THOR HISTORY
John Michael (same real name as Ozzy) started his musical carrier as early as the mid seventies when he
played bass in a local band in his hometown Vancouver. When that band split up he decided
to form a band of his own where he should be the lead vocalist and create an own type of
music. He took the stage name THOR which reflects his intrest in northern mythology as well
as his well build body. Before John Michael started playing he won competitions like Mr
Teenage USA and Mr Canada. In 1978 THOR released his debut album entitled "Keep the
Dogs Away". THOR him self says that his influences on that album were Alice Cooper and
David Bowie. That album was not exactly a best seller and THOR blamed it on the record
company which he thought were incompetent and lazy. Also the current record company and
THORs manager got at each others throats and THOR was forgotten. After that it took five
years before the longhaired blonde viking returned with the mini LP "Unchained". The line up
had changed and the music had now turned into pure metal. The new lineup featured Karl
Cochran on lead guitar, Kieth Zazzi on bass, Mike Favata on drums, THORs big breasted
wife Pantera on backing Vocals and THOR himself on lead vocals. The two following years he
made small tours in USA and England and the record company he now had released a
couple of singles which ended up on charts around Europe. Karl cochran left the band in
1983 and was replaced with the present guitarrist Steve Price. In 1985 THOR released his
masterpiece "Only the Strong", an album filled with Heavy Metal smash hits!
THOR was now a band in the same size as W.A.S.P or TWISTED SISTER and the same
year they released a live album recorded in Detroit. (It is available with two diffrent covers).
Something happened after the release of the "Retaliation" album in 1987 and THOR
dissapeared. Only to return stronger that ever ten years (!!!) later with the album
"Thunderstruck" soon to be released.
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