music...isms

2012-01-29T07:23:00.000-08:00

2012-01-24T23:47:00.000-08:00

2012-01-15T09:45:00.000-08:00

2012-01-08T23:04:00.000-08:00

The Umbrella (1985)

2011-12-27T08:57:00.001-08:00

When in October 1981 Gareth Hancock and Jono 'Kumo' Podmore left Alvin The Aardvark & The Fuzzy Ants, the remaining three members − Norman 'Noko' Fisher-Jones (guitars, later Cure, Dynamo Futurista, Luxuria, Maximum Roach, Th’Ends, Apollo 440), James Gardner (keyboards, later, Luxuria, Apollo 440), and Howard Gray (later Apollo 440)− moved to London and formed what was to become the Umbrella. In London Gardner played and programmed keyboards and synthesizers for a variety of artists. In the meantime, Gray started working as a tape operator and sound engineer for Richard Branson’s Virgin, first at Manor Studio (Oxford) and then at Townhouse Studios in London, working with producers like Steve Lillywhite and artists such as Public Image, Stranglers, and fellow scousers OMD. In the same period, around 1983, Norman 'Noko' Fisher-Jones briefly joined the Cure on bass for some European and UK live-TV dates and started putting together another band, Dynamo Futurista.

At this point Fisher-Jones and Gardner decided to make things happen, and with a the inclusion of new personnel − Simon Hoare (drums), Mark Sanderson (bass), Alex & Julia on backing vocals − they recorded the material written so far, which was released as an EP called ‘Make Hell (For The Beautiful People)’.

Make Hell (For The Beautiful People) (1985)

- Make Hell (For The Beautiful People)

- William Brel

- The Persuaders (J. Barry)

The songs bear some audible influence of 60s pop à la John Barry, played through overlaid postpunk guitar and organ.

The EP can be found here and here .

(thanks to our friend Fantod under Glass. Band picture by Donald Lush)

Alvin The Aardvark & The Fuzzy Ants (1979-1981)

2011-12-27T08:11:00.000-08:00

Five-piece avantgarde-experimental group formed in late 1979 by Howard Gray (later Apollo 440) − and originally his brother Trevor Gray − and fellow schoolfriends Jono 'Kumo' Podmore (guitars, later Kumo), James Gardner (keyboards, later Umbrella, Luxuria, Apollo 440), Norman 'Noko' Fisher-Jones (guitars, later Umbrella, Cure, Dynamo Futurista, Luxuria, Maximum Roach, Th’Ends, Apollo 440) and Gary Hancock (tape operator). Noko recalls:

‘[As] a teenager, I was messing around with reel-to-reel tape recorders and building fuzz-box circuits before I ever learned any actual chords.
Even though we only started @440 in 1990 (a number of years after I’d been making music for a living), it still feels like my first band, as Howard, Trevor and original founder member James Gardner were all schoolmates @ Old Hall High School, Maghull, L31. My actual first band was Alvin The Aardvark & The Fuzzy Ants and our first gig was on Granada TV’s “After All That…This” late-night arts magazine show in 1980 and was completely live and broadcast just the once! […] Our second was supporting Cabaret Voltaire at Plato’s Ballroom in Liverpool, a radical avant-garde nightclub/art-happening organised by Nathan McGough that was way ahead of it’s time. New Order played their very first UK ‘post-Joy Division’ gig there a few weeks earlier.
A.T.A.A.T.F.A sadly never made a record, although we’d recorded a single @ Liverpool’s seminal Open Eye Studios in 1981 that never saw the light of day. John Peel was a fan though, and one of my most exciting moments as a teenager was my mum handing me the phone and saying “It’s John Peel for you son”’. (http://www.apollo440.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=92&Itemid=94)

Named after a children’s toy the band created a original mix of avant-garde and jazz rock which materialized in 1981 on some tracks which appeared on the tapezine Merseysound Vol.2 (namely the oddly tilted ‘23across the Impresario 5 Letters 4 Letters’ − apparently a homage to Radio Merseyside Roger Hill − ‘Pip’s Tune’ and ‘Chumakin Dust’). Six other tracks have been recorded for a cassette EP (‘6 Audio Events’, July 1981), other 6 live tracks recorded at Plato’s Ballroom (25 February 1981) appeared on the tape ‘New’, and the band also recorded what should have been their first vinyl release (namely the single ‘Pip’s Tune’) at Open Eye Studios but they disbanded before the end of the year, and the single was not released.

Reviewing the A.T.A.A.T.F.A. last gig, (in October 1981) Breakout Magazine wrote:

‘The Ants have become almost a legendary cult band on Merseyside. With their select random non-promoted gigs and unique equipment and sound. If you have not seen The Ants then you have missed out on a unique and wondrous set. They would be an excellent soundtrack to a weird dream. The Ants are very committed to what they do, sometimes too committed. One shall always strive to be an artist. I’ve a feeling the ants think they are artists, a dangerous position. Nevertheless, what did we have here tonight. Five musicians putting noises together to create a feeling more than a sound. The Ants biggest problem is not being taken seriously by the audience, a pity as I find them listenable above all else. […] There is not a more extravagant band on Merseyside. […] I hope this is not the last we hear of the Ants. Merseyside need them badly’ (Breakthrough Magazine #3, October 1981).

The same month Hancock and Padmore left, and the Ants split.

Alien Heat (1979-1980)

2011-12-27T08:10:00.001-08:00

Birkenehead band formed in 1979 by David Hughes (guitar), Ian Powell (bass) (later Oklamotif, 11:59), Neill Buckley (keyboards), and Dave Hughes (drums), as a jazz-prog rock-oriented act. In 1980, after recruiting vocalist Paula Molyneux and under the guidance of manager Andy ‘Mally’ Jones (of Pink Moon record shop), the band changes their style towards a more pop-oriented sound. They only released one single (on their own label Alien Heat Record) in 1980, produced by Richard Brobyn:

Was it Love? (1980)

a. Was it Love?

b. Colours

The single reflects the two souls of Alien Heat, Colours being the space-jazz type of number the band used to write before Molyneux joined, and Was It Love? pointing to mainstream pop territories.

alien heat

Mutants - 1977-78 Recordings [Re-Up]

2011-12-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

Birkenhead band formed straight from school in the summer of ’76 by Keith Wilson (aka Keith 'Kid' Steele, on guitar, later of Geisha Girls) and Paul Codman (aka Paul Pleasant, on drums, later in Egypt for Now and Geisha Girls) inspired by the pub rock of Eddie and the Hot Rods and by raw approach of the Stooges and MC5. After several changes the official line-up included, besides Keith 'Kid' Steele and Paul Pleasant, Sweet William on vocals, Al Sation (aka Paul Brady later Crawl, Ulterior Motive) on bass, and Roddie Rodent (aka Roddie Gilliard, later Muffin Man) on guitar.
The Mutants played their first ever gig at Mr. Digby’s in Birkenhead (with Slaughter and the Dogs) and quickly established themselves as an easy target for music criticism: they were too spikey, fast and ‘punky’ for a rock audience and too ‘rocky’ for a punk audience. For this reason they were banned from the premier new wave venue Eric’s due to their ‘unsuitability’. (Apparently, they responded by covering the entire club exterior, doors and all, with hundreds of posters for their upcoming gigs at the Havanna. And later, Eric’s would attempt to book the band at double their usual fee but the band at this point refused the offer). Their London debut was at the Roxy in Covent Garden, supporting The Police.
The Mutants released their first single in 1977:

Bos sman (1977)
- Boss Man
- Backyard Boys’

The single got some favourable reviews and even peaked at number six in the ‘Sounds’ new wave chart in October ’77, even though the band were disappointed, as the record failed to capture the raw energy and excitement of their live sound. The band continue touring extensively through the North, but when the time came to go back into the studio, the lack of commitment from a major label and the subconscious awareness of their inability to realise that ‘mass-market break’ took its toll. Keith Wilson, left just before the band released their second single:

Schoolteacher (1978)
- Schoolteacher
- Lady
- Hard Time

After the release of the single the band continued for several months, but due to the diminishing enthusiasm the Mutants split in late summer ’78.

Mutants

The Last Chant - Run of the Dove (1981)

2011-11-30T00:40:00.000-08:00

The Last Chant (originally The Offenders) formed in 1981 by gathering friends from Liverpool Bluecoat School, namely David ‘Dix’ Dickie (vocals, guitar, later Black), Andrew Hussey (guitars), Brian Ashcroft (bass, vocals), Tim Blanthorn (violin), Richard Evans (percussion), Colin Billinge (drums, later Heaven Tonight). This line-up released the band’s first single in October 1981:

Run of the Dove (1981)

- Run of the Dove

- Strength Alone

- Tradition

As to who/what inspired himself and the band, Hussey concedes: ‘the Velvet Underground, Sex Pistols, Doors, Fela Kuti, Burning Spear, Edith Piaf, Joy Division […] The Sex Pistols were great… they believed in absolutely nothing… what always annoyed me about Punk was the way the Sex Pistols were always lumped together with all those mediocre groups who signified some kind of political or sociological protest such as the Clash… really boring political things. Politics is irrelevant… […] The Sex Pistols were just a magnificent nihilistic force… the prevalent attitude today is the importance of technical competence. When we play live the most frequent criticism is that we are not tight enough… what isn’t realised is that half of what we play is improvised. Of course this means we are frequently erratic, but also that we retain a certain tension. What matters is not play well, but to play with authority.’ (Bobeye Magazine, March 1982)

In 1982 the line-up changed drastically, with only Ashcroft remaining as a stable member from the original band, while Dikie joined Black and Hussey left to go the Manchester University and then moved to Paris. Ashcroft was joined by Colin McCornick (drums) and Dikie Rude (bass, vocals), and much later on by Dan Evan on guitars, Ronnie Williams (sax). By 1985 McCornick left for No Exit (see relevant post) and was replaced by some Karl. The band provided a song (Indifferent Blood) for the Two Points to Tonka cassette-compilation, after which Rude started collaborating with Wah! And Williams joined the Paradine Express.

last chant

Care - Singles (1983-1984) [Re-Up]

2011-11-30T00:03:00.000-08:00

Care formed in Liverpool, England, in 1983, when, after the split of the Wild Swans (with original members Jem Kelly and Ged Quinn forming the Lotus Eaters with Peter Coyle), singer Paul Simpson (also ex-keyboardist for the Teardrop Explodes) teamed up with guitarist Ian Broudie (previously of Big in Japan and Original Mirrors). The first single release came out in June 1983

My Boyish Days (Drink To Me) (1983)
- My Boyish Days (Drink To Me) (12" Version)
- An Evening In The Ray
- A Sad Day For England

The single well-represented the style of the band: shimmery guitar riffs and gleaming synthesizers (though ‘poppier’ and less elaborated then Kelly’s and Quinn’s) accompanying Simpson's dreamy and heartbroken crooning. Two more singles were to follow the first in October 1983, the second one in March 1984:

Flaming Sword (1983)
- Flaming Sword (12" Version)
- Misericorde
- White Cloud (alternative versions of the original ‘On The White Cloud’)

Whatever Possessed You (1984)
- Whatever Possessed You
- Besides (One And Two)

The duo was working on demos in view of an album (mainly with Ian Broudie on guitars, production and keyboards, with Paul Simpson on the keyboards and guitars, collaborating with Paul Sangster – formerly of Send No Flower together with Alan Wills and Ian Asbury – and Tony Wikelan), to be possibly titled Love Crowns and Crucifies, when divergences in the musical views of the two members – Broudie's taste for gleeful commercial pop vs. Simpson's penchant for darker more serious fare – caused the band to split. Simpson then re-formed the Wild Swans (with Jeremy Kelly and Alan Wills), while Broudie, some time later, would create the Lightning Seeds.

singles

(sse also http://www.flamingsword.co.uk/index.htm
http://www.lightning-seeds.co.uk/Care/history.htm )

La La Bam Bam (1982-85)

2011-11-29T23:51:00.001-08:00

The band formed around 1982, under a name that was supposed to be perfectly appropriate for a band “who delighted and revelled in playing incessant melodious pop tunes” (Interview with James Scanlon 1988). The band featured Jeff Skellon (bass), Mark Kemp (vocals, later Empire), Mick Bulger (guitars, later Christians), Clive Gee (keyboards), and Mark Edmundson (drums, former Nadsad Fashion, Feathers & The Fire, Visual Aids, Royal Family, later Flock of Seagulls), soon replaced by John McQueen. The band recorded one single in October 1984:

The Colour of Your Eyes (1984)

- The Colour of Your Eyes

- I’m in Love with You

- Smiling

The Catalogue #20 wrote: ‘There’s something oddly attractive about The Colour of Your Eyes […]. Another 2 track 12” touching several bases with some nice details. One to watch, as they say’ (October 1984)

The band also performed on a Janice Long session, for her Saturday evening program on Radio One, playing The Colour of Your Eyes, Poisoned Umbrellas, Wearing Your Skin. The reaction to it was positive, and the session got repeated. LaLaBamBam also did a couple of sessions for the Radio Merseyside programme Streetlife.

In 1985 they provided the track Is it? For the compilation LP Blush on Black. Around the same time they played at a 36-hour gig at the Royal Court, a drug awareness gig. Perry Leach remembers:

‘In 85ish I remember being involved with Joey Musker and the drum marathon - a 36 hour gig at the Royal Court where the drumbeat couldn’t stop for 36 hours. All the top Liverpool bands played - Bunnymen, Pale Fountains, Icicle Works. It was a drugs awareness gig, although you needed to be aware of drugs to get you through 36 hours of drumming. I played with a host of bands as a second drummer which meant you had to keep a hi-hat beat between the bands’ songs; hence the 36 hours non-stop drumming. I did play a proper set at the show for La La Bam Bam with Jeff Skellon and Mark Kemp, who later I was to join up with on the People Get Ready project a few years later. I still keep in touch with Jeff who’s a fellow merchandiser with the same company.’

(http://noexit-thevow.co.uk/book/export/html/158 )

By the mid-eighties the members of the band went their separate ways, Kemp joining Empire, Bulger the Christians and Edmundson A Flock of Seagulls.

More of/by the band can be found here

Apologies for Innocence (1981-87)

2011-11-29T07:05:00.001-08:00

Formby rock band formed in 1981 by Rob Jackson (aka Robin Jackson, vocals, synths), Graeme Lodge (bass, synths), and Richard Watts (guitars) and Mat Thomas (drums). This line-up recorded and release the fist and only band’s single in May 1982

Across the Wire (1982)

- Across the Wire (extended)

- Days Alone

- Is This Heaven?

In 1983 Watts left and was replaced first by Mark Caulfiled and, in 1984, by Paul Geraghty. In 1986 the band were still active and contributed the song Surrender for the Twist and Samba compilation.

The single can be found here (thanks to our friend Vinyl Obscurity)

The Whiskey Priests - Live in Studio Demo (1986)

2011-10-28T01:32:00.000-07:00

Four piece punk band formed in late 1985 by Peter Hurst (guitars, former Marshmallow Overcoat), Paul Scott (bass, former Marshmallow Overcoat, Western Diplomats), Pete Pulford (bass, vocals and tapes), Jon Sharples (drums). They released a self-named 6 track demo in 1986. They played in the Liverpool area (about ten gigs, supporting such acts like Crikey it’s the Cromptons and Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus). After a gig Faith in Pleasure Magazine (1986) commented: ‘There is the singer Pete, the guitarist Pete, a bass player playing his bass with his back to the audience and a drummer who kicks fuck out of his drums. […] the racket is harsh & angry & kicks you on the knees. William Burroughs provides a running commentary cut up throughout. […] The racket though is very, very good. […] They did seem very self destructive.’ Here is how the band sounds:

Live in the Studio Demo (ca. 1986)

- My God Is My Gun

- Ghost Rooms

- Smokestack Lightning

- Cigarette Movies

- Forget It All

Before splitting in Summer 1986 they offered the track Forget It All (a cover of a Hoi Polloi song) for the compilation Bugs On The Wire (1987, see relevant post).

wp – studio live

(Major thanks to Pete Hurst himself, who made this post possible!)

Pete Hurst (pre-Whiskey Priests)

2011-10-28T01:19:00.000-07:00

After the split of Dementia, Pete Hurst (the drummer with the band, formerly with Dance Ritual, Green Cube, Patterns, Marshmallow Overcoat) spent some time with Mr. Toad and The Naughty Majorcans. During his time with the band Hurts worked on some solo material, which saw the light of day on the Compilation Ways to Wear Coats (the numbers Through The Binoculars Of The People and End (with, Brian N. Smithers) see relevant post). In the same period Hurts worked with Pete Pulford on some demos.

Pre-Whiskey Priests Demo (ca. 1985)

- Witchcraft and Communism

- Woman in Red 24

Soon after came the Whiskey Priests.

demo

(Major thanks to Pete Hurst himself, who made this post possible!)

Dementia (1983-85)

2011-10-28T00:53:00.000-07:00

This punk act originated in late 1983 when Jimmy McVeigh (vocals, former Reiner Chaos) and Tudor (guitar, vocals, former Public Disgrace, later Gone to Earth, Mr. Toad & the Naught Majorcans, Suicide Stars) − both from Das Reiner − were joined by Pete Hurst (drums, former Dance Ritual, Green Cube, Patterns, later Mr. Toad & the Naught Majorcans) and Mike Poole (bass, later Suicide Stars).

Here is how Breakthrough Magazine described the band:

‘Whilst all four members of the band share the standard punk philosophy, they are by no means the standard band playing 1-2-3-4 Thrash, thrash, thrash. […]. In late ’83 Dementia (named after the 50’s slasher movie DEMENTIA VIII) experimented with two drummers to achieve that wonderful, full heavy drum sound made famous by Gary Glitter but they soon found that Hursty could provide the required sound on his own. As well as Gary Glitter, Dementia are influenced by the New York Dolls, and even pay homage with their own version of ‘Mystery Girls’. […] Dementia hope to be a force to be reckoned with in their own area of music − not just punk, but rock as well. In fact, punk-rock.’

‘Live Dementia provide a visual good show […] The songs are meaty and played well by all the band members.’ (March 1985)

In March 1985 the band released their first and only official record, an eponymous Mini-Lp on Skysaw.

Dementia (1985)

Side A.

- Easy Way Out - Fear - I’m Gonna

Side B.

- Written in Blood - Embarkation - Basic Feelings - Back in the States

Later the same year Skysaw released a tape (also called Dementia) containing all the tracks of the Mini-Lp plus three extra tracks. By early 1986, Dementia were no more: after having sessioned for the folk-punk act Gone to Earth in 1985, Tudor joined them for good; Poole (and later Tudor) joined Suicide Star; Hurst spent some time (again with Tudor ) in Mr. Toad & The Naughy Majorcans.

Dementia

(Major thanks to Pete Hurst himself, who made this post possible!)

Das Reiner - Demo (1982)

2011-10-19T01:17:00.000-07:00

Das Reiner came about when Tudor (guitar, vocals) left Public Disgrace, the first Liverpool hardocre punk act (see relevant post), to join Reiner Chaos. This was a punk band (originally called Great British Mistake Part 2) formed in 1982 and consisting of Chris Dollar (vocals), Chris McGuire (guitar), Dave Hughes (guitar, vocals, later Danse Macabre), Jimmy McVeigh (bass, also later Danse Macabre), Oz (aka Ozzy, guitar), and Dave Bellamy (drums). As to their beginnings the band recalls: ‘The first gig we’ve ever done was at the Everyman Bistro and we were known as the Great British Mistake Part 2, and we were asked to leave after 3 minutes. It was a fun gig and it was our start in life’. As to their recorded material Oz concedes: ‘‘The best thing we ever had was a cassette recording made in my living room in early 1982, I think, which was accidentally recorded over late one night by an out of brain Dave H and was never heard again. Shame coz it was really rather good.’ Towards the end of the year Hughes quit and was replaced by Tudor (later Dementia, Gone To Earth, Mr Toad & The Naughty Majorcans), this line-up changed their name to Das Reiner and released their demo in late 1982.

Demo (1982)

- Funny Farm
- Problem in My Head
- Love for Sale

demo

OMD - Live at Leigh Open Air Pop Festival (1979)

2011-09-30T08:04:00.001-07:00

On August 27^th 1979, around the same time of their first Peel session, OMITD played at the infamous Leigh Open Air Pop Festival. To an audience of less than a hundred people Paul Humphreys, Andy McCluskey and the drum machine Winston performed songs that appeared on the band first single (Electricity, Almost) and would later be included in the band first LP.

Live at Leigh Open Air Pop Festival (1979):

- Messages

- Bunker Soldiers

- Julia's Song

- VCBXL

- Almost

- Red Frame White Light

- Mystery Reality

- Electricity

A journalsit said: “Musically they were fine but the sight of two keyboards isn’t exactly the perfect formula for a succesful festival set. But nevertheless, the bouncing, dancing, vibrating sound ofd OMITD stands leagues above the sickly nopise of Numan”

leigh79

OMD - Peel Session 1979

2011-09-30T07:10:00.000-07:00

On August 20^th 1979 OMD recorded their first Radio One Peel Session. For the recording Paul Humphreys played keyboards and provided some vocals while Andy McCluskey was on vocals, bass, and drum machine programming. The track list consisted of four numbers:

Peel Session (August 1979)

- Julia'S Song

- Messages

- Red Frame/White Light

- Bunker Soldiers

The session, produced by Tony Wilson and engineered by Dave Dade, was then aired on September 3^rd 1979.

peel79

OMD - Free Artifacts: The Unreleased ’78 Tapes

2011-09-30T07:09:00.001-07:00

Paul Humphreys and Andy McCluskey decided on a clear muscial direction to give to their new band, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (from the title of on of their earliest compositions), very much inspired by the German elechtonic group Kraftwerk. The duo started collecting electronic instruments and affordable synthesizers (Korg MS20, Elgam Symphony, Korg Micro-Preset, Selmer Pianotron and a Roland CR-78 drum machine), and experimenting with the sounds coming from those machines and from McCluskey’s bass. The songs combined radio waves, noises, excerpts from radio and TV broadcasts, rhythm sections and melodic parts. In october 1978 Orchestral Manouvers in the Dark (at the time acronym-ed ad OMITD) played at Eric’s. Part of the playlist for the gig was the following:

- Introducing Radios

- Distance Fades Between Us

- Progress

- Once When I Was Six

(A bonus 7" EP titled ‘Free Artefact - The Unreleased '78 Tapes’ came with the first 10,000 copies of the band’s second LP, Organisation, released in 1980.) The performance captured Tony Wilson’s attention, who signed the band to his Factory for their fist sngle.

omd 78

A Shallow Madness (Re-Up)

2011-09-30T06:41:00.000-07:00

On May 5th 1977, after a gig by The Clash at the legendary Eric’s Club, Julian Cope (later Teardrop Explodes), Ian McCulloch (later Echo & the Bunnymen) and Pete Wylie (later Wah!) met and decided to form a band, Arthur Hostile & The Crucial Three, immediately shortened in The Crucial Three. The group rehearsed only once, wrote only a single – according to McCulloch, very bad – song (possibly titled Salomine Shuffle or Bloody Sure You're On Dope), and disbanded.

After the Crucial Three, Julian Cope and Pete Wylie formed The Nova Mob, recruiting punk friend Griff and future Banshees's drummer Budgie. A short-lived act (just the time for a disastrous performance at Eric's) that folded when Budgie left to join Big in Japan. Julian Cope briefly formed an experimental group called The Hungry Types, and then formed Uh? with Ian McCulloch and McCulloch's school friend Dave Pickett. McCulloch left after the band's first and only gig. Cope and McCulloch formed their last band together, A Shallow Madness in early 1978, along with Paul Simpson on keyboards, Dave Pickett on drums, and occasionally Mick Finkler on guitar. Of the activity of the band only a couple of original rehearsal recordings survived:

- Books (with McCulloch on vocals, then to appear in a different version as a Bunnymen’s and Teardrop’s number)
- Straight Rain (without McCulloch)

At this point A Shallow Madness featured the original Teardrop Explodes line-up of Cope (bass), Paul Simpson (keyboards), Mick Finkler (guitar), plus Ian McCulloch. The latter's non-attendance at rehearsals led to Cope taking over vocals and thus The Teardrop Explodes was born. Simpson will leave the Teardrops in 1979 to form his own band The Wild Swans in 1980.

a shallow madness

The Id (1977-79)

2011-08-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

The Id formed in September 1977 and were active between 1977 and the summer 1978 as an eight-piece band, featuring young musicians coming from Wirral-based prog or hard rock and heavy metal acts such as Equinox and Pegasus. The Id consisted of three singers (Andy McCluskey, Julia Kneale (McCluskey's girlfriend), John Floyd), two guitarists (Neill Shenton and Gary Hodgson), bass (Steve Hollas), keyboard player (Paul Humphreys) and drummer (Malcolm Holmes) − a second drummer (Simon Bateman) was asked to join but declined the offer.

Before the Id, McCluskey was in Pegasus and Humphreys in Equinox, then they were together in Hitlerz Underpantz (with Clived Gee, later Afraid of Mice). When HU dissolved, McCluskey was at Wallasey Art College where he met Julia Kneale. Humphreys was instead at Riversdale College studying electronics and communications with Hodgson and Hollas. Humphreys invited Hogson and Hollas to team up with himself and McCluskey, who, in his turn, asked John Floyd, an old school friend, to join this new band. Holmes was also an acquaintance of McCluskey, and had worked with Dalek I Love You and Margox (with Margi Clark).

Once the line-up was established the Id started to gig around the Merseyside (in church halls rather than pubs!) also making it at Eric’s. At this stage they have started writing their own material (many of these numbers would become OMD classics, such as Radio Waves, Red Frame / White Light, and, most noticeably Electricity.

In 1978 things started to change. First, the line-up shrank down to a solid five-piece, after Shenton (who quit to join The Man From UNCLE, for which also Holmes did some drumming). The group began to gig regularly in the Merseyside area, performing original material mostly written by McCluskey and Humphreys, and developing quite a following on the scene. Second, following Roger Eagle’s suggestion the Id – McCluskey, Humphreys, Holmes, Hodgson and Hollas − decided to record some of their material, and produced a three-track demo at Open Eye (containing the McCluskey-Humphreys penned numbers Electricity and the acoustic Misunderstanding, plus a number with Kneale’s lyrics to it, hence the title Julia’s Song).

Despite having quite a following in the North, in August 1978, as the band was going to pieces, McCluskey quit to (briefly) join Dalek I Love You, whose use of baking tapes would be inspiring to him and influential for OMD musical style. In this period Humphreys was also experimenting with sounds and radio noises (he had been since his time in college), which were now the basic ingredients for the VCLXI, the first, provisional, name (from a detail on the cover of Kraftwerk’s Radioactivity) for a new project that consisted mainly of Humphreys, McCluskey, and ‘Winston’, a synth operated by Paul Collister. The duo continued as such until December 1979, when Holmes rejoined his bandmates and Dave Hughes (former Dalek I Love You) was added to the line-up especially for live performances.

At about the same time when OMD released their first single (a reworked version of the Id Electricity, whose original demo version appeared also on the Unearthed, Liverpool Cult Classics, Volume 3), another Id number (Julia’s Song) appeared on the compilation record Street to Street: A Liverpool Album (August 1979).

The Open Eye demo has been digitalized and made available in 2002.

Some Detergents… (1979-83)

2011-08-27T04:19:00.000-07:00

Some Detergents were an electro/synth-pop act put together in 1979 by Chris Shaw (synths, one of the founding members of Dalek I Love You, alongside Alan Gill, Dave Balfe and David Hughes) with schoolfriend Chris Russell (vocals, also in the Games, later Sense of Vision), and, from 1981, Brendan Coyle (synths, also in the Games). Coyle remembers: ‘I met the two Chris’ at Bradys and we thought we had the same musical differences. I ahd my electronic moods and they had their sixties moods – and we though we could combine them. So when the Games split I approached the two Chris and, well it seems to blend’ (Breakout Mag, July 1982). Before Coyle the band went through phases where several musicians were tried out: ‘We’ve had other people who’ve past through, but we always seemed to find that our certain sound – which is for us Some Detergents – was being eroded, so it never really worked out with anyone else’ (Popeye Mag, March 1982).

When it comes to define their musical style they claim: ‘Well, we’re not really a synth band. We use guitars mainly and have synths as backing. We have rhythm units down on tape and mix this with live drums to give a good flavour’ (Breakout Mag, July 1982). The fact of having been in or around such bands as Dalek I Love You influenced a lot the band’s style, in terms of sounds and song structure. Shaw concedes: ‘Although the single is not simple, it’s complex actually, we’re moving towards simplified music. When we got the single and listened to it, we realised it was too complex − too much information in it’ (Breakout Mag, July 1982).

As to the origin of the name the band recalls: ‘We were all sitting around watching TV discussing a suitable name, when Chrissy [Russell]’s sister – during the adverts –said ‘Some detergents have nice names’ and that was it!’

The band first and only single was released in 1982:

Moderne Problem (1982)

- Colours

- Moderne Problem

- Wake Up

‘We’ve written the songs between us. We don’t make compromises – we’ve got to be one hundred percent sure about every note, sound, lyric. It’s obviously not easy but eventually we arrive at a satisfactory result. Each song is brought about like a kind of collage. Different textures of sounds are put together – the latest electronic sounds with the raw sixties moods, utilising acoustic instruments. The songs take modern problems, social human problems. We present them to the listener but we don’t try to make any particular statement or judgement’ (Popeye Mag, March 1982). As to the rather unusual cover of the single Russell concedes: ‘Well, me and Chris used to work in Hamburg and when we were in supermarkets we noticed the packaging was really nice so when we came home we brought some and because I went to art college I was interested in this and so I designed the cover.’ (Breakout Mag, July 1982)

Thanks to Janice Long (Radio Merseyside, Street Life), John Peel and Peter Powell, who played extensively their single, Some Detergents gained a remarkable reputation even before playing any gig. When they eventually did, they lived up to the expectations: ‘Some Detergents proved that what they were capable of in a studio could be reproduced, note-perfect, in a live situation – over a backing of rhythms, the group played bass, electric and acoustic guitar and synthesiser to create a full rich sound. Their music has, in the past, been described as using 60s moods, perhaps the main reason for this being their enviable ability to write memorable melodies coupled with thoughtful lyrics’ (Merseysound #26, October 1982). Live gigs, although quite infrequent, provided the occasion for playing new material, among which unrecorded songs like Don’t Go Out Tonight, What Romance and the instrumental I Want to Look at Pictures.

In 1983 Some Detergents disbanded, and Shaw and Russell formed Sense Of Vision, with former Games keyboardist Colin Hughes.

moderne problem

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Shaw_%28musician%29 )

The Games - Some Recordings (1980-82) [Re-Up]

2011-08-27T02:41:00.000-07:00

Wirral electronic dance band formed in 1980 by Brendan Coyle (synths, later Some Detergents), Colin Hughes (synths, later Sense of Vision) and Steve Knott (guitar and vocals), deeply influenced by the electronic pop so popular at the start of the decade (Roxy Music, Japan, and especially the Human League, from whom they also got the idea of female dancers for live performances). Their first single was released in 1980:

First Law of Games (1980)
- First Law of Games
- Childsplay

In 1981, the same line-up recorded a couple of songs (Unrest in the Real World and The Song) to be featured on the compilation Street to Street Vol. 2 (see below). In March of the same year a cassette compilation with some of their songs was privately released (that is, impossible to find!) with the title The Bogus Compendium.

In 1982, the line-up expanded with the inclusion of Chris Shaw (synths, former Dalek I Love You, at the time also with Some Detergents, and later with Sense of Vision). The four-piece act recorded and released the band’s second and final single in February 1982.

Dance This Way (1982)
- Dance This Way
- Love Canal

The Games disbanded by the end of the year.
In 1983 Steve Knott resurrected the band for one only gig at Pickwick’s. For the occasion he was joined on stage by Wayne Hussey (on guitar, at the time with Dead or Alive), Bran Jones (on drums, from A Selected Committee, later with Something French), and David Hughes (on keys, previously Dalek I Love You - with former Games’ member Chris Shaw – and later OMD, Godot, Thomas Lang Band).

This is how Merseysound (# 20, December 1981) reviewed one of the Games’ gigs: ‘The Games inhabit that electronic pop world so popular today. The singer lacks the coy sensuality of Ferry, Oakey or Sylvian, the female dancers a la Human League always seem out of time and self conscious, and the sound lacks any of the incisive or arresting qualities which only the very best of this electronic bunch seem able to create’

games

Funkmeister - War Dance (1984)

2011-08-27T02:15:00.000-07:00

Funkmeister was a studio project consisting of Lee Marles (former Accelerators, Motion Pictures), Ian Lazlo and Jackson. The idea for the song was about putting together the voices of Goering, Hitler and Churchill, the ‘vocal’ track being underplayed with a heavy disco-beat. To avoid any problem due to the content of the speeches quoted the trio have to add on the cover of the vinyl the following disclaimer: 'This record is not intended to offend nor does it infer any political significance. It's content is purely historic. A donation is being made to a relevant British Charity from the proceeds of this record'.

War Dance (1984)

- War Dance

- Battle Beat

funkmeister

The Lawnmower (1981-1987)

2011-07-27T04:10:00.000-07:00

The Lawnmower formed in 1981 as an impromptu band, put together by Roger Eagle and consisting of the duo Alan Peters (vocals, trumpet, harmonica, former Almost Blues, Supercharge, Opposition, 29th & Dearborn, Love Ponies, Beach Bastards, Faction) and Mick Hucknall (vocals, harmonica, former Frantic Elevators, later Simply Red). The band quickly evolved by the inclusion of former Accelerators Martin ‘Yorker’ Smith (guitars) and Tony Doyle (bass, later Adams Family, Cat Scratch Fever), and former The English / Z Victor 1, Tony Dalman (a.k.a. Tony Dalman, drums, percussion), further extended in 1983 with the addition of former The Systems Mike Nelson (sax). In 1984 Smith quit and was replaced by Kenny Roberts (former Opposition, 29th & Dearborn). With the help of George Newport (keyboards) and Angie Sammons (vocals), this line-up released the band’s debut release, a 7 track mini LP:

The Cat (1985)

- The Cat

- South American Cousin

- Jumpin’ High

- The Boys Are back in Town

- Smokin’ Joe

- Cry Cry Cry

- Hit the Road Jack

As to the origin of the band, Alan Peters recalls: ‘We were recording an album for Mick Hucknall’s band The Frantic Elevators, and he wanted the sound of Adam’s club. Roger [Eagle of Eric’s] put Bo Diddley on at Adam’s Club. […] Roger was working under the name of ‘Jukebox Johnson’, which he often did when he DJ-ed. He said he could do with a break and asked me and Mick Hucknall to get up [on stage] − just the two of us, no backing. Mick did ‘Gin House’ with me on harmonica and I did ‘Got My Mojo Working’with Mick playing harmonica. It went down well, a great night.

‘We continued recording Frantic Elevators live at Adam’s Club, and later I saw a poster on the wall that said ‘The Lawnmower’ and I asked Roger who the band was. He said ‘That’s you and Mick! You’ve got ten days to get a few musicians together!’ So we did, and The Lawnmower evolved. Originally the rhythm section had a stand-up drummer, Tony Dalman, and we had Tony Doyle on double-bass, Kenny Roberts on guitar, and Mike Nelson on tenor sax. Roger gave us the namr − it comes from a country music track, it’s got a line that goes ‘She’s got ways like a mowing machine / she’s known as The Lawnmower!’’(Florek / Whelan, Liverpool Eric’s, p. 74)

Mick Hucknall remembers: ‘As the Frantic Elevators were fizzling out, The Lawnmower was a way of getting me to get out and start playing with another band − that was with Alan Peters, and Martin on guitar, and Tony Doyle on double bass who I thought was a really good musician, and we initially approached him to play bass with Simply Red. […] As The Lawnmower we opened for Bo Diddley, Junior Walker and the Allstars, Sonny Terry and Brownie Maghee.’(Florek / Whelan, Liverpool Eric’s, p. 29-30)

lawnmower

In 1987 the band released the single Thin Man (you can listen to it here , thanks to Napomm).

( see also here )

The Motion Pictures (1982-84)

2011-07-27T04:08:00.001-07:00

The Motion Pictures original line-up − Steve Emberon (vocals, bass former The Next), Gordon Longsworth (guitars, vocals, later Ponderosa Glee Boys, Foundation, Visual Aids), Chris Edwards (keyboards) and Tony Mckenna (drums, later Visual Aids, The English) − changed in 1982 when Longsworth and Mckenna quit to join the Visual Aids, and were replaced respectively by Lee Marles (guitars, former Accelerators) and by Ray Martin (a.k.a. Roy Martin), first, and Mark Armstrong, in late 1983, on drums. Jeff Kelly (bass) and Ray Jones (percussion) occasionally helped the band during sessions. Despite this personnel, the band’s success was on the decline. Here is how NME reviwed one of the band’s last gigs: ‘Motion Pictures have gaps in their chests where their hearts used to be. The reek of profit margins and steady careers pervades their music which seems to have been exorcised of all original identity, leaving only a flabby, anaemic exterior. The pieces have been photo-fitted together but do not make up an organic whole. In attempting to streamline and commercialise their sound they’ve inadvertently thrown the baby out with the bathwater’ (Robert Scott, 19 May 1984).

In 1984 Motion Pictures finally disbanded. Chris Edwards formed Manteau (with Brian Renwick, Bernie Daracott, Alan Pendergast), Lee Marles formed the studio band Funkmeister, and in 1985 Steve Emberton joined Dreamtime (with Paul Skillen).

Some Emberton/Longsworth-penned numbers were to appear on various synth-pop compilations, namely:

- Here to Eternity

- When Time Stood Still

- Daydream Domestic

Other audio material can be found on the band’s myspace page here .

motion pictures (comp)

The Motion Pictures (1978-1981)

2011-07-27T04:03:00.000-07:00

The Motion Pictures was a powerpop band formed in 1978 by Steve Emberon (vocals, bass former The Next), Gordon Longsworth (guitars, vocals, later Ponderosa Glee Boys, Foundation, Visual Aids), Chris Edwards (keyboards) and Tony Mckenna (drums, later Visual Aids, The English). This line-up recorded the first single in October 1980:

Twisted Avenues (1980)

- Twisted Avenues

- Unknown Quantity

A few months later a second single followed:

Jon (1981)

- Jon

- Audio Scan

Boosted by the positive reaction of both the public and the music press the Motion Pictures went to New York for recording sessions and TV interviews. The press was still enthusiastic about the band when they returned. Here is how Rolling Thunder (Dec. 1982) welcomed their return: ‘After ten months in the doldrums, former Liverpool favourites Motion Pictures are once again playing live gigs on Merseyside […]. However do not expect to hear the commercial sounds they were producing more than twelve months ago. Their music and style has changed considerably since their disappointing visit to New York earlier this year. Inspirational vocalist Steve Emberton still writes most of the material, with a little help from talented keyboard player Chris ‘Look, no synths’ Edwards. The band’s music has matured noticeably and Steve quotes Hall & Oates, Barry Manilow, Simon & Garfunkel, Olivia Newton-John and the Rolling Stones as his main influence […] Motion Pictures are in a class of their own. It should not be too long before they get the recognition they undoubtedly deserve.’

motion pictures

The Accelerators (1977-81)

2011-07-10T04:53:00.000-07:00

The Accelerators were formed by Chris Martin (vocals, later Adams Family), Martin ‘Yarker’ Smith (guitar) (later Lawnmower), Kathy Freeman (a.k.a. Kathy Apathy, vocals, guitars, keyboards, later of the Innocents, Kathy-X, Joyride), Brian ‘Damage’ Harcombe (drums) (former Shop Soiled, Filibuster, Death Kit, Restless – with 4-part vocal harmony front line – two girl singers, a bass player who sang and a guitarist who sang, and they wrote their own material”, later Adams Family), and Graham Marsh (bass) very early on replaced by Tony Doyle (later Lawnmower, Adams Family, Cat Scratch Fever).

Freeman, Smith (who were an item at the time) and Martin were already in the Biggles Blues Band, playing blues-rock classics such as Dust My Broom, Johnny B. Goode, Roll over Beethoven, and got Harcombe to gig with them. When punk came around Harcombe decided to quit.

Harcombe recalls: ‘I’d seen the Clash, I’d cut my hair off, and I said ‘They are my idea of a blues band in 1977…’ Kathy had also listened to Clash stuff, and she’d written a song called Street Kids, and that made Chris the singer think ‘Oh, I’ll write a song.’ And he did do. And Anyway, I left the band. Next day or a day later, this amazing thing happened. Kathy and Martin and Chris came round to ours, they’d sat and talked into the night, and […] said ‘We’ve decided to come with you Bri’ […] We ended up as a 8 piece band – 5 musicians and 3 crew [Mike Walker (sound, driver), Chris Bray (backline, managing director at Spiv Records, the band’s record company) and Sandra (drum technician)]. Everyone in the band had to do more than their one job. It’s not logical, but I got the job of knowing about frequencies and impedances and how does the P.A. work. Kathy got the job of booking the gigs. She made the phone calls, she posted off the tapes, sent out flyers, all that end of things.’

As to the recruitment of Doyle on bass duties, Harcombe recalls: ‘We had a bass player for a few months [Graham Marsh], he was a student, we should have known better. He couldn’t handle it. We played Blackpool, and admittedly there was a big fight, it had ended in a bloodbath, and we had to drive home withy no windscreen in the van… we got home and Graham said he didn’t want to play any more. We put adverts around, in Probe and the NME, ‘Accelerators need a bass player, come down Tuesday night…’ Tuesday night, there’s a queue down the road where we rehearsed. We went through all these people, who could play really well… […] Then this young lad turned up, Tony Doyle, he was 17. […] Tony, he says ‘I’ve written this…’ and it was Reason for Treason. […] So he was in.’

This line-up released a five-track demotape (Have You Been Accelerated?) in April 1979 (Radio Blues / Hype Machine / Western Countries / Space Patrol / Broken Promises), and in September of the same year they appeared on the ‘Street to Street’ Compilation with the number ‘Radio Blues’.

Later the same year the Accelerators released their firs E.P.

Reason for Treason (1979)

a. Popguns And Green Latern

a. Liberate The Night

a. Broken Promises

b. Reason For Treason

b. Telepathic Romance

b. This Is Your Life

Harcombe: ‘ We recorded half of it at Open Eye, it was Noddy Knowler who was engineering, the equipment was abysmal, but it had a four-track sound, and we liked that. We also booked into Amazon in Kirkby. We recorded some tracks in there, and we got a brilliant record-quality sound. So one side is 4-track Open Eye, and the other side is Amazon’

The Accelerators gigged extensively in and around Liverpool. In 1979 Smith quit and was replaced by Lee Marles (later Motion Pictures, Funk-Meister).

In early 1980 Freeman was becoming increasingly tired, especially with the managing of the band.

‘Eventually the management side of it started to kill her, and this is horrible, but we didn’t notice… and one day she just said ‘I can’t do this any more.’ […] So everything stopped. Kathy, she was the sound of the Accelerators, she played rhythm guitar like a machine gun. She was the musical soul of the Accelerators. And she wrote at least a third of the great numbers we did. It was only when she’d had enough, that the band finished. It’s only when everything stops, that you realise you are totally exhausted.’

‘The Accelerators were going for four years, the last gig was July 4^th, 1981 [at the Masonic]. We did our current set, and also played a lot of the original songs. We’d had over 200 songs. That night, we all came back to ours to sit around, and that night the Toxteth riots started and the Rialto burned down.’

After the split-up Lee Marles joined the Motion Pictues, Tony Doyle re-joined Martin Smith in the Lawnmower and Kathy Freeman joined the London-based The Innocents.

accelerators

(All quotations from Florek / Whelan, Liverpool Eric’s, 334-341)

The Balcony Dogs - Live

2011-06-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

The Sex Gods and Balcony Dogs used to have frequent jamming session did not gig around extensively.

On this point Andy Eastwood and Steve ‘Johno’ Johnson recall:

‘Andy: We don’t have to.

Johno: There’s not that many gigs to play in Liverpool, is there?

Andy: I think if you play a gig it should be an occasion, not just an excuse.

[Blast Off]: Do you think it’s more exciting doing one-off gigs?

Johno: No, not really. Not on a level, you are in a group and you work. The more you work the better you get. […] We chose to do it that way because you can’t really afford to go out to many places and play gigs all around the country, because it costs money. If you don’t get covered by the money you get from the gig, you’ve got to be sponsored which is where record companies come in, that’s when you go out and do tours. We’d love to do lots more gigs, but it’s just not feasible at the moment.

Andy: It’s having a solid game plan about how you’re gonna do it. You [Blast Off] suggested there’s a cult status. […] People put that on you because they don’t get the chance to see you that often. But obviously there’s a game plan to do that, so that there’s already something going on, your name goes ahead of you, that’s great’ (Blast Off, Feb 1988 #5)

Sex Gods / Balcony Dogs - Live

- Cross (live)

- Fluency (live)

bdl

The Balcony Dogs - The Trip (1988)

2011-06-26T09:04:00.001-07:00

The Balcony Dogs - Andy Eastwood (vocals) and Steve Johnson (guitar), Mooney (guitar), Gary Dwyer (drums, ex Teardrop Explodes, at the time occasionally playing with Black), Carl Washington (bass, ex Wah!) − in 1987 signed to Island recorded and band collected all their material onto an Lp.

About signing to Island records, Andy Eastwood recalls: ‘Really we needed to. Basically Pete [De Freitas] had ‘blown out’ a lor of money getting the whole thing going. Obviously, the controversy started when people started pinning labels on him that he’d ‘flipped’. We had just gone through severe poverty, even though people think you’re just pure decadent. We didn’t have any gear. Most of the geat that we used had to be borrowed and it just came to the point where we realized that we needed backing now, we needed somebody to believe that there was something there worth backing. We knew it, it’s just convincing the bastards to get the cheque books out. […] I’m quite glad that it turned out to be to be Island, because, as far as that bureaucracy goes, I think they are a less of a hassle to deal with, the less of the megabooks vibe.’ (Blast Off, Feb 1988 # 5)

The album was titled Trip (possibly referred to the experience/s in New Orleans that got things going). (Possibly Pete De Freitas played drums on some of the tracks.)

Balcony Dogs - The Trip (1988)
- Fluency 3
- Wheel of Fortune
- Good Little, Bad Little
- Shot to Earth
- Drug Planet #7
- Balcony Dog
- Charlene's Dream
- Rings of Saturn
- Underworld

After the split of the Balcony Dogs, many of the members joined the Divine Thunderbolt, formed by Tim Whittaker, featuring Jake Brokman, Andy Eastwood (vocals), Kate Milner (vocals), and at some point Pete and Frank De Freitas and Mike Mooney.

bdt

The Balcony Dogs - The Balcony Dogs (1988)

2011-06-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

The Sex Gods Andy Eastwood (on vocals) and Steve Johnson (on guitar) were joined by Mooney, first on bass, than on guitar, by Gary Dwyer (ex Teardrop Explodes, at the time occasionally playing with Black) on drums, and by Carl Washington (ex Wah!) on bass. Because of all these names and connections the band gained a cult status even before having released anything. The record company refused to release an album under the name of Sex Gods and the band opted for Balcony Dogs (taken from one of their songs). The first vinyl release was the self-title 12”:

The Balcony Dogs (1988):

- Balcony Dogs

- Rings Of Saturn

- Fat Pocket Justice

- McHelicopter

The Sex Gods - Some Recordings (1985-1986)

2011-06-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

By 1985 the Liverpool scene was quite stale. Music creators and consumers alike felt the need of "something fresh to liven up the Liverpool music scene" (Blast Off, Feb. 1988). The Sex Gods, in the mind of their founder members, were probably meant to fill this creative gap.
The original Sex Gods started off in late 1985 / early 1986 as a vague idea of fun born out of the disillusionment Pete De Freitas resented from the whole Bunnymen’s experience. The nucleus was formed by De Freitas himself, Tim Whittaker (ex Deaf School, Pink Military, Lori & the Chameleons, Gale Force), and Jake Brockman, in the Bunnymen’s rehearsal room. When the tension within the band exploded, De Freitas flew to New Orleand (pictures on the left), taking along the Bunnymen road crew of Tim Whittaker, Andy Eastwood (ex Crash Course, The Eye Of…), Steve ‘Johnno’ Johnson (ex Wah! Heat, a.k.a. Johnny Cult, ex Ellery Bop), plus Tim O’Shea (of Send No Flowers). The whole idea of the trip to New Orleans, in De Freitas’ words (1986) was the need “to get away on holiday and come back with more than just memories having spent a lot of money and very big hangovers [but rather] with something positive”. The idea was to work “totally off chance” and was partly inspired by the film The Dice Man, a culty lunatic semi-religion called Bokanism, and the weird notion of “the duck” – which stood for anything which is ridiculous, insane and irrational.

The band was occasionally joined by the Bunnymen’s on the road guitarist Mike Mooney (later Spiritualized) and sax player Mars Williams (Psychedelic Furs). This flexible line-up hung out, occasionally worked on songs, and allegedly documented the whole experience on super 8 film and in a book called The Godlogs.
In fact, the trip turned out to be less inspiring than planned, and all about not eating, not sleeping, ingesting vast quantities of LSD and alcohol, and crashing cars and motorcycles.
Mars Williams remembers that: “[De Freitas] was singing, and also decided that he wa going to play guitar. We rehearsed a bit in the house, wrote and worked on songs, and then we went into the studio and recorded some of it. The thing that was really bad about the band was that Pete should’ve been playing drums, because he was a great drummer, and the guy that was playing drums [Whittaker] wasn’t. And Pete was not a good guitarist, so who knows what he was trying to do. It was more like Pete’s friends hanging out” (1998).
As De Freitas’ finance dwindle, members of the Sex Gods begun drifting home one-by-one, each expressing concerns about De Freitas’ mental health.
Back in Liverpool, Whittaker left the band and De Freitas moved to the drumming stool, occasionally bringing in his brother Frank (Woodentops) on bass. During the summer the band recorded some songs in Rockfield, but this line-up wouldn’t last for long: by the end of 1986 the Sex Gods lost both founder members, as De Freitas rejoined the Bunnymen for good.

Some recordings

- Rings (demo, New Orleans)

- Untitled (Rockfield Studios)

- Nightpatrol

(All quotations from Chris Adams’ Turquoise Days)

The Frantic Elevators - Peel Session (1981)

2011-05-29T08:58:00.000-07:00

In February 1981 the Frantic Elevators - Mick Hucknall (vocals), Neil Smith (guitar), Brian Turner (bass), Kevin Williams (drums) - recorded their first Peel Session:

Peel Session:

- Ding Dong

- Searching for the Only One

- Hunchback of Notre Dame

- I Am the Man

- Production Prevention

They playing some new material that would soon be released as the band’s third single (Searching for the Only One / Hunchback of Notre Dame). In September of the same year the band recorded their second Peel Session (And I Don't Care (Nobody Stays Here), After Hanging Around, What To Do? I'm Not To See Her, Ice Cream And Wafers) rehearsing the material for a possible album which never saw the light of day.

The Frantic Elevators – Unreleased single (1980)

2011-05-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

In late 1979 the Frantic Elevators - Mick Hucknall (vocals, former Osiris, Joe Stalin's Red Star Radio Band, Purple Haze, later Simply Red), Neil Moss (a.k.a. Neil Smith, guitars, keyboards, former Osiris), Brian Turner (bass) and
Kevin Williams (drums) - recorded the tracks for their upcoming second single which was due in January 1980. For some reason, the single never materialized.

Hunchback of Notre Dame (1980)

- Hunchback of Notre Dame

- I See Nothing and Everything

- Don't Judge Me

The title track was later to be re-recorded and released as the b-side of the band’s third single (Searchihng for the Only One, see relevant post)

Fe3

(see also:

http://frantic.fluteboy.co.uk/

http://www.franticelevators.co.cc/ )

The Frantic Elevators (Part 2 - 1981-1982)

2011-05-18T09:04:00.001-07:00

The Frantic Elevators - Mick Hucknall (vocals, former Osiris, Joe Stalin's Red Star Radio Band, Purple Haze, later Simply Red), Neil Moss (a.k.a. Neil Smith, guitars, keyboards, former Osiris), Brian Turner (bass) and Kevin Williams (drums) released their third single in 1981:

Searching for the Only One (1981)

- Searching for the Only One

- Hunchback of Notre Dame

In September of the same year the band recorded their second Peel Session (And I Don't Care (Nobody Stays Here), After Hanging Around, What To Do? I'm Not To See Her, Ice Cream And Wafers) performing new material and proving the band’s creative productivity. A longish lapse of time was to pass before the Frantic Elevators’ fourth, final and self-financed single, which was released in late 1982:

Holding back the Years (1982)

- Holding back the Years

- Pistols in My Brain

Curiously enough the single failed to chart (due to poor distribution), whereas the A-side would resurface a couple of years later to become one of Simply Red’s most celebrated singles.

Although the band had already enough material for a debut album (the singles, the tracks for the Peel session, plus some new numbers like Haven't Got The Power) nothing came out of it. Hucknall quit in 1983, which continued for a few months as The Frantics before definitively disbanding by the end of the year.

Fe2

(see also:

http://frantic.fluteboy.co.uk/

http://www.franticelevators.co.cc/ )

The Frantic Elevators (Part 1 - 1978-1981)

2011-05-18T08:57:00.001-07:00

The Frantic Elevators were a band from Manchester. Their relevance to the Liverpool scene resides not only in the fact that they gigged quite frequently in Liverpool, but also because their original bass player, Brian Turner, formed the Crackin’ Up with Roger Eagle (of Eric’s fame) in 1981.

The band formed in 1978 and consisted of Mick Hucknall (vocals, former Osiris, Joe Stalin's Red Star Radio Band, Purple Haze, later Simply Red), Neil Moss (a.k.a. Neil Smith, guitars, keyboards, former Osiris), Steve Tansley and Mark Reeder. The latter two soon left the line-up to be replaced by Brian Turner (bass) and
Kevin Williams (drums). There band also included and a fifth unofficial member, the photographer Richard Watt. The band released their first single in 1979:

Voice in the Dark (1979)

- Voices in the dark

- Everyday I Die

- Passion

A second single was planned, recorded and was soon to be released (January 1980) but never saw the light of day. The next vinyl release would be in late 1980:

You Know What You Told Me (1980)

- You Know What You Told Me

- Production Prevention

The single was rather coldly received by the music press. NME wrote:

‘Noisy acoustic beast, lots of whistling and rattling of zob-sticks […] A pity that bands feel inclined (or get coerced) to release gimmicky tracks as A-side [...]. Judging by the B-side, Production Prevention, The Frantic Elevators have more to offer than gimmicks. Not a lot, but at least it’s something’

In February 1981 the Frantic Elevators recorded their first Peel Session (Ding Dong, Searching for the Only One, Hunchback of Notre Dame, I Am the Man, Production Prevention) playing some new material that would soon be released as the band’s third single.

Fe-1

(see also:

http://frantic.fluteboy.co.uk/

http://www.franticelevators.co.cc/ )

The Glass Torpedoes - Tall Stories (1981)

2011-04-30T01:39:00.000-07:00

The story of Glass Torpedoes up to 1982 was synthesized in Brekout Magazine (May 1982) as follows:

‘Formed in October 1978 they released a single on Rough Trade in June 79. This got to number five in the alternative charts and was played on the radio a few times. A line up change followed the single, the G.T. bass player leaving the band to form a band in which he now sings – China Crisis. The Glass Torpedoes went on to do a John Peel session in January 1980 and the following October went on tour with Gary Glitter.

‘The history of the Glass Torpedoes is certainly one that is full of problems. Every time things have looked up something has gone wrong. The demo for the single ‘Something Different’ was well received but the master and resulting single suffered from bad mixing and sound quality. Men in black coats from record companies came to see them play at the Masonic to confirm a recording deal, but the Torpedoes had lost their singer three days previously. The replacement forgot the lyrics and they heard no more from the record company! The tales of woe go on − most last year was spent waiting in vain for promises of tours and record deals to be fulfilled. At the end of 81 the Glass Torpedoes thought they had come to the end of the road as a band. Their hopes seemed more distant than ever and inspiration was low.’

By the end of 1981 the Glass Torpedoes line-up included Mark Coleridge (drums) as the only remaining original member, Paul Reason (guitars), from the formation that recorded the Peel Sessions and went on tour with Gary Glitter and John Milton, and new members Kate Gill (vocals) and Bernie Carroll (bass). The recorded their third and last single at the end of 1981 (then re-released in 1983), featuring as the a-side a re-recorded version of a number already performed during the Peel session of the previous year:

Tall Stories (1981)

- Tall Stories

- Call It Music

Paul Reason conceded at the time:

‘As far as we are concerned 1982 is the year when it’s all going to happen. We have definitely changed for the better, partly because we are more experienced, but also simply because you can’t keep on playing the same beat all the time, it just gets boring!’

In 1982 the Glass Torpedoes provided a few tracks for some compilations, namely ‘Communication’ and ‘Love Isn’t like That at All’ for the Crackin’ Up at the Pyramid compilation, and ‘Caught on Film’ for the Quest # 1 Liverpool tapezine. Nonetheless, by the end of the year the Glass Torpedoes were no more, Reason, Coleridge and Carroll joining the Ex Post Facto.

The Glass Torpedoes’ Tall Stories can be found here.

(Thanks to Bristolboy at the ‘My Life's a Jigsaw’ blog)

The Glass Torpedoes - Peel Session (1980)

2011-04-23T09:47:00.000-07:00

The Glass Torpedoes recorded a Peel Session in January 1980 (producer: John Etchells; engineer: Nick Gomm). By that time the line up had completely changed, Barbara Donovan (vocals) and Mark Coleridge (drums) being the only original members left, joined by Gary Daly (bass, later China Chrisis) and Paul Reason (guitar, later Ex Post Facto).

Glass Torpedoes – Peel (1980)

- Forced a Smile

- Something

- Tall Stories

- This Is The End

Curiously, the track ‘Tall Stories’ will appear as the a-side on the band’s last single, in 1981. During the first part of the year 1980 the band toured supporting Gary Glitter. When Barbara Donovan and Gary Dale left, the band got re-shaped with the inclusion of David Maxwell (guitar, vocals), Bernie Carroll (bass, later Ex Post Facto) and spent the rest of the year as a the side band of John Milton (with the name John Milton + The Glass Torpedoes), releasing also a single (Unreal the Real / Running Wild).

g.t. peel

The Glass Torpedoes - Some Different (1979)

2011-04-23T08:49:00.000-07:00

Glass Torpedoes originated by the encounter of the Germs and part of the Crash Course.

The Germs (not to be confused with the L.A. band of the same name) were formed in late 77 by Alan Cunningham (guitars) and Paul Cunningham (bass, vocals). According to Geoff of Probe Records, “they were a Buzzcocks-style punk band, they frequently played at Eric’s and had a smashing song called ‘London’ about people going to London to get famous!” In 1978 the Germs disbanded. In late 1978 Paul Cunningham joined the Crash Course, consisting of Pete Wylie, Rob Jones (later to form Wah!), Andy Eastwood (later Sex Gods / Balcony Dogs, Divine Thunderbolts) and Mick Reid (guitars). After the demise of the Crash Course in early 1979, and after Reid briefly joining Nightmare in Wax, Mick Reid and Paul Cunningham got together with Alan Cunningham to form the Glass Torpedoes, whose line-up was then completed by Mark Coleridge (drums, later Ex Post Facto) and Barbara Donovan (vocals).

In June of the same year the band released their first single, being one of the first Liverpool to release a single:

Someone Different (1979)

a1. Someone Different (Reid / Donovan)

a2. Morning, Noon and Night (Cunningham / Coleridge)

b. Heart Surgery (Reid)

That’s hoe NME reviewed the single:

‘This fluent maxi-single contains three catchily casual, tripping and sliding pop chats with lashings of wide guitar, pummelling drumming, baby bass talk and dry love-sick vocals fro Babra (sic) Donovan who reveals within the space of ten minutes that she has it within her grasp to be something special. Glass Torpedoes are a fizzy tonic. They’ve raised my eyebrows: try them.’

Soon after the release of the single, Andy Cunningham quit.

Reviewing one of their gigs (August 1979, supporting the Swell Maps), Mark Ellen of NME wrote:

‘They’re a loose power-rock four-piece led by the pony-tailed Barbara Donovan. They look young, talk Northern, and sound nervous as hell.

‘They too can turn a good tune − namely ‘Going Down’ and ‘Morning, Noon and Night’, which are both rock numbers wrapped around incongruous Blondie-type goofy melodies with lyrics that twitter with teen romance. They even remember how to solo, and keep diving into sections of thrashing drums, plodding bass and whining lead guitar that make you feel the late ‘60s are tapping you on the shoulder.

‘They try to sound tight and commercial when they’d probably rather just Dance This Mess Around. For now, they’re too cautious to swing either way.’

You can listen to the single here.

(Thanks to the wonderful ‘All I Want’ blog)

Crosstalk A/V (1981-1983)

2011-04-17T08:07:00.000-07:00

Crosstalk A/V formed in 1981 when Mark Webb (bass, former Dead on Arrival) and Paul Clark (vocals, guitars) joined Tim (drums). This line-up recorded an eponymous three-track demo (Machinery / Bells / Deep Hole). In March 1982, Gillian Walker Joined on keyboards, and a few months later, in July, Tim was replaced by Mike Simkins.

Mark Webb about the forming of the band:

‘I used to be in a band called Dead on Arrival and Paul auditioned for Dead on arrival and was accepted. Then, a week later the band split up, Paul and §I thought we’d continue working together at Cargo Studios. The drummer left and then we found Jill and Mike’ (Breakout, August 1982)

Here’s an excerpt of the interview for Breakout:

‘Who are your main influences? […]

Mike: We all come from different types of backgrounds. I first got interested in the early punk scene.

Mark: So did I. We started off seriously then I was in various Micky Mouse cabaret bands and ‘orrible things like that.

What about the name Crosstalk A/V?

Paul: Well, I was angry one day and I started talking and I was watching Audio Visual and I merged all these things, and formed the name Crosstalk A/V. It seemed the obvious thing.’

As to the Liverpool scene Simkins (who was living in Manchester at the time) adds:

‘The difference between this Liverpool Scene and the Manchester Scene is unbelievable. At the moment theres very little going on in Manchester at all. There are just two gig places that are of any note. Which is. The Gallary [i.e., The Gallery] and The Band on The Wall.’

In November 1982 the band released the first and only single:

The Queue (1982)

- The Queue

- No Earthly Reason

- Dear Peter, As You Are a Nice Person…

The latter song featured the sampled voice of Sarah Green.

From Breakout:

‘Why HER voice?

Mark: Because some of our songs involve pre-recorded tapes. So we tape things from TV or whatever and some time ago there was some kind of scandal. Some kid wrote in to Blue Peter and complained that Peter Duncan, a presenter of the programme, dressed to scruffily. Five thousand kids wrote back saying that he didn’t. Sarah Green read a part of one’s kid’s letter, which went: ‘Dead Peter, because you are a nice person, it doesn’t matter what clothes you wear, it’s what you are inside that counts’, and she said it in such a really profound way, as if she really thought she was getting some great source of insight to human nature. Some great profound thought. […] She was saying this very banal thing in such a way as to imply that it was very profound and deep. It was ludicrous I’d thought we’d use it’

In 1983 Crosstalk A/V released other two demos, the first in January (featuring Room to Breath / Judas Hour / Half Past Nine) and the second in May (The Other People / Judas Hour / Room to Breath / Clock / Pathetic Brain) – the latter containing ‘the last and best recordings’, according to Mark Webb.

By late 1983 Crasstalk A/V was no more: Webb and Walker formed Hi-Tech (with Gary Jones, Gary Cooke and Billy Wright), Clark and Simkins – after a period of Simkins joinin Manchester-based Lavolta Lacota − were later to form Boys From Greese.

crosstalk a/v

Low - Enter the Bigger Reality (unreleased)

2011-03-30T06:28:00.000-07:00

After the split of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Brian Nash, Mark O’Toole and Peter ‘Ped’ Gill continued demoing under various names like The Lads (see relevant post below) or the Shuffle Brothers. According to Gill ‘the Shuffle Brothers was just a joke name we used for booking into recording studios (after FGTH split). There never was an official name for the band and there were no plans to continue the Liverpool style’ (1997). The Lads / Shuffle Brothers recorded various demos, some with Dee Harris on vocals (among the songs recorded Tearing my soul apart, In the Coaless Winter) and many others with Grant Boult (ex Chicane) singing (Boss dog Symphony, Knucklegroove, In God We Trust, Beautiful Loser, The Forest, Deep inside a Bad Dream, Love Comes back in Fashion, Suck on this, Tearing my Soul apart, England in the Rain).

After the Shuffle Brothers Brian Nash and Grant Boult continued as a duo with the act Low. Many of the numbers demoed by the Lads / Shuffle Brothers were re-recorded and appeared on Low's unpublished album, Enter the bigger reality.

Enter the Bigger Reality

- Tearing My Soul Apart

- Love Comes Down

- My Foolish Heart

- England In The Rain

- Hold Me

- When U Were Mine

- Melon

- When Love Comes Back In Fashion

- Life Goes On

- Sleep

- Deep Inside A Bad Dream

- Godless Times

- New Heaven

low

http://www.zttaat.com/article.php?title=144

http://www.punkbrighton.co.uk/chicane.html )

The Lads – Some Demos (1987-1988)

2011-03-19T02:43:00.001-07:00

‘The split of FGTH and the legal episodes aside marked the beginning of solo careers of both Holly Johnson and Paul Rutherford. Holly teamed up with producers Steve Lovell (who once played the guitar in the pre-FGTH Hollycaust), Stephen Hague and the late Dan Hartman and went on to release several singles which included the massive hits, Love Train & Americanos. Holly also went onto to release four solo albums (Blast, 1989; Hollelujah, remix compilation album, 1990; Dreams That Money Can't Buy, 1991; and Soulstream, 1999). Paul Rutherford released three relatively unsuccessful ABC produced singles, none of which were hits although Get Real, his first release was a club hit abroad, the album Oh World (1989) followed.

‘The lads, O'Toole, Nash, and Gill, were determined to go on after Liverpool as Frankie Goes To Hollywood with a new singer. They continued to use the name and aired an ad on Music Box in 1987 asking for interested singers to apply for the job. The ad featured some demo take-outs which sounded like the Liverpool-Frankie. The Lads set up offices in Kensington and also advertised in the music press for a new singer. During a period of two years, two singers were successfully recruited: first came Dee (Dave) Harris (ex-Fashion), then Grant Boult in 1988. During this time the Lads came up against an issue with them continuing to use the name FGTH. Holly, back in 1984 had, without informing the rest of the band registered the F.G.T.H. name as a Limited Company, some dismay was expressed when the rest of the band discovered this but it was agreed between them all that a contract should be drawn up between Holly and the rest of the band that in essence stated that no-one person could leave and continue to use the FGTH name without the permission of each other. Now, as the lads were using the name after Holly left, they kept this agreement in mind and approached Paul Rutherford, who had no objections to them continuing with the name, they then approached Holly’s lawyers for his approval, a condition on the possible use of the band name was came the reply, it was felt by the Lads that any conditions would be unworkable and they declined the offer.

‘Mark, Ped, Nasher & Grant were now without a band name but booked themselves into studios in Camden (London), under various name (Slapper, Trout & Pike and The Shuffle Brothers being two) and continued to record & write songs with Grant being the main singer & lyricist. Songs recorded at the time included such titles as; Tearing My Soul Apart, England In The Rain, Love Come Back In Fashion, Deep Inside A Bad Dream, Boss Dog, I Want You and the wonderfully Franki’esque sounding, Suck On This.’

Some Demos (1987-1988)

- Boss Dog Symphony (Instr.)

- Boss Dog Symphony (Vox)

- In the Coolest Winter

- In God We Trust

- Untitled

lads

(see: http://www.steveirving.entadsl.com/FGTH/html/fgth_history5.html )

Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Liverpool Sessions (1985-87)

2011-03-19T01:35:00.000-07:00

‘After the huge successes of the previous 18 months and extensive touring the band needed some time off just to relax and contemplate the future and also to work on a new album. After all the members returned from well deserved individual holidays they were brought back together by ZTT to the Irish Manor House surroundings of Boris House in Kilkenny, mainly to start writing the next release and also for Tax reasons. The first track to be penned was Warriors Of The Wasteland, which was reported as a possible next-album title as early as July 1985. By now feelings between Holly & the rest of the band were becoming strained, musical directions being one of the main problems, the Lads by this time had grown in their appreciation of studio knowledge and along with their love for playing live wanted to carry this sound onto the new album, Holly wanted to keep it dance based, a sound he always loved. The lads would record demo’s on their four track portastudio downstairs at Boris House then pass the tapes onto Holly to write the lyrics and record the vocals in his room.

‘After Ireland they all travelled to Ibiza for a short while to lay down tracks at Mediterranean studios, about half of the album had been written by this point. After two weeks, next was the Wisseloord Studios in Hilversum, The Netherland [see relevant posts]. Trevor Horn had promised the band he was to be producer of the new album, however, Steve Lipson (his junior) took the producer role - unbeknown to the band - this only created more feelings of discomfort. Steve was perhaps too easy going. Holly would turn up at 9 am in the studio to start with, the lads preferred starting late in the afternoon and working through the night, as a result very little time was spent with each party recording at the same time, ZTT later claimed Holly appeared for only 23 days recording out of a seven month period, although Holly was going through some personal & private trauma’s at this time he would later reveal in his Autobiography.

‘The album with around 11 tracks recorded was eventually completed and passed onto to Trevor Horn to mix for it’s release, he was now acting as Executive Producer. This process took around 5 months as Trevor was busy with other artists on his books at the time. In the end, the new album Liverpool was released on October 20, 1986, Liverpool eventually contains only 8 tracks and sounds very different to Welcome To The Pleasuredome. Holly later said that he didn't like the new style that the Lads were attempting and was sometimes bemused at their approach, preferring the 'electronic dirty disco' style of Pleasuerdome. The Lads as said earlier had learned much over the last few years, technology had advanced and recording wise they wanted to move on from an electronic sound to a much more live fee, in fact the original pre-produced Horn tracks from Holland were even more ‘Rock’ sounding than the released final mix of the album.’

Some of the demos recorded in the various sessions included unreleased tracks:

- Kiss

- Forest

- Delirious

Others are alternative takes of numbers to appear on Liverpool LP or on the singles’ b-sides:

- Rage Hard (1 and 2)

- The Waves

- Anyone Out There

lvpl_sessions

( see: http://www.steveirving.entadsl.com/FGTH/html/fgth_history3.html )

Dead or Alive - Live at Rotter’s Bar, Manchester (1982) [Re-Up]

2011-03-15T13:53:00.000-07:00

This is arguably among the early shows featuring the new line-up, featuring bass player Mike Percy, new guitarist Wayne Hussey and keyboard player Monty Healy (cf. the article in the picture, referred to another gig – this time at Pickwick’s – a few weeks before the Manchester show).
Here are Merseysound journalist Linda Walsh's memory of the 1982 Pickwick's show: "What a difference seven months makes [with] the departure of Mitch and Sue and the arrival of their replacements Wayne Hussey and Mike Pursey [sic]. [...] After wading through the thick 'smoke' which now engulfed the stage the band produced a set of over an hour long brimming over with new songs. Altough they were all excellent in quality none of them were, unfortunately the slower numbers I've been waiting for to stop the lengthy set verging dangerously on the edge of monotony. New material such as the now hopefully released 'It's Been Hours Now' was mingled with the old favourites, 'Number Eleven', 'Nowhere to Nowhere' and a superb rendition of 'Flowers' which more than compensated for the somewhat disappointing 'I'm Falling'. Burns' voice continued to soar and plummet to amazing heights and depths backed by a powerful display of drumming courtesy of Joe Musker" (Feb. 1982)

Live at Rotter’s Bar 1982

(The tracks are organized in alphabetical order)
– Guildered Splinters
– It’s been Hours Now (1 and 2)
– Military
– Misty Circles (1 and 2)
– Number 11
– Number 12
– Number 11 / Military
– Selfish Side
– The Stranger
– Whirlpool

DoA – At Rotter’s Bar (1982)

The Front Room - Joe Public (1981) [Re-Up]

2011-02-23T04:30:00.000-08:00

Obscure band which collaborated (consisted of?) such figures as Mike Percy (later Moderates, Dead or Alive), Dave Griffiths, Kevin Marr, Bolly, Mooey, Joe Riley, David Alton, Al Moneypenney, David Mathiesan. The band apparently recorded one only single in August 1981:

Joe Public (1981)
- Joe Public
- Camera

Merseysound reviewed the single as follows:
‘If title like ‘Joe Public’ suggests a down-right-sounding People’s Protest then the first single by The Front Room will come as a surprise. A continuous mesh of voices over a synthesized riff suggests nothing so much as The Games’ ‘Planet War’ from the recent Street to Street album. My complaint is that ‘Joe Public’ (‘written for the benefit of the kids in Liverpool’) seems to have something to say and this sophisticated treatment obscures most of it. The recent ‘We Want to Work’ single proves that you can be clear without being disastrously clumsy, and The Front Room should bear this in mind. The sound isn’t unattractive although it works less well on ‘Camera’, the B-side, where the synthesizer gets in the way of some Bowie-ish vocals and deadens the whole song. Well-meaning though.’ (Merseysound 18, September 1981)

In 1982 The Front Room changed their name to A Second Language.

front room

(thanks to our friend Multihit)

The Moderates - Yes to the Neutron Bomb (1981) [Re-Up]

2011-02-23T04:25:00.000-08:00

After the release of ‘Fetishes’ the Moderates reconvened in the studio to re-work on ‘Yes to the Neutron Bomb’ for a single release.

Here are Tom Gould’s recollections:
‘We were offered a contract by Greensleeves records (biggest reggae label), as ska had taken most of their customers, so they wanted to sign some ‘white pop bands’. They set up a subsidiary label called ‘Hyped Records’ for ours and a band from Birminghams’ releases , and booked us into a 24 track recording studio in London. During the session we realised that they didn’t really know what they were doing, as previously they bought finished tracks from studio’s in Jamaica. This is where we recorded the second version of ‘Yes to the Neutron Bomb’ and ‘Bus Girl’ (Bus Girl was about taking late night bus journeys in Liverpool, as there always seemed to be a young girl standing at the front of the bus talking to the driver – bus groupies?).
Our experience in the studio was awful as we also had an engineer who thought he was the greatest producer in the world, but was more of a hindrance than any help, so the recordings were pretty bad. At the end of the original ‘Yes to the Neutron Bomb’ on ‘Fetishes’, the explosion was created by four of us holding the keys down on the keyboard, which was plugged into a guitar amp with the settings for distortion, reverb, presence and volume on full, so most of the noise was feedback. On the second recording (the one you have in the directory is the Fetishes version, not the one that ended up on the single), the engineer could not reproduce it, he used a pretty weak explosion from a sound-effects record instead which sounded really crap!’

Yes to the Neutron Bomb (1981)
- Yes to the Neutron Bomb
- Bus Girl

yes to the neutron bomb

White and Torch - Singles (1980-84) [Re-Up]

2011-02-17T09:19:00.000-08:00

.
In 1977 Roy White was singing and playing with the Liverpool punk act Berlin, with Johnny ‘Riff’ Reynolds (guitar, later 3D), James Mealy (bass), Gerry Garland (sax, both later Victims of Romance, Bamboo Fringe), and Roy Banks. The band toured quite extensively, and got some positive reviews by Melody Maker and Sounds, and at a certain point was even about to be signed by Decca. When the record company dropped them for Slaughter and the Dogs, Banks left and was replaced by Brian Rawlins (later Liverpool Express, 3D, Keep it Dark) and the band changed the name to Fun. This ‘progressive rockband’ had one track released on the compilation Street to Street Vol. 1 in 1978, which was also their swan-song.
In the meantime, Steve Torch, a former engineer for Open Eye records, was working as a solo artist, and released one single (Live in Fear b/w Smoke Your Own). White and Torch worked together for the first time when Fun became Victims of Romance, and Torch and Hambi (former Tontrix) were added to the line-up. The partnership between the two became more solid when, in the same period, they collaborated with Jayne Casey (former Big in Japan , later Pink Industry) in the Pink Military (White and Torch are among the personnel playing on the Pink Military’s Blood and Lipstick Ep, Sept. 1979).
In 1980 Roy White and Steve Torch released as a duo (plus session musicians) their first single (Who’s Asking You? b/w Stand Alone – the latter in the folder here attached) on Open Eye. The single did not impressed the public and the press, and the duo would probably have disappeared if Chrysalis hadn’t decided to reissue the song with a different production and a different b-side:

- Who’s Asking You? (1980)
- Who’s Asking You?
- Guess Who

In the following years W&T released a series of singles:

Parade (Don’t Sleep with Him) (1982)
- Parade (Don’t Sleep with Him)

- Man to Man

Let’s Forget (1983)
- Let’s Forget

- No, Not I

Miracle (1983)
- Miracle

- Heartbeat
.

Bury My Heart (1984)
- Bury My Heart

- Whatever Happens on Sunday

In 1984 White and Torch also recorded a Peel Session performing four songs performing their latest single, a couple of b-sides from previous single releases (No, Not I and Heartbeat) and a new song: Don’t Be Shot (the song in the folder is taken from a TV show).
According to the press, the duo managed (or at least tried) to combine the Bacharach and David sense of the melody and the Walkers Brothers’ sensibility for ballads with a Bowie-like voice.
In 1985 the due split and Roy White started working as a solo artist (mainly with the support of the same session musician who had worked with White and Torch, namely Jim Mealy (guitars), David Levy (bass), Charlie Morgan (drums),Jackie Robinson (vocals)).

white and torch (1980-84)

DaVincis - Eating Gifted Children (1988)

2011-02-03T01:06:00.000-08:00

Da Vincis (aka DaVincis): Guitar band formed in 1984 as The Dream Play by Paul McCormick (vocals, guitars), Martin Smith (guitars), Chris Stevens (bass, later with Mugstar, Cicada Falls, Rattlebus), Faith Moore (drums). They became the Da Vincis in 1985 when Smith was replaced by Martin Ward (former Redo Zebri later Mugstar, Rattlebus) and Faith by Iain Bickle (ex Fire). As to this change in the line-up Sara Cohen claims: “When the drummer of the Da Vincis was ousted from the band and a replacement brought in, the improvement in the social relationships within the band was reflected in the nature and competence of its stage performance. The band members looked as though they were enjoying themselves and there was more contact between them. They watched, smiled, glanced, and made faces at each other, moved more about the stage, and generally seemed more confident and relaxed.” (Rock Culture in Liverpool, 1991, 82)

The Da Vincis became part of the collective of bands working at the Vulcan Studios, together with the Jactars, Crikey It’s the Cromptons!, Ryan, Decemberists, One Last Fight. Curiously, some of these bands shared the same strategies to write songs: “The process could take several months, particularly since it involved so much repetition and experimentation and there was often lengthy discussion and disagreement over factors such timing, counting, and tuning. [This] method of composition and rehearsal partly arose from, and was hampered by, […] lack of musical training. […] A member of the Da Vincis […] described their music making as a process of ‘hit and miss’ or ‘trial an error’.” (Cohen, 141). “The lyrics of [other bands and] the Da Vincis were written by the vocalists [McCormick, ndr] and their meaning was cryptic and personal to them. The othe band members appreciated that and although they didn’t understand the lyrics they admired them and found them interesting. Nevertheless the lyrics were written on their behalf and did express their own feelings in a way or another” (Cohen, 177). A member of the Da Vincis said that “all bands comprised members with different tastes in music which was usually reflected in their music. However […] sometimes it can all come together and you can produce something that is an expression of the whole band” (Cohen, 186).

After providing a track for the Vulcan’s compilation Ways to Wear Coats, the band also contributed a song (Ava Gardner) for a Merseyside Musicians Bur. Compilation cassette in 1987. In the same year they recorded a Peel Session (which contained the songs New Ways to Wear Coats, parodying the title of this compilation) and released the mini-Lp Eating Gifted Children.

Eating Gifted Children (1988)

- When you're in
- Thoughtless
- Charlotte
- Thomas Wolfe
- Safe Locked Alone
- Chris Said

In 1988 a second Peel Session and a single (Pull) were recorded featuring Steve Ashton on drums. The following year Mike James replaced Martin Ward on guitar for a German tour (Nov/Dec89). They also toured France before changing several lead guitarists, operating as a three-piece for a certain period of time, then disbanding after playing their last gig in March 1990.

You can find the band’s mini-lp here (thanks to our friend Rushbo)

Killerwatt – Live at the Havana (12 July1978)

2011-01-27T10:45:00.000-08:00

Steve Charnock (guitar) and Greg McGraw (bass) got together with Phil Rice (guitars) and Geoff Stalford (a.k.a. Stinkfoot [as in the Frank Zappa's song], drums, later Flashpoint) who replied to an ad in a music magazine, around September 1977 . (About their first meeting, Charnock remembers Stalford and Rice coming into the Black Bull one of them carrying a Santana LP so that McGraw and Charnock would recognize them.)

The Killerwatts, that’s the name they chose for the band, debuted at the Havana club (July 1978) supporting the Mutants, and did various gigs around Merseyside. Here’s a list of Killerwatt’s gigs:

HAVANA- 12/7/78

THE DALE- 23/7/78

THE MAYFLOWER-13/9/78

THE MAYFLOWER 26/9/78

ERICS-19/10/78

MASONIC-20/10/78

THE DALE-29/10/78

THE MAYFLOWER- 22/11/78

OSCARS-25/11/78

THE DALE 20/1/79 (the first with Keith singing)

ADMIRAL LORD NELSON-15/2/79

DUKE OF WELLINGTON-22/2/79

THE DALE- 11/3/79

THE BULLS HEAD- 7/4/79

killerwatt – debut at the havana (12-7-1978)

Ron François - If You Love Me (1982)

2011-01-15T09:52:00.001-08:00

From Wikipedia:

‘Ron François was a founder member of The Sinceros (1978–1981), and former member of the London R&B band The Strutters. After the demise of The Sinceros in 1981, François joined The Teardrop Explodes and stayed with Epic Records releasing a solo single, If You Love Me, in 1982 before departing to live in Australia, where he has worked with local artists such as James Reyne, Wendy Matthews and the Eurogliders.

In 1990, François toured with the band, Absent Friends (vocalist Wendy Matthews, guitarists Sean Kelly, Michael "Mick" King, drummer John Mackay, and keyboardist Geoffrey Stapleton), supporting INXS on an eight week European tour.’

If you Love Me (1982)

- If You Love Me

- I Like It

ron francois

Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Larks in the Park (29 July 1982)

2011-01-15T09:21:00.000-08:00

In 1982 Frankie Goes to Hollywood line-up was quite unstable. Holly Jonson and Peter Gill (a.k.a. Ped, drums) had just left the Sons of Egypt (see relevant post) and teamed up with Mark O’Toole (bass) to form a new band, FGTH, using the name of Johnson’s former band (with Steve Lovell, guitar, and Ambrose Reynolds, bass). At this point they started looking for a guitarist. Johnson recalls:

‘We tried out a few guitarists from the echelons of Mark [O’Toole]’s family. There were two brothers who could both play, Vinny and Ged, the latter becoming the guitarist for the first performances, though neither was a very important part of the sound which was dominated by the rhythm section. Ped and I had tried to get the guitarist fro the Jazz [a.k.a. Jass] Babies to join, but without success.’

(Holly Johnson, A Bone in My Flute, 142-43).

After having tried for a short period of time a female singer, Sonia M, Johnson finally replaced her with Paul Rutherford (former Spitfire Boys, English Opium Eaters). This line-up would eventually perform at the Larks in the Parks festival, in Sefton Park. These are Holly Johnson’s memories about the event:

‘Soon the Larks in the Parks, an annual open-air event for the local bands, came up. We made sure we got a place on the bill, and planned our appearance down to the last detail. We should have a delayed start when we would play car crash sounds from the Mad Max soundtrack which Paul provided. I wore a pair of old leather chaps with G string, which meant that my arse was exposed at the back, and I got someone to paint one cheek pink and the other blue with oil pastel crayons. A black-and-white publicity photo by John Stoddard of this mad it look as if my cheeks had been whipped with a riding crop.

‘Paul and I each dragged a Leather Pet on to the stage pulling at a chain attached to a dog-collar around their necks. The sisters from Kirkby (the Muscatelli sisters, Julie and Marie) posed as captive slaves for us. Slowly we chained them to the drum kit, then launched into ‘Two Tribes’ […]. We had only about eight songs at the time, if that. We sometimes did an impromptu version of the Mickey Mouse Club song to lighten things up a bit: ‘M.I.C. See ya real soon. K.E.Y. Why? Because we like you – M.O.U.S.E.’

‘I walked down the ramp on the lake during one of the first songs. When I turned to return to the stage there was an audible gasp from the audience, provoked by my exposed arse. Near the end of the set I asked the audience if we should release the Leather Pets. We did, and they came gyrating to the front of the stage. Dancing wasn’t their strong point we realised, so for subsequent shows we kept them tied up for as long as possible. People left the park bemused, but still talking about what they had seen.’

(Holly Johnson, A Bone in My Flute, 146-47)

Larks in the Park - Sefton Park, Liverpool (29 July 1982)

- Two tribes

- Welcome to the Pleasuredome

- Relax

- Disneyland

- The World is My Oyster

From an No.1 issue (21 September, 1985), here’s the O’Toole family’s recollection of that afternoon:

‘The first time Mark’s family saw Frankie play was at Sefton Park. Liverpool, three years ago in the annual Larks In The Park festival. At the time Mark’s brother, Jed, was still the guitarist and their dress was completely outrageous. By this time Holly had joined the group and singing with him was Paul Rutherford.

"Their appearance was atrocious," Mark’s dad reckons. "Musically… sound as a pound but their, er, look left a lotto be desired.

"Holly was outrageous. That first time he had just a G-string on. Good job he did, cos when he bent down you thought it was a cat looking at you."

Josie takes up the tale: "After the gig, we were walking around and we had to lend him a coat, cos he would have been arrested for indecent exposure!"

(http://www.zttaat.com/article.php?title=97)

From Uncut (July 2004):

‘Liverpool-born photographer John Stoddart chronicled such ramshackle beginnings from 1982. “That was when they were just a pathetic band on the pseudo-Bowie/Roxy gay scene,” he recalls today. “But they developed fast once Paul joined, and they looked terrific. I’m a witness to the fact they were better and had more raw energy before Trevor Horn got his hands on them. I saw them at Larks In The Park, in Sefton Park, when they had these secretary sisters called the Leatherpettes [Julie and Marie Muscatelli] who dressed in stockings. Paul and Holly whipped them with their arses hanging out. It sounds naff now but in 1982 it was like, ’Hang on a minute!’”

(http://www.zttaat.com/article.php?title=144)

larks

Mick Karn (1958-2011) - R.I.P.

2011-01-05T11:04:00.000-08:00

From Mick Karn's official homepage:

"Mick finally lost his battle with cancer and passed away peacefully at 4.30pm today, 4th January 2011 at home in Chelsea, London. He was surrounded by his family and friends and will be deeply missed by all."

He'll be deeply missed by all, that's for sure.

Dark Heart (1978-80)

2010-12-30T02:45:00.000-08:00

In 1978 Killerwatt (Steve Charnock, guitar, Greg McGraw, bass, Phil Rice, guitars, Geoff Stalford, drums, later Flashpoint) added a new vocalist, Keith Blagden. With the arrival of Bagden many more original songs were written, with a significantly different style.

Rice recalls: ‘To save me from prog-rock Hades, my trendy chum, God bless Keith Bladgen, took me to see Joy Division. Crap instruments, but a band with such stark fury and passion that the vision was clear.’

The band recorded some songs at the Wallesey Sound Studio in 1978, among which Observations Made (in the folder). About the song Rice recalls: ‘The weirdy-stark style was Keith`s influence, he later confessed he stole, lyrically, from Sartre...we just thought he was clever!’

dark heart – observation made

Killerwatt (1977-78)

2010-12-24T08:21:00.000-08:00

Killerwat were formed in 1977 by Steve Charnock (guitar) and Greg McGraw (bass). When they advertised for a drummer and a second guitar they had already written some original songs, such as Arnie the Aardvark (later re-styled in dub fashion for a Rock Against the Ringroad gig at the Masonic) and Hector and the Haemorrhoids (apparently with a recognizable Hawkwind vibe). Phil Rice (guitars) and Geoff Stalford (a.k.a. Stinkfoot [as in the Frank Zappa's song], drums, later Flashpoint) replied to the add and completed the line-up. Rice recalls: ‘The name [Killerwatt] was meant to pun on death and power’.

The band debuted at the Havana club (July 1978) supporting the Mutants, and did various gigs around Merseyside between 76 and 78, such as The Mayflower, The Sportsman The Dale in Wallasey and The Moonstone in the Precinct, eventually making it at Eric’s in 1978 supporting Dalek I Love You.

As to the band’s live activity, Stalford adds:

‘Other places we played were The Joiners Arms in the heart of Chorley (Lancashire), The Duke Of Wellington Pub high on a hill in Congleton (Cheshire), The Bull's Head in Little Sutton (Wirral) and various venues that I'm struggling to remember in Kirkby (Merseyside), Burscough (Lancashire) and the Cherry Tree in Runcorn that we didn’t make it to. […] We played The Moonstone in St John Precinct (Liverpool city centre) but also appeared in the Sportsman and Star & Garter which were situated in the same precinct. Notably the Sportsman was famous for the real sports car set in the ceiling and we always wondered when it would fall down - but thankfully it never did!’

Killerwatt were first given airwaves by Phil Easton of Radio City. Stalford adds: ‘We got to know a famous local pirate radio DJ called Rick Dane (R.I.P) who would give us many a mention on Radio Jackie North rock station and would come to see us. Phil Easton (RIP) would also mention us regularly on the local 'Gig Guide' on Radio City’

Stalford describes the band’s music as follows: ‘Although we didn’t look the part with long hair etc., we played some noisy, raunchy, punky, MC5 style R’n’R which also included tracks by Eddie & The Hot Rods, Stranglers, Motorhead & occ. Quo – I mean what a combination!’. In 1978 Killerwatt changed their name to Dark Heart.

killerwatt

(Thanks to our friend Phil Rice [philrice60@hotmail.com] for the info)

Troy Tate - Lifeline (1982)

2010-12-23T09:04:00.000-08:00

In January 1982 Troy Tate, still with the Teardrop Explodes, released his second single:

Lifeline (1982)
- Lifeline (Hold on to That)
- Kamikaze
- Thomas (Moonbase version)

NME dismissed the release follows:
‘Troy Teardrop loks in no mind to neglect his solo sideline. Pity that this ‘interesting’ cut does nothing much to establish an identity for him. Better is b-side ‘Thomas’, a version of his last and first solo single’ (NME, Feb. 27, 1982).

Tate talked about the single and much more in an interview with Ray Brittlewink of Merseysound (November 1981).

‘Q. What’s the title of the next single you have worked on and who plays on it?
‘A. The A-side is Lifeline and the b-side will be Kamkazzi (sic) – on those sessions were Rolo (Wild Swans), Dave Balfe, and a girl called Virginia Ashley (sic, a.k.a. Virginia Astley) who played on Townsend’s latest LP, she has done some singing on that. And I’ve got Joe Musker on the b-side – he would have been on the a-side but he couldn’t make it. So we used Ally Patterson from TV21 who was at Rockfield Studios at the time, and we were friends and liked what he had done with TV21, and he and I had been in Shake together as well, so it seemed pointless ringing Pete Kershew up who I usually work with to come down when Ally could do the job, plus we had planned to do a single together for a long time anyway, and now was our chance. […]

‘Q. If you wouldn’t have joined Teardrop what do you think you would have been doing now?
‘A. I would have been doing my own stuff, I think, and formed a band around that. Because there aren’t that many bands that I would like to join really and there isn’t that much choice when you think about it. And it’s just that everything’s gone well, and this year’s been like a dream come true. […]

‘Q. Is ‘Thomas’ about a certain person or just fictitious?
‘A. No. It’s not about anyone in particular that I know. I suppose it could be about friends but also about your own self, just how fate sets you up in certain situations. […] I wanted a short story line for it which it is. And again it was interesting to use someone different. Like in Teardrop you all rehearse together and you know everything but when you get someone who doesn’t know the songs it’s harder but more exciting. See, I can do that because I do one thing with Teardrop which I enjoy and then I do my own stuff and experiment with other people and I feel lucky in that respect.

‘Q. Do you find working with people you know better than with someone new?
‘A. No, if I had the time I would like to use all different musicians. Like I don’t like starting with a set idea about a song anyway and stick to saying from the start it[‘s] going to be like this or that. Like with ‘Thomas’, that was called Missile Time before I changed it.

‘Q. Were you disappointed over Thomas not being more of a success?
‘A. I wasn’t say disappointed over it not getting a chart entry. I was more fed up that it didn’t get any radio play, because we thought it was a good record, and the things that I have done say with Teardrop, TV21 and Shake had all done OK, and I thought this would. Mind you there is the possibility everyone thought it was shit so they didn’t play it.

‘Q. What are your plans for an album and solo dates?
‘A. Well I would like to do them but, like the single, I would do it when say I have something to say and the time. Because like next we’re doing the Teardrop LP and maybe some dates, then I wouldn’t mind two weeks off and stop having so much fun’ […]

‘Q. Who’s your main influence?
‘A. John Lennon and anyone else who’s been good. I know Lennon is an obvious answer, but he had a gutsy and intelligent way about him. I don’t like anything too bland.

‘Q. What do you think of Liverpool and the so-called scene?
‘A. It’s great the people are so alive and open about things, and even if people don’t like you they say well fuck you. And I love the girls here and everyone has their own different thing. Even when people are depressed here they have time to laugh, like where I cam from, Yorkshire. I love London, but here things are on a smaller scale so you can get around quicker like when I lived in Edinburgh.’

(Merseysound #19, November 1981)

Lifeline can be found here (thanks to our friends at fade2gray)

Troy Tate - Thomas (1981)

2010-12-23T08:16:00.000-08:00

While still playing guitar with the Teardrop Explodes, Troy Tate released his first single as a solo artist in June 1981.

Thomas (1981)
- Thomas
- London’s Swinging

Sounds welcomed the release with the following article:

‘Pre-employ in the Teardrop camp and post the decline of Shake, Troy has drifted from the glamorous environs of the music biz into labours of a less salubrious nature. By day assembling on a factory production line and by night and weekends in a restaurant kitchen hidden behind a sky bound stack of dirty dishes discarded by the hunger-mad, food crazy diners in their quest for appetite satiation. In the few spare hours that this busy life of toil and tedium offered Troy was committing to tape demos of self-penned material. This action resulted in a publishing agreement with Warner Bros and the in-the-racks-now-pop-kids single 'Thomas' with the rear graced by 'London's Swinging' on Why Fi c/o RCA (sleeve designed by the beautifully titled Pablo Cuckoo).

'Thomas' sets off in a broody fashion, in some ways akin to a slow burning John Cale ballad. Troy's voice being well up in the mix makes it necessary to raise sound levels to allow the delicacies of the masked staccato strumming and the discreet build-up to the marching beat that underlays the chorus to emerge and fully maximise listening pleasure.

"It was recorded on an eight-track machine in the bedroom of Phil Chapman. There was no room for a drum kit in there so they were added separately just before I left for America.
"Now there's some hilarious reviews saying it's over produced. It was edited the day before we did 'Treason' for Top Of The Pops and the artwork done literally just an hour before the programme."

‘Lyrically 'Thomas' could, given the lightest of casual hearings, be dismissed as just another well-meaning but dreary anti-war tirade. But let the artiste enlighten:

"It's basically about the way events take over people. I meet people I used to play in groups with and now they're sales reps or whatever, not that there's anything wrong with being a sales rep but 'Thomas' is a twist on the way fate can push people into situations they didn't want.
"On my mind too was that that is the way an army mobilisation can happen. If they're not careful everyone could be in the army if the government and/or world events dictate it.
"The song covers this in a slightly off-centre way. I didn't want to just sing 'Oh, I hate war'. The line 'the train's on time' comes from the title of a story by Heinrich Boll, written during the war about the way people get sucked into it in quite arbitrary fashion. 'It's like watching war films when you're a kid and before you know it you're out there fighting in Northern Ireland or Poland and it's nothing to do with you.
"In some ways it's like the music business too. Like having the hit single and selling out all the gigs, we never expected that to happen. It's taken two months for that to start to sink in.
"One gig I was watching the Delmontes (UK tour support), I was tired and a bit out of it and I seriously wondered who the main band were. You suddenly think God! All these people are coming to see us!"

‘The not-to-be missed flip, 'London's Swinging' bursts out with an Iggy/Bowie style raunch, heavy duty sustained guitar leading the cut and thrust form start to finish. These grooves are made doubly dangerous by the oft-used refrain which fairly bulldozes its way to the cranium.

"That one's partly autobiographical. When the economy is bad everything is down to a minimum and people think I've got a job. Get some money and get ripped on Friday night and don't give a shit. People aren’t grabbing things and changing them any more.
"There's the comparison with the Swinging London of the sixties. Nowadays London isn't really part of England anymore and the swinging is from a yard arm.
"It's partly a tongue-in-cheek rock and roll song as well the ‘Johnny' in it has been in every rock and roll song ever written. It's like a package and I do like the idea of rock being disposable, you can take it seriously and throw it away.
"It's not like religion or the government, rock and roll keeps changing and rock and roll is bananas and that’s why I love it."

‘Prolonged globe-trotting, rather than sapping energies, has fuelled and strengthened Troy's zest for existence. Pausing only for a brief week-long rest, he's recording further personal compositions in readiness for a future follow-up RCA forty-five.

‘Strings still buzzing, he remains studio bound for the making of the second Teardrop LP, the material on which will be publicly unveiled on a September scheduled Euro-tour. Any possible unfilled studio seconds will find Troy crawling round to face the mixing desk, hopefully producing (past credits include TV21) Birmingham's Pinkies. Does he never relax?

"It's important to do things, not just talk about them. I don't want to sit around on my arse. The Teardrop Explodes is a very positive thing, a real buzz gets across to the audience and it encourages them to do things for themselves. It's a slightly different angle on the punk thing. Be creative and go out and take life. Don't let anybody give you any shit.
"I went to see James Brown at the Lone Star Club in New York. A legend just ten feet away from me on a tiny stage, doing the splits and jumping up and down and after a heart attack. It was a great inspiration seeing someone like that, you know you’ve just got to keep going.
"If there is anybody reading this (!) and they really believe in something and really want to do it, then they will do it."

(Sounds, August 1981)

Thomas can be found here (thanks to our friends at fade2gray)

(see also: http://micksinclair.com/sounds/troy.html )

Julian Cope – Tamworth demos (1982-83) (Part 2)

2010-11-27T01:24:00.000-08:00

After the end of the Teardrop Explodes and the beginning of his solo career Julian Cope recorded several songs in Tamworth. Among those:

- Strasbourg
- Quizmaster
- An Elegant Chaos
- Kolly Kibber's Birthday
- Wreck My Car
- Sunshine Playroom
- She Brings Me Flowers
- Jesus Christ & the Mysterons
- Hobby
- Hey, High Class Butcher

tamowrth 2

Julian Cope – Tamworth demos (1982-83) (Part 1)

2010-11-27T00:49:00.000-08:00

After the split of the Teardrop Explodes, Julian Cope retired to Tamworth. This is his recollection of that period:

‘I hadn't written anything that people had actually liked since `You Disappear from the view' almost a year earlier. In later Teardrop sessions, I'd play a song and it would be listened to and then dismissed. I kept playing the songs on acoustic guitar, but Balfe's comments still rang in my years. I had played him a song called 'Bandy's First Jump' for the third album, but he'd hated it. By that time, he seemed to hate anything with guitars in it.

‘With Dorian away, I was forced to keep busy. I couldn't drive a car so I was stuck. Stuck in this house with songs that no-one likes. I recorded them on to my ghetto blaster and listened back. I played electric guitar along with the songs and they sounded good. I should do something, really, I reasoned. But I was in Tamworth and this was nowhere. For a few days, I was frustrated, but the mood wouldn't go away.

‘I didn't know how to book a studio; that had always been done for me. But I had to record. It was the first time in ages that I'd felt that way. My mother told me about a teacher she knew. He had a studio. I thought it was probably a crap studio. A teacher? I'll ring him in a day or so. I sat in the Mill Lane house with my Dinky Toys book and some pot. Dorian was in New York and I knew I had to make the phone call.

‘What a snob I was! I went to the studio and it was brilliant. I was sooo surprised. The guy who ran it was called Steve Adams, a junior school teacher and ex-weirdo. The local taxi took me to this tiny cottage in Birchmoor, a village on the other side of Tamworth, near to Glascote Heath where I'd grown up. Birchmoor was a heath of great desolation and remove. As a child, my father had taken me on walks there, but I had always seen it as being "Beyond" my area. It was untamed and heathen, and the tiny houses squatted upon the moor.

‘[…] Steve Adams expected me to be big time and know about VU and all that studio stuff. I faked it for a while to make him feel better, but soon we were recording really fast and easily. I wasn't bothered about the sound. I put the drum-machine of my Casio into the Vex AC30 amplifier and played the song on acoustic guitar over its dry thumping. The song was a beautiful major-chord thing called `Strasbourg' whose current arrangement was only one minute and 40 seconds long but featured a repeated Glam Descend link of considerable charm. Listening back to the empty song, I considered what Troy Tate might have contributed and set up the amp in a way that made me feel Troy-like as I recorded. I added a tight fuzz theme and distorted early Teardrop-type keyboard, then tightened the whole track up with tambourine. Ey-up, I was a bloody one-man-band. Balfe had made me terrified to pick up a guitar or bass anymore. Now look! And listen to this stuff ... it's a moving fucking thing.

‘I was ecstatic. This was the sound I had wanted for the third Teardrop album, instead of those dumb programmed synthesizers. Synths should fart and squeak, but Balfe had kept his on Rhythm/Dribble. Fuck that!

‘I made a list of all my songs, things that I'd been scared to try. I'll try them! I can play! I can play! When Dorian rang me, I played `Strasbourg' down the phone for her and she loved it. She loved it. I'm alive! I was dancing round the room. I played it to her again and a third time and danced all the time she listened.
In my sudden realisation that I could still be capable, we seemed suddenly so much closer and so much stronger that the most powerful lyric of the new song pulverised me with its truth:

"If I were France, and you were Germany, What an alliance that would be."

‘[…] I continued to record at Steve Adams' studio. I suggested he change its name to The Drug Attic, but he politely declined. The songs were coming thick and fast by now. I had hit upon a formula - just put everything on to tape that you can. I never gave Steve much time to sort out sounds; it would go down before we had a chance to get bored with it.
I had handpainted the little Casio keyboard that Balfe sold me. Dorian and Joss [Julian’s brother] painted little scenes all over it, and it had become the basis for all my songs.’

(Julian Cope, Repossessed, 9-13)

Among the songs recorded in Tamworth there were:
- Strasbourg
- Death Mask (Quizmaster)
- Head Hang Low
- Blaze Star
- Holy Love
- Bill Drummond Said
- Mik Mak Mok
- The Bloody Assizes

Strasbourg, Quizmaster, Head Hang Low would figure on Julian Cope’s first solo effort ‘World Shut Your Mouth’ (1984). Bill Drummond Said, Holy Love, The Bloody Assizes featured on Cope’s second album ‘Fried’ (1984). Mik, Mak, Mok would be the b-side on the Sunspots EP (1985).

tamworth 1

The Rain (1982)

2010-11-07T09:04:00.000-08:00

Not to be confused with another Liverpool band of the same name (active in 1987-93), The Rain are the four members of Europe after the Rain - Kate Tate (vocals), Andy Sage (guitars), Mark Tinka (keyboards) and Mike Doran (drums, later Surface Tension, Electric Morning) – plus Tadzio Jodlowski (guitar, later Pink Industry).

This is how Breakout Magazine #10 (June 1982) described the band:

‘The Rain (formerly Europe after the Rain) are a comparatively new band on the Merseyside music scene, having been formed in November of the last year by Andy and sing Kate Tate. To date they have played only three gigs and received airplay from John Peel.

‘I asked Andy about the content of their music. “There’s quite a lot of funk in the set and some psychedelia. Both are city music, we feel like we’re city music – psychedelia covers the mass of influences that you get from the city, the funk is the jungle rhythm of the city. This music wouldn’t come from the countryside. It’s also got a romantic edge to it because Liverpool’s a very romantic place. For example, in Manchester the recent fashions have been severe and industrial, like A Certain Ratio with those high shaven heads. Here, it’s very decadent and romantic, back-combed hair and so on, like Katie.

‘The songs are mainly about love and the things that go on in your personal life, it’s very moody stuff. I’ll come along with some words or a vision of some music, a basic plan and we will draw an arrangement out of it. Writing a song is like creating a seed and the best arrangement for that song lies within it. It’s not like you add things on to it, they come from within. Something will happen to me and I’ll magnify it, get melodramatic. Often you feel things more intensely than is real,a nd you should express such feelings.”

‘Music and fashion have never been far apart from each other. Music has both crated the fashions of the day and been created by them. For many musicians fashion takes a back seat, for some it is what draws attention to their music, but there are few bands that regard music and fashion as having equal importance.

‘The Rain fit comfortably in the latter category, a group of people for whom music and fashion are motivated by the same thing. Guitarist and songwriter Andy Sage explains:
“Fashion’s really important and the same attitude that goes into music goes into fashion. Music is as much of an expression as clothes are. If you see anyone around Liverpool who looks really good or different, odds-on they’re in a band – often it’s not because of the band that they’re dressed up but because it’s the best outlet. A lot of people think that fashion is frivolous or dismiss it as vanity but it’s an attitude, you’re taking care of yourself – if you are looking good it shows that you are alert, active, wanting to do something. It’s like adrenalin, like rock’n’roll is.”

‘The band’s keyboard player, Mark Tinka (who since this interview was done has returned to his hometown of London) has a slightly different view of things – “It’s entertainment that is central to why I like playing and the same is true of getting dressed up and walking down the street. You are then entertaining people by the way you are. That’s what the café is about, for me, the café’s about entertainment as well. Those are the things that I feel I an do best in order to entertain other people and myself.”

‘The Café is the Open Mouth Café in Whitechapel, the band’s base and where they rehearse in the evenings. Andy and Mike, The Rain’s drummer both work there, so it’s important as a social base as well.”’

No recording by this band.

Europe after the Rain (1980-82)

2010-11-07T09:02:00.000-08:00

Kate Tate (vocals), Andy Sage (guitars), Mark Tinka (keyboards) and Mike Doran (drums, later Surface Tension, Electric Morning) had been playing together since 1980, but came together as a band under the name Europe after the Rain at the very end of 1981. Most probably the band was named after the opening track of John Foxx’s Ep The Garden, released in September 1981.
Europe after the Rain played their first gig in February 1982.

This is how Breakout Magazine review the show:
‘They played an adequately long set and at a volume that made them very comfortable to listen to, generating a mellow, pensive atmosphere.
‘Their songs are about people and their situations, politically motivated but not political in themselves.
‘Continuity is provided by the keyboards and soft basslines, punctuation from the drums, intense droning vocals and the occasional rythm (sic) guitar. There is no bass in the band, the guitar being used both for bass and rythm (sic) parts.
‘The overall effect is controlled, intense and melancholy but melodic music. Worth trying to get to see.’

No recording has survived of the band, which by the end of 1982 turned into The Rain.

Jah Scouse

2010-10-30T09:28:00.000-07:00

Jah Scouse (a.k.a. Ian Kay), Liverpool toaster, who collaborated and toured Europe with Young Marble Giants. The band (and more precisely, brothers Stuart and Philip Moxham) backed him on Jah Scouse first (and for a long time only) vinyl release in 1984, Better Things, produced by Phil Legg (Essential Logic). The 7” contained two numbers, and notably Merge (backed with Vegan Mix, which also featured Charles Bullen (This Heat)).

The Shake - Peel session (1979)

2010-10-14T01:32:00.000-07:00

The official debut for Troy Tate with the Shake (Jo Callis, Simon Templar, Angel Patterson) was for a Peel Session. Recorded at Maida Vale Studio on April 23rd 1979, with Cris Lycett producing and Dave Dade and Martyn Parker engineering, the session was aired on April 30th and featured:

Peel Session (April 1979)
- (But) Not Mine
- Glasshouse
- Night by Night
- Teenbeat

The first two numbers appeared on the Shake’s first Ep, Nigh by Night was to be the b-side of the upcoming single.

shake peel

(see also: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/sessions/1970s/1979/Apr23shake/ )

The Shake (1979-1980)

2010-10-14T01:26:00.000-07:00

Band formed by ex-Rezillos Jo (a.k.a John) Callis (guitars, later Boots for Dancing, Human League, and, as a solo artist in-between bands, recorded the Ep Woah Yeah in 1981), Simon Templar (bass, later Flowers, Boots for Dancing) and Angel (a.k.a. Ali) Patterson (drums, later Boots for Dancing, TV21 and Troy Tate Band). Shake released an Ep in July 1979:

Culture Shock (1979)
- Culture Shock
- (But) Not mine
- Glasshouse
- Dream on

Troy Tate was added to the line-up (guitar, vocals, former Index, later Teardrop Explodes, Troy Tate Band). This line-up released the band’s second single in February 1980:

Invasion of the Gamma Men (1980)
- Invasion of the Gamma Men
- Night by Night

Shortly after the release of the single Tate was suggested by Bill Drummond to Julian Cope as a replacement for Alan Gill leaving the Teardrop Explodes. This is Cope’s recollection of the audition:
‘Troy Tate was great looking. He was dark haired and a little older than us. When he walked into the rehearsal room, he walked up to me, and said, ‘Hi, baby.’ I like him at once. We made a racket and he clanged his guitar the way I liked, so he was in. Within the week, we were firm friends.’ (Heads On, 107)

shake

The Index (1977-79)

2010-10-14T00:34:00.000-07:00

Cheltenham-based band with a short life (early 1977, early 1979) featuring Liverpool born Troy Tate (guitar, vocals, later Shake, Teardrop Explodes, Troy Tate bad), Russell Elliott (bass) and Dave Hough (drums).
The Index release their first and only single in June 1978:

Jet Leg (1978)
- Jet Leg
- Total Bland

index

The Language (1982-1985)

2010-09-26T06:20:00.001-07:00

Language were a Wallasey-based band playing westcoast rock. The original nucleus formed in 1982 and included Dean Johnson (guitars, vocals) and Pete Hunt (bass), which was enlarged in 1983 with the recruiting of Graham Todd (keyboards). And Andy Golbourne (drums). Hunt then quit to be replaced by Gareth Edwards (bass). In 1984 Language released the cassette-ep Live at the Cavern (recorded lev on July 18th, 1984 and featuing Powergame, The Same Door, Deliver us, Down by the River), which became a favourite in the Merseyside area. So much so that in October of the same year Radio Luxembourg voted Language as ‘best newcomer’. In early 1985 Golbourne left and was replaced by Barry Hilton (former Instant Agony). Todd and Edwards were the next to leave and Martin Lavery was added to the line-up on bass. In 1985 the band toured as support act of Dr & The Medics but split up before the end of the year.
In 1987 Johnson formed his outfit Dean Johnson and the British Invasion and later, with Martin Lavery the jazz-influenced The Cocoa Room.

More info and audio files can be found at the band’s myspace page:

http://www.myspace.com/languagewirral

The Vis Johnson Band

2010-09-25T06:43:00.000-07:00

The Vis Johnson Band formed around 1985 in the Sefton area. The original five-piece act consisted of Tony Cannon (guitar), Tommy Pendelton (bass), Marty Bennett (guitar), Dave Hartley and Dave Selwood (drums and vocals). With some adjustments over time (the addition of Azzy on sax and Ste on vocals) the original line-up is still performing nowadays.
The band played a 70s flavoured pop rock, as can be hear in the band’s only song ever released (Lose All Control, on the Twist and Samba compilation in 1986) and in the numbers of the same period which can be found at the band’s official site.

http://visjohnson.com/

The Iconoclasts - Spotty Dog (1985)

2010-09-23T06:28:00.000-07:00

The Iconoclast – Mandy Bendix (vocals, guitars, former A.T.A., later Mere Dead Men), Dibbie (a.k.a. Dib, vocals, guitars, ex Joyful Assault), another Mandy (a.k.a. Moge, bass, vocals, former Joyful Assault, later Decomposed) and Spekki (drums) – released their firs official maxi single in May 1985:

Spotty Dog (1985)
Side A:
- Bilge And Moans
- Nosferatu
- Chocolate Lime Junkies
Side B:
- Rainbow
- Sylvester Gridsporn
- The Eyelash Song- Spotty Dog

The press release accompanying the release reads as follows:

‘On Friday 10th May 1985, the combined efforts of all girl punk band The Iconoclasts, Station House Studios, Skysaw Records and Ryker Pressing plant made a successful attempt at seting a new World record for the fastest time from the band playing live to the finished 12” maxi single being on sale.

‘Up to date there is no officially recorded record breaking time, though previously 24 hours has been the unofficial time.

‘We have now set a new challenge of 10 hours and 22 minutes.

‘Once the recording had been completed, the tapes were flown by helicopter to London where lacquers were cut. Then to Leicester, by helicopter, where stampers were processed. On completion of the process, the helicopter returned o Wallasey, Merseyside, where Ryker commenced presing.
The first quantity of records were then flown over the Mersey to The Albert Dock Merseyside Alive ’85 Jamboree.
The first copies of the record were being sold before 11pm.
The first radio airplay was at Midnight on BBC Radio Merseyside, Friday 10th May 1985.

‘Merseyside Alive ’85 financed the single
Station House Studios recorded and edited the tapes
Ryker financed helicopter transport
Skysaw Records are looking after promotion and monitoring distribution
Probe/Cartel are distributors

‘TIMETABLE OF EVENTS
Friday May 10th 1985

12.10 Helicopter leaves Albert Dock, Liverpool, for London
13.18 Tapes arrive London and taken to cutting room
15.30 Helicopter leaves for Leicester
16.15 Arrive Leicester for lacquers to be mastered
21.25 Helicopter leaves for Ryker Pressing plant, Wallasey, Merseyside
22.10 First copy of record available
22.50 Box of records arrives, bu helicopter, at Albert Dock for sale
24.00 First Airplay on BBC Radio Merseyside

‘The whole operation was independently monitored and documented by Con McConville of BBC Radio Merseyside, and witnessed by representatives from Skysaw Records, Station House Studios and Ryker.’

spotty dog

(see also: http://uk82.150m.com/bands/iconoclasts.html
http://www.myspace.com/mandymdm/photos/albums/iconoclasts/1053699 )

Grown up Strange (1983-1986)

2010-09-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

New Romantic band originally form Ulverston. After playing with punk acts the Spurts (1978) and the Hormones (1979), Chris ‘Mokka’ Hutchinson (guitars, vocals) and Mike Gaunt (drums) formed Grown up Strange in 1981 with Toby Wren (guitars), and Norman Scott (keyboards).

As to the origin of the band Hutchinson told ‘Blast Off’ Magazine:
‘I started off in a punk band. But that developed into Grown Up Strange. Mike was drumming in it, this was 78/79. Then Mike moved to Manchester, and I was just a bedroom guitarist for a couple of years. I spent a couple of years just growing up, starting to write my own stuff. In this punk band, The Spurts – and then we became The Hormones! – we used to do cover versions of about four Buzzcocks songs, and The Only Ones – and XTC. And then we, as I say, split up and when we came back it was with our own material.” (Blast Off, 1/1986)

In 1982, Wren and Scott were replaced respectively by Steve Wildgoose and Greg Shields. In 1985 the new recruits were substituted by Simon ‘Bendy’ Bennet (bass, former Hoi Polloi, Sonny & a Million) and David Williams (keyboards). Finally, in 1986 Bennet quit to be replaced by Roy Corckill (a.k.a. Roy Corckhill) former Here’s Johnny and Black) (ands the group was joined by Colin Vearncombe, from Black, for live work). This line-up recorded the band’s only single, released in August 1986:

A Wing and a Prayer (1986)
- A Wing and a Prayer
- When You Became That Summer
- Now Winter Lasts Forever

Here’s the band recording info (1987):

‘The seeds of Grown Up Strange were sown in Ulverston in the Lake District. It was there that Christopher Mark (Mokka) Hutchinson and Michael Gaunt decided to form a group together.. They have known each other since schooldays and played in various local punk bands back in 1977. Their partnership was interrupted for a while when Michael went to study in Manchester and then fell off his motor bike and spent nine months on crutches. In 1083 they adopted their current name and started to perform Mokka’s songs.

‘They made occasional forays to play gigs around the North but found it difficult operating from Ulverston, so in 1984 they decided to move. They chose Liverpool, having visited the city regularly to see gigs at Eric’s. They found themselves a manager, Dave G who has been heavily involved in the local music scene for longer than many people can remember (but is still only 28). They also found a new bass player Bendy and keyboard player Dave Williams and started to take the group seriously.

‘After a solid grounding in the clubs and colleges of Merseyside, they toured properly for the first time in the autumn of 1985 as support to the Icicle Works. They went down well to be asked back to some of the same venues in their own right. Colin Vearncombe joined the group for live work to fill out the sound and in return Mokka plays guitars at Black gigs.

‘Grown Up Strange haven’t been as active as they would like to have been in 1986 for several reasons. Firstly Bendy left the band to live in London to be replaced by Roy Corckill who as played in many groups in Liverpool including Here’s Johnny and Black. Secondly, the local club scene for up and coming groups has all but disappeared and finally, hardly anybody outside Liverpool is prepared to book a group without any records out. Consequently their live work in the last year has been restricted to several supports around Liverpool and gigs in their own right in Blackburn, London, Barrow And Manchester. Hopefully the release of their first single ‘A Wing and a Prayer’ on Uglyman Records will enable them to travel more widely as it is live that the group shines.’

grown up strange

French Lessons (1979-1984)

2010-08-31T05:48:00.000-07:00

Wirral based pop rock band, formed in 1979 by Rob Cross (keyboards), Doug Halligan (bass and vocals), Ron Roberts (guitar) - both former members of Cops in Dieguise - and Tony Hall (vocals). Colin Roberts, the band’s original drummer was replaced by Keith Butler (former Fallen Heroes) in 1981. The band were regulars on the local music scene and winners or runners up of various local and national competitions, developing quite a large local following.
French Lessons privately released two cassette albums. Homework was recorded at SOS Studios, in Liverpool, between August 1981 and March 1982 and produced by Pete Coleman.

Homework (1982)
Side 1:
- Anytown
- Poor Little Rich Girl
- Social Insecurity
- Planet 3
- Nursery Crimes
Side 2:
- Timebomb
- Willie the Kid
- Don't believe in rainbows
- Badlands

Reel Music is the band’s second album. Side one of was recorded at Corndon House Studios in December 1982. Side two was recorded at Amazon Studios, Liverpool, in November 1982. All tracks where mixed and mastered at Corndon House Studios, in December 1982.

Reel Music (1983)
Side 1:
- Only a broken heart
- Return of the kid
- The jogger
- Midnight cabaret
- Don't believe in rainbows
Side 2:
- Protect and survive
- Mr. Zero
- Anonymous
- Dream Street

In 1984 the band released their first single (the double A-sided Red Light Girls/Ticket to nowhere).

More information about the band and audio files can be found here
(see also: http://www.frenchlessons.org.uk/ )

Keep It Dark (1984-1986)

2010-08-29T07:05:00.000-07:00

Keep it Dark is a pop-rock three-piece formed in 1984 by songwriter Jimmy Barrett (vocals, guitars), Paul ‘Reo’ Reason (guitars, vocals, former Ex Post Facto, later US Companion), and Paul Stewart (drums), later replaced by Brian Rawling (former 3D). According to some sources, Terry Kilfoyle (former Asylum, later Big Still, Seconds Out) was added to the line-up on bass at some point. The band played quite extensively the local circuit before getting to eventually release their material on vinyl in1986. The first single (The Dreamer b/w Outsider + What do We Need) was issued in March 1986, soon to be followed by their second one (Don’t Surrender b/w Far from Home + It’s over). Both a-sides were then to appear on the band’s first (and only) Lp.

1st Down And Ten (1986)
Side A:
- Better Than Me
- Don't Surrender
- If You Be Mine
- Be The One
- Who Can Say
Side B:
- Dreamer
- Lost Love Forever
- The Outsider
- Far From Home
- Fish Out Of Water

One of the first pieces written about Keep it Dark (Next 14, May 1984) described the band’s live performance as follows:
‘From the sound of this first set by his [Jimmy Barrett] band Keep it Dark, both ears have been well tuned to American AOR for quite a while. […] It’s a sign for all those of you who will confess to listening to CSNY or Bob Dylan to pull up a chair and hear that sort of thing done well.
‘Jimmy reckons he’s been at it ten years himself, and thinks he’s cracked it with this line up. To be honest, the band lapsed too often into dull conventionalism – I heard half a dozen familiar chord changes through the night. But that, and the somewhat samey and one paced arrangements, are bound to change with more time together, and the background in musicianship and confidence is there to encourage experimentation.’

The American press reviewed as follows:
‘Liverpool, England, has spawned yet another pop band that has made its way to the United States after gaining a following at home. Keep It Dark was formed after singer Jimmy Barrett and guitarist Reo Reason saw each other playing in British clubs and decided they had a lot in common musically.
Their debut U.S. release is a modern pop blend of electronic keyboards, horns, guitar and a steady driving drum beat. Keep It Dark`s sound is more of a mesh of pop/rock style than raw-roots rock.
Side 1`s Dreamer is a medium-paced tune with Barrett backed up by a David Sanborn style saxophone. Most of the album`s cuts have a highly produced, studio mixed sound, which is something of a surprise since this band`s success started on the club circuit.
Keep It Dark keeps a pretty steady sound throughout, never really kicking in, and making it hard to decide just what they`re trying to say.’
(see here)

keep it dark

Doof - Exist (1982)

2010-08-29T06:13:00.001-07:00

In 1982 Philip Johnson (see relevant post) collaborated with Paul Platypus (Exhibit A, Twelve Cubic Feet) on the project Doof, releasing the 10" mini-LP Exist:

Doof / Exist (1982)

- Treat Me Like (The Man I Am)
- Brighton, Pt.1
- Nine Years Old
- Brighton, Pt.2
- On It In It
- Treat Me Like (The Man I Am)

Abouth his music, in 1985 Johnson says:
‘My music is an uncommon mixture of musical styles – I didn’t deliberately make it that way, I just like different things andit seems natural to me to put them together, but I’ve always been identified with the ‘experimental’ end of things, like most people who release cassettes. I find what I do hard to describe, and I don’t really want to describe it, I want to surprise listeners, and I want to be able to annoy or amuse or excite or move or confuse them, or create several feelings at once’

doof

Philip Johnson

2010-08-11T05:53:00.000-07:00

Philip Johnson is an avantgarde artist who started making music in autumn 1978 and released his first cassette (54 Minutes of P. Johnson) in 1979, one of the earliest participants in the British independent cassette scene. Between 1979 and 1981 he released about 20 cassettes, until 1981 when Johnson became a partner in Namedrop, a short-lived independent record label (which also released Johnson full-fledge Lp ‘1982 – Youth the Morning’). When Namedrop collapsed Johnson went back to releasing cassettes and providing tracks for compilations, mostly cassette compilation (among which Blues Vol. 2, released by Alan Gill’s Bopadub records). In 1981 Johnson released material also under various pseudonyms such as Ancient Regime, the Barringtons, Flower Perverts.

In the folder:
From the compilation We Couldn’t Agree on the Title (1982):
- The Bridewell
- Anaesthetic

From Three Minute Symphony (1984):
- Always Behind You

here

Surreal Estate - Midas Touch (1985)

2010-07-28T10:31:00.001-07:00

Surreal Estate formed in 1984 when Bob Carr (guitars, former Those Naughty Lumps, Tontrix, Moderates) joined John Potter (keyboards, vocals). The duo recorded and released their first single in June 1985, with (what the press defined as) a distinctive ‘new psychedelia’ guitar sound.

Midas Touch (1985)
A1. Midas Touch
A2. Incidentally
B1. The Messenger
B2. Inciclub

The single features also Marjie Mayers (vocals), and Bunnymen Will Sergeant (guitars) and Les Pattinson (bass).
In 1986 Carr quit and the band with a new line-up (featuring, besides Potter, Rob Eagle on guitars, Anthony Wilding on bass, Peter Higgins on keyboard, and Alan McLaughlin on drums) released another single (Curtain Call b/w Without + Peppermint And Ivory Towers)

surreal estate - midas

That Volcano – Demos (1983)

2010-07-19T05:46:00.000-07:00

That Volcano was a Kirkby electronic band formed around 1982 when Gary Williams (keyboards, drum machine, later Secluded Places), Tony O'Shaughnessy (Keyboards, Guitar) and Paul Cassidy (Keyboards), all in Penulitmate Vehicle (1981-82), were joined by Paul Beckett (Vocals, later Lunjay Blue Armey, U.S. Companion, Push Push) and John Blackhurst (Guitars). After a short period as Radio Blue (under whose name the band won the 1983 edition o the Battle of the Bands) the group settled for That Volcano. In the same year That Volcano recorded a couple of demos:

First Demo (1983):
- The Brighter Side of Life
- Read the Writing
- What Would You Do
- Too Late

Pauline Alliston, Paul Beckett's cousin, can be heard on backing vocals.

Second Demo (1983):
- Recently
- Win Win
(plus other two tracks)

By the end of the year Paul Cassidy was made to quit the band, and in December 1983 That Volcan split.

Gary Williams (see http://www.myspace.com/thatvolcano):

‘It all started in January 1981 with me doing a multi-layered recording, bouncing tracks between one tape recorder and another to build up a wall of sound. Instrumentation included a vase, a 'pong' tv game, a set of springs, some knitting needles as drum-sticks etc. The resulting cacophony was entitled 'I'm a membrane', and I was ever so proud! I played it to Tony O'shaughnessy, who lived around the corner, and within days, we'd formed a band called 'Penultimate Vehicle'!

'Most of 1981 saw us building our arsenal of instruments, including a casio VL1. Tony already had a stylophone and a church organ which you had to pump with your feet so he was well ahead of the game! By January 1982, we had expanded to three members, including Paul Cassidy. Paul was approached entirely on the basis of the fact that he bought NME and liked Fad Gadget. Me, Tony and Paul had all gone into debt (or made our parents go into debt) to buy synthesisers - Yamaha, Roland and Korg respectively. We also had the cheapest little drum machine that money could buy.

'We were ready for our first and last gig as Penultimate Vehicle, with me on vocals. This took place at a friend, Davo's house, as part of his 16th birthday party. It was just us, and another friend's band called The Atoms playing. Common consensus was that the music held at least some promise, while the vocals were appalling (the tape of the gig still exists, under lock and key. You can hear people laughing and making cat noises as I sing with a style generally written off as 'sounding like mooncat').

'The gig led to a review, and soon we had recruited my classmate Paul Beckett as frontman, and John Blackhurst to guitar. Anyway, for what its worth, the full line up of Paul Beckett on Vocals, Tony O'Shaughnessy, me and Paul Cassidy ALL on keyboards, and John Blackhurst on guitar then spent the best part of a year writing songs and rehearsing songs and not doing much else.

'Come the spring of 1983, we finally felt we had a set of songs we were reasonably confident with, so we played our first gig, which, as it happens was a battle of the bands at the local school fete. I can't really remember much about the other bands beyond the fact that one of them was called Mojo Filter. By this time we had changed our name to the very shortlived 'Radio Blue'. We won the competition, with the bands who lost questioning the decision of the sole judge (Kevin Perkes), as he was a friend of ours!

'Fired up by this win, we booked ourselves into the 'Abbey Green' 16 track recording studios in Warrington. Why Warrington? I have no idea. Liverpool was bursting at the seams with recording studios and rehearsal rooms at the time. I suppose it felt like, as it was just for one weekend, it made little difference. We all chipped in £25 each for a two day session, which covered the recording and mixing of […] four. The girl on the tape was Pauline Alliston, who was Paul Beckett's cousin.

'We were very happy with the results[…] and within weeks were on the train to London, to tout it around the record companies. Naturally, we were met with general indifference from the more fashionable labels, but London Records and EMI said they wanted to hear more. With this information under our belt, we got back in touch with Abbey Green, who immediately offered to manage us, serving up as much recording studio time as we could use to record a heavyweight follow-up to the first demo. So we would get phone calls telling us the studio was free, did we fancy using the studio? Invariably, my dad would be pressed into service, driving us up the motorway to Warrington, where we would then spend 36 very happy hours making cups of coffee, drinking beer, and generally noodling around.

'This went on for three months! At the end of which we had a tape with four new songs [among which 'Recently' and 'Win Win'] that bore no resemblance to the band we were or had been. This demo again got taken around the record companies, meeting with hostility this time! London records simply wanted to know 'What happened?' Back to the drawing board.

'It was about this time that we took our very worst decision, when we kicked Paul Cassidy out of the band. Why? Because he and singer Paul were having too much fun! We felt distracted, and wanted to ensure we could focus on the music.

'Looking back, it was a big shame that we had lost sight of the fact that all this was supposed to be fun. Abbey Green thought that we needed to build our following and put ourselves on the map with a big, showcase show. Again, our general myopic view of the world meant that we spurned Liverpool, instead deciding to hire Kirkby's Civic Suite, with a capacity of about 600! We should really have been playing little pubs around town to build an audience, but oh! no! we had to be different. So we then spent another six weeks in the studio, recording backing tapes for the gig. Basically, all the drum machine and basslines were put onto a 4 track fostex, which would then stand proudly centre stage during the gig. We were only three years or four years behind OMD and Human League in doing this, but that didn't put us off.

'So 3rd December 1983 saw us play this massive gig in Kirkby. We had an audience of about 400 people - there wasn't much to do in Kirkby of a Thursday night, if at all. Most people were there for the promised disco I am sure. Anyway, it all went reasonably well, and we convinced ourselves we were popstars. Within three weeks we had split up.'

Tracks from the band’s two demos can be found at the band’s myspace page here