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SWEET SAVAGE

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Take No Prisoners   November 1981

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Side A

1.  Take No Prisoners          

    

Side B.           

1.  Killing Time        

   

LINEUP

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Ray Haller - Vocals, Bass

Vivian Campbell -  Guitars

Trev Fleming - Guitars

David "Basher" Bates - Drums

Sweet Savage was considered one of the pioneers of the NWOBHM movement, due mostly to the superb guitarmanship of a then unknown Vivian Campbell.  During his tenure they supported such bands as  Thin Lizzy, Ozzy Osbourne, Wishbone Ash and Motörhead, before releasing their first single "Take No Prisoners", as well as a self-released demo (creatively known as Demo 81) which consisted of a BBC session of four songs.  In early 1983, Campbell accepted an offer to join Dio and subsequently left the band, leaving a hole, that sadly, the band was never able to fill.  Sure, they released 3 albums and several singles without Campbell, but they just never were able to recapture that early sound and energy. 

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Campbell stated in an interview, "It’s always occurred to me; what if Sweet Savage had gotten a record deal and made that debut album? Maybe Metallica wouldn’t have existed, because we sounded so much like Metallica, you know?" 

 

Hmmm, if you close your eyes, and listen really hard, it still doesn't sound like Metallica at all!

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