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Witch The Band

 

RECORDS/TAPES/CDs

       SPECIAL FORCES - TOOLS OF THE TRADE (LP)

                                      

Released in 1982 on the Azra/Erika Records label

All songs written by Chuck Gauld and published by Gauld Music

Photo-copied insert lists credits, song titles, band members, and thank-you's (including future-WITCH roadie Jim Meyers)

THE BAND
Peter Allen: Vocals
Chuck Gauld: Guitars
John Machado: Bass
Carl Higgins: Drums

TRACK LIST
SIDE A:
Working Man's Tool
My Lady
You're the One
Three Day Girl

This was a one-sided release (side B is empty!).  The label on side B is solid black.  Peter is credited using his real name, Peter Allen.  This is the first known lp release featuring a member of WITCH.  The album was also issued as a promo picture disc, pressed on white vinyl:


These were extremely limited with no more than 100 pressed.  Issued in a plain, white, die-cut cover, with the same insert as the regular release.  There was also a white-label promo issued on regular black vinyl.  These came with the jacket and insert for the regular release, and only a few were pressed.

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                    THE HEX IS ON (U.S.A.) Vinyl E.P.

                                                    

Released July 26, 1984 on the band's O.T.T. Records (Over The Top) label

Recorded at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA

Manufactured by Erika Records, Bellflower, CA & marketed by Important
Record Distributors of California

All songs written by WITCH and published by Cauldron Music

No inserts

Pressed on clear red vinyl

According to a 1988 WITCH press release, 12,000 copies were sold worldwide

THE BAND
Peter Wabitt - Vocals
Punky Peru - Drums
Jim Warmon - Bass
Ronny Too - Guitar

TRACK LIST
SIDE A:
Damnation
Bewitched
Cinderella (In Black Leather)

SIDE B:
Nervous Wreck
Wet n Wild
A sixth song--"Blond Alert"--was also recorded and mixed for inclusion on the E.P., but was dropped at the last minute.  The 2" master reels for HEX were stored in the vaults at Sunset Sound immediately following the recording sessions.  Punky and Tawn attempted to retrieve the masters in 1989, but they had disappeared.  There had been a fire at the studios a year or so earlier, and it is presumed that the masters were either destroyed or misplaced. 

Punky and Ronny have confirmed the existence of a test pressing for THE HEX IS ON.  Pressed on clear vinyl, with plain white labels and issued in a plain white jacket, only three were made.  Peter got one (and lost it immediately), and Ronny & Punky still have theirs.  Below is Ronny's copy, with song titles handwritten on the labels:


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                 THE HEX IS ON (France) Vinyl E.P.

Released July, 1984 on Axe Killer Records

No Inserts

Two pressings: one on salmon-red vinyl, a second on black vinyl

TRACK LIST
SIDE A:
Nervous Wreck
Damnation
Bewitched

SIDE B:
Wet n Wild
Cinderella (In Black Leather)

A very different release than the U.S. version!  The band is pictured on the front cover, using a photo similar to the one used on the back cover of the U.S. version, but it is a different pose.  The back cover is a shot similar to the front cover of the U.S. version, but it is a different pose and it is full-framed, making it possible to see the band visible beneath the model.  A different font is used, and the WITCH logo is not used anywhere on the album.  The tracks are in a different order.  Although the mix appears to be the same, more of the master tape was used when Axe Killer mastered this LP.  For example, on this version, Punky can be heard talking before--and then introducing-- "Wet n Wild" and "Cinderella (In Black Leather)."  It is believed that the colored vinyl edition was the first pressing, and the black vinyl edition was pressed shortly after.
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                    THE HEX IS ON (U.K.) Vinyl E.P.
                                          

Released in 1985 on Heavy Metal America Records

No inserts

Pressed on black vinyl

Track listing same as the U.S. version

A unique release for the jacket artwork .  The front cover is nearly identical to the U.S. version, but upon closer inspection you can see that a different pose has been used!  The back cover features a completely different layout and uses yet another unique group photo. The mix and mastering are the same as the U.S. version.
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                                        THE HEX IS ON (Germany) CD


                                      

Released in 1993 on Racer Records

Manufactured & Marketed by Racer Records

Track listing and mix same as the U.S. version

The first WITCH release on CD, albeit not official.  This is a compilation CD entitled Hard n Heavy Rarities #10 and features WITCH along with two other bands, ARROW and M-16. Sound quality of this release is terrible.

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                   NOBODY SLEEPS (12" Vinyl Single)
                                        

Released April 3, 1987 on the band's own O.T.T. (Over The Top) label

All songs written by WITCH and published by Warlock Music

No Inserts

Pressed on black vinyl

Released only in the U.S.A.  A white label test pressing was made and only one is known to still exist.

THE BAND
Peter Wabitt - Vocals
Punky Peru - Drums
Jim Warmon - Bass
Scott Rickett - Guitar
Davin St. John - Guitar

TRACK LIST
SIDE A:
Can't Take Our Rock

SIDE B:
Victory Without Pain

The cover photo was shot by long-time friend David B. White in a very historic location.  At the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street in Huntington Beach, the Golden Bear was a club that hosted thousands of concerts beginning in the 1960s.  The Doors, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Ramones, The Runaways, Janis Joplin, Cheech and Chong, Billy Joel, and Van Halen are just some of the artists who graced the Bear's stage.  WITCH played there on September 5, 1984, and returned in early October, 1986, with the new five-man lineup to snap pictures that would later become the cover of NOBODY SLEEPS.  These are actually the last known photos of the Golden Bear, because less than a month later the club was unceremoniously bulldozed to make way for new developments.  Below is an outtake photo from the session:
                        

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                                Take Me Away (demo cassette)

   

Recorded August, 1988 - Never officially released

All songs published by Peru Music

Photocopied J-card in a cassette case

THE BAND
Peter Wabitt - Vocals
Punky Peru - Drums
Jim Warmon - Bass
Ronny Too - Guitar

TRACK LIST
SIDE A:
Take Me Away
Hit the Road
Victory Without Pain
Can't Take Our Rock

One-sided cassette (side B is blank).

 

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              KNIGHTMARE II - The Edge Of Knight (LP)


Released in 1989 on Masque Records

Songs Published by Raucous Music

Ronny Too makes a guest appearance on The Rod's album, along with Ann Boelyn, Pat McKeon, Mark Anderson, and Sami D.

TRACK LIST:
SIDE ONE:
The Dark Side
Guillotine
Fear No Evil
Knightrider

SIDE TWO:
Metal Massacre
Queen Of the Knight
Goddess
Make Me Scream
See You In Hell

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      ROCK CLIMBERS Compilation Album (LP & Cassette)

 

Compilation released in 1990 on Stingray Records

Song published by Punky Peru Music

Released on cassette, LP, and--according to the liner notes--also on CD and DAT (although these are unconfirmed)

THE BAND
Peter Wabitt - Vocals
Punky Peru - Drums
Jim Warmon - Bass
Ronny Too - Guitar

WITCH contributed one song: "1:45"

The song was recorded in early 1989 specifically for this release.   This compilation was issued after WITCH broke up, making it their last official release until 2008.

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                                     AWOL (demo cassette)

         



Recorded 1991 - Never officially released

All songs published by Punky Peru Music

Two different covers, but both are photo-copied J-card in a cassette case

THE BAND
Punky Peru - Drums
Art Deresh - Vocals
Ronny Too - Guitar
Billy Thomas - Bass

TRACK LIST
Nowhere To Run
Riding On
Black Hearted Squeeze

One-sided cassette (side B is blank)
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                       PUNKY PERU PARTY (demo cassette)
                                     


Recorded in 1992 - Never officially released

All songs published by Punky Peru Music

No cover or inserts

THE BAND
Punky Peru - Drums and Lead Vocals
Chris Hager - Guitars
David Ezrin - Keys
Earle Seaton - Guitar

TRACK LIST
SIDE A:
Hangin' By A G-String
Shout

SIDE B:
A.I.D.S.
Rock the Clock

Hardly on par with the rest of the releases here, but it is included simply for the sake of completeness.


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                 THUNDER UNDERGROUND - Compilation (cassette)
                                       

Released in 1992 on Pat McKeon Record Company label

Ronny Too with MAX HAVOC on "International Delinquent"

Other bands on this compilation include HARUM SCARUM, LAST RITES, KILL ERA, STONE SOLDIER, MX MACHINE, TITANIC,
WAR DANCE, KNIGHTRIOT, FREAK SHOW


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           PUNKY PERU CREW - Almost Human (demo cassette)
               
                                        

Recorded 1992-1994 - Limited release in 1994

All songs published by Punky Peru Music

THE BAND
Punky Peru - Drums and Lead Vocals
Chris Hager - Guitars (tracks 1-5)
Soxxie Landers - Guitars (tracks 6-9)
Ronny Too - Guitars (track 10)
Earle Seaton - Lead Guitar (track 3)
Jim Warmon - Bass (track 7-9)
Billy Thomas - Bass (track 6)
David Ezrin - Keys (track 4)

TRACK LIST
SIDE A:
Hangin' By A G-String
Shout
All the Way
A.I.D.S.
Rock the Clock

SIDE B:
House Of Pain
Queen Of the Silver Screen
Nine Seven Six
Come and Get Me
Blackjack
A very elaborately produced cassette-only release, so much so that it shouldn't really be classified a "demo" like the above two cassettes.  Tracks 1,2,4, and 5 are the exact same recordings and mixes as issued on the PUNKY PERU PARTY cassette listed above.  "Rock the Clock" was co-written with RATT vocalist Stephen Pearcy.  Two other songwriting collaborations make this as close to a WITCH reunion as there would ever be: "Come and Get Me" was written by Punky Peru and Jim Warmon, and "Blackjack" was written by Punky and Ronny Too--not to mention the fact that both Ronny and Jim play with Punky on this album.  Although Punky's vocals leave something to be desired, this really is a fantastic effort on every level.

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                   GOD BOX - Soul Punk (demo cassette)
                         
                                            
Recorded in 1997 - Never officially released

Produced by Howard Leese

All Songs published by Punky Peru Music

THE BAND
Punky Peru - Drums
Peter Soul (formerly Wabitt) - Vocals
Rowen Robertson - Guitars
Phil Chen - Bass
With guest appearances by Slash, Keith Emerson, Howard Leese, and Steve Stevens

TRACK LIST
SIDE A:
Mad For Life
Playing In the Rain
Games

SIDE B:
Black Magic
Take Me Away
Pay the Due
Another elaborately produced "demo," complete with world-class musicians and guest stars.  Punky and Peter collaborate here for the first time since the demise of WITCH and the result is really terrific.  Of all the post-WITCH projects the guys did, this should've been the one to hit big.  Peter's voice is better than ever and the production is excellent.

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                             AMPAGE - Falling Higher (CD)
                                        
                                             

Released in 2001

Produced by Mark Mason

THE BAND
Mark Mason - Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Loren Molinare - Guitar
Rick Allen - Drums
Dogboy - Drums
Mark London - Drums
Randi Meers - Drums
Punky Peru - Drums, Backing Vocals ("Time Flies")
Peter Allen (formerly Peter Wabitt) - Backing Vocals ("Falling Higher")

TRACK LIST
Falling Higher
Plastic People
D-Day
Coming Home
If I Knew Then
Rollin' Stollin'
So What
Been There
The Pusherman
Time Flies

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HIGHWAY - Highway (CD)
                                                


Released in 2001 by BC Music

Produced by BC Music 2000

All songs written by Peter James Allen and published by BC Music

THE BAND
Peter James Allen (formerly Peter Wabitt) - Vocals
Phil Todd - Bass
Buddy Clark - Drums
Rebel George Koerber - Lead Guitar
Jay Lawless - Guitar, Piano

TRACK LIST
Fallin'
Playing In the Rain
I Do It
Times Of Our Lives
Apologies
Middle Of Life
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HIGHWAY - Highway (CD)

                                                  

Released in 2002 by BC Music 2000

Produced by HIGHWAY and "Eric and E tools"

THE BAND
Peter James Allen (formerly Peter Wabitt) - Vocals
Jeff Bayless - Bass
Buddy Clark - Drums
Jay Lawless - Guitar, Piano
Tony Terborg - Keyboards

TRACK LIST
(Dog) Long Road
Before the Devil Knows I am Dead
Playing In the Rain
Over My Head
Middle Of Life
Do It
One Night
Honey
Time Of Our Lives
Do You Want To Live Forever
Fallin

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              MANNION - Punchin' the Clown (CD)

Recorded in 2007 at Sweet Spot Studios in Huntington Beach, CA

All songs written, produced, and performed by Jim Warmon

(With Jim's approval every song on the album is available for download below)
TRACK LIST:
Can't Find Love
Punching the Clown
Dry Out
Doin' Alright
I'm No Rainbow
Hail Mary
Broken Heroes
Saboteur
A truly amazing effort by Jim.  Every bit as heavy and melodic as WITCH (so much so that, as the aborted CD artwork above right shows, Jim originally intended to release this under the WITCH name), but with the sound of modern recording production that WITCH never got to enjoy.  Jim's voice is in great shape (who would've guessed after listening to him sing "Wild Pig" for so many years!), and his guitar and bass playing are in top form.  The tag line on the inside artwork reads, "There's nothing left but shattered dreams and broken heroes...,"--in reference no doubt to what could've and should've been for WITCH--but this CD proves there's a lot left in Warmon. Proud of his WITCH days Jim reworks the instrumental "Saboteur," but this CD gives only a slight nod to the past while almost entirely looking toward the future of metal--beyond today's bland metal-core bands and toward something more insightful and meaningful.  This CD is a glimpse of where WITCH might've gone had their fate been different, but it took the demise of WITCH to bring Jim here.  The fire and brimstone are still with him, but with a level of maturity that WITCH may have never known.

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                                               DAMNATION (CD)



                                                 

Released May 27, 2008 by Old Metal Records, Arlington, VA

All source material, liner notes, and live photos:  Yours Truly

Executive Producer:  King Fowley

Initial Pressing: 1,000 copies (it is believed that a second run was printed,
but remained identical to the first printing)
Finally, the first official WITCH release on CD.  With the blessing of Punky Peru, Jim Warmon, and Ronny Too (Peter was unavailable at the time of production), this CD compiles the best of their early days along with official releases.  It includes the French release of THE HEX IS ON, plus the 12" Single NOBODY SLEEPS, the 1988 Cherokee Studios demos, and  never-before-heard live material, including the earliest known recordings of the band with original bassist Michael Williams.

TRACK LIST:
Nervous Wreck
Damnation
Bewitched
Wet n Wild
Cinderella (In Black Leather)
Can't Take Our Rock
Victory Without Pain
Blond Alert
1:45
Take Me Away
Hit the Road
Take You By Force
Spinning
Gonna Rock
Mob Rules
Toys In the Attic
Hell On Wheels
Nervous Wreck
Bewitched
Damnation
(hidden track: Peter's spoken band introduction 8/12/83)

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                 THE HEX IS ON...AND THEN SOME (CD)
                                             

Released November, 2011, by FnA Records

Initial Pressing: 300 copies (100 of these autographed by Peter & Punky)

A project of Peter and Punky's, this disc is much more than simply a re-issue of THE HEX IS ON.  For the first time ever, Punky and Peter's GOD BOX material gets an official release, and includes songs not available on the 1997 promo cassette.

TRACK LIST:
 Peter's spoken band introduction 8/12/83
Nervous Wreck
Damnation
Bewitched
Wet n Wild
Cinderella (In Black Leather)
Can't Take Our Rock
Victory Without Pain
1:45
Take Me Away
Mad For Life
Games That People Play
Playing In the Rain
Black Magic
Pay the Due
Take Me Away
Nothing Lasts Forever
Crazy
Conviction