List of Napalm Death band members

Three line-ups of Napalm Death in 1983, 1986, 2013 and 2022

Napalm Death are an English grindcore band, founded by Nic Bullen (vocals, bass) and Miles Ratledge (drums) in May 1981 when the two were 12/13 years old.^[1] The band currently consists of bassist Shane Embury (since 1987), lead vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway, guitarist Mitch Harris (both since 1989), drummer Danny Herrera (since 1991).

History

Bullen and Ratledge founded the band as an extension of their Fanzine writing,^[1] the two were joined by Daryl "Dez" Fedeski on guitars in August 1981, and Graham Robertson on bass in January 1982.^[2] Fedeski who departed that October, Robertson moved to guitar, and Finbar Quinn joined on bass and backing vocals.^[1]^[3] The band entered a hiatus in late 1983, playing one concert in 1984, at which they were joined by Marian Williams on backing vocals.

In July 1985 the band consisted of Ratledge on drums; Bullen - performing vocals, bass and guitar; Robertson on guitar and bass, and Damien Errington on guitar.^[4] This line up was short lived when Bullen and Ratledge reverted the band to a trio with Justin Broadrick on guitar and vocals.^[5] The trio played their first concert on 31 August 1985, they were joined by Peter Shaw on bass in September who recorded the Demo Hatred Surge with the band.

The band split with Miles Ratledge soon after, with Bullen and Broadrick being joined by local fan Mick Harris.^[1] The trio first performed in December 1985 and recorded half an LP in August 1986, originally planned to be split with Atavistic but would later be the A side to their debut, Scum. After recording the band were joined by Jim Whitely on bass. This four piece played a few concerts before Broadrick left, Frank Healy joined as his temporary replacement.^[6] Sole remaining founding member, Bullen left in December 1986.

The band found full time replacements in Bill Steer on guitar and Lee Dorrian on vocals. This line-up recorded the B side to Scum, which was released in July 1987. During promotion for Scum, Whitely departed, he was replaced by Shane Embury, a friend of Harris and Bullen. This line-up recorded From Enslavement to Obliteration (1988) before Steer and Dorian departed after a Japanese tour in July 1989. Harris and Embury recruited Jesse Pintado (ex-Terrorizer) on guitar and Mark "Barney" Greenway (ex-Benediction) as vocalist. Mitch Harris (ex-Righteous Pigs) joined as second guitarist after the tour.

Mick Harris departed after releasing Harmony Corruption (1990) in 1991. His replacement was Danny Herrera.

The next line-up change was Greenway's departure in 1996,^[7] he was replaced by Phil Vane, of Extreme Noise Terror, a band with Greenway joined after his departure. Vane remained with the band for a few months before being expelled due it not working out.^[8] Greenway then returned to record vocals for Inside the Torn Apart (1997), Vane subsequently re-joined Extreme Noise Terror.

Jesse Pintado departed by April 2005, having not played on their past two studio albums.^[9] He was not replaced and the band reverted to one guitarist. Mitch Harris went on indefinite touring hiatus in 2014,^[10] his touring replacement has been John Cooke who had previously acted as road manager, driver, as well as substitute vocalist and bassist in 2010^[11]^: 4:59^[12] and 2012 respectively.^[11]^: 4:49^[12] Other substitutes included Brutal Truth guitarist Erik Burke.^[13]

Members

Current members

Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
Shane Embury	1987–present	bass backing vocals	all releases from From Enslavement to Obliteration (1988) onwards
Mark "Barney" Greenway	1989–1996 1997–present	lead vocals	all releases from Harmony Corruption (1990) onwards
Mitch Harris	1989–present (studio/session only since 2014)	guitars backing and occasional lead vocals	all releases from Harmony Corruption (1990) onwards
Danny Herrera	1991–present	drums	all releases from Utopia Banished (1992) onwards

Former members

Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
Nicholas "Nik Napalm" Bullen	1981–1987	lead vocals bass (1981–1983, 1984–1985, 1985, 1985–1986) guitar (1982–1987)	Scum (1987) A side and all demos
Miles "Rat" Ratledge	1981–1985	drums	all demos from "Halloween" (1982) to "Hatred Surge" (1985)
Daryl "Daz F" Fedeski	1981–1982	guitars	"Halloween" demo (1982) "And, Like Sheep, We Have All Gone Astray" demo (1982)
Graham "Robbo" Robertson	1982–1985	guitars bass (1982–1983, 1984–1985)	"Halloween" demo (1982) "And, Like Sheep, We Have All Gone Astray" demo (1982) "Kak" demo (1983) "Unpopular Yawns of Middle Class Warfare" demo (1983)
Finbar "Fin" Quinn	1983–1984	bass backing vocals	"Kak" demo (1983) "Unpopular Yawns of Middle Class Warfare" demo (1983)
Marian Williams	1984	vocals	none
Damien Errington	1985	guitars	none
Justin Broadrick	1985–1986	guitars backing and lead vocals	"Hatred Surge" demo (1985) "From Enslavement to Obliteration" demo (1986) Scum (1987) A side
Mick Harris	1985–1991	drums backing vocals	all releases from "From Enslavement to Obliteration" demo (1986) to Death by Manipulation (1991)
Peter "P-Nut" Shaw	1985	bass	"Hatred Surge" (1985)
Jim Whitely	1986–1987 (session guest in 2004)	bass	Scum (1987) B side Leaders Not Followers: Part 2 (2004)
Frank Healy	1987	guitars	none
Bill Steer	1987–1989	guitars	all releases from Scum (1987) B side to Mentally Murdered (1989) The DVD (2001) two tracks
Lee Dorrian	1987–1989	lead vocals
Jesse Pintado	1989–2004 (died 2006)	guitars	all releases from Harmony Corruption (1990) to The DVD (2001)
Phil Vane	1996–1997 (died 2011)	lead vocals	none

Touring musicians

Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
John Cooke	2010 2012 2014–present	guitars (2014–present) bass (2012) backing vocals lead vocals (one off 2010)	Cooke was road manager and driver for the band, when Greenway fell ill, Cooke stepped on stage and sang 5 or 6 songs in 2010, and played bass when Embury fell ill in 2012.^[14]^[15] Cooke has been the bands primary touring guitarist since Mitch Harris' touring hiatus.^[11]^: 4:49^[12]
Erik Burke	2015	guitars	Burke played guitar in place of Harris on a North American tour in 2015.^[13]
Vernon Blake	2015 2019–2020	bass	Blake replaced Embury on two occasions, first in 2015 and again in 2019^[16] and 2020.
Jesper Liveröd	2017	bass	Liverod played bass in place of Embury in 2017.

Timeline

Line-ups

Period	Members	Releases
May – August 1981	Nic Bullen – vocals, bass, guitars Miles Ratledge – drums	none
August 1981 – January 1982	Nic Bullen – vocals, bass Miles Ratledge – drums Daryl Fedeski – guitars	none
January – October 1982	Nic Bullen – vocals Miles Ratledge – drums Graham Robertson – bass Daryl Fedeski – guitars	"Halloween" (1982) "And, Like Sheep, We Have All Gone Astray" (1982)
October 1982 – early 1983	Nic Bullen – vocals, bass Miles Ratledge – drums Graham Robertson – guitars, bass	none
early – late 1983	Nic Bullen – vocals Miles Ratledge – drums Graham Robertson – guitars Fin Quinn – bass, backing vocals	"Kak" (1983) "Unpopular Yawns of Middle Class Warfare" (1983)
1984	Nic Bullen – vocals Miles Ratledge – drums Graham Robertson – guitars Fin Quinn – bass, backing vocals Marian Williams – additional vocals	one show
May – August 1985	Nic Bullen – vocals, bass, guitar Miles Ratledge – drums Graham Robertson – guitars, bass Damien Errington – guitars	none
August – September 1985	Nic Bullen – vocals, bass Miles Ratledge – drums Justin Broadrick – guitars, vocals	none
September – December 1985	Nic Bullen – vocals Miles Ratledge – drums Justin Broadrick – guitars, vocals Peter "P-Nut" Shaw – bass	"Hatred Surge" (1985)
December 1985 – late 1986	Nic Bullen – vocals, bass Justin Broadrick – guitars, vocals Mick Harris – drums	"From Enslavement to Obliteration (Demo)" (1986) "Scum (Demo)" (1986) Scum (1987) A side
late 1986	Nic Bullen – vocals Justin Broadrick – guitars, vocals Mick Harris – drums Jim Whitely – bass	none
late 1986 – early 1987	Nic Bullen – vocals Mick Harris – drums, backing vocals Jim Whitely – bass Frank Healy – guitars	none
early – August 1987	Mick Harris – drums, backing vocals Jim Whitely – bass Lee Dorian – vocals Bill Steer – guitars	Scum (1987) B side
August 1987 – July 1989	Mick Harris – drums, backing vocals Lee Dorian – vocals Bill Steer – guitars Shane Embury – bass	From Enslavement to Obliteration (1988) Mentally Murdered (1989) The Complete Radio One Sessions (2000) eight tracks The DVD (2001) remaining tracks
August – late 1989	Mick Harris – drums, backing vocals Shane Embury – bass Barney Greenway – vocals Jesse Pintado – guitars	The DVD (2001) one disc Live at Rock City (2019)
late 1989 – early 1991	Mick Harris – drums, backing vocals Shane Embury – bass Barney Greenway – vocals Jesse Pintado – guitars Mitch Harris – guitars	Harmony Corruption (1990) Mass Appeal Madness (1991) The Complete Radio One Sessions (2000) three tracks The DVD (2001) one disc
early 1991 – mid 1996	Shane Embury – bass Barney Greenway – vocals Jesse Pintado – guitars Mitch Harris – guitars, backing vocals Danny Herrera – drums	Utopia Banished (1992) Fear, Emptiness, Despair (1994) Diatribes (1996) Bootlegged in Japan (1998) The Complete Radio One Sessions (2000) remaining tracks
mid 1996 – early 1997	Shane Embury – bass Jesse Pintado – guitars Mitch Harris – guitars, backing vocals Danny Herrera – drums Phil Vane – vocals	sessions only
early 1997 – early 2004	Shane Embury – bass Jesse Pintado – guitars Mitch Harris – guitars, backing vocals Danny Herrera – drums Barney Greenway – vocals	Inside the Torn Apart (1997) Words from the Exit Wound (1998) Leaders Not Followers (1999) Enemy of the Music Business (2000) Order of the Leech (2002) without Pintado Punishment in Capitals (2002) Leaders Not Followers: Part 2 (2004) without Pintado
early 2004 – present	Shane Embury – bass, backing vocals Mitch Harris – guitars, backing vocals Danny Herrera – drums Barney Greenway – vocals	The Code Is Red...Long Live the Code (2005) Smear Campaign (2006) Time Waits for No Slave (2009) Live in Japan – Grind Kaijyu Attack! (2009) Utilitarian (2012) Apex Predator – Easy Meat (2015) Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism (2020)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Early Napalm Death: interview with Miles "Rat" Ratledge from long-dead fan site". Disposable Underground. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
^ Young 2012.
^ "35 Years Ago: NAPALM DEATH record Unpopular Yawns of Middle Class Warfare". Todestrieb Records. 14 May 1983. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
^ Pierre 2016.
^ Fischer, Warren (1987). "Interview with young Justin Broadrick". godflesh.com. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
^ "Benediction - Interview mit Frank Healy zu "Killing Music" • metal.de". metal.de. 23 August 2008. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
^ Loudwire (7 December 2016). Napalm Death's Barney Greenway - Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction?. Retrieved 17 September 2024 – via YouTube.
^ Mudrian, Albert (13 December 2017). "Rank and Defile: Shane Embury Orders Napalm Death's Albums from Worst to Best". Decibel Magazine. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
^ "NAPALM DEATH's HARRIS Says Guitarist JESSE PINTADO Is Officially Out Of The Band". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 30 April 2005. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
^ Munro, Scott (6 November 2014). "Napalm Death's Mitch Harris on indefinite hiatus". louder. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c Rigs of Death Metal (16 November 2021). Rig talk with John Cook of Napalm Death. Retrieved 20 July 2024 – via YouTube.
^ ^a ^b ^c Childers, Chad (4 October 2018). "Napalm Death's John Cooke on Journey From Driver to Guitarist". Loudwire. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
^ ^a ^b Gerrard, Steve (6 February 2015). "Napalm Death + Voivod + guests @ Club Soda, Montreal - 6th February 2015". Montreal Rocks. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
^ Childers, Chad (4 October 2018). "Napalm Death's John Cooke on Journey From Driver to Guitarist". Loudwire. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
^ SUMMER BREEZE (17 August 2012). SUMMER BREEZE Open Air 2012 - Napalm Death. Retrieved 19 July 2024 – via YouTube.
^ Kennelty, Greg (3 October 2019). "NAPALM DEATH Bassist Shane Embury Isn't Sitting Out U.S. Dates For Health Reasons". Metal Injection. Retrieved 17 September 2024.

Bibliography

Avril, Pierre (2016). PUNK & METAL Des liaisons dangereuses (in French). Camion Blanc. ISBN 9782357798694.
Young, Garry Sharpe (2012). ANTHOLOGIE DU METAL Tome 2 (in French). Camion Blanc. ISBN 9782357796362.

[:2-1] "Early Napalm Death: interview with Miles "Rat" Ratledge from long-dead fan site". Disposable Underground. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2024.

[FOOTNOTEYoung2012-2] Young 2012.

[3] "35 Years Ago: NAPALM DEATH record Unpopular Yawns of Middle Class Warfare". Todestrieb Records. 14 May 1983. Retrieved 17 September 2024.

[FOOTNOTEPierre2016-4] Pierre 2016.

[5] Fischer, Warren (1987). "Interview with young Justin Broadrick". godflesh.com. Retrieved 17 September 2024.

[6] "Benediction - Interview mit Frank Healy zu "Killing Music" • metal.de". metal.de. 23 August 2008. Retrieved 17 September 2024.

[7] Loudwire (7 December 2016). Napalm Death's Barney Greenway - Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction?. Retrieved 17 September 2024 – via YouTube.

[8] Mudrian, Albert (13 December 2017). "Rank and Defile: Shane Embury Orders Napalm Death's Albums from Worst to Best". Decibel Magazine. Retrieved 17 September 2024.

[9] "NAPALM DEATH's HARRIS Says Guitarist JESSE PINTADO Is Officially Out Of The Band". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 30 April 2005. Retrieved 17 September 2024.

[10] Munro, Scott (6 November 2014). "Napalm Death's Mitch Harris on indefinite hiatus". louder. Retrieved 17 September 2024.

[:0-11] Rigs of Death Metal (16 November 2021). Rig talk with John Cook of Napalm Death. Retrieved 20 July 2024 – via YouTube.

[:1-12] Childers, Chad (4 October 2018). "Napalm Death's John Cooke on Journey From Driver to Guitarist". Loudwire. Retrieved 20 July 2024.

[:3-13] Gerrard, Steve (6 February 2015). "Napalm Death + Voivod + guests @ Club Soda, Montreal - 6th February 2015". Montreal Rocks. Retrieved 17 September 2024.

[14] Childers, Chad (4 October 2018). "Napalm Death's John Cooke on Journey From Driver to Guitarist". Loudwire. Retrieved 19 July 2024.

[15] SUMMER BREEZE (17 August 2012). SUMMER BREEZE Open Air 2012 - Napalm Death. Retrieved 19 July 2024 – via YouTube.

[16] Kennelty, Greg (3 October 2019). "NAPALM DEATH Bassist Shane Embury Isn't Sitting Out U.S. Dates For Health Reasons". Metal Injection. Retrieved 17 September 2024.

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