To date, Joanna Connor's studio work has not lived up the live-wire energy of her personal performances. Fight takes a major step toward setting this right. This stuff wails, especially Robert Johnson's "Walking Blues" which Connor reinvents courtesy of some stinging slidework. While Connor's lack of dependence on cover material rates bonus points, not all her songs are memorable -- even if the guitar playing is. ~ Roch Parisien, All Music Guide
Joanna Connor (Guitar), Joanna Connor (Vocals), Joanna Connor (Main Performer), Greg Archilla (Mixing), Tim Austin (Drums), Jim Gaines (Producer), Jim Gaines (Engineer), Jackie Johnson (Vocals (Background)), Tom Laune (Assistant Engineer), Tom Laune (Mixing Assistant), Stan Mixon (Bass), Anthony Palmer (Guitar), Jacquelyn Reddick (Vocals (Background)), Greg Redding (Keyboards), Jim Spake (Saxophone), Scott Thompson (Trumpet), Brian Jones (Drums), James Fraher (Photography), Al Brandtner (Design)
Representative Albums: "The War of Words," "Small Deadly Space," "K5: The War of Words - Demos"
Biography
When lead singer and heavy metal legend Rob Halford left Judas Priest in the early '90s (following two decades of service in the veteran band), he quickly rebounded with a ferocious new metal band called Fight, which he co-founded with Priest drummer Scott Travis. Fleshing out the group's lineup with guitarists Russ Parrish and Brian Tilse and bassist Jay Jay, Halford took Fight into the studio and recorded War of Words in 1993.
Taking a deliberate step away from the old-school tendencies and cartoon metal lyrics of his former band, Halford based the Fight's sound on the more sleek, thrash-oriented approach of newer metal outfits like Pantera and matched the intense sound with decidedly more topical and socially relevant lyrics. Although it didn't make much of a splash in the mainstream world, War of Words proved to be a hit among Halford's fans, and Fight embarked on a successful tour in 1993 and 1994.
Abandoning the elaborate staging, lights, and props that Priest was famous for, Halford and company delivered their material with the stripped-down intensity and hunger of a baby band while paying a debt to its past (and showing its commitment to heavy metal) with covers of Priest's "Freewheel Burning" and Black Sabbath's "Symptom of the Universe." Mutations, an EP of live tracks and remixes, was released in 1994, followed by Fight's second full-length release, 1995's A Small Deadly Space, which saw Russ Parrish replaced by new guitarist Mark Chaussee. The album, featuring a more collaborative songwriting approach from the band, offered a slightly toned-down version of War of Words' full-bore intensity and lacked the excitement of Parrish's fluid soloing, but otherwise maintained the straightforward metal sound and Halford's darker, real-life horror lyrical themes. A Small Deadly Space would be Fight's final offering; Halford disbanded the group in 1996 and moved on to new stylistic pastures with his next project, the Trent Reznor-produced Two. ~ Andy Hinds, All Music Guide
Fight was a heavy metal band assembled by Judas Priestfrontman, Rob Halford, after his departure from that band in 1992. He took with him from Judas Priest drummer Scott Travis, though Travis would go on to play on Judas Priest's next effort, Jugulator. The line-up was completed by Russ Parrish on guitar, Brian Tilse on guitar and keyboards and Jay Jay on bass guitar. Halford wrote the music for the first album, and is credited for guitars, though he didn't play them on record or live.[citation needed]
The Fight musical proposal was quite different from Halford's former band; it was a mix between the classic metal sound created by Judas Priest and the new, edgier sound of bands like Pantera.
Fights management has submitted copyright claims to YouTube for Fight live content.
In 2007 Rob Halford's Metal God Entertainment released War of Words - The Film on DVD.
Into the Pit (Box set with remixed and remastered versions of the War of Words, Mutations and A Small Deadly Space albums and the DVD "Fight Live In Phoenix") (2008) "War of Words - Remixed 2007 "-Remixed By Roy Z , Re-Mastered by Andy Horn . "Mutations Remixed 2007 " Remixed by Attie Bauw , Re-Mastered by Andy Horn . "A Small Deadly Space -Remixed 2008 " - Remixed by Roy Z , Re-Mastered by Maor Appelbaum
