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Magnum
Magnum feature in our melodic and classic rock sequences.
Magnum have been making music since the early-1970s, first as a covers band playing the Birmingham club circuit. Although they made a single for CBS, ‘Sweets For My Sweet’ in 1975, it wasn’t until 1978 that they released their first album signed to Jet Records.
The band’s greatest period of success came in the 1980s, with the release of ‘A Storyteller’s Night’ and their signing to Polydor in 1985 for whom they produced three studio albums.
The band’s fortunes wavered after being dropped by Polydor, and by 1995 they had announced their farewell tour.
In spite of this hiatus, the core of Tony Clarkin and Bob Catley produced two albums as Hard Rain before deciding to reform Magnum in 2001, this time with Al Barrow on bass and Harry James on drums. Together with longstanding keyboard player Mark Stanway this formed the band line-up until December 2016 when Stanway announced his departure.
The band have produced ten studio albums since their reformation, mostly replete with Rodney Matthews artwork. Matthews created the band’s most memorable sleeves from ‘The Eleventh Hour’ (1983) onwards. The latest release (January 2020) is called ‘The Serpent Rings’ and is the first to feature new member Dennis Ward on bass. The band also includes Rick Benton (keyboards) and Lee Morris (drums) who joined the band in 2017.
Magnum celebrated the 40th anniversary of their formation in 2012 and to coincide with our own (10th) anniversary the band were nominated our Ambassadors for 2012. This led to a series of special programmes broadcast throughout that year, including an introduction by rock writer, the late Malcolm Dome.
In March 2022 Get Ready to ROCK! celebrated the band’s 50th anniversary with a special feature reflecting two decades of reviews and features (Magnum in the Millennium) whilst the radio replayed interview highlights from a 10 year plus archive.
A two-hour special was broadcast on Sunday 20 March 2022 celebrating the music of Magnum and the 50th Anniversary with interview excerpts from the GRTR! archive, fan recollections, and classic tracks. This was part of “Magnum Month @GRTR!”
Magnum were again honoured in December 2023 with an extensive feature published as part of the GRTR!@20 series “The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness”.
Sadly Tony Clarkin passed away 7 January 2024 shortly before the release of the band’s album ‘Here Comes The Rain’.
LINKS
Magnum website
Special Feature (Magnum at 40)
The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness (December 2023)