C86 Show - Indie Pop

Po! with Ruth Miller

Po! with Ruth Miller in conversation with David Eastaugh

Po! was originally formed by Ruth Miller (vocals and guitar), with Julian Glover (bass) and Mark Fuccio (drums). Usually subsumed under the C86 or twee pop headings - which is not essentially to misrepresent them - they possessed considerable originality. In particular, the themes of misogyny, disappointment, and nostalgia act as a counterpoint to the vocals, melodies, and jangly guitars so characteristic of the genre.

Part of the fanzine scene, Po!'s first release was the flexidisc Hopscotch in the Snow, which a Leicestershire fanzine Samantha produced from locally recorded demos in 1987. Jan Frazer replaced Fuccio on drums for this recording. This was picked up by BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, and provoked some interest. In 1988 Po! released another flexidisc, this time shared with The Originals, who played the backing instruments on 'Glass King'. There followed an album, released on the band's own Rutland Records label, entitled Little Stones, 1000 copies of which were pressed. It cost just £20 to record. The backing tracks were recorded on a Tascam reel-to-reel four-track at MikTon Studios (a former factory at 45 Chatham Street, Leicester; now private flats).The backing musicians for Little Stones were members of The Originals; Yvonne Blair (drums & percussion); Kevin Young (Guitar); Terri Lowe (Guitars, Bass Guitar). Equipment was supplied by Lowe and borrowed from Phil Hudson, the sound engineer at The Princess Charlotte, the premier music venue in Leicester. Bob Dylan, an influence, was represented in the form of a cover version of "All I Really Wanna Do", which featured a black 12-string Rickenbacker guitar.

The Bachelor Pad with Tommy Cherry

The Bachelor Pad with Tommy Cherry in conversation with David Eastaugh

Their first recording came in early 1987 via one side of a free flexidisc given away with a fanzine before three singles in a twelve month period for Warhola Records.  It would be a further two years before the release of a debut LP on Imaginary Recordsand then finally three singles on Egg Records before they called it a day in 1991.

Rubella Ballet special with Zillah Minx and Side Truelove

Rubella Ballet with Zillah Minx & Sid Truelove in conversation with David Eastaugh

The band was formed by drummer Sid Ation (born Sid Truelove, 18 April 1960, Sutton Coldfield, a former chef, later also the drummer with Flux of Pink Indians), former Fatal Microbes Pete Fender (Dan Sansom, guitar), Gem Stone (Gemma Sansom, bass) and It (Quentin North, also bass), with vocalists Annie Anxiety and Womble. Annie, Womble and It were involved only initially, left and were replaced by vocalist Zillah Minx (born Zillah Elaine Ashworth, 31 March 1961, Birkenhead). Fender and Stone were the son and daughter of Poison Girls singer Vi Subversa. The band used Poison Girls equipment to jam and write songs and their first performance was when they took to the stage at a Crass/Poison Girls concert. They had originally been called Rubella Babies.The band's first proper gig was a fundraiser for the Theatre Royal in Stratford, which ended in a riot, and the band played frequently, often asking audience members to put them up after gigs.

 

Nirvana with Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic & Chad Channing

Nirvana with Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic & Chad Channing special - interview 30/10/1989 with Norwich Art Centre with David Eastaugh 

The Vaselines with Frances McKee

The Vaselines with Frances McKee in conversation with David Eastaugh

The band formed in 1986, initially as a duo backed by a drum machine. Originally intending to create a fanzine, Kelly and McKee decided to form a band instead. Stephen Pastel of The Pastels is credited with coming up with their name. After playing their first gigs, they signed to Pastel's 53rd and 3rd label and recorded the Son of a Gun EP with him producing, released in summer 1987. The EP featured a cover of Divine's "You Think You're a Man" on its B-side. By late 1987, Eugene's brother Charlie Kelly had joined on drums with James Seenan on bass. With this line-up and with Stephen Pastel producing again, they recorded the Dying for It EP, released in early 1988. It featured the songs "Molly's Lips" and "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam," both of which Nirvana would later cover. In June 1989 they released their first album, Dum-Dum, again on 53rd and 3rd but distributed by Rough Trade. The band broke up shortly after its release due jointly to the dissolution of 53rd and 3rd Records and the end of Kelly and McKee's romantic relationship. They briefly reformed in October 1990 to open for Nirvana when they played in Edinburgh.

The Jasmine Minks special with Jim Shepherd

The Jasmine Minks special with Jim Shepherd in conversation with David Eastaugh

Formed in Aberdeen in 1983, the band were initially a quartet of Jim Shepherd (guitar/vocals), Adam Sanderson (vocals/guitar), Martin Keena(bass guitar), and Tom Reid (drums/vocals). After sending a demo tape to Melody Maker, the band were recruited by Alan McGee to record for the fledgling Creation label. Their first single, "Think!" was recorded for £50 at Alaska Studios, Waterloo. The 4 piece line up was augmented by keyboards from Dave Musker, and the single produced by Joe Foster. The small brown plastic electronic organ was the same one that had previously been used on "Blue Boy" by Orange Juice. Prior to recording, Sanderson had been listening to the Buzzcocks' Spiral Scratch EP, and repeated the two note refrain from "Boredom" at the end of "Think!". Later, Edwyn Collins of Orange Juice was to reference "Boredom" and repeat the same two note refrain on Orange Juice's hit single "Rip It Up". "Think!"/"Work For Nothing" was released in March 1984, and reached single of the week status, jointly with The Pastels single that Alan McGee released at the same time.

Jesus & Mary Chain special with Murray Dalglish

Murray Dalglish talking about his life in music - starting with the Jesus and Mary Chain - with David Eastaugh 

Murray Dalglish is the original drummer for The Jesus and Mary Chain from their formation in early 1984 until November 1984 when he was replaced by Bobby Gillespie. Aged 16 when he joined the band, Dalglish played a two-piece drum kit, which he did whilst standing up; this style would later be carried on in Gillespie's playing. His drumming can be heard on the band's first single "Upside Down", along with its B-side, the Syd Barrett cover "Vegetable Man". He was reportedly kicked out of the band as his father demanded that Dalglish be given more money despite the fact that the band at the time was making little, if any, money at all.

Dalglish was drummer for Baby's Got a Gun, Trixie's Big Red Motorbike, The Sux Pastels and The Decay, and as of 2014, he owns a hair salon in East Kilbride.^[3]

Ultra Vivid Scene with Kurt Ralske

Ultra Vivid Scene with Kurt Ralske in conversation with David Eastaugh 

Former Nothing But Happiness and Crash guitarist Ralske started Ultra Vivid Scene in 1987, was signed to 4AD Records in 1988, and released his first UVS EP, She Screamed, in 1988. The debut album Ultra Vivid Scene released October 1988, was written, produced and performed entirely by Ralske, whose influences include The Velvet Underground and The Jesus and Mary Chain. The second album, Joy 1967-1990, was released in April 1990. The same month they played their first tour dates in the United Kingdom.^[2]

The last album, Rev, was released in October 1992, and was performed by a band comprising Julius Klepacz (drums) and Jack Daley (bass) with Ralske on vocals and guitar. This album was picked up by the Chaos imprint of Columbia Records (Sony Music Distribution) during the time rival Warner Bros. was having some success with its imprints' 4AD relationships (4AD/Sire, 4AD/Elektra, 4AD/Reprise).

As a live act, Ultra Vivid Scene performed only a handful of US dates in support of the first album in 1989. The second album in 1990 was supported by one month of touring in Europe and two months in the US. 1993 saw one month of US tour dates for the third and final album.

Ralske has gone on to do solo work, and has also produced albums for such artists as Rasputina, Ivy and Charles Douglas. His last known musical endeavor was the solo release in 2001 Amor 0 + 01. Since that time, Ralske has worked as a visual artist.

Echobelly with Glenn Johansson

Echobelly special with Glenn Johansson in conversation with David Eastaugh

In 1992, Madan and Johansson first met in a pub, with Sonya expressing her desire to sing in a band "I used to sing a lot as a child. I suppose I had a secret desire to sing", They soon teamed up with bass guitarist Alex Keyser and drummer Andy Henderson, who had previously played with PJ Harvey's band.

Guitarist Debbie Smith, formerly of Curve, came on board in 1994. According to the Epic Records' website, the group came up with the name Echobelly from the notion of "being hungry for something". With Madan and Johansson serving as songwriters, they recorded their debut EP, Bellyache, on the independent Pandemonium label in late 1993.

Daniel Takes a Train with Paul Baker

Daniel Takes a Train special with Paul Baker in conversation with David Eastaugh

Daniel Takes A Train was originally formed in London in the 1980’s. The band split up in 1988 but re-emerged 30 years later as a live and recording act.

 

 

Named after a Hungarian art-house movie, Daniel Takes A Train was originally formed in London in the 1980’s by song-writing duo Paul Baker (vocals) and Dan Synge (guitar). Augmented by James Hannington (drums), Rupert Blomfield (bass) and Paul Davey (saxophone) the band were regulars on the West End club scene (Ronnie Scott’s, Le Beat Route, The Limelight, The Astoria, Empire Ballroom etc) and even gate-crashed the 1987 Brit Awards armed with demo tapes in order to get a record deal.

The band split up in 1988 but re-emerged 30 years later as a live act featuring core original members, following their discovery, via an old promo video on YouTube, by Firestation Records, Germany. Over the years, they have crossed genres as diverse as synth pop, jazz/funk, jangle and indie rock but always with an eye on creating that perfect pop moment.

Fudge Tunnel special with David Ryley

Fudge Tunnel special with David Ryley in conversation with David Eastaugh

Fudge Tunnel's reputation was built around their massive guitar sound and ironic sense of humour, and were popular with the British music press - at least at first. The band's first release was "Single Of The Week" in NME magazine in January 1990, with NME declaring "Absolutely and totally the best single ever to be released in 1990. Total nine guitar attack-rock".

The band undertook several European tours in 1991 and 1992 including support slots with Fugazi, Silverfish and The Jesus Lizard, as well as support slots with Swervedriver, Godflesh,^[3] and regular performances at popular London venues The Camden Falcon and Camden Underworld.

Two more albums were to follow in 1993 (Creep Diets) and 1994 (The Complicated Futility of Ignorance). Newport also was active with Nailbomb, a collaboration with Max Cavalera (Sepultura), who released one studio album and one live album of their Dynamo Open Air Festival performance.

After the release of their third studio album, the band split up. David Ryley ran his label BGR Records for a while. Adrian Parkin played with Tubesurfer until 1996 when they too split up, and then returned to being a quantity surveyor in Bolton. Alex Newport went on to pursue a successful career as a producer/mixer and now lives and runs his own studio in New York. He has produced albums by At the Drive-In, The Mars Volta, Bloc Party, City And Colour, and many others. He also formed the band Theory of Ruin, who released one album, Counter Culture Nosebleed and the Frontline Poster Child EP, both on Escape Artist Records and currently is playing in Red Love with Matt Tong.

Cornershop special with Tjinder Singh

Cornershop special with Tjinder Singh in conversation with David Eastaugh 

Cornershop are a British indie rock band best known for their single "Brimful of Asha", originally released in 1997 and, in a remixed version, topping the UK chart in 1998. The band was formed in 1991 by Wolverhampton-born Tjinder Singh (singer, songwriter, and guitar), his brother Avtar Singh (bass guitar, vocals), David Chambers (drums) and Ben Ayres (guitar, keyboards, and tamboura), the first three having previously been members of Preston-based band General Havoc, who released one single (the "Fast Jaspal EP") in 1991.

The band name originated from a stereotype referring to British Asians often owning corner shops. Their music is a fusion of Indian music, indie rock, alternative and electronic dance music.

Jackdaw with Crowbar - Tim Ellis and Adam Sindall

Jackdaw with Crowbar - Tim Ellis and Adam Sindall - in conversation with David Eastaugh

Jackdaw with Crowbar's original line-up was Timothy Ellis, Fergus Durrant, Dave Tibbats and Dan Morrison, with Adam Sindall, Steve Law and Fran Juckes making Super 8mm films which were always present in their live performances.

In 1991, Jackdaw released Hanging In the Balance, expanding the line-up with Tris King (formerly of Bogshed and later of A Witness), Andy Guthrie, Alan McCulloch (aka "Wak"), Andy Grimmer, Wilf Plum (Dog Faced Hermans) and Charley 'H' Bembridge (The Selecter).

Jackdaw had two John Peel sessions on 19 May 1987 and 4 October 1987. Jackdaw stopped touring around 1991 or 1992. In 2005, "Fuck America" was released on a compilation CD, Commercially Unfriendly: The Best Of British Underground, on Gott Discs.^[8] In 2007, Ellis and Sindall started working together and Jackdaw was re-hatched with Fergus Durrant joining soon after. With all new films and songs, Jackdaw released a new EP available from Hybrid Cuts. The 8mm films were replaced by lap tops and video projectors. Jackdaw received air play on BBC Radio 6 in Stuart Maconie's Freak Zone and Don Letts' show.

Jackdaw with Crowbar, in 2018, entered into its third age continuing as a duo, known as Jackdaw with Crowbar, Because You're Worth It, with Ellis and Sindall.

Gene Loves Jezebel with Jay Aston

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

Gene Loves Jezebel (GLJ) are a British rock band formed in the early 1980s by identical twin brothers Jay  and Michael Aston. Gene Loves Jezebel's best-known songs include "Heartache", "Desire (Come and Get It)" (1986), "The Motion of Love" (1987), "Jealous" (1990) and "Break the Chain" (1993), as well as alternative club hits "Bruises" (1983), "Influenza (Relapse)" (1984) and "The Cow" (1985). "The Motion of Love" was the band's most successful UK single.

Kissamatic Lovebubbles with Vassilis Chountalas

Kissamatic Lovebubbles with Vassilis Chountalas in conversation with David Eastaugh

Kissamatic Lovebubbles was a Greek indiepop band formed in 1993 by Vassilis Chountalas (vocals), Apostolis Giotas (guitar), George Otemperis (bass), Dionisis Drogaris (guitar) and Konstantinos Petropoulos (drums). They are remembered for their jangly guitar sound and powerful shows.

Einstürzende Neubauten with Blixa Bargeld

Einstürzende Neubauten with Blixa Bargeld in conversation with David Eastaugh 

On 1st April 1980, Einstürzende Neubauten made its first appearance, at the Moon Club in West Berlin. This first lineup featured Beate Bartel and Gudrun Gut, Blixa Bargeld, and N.U. Unruh. The two female members, Bartel and Gut, left the band after a short period and founded Mania D. Shortly thereafter, Alexander Hacke (alias Alexander von Borsig), a sound technician and multi-instrumentalist who was 15 years old at the time, joined the band and became a longtime member.

In 1981, the percussionist F.M. Einheit  joined Einstürzende Neubauten and it released its first LP, Kollaps, a mixture of rough punk tunes and industrial noises. The industrial noises were obtained from self-made music machines, electronics, and found objects such as metal plates. The live performances with Einheit in the 1980s included lots of metal banging and destruction on stage.

Primal Scream with Martin St John

Primal Scream with Martin St John in conversation with David Eastaugh

Note from 'The Psychedelic Confessions Of A Primal Screamer' - out in paper back

 Many bands claim to be era-defining. Few are. Primal Scream were. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to be at the birth of one of rock n roll's bastard offspring then this book is for you. Martin St John was Primal Scream's leather gloved flailing skeleton, bashing away on the tambourine in the 1960s obsessive, garage psyche , mid-eighties period. He was there, bang central , in the middle of the psychedelic maelstom-in the days before Screamadelica, in the days before Top Of The Pops, in the days before Glastonbury - and he has a story to tell. If you think you know Primal Scream, think again. The Psychedelic Confessions Of A Primal Screamer will introduce you to six Glaswegian garage heads hell bent on acid, hard kicks and psychedelia. And there's more again. . .

The Wee Cherubs with Martin Cotter

The Wee Cherubs with Martin Cotter in conversation with David Eastaugh

Glasgow indie band formed in 1983. They recorded one single 'Dreaming' in 1983 at Glasgow's famous Park Lane Studios. The single was released in 1984 with a limited pressing of 1000. 

Now there's a new collection released on Opic Nerve Records

A collection of lost recordings made in Glasgow between 1982 & 1985. Restored and remastered especially for this release.

Formed in 1982 by Martin Cotter, Christine Gibson and Graham Adam & part of the Glasgow indie scene of the early 80's The Wee Cherubs only released one single, (Dreaming, which is included in this set), before calling it a day in 1985.  Their range of influences are on show here, and although some tracks are redolent of Orange Juice and Aztec Camera there is no definitive Wee Cherubs sound, which makes this collection an exciting and rewarding discovery 

The Pink Label & Biff Bang Pow special with Ken Popple and Simon Down

The Pink Label and Biff Bang Pow special with Ken Popple and Simon Down in conversation with David Eastaugh 

 

The Trashcan Sinatras with Frank Reader

The Trashcan Sinatras special with Frank Reader in conversation with David Eastaugh

The band members met through the club/pub music scene in Irvine. The name was derived from a music class for the unemployed, where students improvised on various 'instruments'. After banging on some trash cans, someone mentioned Frank Sinatra and the band name was born. The original band members included Frank Reader (bass), Davy Hughes (guitar and vocals), George McDaid (guitar) and Paul Forde (drums). By late 1986/early 1987, the line-up had changed to include Paul Livingston (guitar), John Douglas (guitar) and Stephen Douglas (drums), along with Frank Reader moving to vocals and Davy Hughes to bass. While the band has included other members for short periods of time over the years, this is the line-up that would record the bulk of the Trashcan Sinatras' music to date.