25. Lady Sabre 1985–1992 (Delray Beach)

Lady Sabre, with Sandra Thomas and Chris Warren,
at Summers on the Beach, April 1989.

 

Dusseldorf, Germany’s Doro Pesch took her love of the proto-metal, blues-rock sounds of Led Zeppelin and their heavier, metallic outgrowth of Judas Priest to heart as she crafted her own, heavy tales replete with dark, mystical lyrics for her internationally famous band, Warlock. The European fan-based ragazine and fanzine, as well as tape trading communities, quickly accepted Pesch’s four-track demo, expanding the band’s growing fanbase beyond its local bar and club beginnings in Dusseldorf, to across Germany, then across Europe. By 1984 Warlock released their best-selling indie debut, Burn the Witches, to receptive European audiences; by 1985, Doro was set to conquer the world with Hellbound, their major label debut on Phonogram Records, which solidified with Warlock’s third effort: the MTV-favored True as Steel, issued in 1986.

Meanwhile, back in the United States, Doro Pesch’s metallic sister-in-arms, Delray Beach, Florida’s Sandra Thomas, crafted her own brand of dark, mystical lyrics around her love the proto-metal, blues-rock sounds of Led Zeppelin and their heavier, metallic outgrowth of Judas Priest with her band, Lady Sabre.

Folk Beginnings

Sandra Thomas’s musical aspirations—the roots of the metallic duo of Lady Sabre, in fact—began in the late ’60s with her work as a teenage folk artist. At 15 she began learning to play guitar-by-ear from records by her two, biggest influences: Joan Baez and Judy Collins; her mom, who used to sing in “big bands” back in the ’40s, supported her efforts and gave her vocal lessons. 

Sandra Thomas at a West Palm Beach
outdoor show, 1970.

Sandra Thomas at the SCA Coffee House,
singing her original, "Oh, Freedom," 1970.

Sandra in 1970,
with her beloved harpsachord.
Notice she was "Miss FAU of 1970."

At first, Thomas sang alone at the Florida Folk Festival in White Springs, Florida, in 1970; but soon after, Rick (aka Chris) Warren came to play second guitar and sometimes mandolin. Their first meeting was kismet: Thomas appeared at an outdoor festival in West Palm Beach, Florida. As she stood backstage, practicing a run-through of her single, “Yellow Twilight,” he walked up and improvised lead acoustic guitar. She invited him onstage for the show and they became a working duo at folk festivals, concerts, and coffee houses. In addition to 12-string acoustic guitar, Thomas played the autoharp on such gospel-tinged originals as “Gospel Ship” and “All the Pretty Little Horses.”

Thomas and Warren incorporated their private press record label, Prophet Records, to release her solo material recorded at Miami’s world famous Criteria Studio (Eric Clapton, the Bee Gees, the Rumors era of Fleetwood Mac). Those endeavors resulted in three singles: “Yellow Twilight” b/w “Child Long Overdue” (1970), “Time and Mind” b/w “Running” (1970), and “Janis In Purple” b/w “Middle-Country People” (1972). Those singles failed to be picked up by a major label for national distribution and bore no full album. For a perspective timeline on the Fates of rock ‘n’ roll regarding Thomas and Warren’s endeavors: Tom Petty—prior to his involvement with Leon Russell’s Shelter Records and his eventual major label career—with his pre-Heartbreakers Gainesville, Florida-based Mudcrutch, recorded their first single, “Up in Mississippi” b/w “Cause Is Understood,” at Criteria and issued it on Petty’s own Pepper-imprint vanity press in 1973.

Chris Warren and Sandra Thomas, 1970.

Sandra and Chris at a
Georgia folk festival, 1971.

The first show at
West Palm Beach Folk Festival, 1970.

 

The Hard Rock Era

By the mid-’80s, folk long succumbed to pop music and progressive “hippie” music morphed into proto-metal, and that West Palm Beach, Florida-based duo—as most musicians do changing with the times—got harder and heavier. It was the time of another Seattle area ex-folkie, Ann Wilson, her soaring vocals establishing Heart as one of the definitive “arena rock” bands of ’70s. Tom Schultz’s Boston crafted one of—in his personal, home-based recording studio, playing all of the instruments, except for drums—the largest-selling debut albums of all time. In the wake of Van Halen, the AOR (album-oriented rock format) radio was the format of choice-for-ratings success for FM radio stations; a broadcast environment where the-once-major label-but-still-underground Judas Priest broke through to mainstream acceptance, as Doro Pesch conquered the world via MTV.

By that point, Chris Warren—an avid guitar collector with such honeys as a Gibson Les Paul, an original American Stratocaster and Fender Telecaster, an Ibanez GB-10 George Benson, Epiphone Joe Pass, and a Martin Acoustic (Sandra Thomas is a collector of acoustic Guild guitars)—constructed his home-based recording studio, aka “The Dungeon (of Lady Sabre),” where the 1985-forged duo recorded the initial Lady Sabre demos. Under their own, incorporated publishing/production company, they cut over twenty songs. Sending the tape into the metal underground fanzine/ragazine and back-of-magazine tape trading communities, asking for advice on the tapes’ “best songs,” the feedback led to the pressing of Lady Sabre’s ten song, self-released cassette-only debut, 1987’s Under a Strange Spell. While the release featured four different drummers, Chris Warren triples on bass with guitar and keyboard duties, while Sandra Thomas shared guitar and keyboard duties.

When it came time to tour across the South Florida tri-county area, as well as the State, the does-it-all studio duo expanded to a quintet with keyboardist Steve Hardin (later of South Florida alt-Southern Rockers, Black Maple), and the band’s longest-standing members: bassist Richard von Daiden and drummer John Salzlein. Quickly rising as one of the local scene’s top bands, alongside the likes of the analogous rocking Saigon Kick, Tuff Luck, and Young Turk courtesy of their multiple, standing-room-only appearances at the popular, go-to-rock clubs The Button South, Summers on the Beach, and Rosebuds, Lady Sabre’s legend expanded beyond The Sunshine State into the U.S southeast where four of their songs won awards in the “Pro Rock” category for the 1987 Music City Festival held in Nashville, Tennessee. In fact, that still local quartet of bands broke attendance records unequaled by any major label, national touring bands stopping at the Button.

Sandra Thomas at The Button South
in Fort Lauderdale, November 1988.

Chris Warren, in a press kit promotional
from a ragazine spread, 1988.

Then, as with fellow, female-fronted locals Gypsy Queen, Lady Sabre became the toast of the underground metal community, especially overseas, where their demos were traded across Europe; while well-received in the countries of Belgium and Italy (France took a shine to Gypsy Queen; German couldn’t get enough of Lady Sabre), the band’s Eurasian fan base crossed borders into Russia, as the band began receiving fan mail and tape orders before the fall of the Iron Curtain in November 1989. Mail also arrived from U.S troops during Desert Shield/Desert Storm (August 1990 to February 1991), Lady Sabre’s music blaring during various military operations alongside the catalogs of the wartime-popular AC/DC, Anthrax, Megadeth, Metallica, and Slayer.

Oh, yes. Lady Sabre was poised to be huge. Then, as with those 24 Florida bands—both signed and unsigned—on that nifty, drop-down blog archive list to your right: they weren’t. Then, one day: no more Lady Sabre shows. Summers on the Beach never rocked the same, again.

While not technically “hair metal” or “glam,” Sandra Thomas was certainly in the lady’s clubhouse (ladycave) alongside the U.S major label, female-driven hard rock glam acts Femme Fatale, Lita Ford, and Vixen—but certainly not compatible with the then hot, British metal quartets Girlschool and Rock Goddess (that tried for a metal version of the Runaways sloppy-sweet punkiness). As I reminisce those South Florida club days of Lady Sabre yore, listening to their second and final effort, 1989’s Enchanted, as I QWERTY this essay: Lady Sabre’s fortunes were to be—and should have been—cultivated overseas.

Sandra and Chris interviewed for the Germany fanzine
'Life of Dreams,' (Pg. 4 - 7), 1989.
View in-full at the underground metal fanzines
respository, Prince of Darkness.

Sandra and Chris interviewed for the Germany fanzine
'Underground Emire,' (Pg. 52), 1991.
View in-full at the underground metal fanzines
respository, Prince of Darkness.

For Lady Sabre was more “European” and more Kerrang!, Metal Forces, and Sounds (which catered to the NWoBHm era) than the U.S pages of Circus or Hit Parader. Lady Sabre was closer to Eurometal’s male-dominated, Vahalla “Viking metal” tundras courtesy of the lyrical mythology-bend of the lyrics and OTT guitar shredding. When it came to underground metal of the more Lady Sabre-centric bands signed to Combat, Metal Blade and Shrapnel, this writer’s critical ears err to the side of the analogous Leather Leone, she of shred guitarist David T. Chastain’s indie-underground concern, Chastain (1984 to 1992), to describe the “sound” of Lady Sabre. Then, there’s Karen McInutly fronting the male-backed, Newcastle, Britain’s She, Martine Himburg fronting France’s male-centric, Speed Queen, and Gudrun Laos (always compared to Doro Pesch) and her band German-based outfit, Laos. For a perspective timeline on the Fates of rock ‘n’ roll regarding Sandra Thomas in Lady Sabre: Leone vanished into a twenty-year hiatus after one solo album, Shock Waves, in 1989; McInutly unjustly vanished after a three-song EP and 7-inch single with She, and Himberg vanished after two Speed Queen albums and one solo album under her nickname, Stevie; Loas, formerly with a pre-McInutly She, vanished after one 1990 album for her band, Loas, not returning until 2004.

Lady Sabre was melodic heavy metal mixed with American AOR: music crafted for those who enjoyed dramatic, well-polished metal replete with massive, anthem-like qualities suitable for arenas in front of thousands of screaming fans. In an MTV-saturated market where female-centric groups (and even the male ones) were signed more on looks than music (when Poison first arrived on the scene, touring with Alice Cooper: I thought it was a very-hot, all-female band), the Heart-like multiple vocal harmonies (i.e., Ann Wilson with “Magic Man” and “Barracuda”) backed by the rock press-underrated-to-ignored Chris Warren’s lead work should have placed Lady Sabre on the top. Chris Warren should have been named dropped in the glossy, mainstream metal mags alongside fellow underground indie shedders David T. Chastain of CJSS, Paul Gilbert of Racer X, and Tony McAlpine of the “supergroup,” M.A.R.S. Lady Sabre should have been on the stage of the yearly Castle Donnington and Reading Festivals (Ft. Lauderdale’s Gypsy Queen appeared at the latter) with the badest and the best of the Eurometal scene.

Courtesy of 'Underground Empire' from the Lady Sabre press kit, 1991.

 

Lady Sabre in 2025 . . .

Alas, here we are, 40 years later, wondering what went wrong with Lady Sabre. Wondering why, with all the talent and songs to spare from the Thomas-Warren collective, with the South Florida standing-room-only crowds, and with the ever-expanding international fan base—for how many unsigned, South Florida bands that went international, as far as into Russia, without management and a recording contract, just by mailing ordering press kits from home, can you name: you can’t: there’s only Lady Sabre—Thomas and Warren couldn’t secure a management contract, sponsorships, or a record deal: even with an indie label.

Well . . . it was 1989 by then and college alternative bands, such as the Cure, Jane’s Addiction, and Love and Rockets crossed over into the AOR mainstream; by 1991 “punk broke” courtesy of some scruffy kid from Seattle (who destroyed careers, then killed himself), which gave way to the Wingers and Slaughters programmed expunged for the new sounds of Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam, and the female-driven bands Babes In Toyland, L7, and Hole (that Lady Sabre would use to wipe their asses, then dispose; Fetchin’ Bones is the dog shit Sandra Thomas would step in and scrape off on the sidewalk in front of Paul Westerberg’s house: his “genius,” questionable).

Sandra Thomas at Tampa Bay's
'The Folk & the Festival,' May 1968.

Sandra Thomas, aka Lady Sabre,
1988 promotional kit.

Lost Memories of Lady Sabre . . .

In our essay on the fond memories of the Coral Springs bands Panic and Amboog-a-lard teaming up with Paramoure for South Florida gigs: I hoped my Heaven would allow an afterlife of perpetual Club Soda attendance. I now addendum that dream to include Lady Sabre gracing that ethereal stage of youth.

Yeah, just one more show from the Sabre. Yes, Sandra Thomas and Chris Warren are in their 80s now, but Roger Daltrey and Mick Jagger are as well: still touring and recording. Even just an acoustic show . . . one more show for the good times—as you promote the vault-clearing, double-disc digital reissue of the Lady Sabre catalog.

I miss you guys . . . I really loved you and your music.

Sloppy Joe, an old metal running buddy of mine, tells me we saw Lady Sabre at Club Soda. I attended every show at the Soda . . . and for the life of me . . . how can I forget a Lady Sabre show . . . or any Club Soda gig? I can recall a shitty-as-a-joke Fetchin’ Bones at The Reunion Room gig, but forget an always epic, superior Lady Sabre show?

That’s just fucked up and totally inexcusable in every conceivable way. I should be sent to the dungeon to be drawn and quartered by Sandra’s mighty Excalibur for my memory crimes.

More Photos

Official press kit photos reproduced in underground fanzines and ragazines for interviews and album reviews.

From press kit/ragazine scan.

From press kit/ragazine scan.

From press kit/ragazine scan.

* * *

Discography and Memberships

Sandra Thomas (and Richard Warren)
Six songs across three singles (1970 to 1972)

B-Side "Child Long Overdue," 1970.

B-Side "Running," 1970.

B-Side, "Middle-Country People," 1972.

Lady Sabre
Two commercially available, full-length albums (1985 to 1992)

Under a Strange Spell
10-track demo casette/14-track compact disc (1987/1989)

• Commercially distributed via mail order and at shows

Roster 

Sandra Thomas — vocals, guitar, keyboards
Chris Warren — guitar
Chris Warren — bass
Dave Todd — drums (1987 to 1988)
Michael Elliot — drums (1985 to 1987)
Richard Lloyd— drums (1985 to 1987)
Charles Parker— drums (1985 to 1987)

Songs

1. Strange Spell (Side A of tape)
2. In Need of Your Heart
3. Lover’s Kiss
4. At the End of Tim
5. Gangs and Claws
6. My Love for You (Side B of tape)
7. Moon Song
8. Fear for Life
9. Love From Afar
10. African Origin
    

Lady Sabre Demo
17-tracks—with four different tracks than Under a Strange Spell—(1988)

• Unpackaged demo with no membership information
• Unknown if these are the same songs as the previous release or newly-recorded versions
• Another fanzine promotional-version contains 20-tracks

 Songs

1. Strange Spell
2. Your Love Is a Deadly Weapon
3. Lover’s Kiss
4. Screaming
5. My Love for You
6. Fangs and Claws
7. At the End of Time
8. Moon Song
9. Shelter
10. In Need of Your Heart
11. Time to Gather
12. Total Eclipse
13. African Origin
14. Instrumental Song
15. At the End of Time (Instrumental)
16. Do You See My Passion
17. Must Be Love

 

Enchanted
10-track cassette/15-track remastered compact disc (1989/2010)

• Professional pressed and packaged

Roster 

Sandra Thomas — vocals, guitar, keyboards
Chris Warren — guitar
Rob Rice — bass (replaced Richard Von Haiden, 1988 to 1989)
John Salzlein — drums (replaced David Todd)

Steve Hardin — keyboards (1988 to 1989 for touring)

• Hardin joined the South Florida alt-Southern Rock concern, Black Maple. Listen to their early ’90s single, “Eternal Justice” on Over the Edge Radio You Tube with our South Florida Local Rock album #6. Other Black Maple (1993 to 1996) tunes are enjoyed at the Facebook page of guitarist James Draugh.

Songs

1. Enchanted
2. Desert Sunset
3. Palace in the Sky
4. Iron Overload
5. Love From Afar
6. Sudden Attack
7. Shrines Built to Time
8. Starlight
9. Your Love Is a Deadly Weapon
10. Alone
11. To the Point of Pain
12. Total Eclipse
13. Feelin’ Somethin’
14. Black Night
15. At the End of Time

You can enjoy a career-spanning playlist of the Lady Sabre catalog at Over the Edge Radio You Tube.

 * * *

Lady Sabre images from local ragazine scans (Button, Summers; as noted) by Over the Edge Radio. All Sandra Thomas images (solo and Lady Sabre) are courtesy of her personal archives/band press kits. Cassette, compact disc, and 7-inch single images courtesy of Discogs.