The System - Some Demos (1981-82)

Some more pieces of information about the System, formed In Wigan, Lancashire, in January 1980, after the fusion of two local punk bands, which brought together Jan Commode (vocals), Andy Atom (aka Andy Coward, guitar), Jimi Jerkoff (bass) and Spider (aka Jimmy Brown, drums):

“Rebellious from the start, one of their first gigs on 29th July 1981 caused outrage when they played their local pub’s car park whilst many residents were celebrating Charles and Di’s royal wedding. The local vicar ensured that the police pulled the plug.
It was hearing Crass and seeing them live that influenced the band to move in a more ‘anarcho-punk’ direction. Soon they had linked up with other like-minded bands and after playing with Flux of Pink Indians were invited to join Flux’s Spiderleg Records. Two singles were released in 1982 Dogs Of War and The System Is Murder and the two bands toured together. They also appeared on the Wargasm compilation album with Dead Kennedys, Captain Sensible, Mau Maus and others.
A friendship with Crass developed with The System organising two gigs for them in Wigan and Crass turned up unannounced at a System gig, and borrowing their gear, began playing new material to a stunned audience.
The System split in November 1983 and reformed for a McLibel benefit gig in 1998”.

System - Demo

The Balcony - Some Recordings (1981-85)

After The Dance Party (previously Ho Ho Bacteria!) and Egypt For Now, in early 1981 Dave Tracy Palmer (aka Yorkie, vocals and bass) formed put together the Balcony.
Here’s what the man himself remembers about the band coming together: “[As Egypt for Now] we recorded a session to be used for the Street To Street Volume 2 album, but the band was short lived as I had recently played Mike (Head, ndr) the band Love, and it changed his life forever. Musical differences in direction split the band: Mike wanted to sound like Love and I wanted something far more experimental. (As an aside, EFN actually recorded a cover of Love's She Comes in Colours at the very same session). John Peel's producer, Chris Lycett, got in touch with a request for EFN to do a Peel session, but as we had gone our separate ways, this was impossible. I told him of my new band The Balcony, and after sending a demo we had just recorded, he booked us.”
The band that turned up for the session included Pete McAsey (aka Peter Macassey, bass, also with This Final Frame), Paul Cavanagh (guitar, bass, former Chinese Religion, later Room), Peter Baker (keyboards, later Room) and Bert Gardner (drums). This line-up (plus Caroline Henning, on backing vocals) on November 18th 1981 recorded three songs, Lizard Hunt, Surprise after Surprise, and She Keeps Her Secret), later broadcast on November 24th. Sporting a radical pot pourri of styles, with jazz and funk influences, and a psychedelic approach to song structure, Balcony didn’t fail to get noticed, in fact, “after playing only one gig, we secured a deal with local record label Praxis and shortly after the Peel session (24.11.81) our debut single was released. It was produced by one of my heroes at the time: Mayo Thompson, from 60's psych gurus The Red Crayola”. In the meantime, in mid-1982 Gardner left and was replaced by Glyn Haworth, and in August 1982 the Balcony first single was out, with Sue and Hilary (whoever they are) on vocals, and Shehzad on clarinet:

Surprise after Surprise (b/w Lizard Hunt)

The band also had a couple of tracks on some compilation releases (namely Those Dangerous Dark Nowheres on Interzone compilation, and Black Ivory Coast Towers on the compilation cassette Index Edition 2, released in 1982). After a period of very fluid formations (one including Judith Latey, Joe McKechnie, and Paul Sangster of Send No Flowers, see picture above), in 1983 the band line-up changed again, with only Yorkie left of the original members. The new Balcony (1983-1984) included Steve Powell (guitar, vocals), Mark Davies (bass), the ubiquitous Joey McKechnie (drums, former Activity Minimal, Modern Eon, Wild Swans - only for some gigs - The Passage, later Benny Profane) and Phil Lucking (trumpet, brass). “Various line-up changes over the course of The Balcony's history meant that the sound and style of the band was consistently changing. The common thread was me, and my urge to create something akin to Dada Pop.”
In 1983 The Balcony privately released a compilation cassette, Portrait, including 10 of the songs written up to that moment by the various line-up (among which featured She Keeps Her Secret, one of the very first composition by the band, performed during their first Peel Session, and Too Late, with which the Balcony contribute to the soundtrack for Chris Bernard and Frank Clarke film Letter To Brezhnev (depicting working class life in Liverpool during the early Eighties, released in 1985).

Balcony – Some Recordings (1981-1985)

(see also http://www.yorkiestinyuniverse.co.uk/Pages/timeline.html
http://www.incendiarymag.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1176 )

Thunderboots - Other Recordings

Even though not properly post-punk, but simply for their connection to Ellery Bop, here’s some more of Thunderboot recordings (taken in late Seventies, possibly early Eighties, for possible but never-to-be vinyl releases). For completists only.

- On Her Way Home
- She’s the Kinda Girl
- Better of Me
- The Carnival

thunderboots - the rest

Thunderboots - I Remeber Lucy (1978)

Four-piece rock band including brothers Mark Parry (on drums) (later Ellery Bop, Western Promise, Ministry of Love, Steppin’ Razor) and Paul Parry (on bass) (later Steppin’ Razor). Other members, at various times were J. Johnson, Anderw Wilson, McCusker, Andy de Foxx (later Touch). To Parry, Johnson, Wilson and McCusker is credited to group only (?) single:



I Remember Lucy (1978)
a. I Remember Lucy
b. You Should Know Better


Our friend Woody writes: 'I was there! I knew their soundman Jimmy M. Used to live down the street from me in Knowsley Village. His van broke down and he borrowed ours to ferry the gear around we helped - roadies without pay. Our reward was the music. Great times had by all. Whispers wine bar in Bold street, The Star & Garter. Fantastic'
(Thanks Woody)

thunderboots

Pressure Drop

Punk act originally formed as a five-piece in 1983 by Mark Hodgekiss (aka Hoddy, vocals), David Ball (bass), David Austin (drums), Tony Turner (guitar) and Warren Peacock (guitar, who left in 1983, after the band’s first single). Named after one of the early Clash songs, this influence is easily perceivably.
The Pressure Drop recorded and released two singles:

From Here to Eternity (1983)
1. From Here to Eternity
2. Navy Blue



Daddy Buy Me a Rifle (1984)
1. Daddy Buy Me a Rifle
2. Guinea Pigs


The a-side to the latter single will also appear on the compilation Jobs for the Boys (1985)

Pressure drop

The System - The System Is Murder (1983)

After the fist EP, warfare (see post below), the System started planning their first full length. But the band split before the LP was released. An EP containing four of the songs recorded was released in 1983

The System Is Murder (1983)
a1 - Undercover Agent For The S.A.S.

a2 - Let's Be Free

b1 - Born To Lose

b2 - Identity

System 1983

The System - Warfare (1982)

Utterly obscure Wigan based punk rock act. The line-up included Jan Commode (vocals), Andy Atom (guitar), Jimi Jerkoff (bass) and Spider (drums).
In January 1982 they record their first EP at Southern Studios, London, then released in June of the same year.

Warfare (1982)
a. Dogs of War (written in Mar. 1979)
b1. Their Corrupting Ways (written in Nov. 1981)
b2. Nervous Breakdown (written in Nov. 1981)


system

Teardrop Explodes (Julian Cope) - Screaming Secrets (demo, live, alt. versions)

Bootleg credited to Julian Cope but including demo and live versions of songs written and performed during the Teardrop days. Vinyl rip. Good Collection. Poor quality.

Screaming Secrets
01. Larceny (Acapulco version)
02. Blaze Star (instrumental demo)
03. Flipped Out on LSD (excerpt)
04. Ha Ha I'm Drowning (Peel Session, 2 Oct. 1979)
05. Hanging Around for Years (Skinner Session, 20 Nov. 1981)
06. Log Cabin (demo)
07. My Indifference (Jensen Session, 8 July 1982)
08. Screaming Secrets (live, May 1981)
09. Straight Rain (I Could Strangle Pete Wylie) (live, 17 Sept. 1979)
10. Suffocate (live, May 1981)
11. Suffocate (alt. version)
12. The Butcher's Tale (instrumental demo)
13. The Great Dominions (Skinner Session, 20 Nov. 1981)
14. The Loving Kind (Skinner Session, 6 May 81)
15. Tiny Children (demo)
16. You Better Scream (Skinner Session, 17 Aug. 1981)

17. You Disappear From View (Jensen Session, 8 July 1982)

screaming secrets