Lightning Raiders were an Englishpub rock band, with Johnny Hodge being the most prominent member of the group. During their lifetime, they released two singles, an EP, and recorded an album that was not released until 2013.
Career
The Lightning Raiders formed in August 1977 with an original lineup featuring Johnny Hodge on guitar, Andy Allan on guitar/vocals, ex-Pink Fairies Duncan Sanderson on bass/vocals, Jorge Panchito on drums and Michael Wilding on saxophone. In February 1978, ex-Pink Fairies drummer/singer Twink released an EP called "Do It '77" with the help of band members Sanderson and Hodge. Twink had already recorded his intended single with his regular band but "Chiswick Records didn't like the track and I jammed "Do It" with the Lightning Raiders, which they preferred." Sanderson recalled, "Twink came round my house and dragged me down the studio while I was still asleep one morning, and Little John Hodge just came along to deliver a guitar. Twink had us jam through "Do It", so we did it. Kid and John hadn't even heard the flaming song before. At the end he jumps up and says 'That's it, thanks lads!' We didn't even know it was being taped!" Twink's comment on this was that "A second take of "Do It" is a contradiction in terms."The EP was credited to 'Twink & The Fairies'. The band had a loose membership policy, at one time joining Larry Wallis and Duncan Sanderson onstage as The Pink Fairies with Little John and Jorge Panchito completely unrehearsed to fulfil concert obligations.
"Psychedelic Musik"
On 31 March 1980, a lineup including Little John on guitar, Andy Allan on Bass, Paul Cook on drums, and Steve Jones on guitar released a 7" single, "Psychedelic Musik", on Arista Records. The two members of the Sex Pistols were never official members of the band - they were repaying a debt to Allan who played bass on the Sex Pistols single, "Silly Thing".
"Criminal World"
In the next lineup, formed in November 1980, Hodge and Sanderson were joined by Gass Wild on lead vocals, Bruce Irvine on guitar, and George Butler on drums. In 1981, this lineup put out "Criminal World" with Revenge Records. They then recorded the Will Reid Dick produced 12" EP for Island Records, which included the songs "Sweet Revenge", "Rowdies", "Addiction", and "Soul Rescue". This was to be a preview of the forthcoming LP Sweet Revenge, but in December 1981 they were dropped by the label, making the soon deleted EP very rare. This lineup was popular on the club circuit, playing in various clubs such as Dingwalls, the Marquee Club the Music Machine, The Venue, and many more, often with support from heavy rock trio Killerhertzconsisting of Hugo Mallett Doug McArthur and former Chelsea drummer Marc Rathbone. Another support act for the Raiders were long haired glam boys Kitsch. Kitsch bass playerPaul Raven went on to join London cult band, Killing Joke. The Lightning Raiders along with Killerhertz and former Raider Andy Allan, performed at the 1981 Stonehenge Free Festival. Little John went on to record briefly with Chelsea and play live with Lena Zavaroni in her father's Kilburn pub. Hodge left the band in February 1982, though the remaining members continued for a time. Duncan Sanderson and George Butler played with Larry Wallis in a series of bands during the early 1980s, until the reformation of the Pink Fairies and, later, The Deviants at which point George Butler was replaced by Russell Hunter. Little John Hodge recorded and performed with Bert Jansch for the latter's album, Edge of a Dream, which included the Hodge song "La Luna" inspired by Aleister Crowley. Jansch repaid the favour by appearing on Hodge's solo CD La Luna as second guitarist on a number of tracks.
''Sweet Revenge''
The 2013, a truncated version of the Lighting Raiders 'lost' album, Sweet Revengewas released.
NYC reunion / ''Lost Rockers''
In 2009, Hodge visited New York to reunite with Gass Wild for two 'Lightning Raiders' reunion shows with guest American musicians, to promote a forthcoming documentary and book Lost Rockers,. In the film Lemmy of Motörhead praises the band.
Where are they now?
Johnny Hodge died at home in Camden Town in 2012, George Butler and Duncan Sanderson have both died too. Andy Allan has been active playing with folk combo Hank Dogs, releasing two CDs and touring with Joan Baez. Gass Wild fronts a NYC band called The Love Pirates.
