Limelight

Nottinghamshire outfit Limelight gained much of their recognition during the early-'80s New Wave of British Heavy Metal surge, yet their roots stretched back considerably earlier, with their material only connecting once heavy music enjoyed its peak moment. Mike Scrimshaw, who handled vocals, bass, guitar, and keyboards, and his brother Glenn, responsible for guitar and bass, had already begun composing material together in 1967. Over the following years they performed in a string of now-forgotten ensembles and issued two little-known singles in 1972 before linking with drummer Pat Coleman and settling on the Limelight name in 1974.

By that point the Scrimshaw household contained a functional home studio, enabling the adaptable three-piece—each member proficient on the others’ instruments—to develop demo recordings while gigging extensively across northern England, later expanding to continental Europe and even Australia, all without label support. Their eventual deal with the small independent Future Earth Records placed the group on the fringes of the NWOBHM scene when their aptly titled 1980 single “Metal Man,” backed with “Hold Me, Touch Me,” appeared. The band’s technically polished heavy rock, laced with progressive elements, shared enough sonic territory with leading acts such as Iron Maiden, Diamond Head, and Saxon to secure several months of touring alongside them that same year.

Amid this activity they also tracked their self-titled debut album in 1980. Its modest original pressing on the faltering Future Earth label was soon superseded by a 1981 reissue on Avatar Records, wrapped in a garish Day-Glo green sleeve. The record’s more progressive and hard-rock-oriented tracks, though skillfully executed, exposed the trio’s broader stylistic leanings to an audience seeking stricter metal fare. Avatar’s subsequent collapse, followed by the 1982 single “Ashes to Ashes”—which carried noticeable UFO influences—quickly dissolved whatever goodwill Limelight had built within the metal community.

Internal momentum likewise waned, resulting in only sporadic live appearances and desultory studio sessions over the next several years. The supposed follow-up album, also titled Ashes to Ashes and issued by Mausoleum in 1984, proved to be little more than a reordered version of the debut with the title track appended. A final attempt to revive interest by moving operations to Germany yielded another full set of recordings that remain unreleased. Thereafter the Scrimshaw brothers pursued separate careers, reuniting with Coleman only for infrequent low-profile shows.