Halloween (band)

Background

The group was formed in 1983 by members Rick Craig, Brian Thomas, George Neal and Bill Whyte. Its debut album Don't Metal with Evil was released in 1985 on the Motor City Metal label. In 1986, Halloween started work on its follow up to Don't Metal With Evil, Victims of the Night. However, the record was shelved until it was finally released on Molton Metal Records in 1997.

In 1988, members Rick Craig and Bill Whyte left to pursue other careers. In 2000, Craig was asked to join Charlie Huhn and the British band Humble Pie with Jerry Shirley to go on a U.S Tour. He also at the time was playing in the band NOON, in which he and Ean Evans were the primary songwriters. Their replacements were future Godsmack drummer Tommy Stewart and guitarist Billy Gray, who would go on to play in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti-based rock band Fair Game (not to be confused with the band led by former Keel vocalist Ron Keel). Bill whyte went on to open his own recording studio and later (in 2003) joined Detroit based band Abandoned and released a 5-song EP called "Project unrealty" which was Recorded, produced and engineered by Bill whyte. The band and EP got great reviews but the band was short-lived.

In 1989, Halloween opened for Crimson Glory on a couple of dates on their Transcendence tour. In that same year, Halloween began work on a new album with Jon Drenning of Crimson Glory and Warren Wyatt management. The album never made it to the shelves.

In 1990, Halloween recorded a 5 track demo entitled Vicious Demos with producer Rob Tylak, Stewart and Gray. The demo was released on cassette for show and promotion only and sold at Halloween shows.

1991 saw a new lineup for Halloween, with the additions of former Erebus guitarist Tim Wright, guitarist Donny Allen (formerly of David Neil Cline's Trama and Black Onyx), and future Sponge (band) drummer Billy Adams (a.k.a. BA!). That same year, Halloween released No One Gets Out.

The next few years saw a period of silence in terms of recordings. In 1997, former members Rick Craig and Bill Whyte rejoined, and Victims of the Night was finally released. After that, the band found themselves in debt, so they released a demo compilation called 1031, A Number Of Things From.... The reunion was short-lived. Shortly after Whyte and Craig left once again. In that period bassist George Neal left only to return around 2004. A year before that, Tricks, Treats And Other Tales From The Crypt was released. The album was just essentially a greatest hits package re-recorded with a new line up which included a new guitarist, bassist and drummer. All quit after the album was released. Donny Allen and drummer Rob Brug filled the voids. With that lineup the band recorded a live demo in Detroit in February 2004 titled Not Dead... In The Murder City.

In 2006, the album Horror Fire and E.vil P.ieces were released. The band's new studio album, Terrortory was released on February 25, 2012.

In March 2012, Neal and Thomas, accompanied by many of the original stage crew from Halloween's prime, traveled to Atlanta to perform a surprise reunion with Craig. The impromptu reunion was planned by Craig's wife and son as a birthday surprise. Whyte was unavailable to participate in the reunion. Craig's son, Dakota Craig, stepped in on the drums to perform with the three original members. This was the first time that Craig, Neal, and Thomas had played together since the late 90s. Despite not practicing together, the band sounded just as they had 15 years earlier.

Halloween was slated for three shows at the end of October 2013, covering the music through the years. The shows have since been consolidated into one night, scheduled for November 1, 2013. Rumors of Craig and Whyte joining for a reunion have arisen, but have not been confirmed.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Compilations

Demos

Singles