LUCIFER'S FRIEND were a highly influential Anglo German outfit that achieved remarkable success, even gaining cult status in North America, based on a succession of albums, but undertook very little live work. Their first brace of albums plough traditional Heavy Rock territory before a switch to Progressive Rock for later works.

Formed by the ex GERMAN BONDS quartet of Peter Hesslien, Dieter Horns, Peter Hecht and Herbert Bornhold, LUCIFER'S FRIEND recorded their debut album in Hamburg during 1969 minus a vocalist. At the time, John Lawton's act STONEWALL, featuring guitarist Vic Malcolm (later to form GEORDIE), keyboard player John Miles (who was to later have solo success) and drummer Paul Thompson (who teamed up with ROXY MUSIC), were playing the Top Ten club in the city. A mutual friend advised Lawton to meet Peter Hesslien and it was agreed the singer would stay on in Germany and put down vocals for the album.

Around this time too the entire LUCIFER'S FRIEND band plus a singer, Tony Caverner, formed a one off project under the monicker of ASTERIX, releasing an album of the same name in 1970. The self-titled LUCIFER'S FRIEND 1970 debut album, released by Vertigo Records in Europe and Billingsgate Records in the USA, sparked controversy through the track 'Ride The Sky', as critics voiced concern that the song was too close in to LED ZEPPELIN's 'Immigrant Song' for comfort. However, these assertions were quashed when it was revealed 'Ride The Sky' had been composed much earlier.

LUCIFER'S FRIEND followed up in 1972 with the Conny Plank and H. Hildebrandt produced 'Where The Groupies Killed The Blues'. This album did not see an immediate US release, eventually Passport Records distributing the album in 1975. Third album 'I'm Just A Rock n' Roll Singer', released in 1973, witnessed a change in musical direction away from Heavy Rock towards more Progressive leanings. 1974's 'Banquet' saw LUCIFER'S FRIEND forging further into Fusion Jazz experimentation. However, the group decided on a return to a harder sound for 1976's 'Mind Exploding'. This set, issued by Janus Records in the USA, featured Curt Cress on drums and was the last to feature John Lawton. Fontana Records capitalised on progress with a 1976 compilation billed 'The Devil's Touch'.

The band indulged in numerous session work and as such LUCIFER'S FRIEND barely managed a handful of gigs during the early years. In fact, the band released no less than ten albums under such pseudonyms as THE PINK MICE, ELECTRIC FOOD, THE CHILDREN OF QUECHEA and THE FANTASTIC PIKES.

Lawton opted to team up with URIAH HEEP in 1976 for a successful stint and his position was filled in LUCIFER'S FRIEND by ex COLOSSEUM vocalist Mike Starrs for the 'Good Time Warrior' album, although vocalist Ian Cussick appeared on the 'Good Times' single in 1978. Joachim Reitenbach was now manning the drums with Adrian Askew of EDISON'S LIGHTHOUSE and ATLANTIS on keyboards. With Starrs, LUCIFER'S FRIEND toured as support to VAN HALEN in Britain during 1979. 'Sneak Me In' followed in 1980 but Lawton, and original drummer Herbert Bornhold, were to return to the fold to record the 'Mean Machine' record, which emerged in 1981, and also conducted what was to be the band's first German tour.

Lawton was to split once more in 1980 and wound up recording a solo album and aiming to produce an album by REBEL. As events turned out, the singer actually joined the band and recorded two albums with them, 'Rebel' and 'Stargazer'.

Whilst Peter Hesslein was plying his trade in the highly lucrative spot as live guitarist for the JAMES LAST ORCHESTRA, John Lawton was to form another act, ARK, that recorded an unreleased album in the Bahamas before releasing the album 'Live Your Life Forever' with ZAR. Lawton also contributed two tracks to the soundtrack to the 'Excalibur' movie.

During 1993 the singer formed GUN HILL with ex MIRROR MIRROR musicians Rick Robyns (guitar) and Lloyd Coates (drums), together with ex ENID bassist Neil Cavanagh.

However, LUCIFER'S FRIEND reformed in 1994 to record the 'Sumogrip' album for Castle Records with Lawton, Hesslien, bassist Andreas Dicke and keyboard player Yogi Wichman. Drums came courtesy of Curt Cress and Udo Dahmen. 'Sumo Grip' hosted a re-recorded version of 'Ride The Sky' and a cover of the URIAH HEEP track 'Free Me'. Lawton was also once more reunited with URIAH HEEP, albeit on a temporary basis, for their 1995 British tour, standing in for an ill Bernie Shaw.

Canadian Metal band 3 INCHES OF BLOOD covered the LUCIFER'S FRIEND track 'In The Time When Mammon Was a Yippie' on their 'Trial Of Champions' EP issued in October 2006. The following year Tobias Sammet's AVANTASIA project cut a rendition of 'Ride The Sky'.