A high class, melodic Hard Rock act. STATETROOPER was formed in early 1985 by Gary Barden upon his final split from the MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP. The initial line-up comprised Barden, ex-HERITAGE guitarist Steve Johnson and bassist colleague Paul 'Fasker' Johnson along with drummer Ed Stratton and keyboardist Steve Glover.

Ex-LIP SERVICE and WEAPON drummer Bruce Bisland soon replaced Stratton in a temporary capacity. being on loan from WILDFIRE, but shortly after opted to join as a full member. Stratton later turned up in the original line-up of DARE for a brief tenure. The Johnsons were displaced by two further members of WILDFIRE, Jeff Summers and Jeff Brown. Fasker Johnson later joined SAXON. At one point there was talk of Gary Barden working on an extra curricular project with Maryann Scandiffio, the lead vocalist of New York Metal band BLACKLACE, but nothing came of this proposed liaison.

A band very much in keeping with the traditional, classic British Rock sound, STATETROOPER released the Phil Chilton produced single 'She Got The Look', recorded at The Yard Studios in London, through Wallsend's Neat Records. The band toured on a bill with GIRLSCHOOL and BLUE ÖYSTER CULT in 1985 before ex-THIN LIZZY and MOTÖRHEAD guitarist Brian Robertson joined in 1987, replacing Martin Bushell.

With the group folding in mid 1988, Glover and Robertson formed HEAD 2 HEAD whilst Bisland joined PRAYING MANTIS and then the SWEET. Some while later Barden and Robertson, together with ex-MOTÖRHEAD drummer Animal Philthy 'Animal' Taylor and former MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP bassist Chris Glen formed a new alliance, but this never got any further than the rehearsal room.

Barden took a lengthy spell away from the spotlight before re-emerging fronting PRAYING MANTIS and performing with COMPANY OF SNAKES as their temporary frontman for their 2000 Wacken Festival appearance. He would also lend vocals to the 2001 SILVER project album and contribute to a THIN LIZZY tribute. The high profile SILVER venture, an alliance with former OZZY OSBOURNE and GILLAN guitarist BERNIE TORME, journeyman keyboard player DON AIREY, DEMON DRIVE bassist Michael Voss and H-BLOCKX drummer Marco Minnemann certainly put the singer back in the spotlight. 'Fasker' Johnson would donate his talents to GRAHAM OLIVER's 2001 album 'End Of An Era'.

Barden kept up this renewed pace during 2002, fronting up a further SILVER album 'Dream Machines'. Meantime, the original STATETROOPER album would see a belated re-issue, adding an extra previously unheard track 'Juliet' which featured URIAH HEEP keyboard player Phil Lanzon. STATETROOPER - Gary Barden, Jeff Summers, Jeff Brown, Bruce Bisland with new guitarist Martin Mickels - made a return in 2004, recording a Michael Voss produced album 'The Calling'. Japanese versions added a customary extra track in 'Compadres In Chaos'. That same year the album 'Past And Present' was delivered as solo effort by Barden, under the billing GARY JOHN BARDEN, through the AOR Heaven label.

In September STATETROOPER drafted TONY O'HORA on bass guitar, a man better known for his roles as frontman for outfits such as ONSLAUGHT, PRAYING MANTIS, HIGHWIRE, HORA-KANE, SWEET and TORINO. UK tour dates in January 2005 found the band partnered with LIONSHEART. That same month Barden lent vocals to a version of GARY MOORE's 'Out In The Fields' included on the MICHAEL SCHENKER 'Heavy Hitters' covers album.

STATETROOPER signed to the major Toshiba-EMI label in January of 2005 for release of 'The Calling' album. In May the band replaced O'Hora with Gavin Cooper, a scene veteran of KILLERS, PASSION, BATTLEZONE and LIONSHEART. This revised formation debuted at The Cartoon in Croydon on 26th May.

TONY O'HORA issued his debut album, 'Escape Into The Sun', through the Italian Frontiers label in January 2006. Acting as guitarist and producer for the project would be Swedish Magnus Karlsson of STARBREAKER and RUSSELL ALLEN / JORN LANDE repute. STATETROOPER bassist Gavin Cooper enrolled into MAGNUM singer BOB CATLEY's solo band for UK dates in May. Barden guested on two tracks, 'Dreams' and 'The Open Sea', included on Swiss outfit BEGGAR'S BRIDE's debut October 2006 album 'Boulevard Of Broken Hearts'.

In November 2006 Martin Mickels joined the touring line-up of VIOLENT STORM. STATETROOPER (now branded "Gary Barden's Statetrooper") announced UK dates for 2009.