The Blitz Brothers - Rose Tattoo (1980)

The Blitz Brothers formed in late 1979 and consisted of Dave Bates (vocals, former Dalek I and A&R manager for Phonogram), Chris Hughes (drums and FX, formerly of Virgin Records, later Dalek I Love You, Adam and the Ants), Steve Lovell (guitars, ex Tontrix, later Hollycaust, and with Julian Cope) and Hugh Jones (bass).

Dave Bates:
‘As a teenager, Bates left his native London to become a successful BBC Radio Journalist, DJ and promoter in Sheffield. The success of his local shows encouraged him to return to London and the heart of the music industry. His grasp of the singles market saw him recruited by Richard Branson in an effort to steer the fledgling Virgin Empire away from just album sales and hippy shops. Branson also felt that he was the man to organise an in-store radio station for the Virgin shops. The idea never saw the light of day, but it did get Bates working with Chris Hughes, (Then a colleague at Virgin). The two became firm friends, bonded together by a mutual obsession with music. It was the start of a relationship that abides to this day with Chris as Davids' partner at db. " From that point on," they admit, " our careers are inextricably linked." As Bates moved into to A & R, Hughes was given the opportunity to move into production.‘Bates joined Phonogram as an A & R scout in 1976, at the height of the punk scene. His first signing was Dalek I, a band that contained future members of Siouxsie and the Banshees [sic], OMD and The Teardrop Explodes. Two years later Bates' vision came into it's own when he persuaded Mercury to fly in the face of fashion and sign a gang of unkempt rockers he'd found back in his old stomping ground of Sheffield, known as Def Leppard.‘Bates' unlikely lads went on to sell over 40,000,000 albums, and David's reputation as a man the music business could ill afford to ignore was assured.‘Never one to miss an opportunity Bates made use of his record companies facilities to form and record a band called 'The Blitz Brothers' starring him and Chris Hughes. He sent the demo into Phonogram by post. When the label decided to sign them he was forced to admit his involvement. Two of the singles have appeared on many US 'New Wave' compilation CD's.‘Bates hit the USA for the first time in 1978. He had formed a relationship with Ork Records and was trying to do a deal that would enable him to sign Alex Chilton, The Cramps and Television. He needed to go to New York to close a few details. Assigned £1,000 for the whole trip he performed a minor economic miracle by staying for four months. In that time he saw bands that he both loved and championed including Devo and the B52's. To their cost Phonogram failed to share in Bates enthusiasm and when the last dollar was finally spent he came home older, wiser and manifestly ahead of his time.‘It was in Middlesborough,1979 that Bates instincts told him that he had found another star in Julian Cope and a seminal band called ' The Teardrop Explodes'. Under Bates auspices the band recorded two legendary LP's and he continued to work with Julian Cope as a solo artist on Mercury.The 1980's and Bates' next big score would come via a tape of songs offered to him by a publisher. Unimpressed by the idea of covering the songs, he inquired after the writers instead. They were two teenagers who had given themselves the name of 'Tears For Fears'. After two failed singles Bates decided to go out on a limb, and recorded an album.For the third single he switched the A side with the B side "Mad World'. It made No 3, and the LP sold 4 million copies. It was the start of a union that lasted until the early 90's and has accounted for some 20,000,00 albums to date.In the mid 80's David's instincts had acquired Phonogram what can be described as an embarrassment of riches. "Of the five of us on Phonograms A & R team we had nine of the top ten singles in one week. You suddenly think that you can do anything and that everything is possible". Bates has always looked to hide behind, even back in the 70's he had formed Back Door records, he released 'I'm the Face' by the Who's first incarnation, 'The High Numbers'. Another hit. Bates now decided to sift through world music for further inspiration and went onto form a label called The Mobile Suit corporation with David Claridge. As well as his established bands Bates also found one-off hits like Trio's ' Da, Da, Da,'. Following a bet with a colleague Tracey Bennet, he had a top ten hit with Monsoons 'Ever So Lonely'. David, it seemed could do no wrong.Back home his long and intimate relationship with Julian Cope (Bates and Cope had shared a flat together, and in his autobiography Cope devotes a whole paragraph to Bates' record collection.) was under strain. Cope's conceptual excesses in the face of declining public interest, meant that they no longer saw eye to eye and one of Bates closet and most fruitful partnerships came to an end. "I wanted him to be Jim Morrison, he wanted to be Iggy Pop" says Bates. Although they still remain firm close friends today.’
http://www.dbrecords.co.uk/davidbiog.php?lang=1

Julian Cope, talking about Dave Bates calls him ‘A genius and a lunatic’ (Head On)


Chris Hughes (a.k.a. Merrick):
‘Right from the start, Chris Hughes' musical career has been about diversity. Since he bought his first drum kit aged 13 his endeavours have spanned the musical spectrum, devoting himself chiefly to its most ancient (percussion) and modern (electronics) forms. […]
‘As a teenager Chris immersed himself in the classic pop of The Beatles and The Stones and spent his spare time drumming in bands with his schoolmates. In 1973, he joined Virgin Records as "a basic sweeper-upper". Whilst working his way through the retail end of the business his fascination with electronic music grew. He began to experiment with recording, using a mixture of feedback, tape-loops and outright noise in a (now industry standard) "bedroom studio" fashioned from early synths, valve equipment and quarter inch tape.His first outing as a producer (and an early Bates collaboration) was Dalek I's "Compass Kum-pas", which was a fusion of pop and electronics that would not only point the way for Hughes' future but the direction of pop music as a whole. ‘Other early work would include the Bates fronted Blitz Brothers and some primitive sequencer sessions at Ringo Starrs' house for the young Def Leppard.‘In 1978, Chris played drums in session for former Big Star main man Alex Chiltern at Olympic Studios in London. Chiltern was sufficiently impressed to take Chris with him as drummer on his US tour. Back in London Chris found himself in the offices of Do It Records, two rooms above a minicab office in Camden, listening to a cassette tape played on the telephone answering machine. The tape was by Adam and The Ants and Chris, spotting both their potential and his need for some work, agreed to turn his attentions to the masters. […] ‘The Hughes produced Kings Of The Wild Frontier was a No 1 album, a milestone in pop, singles like Dog Eat Dog and Antmusic fused the Hughes fashioned Burundi drum sound into the consciousness of a generation and Chris joined Adam on the bedroom walls of Britain.‘Leaving The Ants in 1982, Chris began to focus more on production. He made his mark almost immediately with Tears For Fears. His work as producer commenced with their first album The Hurting and has continued, on and off, ever since. However, it was never a smooth ride. "I got fired on a regular basis," he recalls.‘The 80's saw Chris further establish his production credentials with the outright pop of Howard Jones, Wang Chung and Red Box as well as shaping the sound of more tangible artists like The Cars' Ric Ocasek and Paul McCartney. The decade saw him back again at the nexus of pop and electronics producing avant-garde hits for Propaganda.’
http://www.dbrecords.co.uk/chrisbiog.php?lang=1


About Steve Lovell Julian Cope recalls:
‘This is the guy that we used to adore from afar in Liverpool. Before the Bunnymen, before the Teardrop, Will Sargent, Simmo (Paul Simpson, former Teardrop Explodes, Wild Swans) and I used to consider Steve the nearest thing to Tom Verlaine. Of course, Tom Verlaine was a guitar legend in Liverpool. And, though Steve had always played in crap bands, his guitaring had always been so pioneeringly emotional and truly nerve-shuttering that we always just listened to him.’
(Head On, 17)


They released a couple of singles: Gloria (1979, featuring: Gloria (Van Morrison) b/w Songs/Records (C. Hughes), see relevant post) and Rose Tattoo (1980, written by Bates / Hughes, b/w Walking all alone by Bates / Hughes / Jones / Lovell).


Rose Tattoo (1980),
- Rose Tattoo (Bates / Hughes)
- Walking all alone (Bates / Hughes / Jones / Lovell).


An article in Dark Star Magazine in 1980 (No. 25, Vol. 5) the Blitz Brothers are presented as follows:
‘Producres of [Dalek I], The Blitz Brothers seems to basically consist of Chris Hughes and Dave Bates and have so far produced two superlative singles for Vertigo, the first of which was an idiosyncratic near-disco revamp of Van The Man’s Gloria coupled with the polished, wistful ‘Songs / Records’. This was followed by a Left Banke-like original called The Rose Tattoo (Deerfrance). Both may be hard to come by but persistence will be rewarded’


(If uncredited, is possible to spot Alan Gill’s distinctive high-pitch voice singing in the chorus of Walking All Alone.)

rose tattoo


(see also:
http://www.chrishughesproducer.com/chrishughes2/OC5.html
http://www.dbrecords.co.uk/chrisbiog.php?lang=1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Hughes_(drummer)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Jones_(producer) )

Naffi - D’Ya Hear Me (1982)

In 1981 Jerry and Brenda Kenny changed the name of their band from Naafi Sandwich to simply Naffi. In a couple of year they’ll change again to Naffi-Locksman and finally to Brenda and the Beach Balls. All these incarnations would release either a fully-fledge LP or a series of 12”, respectively in 1982 (Naffi – Yum Yum Yum Yum Ya), 1985 (Naffi-Locksman - ST), and 1986-87 (Brenda and the Beach Balls – Volume One 12”, Yummy Yah 12”, Catch a Falling Star 12”). By that time Jerry Kenny (a.k.a. Freddie Viaduct or Viadukt) would be an established producer, notably contributing to the work of such acts like the Mel-O-Tones and Jegsy Dodd.
In October 1981 the newly named Naffi, between cassette releases (Another Rum’Un, 1981 and Maybe It’s Because I’m not a Londoner, 1982), came out with their second single:

D’Ya Hear Me (1982)
- D’Ya Hear Me
- Freddie’s Fever / The Hutch

naffi

Naafi Sandwich (1979-1980)

Naafi Sandwich (also Naafi, Naffi, Naffis, Naffi-Locksman) was an experimental duo from Earlstown, Merseyside formed by Jerry Kenny (a.k.a. Sir Freddie Viaduct, vocals, bass, guitar, trumpet) and Brenda Kenny (a.k.a. Poly Rhythm, vocals, percussion, drums, keyboards). They started playing and recording in the late 70s, gaining cult status ford the weirdness of their music, ranging from afro, to dub, to psychedelic, to noise and avanguard.
They recorded their first single in 1979 (for Absurd record, re-released in 1982 under the name Naffis for Relentless Records, with the original a-side as the b-side and viceversa).

Naafi Sandwich (1979)
- Slice One
- Slice Two

In 1980 they released the first of a series of (four) cassette releases featuring the band’s musical oddities and experimentations.

Naafi Sandwich – Run 1 (1980)
- Muva Dubba
- Uranium Geranium
- Hoochie Pooch
- Yum Yum
- Lee Street Bounce

naffis

The Balcony - Redder than Burning Coals (1987)

By 1987, after a period of changes and of quite limited musical activity (misinterpreted as ‘non-existence’ by the Spheres’ journalist in the extract below) the Balcony re-emerged as a three-piece, namely, David Palmer (vocals), Mark Cowley (drums) and Steve Powell (guitars). This line-up (featuring session musicians like Joe Mckechnie, Mark Davies, Phil Lucking, Mike Kidson, Martin Green, John Hawkins and Narash) released a much-awaited second single in February 1987.


Redder than Burning Coals (1987)
- Redder than Burning Coals
- Too Late
- Loser



Spheres Magazine #6 (March 1987) wrote about the band:
‘The Balcony have released their first single as a 12” on Pink Pop entitled ‘Redder than Burning Coals’ c/w ‘Losers’ and a track of theirs which is featured in the soundtrack of ‘Letter to Brezhnev’, ‘Too Late’. The Balcony were formed in the summer of ’85 (sic!) by their vocalist David Palmer, along with the other members of the group they have diverse musical influence, and when their collective writing comes together, they deliver nothing short of amazing.
A recent Café Berlin gig provided a chance to witness what The Balcony are up to, including an usual attempt at dancing by an intoxicated David Palmer. […] Their songs cover a wide an area of topics as their influences, including ‘No 1 Jesus Man’ a reference to the Pope by the people of Papua New Guinea to ‘Insane Things’ the only title to explain the famine situation in Africa. ‘A Cover Version’ is another highlight to The Balcony performance, this song is planned as their next single.’

The 1987 single and other information can be found here

The Balcony - Lizard Hunt (1982)

The Balcony formed in 1981 and consisted of David Palmer 8a.k.a. Yorkie, vocals, bass), Pete McAsey (aka Peter Macassey, also with This Final Frame, bass), Paul Cavanagh (former Chinese Religion, later Room, guitar, bass,), Peter Baker (later Room, keyboards) and Bert Gardner (drums).

About the band, Paul Skillen (of this Final frame) wrote in a Merseysound issue (November 1981):
‘On the surface the music is ‘poppy’ but the band escape any category due to the very different musical elements they produce within the framework of a ‘pop song’.
‘Peter Baker on keyboards is classically trained and has never played in a group before, he quite likes Bowie but is mainly influenced by Bach. I asked him why he joined the band and he replied that he had nothing better to do. He has only been with the band a matter of weeks so his influence has yet to take effect.
‘Bert Gardiner on drums has rock/jazz style about him, the rhythms are often deceptive, and closer listenings reveal complicated timing. His influences range from Captain Beefhart to The Mahavishnu Orchesrta. I asked him why he joined the band and he said ‘ Because they are all gay’, to which Pete McAsey replied, ‘I’m not gay but my fella is…’ I decided not to interview the band after this point and to get on with describing their music.
‘Paul Cavanagh on guitar has highly original style full of discord, choppy rhythms and harmonics. His guitar style comes and goes in fits and starts, you really don’t kno what he is going to do next.
‘Another unusual element on The Balcony is that they have two bass players, Dave Palmer sings and plays bass while Pete McAsey plays another totally different bass line. They don’t play harmony lines or double up. Dave’s bass playing is mainly driving bouncy octaves while Pete McAsey provides a jazz-funk element and is obvious talented.
‘Dave Palmer is the catalyst of the band. He writes most of the material and then his ideas arer reworked by the rest of the band. His influences are Scritti Politti and James Weston Is a Dead Man (nearly the Wild Swans) which probably leaves you as much in the dark as I am. Dave says ‘I started the band because music at the moment is stale. This is the fourth band I’ve been in and it is the only one I’ve liked totally, not only can I get on with them personally, but every member is good musically and has his own ideas’.
‘Dave adds the vital touch of being able to bring such diverse element together and providing the initial ideas for the songs. The band had no collective image. As you have probably gathered they are very individual characters. The ban have great ability and potential to innovate. Their only possible difficulty is to bring their elements together and play as one coherent unit and whether they want to?’
(Paul Skillen, Merseysound 19, November 1981)

In March 1982, Mick Moss wrote in Merseysound about the Balcony’s live performances:
‘The Balcony are soiled dreamers. Their music has a private logic born of tenderness. The Balcony are lonely, spontaneous, disciplined. They probe deeper shadows then most. And are lost here sacrificed to an audience fleeing from ecstasy.
The balcony touch both bitterness and resignation in their songs. Are cul-de-sac’d by jaundice; they sing of hurt and loss, myths and utopias, but are undermined too often by regret. Too many of their songs seem robbed of hope, lost forever.
The Balcony confront the carnage of love, the transgression of desire, to revealing effect, but they’re stretched too taut, never relaxed, are trapped by stale metaphors alluding to a soul-style they don’t as yet possess. The Balcony would rouse us from slumber with hot, incisive conduct, yet lack sensuality, the seductive grace such a task demands. Their best songs are articulate, accessible, possessed of seductive economy and savage conspiracy.
They’re a glorious release from rock-filth, but to really burn, need to liberate themselves from self absorption, cut deeper, scream of love’s memories and absurdities…
Then… they’ll steal even the greyest hearts away from outrage to a searing elevation’
(Mick Moss, Merseysound 23, March 1982)

This line-up of the band released their first single in August 1982. It was produced by Pere Ubu’s Mayo Thompson.

Lizard Hunt (1982)
- Lizard Hunt
- Surprise after Surprise

Backing vocals were provided by some Sue and Hilary whereas one Shehzad played clarinet.
Merseysound (October 1982) reviewed the single as follows:
‘No freneticism here. Careful and studious both songs have a rich deep sound, lots of twists and turns, being allowed the songs to settle into a pattern. Now, on Surprise Dave Palmer whimsically gives passing mention to the inferno of 14th century Forentine philosopher Dante’

balcony

The Iconoclasts - Some demos (1983-85)

The Iconoclasts came into being after the split of A.T.A., one of the few punk of the anarcho-punk scene in the Liverpool-Wirral area. Originally formed in 1980 by Jarv (a.k.a Jarvo, Jar, vocals), Shone (guitars), Penny (drums) and Lloyd (bass) (see picture, one) in 1981 they added to the line-up a female singer Mandy Bendix (see picture, two). The group continued as a four-piece, having lost Jarv along the way. They played their final gig at Lark Lane in 1983 as a quintet, with Andy O added on guitars (see picture, three).

The Iconoclasts, a Wirral-based all-girl punk band, formed in 1983 by 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). In an ad distributed in 1985 the girls described their songs as follows: ‘Our songs consist of serious and funny material as we try to look on the funny and everyday side of life.’ In 1984 the recorded three demo, one in February, the second in June and the third in November.

Demo (June 1984, 51/2 Track)
- A Type Of Anarchy
- Epitaph
- Floor Monster
- Fight Alone
- Funfair Pts 1+2
- Spotty Dog

Demo (November 1984, 4 Track)
- Pervert
- Do You Care
- Zitty
- Blood Red

In 1985 Linda joined on guitars, soon to leave the band, together with Bendix to form Mere Dead Men (with former A.T.A. bass player Lloyd, later to join Redo Zebri).

About the time of the split Mandy Bendix recalls: ‘Mere Dead Men formed in 1985, by a handful of people, Mandy included to liven up a small and very sad punk scene. Liverpool and its surrounding areas where caught up in the throes of the metal and goth movements, there were hardly any punk bands of their type left […] there were a few hardcore bands around and anarcho bands, but as we said no-one was keeping the original spirit of punk alive, which is what MDM are all about. We began playing locally and promoting gigs at Stairways night club, we then started using some of Mandy's old Iconoclasts contacts […] and started playing around the UK. From that we went on to promote shows at Planet X in Liverpool, and started to get a decent following together.’

demo 1 + demo 2

(see also: http://www.myspace.com/meredeadmen.
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=73052825&albumId=1053699 )

The Dust Choir (1984-85)

Dust Choir were formed after the split of Chinese Religion, when Dave Lee Stark (vocals) joined Matthew Maher (guitar), John Maher (bass), Simon Barlow (drums) and Russell Edwards(sax/guitar). Ian Stading (keyboards) replaced Matthew Maher in 1984 and Steve Soar (bass, later Scorpio Rising) replaced John Maher in 1985. Apparently the band only vinyl release is the track appearing on the extra 7” released with the compilation Sons of Jobs for the Boys (1985):

- Another Fly Network

Paul Skillen (This Final Frame) used to live next door to Stark. He recalls: ‘He looks and sings like Johnny Rotten. He’s only 4 ft. 10 and he’s really an amusing character’. After his short militancy with Dust Choir, Ian Standing joined Keep and Get That Smile.
Schwartze writes: ‘Around the end of 1985 three Merseyside bands with quite a large following between them existed – Innervision, Dust Choir and West Awake were all gigging and playing live around Liverpool and Northwest England. After various approaches from management, record companies and releases on tapes and compilation albums all three came to an end. This was the start of Get That Smile.’


John, in the original line-up recalls his time with the band as follows:
'My brother Matthew and I started 'Dust Choir' (although the name came when Dave 'Davva' Lee joined) when we were 16/17. Originally my brother and I practised with a drummer called Cosmo above my Uncle Mick's pub 'The Cleveland' in Birkenhead. His mates used to laugh at us and take the piss out of the racket we made.
Eventually Dave Lee joined and we moved to practise at the top of Ford Hill in drummer Simon Barlowe's parents' garage. Russell joined on sax soon after. 'Another Fly' was written by Matthew and this first Dust Choir line-up. It was the first song we wrote. We recorded it at some fella's house after Matthew had left and Ian and his keyboard joined. My bass was recorded once and you can tell. I'd never recorded a note! Matt left for University in 1984, and with him went the guitar sound that made us sound special.
I wish we had recorded songs like 'Up on the Roof' before he'd left. We had some noisy, tight songs, not properly reflected in any of guitar free recordings. We recorded two demos in my time(I have the cassette somewhere) and got on the free e.p on the 'Sons of Jobs for the Boys' compilation album. I was chuffed when we went to by it off the owner of 'Natalie's Records'and Paul Weller was on it. We played one gig at the Venue in Seel Street and it was ace. I left in 1985 to go to university. Sadly, I never kept in contact with anyone in the band. I now know they continued with Steve Soar on bass (He went on to success with 'Scorpio Rising'). My abiding memories are of rubbish equipment (I played my bent knecked bass through a stereo amp until it blew up!) and the talent of Simon the drummer who had pots and pans fixed on his kit. We once went to record a video at a social club in Kirby?? which turned out to be the one of the weirdest nights ever. I never did get to see the recording properly as we were sandwhiched between loads of 'chicken in a basket' club bands. I would love to hear from anyone who has a copy (a billion to one shot I know). The cameramen certainly enjoyed our mad performance. Dave Lee was a good lyricist and man. He refused to cut down his lyrics, so all our songs went on a bit. In retrospect both my brother and I wish we'd stayed a year or two. You don't realise till later what you had, and we had something in the early days. I enjoyed my time in the band.

Dust choir

(PS. The quality of the recording is really poor. I apoligise for that.)
(thanks to our friend john for the information)