Armed and Ready is key to everything that is great about Kerrang! and once again, Geoff Barton is ahead of his time in describing what’s going on here in this essential review of new and up-and-coming bands – “…heavy metal has never been more popular on a grass roots level… mind you, while we know some of these groups to be good… others are completely unknown quantities. But what the hell, each one is intent upon making the noise. And in many ways, that’s all that matters.”
Issue 10
We’ve made it to Issue 10 and it’s February 1982… Over those first ten issues of Britain’s Loudest Rock Mag we are starting to see hints of the impending explosion of two key genres in heavy music – Thrash (we’ve seen Venom, and we’ve heard about a US compilation LP tentatively titled Metal Massacre), and Sleaze (Motley Crue get their first mentions in this very issue, plus it won’t be long before we start to hear about Hanoi Rocks too).
Issue 9
Issue 9 has already raised the bar with its many new features, so its with some delight that we find Armed & Ready in its familiar format, but we also have ‘More then…..Armed & Ready’ on page 10 featuring Tytan and Stampede!
Issue 8
Issue 8’s Armed and Ready has a slightly different element to it this time round in the form of a double page feature that focusses on some of the independent labels that are at the heart of the NWOBHM movement.
We are also introduced to Toad The Wet Sprocket, Bandanna and 720. As always with Armed and Ready, its a mixed bag……
Issue 7
Not for the first time, we have an outstanding Armed & Ready in Issue 7, with some lost gems, some breaking news, and some links to the present day… Geoff Banks introduces us to EF Band, Tytan and Sapphire!
Issue 6
Issue 6 introduces 3 bands that threw everything at trying to hit the big time, buying PAs, hiring road crew, full on pyrotechnic shows (in pubs) and even achieving Single Of The Week in Kerrang’s! parent paper Sounds. Did any of them actually achieve mega-stardom though? Best find out!
Issue 5
Issue 5 Armed and Ready delivers tales of girl power, Eurovision dreams and the elusive major deal that never surfaced.
As always, Armed and Ready leads to an interesting read and an even better chance to revisit some of the artists tunes!
Issue 4
Issue 4’s Armed and Ready delivers the usual selection of hits and misses… Two legendary bands, still going strong today, one forgotten gem, and one that’s disappeared without trace. Also, Geoff Barton appears to have got out of bed on the wrong side this month, and entertainingly tears into a couple of our plucky pioneers too!
Issue 3
Issue 3 presents us with a rock heavy weight (The Rods) and something a little different in the form of Sacred Alien. Get your ears around these two lumps of plastic and find out why WLL feel both of these are deserved of a bit more regular rotation..
Issue 2
Issue 2 brings us a couple of more familiar names (perhaps) in both Anvil and Wrathchild, the former enjoying somewhat of a renaissance in recent years, but also a huge influence on some big hitters in the metal world.
Join us as we look back at the early years of each band and see just how Armed and Ready they really were.
Issue 1
The first helping of Armed and Ready introduced us to a trio of absolute gems…albeit questionably named in a couple of cases!
Bitches Sin, Split Beaver and Jaguar are exactly what Armed and Ready was all about….three acts who were on the brink of something big!!!!…..or not….