C86 Show - Indie Pop

S*M*A*S*H with Ed Borrie

S*M*A*S*H special with Ed Borrie in conversation with David Eastaugh

Ed Borrie and Salvatore Alessi formed S*M*A*S*H after meeting at school in the mid-1980s - Salvatore had previously been in a band called GLC.Rob Hague joined soon afterwards.

The band's sound recalled the late 1970s and early 1980s punk and new wave bands. The Britishmusic press were enthusiastic about the band creating a scene called New wave of new wave, along with similar UK bands of the time such as Echobelly, Sleeper, Compulsion and These Animal Men.^[3]

The band's second single was a tribute to feminism called "Lady Love Your Cunt".^[1] It appeared on their debut mini album "S*M*A*S*H" which was a compilation of their first two limited edition 7" singles, and was well received by critics. The band made some appearances on UK TV programmes such as Naked City, as well as live performances, including a collaboration with Billy Bragg during an Anti-Nazi League rally.

With a recording contract, the band toured tirelessly, increasing press coverage and attention from fans. The trio still found time to laugh at themselves, occasionally performing under the name S*H*I*T*E.

The trio made an appearance on BBC Television's Top of the Pops, singing "Shame". They became the first to appear on the BBC's flagship chart show without officially releasing a single - their debut EP having reached number 26 in the UK Albums Chart.

Their only hit single was "(I Want to) Kill Somebody", which was only available in the shops for one day in 1994. It reached number 26 in the UK Singles Chart. Its controversial subject matter eventually lead to its banning. Their debut full-length album, Self Abused, was not a commercial success, although the group remained a favourite of the critics.

The band recorded a single for the Seattle based label Sub Pop, but S*M*A*S*H remained virtually unknown outside the UK, despite a whistle-stop tour of the United States and support slots across Europe. The EP "Another Love Song E.P." followed in 1995, before the group released their final single, "Rest of My Life", a year later. The band split up in 1996.

In 1997 bass player Salv joined Carter USM as a full-time member, but in 2004 the trio reformed, recording a number of tracks for a forthcoming EP and playing several gigs around the UK.

Pure Hell with Kenny Gordon

Pure Hell special with Kenny Gordon in conversation with David Eastaugh

Among the pioneers of the post-garage rock, post-acid rock, glam-theater era of the late 1960s and early 1970s, Pure Hell was among the first of its kind, comparable to the MC5, Sex Pistols, Dead Boys. Commercially, the band had little success and only released one single ("These Boots are Made for Walking" b/w "No Rules") and one album (Noise Addiction), which was unreleased for 28 years. Founding member writer/vocalist Kenny Gordon and drummer Spider of Pure Hell also has an unreleased album produced in the mid-1990s by former members of L.A. Guns, Nine Inch Nails and Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, entitled The Black Box. This album has Kilmister singing background vocals in a rare song titled "The Call". In 2012, Pure Hell reformed to play their first gig since 1979 at the Rebellion Festival at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpoolalongside Rancid, Buzzcocks, Public Image Ltd and Social Distortion.

One of the first African-American proto-punk bands, Pure Hell formed in Philadelphia in 1974 and spent time playing in New York City as well, eventually becoming friendly with the New York Dolls and even playing with Sid Vicious in 1978 when he moved to New York City. Curtis Knight (former R&B singer in the Squires, which also featured a young Jimi Hendrix on guitar) became their manager and oversaw their career for better and for worse – the reason these recordings didn’t see the light of day until many years after being put on tape was at Knight’s insistence. Along with managing the band, he also produced one of the two sessions presented on the CD part of this package – the other at the end of 1978 in London was amazingly recorded by the Groundhogs main man Tony McPhee. This London jaunt turned out to be the last hurrah for Pure Hell as Knight fell out badly with them and refused to release their album. Even a well-received UK tour and an appearance alongside the ascendant Subs at the Lyceum couldn’t stop them splitting on their return stateside.

The Dylans with Quentin Jennings

The Dylans special with Quentin Jennings in conversation with David Eastaugh

The band was formed in early 1990 by former 1,000 Violins guitarist, songwriter, and occasional singer Colin Gregory, now on bass guitar, Jim Rodger (guitar), and Andy Curtis (guitar). They soon recruited Quentin Jennings (keyboards) and Garry Jones (drums), continuing 1,000 Volins sixties-tinged retro style, but with a nod to the "baggy" scene of the time. The band were signed to Beggars Banquet Records' "indie" subsidiary Situation Two (RCA Records in the United States), who released their debut single, "Godlike" in January 1991, which reached the top 10 of the UK Indie Chart. They subsequently replaced Curtis with Andy Cook, and released follow-up singles "Lemon Afternoon" and "Planet Love", before the band's Stephen Street-produced self-titled debut album was released in October 1991.

After extensive touring, the band returned in 1992 with the "Mary Quant in Blue" single, but further line-up changes ensued, with Jones and Jennings leaving, to be replaced by Craig Scott and Ike Glover. With interest in the band growing in the United States, the band were signed to Atlantic Records, moving to the main Beggars Banquet roster in the UK for subsequent releases. Two further singles were followed by the band's swansong album, Spirit Finger on 18 April 1993. In the face of disappointing sales, the band split later that year.

The Fuzztones with Rudi Protrudi

The Fuzztones special with Rudi Protrudi

Founded by singer-guitarist Rudi Protrudi in New York City, the band has gone through several member changes but is currently active in Europe. Dismissed by some critics and listeners as a "bar band" or unoriginal, they maintained a strong fan base in New York, in Europe (with their music being played on Hungarian State Radio), and in Los Angeles.

Rudi Protrudi moved to Los Angeles in 1987, after the breakup of the original band, to organize a new Fuzztones, consisting of Jordan Tarlow (lead guitar), John "Speediejohn" Carlucci (bass guitar), Jason Savall (Vox combo organ), and "Mad" Mike Czekaj (drums). This lineup bears the distinction of being the only 1980's garage rock revival band to secure a major label record deal, when they signed to RCA.

 

The Sting-Rays with Alec Palao

The Sting-Rays with Alec Palao in conversation with David Eastaugh

The Sting-Rays were a British Garage Rock and Psychobilly band from Greater London.
Formed in the early 1980's and disolved 1988.

Babes in Toyland with Lori Barbero

Babes in Toyland special with Lori Barbero in conversation with David Eastaugh

Babes in Toyland were an American punk rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1987. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Kat Bjelland, a native of Oregon, along with drummer Lori Barbero and bassist Michelle Leon, who was later replaced by Maureen Herman in 1992.

Babes in Toyland released three studio albums: Spanking Machine (1990), followed by the commercially successful Fontanelle (1992), and Nemesisters (1995), before becoming inactive in 1997 and eventually disbanding in 2001. While the band was inspirational to some performers in the riot grrrl movement in the Pacific Northwest, Babes in Toyland never associated themselves with the movement.

In 2014, the band reunited, and the following year began performing live together for the first time in over a decade.^[1]They completed an international tour throughout 2015, during which bassist Herman was fired and replaced with Clara Salyer.

The Dream Academy special Kate St John

Dream Academy special with Kate St John talking with David Eastaugh 

Kate St John is a composer, arranger, producer and instrumentalist (oboe, cor anglais, accordion, saxophone and piano). She was born in London in 1957 and was classically trained on oboe. She gained a music degree at City University London. Her first band was The Ravishing Beauties with Virginia Astley and Nicky Holland. The trio joined The Teardrop Explodes in Liverpool during the winter of 1981 for a series of dates at a small clubs and a UK tour in early 1982.

During the 1980s and early 1990s she was a member of The Dream Academy with Nick Laird-Clowes and Gilbert Gabriel. In 1985 they had a worldwide hit with "Life In A Northern Town" and produced three albums: The Dream Academy (1985), Remembrance Days (1987) and A Different Kind Of Weather (1990). In the 1990s St. John was a member of Van Morrison's live band playing oboe and saxophone. She played on 5 Van Morrison albums. In 1994 she co-wrote and sang on 4 tracks with Roger Eno on the album The Familiar on the All Saints Label. This led to the formation of Channel Light Vessel, a band with Kate, Roger Eno, Bill Nelson, Laraajiand Mayumi Tachibana. St John has released two solo albums: Indescribable Night (1995) and Second Sight (1997).

Thompson Twins with Tom Bailey

Thompson Twins special with Tom Bailey in conversation with David Eastaugh

Thompson Twins were a British pop band that formed in April 1977. Initially a new wave group, they switched to a more mainstream pop sound and achieved considerable popularity from 1983, scoring a string of hits in the United Kingdom, the United States, and around the world. In 1993, they changed their name to Babble, to reflect their change in music from new wave to dub-influenced chill-out. They continued as Babble to 1996, at which point the group permanently dissolved.

The band was named after the two bumbling detectives Thomson and Thompson in Hergé's comic strip The Adventures of Tintin. At various stages, the band had up to seven members, but their most known incarnation was as a trio between 1982 and 1986. They became a prominent act in the US during the Second British Invasion, and in 1985, the band performed at Live Aid, where they were joined onstage by Madonna.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre with Anton Newcombe

The Brian Jonestown Massacre with Anton Newcombe in conversation with David Eastaugh

The Brian Jonestown Massacre is an American musical project and band led and started by Anton Newcombe. It was formed in San Francisco in 1990.

The group was the subject of the 2004 documentary film called Dig!, and have gained media notoriety for their tumultuous working relationships as well as the erratic behavior of Newcombe. The collective has released 18 albums, five compilation albums, five live albums, 13 EPs, 16 singles as well as two various-artist compilation albums to date.

The bandname is a portmanteau of deceased Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones and the 1978 Jonestown Massacre.

Guana Batz special with Stuart Osborne

Guana Batz special with Stuart Osborne in conversation with David Eastaugh

The original group members were Pip Hancox (vocals), Stuart Osborne (guitar), Dave "Diddle" Turner (drums) and Mick Wigfall (upright bass). Wigfall was removed by Osborne early on, who preferred a bass guitar player for the band. Mick White soon joined the band as bass guitarist. However, by 1984, the Guana Batz decided to again feature an upright bassist, and replaced White with Sam Sardi.

Turner quit the band in May 1987, the hectic touring schedule having grown too much for him, and opted to devote his time to his girlfriend and his construction job. He was replaced by former Get Smart bass player, Jonny Bowler. When Sardi left the band, Bowler switched to upright bass, and John Buck joined the band on drums. Mark Pennington of the Caravans played upright bass for the band after Sam Sardi left and prior to Johnny Bowler switching to bass.

Hancox's Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Pig Dog, was humorously referred to as the band's "fifth member." After being hit by a car, he was replaced by Hancox's new dog, Muttley, who would be featured on four Guana Batz album covers. Although Muttley has died, he reportedly lived to an old age. The band broke up in 1990, but reunited in 1996. They are still touring today. Osborne also plays with The Unknowns. Buck still lives in London; Hancox and Bowler have relocated to San Diego, California and they have occasionally performed in the southern California area with ex-Stray Cats members under the moniker the Guana Cats.

Head of David special with Stephen R Burroughs

Head of David special with Stephen R Burroughs in conversation with David Eastaugh

Head of David is a British heavy metal band that features vocalist Stephen R. Burroughs and ex-Napalm Deathmember Justin Broadrick (later of Godflesh and Jesu). The band's sound paved way to various music genres, including industrial metal, grindcore and noise rock.

The original 1986 line-up reunited in 2009, and were due to play the Supersonic Festival in Birmingham, England in 2010. In an interview with Rock-A-Rolla magazine in 2009, Stephen R. Burroughs stated that "The back catalogue should be reissued this year [2009]. As for recording new stuff, it's now become apparent that we would all like to record something."

The Tubes with Prairie Prince

The Tubes with Prairie Prince in conversation with David Eastaugh

The Tubes formed in 1972 in San Francisco, California, featuring members from two Phoenix, Arizona, bands who had relocated to San Francisco in 1969. One, The Beans, included Bill Spooner, Rick Anderson, Vince Welnick, Frank Martinez, Scott Hornbeck and Bob Macintosh. The other, the Red White and Blues Band, featured Prairie Prince, Roger Steen, and David Killingsworth. After performing at Expo '70 in Japan, Killingsworth left the Red, White and Blues Band, leaving Steen and Prince to audition new bass players, albeit unsuccessfully.

Before moving to San Francisco the Beans had been a local favorite in Phoenix, selling out shows with a tongue-in-cheek concept rock show called "The Mother of Ascension" featuring costumes and props. After moving, Bill Spooner worked at the Fillmore West sweeping floors in between Beans shows at the Longshoremen's Hall and other minor venues. The band's loud, heavy jamming style didn't attract attention, and the band needed to go back home to Phoenix. There they would sell out shows, which provided enough money to pay their rent. The Beans' manager and former Alice Cooper Group drummer, John Speer, suggested they add Prince and Steen along with their roadie John Waybill to one of these shows. Waybill's nickname among the band was "Fee," short for "Fiji," thanks to his copious head of hippie hair.

The Silent Boys with Wallance Dietz, John Suchocki & John Morand

The Silent Boys with Wallance Dietz, John Suchocki & John Morand in conversation with David Eastaugh

With roots in the Richmond, Virginia 80's music scene,
The Silent Boys is an indie-pop band that has been silently playing and recording music for the past three decades.

We've Got a Fuzzbox and We're Gonna Use It with Maggie Dunne

We've Got a Fuzzbox and We're Gonna Use It with Maggie Dunne in conversation with David Eastaugh

We've Got a Fuzzbox and We're Gonna Use It!! or simply Fuzzbox are an English alternative rock group. Formed in Birmingham in 1985, the all-female quartet originally consisted of Vix (Vickie Perks), Magz (Maggie Dunne), Jo Dunne and Tina O'Neill. The band's name was shortened to Fuzzbox for the U.S. release of their first album. They disbanded in 1990 after releasing two studio albums, and reunited in 2010 for a series of concerts. A second reunion was confirmed in 2015.

Rain Parade special with Matt Piucci

Rain Parade special with Matt Piucci in conversation with David Eastaugh

Originally called the Sidewalks, the band was founded in Minnesota by college roommates Matt Piucci (guitar, vocals) and David Roback(guitar, vocals) in 1981, while they were attending Carleton College.^[3] David's brother Steven Roback (bass, vocals) joined the band shortly thereafter. David and Steven had been in a band called The Unconscious with neighbor Susanna Hoffs (who went on to lead The Bangles, the most famous of the Paisley Underground bands). The band soon added Will Glenn (keyboards and violin) and later Eddie Kalwa (drums). They self-released their debut single, "What She's Done to Your Mind" on their Llama label in 1982.

In 1983, they released their debut album, Emergency Third Rail Power Trip, on the Enigma/Zippo label. Critic Jim DeRogatis would later write in his book Turn on Your Mind: Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock (2003) that "Emergency Third Rail Power Trip is not only the best album from any of the Paisley Underground bands, it ranks with the best psychedelic rock efforts from any era", with uplifting melodies offset by themes that were "dark and introspective." According to DeRogatis, the album showcased "the Robacks' ethereal vocals, Eddie Kalwa's precise drumming, Will Glenn's colorful sitar, violin, and keyboard accents, and an intricate, chiming, but droney two-guitar attack that picks up where the Byrds left off with 'Eight Miles High.'"

Wild Willy Barrett

Wild Willy Barrett special in conversation with David Eastaugh

English experimental musician and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his collaborations with John Otway. His musical style has included folk, blues, psychedelia, pop and punk rock and his live performances are punctuated with his dry humour and onstage wit. He is known for virtuoso fiddle playing, ability with a great number of stringed instruments, and playing slide guitar with a whole raw egg (known as egg-necking). During recent Otway/Barrett performances, he has also introduced the 'wah wah wheelie bin'.

Gene Loves Jezebel with Michael Aston

Gene Loves Jezebel special with Michael Aston in conversation with David Eastaugh

Originally called Slav Aryan, Gene Loves Jezebel was formed in 1980 with the Aston brothers, guitarist Ian Hudson, bassist Stephen Davis and drummer Snowy White. The Astons grew up in Cornelly, and later Porthcawl, in Wales, and moved to London in 1981. With a new home, and shortly afterwards, the new name, the trio, with bassist Julianne Regan and drummer James Chater (later replaced by John Murphy (the Associates and Richard Hawkins), played several live shows and were signed by Situation Two. Gene Loves Jezebel underwent numerous lineup changes between 1981 and 1985. In May 1982, Situation Two released Gene Loves Jezebel's demo and single, "Shaving My Neck". The band then added keyboardist Jean-Marc Lederman. Regan left the band within a year to form All About Eve, leaving Ian Hudson briefly playing bass and Albie DeLuca as the guitar player until Stephen Marshall joined.

In 1983, the band released two more singles, "Screaming (For Emmalene)" and "Bruises", and then their first album, Promise , which peaked at number 8 in the UK Indie Chart. In 1984, the band recorded a John Peel radio session for the BBC and toured the U.K. with fellow Welsh artist John Cale.

The band's second album, Immigrant, was released in mid-1985. However, at the start of a long American tour for Immigrant, founding member Ian Hudson left the band and was replaced by former Chelsea and Generation X guitarist James Stevenson (who later also played rhythm guitar on tour with the Cult).

Candy Opera special with Brian Chin Smithers

Candy Opera special with Brian Chin Smithers in conversation with David Eastaugh

Liverpool band Candy Opera released their debut album, 45 Revolutions Per Minute on Berlin-based Firestation Records after a thirty-year wait

Picking up where 45 Revolutions Per Minute left off, the new Rarities collection follows up with a set of even harder to find gems mined from unreleased recordings from the 80s to the noughties

Sarah Jane Morris special

Sarah Jane Morris in conversation with David Eastaugh

In 1982, Morris joined The Republic as lead singer they received enormous publicity from the music press including cover stories with NME and City Limits and a documentary for Granada TV. But the band was deemed too political for radio play, with the exception of Capital London. The Republic were signed to Charlie Gillett's Oval Records Ltd and released an EP entitled Three Songs From The Republic and two singles entitled "One Chance" and "My Spies". Success did not follow and the band split up in 1984.

Morris then sang with The Happy End, a 21-piece brass band named after Bertolt Brecht, Elisabeth Hauptmann and Kurt Weill's musical play. Playing a circuit that included Brighton's Zap Club and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, The Happy End explored protest music from Africa, Ireland and Latin America on a way that emulated Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra.

Morris explored her more theatrical side on Brecht/Eisler's There's Nothing Quite Like Money and Brecht/Weill's Pirate Jenny from The Threepenny Opera.

The Happy End released two albums on the Cooking Vinyl label with Morris. Following a successful Edinburgh run in 1986, Morris then decamped to chart success with The Communards.

Morris found fame initially with the Communards, who are best known for their hit "Don't Leave Me This Way". Morris featured prominently on many Communards tracks, her low and deep vocal range contrasting with Jimmy Somerville's falsetto. She has also recorded as a solo artist, releasing albums since 1989. These have enjoyed most popularity in Italy and Greece.

Morris also contributed to the opera The Fall of the House of Usher (1991) by Peter Hammill and Judge Smith, singing the part of the chorus.^[1] She also sang the part of Mère Ubu on the Pere Ubu album Long Live Père Ubu! (2009), which features songs from Bring Me The Head of Pere Ubu, David Thomas's theatrical adaptation of Alfred Jarry's Ubu Roi.

She recorded an album of John Martyn covers with guitarist Tony Rémy in 2019 entitled Sweet Little Mystery.

BMX Bandits with Duglas T Stewart

BMX Bandits with Duglas T Stewart in conversation with David Eastaugh

BMX Bandits were formed in Bellshill by songwriter and lead vocalist Duglas T. Stewart out of the ashes of The Pretty Flowers, a group that featured Stewart alongside Frances McKee (later of The Vaselines), Sean Dickson and Norman Blake. Beginning around 1982/1983, this early version of the band would perform impromptu, happening-style gigs at various locations around Bellshill including local parks, their school and the Hattonrigg Hotel. Before settling on the name The Pretty Flowers, they usually performed under various controversial and outrageous names to attract attention. The material they performed was often improvised or based loosely on other songs. The group would also partake in various other activities to amuse themselves, such as making home videos interviewing themselves as well as members of the public and recording albums of music in one night on home tape recorders.By 1985, McKee had left to start The Vaselines with Eugene Kelly and the group began to morph into the BMX Bandits. The style of the group as a collective of musicians has been present since its early days, with Stewart acting as the leader while the line-up constantly fluctuates. Many notable independent Glasgow musicians have passed through the band over the years and often continue to contribute to BMX Bandits recordings.

The band signed to 53rd & 3rd and released their first single during the first half of 1986; "E102" / "Sad?". Both songs were written by Stewart with Sean Dickson, who played guitar and keyboards on the recording alongside his Soup Dragons bandmate Jim McCullough. The band's cheerful and playful sound, inspired by 1960s pop music along with Duglas T. Stewart's sense of humour was unusual in rock music at the time and caused mixed responses. However, Radio 1 DJ Janice Long was an early supporter of the group; regularly playing their single and asking them to record a session for her show. They followed up "E102" that same year with a cover of "What a Wonderful World", backed with "The Day Before Tomorrow", which has since become a staple of their live sets. By the end of the year, Dickson left to focus on The Soup Dragons. During the following year, Norman Blake and Joe McAlinden became more involved, with Blake contributing guitar, keyboards and songwriting and McAlinden primarily playing bass and violin. In 1988, the band released another 4-song EP and made a television appearance on the BBC Scotland music show Full Scale Deflection on the same episode as Primal Scream. Their set included a cover of the Beastie Boys song "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)"^[10] and Norman Blake dressed up as an old man with a false moustache.