Photo:Noel Buckley/GRTR!

Magnum celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2012 and to coincide with our own (10th) anniversary the band have been nominated our Ambassadors for 2012.

Magnum have been making music since the early-1970s, first as a covers band playing the Birmingham club circuit.  Although they made a single for CBS, 'Sweets For My Sweet' in 1975, it wasn't until 1978 that they released their first album signed to Jet Records.

The band's greatest period of success came in the 1980s, with the release of 'A Storyteller's Night' and their signing to Polydor in 1985 for whom they produced three studio albums.

The band's fortunes wavered after being dropped by Polydor, and by 1995 they had announced their farewell tour.

In spite of this hiatus, the core of Tony Clarkin and Bob Catley produced two albums as Hard Rain before deciding to reform Magnum in 2001, this time with Al Barrow on bass and Harry James on drums. Together with longstanding keyboard player Mark Stanway this now forms the current line-up.

The band have produced five albums since their reformation, mostly replete with Rodney Matthews artwork.  Matthews created the band's most memorable sleeves from 'The Eleventh Hour' (1983) onwards.

Magnum's latest album - 'Evolution' - marks the past 10 years, not least with the SPV label, and includes re-recordings of previous tracks along with new material.
 

Broadcast history

Magnum at 40, Sunday 1 January 2012, 18:00 repeat

(Monday 19 December, Friday 23 December, 22:00 repeat

Magnum at 40, Sunday 18 December 2011, 22:00

Long-time Magnum watcher Malcolm Dome introduces our 2012 promotion with a wealth of reminiscences, and in the second (sacred) hour our recent interview with Bob and Tony on the eve of the band's 40th anniversary.

Now available as a podcast

Special Feature (Magnum at 40)

The Songwriters: Tony Clarkin

Magnum website

Press release