3:47pm Monday 29th June 2009
By Barrie Hudson
OLD rock stars never die, and nor do they fade away.
Not when they're the former lead singer of 1980s British heavy metal outfit GrimReaper, anyway.
And especially not when there's an audience preparing to be rocked at Riffs Bar in Greatfield, near Swindon.
Tonight, Swindon-based Steve Grimmett plans to hit the venue with crowd pleasing tracks from throughout his career.
He paused a while ago to talk to the Swindon Advertiser before heading for a brief solo tour of Brazil, taking in Brasilia and Sao Paulo among other cities.
He has a large following there, as well as in the US and throughout much of Europe.
Steve said: "What people will hear at Riffs is pretty much all of the songs I most like out of my career so far.
"There will be GrimReaper, Lionheart and Steve Grimmett Band stuff."
GrimReaper, in which Steve first found fame, was part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) in the early 1980s, alongside bands such as Saxon. Grim Reaper sold some three million records, including albums with titles such as Fear No Evil, Rock You To Hell and See You in Hell.
The music hasn't had such a high profile in recent years, but the fans still support the performers and the performers still support the fans.
Asked if he had a message for those fans, Steve said: "Thanks for your continuing support, and if you can get to the show, come and see us - we will deliver."
Originally from Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, Steve is an adoptive Swindonian, having moved here to be with partner Amelia McDonald, who is also his personal assistant.
The band's videos are still seen on metal music TV stations. YouTube and other online video sharing venues also have plenty of examples of Steve in action - which delights him.
He said: "I think it's a very, very powerful medium, and if people couldn't get to the sites and look at the stuff they wouldn't know about us and they wouldn't buy it.
"It's a big advert - we still have plenty of original fans but new ones are coming every day."
When GrimReaper disbanded, Steve fronted several bands, the best known of which were probably Lionheart and Onslaught.
These days he has not one, but two, bands - on opposite sides of the Atlantic.
In Britain he has the Steve Grimmett Band, who will be with him at Riffs, while in the US he has Grimmstine. Based in Fargo, North Dakota, Grimmstine takes its name from those of Steve and guitarist Steve Stine, and has just signed a record deal with a Japanese company.
Further information about Steve can be found at www.myspace.com/stevegrimmett.
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