I was in a heavy rock band in the mid-late 80s called Targa.
We had a typical 80s glam look and played music in the vein of Motley Crue, with melodic influences by other bands out at the time like Dokken (with a good dose of the heavier incoming bands like Metallica). It was a good mix.
The band consists of:
Neil Waterman – guitar
Alan Wheatley-Crowe – guitar
Kris Bloomfield – bass
Reiko – vocals
and me on the drums.
We played loads of gigs including several gigs at the Wellington in Shepherds Bush and got our first headlining show at London’s famous Marquee club. Alas we never played it as we split just before. We lost our vocalist and found it really hard to find a good replacement. Then one of the guitar players left and we just fizzled out.
Last week Neil found a tape still in one of his old tape recorders and on it was a recording of one of our very last rehearsals. Recorded using a couple of mics and a tape deck it’s completely live. We were still looking for a singer so no vocals, and the song was a new one that never got lyrics. But it was completely live, and we were 22-23 years old, and I think had some good potential. If we’d have had Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, iTunes and all of the other stuff modern bands have who knows what we might have achieved. Anyway, I’m very happy for you to hear this, warts and all.
I hope you like it HEAVY!
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Very good, certainly could have been a hit and sounds very professional. Makes you think what path and how different it would be if you had gone down that route. Love the work you do now.
Sounds good…which one are you in the picture? Ace drums!
That’s me, second from the left…
Wow! Very together, especially for such young dudes! I must admit, though, I’m glad you went another way with your music or we wouldn’t have Damh the Bard as we know and love him! 🙂
couldn’t agree more with above comments, certainly has more listening pleasure than some of the ‘heavy metal’ bands that have ‘made it’!
That’s really rather good!! Certainly something I’d be listening to still!!
I like it. Love the hair too. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thank you for sharing this. It’s very good. But with your performance at Witchfest this past saturday i am so pleased you took the musical path that you did.
I like a bit of metal! Great sound! Your dress and makeup style may have changed….but the laugh hasn’t!
Id like for you to re work this onto your next album w/ lyrics. Call it Witch Mountain.
Oh yeah, that’s 80’s all the way! I thought I sensed a drummer in you! I’ve just connected with some old band friends from(hold onto your hat, now) the 60’s! Wish we had a recording like this to remember those times with. But alas, we were too stoned to think about turning on a tape recorder, ha-ha!
Thanks for sharing this, Damh. I too am glad you took the road you did.
This is incredible – I really like this! I love 80s metal lol
Oh yes …… ! thank you for this one x
You guys were AWSOME! I was very into the metal glam rock scene back in the 80s. I adored motley crue. & i certently heard motley crue in there. I loved your that! Very good, & i also agree u could have been famous here in the states back in tjosr days for sure. But im also happy you took another path, you are defenatly gifted in the music. & i think i would love any music you do. But love your pagan path.
Blessed be damh
fabulous love the sound and your hair Dave,in fact that was bloody brilliant
To my ears it sounds like really good solid NWOBHM (Crue? Really? Nah…), and that lead guitar sounds rather special 🙂
You know how much I love metal, and how similar our musical tastes are, by and large. In my all too large CD collection I have stuff from loads of great bands that sound similar to Targa. None, however, that sound like Damh the Bard, however. Lucky us.
Glad the hair remains unchanged, though 😉 x
Looking for the album cover with the armadillo tank on it….any picks of this around?