Slaughter and the Dogs began life inspired by the glam rock era of the early 70s listening to the likes of Bowie, Roxy Music, Ian Hunter etc and were all brought up on the Wythenshawe council estate in South Manchester. After gaining a large contingent of followers from gigging locally and playing mainly cover versions they were invited to play support to a band called the Sex Pistols at the Lesser Free Trade hall in Manchester purely to help ticket sales. This was to be Slaughters turning point after witnessing Johnny Lydon and co playing what was to be termed punk rock and that was to be the way forward for the band.
Their first single release was the punk classic “Cranked up Really High” and was released on independent label Rabid records and produced by Martin Hannet. This led to the band being signed to major record label Decca records and 1977 saw the release of the single “Where Have All The Boot Boys Gone” quickly followed by the single “Dame to Blame”. 1978 Slaughter released a cover version of “Quick Joey Small” which was deemed to be more radio friendly. Their first album “Do It Dog Style” was also recorded the same year and a tour was put in place to coincide with its release. However due to personal relationship problems drummer Brian Grantham left the band.The band in 1979 signed new record deal with DJM records and the band decided to relocate from Manchester to London a replacement was found with ex Eater drummer Phil Rowland taking over. A single was released that same year Your Ready Now but alas vocalist Wayne Barrett decided to stop the band, Slaughter and the Dogs a band that promised so much (and could quite easily have delivered) were no more.
1991 brought the song writing partnership of Wayne Barrett and Mick Rossi back together and an album was released on Receiver records under the band name Slaughter and the Dogs called “Shocking”.
1996 was to see Slaughter and the Dogs co Headline The Holidays In The Sun Punk Festival at The Winter Gardens in Blackpool with Wayne Barrett on vocals, Mick Rossi on guitar, Nigel Mead on Bass and French drummer Noel Kay on drums. Slaughter and the Dogs were the only band to have their full set filmed and a video “Live In Blackpool 1996” was released.
Nigel Mead was eventually replaced on bass by another French man Jean Pierre Thollet (JP) and this has remained the full Slaughter and the Dogs line up to this present day. 2001 also saw this band record and release a brand new album called “Beware of” with Wayne and Mick coming back from France and LA to return to their roots in Manchester whilst they co wrote and recorded & produced the album. The album was released on TKO Records in the USA and on Captain Oi records in the UK and the single “Saturday Night Till Sunday Morning” was released from it. Wayne, Noel and JP all reside in France whilst Mick lives in Los Angeles but they still continue to tour and headline Punk Festivals in the USA, Europe and the UK. This line up has been the longest running and consistent line up in the Slaughter and the Dogs history.