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On this day, 29 August 1986, heavy rock band Excalibur played Cardiff’s Bogey’s rock venue.
Excalibur was formed as a quartet as a school project by the 15-year olds as early as 1981. They may have very well kicked off a tradition of metal bands endlessly calling themselves 'Excalibur' all over the world going forward.
With Mick Dodson on drums the band released The Bitter End EP through Conquest Records in 1985. This EP was remixed by Conquest without the band’s permission. The Bitter End was recorded in March 1985 by Paul McBride, Paul Solynskyj, Martin Hawthorn and Mick Dodson at Woodlands Studio, UK with engineer Neil Ferguson, who went on to produce Chumbawamba.
Steve Blades bolstered the guitars in 1986 and Sykes joined the band in 1988. The band gigged at many clubs around England.
The Hot For Love single attracted attention in 1988 as much for its music as for the cover picture of a girl's butt. It was a BBC Radio 1 Friday Rock Show recording and produced by Mott The Hoople drummer Dale Griffin who worked often at the BBC.
The band had the opportunity to open for Saxon after its only full-length release, but split up after McBride left the band.
The end came after a number of farewell shows in 1992. The act had also opened for Uriah Heep and Budgie.
Setlist
I'm Telling You
Hot For Love
Back Before Dawn
Let It Go
Haunted by the Shadows
Devil in Disguise
Rough Justice
Come on and Rock
Full Circle
Early in the Morning
Sick and Tired
The Bitter End
Nightmare
Deaths Door
Face of Evil
