The first proper line-up quickly landed a deal with local label Neat (based in Wallsend, the same town where Tysondog were based... coincidence?), having bumped into one of the company’s execs in a car park and given him a live tape (true!), and recorded their first single, ‘Eat The Rich’, in mid -’83, with Hunter by now on vocals and guitar. However, before this was released the ‘Dog had expanded to a five-piece, adding Clutch Carruthers on vocals. He made his recording debut on on the B-side, ‘Dead Meat’ - showing he could roar with the best. Reeve quit...

to become an actor. His replacement was one Ged Wolf, whose brother Eric Cook managed Venom. Still with us? The Venom connection is important...The new ‘Dog recorded their debut album, Beware Of The Dog, working with none other than Venom bassist/vocalist Cronos as producer (told you the connection was important); the latter had significant studio experience behind him, and was far from a publicity seeking choice. And for the most part, Beware... showcased a band with a real bite in their music. Today over 25 years after its release in 1982, it stands up remarkably well to scrutiny. Check out the blasting ’Hammerhead’, or the gnawing ‘Dog Soldiers’, or for that matter the feisty ‘Demon’. What they lack in subtlety - never a Tysondog trademark, anyway - is more than made up by the energy and enthusiasm that radiates from the music. Beware Of The Dog is an underrated album that many others would be proud to have recorded at the time.


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