Snakecharmer

British hard rock supergroup Snakecharmer came together in 2013, drawing on alumni from Whitesnake, Wishbone Ash, Thunder and additional outfits. Guitar wiz Micky Moody brought decades of blues-rock experience that stretched back to his time with Tramline during the '60s. Following his acrimonious departure from Whitesnake in 1983, he launched the Snakes and later the Company of Snakes to revive the group’s early blues-rock identity before its shift into hair metal. A random encounter with former Whitesnake bassist Neil Murray prompted the pair to revisit their shared past and assemble a new ensemble for old times’ sake. The resulting roster read like a classic hard-rock hall of fame: vocalist Chris Ousey (Heartland), guitarist Laurie Wisefield (Wishbone Ash), drummer Harry James (Thunder) and keyboardist Adam Wakeman (Ozzy Osbourne). The music that emerged naturally echoed the members’ prior projects yet delivered good-time, classic melodic hard rock edged with blues—earnest, heartfelt and driven by strong melodies—without becoming a mere replica of earlier recordings. Encouraged by friends, the musicians tracked an album, and Frontiers, the Italian label, issued their self-titled debut in 2013. Both fans and reviewers responded with enthusiasm, prompting a well-received tour. Moody exited in 2015; young Irish-born virtuoso Simon McBride stepped in as his replacement. The band’s second album, Second Skin, followed in 2017.