Persian Risk

Persian Risk

Persian Risk is a heavy metal band from Cardiff, Wales, formed in 1979. The original line-up consists of guitarists Phil Campbell and Dave Bell, vocalist Jon Deverill, bassist Nick Hughes and drummer Razz.

Early line-up changes and recordings

In late 1980, Jon Deverill leaves to join Tygers Of Pan Tang and is replaced by Carl Sentance, who has previously played with Nick Hughes and Razz in Leading Star. With Sentance on vocals, Persian Risk issues the 7-inch single Calling For You / Chase the Dragon in 1981. Dave Bell’s replacement, Alex Lohfink, is later dismissed and the band continues as a four-piece.

The band contributes Calling For You to the Heavy Metal Heroes Vol.2 compilation in 1982, alongside 50.000 Stallions on the 60 Minutes Plus cassette compilation from the same year. That recording is also issued on vinyl as All Hell Let Loose in 1983 through Neat Records in association with Italy’s Base Records label.

Later singles, personnel shifts and label deal

Persian Risk follow with the Neat Records single Ridin' High / Hurt You, which receives their strongest reviews to that point. It is their final recording with Razz, who is replaced briefly by Dixie Lee, formerly of Lone Star and Wild Horses, before Steve Hopgood, formerly of Chinatown and Shy, becomes the more permanent drummer. The group also adds second guitarist Graham Bath, formerly of Sphinx.

After Phil Campbell joins Motörhead, Persian Risk signs to Zebra Records in London and releases the Too Different 12-inch EP in 1984. The band’s sound becomes more polished on that release. In the same year, it makes its only national UK television appearance, performing Women In Rock, Rise Up and Too Different on Channel 4’s ECT programme.

Rise Up and split

Those three songs later appear on the album Rise Up, which is released on Metal Masters in 1986. By then, Persian Risk has already split up after years of working without a major breakthrough.

After the band

Nick Hughes leaves to join Idol Rich and later works in trance music under the name Toad. Steve Hopgood and Graham Bath both spend time in Paul Di’Anno’s Battlezone and Paul Di’Anno’s Killers; Hopgood later also appears with Tank. Phil Vokins, Campbell’s replacement, reunites in 2006 with former Wrathchild members Marc Angel and Eddie Starr in Psychowrath.

Carl Sentance goes on to record and tour with Tokyo Blade, Tredegar, the Geezer Butler Band, Paul Chapman’s Ghost, Krokus, the Power Project and Don Airey. He releases his first solo album, Mind Doctor, in 2008. Jon Deverill later works as an actor under the name Jon de Ville, including a national tour of Blood Brothers in 2007 and The Sound of Music in London in 2008.

Phil Campbell becomes a long-term member of Motörhead, records 13 studio albums with the band, and wins a Grammy Award in 2005 for Best Metal Performance for Motörhead’s cover of Metallica’s Whiplash.