Lithium

At the height of their career, Lithium were regarded by many as the most powerful rock outfit the country had ever seen. Some said they were before their time, with songs that affected young ears unaccustomed to the sounds of SA rock, and Lithium's edgy appeal captured the hearts of thousands.

Their inception in 1993 found the band hard at work establishing themselves as a quality (if not crazy) live act, and they gigged up a storm playing at a host of venues and music festivals. They also broke the mould by creating their own spaces to perform in, transforming school halls and Civic Theatres into thundering rock venues for live performances that attracted masses hungry for the Lithium sound. Their revolutionary attitude toward musicand hard work paid off, with the band being signed to EMI in 1995 and the group's debut album Broken hit shelves.

Lithium continued to score praise from critics and what was a growing mass of fans. The EP Take Out followed in 1996, as well as a national tour with Iron Maiden, which only heightened Lithium's reputation. When most bands were only dreaming of international recognition, MTV Europe's Headbangers Ball could not help but notice the obvious talent of the group, and interviewed lead singer Dave Owens and drummer Simon Portlock for their show, as well as screen the group's ground-breaking music video for the track Schizoid.

But, the band felt confined in being tied to a label, and so, in 1997, Lithium and EMI parted ways. They discovered success in an independent capacity and their album Zennon Supertroopers is a testament to their talent. It was received to much acclaim.

It was a sad day for many when the callous music industry of the time got the better of the band, and they decided to call it a day in order to move on to other ventures in 1999, but 2005 offers a series of gigs that is bound to not only fill many with nostalgia, but also show new fans what they missed out on a few years ago.

Lithium is: Dave Owens (vocals); Ian Watson (guitars); Paul Opie (bass guitar) and Simon Portlock (drums).

Discography