ABOUT
WHITE RAVEN DOWN are:
Stu Bailey - Vox & Guitar
Luke Chappell - Bass
Tom Mrazek - Drums
A three piece band people are unable to pigeon hole.....
All people know is that they kick ass!!
April 2018 - White Raven Down exploded on the scene when they released their debut single/video single "Take Me" The track was immediately picked up by some of the MAJOR PLAYERS in rock radio both in the UK and abroad.
June 2018 – With the industries interest piqued, the band released their self-produced EP "Conspiracy", attracting attention from online and print reviewers including POWERPLAY, ROCK & METAL MAGAZINE, NEW NOISE and GOLDSTAR ROCKS USA.
To coincide with the release of "Conspiracy" White Raven Down released their exceptional second video single "Salvation" which was premiered by New Noise Magazine
April 2019 - the band sign to independent label WDFD Records less than a year after their first single dropped...
November 2019 - the band worked with renowned producer Romesh Dodangoda (Motorhead, Bullet for my Valentine, BMTH) to remix a track from Conspiracy ‘Not Alone [2.0]’ which they released as a single/video single to an overwhelming response.
Due to the success of their debut singles and EP the band were approached to perform at a number of rock festivals during 2019. Appearing at Wildfire Festival Scotland, Custom Rock and Blues Fest, Derbyshire, Hard Rock Hell Xiii to name a few. The latter placing them on the same bill as international acts like Doro, Buckcherry, Michael Monroe, Diamond Head, Gun and Reef.
Relentless touring has seen the band's fanbase grow quickly. This was apparent when the band was voted #12 in the very well respected Great Music Stories radio show's poll for band of the year on Meridian FM with the poll drawing 30,000 votes across the 150 nominated bands.
January 2020 - saw the band play Giants Of Rock Fest at Butlins, Minehead (alongside Procol Harem, Hawkwind, The Quireboys and Diamond Head) where they played to a packed Introducing Stage... impressing the audience so much that they voted the band to open Giants Of Rock, Minehead's Main Stage 2022 exposing the band to a far larger audience...
Live the band are devastatingly BIG in their sound delivering the hooks, thrills and chills
signalling a band on the brink of something huge....
Nobody expected 2020 to pan out the way it did though.
August 2020 - The band released 4 acoustic songs for free download during the lockdown period of the pandemic through their website. Recorded in isolation these stripped back tracks opened the band's audience further and once again caught the attention of the Great Music Stories annual Band of The Year vote seeing them rise to #5. The band were also invited to perform a remote performance for the NWOCR Webfest which the band proved very popular again.
The pandemic ground the production of the band’s full debut album to a halt. Home and studio recording had begun during late 2019 with preferred producer lined up to begin work spring 2020. The virus repeatedly delayed the start of the mixing process. The band were forced to look elsewhere and came across the work of John Cornfield, famed for his work with Muse, Supergrass, Oasis, King Creature and Daxx & Roxanne.
The band are extremely excited for the release of their full debut album due Spring 2022 having signed to
Roulette Media Records late 2020.
July 2021 - the band performed at The Yard, Cornwall with some of their heroes in ORANGE GOBLIN, PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS, MASSIVE WAGONS and RAGING SPEEDHORN to then be invited back to Wildfire Festival, Scotland.
August 2021 - the guys win a slot at WinterStorm 2021, Scotland through the nationwide StormBreakers competition.
September 2021 - The band embark on their first full UK Tour with hard rockers Gin Annie this was a total success.
This also marked the release of the first single "Roll Of The Dice" with its dark music video from their debut album, "Don't Shoot The Messenger", to an amazing response.
November 2021 - Second single from the debut album is released. "Price You Pay" blows the socks off of the band's fan base and gets its debut at Winterstorm Festival in Scotland to another packed room performing alongside GUN, King King, Girlschool, Inglorious, Alcatraz, Cats In Space, Florence Black, Hollowstar, Gin Annie, Collateral and many, many more...
January 2022 - The band opened Giants Of Rock in front of a packed Main Stage with Praying Mantis, Nazareth, Geordie, John Verity and Big County marking their biggest audience to date.
An appearance at HRH - NWOCR Leicester shows the audience that the band are a very energetic band that not only have the songs but can really entertain when they appear alongside Massive Wagons, Wayward Sons, Bad Touch, Florence Black and many more rising NWOCR acts.
February 2022 - The band release their third single "Masquerade" with its excellent music video that shows a more heartfelt side of the band to yet more fantastic feedback from the band's growing number of fans.
April 2022 - The Band release the forth and final single from "Don't Shoot The Messenger" entitled "Lost Your Hold", immediately becomes a crowd favourite.
A week later marks the release of the debut album with a release show too a packed out Giffard Arms in Wolverhampton.
The response to the album was completely overwhelming.... with many reviews calling for "Album of the Year" status already. The album becomes the highest selling album in Roulette Record's history.
May 2022 - Lead Vocalist Will Taylor decides to leave the band for personal reasons.
Lead guitarist Stu Bailey is announced as the new vocalist for the band as the band decides to press forward as a 3 piece act to a huge amount of support from fans up and down the UK.
June 2022 - The band performs at Breaking Bands Festival to a packed room with the noisy crowd wanting more from what can only be described as an iconic performance.
The debut album is voted 14th favourite album over the past 5 years... in a poll created by the New Wave Of Classic Rock Facebook group which has over 25,000 members...
Its Already looking like this rollercoaster is set to continue as the band grow from strength to strength!!!
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Stu - Vox & Guitar
The guitarist that uses his dynamic and emotive vocal range to blend with powerful Gibson SG's through his
customised EVH guitar rig... The melodic thunder, the riffs, the solos the guy who won't stand still...
Luke - Bass
The bassist that uses his Rickenbacker 4001 through Orange rigs and manages to play rhythm guitar duties whilst Stu plays solos....The man who holds it all down... ...
Tom - Drums
The percussionist that uses his Mapex acoustic drum kit to great effect. A true Czech power house who can rock, groove and tantalise those rhythms...
The Band's Name
The Band's name comes from a fable of a White Raven and a Bison...
The story goes that during a time of heavy flooding, a Bison surrounded by rising flood water has accepted his fate of drowning as he is unable to find safety of higher ground.
Some time later a tired Raven flies overhead uncertain if he will be able to stay airborne for much longer and also faces the same fate of DROWNING as the Bison.
After an exchange of circumstances the Bison allows the White Raven to rest on his back until he drowns in the hope that the Raven can survive.
The Raven rests and profusely thanks the Bison for potentially saving his life when he takes flight. Several hours later the White Raven returns to the Bison who now is only just able to breath above the water. The Raven has a tree branch in its beak signifying higher ground is nearby and leads the Bison to safety.
The White Raven is considered to be a corvid bird of good fortune and luck.
White Raven Down is the polar opposite...
The Debut Album's Title
The title of the band's debut album "Don't Shoot The Messenger" is based in Greek MYTHOLOGY....
The Greek God Apollo was questioning the loyalty of his lover Coronis so sent a then common white raven to follow her...
"Apollo learnt of Coronis' infidelity from the
white raven...
In his rage, he took his bow
and fired the flaming arrow at the Corvid...
The arrow struck the messenger thus making his scorched corpse and his kind black as night... forever..."
So legend has it, that it was from this day forward that all ravens were to be black in colour... Once again, due to its rarity, it is to be considered good luck if you encounter a white raven...
