Quartz

Birmingham-based New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) band who hopped to a different label with almost every release.

Vocalist Mike ‘Taffy’ Taylor co-founded a group called Bandy Legs in 1973 with guitarist Mick Hopkins, bassist Derek ‘Dek’ Arnold and drummer Malcolm Cope, but changed their name to Quartz ahead of the release of their self-titled debut album in 1977.

The album was produced by Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi and featured a contribution from Queen’s Brian May on guitar.

Quartz toured heavily, playing the Reading Festival three times (1976, 1977 and 1980) and supported some of the larger hard rock bands of the time, including Iron Maiden, Saxon, UFO, Gillan and Rush.

A live album, Live Quartz, came out in 1980 as the NWOBHM movement was gaining momentum before the band earned a major contract with MCA Records who released their second full-length studio album, Stand Up And Fight, that same year.

Taylor left the UK outfit in 1981 to concentrate on Taffy Taylor’s Big Roll Band, with Quartz eventually splitting in 1983.

They reformed in 2011 with Geoff Nicholls, Mike Hopkins, Derek Arnold, Malcolm Cope and David Garner.

‘Taffy’ Taylor died in September 2016.

Mike ‘Taffy’ Taylor
Vocals
Mick Hopkins 
Guitar
Derek ‘Dek’ Arnold
Bass, vocals
Malcolm Cope 
Drums