# List of Venom band members

Venom is an English heavy metal band from Newcastle upon Tyne. Formed in 1979, the group originally featured drummer Anthony Bray, rhythm guitarist Conrad Lant, lead guitarist Jeffrey Dunn, vocalist Clive Archer and bassist Alan Winston. The band currently consists of Lant (on lead vocals and bass since 1980, who was absent between 1988 and 1995), guitarist Stuart "Rage" Dixon (since 2007) and drummer Danny "Dante" Needham (since 2009).

## History

Early on, bassist Winston left and Lant switched to bass. Each band member soon adopted a stage name for use in Venom – Bray as "Abaddon", Lant as "Cronos", Dunn as "Mantas" and Archer as "Christus". Archer was credited as "Jesus Christ" on the band's first demo tape Demon, released in 1980. Shortly after the demo's release, the decision was made to dismiss the vocalist and continue Venom as a three-piece, as Cronos had begun taking over the role. The band's lineup remained stable for the release of four studio albums between 1981 and 1985, before Mantas left in 1986.
For 1987's Calm Before the Storm, Abaddon and Cronos brought in guitarists Mike Hickey and Jim Clare. The following year, however, the frontman decided to leave Venom and form his own eponymous band, with both new members joining him in the group's initial lineup. Cronos was replaced by former Atomkraft frontman Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan early the following year, as Mantas returned and Al Barnes was added on rhythm guitar and bass. After the release of Prime Evil, Tear Your Soul Apart and Temples of Ice, Barnes left Venom; he was replaced by Steve "War Maniac" White, who joined alongside keyboardist Dave "VXS" Young for 1992's The Waste Lands. Dolan, Mantas and Abaddon continued performing as a trio, before Cronos returned in time for a headlining show at Holland's Waldrock Festival on 24 June 1995.
Abaddon, the only remaining constant member of Venom, left the group in 1999 and was replaced by Cronos' brother Anthony "Antton" Lant. In February 2002, Venom was put on hiatus after Cronos was injured in a climbing accident. The group returned in 2004, with Hickey (now under the name "Mykvs") returning to replace the departed Mantas. Mykvs was later replaced by Stuart "La Rage" Dixon in early 2007. Antton then left to focus on his other band Def-Con-One in 2009, with Danny "Dante" Needham taking his place a month later.

## Members
### Current

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
| Conrad "Cronos" Lant | 1979–19881995–present | basslead vocalsrhythm guitar (1979) | all Venom releases from Demon demo (1980) to Calm Before the Storm (1987), and from Venom '96 (1996) onwards |
| Stuart "Rage" Dixon | 2007–present | guitarsbacking vocals | all releases from Hell (2008) onwards |
| Danny "Dante" Needham | 2009–present | drumsbacking vocals | all releases from Fallen Angels (2011) onwards |

### Former

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
| Anthony "Abaddon" Bray | 1979–1999 | drumsbacking vocals | all Venom releases from Demon demo (1980) to Cast in Stone (1997) |
| Jeffrey "Mantas" Dunn | 1979–19861989–2002 | lead guitarbacking vocalsrhythm guitar (1979–1986, 1992–2002) | all Venom releases from Demon demo (1980) to Resurrection (2000), except Calm Before the Storm (1987) |
| Clive "Jesus Christ" Archer | 1979–1980 | lead vocals | Demon demo (1980) |
| Alan Winston | 1979 | bass | none |
| Mike "Mykvs" Hickey | 1986–19882004–2007 | lead guitarbacking vocalsrhythm guitar (2004–2007) | Calm Before the Storm (1987)Metal Black (2006) |
| Jim Clare | 1986–1988 | rhythm guitarkeyboardsbacking vocals | Calm Before the Storm (1987) |
| Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan | 1989–1995 | basslead vocals | Prime Evil (1989)Tear Your Soul Apart (1990)Temples of Ice (1991)The Waste Lands (1992) |
| Al Barnes | 1989–1991 | rhythm guitarbass | Prime Evil (1989)Tear Your Soul Apart (1990)Temples of Ice (1991) |
| Steve "War Maniac" White | 1991–1992 | rhythm guitar | The Waste Lands (1992) |
| Trevor "VSX" Sewell | 1991–1992 | keyboards | The Waste Lands (1992) |
| Anthony "Antton" Lant | 1999–2009 | drumsbacking vocals | Resurrection (2000)Metal Black (2006)Hell (2008) |

## Lineups

| Period | Members | Releases |
| 1979 | Anthony Bray – drums, backing vocals Conrad Lant – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Jeffrey Dunn – lead guitar, backing vocals Clive Archer – lead vocals Alan Winston – bass | none |
| 1979–1980 | Anthony "Abaddon" Bray – drums, backing vocals Conrad "Cronos" Lant – bass, backing vocals Jeffrey "Mantas" Dunn – guitars, backing vocals Clive "Jesus Christ" Archer – lead vocals | Demon demo (1980) |
| 1980–1986 | Abaddon – drums, backing vocals Cronos – bass, lead vocals Mantas – guitars, backing vocals | Welcome to Hell (1981) Black Metal (1982) At War with Satan (1984) Hell at Hammersmith (1985) Possessed (1985) Eine kleine Nachtmusik (1986) |
| 1986–1988 | Abaddon – drums, backing vocals Cronos – bass, lead vocals Mike "Mykvs" Hickey – lead guitar, backing vocals Jim Clare – rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals | Calm Before the Storm (1987) |
| 1988–1991 | Abaddon – drums, backing vocals Mantas – lead guitar, backing vocals Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan – bass, lead vocals Al Barnes – rhythm guitar, bass | Prime Evil (1989) ...Tear Your Soul Apart (1990) Temples of Ice (1991) |
| 1991–1992 | Abaddon – drums, backing vocals Mantas – lead guitar, backing vocals Demolition Man – bass, lead vocals Steve White – rhythm guitar Trevor "VSX" Sewell – keyboards | The Waste Lands (1992) |
| 1992–1995 | Abaddon – drums, backing vocals Mantas – guitars, backing vocals Demolition Man – bass, lead vocals | none |
| 1995–1999 | Abaddon – drums, backing vocals Mantas – guitars, backing vocals Cronos – bass, lead vocals | Venom '96 (1996) Cast in Stone (1997) The Second Coming (1997) |
| 1999–2002 | Mantas – guitars, backing vocals Cronos – bass, lead vocals Anthony "Antton" Lant – drums, backing vocals | Resurrection (2000) |
| Band on hiatus 2002–2004 |||
| March 2004 – January 2007 | Cronos – bass, lead vocals Antton – drums, backing vocals Mike "Mykvs" Hickey – guitars, backing vocals | Metal Black (2006) |
| January 2007 – April 2009 | Cronos – bass, lead vocals Antton – drums, backing vocals Stuart "La Rage" Dixon – guitars, backing vocals | Hell (2008) |
| May 2009 – present | Cronos – bass, lead vocals La Rage – guitars, backing vocals Danny "Dante" Needham – drums, backing vocals | Fallen Angels (2011) From the Very Depths (2015) 100 Miles to Hell (2017) Storm the Gates (2018) |