Race Against Time (band)

Race Against Time were an English heavy metal band from Derbyshire, formed in 1978 along with Paralex and Radium, who referred to themselves as the 'East Midlands Bands Cooperative'. These bands shared equipment and organised concerts, helping Nottingham to become a hotbed of activity during the new wave of British heavy metal.[1]

Race Against Time
OriginChesterfield, Matlock and Nottingham, England
GenresHeavy metal
Years active1978–1982
LabelsHigh Roller Records
Associated actsHell, Paralex, Radium
MembersDave G. Halliday
Al Short
Geoff Green

They were progressive but with a heavy, doom influenced sound and were regarded as very professional musicians. They wore a kind of proto-corpsepaint with black clothing.[2]

Biography

Race Against Time initially formed in 1978 between Chesterfield and Matlock, England. Al Short had played in two bands simultaneously, called Captain Hippo and Heavy Water. He noticed an advert in a music shop window placed by Dave Halliday, whose previous band Skint had recently broken up. Initially they were a four piece, with Halliday on guitar, but as more songs were written he slowly took over on vocals and the band became a three piece. They tried a number of drummers before finding Geoff Green.[3]

Following being let down by a record label who pulled out of releasing "Bedtime" as a single with two B sides at the last minute,[3] they were approached by Nigel Burnham, a journalist who was creating the New Electric Warriors compilation album with Logo Records. The proposed A side of the single is the final track on the album.[4][5] Unable to regain record label attention, the band decided to split following a session aired on Trevor Dann's BBC Radio Nottingham Rock Show.[3][6] The band Hell was formed with members of the aforementioned 'East Midlands Bands Cooperative', guitarist Kev Bower and bassist Tony Speakman from Paralex and drummer Tim Bowler from Overdrive. Halliday used some Race Against Time material in this new outfit.[7][8]

In 2015 Al Short and Geoff Green reunited with Radium members Kevin Healey and Andy Meehan to play the songs of both bands at Brofest in Newcastle.[9][10] The release of their Time Waits For No Man compilation on High Roller Records coincided with this performance.[11]

Musical style

Race against time are best described as a NWOBHM band, although they played a darker form of blues that was weeded out of their sound when they evolved into Hell.[12]

Band members
  • Dave G. Halliday - vocals, guitar (1978–1982)
  • Al Short - bass (1978–1982)
  • Geoff Green - drums (1978–1982)

Discography

Studio albums
  • Time Waits for No Man (2015)

Compilation albums
  • New Electric Warriors (1980) with the song "Bedtime"

See also

References
  1. Macmillan, Malc (2005). The N.W.O.B.H.M. encyclopedia (2nd ed.). Berlin: I.P. Verlag Jeske/Mader GbR. p. 462. ISBN 3931624161.
  2. "HELL INTERVIEW: "WE NEVER LOOKED TO BE THIS RETRO BAND"". Iron Fist Magazine. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  3. Mader, Matthias. "RACE AGAINST TIME - Time Waits For No Man LP". www.hrrecords.de. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  4. Malc., Macmillan (2001). "The NWOBHM encyclopedia" : [the new wave of British heavy metal] (1st ed.). IP-Verl. Jeske, Mader. ISBN 3931624161.
  5. Malc., Macmillan (2001). "The NWOBHM encyclopedia" : [the new wave of British heavy metal] (1st ed.). IP-Verl. Jeske, Mader. p. 761. ISBN 3931624161.
  6. Macmillan, Malc (2005). The N.W.O.B.H.M. encyclopedia (2nd ed.). Berlin: I.P. Verlag Jeske/Mader GbR. p. 281. ISBN 3931624161.
  7. "October Obituaries: Category X - David George Halliday - Heathen Harvest". Heathen Harvest. 20 October 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  8. Precious metal : Decibel presents the stories behind 25 extreme metal masterpieces. Da Capo Press. 2009. p. 86. ISBN 9780786749621.
  9. "Templo do Rock Radio BROFEST(UK) #3 – A fantastic festival only with great bands". www.templodorock.net (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  10. "Running Order 2015 ⋆ Brofest 2017 ⋆ 2 day heavy metal & classic rock festival in Newcastle". Brofest 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  11. "Race Against Time - Time Waits for No Man - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives". www.metal-archives.com. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  12. "To Hell and Back: An Interview With Andy Sneap of Hell". PopMatters. 12 June 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
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