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Banshee -
Shoot Down the Night
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Banshee -
Race Against Time
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Who is BANSHEE? A Melodic Power Metal band formed in the summer of 1985 in Kansas City, Missouri. Banshee was basically an all star band comprised of talent from various Midwest metal bands of the time. Tommy Lee Flood & Chuck Hopkins came from the immensely popular touring band LICK to join Kansas City guitar hero Terry Dunn of FRODO & Kent Burnham, power drummer from CRYPTKEEPER. They went on to form what was to be known as the hottest band to come out of the Midwest during the 80′s metal era. The band was formed in a music store warehouse in Kansas City and would go on to release 3 incredible albums.
‘Cry In The Night’ was the band’s self released EP in 1986. The album was selling so well in the Midwest that Metal Blade Records took notice, stepped in, signed the band and released the EP worldwide to sell a reputed 500,000 copies. The track ”We Want You” from the album was also released on Metal Massacre #9, an annual “best of” compilation by Metal Blade. Snow Blind Productions released a limited number of re-mastered CD’s after the band’s 2000 reunion show.
Atlantic Records signed Banshee for the second album “Race Against Time” released in late 1988. The popular ‘Shoot Down The Night’ video, from this album, aired for six months and reached the hard 30 ranking on MTV’s Headbangers Ball. Chuck Hopkins left the band in ’88 and was replaced by Bill Westfall. Due to incredibly poor management etc. the relationship with Atlantic was short lived. Sleaze Roxx Magazine stated: “every song on Race Against Time is stand out but, this album was like many other fateful albums of the time—way overlooked.”
Their third album ‘Take ‘em By Storm’ came out in 1993 on their own Snowblind Records label. It had national distribution and sold well but the band went it’s seperate ways soon after that.
Reunion shows were very well received in 1999 and 2000, but the timing wasn’t right and the band did not stay together and continue playing. In the summer of 2008 Banshee managed to re-unite to play the Rocklahoma festival.
Now, after a long hiatus, original members Terry Dunn & Chuck Hopkins have re-united with new members George Call, vocalist from Dallas based ASKA and OMEN & Drummer Marty Schiermann from LOOKER. They are working on BANSHEE’s new album titled “Mindslave” due out in the Spring of 2012.
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