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Juggernaut was a San Antonio, Texas-based heavy metal band known for their outrageous live shows and off stage antics. Two albums were released, both on Metal Blade records: Baptism Under Fire in 1986 and Trouble Within in 1987. Both are available on reissue by High Vaultage records with generous bonus tracks. Juggernuat disbanded in 1993.
Formed in 1980, Juggernaut was a Sydney based, hard rock outfit that were well known to millions of fans but never bothered to put any albums out, though they were courted by three major labels. The guys, searching for a unique sound, left the development of that unrecorded. they didn't agree with any record company push to record and sign contracts, thus concentrating on their art.
The driving force was Marty Shiel on Vocals and Guitar with Charles Elias on Drums and Michael Henshaw on Bass. After a year Charles left and Robbie Shaw assumed the drum chair, on and off for the next eight years, while they toured the Snowy Mountains and the vast east coast of Australia. Some guest drummers were notably, Mark Riley from Crossfire and Ricky Weiss who would later join Hats Fitz.
Marty was in demand as a guest on guitar with many Sydney bands including, Southbound, Ron Barry and Bridget O'Donahue from Wam, as well as the John J Francis Band. He also played the role of the guitar player in the pilot episode of the ABC television series Sweet and Sour (TV series).
The no nonsense approach of Juggernaut endeared them to many audiences in a time when the standard covers were things like Jimi Hendrix, Santana, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, though the band had a vast array of original tracks as well. One guest vocalist was the Incredible Frank Kitchener, who's claim to fame was jumping the stage on Brian Johnson from Geordie and later AC/DC, and literally blowing him embarrassingly away at the Hordern Pavlion.
Frank made all the music fanzine headlines at the time, but he couldn't capitalise on the instant stardom given to him insofar as, he was of a humble background filled with personal problems and really needed the services of a minder and manager.
The band later split after finding out the meaning of Juggernaut, the ancient sansrit deity whose worshippers threw themselves under the wheels of the chariot. Band member Mark Riley and the "roadie", "Horse", as well as a friend of the band, Roger,and other fans of the band, all died from accidents involving wheels and vehicles.The boys discontinued using this bandname.
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