Weapon UK

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tarted by Jeff Summers (ex-Snatch; guitar) and Danny Hynes (vocals), along with fellow members Bruce Bisland (ex-Lip Service; drums) and Barry "Baz" Downes (ex-Snatch/ex-Inner Unit), Weapon were spotted by "Fast" Eddie Clarke of Motorhead after only a few gigs who offered them a support slot on their Ace Up Your Sleeve tour, after which Weapon rushed to release their debut single, the two track It's A Mad Mad World/Set the Stage Alight for 'Virgin' in 1980. After the debut single set, they continued to release several demos, enough for an entire album as a matter of fact, but got no more record company interest.

As a live act, however, they excelled despite the lack of big company interest. In 1981 Bisland left and was replaced by Jon Phillips (ex-Megatron) with ex-Iron Maiden/ex-Praying Mantis guitarist Bob Angelo, but during the subsequent tour they became dogged by problems which came to a head at The Granary in Bristol, England where the audience saw the group at its breaking point as the set progressed. Never completing an album, they split soon after.

The Set the Stage Alight compilation would be released in 2003.