Saturday, September 20, 2008
Vice Creems - 1978 - Won't Be My Girl 7''
Vice Creems - 1978 - Won't Be My Girl 7''download
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The Vice Creems, originally the Aylesbury Bucks, formed in Aylesbury in around mid – late 1977. They were basically the vehicle for Zig-Zag Magazine editor (& former teenage president of the Mott The Hoople fanclub) Kris Needs (vocals), his best mate Colin Keinch (guitar) & assorted mates from the pub. Following sparodic gigging throughout late 77 – early 78, they made their vinyl debut with a fairly typical punky track "No Passion" on the "Aylesbury Goes Flaccid" local compilation LP.
Shortly afterwards (June 78) they recorded two tracks "01-01-212" and "Won't You Be My Girl" on studio down-time during a Flaming Groovies album tracking session (obviously due to Needs' connections!) which was released shortly afterwards as their debut 45 on Tiger Records (the sleeve lists the line up, in addition to Needs & Keinch as Nigel Birchall – guitar, Chris Lugmayer – bass, & Martin Godfrey – drums).
Following more gigs (including dates with The Adverts & The Lurkers), on the eve of returning to the studio to record a Mick Jones produced second single, Birchall, Lugmayer & Godfrey quit the band. Jones said "don't worry" & offered to get Needs & Keinch a band for the session, which he did :- The Clash's Topper Headon on drums, Generation X's Tony James on bass & Jones himself on guitar! (& apparently Billy Idol is in there on backing vocals too!). The recordings materialized as a single "Danger Love" / "Like A Tiger" on ZigZag Records shortly afterwards, with (for legal reasons) Jones credited as "Michael Blair", Headon as "Nicholas Kahn" & James as "Anthony Ross"!
"Kris - A guy came in with money via Zig Zag & we were gonna launch Zig Zag Records. Only problem - the band split up the week before - leaving just me & Colin. I phoned Mick Jones who’d already agreed to produce the record & told him I had Olympic Studios sorted but no band. Mick said he’d get a band & told me to be there. We showed up - 1st thing we see is Johnny Green & the Clash gear & flight cases. We realised our backing band was gonna be Topper, Mick & Tony James. We had a warm up jam. It was surreal."
The Vice Creems were never able to find a steady line up, & called it a day shortly afterwards but not before a prestigious support slot to The Clash & Ian Dury & The Blockheads at Aylesbury Friars. In all the singles were fairly well received though Needs and the band were never viewed as serious contenders more a journalist playing at being a rockstar.
After quitting Zig-Zag Magazine in the early 80's, & following several years in New York (along with picking up a heavy heroin habit), Needs cleaned up, returned to the UK in the early 90's & has since become a major figure in the UK underground dance scene, both as a dj and as a recording artist!
Shortly afterwards (June 78) they recorded two tracks "01-01-212" and "Won't You Be My Girl" on studio down-time during a Flaming Groovies album tracking session (obviously due to Needs' connections!) which was released shortly afterwards as their debut 45 on Tiger Records (the sleeve lists the line up, in addition to Needs & Keinch as Nigel Birchall – guitar, Chris Lugmayer – bass, & Martin Godfrey – drums).
Following more gigs (including dates with The Adverts & The Lurkers), on the eve of returning to the studio to record a Mick Jones produced second single, Birchall, Lugmayer & Godfrey quit the band. Jones said "don't worry" & offered to get Needs & Keinch a band for the session, which he did :- The Clash's Topper Headon on drums, Generation X's Tony James on bass & Jones himself on guitar! (& apparently Billy Idol is in there on backing vocals too!). The recordings materialized as a single "Danger Love" / "Like A Tiger" on ZigZag Records shortly afterwards, with (for legal reasons) Jones credited as "Michael Blair", Headon as "Nicholas Kahn" & James as "Anthony Ross"!
"Kris - A guy came in with money via Zig Zag & we were gonna launch Zig Zag Records. Only problem - the band split up the week before - leaving just me & Colin. I phoned Mick Jones who’d already agreed to produce the record & told him I had Olympic Studios sorted but no band. Mick said he’d get a band & told me to be there. We showed up - 1st thing we see is Johnny Green & the Clash gear & flight cases. We realised our backing band was gonna be Topper, Mick & Tony James. We had a warm up jam. It was surreal."
The Vice Creems were never able to find a steady line up, & called it a day shortly afterwards but not before a prestigious support slot to The Clash & Ian Dury & The Blockheads at Aylesbury Friars. In all the singles were fairly well received though Needs and the band were never viewed as serious contenders more a journalist playing at being a rockstar.
After quitting Zig-Zag Magazine in the early 80's, & following several years in New York (along with picking up a heavy heroin habit), Needs cleaned up, returned to the UK in the early 90's & has since become a major figure in the UK underground dance scene, both as a dj and as a recording artist!
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source Punk77.co.uk (link)
Friday, September 19, 2008
Prats, The - 1980 - 1990's Pop 7''
Prats, The - 1980 - 1990's Pop 7''download
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The group was founded in 1977 by four high school friends: Paul McLaughlin, David Maguire, Greg Maguire, and Tom Robinson. While their instruments were basic - including a cardboard drum kit - they were able to quickly produce a demo tape which they sent to a local indie label Fast Product, who also produced the Human League. Inspired by The Slits and Mekons, the Prats debuted on the Fast EP Earcom 1.
In 1979, the band recorded a session with John Peel, who was cited as saying "... this session has put me in a good mood for the rest of the weekend... it's terrific...a great session!"[citation needed] Peel also offered his fee from a DJing appearance to finance a single release. A series of singles then followed, including "General Davis" and "Die Todten Reyten Schnell," which was released on a German indie label.
A number of line-up changes saw Elspeth McLeod joining to provide additional guitar (including on the single "General Davis") and Jeff Maguire taking over bass duties from Tom Robinson.
In 1980, the EP "The 1990s Pop" was released on Rough Trade Music. This record contained four tracks: "Disco Pope," "Nothing," "TV Set," and "Noboty Noticed." "Disco Pope" received significant airplay under John Peel and was re-released in 2003 on Rough Trade Shops' compilation CD Post Punk Volume 1.
The end of school in 1981 meant the end of the Prats. Paul McLaughlin was quoted as saying “Bands are like marriages between four people. You just stop getting on with each other.”
McLaughlin, now living in Chelmsford, has released one solo single, "Party Girl." He has since then given up on music and is currently an executive with the National Union of Journalists; Dave, Jeff, Greg, Tom and Elspeth all live in the Edinburgh area.
In 1979, the band recorded a session with John Peel, who was cited as saying "... this session has put me in a good mood for the rest of the weekend... it's terrific...a great session!"[citation needed] Peel also offered his fee from a DJing appearance to finance a single release. A series of singles then followed, including "General Davis" and "Die Todten Reyten Schnell," which was released on a German indie label.
A number of line-up changes saw Elspeth McLeod joining to provide additional guitar (including on the single "General Davis") and Jeff Maguire taking over bass duties from Tom Robinson.
In 1980, the EP "The 1990s Pop" was released on Rough Trade Music. This record contained four tracks: "Disco Pope," "Nothing," "TV Set," and "Noboty Noticed." "Disco Pope" received significant airplay under John Peel and was re-released in 2003 on Rough Trade Shops' compilation CD Post Punk Volume 1.
The end of school in 1981 meant the end of the Prats. Paul McLaughlin was quoted as saying “Bands are like marriages between four people. You just stop getting on with each other.”
McLaughlin, now living in Chelmsford, has released one solo single, "Party Girl." He has since then given up on music and is currently an executive with the National Union of Journalists; Dave, Jeff, Greg, Tom and Elspeth all live in the Edinburgh area.
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source Wikipedia (link)
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Thursday, September 18, 2008
Fingerprintz - 1979 - Who's Your Friend 7''
Fingerprintz - 1979 - Who's Your Friend 7''download
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You may already know that even before the Silencers, Jimme and Cha were involved in the musical world, not in Scotland but in London. Cha was then the guitarist of the band Adam and the Ant , whereas Jimme used to write for Lene Lovitch and Paul Young . The encounter of our two "future" Silencers drove into the Fingerprintz in 1979, with the release of a first 12" single : Dancing with Myself / Sync Unit / Sean's New Shoes . Three albums will follow : The Very Dab , Distinguishing Marks and Beat Noir . in all these albums, you can find a sound that reminds the post-punk era, and when you listen to the songs, you will undoubtedly feel an evolution, noticing however obvious links between the tracks of the album The Very Dab and those of Distinshing Marks (Wet Jobs). S In the second album, Bob Shilling became Bogdan Wiczling (but it seems this is the same person anyway!!), and the music also became much more accessible, with tracks such as Houdini Love , Jabs and the famous Bulletproof Heart (which was released as single already at the time). Tracks were not anylonger composed by Jimme alone, since he was now helped by Cha. In the third album (recorded in Paris and London) the same musicians were present, plus Sadie "The Cat" (Jimme's wife). Beat Noir is actually the beginning of the "Silencers" sound, with such tracks as Touch Sense . At the same period a new single was released : Bohemian Dance / Coffe and Screams .
The band then separated "split" in 1985, and Jimme and Cha returned to their native Scotland in order to found the Silencers with Martin Hanlin and Joe Donnelly (a cousin of Jim Kerr). Before they eventually chose the definitive name for the band, our four musicians hesitated a long time between such names as My Gronny's Green Armchair, See Gong Planet or The Hot Dog from Hell. In September 1986, the band started to repeat in Berlin, in Denmark, in Scotland and in London, and soon the demo of Painted Moon would be chosen to illustrate a film called "The Home Front". Painted Moon was then released as single in April 1987. It would be soon much appreciated by critics. The album A Letter from St Paul was be released one month later, after a Tour supporting the Pretenders in Europe and UK...
The band then separated "split" in 1985, and Jimme and Cha returned to their native Scotland in order to found the Silencers with Martin Hanlin and Joe Donnelly (a cousin of Jim Kerr). Before they eventually chose the definitive name for the band, our four musicians hesitated a long time between such names as My Gronny's Green Armchair, See Gong Planet or The Hot Dog from Hell. In September 1986, the band started to repeat in Berlin, in Denmark, in Scotland and in London, and soon the demo of Painted Moon would be chosen to illustrate a film called "The Home Front". Painted Moon was then released as single in April 1987. It would be soon much appreciated by critics. The album A Letter from St Paul was be released one month later, after a Tour supporting the Pretenders in Europe and UK...
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from a text by Valérie Prouvost, Silences, 02/1992 (link)
Holly And The Italians - 1980 - Tell That Girl To Shut Up 7''
Holly And The Italians - 1980 - Tell That Girl To Shut Up 7''download
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Holly and the Italians were a short-lived American pop-punk band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1978 by Chicago born singer and guitarist Holly Beth Vincent, bassist Mark Sidgwick, and drummer Steve Young. They relocated to London, England and after playing on the pub circuit extensively, they quickly came to prominence as the opening act for fellow Americans Blondie, and were signed to disc jockey Charlie Gillett's record label, Oval.
The 1980 release of the single "Tell That Girl To Shut Up" garnered the band a recording contract with Virgin Records. While the single wasn't a very big hit for Holly and the Italians, it would be in 1988 when covered by Transvision Vamp. The band recorded their only album, The Right To Be Italian, produced by Richard Gottehrer. In August 1980, they played the major Heatwave festival near Toronto.
In 1982, Holly Beth Vincent released a solo album entitled Holly and the Italians. The album was/is critically acclaimed, and the subsequent video gained some airtime on MTV. Later that year Vincent recorded a duet of Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" with Ramones frontman Joey Ramone.
After a brief period replacing Patty Donahue in The Waitresses, she sang in a combo called the Wild Things with Anthony Thistlethwaite (The Waterboys) and Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones) and recorded an album, "America", under the name the Oblivious for Amy Ray's label Daemon Records. In 1995, Holly toured and teamed up with Concrete Blonde singer Johnette Napolitano for a musical side project entitled Vowel Movement. In 2007, Holly completed a new record,"Super Rocket Star" which is available on CD Baby.
The 1980 release of the single "Tell That Girl To Shut Up" garnered the band a recording contract with Virgin Records. While the single wasn't a very big hit for Holly and the Italians, it would be in 1988 when covered by Transvision Vamp. The band recorded their only album, The Right To Be Italian, produced by Richard Gottehrer. In August 1980, they played the major Heatwave festival near Toronto.
In 1982, Holly Beth Vincent released a solo album entitled Holly and the Italians. The album was/is critically acclaimed, and the subsequent video gained some airtime on MTV. Later that year Vincent recorded a duet of Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" with Ramones frontman Joey Ramone.
After a brief period replacing Patty Donahue in The Waitresses, she sang in a combo called the Wild Things with Anthony Thistlethwaite (The Waterboys) and Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones) and recorded an album, "America", under the name the Oblivious for Amy Ray's label Daemon Records. In 1995, Holly toured and teamed up with Concrete Blonde singer Johnette Napolitano for a musical side project entitled Vowel Movement. In 2007, Holly completed a new record,"Super Rocket Star" which is available on CD Baby.
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source Wikipedia (link)
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
London PX - 1981 - Orders EP
London Px - 1981 - Orders Epdownload@rapidshare
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London PX are a punk rock group formed by four friends from North London in 1979 they existed in various forms until 1982 and after a reunion in 2007 have reformed. They produced two singles Orders and Arnold Layne, additionally they have featured on various Punk Compilation Albums e.g. Killed by Death and Messthetics 102. An LP "All That There Is (1979-1982)" containing everything that was recorded is available.
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source Wikipedia (link)
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Ebba Gron - 1978 - Antirock 7''
Ebba Gron - 1978 - Antirock 7''download
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Ebba Grön was not the hardest punk band in Sweden, after the two first records it was hardly punk at all, and the band did only hold together for five years. But in this time they almost single-handedly managed to bring Swedish punk rock into the spotlight, and they became more popular than any other bands in that genre, before or after. A decade and a half after their breakup they were still uncontested as the kings of Swedish punk. Ebba Grön was formed as a trio in 1977 by Ljungstedt, Thåström, and Eriksson, who already played together in the bands Urin and Fajt. Their stage debut took place in March 1978 when they played warmup for the Lerium at the local youth center, and by financing it themselves they released the debut single "Antirock" one month later. The band bought all the 500 copies and sold them on the streets. After a concert at Långholmsparken, which was recorded by the national radio, they were contacted by Håkan Lagher from Mistlur, who offered a contract and to re-release the single. Ebba Grön started a hectic period of touring, during which they also released two more singles. In 1978, the time had come for their album debut, and with We're Only in It for the Money they definitely wrote themselves into rock history. The anarchistic lyrics were seen as very controversial at the time, and the lyrics of one song, "Beväpna Er," about taking up arms against the authorities, could not be printed on the cover. The band also started to get a reputation of having troublesome gigs, with vandalism and fights, which fitted the punk image perfectly.
In 1980, Ebba Grön released a single that would become their most famous song, a cover of Blå Tåget's Staten Och Kapitalet. Kärlek Och Uppror was released next year, and was much more produced than the debut, with the focus of the music shifting slightly away from punk. The catchy melodies and Ebba Grön's image as young rebels appealed to both the punk crowd and a wider audience, and rendered the album a big success. The lyrics and the music were always credited to the entire band, but after a while it became more obvious that it was Thåström who was the creative engine, and he would also have the most successful career after the breakup. Later that same year, keyboard player Sjöholm, alias Stry Terrarie, was recruited and brought with him new influences. The single "Scheisse" was released and parallel with this: Thåström, Ljungstedt, and Sjöholm released a single with the new project Rymdimperiet, later to reach fame as Imperiet. On Ebba Grön, released in 1982, the new tendencies were even more obvious. The album, produced by Tony Thorén from Eldkvarn, had keyboards and horns, and was more melodic than its predecessors. This may have meant that Ebba Grön was not punk anymore (though lyrically they were), but that hardly harmed them commercially. When Eriksson ended up in jail for four months for refusing to do his military service; it was the beginning of the end for Ebba Grön, and in February 1983 they sent a farewell letter to the press. But already the same year Rymdimperiet released their first album, now under the name Imperiet. Musically this album continued the development away from punk rock that had been seen on Ebba Grön's albums. Imperiet got a good start and would be the leading band of the Swedish alternative rock scene throughout the '80s. In 1995 Ebba Grön reunited for one occasion, but Thåström refused to participate.
In 1980, Ebba Grön released a single that would become their most famous song, a cover of Blå Tåget's Staten Och Kapitalet. Kärlek Och Uppror was released next year, and was much more produced than the debut, with the focus of the music shifting slightly away from punk. The catchy melodies and Ebba Grön's image as young rebels appealed to both the punk crowd and a wider audience, and rendered the album a big success. The lyrics and the music were always credited to the entire band, but after a while it became more obvious that it was Thåström who was the creative engine, and he would also have the most successful career after the breakup. Later that same year, keyboard player Sjöholm, alias Stry Terrarie, was recruited and brought with him new influences. The single "Scheisse" was released and parallel with this: Thåström, Ljungstedt, and Sjöholm released a single with the new project Rymdimperiet, later to reach fame as Imperiet. On Ebba Grön, released in 1982, the new tendencies were even more obvious. The album, produced by Tony Thorén from Eldkvarn, had keyboards and horns, and was more melodic than its predecessors. This may have meant that Ebba Grön was not punk anymore (though lyrically they were), but that hardly harmed them commercially. When Eriksson ended up in jail for four months for refusing to do his military service; it was the beginning of the end for Ebba Grön, and in February 1983 they sent a farewell letter to the press. But already the same year Rymdimperiet released their first album, now under the name Imperiet. Musically this album continued the development away from punk rock that had been seen on Ebba Grön's albums. Imperiet got a good start and would be the leading band of the Swedish alternative rock scene throughout the '80s. In 1995 Ebba Grön reunited for one occasion, but Thåström refused to participate.
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by Lars Lovén - allmusic (link)
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OBS: valeu Biasi77 pela dica!
Exile, The - 1977 - Don't Tax Me 7''
Exile - 1977 - Don't Tax Me 7''download
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A Scottish foursome from the Glasgow area, The EXILE formed in February of 1977 with the following line-up: Graham Scott (ex-Free Flight- vocals, guitar), Stan Workman (guitar), Robert Kirk (bass) and Dougie Burns (drums).
The band spent a full 3 hours recording their debut 7" EP (1 hour to rehearse, 1 hour to record and 1 hour to mix). this took place on June 18, 1977, at Glasgow's Thor Studios and cost a grand total of 300 pounds. With the memorably fitting title "Don't Tax Me"", the self-produced record was released as a 4-track EP in August on The Exile's own Boring Records. the EP's 4 slabs of basic no-nonsense punk are: "Jubille 77", "Hooked On You", "Fascist DJ" and "The Windmill", the latter of wich is listed as just "Windmill" on the rear sleeve. Oh yeah, and the sleeve is designed by A.Moron.
Being one of the very first scottish punk bands, The Exile was also responsible for setting up the first Scottish punk club for local bands, Gigi's Disco. The opening of the club (the opening night ended up being cancelled by the authorities) was actually financed by the revenue from the "Don't Tax Me" EP.
"Disaster Movie" , a track recorded in October 1977, found its way onto the "Streets" compilation LP (Beggars Banquet) that came out in November 1977. At the same October recording sessions, "The Real People" and "Tomorrow Today" were also laid down. These songs were, however, not released until January 1978. "Disaster Movie", The Exile's finest moment, is a primitive, but catchy and highly era-fixed glimpse of '77 punk with a contagious singalong chorus to go along wth it.
The Exile's second single, the "The real People" 7", came out on Charly Records in January, 1978. All 3 tracks were recorded in October 1977 and have been released on the various artists compilation CD entitled "Short Sharp Shock" (Overground).
The Exile split towards the end of 1978, at which time robert Kirk (bass) had already been replaced by first Paul amour (ex-Cuban Heels) and then Gavin Patterson. Out of The Exile ashes rose Friction, who never managed as much as one single ("World in Exile").
The band spent a full 3 hours recording their debut 7" EP (1 hour to rehearse, 1 hour to record and 1 hour to mix). this took place on June 18, 1977, at Glasgow's Thor Studios and cost a grand total of 300 pounds. With the memorably fitting title "Don't Tax Me"", the self-produced record was released as a 4-track EP in August on The Exile's own Boring Records. the EP's 4 slabs of basic no-nonsense punk are: "Jubille 77", "Hooked On You", "Fascist DJ" and "The Windmill", the latter of wich is listed as just "Windmill" on the rear sleeve. Oh yeah, and the sleeve is designed by A.Moron.
Being one of the very first scottish punk bands, The Exile was also responsible for setting up the first Scottish punk club for local bands, Gigi's Disco. The opening of the club (the opening night ended up being cancelled by the authorities) was actually financed by the revenue from the "Don't Tax Me" EP.
"Disaster Movie" , a track recorded in October 1977, found its way onto the "Streets" compilation LP (Beggars Banquet) that came out in November 1977. At the same October recording sessions, "The Real People" and "Tomorrow Today" were also laid down. These songs were, however, not released until January 1978. "Disaster Movie", The Exile's finest moment, is a primitive, but catchy and highly era-fixed glimpse of '77 punk with a contagious singalong chorus to go along wth it.
The Exile's second single, the "The real People" 7", came out on Charly Records in January, 1978. All 3 tracks were recorded in October 1977 and have been released on the various artists compilation CD entitled "Short Sharp Shock" (Overground).
The Exile split towards the end of 1978, at which time robert Kirk (bass) had already been replaced by first Paul amour (ex-Cuban Heels) and then Gavin Patterson. Out of The Exile ashes rose Friction, who never managed as much as one single ("World in Exile").
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by Henri B.Poulson (link)
Monday, September 15, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Radiators From Space - 1977 - Television Screen 7''
Radiators From Space - 1977 - Television Screen 7''download
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The Radiators From Space are an Irish punk rock band. The band formed in 1976 in Dublin, consisting of Philip Chevron (who was later to perform with the Pogues), Pete Holidai, Steve Rapid, Jimmy Crashe and Mark Megaray. They signed to Chiswick Records in 1977 and released two albums, TV Tube Heart and Ghostown in 1979, the latter of which featured "Faithful Departed". "Television Screen" featured on the Long Shots, Dead Certs And Odds On Favourites (Chiswick Chartbusters Volume Two) sampler Compilation album (1978: Chiswick).
Ghostown received critical acclaim, but failed to sell well. They disbanded in 1981.
Radiators' songs have been recorded by Christy Moore ("Faithful Departed") and Mary Coughlan ("Kitty Rickets"). The band reunited in 2004, with a slightly different line-up (Crashe and Megaray left the band and were replaced by Cait O'Riordan and Johnny Bonnie) and the shortened name The Radiators. Following a one-off concert, they formally reunited and signed to the 625 record label, through whom they have released two new EPs: The Television Screen (2004) and The Summer Season (2005). A new bass player, Jesse Booth, joined the band in February 2006. On 26 October 2006, the band released their third studio album Trouble Pilgrim. On 21 December 2006, they played in 'The Point', Dublin as a special guest of The Pogues.
Ghostown received critical acclaim, but failed to sell well. They disbanded in 1981.
Radiators' songs have been recorded by Christy Moore ("Faithful Departed") and Mary Coughlan ("Kitty Rickets"). The band reunited in 2004, with a slightly different line-up (Crashe and Megaray left the band and were replaced by Cait O'Riordan and Johnny Bonnie) and the shortened name The Radiators. Following a one-off concert, they formally reunited and signed to the 625 record label, through whom they have released two new EPs: The Television Screen (2004) and The Summer Season (2005). A new bass player, Jesse Booth, joined the band in February 2006. On 26 October 2006, the band released their third studio album Trouble Pilgrim. On 21 December 2006, they played in 'The Point', Dublin as a special guest of The Pogues.
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source Wikipedia (link)
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Unwanted, The - 1984 - Shattered Silence
Unwanted, The - 1984 - Shattered Silencedownload
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One of Winnipeg's most important and influential early punk bands. They formed out of a gang of St. James kids called the Medullites, after their collective mispronuncian of the sticker on Jim Nostril's bass, which was actually Medussa. All these kids watched us practice in the basement all the time.Along with the Stretch Marks, the Unwanted were the first purely hardcore crew in Winnipeg. But right from the start, they also had a heavy metal streak in the mix, that everyone else seemed to pick up on 3 or 4 years later.
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source Punk History Canada (link)
Rivals, The - 2007 - If Only (1978-1980)
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Rivals, The - 2007 - If Only (1978-1980)download
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Long awaited debut album featuring eight bonus tracks from this Punk outfit who released two classic singles in the late '70s but never got around to releasing a full album. Now, 27 years later, their album is finally unleashed upon the world featuring both sides of their singles ('Future Rights' and 'Here Comes The Night') plus 16 unreleased recordings from 1978-81. Comes with a superb glossy booklet with full liner notes and rare photos. The Rivals' drummer, Paul Daley, went on to find success 20 years later with Leftfield!
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source Amazon (link)
D.O.A. - 1979 - Disco Sucks 7''
D.O.A. - 1979 - Disco Sucks 7''download
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Vancouver's D.O.A. were an early and extremely influential punk rock band. Formed in 1978, they quickly got down to business by releasing the Disco Sucks EP on singer/guitarist Joey Shithead's own Sudden Death label. Along with other early pioneers, they blazed the trail to a North American punk scene by putting out records and touring with virtually no existing 'scene' infrastructure to rely on. Early shows included clashes with audience members and police, and they can attest that police riots at punk shows were not strictly an LA occurrence.
The original D.O.A. lineup was Joey, bassist Randy Rampage, and amazing drummer Chuck Biscuits. Their first full length came out on Friends records in 1980, and was soon followed by 1981's seminal Hardcore '81 LP. The latter is commonly sited by the first wave of "hardcore" bands as a catalyst and namesake for the that movement. Following this record both Randy Rampage and Chuck Biscuits left the band. Chuck joined Black Flag and began his long career as a punk rock band slut (Social D, Circle Jerks, Danzig). His brother Dimwit took over for him, and Wimpy from the Subhumans joined on bass. D.O.A. jumped to Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles label for the War on 45 EP and most of their subsequent records (short stints at Frontier and Enigma didn't last). War on 45 record found them attempting to ditch the punk straightjacket by interjecting funk, reggae, and a cover of Edwin Starr's Motown classic "War" into the mix. Apparently it actually charted in Billboard.
While D.O.A. shared the political commitment of Jello's Dead Kennedys or fellow Canadians the Subhumans, they also cultivated a party band image (exemplified by the cover of their 1985 effort, Let's Wreck the Party). Their manager Ken Lester billed them as a "populist" band. Joey has kept at it with various backing bands over the years, putting out a 1995 album on a Virgin subsidiary before revamping the Sudden Death label for a few albums and reissues.
The original D.O.A. lineup was Joey, bassist Randy Rampage, and amazing drummer Chuck Biscuits. Their first full length came out on Friends records in 1980, and was soon followed by 1981's seminal Hardcore '81 LP. The latter is commonly sited by the first wave of "hardcore" bands as a catalyst and namesake for the that movement. Following this record both Randy Rampage and Chuck Biscuits left the band. Chuck joined Black Flag and began his long career as a punk rock band slut (Social D, Circle Jerks, Danzig). His brother Dimwit took over for him, and Wimpy from the Subhumans joined on bass. D.O.A. jumped to Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles label for the War on 45 EP and most of their subsequent records (short stints at Frontier and Enigma didn't last). War on 45 record found them attempting to ditch the punk straightjacket by interjecting funk, reggae, and a cover of Edwin Starr's Motown classic "War" into the mix. Apparently it actually charted in Billboard.
While D.O.A. shared the political commitment of Jello's Dead Kennedys or fellow Canadians the Subhumans, they also cultivated a party band image (exemplified by the cover of their 1985 effort, Let's Wreck the Party). Their manager Ken Lester billed them as a "populist" band. Joey has kept at it with various backing bands over the years, putting out a 1995 album on a Virgin subsidiary before revamping the Sudden Death label for a few albums and reissues.
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source Kill from the Heart (link)
Friday, September 12, 2008
Avengers, The - 1977 - We Are The One 7''
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One of the first and finest bands to emerge from San Francisco's punk scene, the Avengers were together for only a little over two years, and they didn't release an album during their lifetime. But their passionate music and uncompromising viewpoints proved to be a major inspiration in a scene that would grow and flourish long after they broke up, and the handful of singles they left behind document a band of uncommon power and force. Just as importantly, lead singer Penelope Houston was one of the pioneering women of American punk, proving there was a place for female artists in the new music.
The Avengers came together in early 1977, not long after Penelope Houston arrived in San Francisco from her hometown of Seattle, WA. Houston was a new student at San Francisco Art Institute when she met Danny Furious, a recent SFAI graduate who was still a common sight on the campus. Houston was a fan of musicians like Lou Reed and Patti Smith, and she soon discovered that Furious had similar tastes. Furious, who played the drums, was interested in starting a rock band, and he talked an old friend, Greg Ingraham, into coming to San Francisco from Orange County to play guitar. Houston showed up at the fledgling group's rehearsal space one day before the musicians had arrived; after singing along with a stereo through the band's PA system, as Houston put it, "I was so enamored with the power of amplification that I said, 'I'm gonna be your new singer.'"
In June, the Avengers played their first show, opening for the Nuns at San Francisco's pioneering punk venue the Mabuhay Gardens. In August, Jimmy Wisley joined the band as bassist (replacing Jonathan Postal, who went on to form the Readymades), and the Avengers' classic lineup was complete. The band soon became one of the most popular bands on California's budding punk rock scene, though at that time this limited the band to a handful of clubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles. In 1977, L.A.'s premier punk label Dangerhouse Records released a three-song EP from the group, featuring "We Are the One," "Car Crash," and "I Believe in Me." The record received enthusiastic reviews and relatively strong sales, but no larger labels were interested in signing the group. In early 1978, the group scored what seemed like a golden opportunity: opening for the Sex Pistols at San Francisco's Winterland on the final date of the notorious British punk band's first American tour. By all accounts, the Avengers delivered an impressive set (stronger than the Pistols, according to many eyewitnesses), and the group struck up a friendship with Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, who agreed to produce a record for the group. But the Avengers first brush with the larger music business left them somewhat disillusioned; Danny Furious later told a journalist, "It was obvious at Winterland — everyone knew how to behave, everyone knew how to spit, how to dress — everyone knew how to pack the place. But it was just sensationalism, a spectacle." Adding to the sting was the breakup of the Sex Pistols days after the Winterland show, which led much of the music industry to regard punk as a spent force, making it all the more difficult for bands like the Avengers to be heard.
In late 1978, Steve Jones did in fact produce a session for the group, which would yield a four-song EP, but 1979 was not destined to be a good year for the Avengers. Tensions had grown between Greg Ingraham and Penelope Houston, and at the end of 1978, Ingraham quit the group. He was soon replaced by Brad Kent, but the band's foundation began to crumble, and in late June, after a pair of sold-out farewell shows, the Avengers called it a day. The Jones-produced EP came out later that summer. After the band's breakup, Houston went on to a career as an acoustic-oriented singer/songwriter, and Jimmy Wisley became a longtime member of Chris Isaak's backing group.
In 1983, a San Francisco-based indie label, CD Presents, bought the rights to the Avengers' material, and released a superb 16-song compilation that collected their vinyl releases to date along with some unreleased studio material. However, when CD Presents went out of business, the group's recorded legacy went into limbo, and for the next ten years Houston found herself often questioned by fans who were eager to obtain Avengers recordings. As a result, Houston began collecting live recordings of the band being traded by fans, and with the help of Greg Ingraham, she compiled highlights of the group's live shows and uncirculated demos into an album, The Avengers Died for Your Sins. Houston and Ingraham decided to cut new studio recordings of three Avengers songs for which they could find no adequate recordings; Wisley and Furious opted not to participate, so Houston and Ingraham recorded them as the Scavengers with Joel Reader on bass and Danny "Panic" Sullivan on drums. In 1999, following the release of The Avengers Died for Your Sins, the Scavengers played a handful of live dates in San Francisco, though Houston and Ingraham parted ways again shortly afterward and there are no plans for a future reunion of the group.
The Avengers came together in early 1977, not long after Penelope Houston arrived in San Francisco from her hometown of Seattle, WA. Houston was a new student at San Francisco Art Institute when she met Danny Furious, a recent SFAI graduate who was still a common sight on the campus. Houston was a fan of musicians like Lou Reed and Patti Smith, and she soon discovered that Furious had similar tastes. Furious, who played the drums, was interested in starting a rock band, and he talked an old friend, Greg Ingraham, into coming to San Francisco from Orange County to play guitar. Houston showed up at the fledgling group's rehearsal space one day before the musicians had arrived; after singing along with a stereo through the band's PA system, as Houston put it, "I was so enamored with the power of amplification that I said, 'I'm gonna be your new singer.'"
In June, the Avengers played their first show, opening for the Nuns at San Francisco's pioneering punk venue the Mabuhay Gardens. In August, Jimmy Wisley joined the band as bassist (replacing Jonathan Postal, who went on to form the Readymades), and the Avengers' classic lineup was complete. The band soon became one of the most popular bands on California's budding punk rock scene, though at that time this limited the band to a handful of clubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles. In 1977, L.A.'s premier punk label Dangerhouse Records released a three-song EP from the group, featuring "We Are the One," "Car Crash," and "I Believe in Me." The record received enthusiastic reviews and relatively strong sales, but no larger labels were interested in signing the group. In early 1978, the group scored what seemed like a golden opportunity: opening for the Sex Pistols at San Francisco's Winterland on the final date of the notorious British punk band's first American tour. By all accounts, the Avengers delivered an impressive set (stronger than the Pistols, according to many eyewitnesses), and the group struck up a friendship with Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, who agreed to produce a record for the group. But the Avengers first brush with the larger music business left them somewhat disillusioned; Danny Furious later told a journalist, "It was obvious at Winterland — everyone knew how to behave, everyone knew how to spit, how to dress — everyone knew how to pack the place. But it was just sensationalism, a spectacle." Adding to the sting was the breakup of the Sex Pistols days after the Winterland show, which led much of the music industry to regard punk as a spent force, making it all the more difficult for bands like the Avengers to be heard.
In late 1978, Steve Jones did in fact produce a session for the group, which would yield a four-song EP, but 1979 was not destined to be a good year for the Avengers. Tensions had grown between Greg Ingraham and Penelope Houston, and at the end of 1978, Ingraham quit the group. He was soon replaced by Brad Kent, but the band's foundation began to crumble, and in late June, after a pair of sold-out farewell shows, the Avengers called it a day. The Jones-produced EP came out later that summer. After the band's breakup, Houston went on to a career as an acoustic-oriented singer/songwriter, and Jimmy Wisley became a longtime member of Chris Isaak's backing group.
In 1983, a San Francisco-based indie label, CD Presents, bought the rights to the Avengers' material, and released a superb 16-song compilation that collected their vinyl releases to date along with some unreleased studio material. However, when CD Presents went out of business, the group's recorded legacy went into limbo, and for the next ten years Houston found herself often questioned by fans who were eager to obtain Avengers recordings. As a result, Houston began collecting live recordings of the band being traded by fans, and with the help of Greg Ingraham, she compiled highlights of the group's live shows and uncirculated demos into an album, The Avengers Died for Your Sins. Houston and Ingraham decided to cut new studio recordings of three Avengers songs for which they could find no adequate recordings; Wisley and Furious opted not to participate, so Houston and Ingraham recorded them as the Scavengers with Joel Reader on bass and Danny "Panic" Sullivan on drums. In 1999, following the release of The Avengers Died for Your Sins, the Scavengers played a handful of live dates in San Francisco, though Houston and Ingraham parted ways again shortly afterward and there are no plans for a future reunion of the group.
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by Mark Deming (allmusic)
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Skids - 1978 - Wide Open 7''
Skids - 1978 - Wide Open 7''.
The Skids, it seemed, picked their moment well. Comprising the songwriting axis of Richard Jobson (vocals) and Stuart Adamson (guitar), together with the rhythm section of William Simpson (bass) and Tom Kellichan (drums), they rode into British consciousness on the new wave backwash to the ebbing tide of punk. The release of their self-financed, attention-grabbing Charles EP came at the time Richard Branson's Virgin label were busy accruing an eclectic roster of post-punk hopefuls. Consequently, with almost indecent haste, the band were tethered to what was to prove an optimistic eight-album deal. On the flip side of their first Virgin single, "Sweet Suburbia" (1978), the band proclaimed themselves to be "Open Sound", which was essentially a description of the soaring histrionics of Adamson's guitar style. When married to the martial rhythms of the drumming and the bellowing, chant-like vocals of Jobson, this sound conspired to lend their repertoire a rousing, anthemic quality. It was heroic music which at its best, as on the first album, Scared To Dance (1979), seemed to capture the drama and turbulence of battle. Unfortunately, the sound was an all-too-graphic reflection of the band's own stormy relationships, a turbulence which was to settle only with the departure of Adamson in the summer of 1981. The Skids' decline was in large part due to the portentous designs of Richard Jobson, who sought to mould the band into a vehicle for his ever more convoluted lyrics. This became most evident in the recording of the second album, Days In Europa (1979). Following the departure of original drummer Tom Kellichan in the traditional rock'n'roll style (i.e. after the first album), the Skids recruited a temporary replacement in the form of ex-Rich Kids drummer and Jobson cohort, Rusty Egan, and a producer in the form of ex- Be-Bop Deluxe man Bill Nelson. Together, both Nelson and Egan contrived to free the band from the strictures of punk-pop in favour of a more polished, almost danceable sound. Ultimately it was a case of too many cooks, and the resultant album proved to be a misguided attempt at redefining the Skids' sound. This in turn alienated a great many fans, and also cost them the services of bassist Simpson during the troubled tour that ensued. For Jobson and Adamson it was back to the drawing board, and 1980 saw a rejuvenated Skids with a new rhythm section in the form of Russell Webb (bass) and Mike Baillie (drums). The resultant album, The Absolute Game (1980), produced this time by Mick Glossop, was a commercial success, giving the band their first and only British Top 10 album. Artistically, too, it heralded a return to form, dispensing with the excess baggage of the previous outing and playing to the dual strengths of Adamson's guitar stylings and Jobson's lyrical bombast. Unfortunately, this rejuvenation coincided with Jobson's increasing commitment to a burgeoning London scene. Adamson's departure had as much to do with geographical differences as to musical and personal ones; a point evinced by Adamson's eventual return to Dunfermline, from where he formed the internationally successful Big Country. Following Adamson's departure, the final dissolution of the band was soon to follow. Unfortunately, however, not before Jobson and Webb issued a dour and ill-conceived concept album, Joy (1981), which served only to illustrate that, when Adamson left, he took all of the best tunes with him. Not surprisingly the album failed to chart, and proved a sorry end to a short career which had begun with so much spark and promise.
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source Discogs (link)
Asphalt Jungle - 1977 - Deconnection EP
Asphalt Jungle - 1977 - Deconnection EPdownload
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Famous French Punk band led by Patrick Eudeline. This short-lived group recorded only three singles and broke up in 1978.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
Physicals - 1978 - Skulduggery
Physicals - 1978 - Skulduggery
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PUNK ROCK'S FIRST SUPERGROUP? Maybe. The Physicals certainly included some of the cream of the punk rock crop. Vocalist/guitarist Alan Lee Shaw (Maniacs), bass player John Towe (Chelsea/Generation X), Alvin Gibbs (Users/UK Subs) and Paul Cook (Sex Pistols) all featured in the line-up. The Physicals existed from 1978 and lasted until 1980. They were London based and began playing regularly at such venues as The Nashville and The Music Machine, soon building a substantial following. As demand for a record grew the band decided on the fastest option and recorded 4 songs live without overdubs onto a 2 track Revox machine. They released it as "All Sexed Up" on their own label Physical Records in September 1978. Despite getting banned purely on the basis of the title by The Independent Broadcasting Authority it sold all 5,000 copies pretty quickly, since becoming a collectors' item.
Steve Jones and Paul Cook heard the demos for the next single and offered to produce it. Steve Jones was busy with other commitments so Paul Cook took charge both as producer and drummer on the record. The single was finished in early 1979 but for various reasons wasn't released until 1980 on Big Beat Records.
During this delay the band toured with Thin Lizzy, did an Irish tour and continued to build on their already substantial live following. With a lull in their activities, Brian James asked Alan to join his band The Brains, and Charlie Harper asked Alvin to join the UK Subs. The other members decided to pursue other projects and The Physicals disintegrated.
Steve Jones and Paul Cook heard the demos for the next single and offered to produce it. Steve Jones was busy with other commitments so Paul Cook took charge both as producer and drummer on the record. The single was finished in early 1979 but for various reasons wasn't released until 1980 on Big Beat Records.
During this delay the band toured with Thin Lizzy, did an Irish tour and continued to build on their already substantial live following. With a lull in their activities, Brian James asked Alan to join his band The Brains, and Charlie Harper asked Alvin to join the UK Subs. The other members decided to pursue other projects and The Physicals disintegrated.
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**Skulduggery contains 17 powerslabs of energy and melody. New Wave with a hint of Glam, Metal and Punk. The tracks are taken from both singles, demos from 1978 and 1979 and two live tracks. 11 of the tracks are previously unreleased. The sleeve is a 12 page booklet containing a detailed band history written by Mike Richmond and includes previously unseen photos.
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source Amazon (link)
Nips - 1979 - Gabrielle 7''
Formed in London in late 1977, NIPPLE ERECTORS are interesting in sheer terms of their history. Singer Shane MacGOWAN and joint founding member bassist, Shanne Bradley , were early faces on the 75, 76 punk scene, the duo associating themselves in particular with The JAM . And with a simple but fascinating twist of fate in fact, nowadays Paul Weller is a prominent face at many NIPS gigs, the besuited figure rating the band aming his favourites. Other Nipple Erectors members are Jerry Arcane - drums, Roger Towndrow - guitar. Their sole release under this monicker was "King Of The Bop/Nervous Wreck" 45. After this they decided to shorten their name to The NIPS to get more gigs.
In 1978, the debut single under their truncated name was "All The time In the world". It made little impression and it was over a year later and with changed line-up, Stan Brennan on guitar and Gavin Douglas on drums - that they returned in 1980 with "Gabrielle", a much more commercial song which made quite an impression in the indie chart. Originally issued on Soho without a picture sleeve, the single was later reissued in picture sleeve by Chiswick. Meanwhile Soho put out their "Only At The End Of The Beginning" album, now very hard to track down. A further period elapsed before they turned with their final release on Burning Rome's Test Pressing label produced by Paul WELLER. With little promotion, the 45 was destined to remain obscure and the band decided to call it a day... Shane MacGOWAN briefly joined an outfit called The Chainsaw but later found fame as lead singer in The Pogues ...
In 1978, the debut single under their truncated name was "All The time In the world". It made little impression and it was over a year later and with changed line-up, Stan Brennan on guitar and Gavin Douglas on drums - that they returned in 1980 with "Gabrielle", a much more commercial song which made quite an impression in the indie chart. Originally issued on Soho without a picture sleeve, the single was later reissued in picture sleeve by Chiswick. Meanwhile Soho put out their "Only At The End Of The Beginning" album, now very hard to track down. A further period elapsed before they turned with their final release on Burning Rome's Test Pressing label produced by Paul WELLER. With little promotion, the 45 was destined to remain obscure and the band decided to call it a day... Shane MacGOWAN briefly joined an outfit called The Chainsaw but later found fame as lead singer in The Pogues ...
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source The Modpoppunk Archives (link)
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Friday, September 5, 2008
Satan's Rats - 1996 - What A Bunch Of Rodents
Satan's Rats - 1996 - What A Bunch Of Rodents**download pt. 1
donwload pt. 2
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Satan’s Rats formed in Evesham, Worcestershire in January 1977, with an average age of just seventeen.
Songs like the anthemic ‘Year Of The Rats’ about the demise of the old fart groups, their appearance at the Birmingham Punk Festival and support to the Sex Pistols at the Roxy soon saw the band build a large following and inevitably drew them to the attention of record labels.
Their first demo (included on this CD) earned them a deal with DJM Records. Hardly a punk label, it was home to Elton John and Johnny Guitar Watson and also the enigmatic Rikki Sylvan (from Rikki & The Last Days Of Earth) who would produce their first two singles.
The first single ‘In My Love For You’ was released in 1977. Bob Geldof reviewed in the NME and slagged it off. The second single ‘Year Of The Rats’ released early in 1978 fared no better, sinking without a trace despite being regarded as something of a classic these days.
For their third single ’You Make Me Sick’ they had Vic Maile (Dr Feelgood/Fruit Eating Bears) as producer. He managed to capture the anger of the band perfectly and this single, released in 1978 was undoubtedly their finest moment. Julie Burchill reviewed it in the NME, she hated it.
Later that year Paul Rencher quit, the band recruited vocalist Wendy Wu, changed their name to The Photos, signed to Epic and had a hit album.
All three Satan’s Rats singles are highly prized collectors’ items and have been heavily bootlegged on punk compilations, one series even naming itself ‘Year Of The Rats’.
Songs like the anthemic ‘Year Of The Rats’ about the demise of the old fart groups, their appearance at the Birmingham Punk Festival and support to the Sex Pistols at the Roxy soon saw the band build a large following and inevitably drew them to the attention of record labels.
Their first demo (included on this CD) earned them a deal with DJM Records. Hardly a punk label, it was home to Elton John and Johnny Guitar Watson and also the enigmatic Rikki Sylvan (from Rikki & The Last Days Of Earth) who would produce their first two singles.
The first single ‘In My Love For You’ was released in 1977. Bob Geldof reviewed in the NME and slagged it off. The second single ‘Year Of The Rats’ released early in 1978 fared no better, sinking without a trace despite being regarded as something of a classic these days.
For their third single ’You Make Me Sick’ they had Vic Maile (Dr Feelgood/Fruit Eating Bears) as producer. He managed to capture the anger of the band perfectly and this single, released in 1978 was undoubtedly their finest moment. Julie Burchill reviewed it in the NME, she hated it.
Later that year Paul Rencher quit, the band recruited vocalist Wendy Wu, changed their name to The Photos, signed to Epic and had a hit album.
All three Satan’s Rats singles are highly prized collectors’ items and have been heavily bootlegged on punk compilations, one series even naming itself ‘Year Of The Rats’.
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** Twenty tracks including their three classic singles, 13 unreleased tracks and one demo version from one of Britain’s most under-rated punk bands. Sleeve notes by Steve Eagles.
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source Amazon (link)
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Tom Robinson Band - 1978 - Up Against The Wall 7''
Tom Robinson Band - 1978 - Up Against The Wall 7''.
Tom Robinson began gigging in London in 1976. By the end of the year, he had decided to put together a permanent band. Robinson's old friend, guitarist Danny Kustow, was the first in the permanent lineup. They ran small ads in the music papers looking for a bass player and drummer. Robinson found drummer Brian "Dolphin" Taylor. The search for a bass player continued, until Mark Ambler auditioned. Some days later, Ambler mentioned he also played keyboards; he had spent many years studying piano with veteran jazz musician, Stan Tracey. After listening to Ambler playing his Hammond organ Robinson realised he would have to be the bass player himself.
The band hit the club scene right in the middle of London's punk explosion. Their live shows got favourable reviews, and soon A&R men were attending many of their gigs.
EMI Records signed TRB. Robinson later described this period, saying "Within nine months we'd made the transition from signing on at Medina Road dole office to Top Of The Pops, Radio One, EMI Records and the giddy heights of the front cover of the New Musical Express".
TRB made leaflets and fliers about their political views and sent them to everyone who attended their gigs, they gave away badges and made up T shirts emblazoned with the band's logo and they appeared regularly at Rock Against Racism concerts.
"2-4-6-8 Motorway" was their first single, released in late 1977. It got into the top five of the UK singles charts, staying there for over a month. It was followed almost immediately by their next record, a four song EP called Rising Free which was recorded live at London's Lyceum Theatre in November 1977. It contained the songs "Glad to Be Gay", "Right On Sister", "Don't Take No for an Answer", and "Martin". The EP reached #18 in the UK singles charts.
In early 1978, TRB recorded their debut album, Power in the Darkness. The UK version of the LP contained all new songs, but in the US (on the Harvest label), the "2-4-6-8 Motorway" single and Rising Free record were combined for a six-track bonus EP that made the album almost a double.
Power in the Darkness reached number 4 in the UK album charts and won the band a gold record, and TRB were voted "Best New Band" and "Best London Band" for the year 1977 by listeners at the Capital Radio Music Awards. Mark Ambler left the band after recording the album. Session pianist Nick Plytas was drafted in as a temporary replacement, and played with TRB at a major Anti Nazi League rally in London's Victoria Park early that year.
Ian Parker joined as a permanent replacement for Ambler. TRB then went to Rockfield Studios in Wales to record their next album, TRB Two. Chris Thomas who had produced their first album, was also at the control deck for their second album, to start off with. Dolphin Taylor suggested Todd Rundgren should replace Thomas. After not being able to decide which tracks should appear on the LP, the band eventually agreed to let Rundgren choose. However, he picked two of the songs Dolphin particularly disliked, and Taylor decided that he would leave rather than play on the tracks. A day later he had calmed down somewhat and offered to return, but Robinson refused, and Preston Heyman was recruited as an emergency stand-in. His picture was included on the album cover, but there was never any intention for him to join the band permanently. Taylor's eventual replacement was Charlie Morgan who had played for Kate Bush, and went on to drum for Elton John for a further fifteen years.
To support the album's release, the band went on tour, but by this point the TRB's infighting had taken its toll. When Kustow decided to quit in 1979 that was the end of TRB.
In 1989, Robinson, Kustow and Ambler put together a reunion tour and played sold out shows at the Marquee in London and went on for the best part of a year before splitting one final time.
The band hit the club scene right in the middle of London's punk explosion. Their live shows got favourable reviews, and soon A&R men were attending many of their gigs.
EMI Records signed TRB. Robinson later described this period, saying "Within nine months we'd made the transition from signing on at Medina Road dole office to Top Of The Pops, Radio One, EMI Records and the giddy heights of the front cover of the New Musical Express".
TRB made leaflets and fliers about their political views and sent them to everyone who attended their gigs, they gave away badges and made up T shirts emblazoned with the band's logo and they appeared regularly at Rock Against Racism concerts.
"2-4-6-8 Motorway" was their first single, released in late 1977. It got into the top five of the UK singles charts, staying there for over a month. It was followed almost immediately by their next record, a four song EP called Rising Free which was recorded live at London's Lyceum Theatre in November 1977. It contained the songs "Glad to Be Gay", "Right On Sister", "Don't Take No for an Answer", and "Martin". The EP reached #18 in the UK singles charts.
In early 1978, TRB recorded their debut album, Power in the Darkness. The UK version of the LP contained all new songs, but in the US (on the Harvest label), the "2-4-6-8 Motorway" single and Rising Free record were combined for a six-track bonus EP that made the album almost a double.
Power in the Darkness reached number 4 in the UK album charts and won the band a gold record, and TRB were voted "Best New Band" and "Best London Band" for the year 1977 by listeners at the Capital Radio Music Awards. Mark Ambler left the band after recording the album. Session pianist Nick Plytas was drafted in as a temporary replacement, and played with TRB at a major Anti Nazi League rally in London's Victoria Park early that year.
Ian Parker joined as a permanent replacement for Ambler. TRB then went to Rockfield Studios in Wales to record their next album, TRB Two. Chris Thomas who had produced their first album, was also at the control deck for their second album, to start off with. Dolphin Taylor suggested Todd Rundgren should replace Thomas. After not being able to decide which tracks should appear on the LP, the band eventually agreed to let Rundgren choose. However, he picked two of the songs Dolphin particularly disliked, and Taylor decided that he would leave rather than play on the tracks. A day later he had calmed down somewhat and offered to return, but Robinson refused, and Preston Heyman was recruited as an emergency stand-in. His picture was included on the album cover, but there was never any intention for him to join the band permanently. Taylor's eventual replacement was Charlie Morgan who had played for Kate Bush, and went on to drum for Elton John for a further fifteen years.
To support the album's release, the band went on tour, but by this point the TRB's infighting had taken its toll. When Kustow decided to quit in 1979 that was the end of TRB.
In 1989, Robinson, Kustow and Ambler put together a reunion tour and played sold out shows at the Marquee in London and went on for the best part of a year before splitting one final time.
.
source Wikipedia (link)
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