C86 Show - Indie Pop

Direct Hits with Colin Swan

Direct Hits with Colin Swan in conversation with David Eastaugh

Way back in 1982, Battersea based mod heroes The Direct Hits had released one single on Dan Treacy’s Whamm! record label, ‘Modesty Blaise’ earlier in the year.
This was singled out in the music press as not just one of your average Jam crash / bang /wallop mod revivalist tunes.

Live gigs showed they had a mighty powerful set of catchy mod / pop tunes in the back pocket. Whamm! were struggling to provide the funds to record an album, the songs were too good not to commit to a full 12’ set, so the Direct Hits pooled their limited resources and self financed a very cheap one day recording session in a tiny studio in Tooting, South London called Broadway Sound.

Early on the morning of August 12th 1982 the band, comprising of Colin Swan, Geno Buckmaster, Brian Grover and their trusty roadie ‘Robbo’ assembled at the tiny studio to begin recording as many of their songs as they could get down on tape for the tiny budget they had scraped together.

Oxbow with Eugene Robinson

Oxbow with Eugene Robinson  in conversation with David Eastaugh

Oxbow began as a recording project. In 1988 bandmates Eugene Robinson (vocals, lyrics) and Niko Wenner (guitar, bass, keyboards, music) wrote songs with an approach decidedly different from their band at the time Whipping Boy. Wenner concocted an underlying musical architecture for his abrasive-then-plangent music, through use of arch form and musical palindromes unusual in the noise music genre the band was often placed. This organizing structure later grew to encompass the second Oxbow recording as well, and drew relationships between the two. For his part Robinson changed his vocal approach to include in-the-studio improvisations and extensive vocal multi-tracking. This first record, titled Fuckfest has drumming split evenly between Greg Davis and Tom Dobrov. Dan Adams (bass in Oxbow, drums in Whipping Boy) joined immediately on completion of the first recording.

Robin Mayhew talking about David Bowie, Presidents, Lou Reed & much more

Robin Mayhew talking about David Bowie, Presidents, Lou Reed & much more with David Eastaugh 

Begun life in the Presidents from 1958 to 1965 - and then becoming a roadie and sound engineer for a band named "Tucky Buzzard", produced by Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones. 

Tucky Buzzard had recently signed with the same management company that had signed David Bowie. Robin quickly became adept with the band's unique Turner PA system, a sound set-up that Bowie fell in love with. When David created his "Ziggy Stardust" persona he brought in Robin - along with the sound system - to handle his front-of-house sound. Robin engineered every Ziggy Stardust performance until Bowie broke-up the Spiders from Mars in 1973.

The Nightingales with Rob Lloyd

The Nightingales with Rob Lloyd in conversation with David Eastaugh

A feature-length documentary about the band - King Rocker - fronted by comedian and writer Stewart Lee and directed by Michael Cumming will be shown on  Sky Arts channel on February 6, 2021.

 

 

Daniel Takes a Train with Dan Synge

Daniel Takes a Train with Dan Synge in conversation with David Eastaugh

London based Daniel Takes A Train started as an 80's guitar pop band, rehearsing in a cellar off the King's Road and playing West End nightclubs, attracting a cult following before splitting in 1988.  They famously signed their first record deal in 2018 and have recorded enough new material to release their first studio album, Last Ticket To Tango. Here the band revisit their earliest musical influences -- new wave, soul, ska and synth pop -- for one last spin on the dancefloor.  

 

The Roxy - with Andrew Czezowski and Susan Carrington

The Roxy - with Andrew Czezowski and Susan Carrington in conversation with David Eastaugh

The Roxy was started by Andrew Czezowski, Susan Carrington and Barry Jones.The main entrance was on street level where you would walk into a small bar and seated area. Downstairs there was a small stage, bar and dance floor.

In December 1976, Czezowski, Carrington and Jones organised three gigs at the Roxy.They financed the venture with borrowed money (Jones, a musician, pawned his guitar to stock the bars, and hire sound equipment, etc.). The first show, on 14 December, was Generation X, a band Czezowski managed. The second on the following night was the Heartbreakers. The third, on 21 December, featured Siouxsie and the Banshees and Generation X. 

The Folk Devils with Kris Jozajtis

The Folk Devils with Kris Jozajtis in conversation with David Eastaugh

Founding member Ian Lowery had previously been the original singer in late 1970s punk rock band The Wall and then signed to Killing Joke's Malicious Damage label as leader of the group Ski Patrol.^[1] Politics and the general tensions that seemed endemic to the Killing Joke scene led Ian to leave Ski Patrol and recruit long-time friend of Jaz Coleman - Alan Cole on drums, Kris Jozajtis on guitar (now Dr Kris Jozajtis at Greenfaulds High School) and Mark Whiteley, from Wales, on bass to form another group, Folk Devils, in 1983.^[1] Mark had been active in both the London and Welsh music scene. He worked with Anrhefn, Wales' seminal punk band and with the ill-fated Hack Hack on the album Despite Amputations. He left the band midway through a gig at The Fridge in Brixton unhappy with the band, their label (Shout Records), and musical direction. A fight ensued and Mark became a Folk Devil.

JoBoxers with Sean McLusky

JoBoxers with Sean McLusky in conversation with David Eastaugh

 

The band's debut single, "Boxerbeat", peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart. while the group were the opening act on the Madness 'Rise and Fall' tour.At numbers 1 and 2 at the time were David Bowie's "Let's Dance" and Duran Duran's "Is There Something I Should Know?", respectively.

However, it was their next hit, "Just Got Lucky", that broke the band internationally. This single sold over 250,000 copies, made the UK Top 10, and cracked the US Top 40, reaching number 36 during November 1983^[1] and has been featured in a number of films including Just My Luck and The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

The third single, "Johnny Friendly", is a homage to the Marlon Brando film On the Waterfront. British boxer Frank Bruno appeared in the promotional video for the song.

Senseless Things & 3 Colours Red with Ben Harding

Senseless Things & 3 Colours Red with Ben Harding in conversation with David Eastaugh

The definitive Senseless Things line-up formed in summer 1987 when Nicholls returned to take over bass, with the new recruit, former BBC clerk Ben Harding acquiring the vacant guitarist's role. The band regularly appeared at The Clarendon in Hammersmith, London playing both downstairs in the Broadway bar and upstairs in the main auditorium.

Taking their musical cue from the Ramones and the Dickies, and their spiritual lead from fellow guitar outfit Mega City Four, the quartet embarked upon a hectic touring schedule, often playing on the same bill as Mega City Four, Snuff and Perfect Daze.

The band's first releases were singles given away with issues of Yo Jo Jo^[8] and Sniffin' Rock fanzines.^[7] By March 1988 the band had attracted the attention of the BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, who invited them to record the first of three sessions for his programme. The "Up And Coming" 12" followed, then "Girlfriend" the following year, both on Way Cool Records.

Their first album, Postcard CV, was released in 1989, capturing the energy of their concerts by packing ten tracks into twenty two minutes. Record Collector called it "sprightly pop-punk/ indie with touches of Buzzcocks and the Undertones". The album was rounded off by "Too Much Kissing", which was released as a single and was to become their signature track.

Ze Records - with Michael Zilkha

Ze Records - with Michael Zilkha in conversation with David Eastaugh

 

Within a short time, ZE Records became one of the more hip labels of its time, signing up such new talent as James White and the Blacks, Was (Not Was), Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Lydia Lunch, Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Cristina, The Waitresses, Bill Laswell’s Material and Richard Strange, together with more established performers including John Cale and Suicide. Many of its releases were first played at the Paradise Garage club in New York, starting point of Garage music.

ZE developed an independent and surrealist aesthetic identity. It was described by John Peel in Melody Maker in 1980 as "the best independent record label in the world", and by Paul Tickell in The Face in 1982 as "the world¹s most fashionable label"

Flowered Up & Republica special with Tim Dorney

Flowered Up & Republica special with Tim Dorney in conversation with David Eastaugh

The Republica sound was described by the band as "technopop punk rock". The band went on hiatus in 2001 and reunited in 2008. Republica are best known for the single "Ready to Go".

Flowered Up were an English indie pop-alternative dance band, formed in Camden Town, London in 1989.

Active during the Baggy movement, their 13-minute single "Weekender" reached the UK top 20. The band split up in 1994 amid drug problems.

The Bachelor Pad with Tommy Cherry

The Bachelor Pad with Tommy Cherry  in conversation with David Eastaugh

Scottish psych influenced indie pop / rock group.

Heavenly with Robin Turner

Heavenly with Robin Turner in conversation with David Eastaugh - talking about the label and new book, 'Believe in Magic'.

A label responsible for creating satellite communities of fans around the world and at all the major festivals, Heavenly was set up by Jeff Barrett in 1990 after several years working for Factory and Creation as the acid house revolution was in full swing; early releases set the tone and tempo for the mood of the decade to come - their first single was produced by perhaps the most revered acid house DJ of them all, Andrew Weatherall; and this was quickly followed by era-defining singles from Saint Etienne, Flowered Up and Manic Street Preachers, music which perhaps captures the flavour of the early '90s better than any other.

 

Flowered up with Des Penney

Flowered up with Des Penney in conversation with David Eastaugh

The band was formed in mid-1989 by singer Liam Maher along with lifelong friend, Darren 'Des' Penney. Des would co-write lyrics and manage the band. The original line up included the late John O'brien on drums, Joe Maher, Liam's younger brother, on guitar and bass player Andrew Jackson. Simon Gannon would guest on keyboard and this line up would play the first two gigs. After a few changes in personnel, the settled line-up included keyboardist Tim Dorney and drummer John Tuvey, with dancer Barry Mooncult adding to their live shows. After releasing two singles ("It's On" and "Phobia") on Heavenly Records, both of which were minor hits, Flowered Up signed to London Records and recorded their only album, A Life With Brian, in 1991. "Take It" had lyrics from Joe Strummer. The group appeared on the covers of both Melody Maker and NME before releasing the album.

A Life With Brian contained many of their popular live songs, as well as new versions of the previously released singles. Not long afterwards, Flowered Up released the 13-minute-long single "Weekender" on Heavenly, with a video directed by W.I.Z. starring Lee Whitlock and Anna Haigh. Despite the group's - and Heavenly's - refusal to compromise on a standard-length edit for radio play (although two "radio edits" were circulated, neither really addressed the needs of radio programmers, as one was merely the full-length version but with the two instances of the phrase "fuck off" muted, while the other reduced the length of the intro, but still ran for over 12 minutes), the track went on to become their biggest hit, reaching number 20 in the UK Singles Chart. After much-publicised drug problems with some members of the band, and unproductive (and some unreleased) studio work, the band split up. Keyboardist Tim Dorney went on to form Republica.

Michael Grecco in conversation

Michael Grecco in conversation with David Eastaugh

Photographer and filmmaker Michael Grecco was in the thick of things, documenting the club scene in places like Boston and New York as punk rock morphed into the post-punk and new wave movements that dominated from the late ’70s to the early ’90s. From Sex Pistols to Blondie, Talking Heads, Human Sexual Response, Elvis Costello, Joan Jett, The Ramones, and many others, Grecco captured in black and white and color the raw energy, sweat, and antics that characterized the alternative music of the time. In addition to concert photography, he shot album covers and promotional pieces that round out his impressively extensive photo collection. The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles has offered Grecco an exhibition of his photographs to coincide with publication.

 

The Bluebells with Bobby Bluebell or Robert Hodgens

The Bluebells with Bobby Bluebell or Robert Hodgens in conversation with David Eastaugh

The Bluebells performed jangly guitar-based pop not dissimilar to their Scottish contemporaries Aztec Camera and Orange Juice. They had three Top 40 hits in the UK Singles Chart, all written by guitarist and founder member Bobby Bluebell (real name Robert Hodgens) – "I'm Falling", "Cath", and their biggest success "Young at Heart". The latter was co-written with Siobhan Faheyof Bananarama (originally recorded on the Bananarama album Deep Sea Skiving) and violinist Bobby Valentino, and made it to number 8 in the UK Singles Chart on its original release in 1984. The band also released one EP, The Bluebells, and one full-length album, Sisters.

The band split up in the mid 1980s, but enjoyed an unexpected revival in 1993 when "Young at Heart" was used in a Volkswagentelevision advertisement. Re-issued as a single, it was number one for four weeks and led to the band reforming temporarily to perform the song on BBC Television's Top of the Pops. A compilation album followed, The Singles Collection, which peaked at No. 27 in the UK Albums Chart in April 1993.

David Godlis in conversation

David Godlis in conversation with David Eastaugh

David Godlis, who is best known by his last name GODLIS, has been photographing in New York City since 1976. A “street photographer” in the style of Diane Arbus and Garry Winogrand, he wandered into the nightclub CBGB's one night, and has become known for his photographs of the NYC Punk scene.

Godlis Streets is the first book dedicated to the artist and photographer's incredible body of work and focuses on the 1970s and 1980s. Godlis's street photographs from this time capture moments of mundanity, humour and pathos; his gift for acute observation and impeccable framing elevating these images to the extraordinary. A definition of what sincere street photography can and should be, Godlis Streets is the very best photography of its kind. The book is introduced by a foreword by Luc Sante and an afterword by Chris Stein.

Hey Paulette with Colm Fitzpatrick

Hey Paulette with Colm Fitzpatrick in conversation with David Eastaugh

Hey Paulette were formed in Dublin in 1987 by Eamonn Davis (singer/rhythm guitars). Colm Fitzpatrick (bass) and Derrick Dalton (lead guitars) joined forces with Eamonn to write pop tunes. Some people labelled them a C86 band, as they were into writing melodic jingly jangly tunes.

Hey Paulette recorded their first single 'Commonplace' in their late teens with a drum machine for the label Mickey Rourke's fridge run by enigmatic Sean A McDermott. It topped the alternative top ten on Capital Radio in 1988. They evantually recruited a drummer called Darren Nolan who stayed with the band to the end in 1991.

After sending a copy of 'Commonplace' to John Peel they were invited to record a session for BBC Radio One in 1988. Following this they also recorded a session for Dave Fanning.

They recorded an EP entitled "I Really Do Love Penelope". Hey Paulette split in 1991 and their final two songs were released on the indie label Tweenet following their split.

Laurence Myers - talking David Bowie, music & his new book Hunky Dory

Laurence Myers - talking David Bowie, music & his new book Hunky Dory with David Eastaugh 

Laurence Myers is a Theatre and Film Producer. He was formerly a Music Executive, owning and running record and artist management companies.

First coming to prominence as a Financial Advisor/ Accountant to The Rolling Stones and other leading artists in the 1960s, Laurence entered the music business full-time in 1970, signing then unproven David Bowie to his record label ‘Gem’.

In an impressive career in the music world spanning decades, Laurence’s companies represented artists including The Animals, Herman’s Hermits, The Kinks, Led Zeppelin, Donovan, Lionel Bart, Heatwave, The New Seekers, Alan Price, The Tremeloes, The Sweet, Donna Summer, Scott Walker and Billy Ocean, as well as advising The Beatles on their Apple Corp venture.

Cherry Vanilla in conversation

Cherry Vanilla in conversation with David Eastaugh

American singer-songwriter, publicist, and actress. After working as an actress in Andy Warhol's Pork, she worked as a publicist for David Bowie, before becoming a rock singer. She subsequently became a publicist for Vangelis.