Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of NWOBHM band, Hollywood Wires, 1979 debut album, songwriter and frontman, Ricci Wright announces the long overdue re-release on CD and worldwide download via Amuse Distribution and via Bandcamp of the original album, plus the never before released bonus track “Kick Starter.”

Hollywood Wires were part of the new wave of British Heavy metal, gigging at the same time and in many of the same venues as Iron Maiden, Saxon, Angelwitch, Samson, and the like. They supported Girlschool at the Greyhound, Fulham, London, 5th August 1979. That show kicked off an extensive club tour of the UK, followed by a tour of Holland, Belgium, France and Germany. The band recorded their album “Hollywood Wires” at Spaceward Studios and release it in the same year, 1979. Wright funded and wrote all of the songs for the album. Just 250 copies were pressed. The band split in 1981. Maile and Wright continued and recruited new members, changing the band name, morphing into renown NWOHM band International Heroes.

1982-84
International Heroes were written about (p 304-305) in Malc Macmillan’s Encyclopaedia Of NWOBHM. Macmillan compared them musically to NWOBHM bands Dawn Trader and legends Vardis. Dawn Trader and Vardis were very well-regraded at the time. Vardis still continue to this day with lead singer and guitarist Steve Zodiac driving the band ever onwards. Macmillan acknowledged that International Heroes, Dawn Trader and Vardis were one of several hundred British heavy metal bands at that time that “paved the way for a global heavy metal revolution in later years.” Out of that melting pot of raw, heavy metal talent sprang Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and Saxon who were launched onto worldwide recognition.

During 1982-83 International Heroes toured the UK extensively, but never followed up on their one vinyl release on Heavy Leather Records - the re-release of Wright’s 1978 “Strange Situation” single. Although recording were made during this period as demo tapes. During the mid- 2000s “Strange Situation” became highly collectible, reaching dizzying prices of up to £300 per copy. The single is still highly sought after by NWOBHM collectors as a visit to discogs will reveal. By the end of 1983 the band collapsed because of musical differences. Wright left and was replaced by singer Mickie Shaw. But the new lineup didn’t prosper. As Macmillan states in the Encyclopaedia Of NWOBHM: “frustrated by their failure to release any further product” Shaw and the three other members “departed en masse...leaving drummer, Maile, to write new material with original vocalist Ricci Wright.” During 1984, Maile and Wright audition many musicians without success, but continued to pen new songs.
Maile went on to join London NWOBHM band Desolation Angels briefly in 1985, but as Malc Macmillan says in his Encyclopaedia Of NWOBHM “Maile had become the latest sticksman to take part in the great Desolations Angels’ personnel lottery.”

1979-81
In early 1979 Sean “Ricci” Wright formed two heavy metal bands - Iron Forge (a separate songwriting and recording project that didn’t include Maile) and Hollywood Wires, with Dave Maile. It came about because of a previous collaboration between Wright and Maile during 1975-78. They had been school buddies and had began forming bands and playing gigs in 1975 aged just sixteen. Hollywood Wire’s original band line-up was Wright on bass guitar and lead vocals, Alan Jones on lead guitar, Pete Savage on lead guitar and Dave Maile on drums. Brian Harris replaced Pete Savage, just before the band took to the road to tour. Harris was now on bass and Wright switched to lead guitar. Hollywood Wires were influenced by old school metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Scorpions. They also nodded an influential head towards heavy rock bands Deep Purple, Rainbow and UFO.

1978
Sean “Ricci” Wright wrote and recorded a single “Strange Situation” vinyl 45rpm at Spaceward Studios in September 1978, which was subsequently released on Ellie Jay Records, London, in November 1978. Dave Maile was the drummer on the Spaceward sessions that produced “Strange Situation” and “Silent Dreams.” As a side note, 3 months later in 1978 Iron Maiden’s first recording session at the same Spaceward Studios in Cambridge, England, produced the legendary Soundhouse Tapes, Maiden’s first recorded release. The “Strange Situation” single garnered some notable fans at the time and received regular airplay during 1978-79 by three BBC DJs - Tommy Vance, David “Kid” Jenson, and the stalwart of indie music, John Peel. Three major national music papers reviewed “Strange Situation” - Melody Maker, Sounds, and the NME.