King Swamp was the brainchild of ex - Shriekback members Dave Allen (bassist) and Steve Halliwell (keyboardist). Looking for something that would take away the complacency of the British music scene in late 80's, King Swamp would form. Allen and Halliwell spent time in the USA with extended stays in New York and Louisiana in 1987. These stays led to a new vision of rock and roll. Soon they brought on Martyn Barker, another ex-Shrieker, to play drums and Dominic Miller to play guitar. Miller had spent time in the band World Party (and now is with Sting.
. To round out the band, they recruited Walter Wray to be their lead singer.
Shortly after King Swamp's self-titled album release in May 1989, the press had much to say- Music Week called the album "a throbbing blast of molten rock from a band with London sass" ; Sounds noted that the album had "startling gravity....towering and volatile, and alive with primal energy"; and RAW judged it as "a blistering, caustic rock 'n' roll album.....King Swamp swathe into the jungle with the arrogance and certanty of missionaries" .
King Swamp's first single, "Is This Love?", reached number 21 on Billboard's Album Rock chart.
The band released two albums and nine singles & promo Cds before disbanding in 1991.
Wray later produced a solo album with Dominic Miller in 1993, who later went on to play with Sting.
King Swamp's albums:
King Swamp - self titled debut album
released in 1989
Tracks:
Is This Love?
Blown Away
Man Behind The Gun
Original Man
Widders Dump
Year Zero
The Mirror
Motherlode
Louisiana Bride
The Sacrament
Wiseblood - the second album
released in 1990
Tracks:
Wiseblood
One Step Over The Line
Floating World
Walk The Knife
Can't Be Satisfied
Nightfall Over Eden
Walk On Gilded Splinters
Some Kind Of Love
Kiss The Sun
Wiseblood (original mix)