A San Francisco band with ties to the local thrash scene, but whose additional influences from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (read: Iron Maiden) and all manner of odd time signatures predated future eccentrics like the Lord Weird Slough Feg and Hammers of Misfortune, Griffin recorded two independent albums in the mid-'80s that have since become cult collector's items. Founded in 1982, the band honed its over-the-top sound over the course of two demos before signing with the Shrapnel label for the release of 1984's Flight of the Griffin, which featured the lineup of William McKay (vocals), Rick Cooper (guitar), Rick Wagner (drums), Thomas Sprayberry (bass), and Mike Jastremski (guitar). The latter pair would be gone (Jastremski having hooked up with thrashers Heathen) by the time of 1986's Protectors of the Lair, which also proved to be Griffin's swan song. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia