01/1979 till:03/01/1982 color:drums
bar:Graham from:03/01/1982 till:07/01/1983 color:drums
bar:Dermot from:07/01/1983 till:07/01/1984 color:drums
bar:Dermot from:11/01/2006 till:end color:drums
}}


==Discography==
==Discography==
===Studio albums===
===Studio albums===
* ''[[Death Penalty (album)|Death Penalty]]'' CD/LP (Heavy Metal Records 1982)(Parkes & Cope)
* ''[[Death Penalty (album)|Death Penalty]]'' (1982)
* ''[[Friends of Hell]]'' CD/LP (Heavy Metal Records 1983)(Parkes & Cope)
* ''[[Friends of Hell]]'' (1983)
* ''[[Resurrected (album) | Resurrected]]'' CD (Buried By Time & Dust Records 2008) (Cope)
* ''[[Resurrected (album)|Resurrected]]'' (2008)


===Live albums===
===Live albums===
* ''Live '83'' CD (Nuclear War Now! 2006)
* ''Live '83'' (2006)
* ''Live '83'' CD (Nuclear War Now! 2007 - Corrected speed on CD) (Parkes & Cope)


===Singles/EPs===
===Singles and EPs===
* "[[Burning a Sinner]]" 7" (Heavy Metal Records 1981) (Parkes & Cope)
* "[[Burning a Sinner]]" (1981)
* ''[[Soviet Invasion (album)|Soviet Invasion]]'' 12" EP (Heavy Metal Records 1982) (Parkes & Cope)
* ''[[Soviet Invasion (album)|Soviet Invasion]]'' (1982)
* "[[Music (Witchfinder General song)|Music]]" 7" (Heavy Metal Records 1983) (Parkes & Cope)
* "[[Music (Witchfinder General song)|Music]]" (1983)


===Other releases===
===Other releases===
* ''Buried Amongst the Ruins'' CD (NWN! Productions / Buried By Time & Dust Records 2007)
* ''Buried Amongst the Ruins'' (2007)

(Cope & Parkes)
==See also==
*[[List of new wave of British heavy metal bands]]

==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.witchfindergeneral.net/ Official website]
* {{allmusic}}


{{Authority control}}
{{UK-rock-band-stub}}


[[Category:English heavy metal musical groups]]
[[Category:English musical quartets]]
[[Category:Doom metal musical groups]]
[[Category:English doom metal musical groups]]
[[Category:English rock music groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1979]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1979]]
[[Category:1980s music groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1984]]
[[Category:2000s music groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2006]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2008]]

[[Category:New Wave of British Heavy Metal musical groups]]
[[da:Witchfinder General (band)]]
[[de:Witchfinder General]]
[[es:Witchfinder General]]
[[pt:Witchfinder General]]
[[fi:Witchfinder General (yhtye)]]

Latest revision as of 23:45, 19 February 2024

Witchfinder General
Background information
OriginStourbridge, England
GenresHeavy metal, doom metal
Years active1979–1984
2006–2008
LabelsHeavy Metal Records
Past membersPhil Cope
Johnny Fisher
Steve Kinsell
Zeeb Parkes
Kevin McCready
Graham Ditchfield
Rod Hawkes
Dermot Redmond
Gary Martin
Websitewitchfindergeneral.net

Witchfinder General was an English heavy metal band from Stourbridge. They were part of the new wave of British heavy metal scene and have been cited as a major influence on the doom metal genre.[1][2] They were named after the 1968 British horror film Witchfinder General.[3]

History

[edit]
The group's logo

Witchfinder General formed in 1979 by Zeeb Parkes and Phil Cope in Stourbridge, England, as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement during the early 1980s.[3] They were strongly influenced by Black Sabbath, and have been described as one of the pioneers of the doom metal style.[citation needed] The band's importance was acknowledged mostly after they disbanded.[citation needed] Witchfinder General disbanded sometime in 1984 amidst reported controversy of their sexually explicit album covers in the UK.

The band (minus vocalist and writer Zeeb Parkes) reformed in November 2006-- with new vocalist Gary Martin. The band released Buried Amongst the Ruins a compilation CD featuring the "Burning a Sinner" single, the Soviet Invasion EP, and four live tracks including a live version of the unreleased track "Phantasmagorical" in 2006. The band released their third full-length album Resurrected in 2008.

Members

[edit]
  • Phil Cope – guitar (1979–1984, 2006–2008), bass (1982)
  • Johnny Fisher – bass (1979–1980)
  • Steve Kinsell – drums (1979–1982)
  • Zeeb Parkes – vocals (1979–1984)
  • Kevin McCready – bass (1981–1982; died 2008)
  • Graham Ditchfield – drums (1982–1983)
  • Rod Hawkes - bass (1982–1984, 2006–2008)
  • Dermot Redmond – drums (1983–1984, 2006–2008)
  • Gary Martin – vocals (2006–2008)

Timeline

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]

Live albums

[edit]
  • Live '83 (2006)

Singles and EPs

[edit]

Other releases

[edit]
  • Buried Amongst the Ruins (2007)

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Heavy Metal Classifications: A History of Doom Metal — Metal Descent". Archived from the original on 26 December 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  2. ^ Jennings, Christopher (9 April 2013). "10 Greatest Doom Metal Albums Of All Time". WhatCulture.com.
  3. ^ a b Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Heavy Metal (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 390. ISBN 0-85112-656-1.
[edit]
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