Cope, Kinsell and bassist Rod Hawkes had all been colleagues school band Electrode, with Zeeb Parkes acting as roadie. In the wake of this band Kinsell forged Medway, prior to reuniting with Parkes and Cope with Johnny Fisher on bass to forge Witchfinder General, their inaugural live performance taking place at The Crown public house in Dudley.
Fisher would soon be superseded by Kevin "Toss" McReady, who in turn was replaced by Woolfy Trope. During December of 1980 Witchfinder General announced they were to record a single, 'Invisible Hate', for release on the WFG label, but this never happened. Instead, the band signed to Heavy Metal Records in 1981 and released the poorly produced 'Burning A Sinner' 7" single. The group split with their rhythm section whilst in the studio and quickly added bassist Rod Hawks (a.k.a. 'Hawk Eye') and drummer Graham Ditchfield. A 12" EP, 'Soviet Invasion', followed.
The 1982 debut album 'Death Penalty', produced by Pete Hinton, attracted publicity as the sleeve featured Page Three model Joanne Latham being ritually 'executed' on a Wednesbury cemetery gravestone. The second album, 1983's 'Friends Of Hell' saw the group split with their former rhythm section whilst in the studio and quickly adding bassist Rod Hawks (a.k.a. 'Hawk Eye') and drummer Graham Ditchfield (a.k.a. 'Derm The Germ'). Once again the sleeve rather too predictably followed up on this theme. The group fractured, with Graham Ditchfield subsequently forming a reggae band, Chico in Cognito. A later Witchfinder General member bassist Zakk Bajjon created Bajjon, later joined Lionsheart and would produce Cradle of Filth. Bajjon had only rehearsed with the band, never recording or appearing live. Witchfinder General officially ceased to be in November 1984.
In later years Witchfinder General enjoyed posthumous respect from numerous death metal and doom bands. 1990 found Japanese label Teichiku Records re-issuing 'Death Penalty', although clad in an inoffensive plain gold sleeve. That same year Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich included the track 'Witchfinder General' on his NWOBHM collection through Phonogram, 'New Wave of British Heavy Metal '79 Revisited'.
With the swell of interest in NWOBHM across Europe it looked as though the Witchfinder General albums would unfortunately be never re-issued as Heavy Metal Records label boss Paul Birch is now a born again Christian and objects to the band's lyrical stance. However, after much pressure 'Death Penalty' finally saw a 1996 CD release. By 2000 Bajjon was a member of Rainmaker 888.
A rather oblique tribute was paid to the band when infamous Japanese Grindcore band Bathtub Shitter's 2003 opus 'Lifetime Shitlist' found the band tackling 'No Stayer'. Coventry Doomsters Cathedral would cover Witchfinder General's 'Rabies' on their 2004 archive collection 'The Serpent’s Gold'. US label Nuclear War Now! dug up archive concert recordings to issue as the 'Live '83' album in 2006.
In 2007 the band reformed for studio work with vocalist Gary Martin replacing Zeeb Parkes. The band stated that they did not plan to perform live, and in 2008 released 'Resurrected', the bands third studio album.
Music
Witchfinder General Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rock became my life
Sixteen I married it
Then it was my wife
Dreamt of making records
Thought it would be fun
To make you people happy
Each and every one
Oh yeah I do
I need music, every day
I need music
Oh yeah I do
I need music, every day
Oh at the age of 18
Lyrics I did write
A friend he wrote some music
Sometimes we'd fight
Then we got things sorted
Saw things eye to eye
Now I know that writing music we will die
I need music
Oh yeah I do
I need music, every day
I need music
Oh yeah I do
I need music, every day
I need music Rock it is my way
I need music
Oh yeah I do
I love music, every day
Oh yeah I do!
I love music, every day
I love music, oh yeah I do
I love music every day
I love music my music
I love it every day
The lyrics to Witchfinder General's song "Music" express the singer's passion for rock music and its importance in his life. He married rock at the young age of 16 and has been dreaming of making records ever since. His ultimate goal is to make people happy through his music, emphasizing the emotional connection he believes music has with people. The lyrics also highlight the challenges that come with creating music, as the singer talks about fighting with his friend over songwriting but eventually seeing eye to eye. Despite these challenges, the singer's love for music remains strong and unwavering. The song ultimately emphasizes the importance of music as an art form and how central it can be to someone's identity.
Overall, the lyrics to "Music" are simple yet heartfelt, emphasizing the power of music and the love that the singer has for it. The song's loose and upbeat melody reflect the themes of passion and joy expressed in the lyrics, creating an overall energetic and uplifting feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was a young boy
At an early age, I developed an interest in rock music.
Rock became my life
Rock music became my primary passion and focus in life.
Sixteen I married it
At the age of sixteen, I became fully absorbed in rock music and committed myself to it.
Then it was my wife
Rock music became as important to me as a devoted spouse.
Dreamt of making records
I aspired to create recorded music to share with others.
Thought it would be fun
I believed the process of making music would be enjoyable.
To make you people happy
My goal was to create music that would bring joy and happiness to listeners.
Each and every one
I hoped to reach and connect with every potential fan and listener.
I need music
Rock music is an essential part of my life.
Oh yeah I do
Most definitely.
I need music, every day
My desire for rock music is a daily, constant need.
Oh at the age of 18
By the time I reached eighteen years of age.
Lyrics I did write
I began writing lyrics for rock songs.
A friend he wrote some music
A friend of mine provided the musical compositions for our songs.
Sometimes we'd fight
At times, my friend and I would have disagreements or conflicts over the music.
Then we got things sorted
We worked through our disagreements and resolved our issues.
Saw things eye to eye
We came to an understanding and agreement regarding our music.
Now I know that writing music we will die
I have come to realize that creating music will remain a lifelong pursuit and passion for us.
I need music Rock it is my way
Rock music is the preferred and only way I choose to express myself musically.
I love music, every day
I have a deep and abiding love for rock music every day of my life.
I love music, oh yeah I do
My love for rock music is unwavering and true.
I love music every day
My love for rock music is a daily and constant presence in my life.
I love music my music
The rock music I create and perform is a unique expression of myself that I truly love.
I love it every day
This love for my own rock music remains a constant joy every day.
Contributed by Colton I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@josephkony3993
this is one of those song where I don't know if I should headbang or dance... so I do both
@metalrager66
"I need music everyday"!!! So fucking true!!!
@BayAreaThrasher83
I just got this album recently. This song is probably one of the best on there.
@billjannusch
This band rules!!!
@igr6047
I need music
Oh yeah I do
I need music, every day
I need music
Oh yeah I do
I need music, every day
@MetalstarX
This band has the BEST album covers!
@JunkyardKid
These guys knew how to do an album cover.
@RokuErickson
only the finest DoomMetal Disco jamzzzz
@Meatrockman
If Zeeb is still alive he should reunite with phil cope. Their early stuff is obviously the best, but i like the new shit too. Very Epic piece of Music : )
@adamturner1563
Still an absolute classic.