Warlord | Lost British Underground Rock | Interview
Obscure band from the British underground. Warlord later changed their name to Stallion. Audio-Archive released their tracks recorded in period between 1974 and 1977.
How did it all start for you?
Paul Cantwell: I took up the drums while living at home in Wimbledon Park when I was 13 years old, the kit was a birthday present from my parents, it was a very basic kit costing £35.00, which at that time was equivalent to more than 2 weeks wages.
My influences were varied, Sandy Nelson, Buddy Rich and in the late 60’s I started getting into the British Blues scene with bands like Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall and Ten Years After. Also after the psychedelic period, bands like Family, Cream and of course Jimi Hendrix.
What bands were you part of?
Before Warlord (which I now remember, we were first called) I was in a band called White Unicorn, started in Wimbledon but ended up being based in Cambridge, as at least two of the band were at University there. We did a demo for Polydor which they liked but was not commercial enough, several gigs supporting Yes, John Mayall and Brian Auger and the Trinity, with Julie Driscoll. White Unicorn split for a short period at which time myself and the bass player, Colin Vallance formed a band called Sub Strata, quite a big band, very Chicago/Blood, Sweat & Tears like, but unfortunately did not last, didn’t even get out of the rehearsal stage. You mention Shades of Reflection, well that was a band that started in the British Army, we were all in the same outfit and formed a group, anything to get out of guard duty, we were sponsored by the Regiment.
How about Warlord?
I met the other members Warlord when I answered an advert in Melody Maker for a drummer, so I went to The Trinity Hall in Wimbledon and met John Alexander and Andy Dunlop, had a great time and off we went. It was the first time I had played for about 4 years, so was pleased I hadn’t lost the touch.
One of the first gigs we did was at Wimbledon Art School, we had two topless dancers on a platform behind us, I don’t remember seeing the audience that night, must have been distracted. That was in ’75, then in ’76 I moved into a squat in Roehampton Vale SW London and built a sound proof room to rehearse in, perfect. Then we formed a friendship with the family living next door as they were happy to have people living in the house, and we were there legally. As they had heard the band they invited us over to jam (acoustically).
They also had a friend who was manager of a small hotel in Shipston on Stour, Oxfordshire and we got a residency there every two weeks we would drive the 100 miles or so on a Friday, do a show two nights and back on Sunday, all was going very well until John, whilst building some PA cabs decided to put the circular saw through his left hand, so the band that started as Warlord was now Stallion, was out of business.
The name change doesn’t worry me as it only went back to what it was originally, and now as I have just purchased a copy of our album and seen me credited for the tracks I played on, I am more than happy, as it’s going to be a great addition to the book I am writing. I do have copies of the three tracks we did at Escape and the two tracks John, Andy and myself did at Alvic on a reel to reel tape which I have copied to disc. But that’s all, no long lost tapes from me at present, but given time to search I may be able to find some acoustic rehearsal tape, on cassette.
I think I came up with the name Stallion, as I had an artist friend called Katherine who had this great picture of a prancing Horse, so I got her to paint one of my bass drum skins and I copied it inverted on the other one. I used to have a photograph of the two drums, but it got mislaid long ago. Katherine went on to bigger things, as Tangerine Dream used one of her pieces of art in a video.
What happened next?
After the saw episode, and John not having a working left hand the band sort of drifted apart, also we had to move out of the squat, then I found a band in Margate, Kent called The England Band, with a lead singer called Mr. Moses, that only lasted a couple of months. Mr. Moses was a twat, I ended up walking out of that shit. That was the end of my playing career for the moment, as I had also just found out that Jon Cole from White Unicorn was looking for me but was told I was in a band, so I never got the message at that time. So it turned out that a friend of mine was looking for a drum roadie at that time, so… I became a roadie and would be for the next 25 years. Working with many acts including Helloween, the German Heavy Metal Band on which I did Staging and Pyrotechnics, but the longest with Stray, then Suzi Quatro and Hot Chocolate. All together 53 acts in the 25 years.
I would have rather been playing the drums though. I did get back to playing in 1993 when I joined a Folk Rock band called Out of the Wood, until bad health got the better of me. What do they say… That’s life.
Klemen Breznikar
