Quartz

Biography

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Quartz (1977-1984, 2011-present): a Heavy Metal band from Birmingham, UK.

he origins of Quartz dates back to 1974 when they were known as Bandy Legs. Prior to the founding of Quartz, guitarist and founder Mick Hopkins had played in the band Wages of Sin, a short-lived Birmingham act that toured as a backing band for Cat Stevens in 1970. After that band's dissolution, two of his bandmates, expatriate Canadian brothers Ed and Brian Pilling, returned to Canada to form the band Fludd; Hopkins briefly joined that band in 1972 as a replacement for founding guitarist Mick Walsh, but left by the end of the year after they were dropped from their record label.

Bandy Legs signed to 'Jet Records' in 1976, and supported Black Sabbath and AC/DC, but by the time their 1977 debut Tony Iommi produced Quartz arrived the band changed their name to Quartz. The album was followed-up with a supporting tour with Black Sabbath. Queen guitarist Brian May offered to do his "Queen" style editing of the song Circles featuring Ozzy Osbourne on backing vocals, but after several attempts he admitted that he thought the original version was still better. Regardless of his thoughts, his contribution was cut from the final mix by Iommi. This track did not appear on the album, but was released as the B-side to the Stoking the Fires of Hell single, and as a bonus track when the Stand Up & Fight (1980) album was later reissued on CD in 2004 by 'Majestic Rock'.

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Quartz then engaged in touring, playing the Reading Festival three times (1977, 1978 and 1980) and touring in support of some of the larger hard rock bands of the time such as Iron Maiden, Saxon, U.F.O., Gillan and Rush. During this time, the band consisted of Mick Hopkins (guitar), Geoff Nicholls (guitar/keyboards), Derek Arnold (bass), Malcolm Cope (drums) and Mike "Taffy" Taylor (vocals) but back in 1979, Geoff Nicholls left to join Black Sabbath. He contributed keyboards and songwriting to that band from 1980's Heaven and Hell to 2004.

Quartz released their second studio album, Against All Odds in 1983 under the membership of Geoff Bate (vocals), David Garner (vocals), Mick Hopkins (guitar), Malcolm Cope (drums) and Steve McLoughlin (bass) before disbanding in 1984.

Mike "Taffy" Taylor and Geoff Nicholls would die in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

In 2011 the act reformed to release Fear No Evil (2016) and On the Edge of No Tomorrow (2022) under the membership of David Garner (vocals), Derek Arnold (bass), Malcolm Cope (drums) and Geoff Nicholls (guitar/keyboards) before his death.

In 2004, doom metal band Orodruin covered Stand Up and Fight on their album Claw Tower.

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