HEAVEN

HEAVEN was a boogie -based heavy rock band with similarities to the likes of The Angels and AC/DC, the link to AC/DC continued with Michael Browning, previous manager of AC/DC who helped HEAVEN to make an impact internationally courtesy of a worldwide deal with RCA Records . The band concentrated on Hard Driving yet melodic Heavy Metal and garnered strong sales in Europe and North America. HEAVEN's original featured ex-FAT LIP and HEROES vocalist and mainstay Scottish born Allan Fryer alongsideguitarist Kelly
of SWANEE, former HEROES,
Haese from FAT LIP and
HEROS bassist Laurie Marlow
and another FAT LIP refugee
drummer Joe Turtur.

Feel free to E-mail me with anything Heaven

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Allen Fryer
John Haese
Kelly (Bradford)
Joe Turtur
Mark Cunningham
Tommy Dimitroff
Mark Evans
Dennis Feldman
John Lalor
Laurie Marlowe
Mitch Perry
Bruno Rezella
Mick Cocks
John Layland
Theo Kats (Antoni)
Brian Robertson
Jimmy Bain
Greg belt
Kevin Pratt
Ross Flynn
Bobby Enloe
Chris Caffery
Tony Taylor
Brad Dunn
Brian Christian

In the beginning....1980 Laurie Marlow moved to Sydney and was living in Kings Cross with a few friends up from Adelaide who were working with the band SWANEE .Kelly was playing guitar in that band, Laurie had met KEL numerous times when they toured Adelaide. One night while sharing a cab ride home (Kel also lived in Kings X) the two got talking and KEL spoke of his desire to play in something heavier and he was tired of being in SWANEE.

Loz informs Kel that he is looking around for players top start a new band that would suit the style he is looking for where
you can let loose on the guitar, Kel is interested and asks who else you got? LOZ thought for a minute and said “There’s a couple of guys in Adelaide that I was in a band with (HEROES),their band FAT LIP has just split and they are not doing anything (ALAN and ROB HANNAH).

So they gave ALAN a call who had just missed out on getting the ACDC role to Brian Johnson(KEL did the talking as LOZ knew ALAN admired him as a guitar player).AL said “ cool, I will bring up ROB HANNAH and DON CLAPROTH (HEROES drummer and guitar player),and we can use the name FAT LIP because the band had Sydney gigs that needed to be fulfilled .They worked under that name for about 6 months, DON CLAPROTH, was replaced by John Hease, ALDO CIVITICO replaced ROB HANNAH for a short time before family commitments forced him to leave and he was replaced by JOE TURTUR. MICHAEL BROWNING came into the picture and suggested a name change and the boys came up with HEAVEN.
The band issued the single "Fantasy" and a debut album 'Twilight Of Mischief' before Haese was replaced in early 1982 byformer ROSE TATTOO guitarist Mick Cocks as the band relocated to Los Angeles. The debut album 'Twilight Of Mischief' was later re-released by CBS Records with a new cover, revised track listing (“Tuesday Morning” was replaced with “In the beginning” & "One Nighter") and a new album title of 'Bent', as a New York band already had the rights to the HEAVEN tag over there so the album was released as Heaven Bent . In America the band opened up shows for JUDAS PRIEST, BLACK SABBATH and KISS.

The line-up that was in place after the AMERICAN tours basically FELL APART. Constant arguments led management to fire Allan and he went back to the States. Without a frontman,HEAVEN attempted to get ROB HARTLEY TO join but he declined as he had a new album coming out with BLACK ALICE, and their were no singers in Australia at the time that would ‘step up to the plate’ so after a period of time remnants of the Australian contingent of HEAVEN reluctantly folded as BROWNING told them that they were basically ‘dead in the water ‘ with out a vocalist.

Meanwhile in the US, BROWNING had done a deal where ALLAN was to buy the name (unbeknown to the Aussie Heaven boys) as LEBER & KREBS had shown interest in HEAVEN. And that’s where the American contingent comes into play. AL called BRUNO and TOMMY to go to STATES, and called MITCH PERRY to join (MITCH got a shock as he thought he was joining the original band and just replacing KELLY)

The second album, with Fryer the only remaining member from the original line up now sharing the spotlight with guitarists MITCH PERRY (previously with STEELER), bassists Dennis Feldman of MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, ex-DUKES man Bruno Renzella and drummer Tommy Dimitroff. HEAVEN later added ex-RICK DERRINGER guitarist Mark Cunningham.

1983's 'Where Angels Fear To Tread' boasted some impressive guests in former RUNAWAYS star LITA FORD and former DEEP PURPLE man GLENN HUGHES. BLACK SABBATH's Ronnie James Dio also adds backing vocals under the pseudonym 'Evil Eyes'. A single version of 'Bob Dylan's 'Knockin' On Heavens Door' gained valuable radio play for the band in 1985. The band also drafted guitarist Bobby Enloe. However, HEAVEN folded shortly after.

In 1985 Marlow joined BOSS for a short stint until they could find someone permanently. Perry was to turn up as a member of MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP. Ex-HEAVEN personnel Marlow and Turtur together with ex-BLACK ALICE singer Rob Hartley created HELLCATS. Enloe joined SIC VIKKI.By 1989 Evans and Haese had formed another new act MAMA'S DARLINGS with former ROSE TATTOO members guitarist Robin Riley and drummer Scott Johnson with ex-TOUGH LUXURY singer Stuart Cave.From 1989-1993 the HEAVEN line up consisted of front man Alan Fryer, ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian Robertson and ex-Dio bassist Jimmy Bain and on lead was Greg Belt from FORCED ENTRY.

HEAVEN would reunite to guest for JUDAS PRIEST's November 2001 Australian tour. The line-up for this tour was Alan Fryer, Laurie Marlow, Theo Kats (drums), Kevin Pratt (guitar) and Ross Flynn (guitar).A re-issue of HEAVEN's 'Where Angels Fear To Tread' and Knockin’ on Heavens door added six bonus tracks (one unreleased track and 5 live tracks from BBC rock hour CD)

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