C86 Show - Indie Pop

Patrick Fitzgerald in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://patrickfitzgerald.bandcamp.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7Zr_w9cxtQ

Patrick Fitzgerald, singer and bass player in Kitchens of Distinction. After Kitchens he was: Fruit, one half of three fabulous duos - Lost Girls | The April Seven | Oskar's Drum - and solo he is Stephen Hero. He has been releasing records under all these guises and more since 1987.

Kitchens of Distinction (sometimes shortened colloquially to KoD) formed in Tooting, South London in 1986. The trio consist of lead singer and bassist Patrick Fitzgerald, guitarist Julian Swales and drummer Daniel Goodwin.

The band were considered part of the shoegaze subgenre and released four studio albums before disbanding in 1996. In September 2012, Patrick Fitzgerald announced Kitchens of Distinction's reunion, followed by the 2013 release of their fifth album, their first in 19 years.

Morley Bartnof in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://andyandtherattlesnakes.com/about

https://www.facebook.com/cosmo.topper

American keyboardist, guitarist, songwriter and composer, born 1959, in Los Angeles, California.

Originally Bartnof spelled with one "f" and later changed to Bartnoff. May appear on releases as Morley Bartof or CosMorley Be. Stepping Away from his previous project Cosmo Topper, Morley's new project is the aptly named "Randy Californians."

Richard Bellia  in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://richardbellia.com/

Photographer Richard Bellia was there when it mattered carrying his trusted camera to capture moments in music’s vast cannon of historical importance, some which now forms his own tapestry of work in Un œil sur la musique 1980-2016 i.e. An eye on music 1980-2016.

The intro to the book says ‘’a thousand photos: breathe the same air as the musicians, feel the bass, the riffs and the silences, sixtieth of a second per sixtieth of a second.’’ With this in mind its hard not to get stuck straight in with the mammoth heavyweight volume of photos infront of you. The first striking images come from prime Punk era via Denmark Street, John Lydon looking grimacingly at the camera in the studio and on stage with PiL, Joe Strummer looking cool as holding his guitar towards the camera, Topper Headon, Mick Jones and leather clad Paul Simonon all looking equally stunning in separate shots.

Mark Hoyle in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://www.route-online.com/all-books/swerve

https://dubsex.net/about

Dub Sex are often cited as one of Manchester’s greatest ‘lost’ bands. Formed in the concrete landscape of 1980s Hulme, their music is appropriately raw and intense, bass-led with wiry guitar patterns swirling around the impassioned vocal style and presence of frontman Mark Hoyle. 

They came to prominence over the release of five critically acclaimed EPs and mini-albums in the late 80s. John Peel picked up on them from the outset playing a demo recording of ‘Tripwire!’ later describing the band on-air as “one of my very favourites”. Dub Sex went on to record 4 sessions for his BBC Radio show, the first of which incredibly aired 3 times in just 6 weeks during Feb/Mar 1987.  

‘Tripwire!’ saw a formal release later in 1987 on the band’s debut EP. The mini-album ‘Push’ and ‘The Underneath’ EP soon followed. Enthusiastic music press reviews helped the band’s profile rise amongst the post-punk fraternity and incendiary live shows led to several TV appearances including BBC’s influential ‘Snub TV’ and Tony Wilson’s Granada show ‘The Other Side of Midnight’.  

By early 1989 and the release of the ‘Swerve’ EP, Dub Sex had become Indie Chart regulars with ‘Swerve’ also making John Peel’s ‘Festive Fifty’ at the end of that year.  

Gerard Evans in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://www.facebook.com/flowersinthedustbinofficial/?locale=en_GB

http://anarchoscene.blogspot.com/2011/07/flowers-in-dustbin.html

Chris Sullivan in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://www.thesullivan.net/home

https://www.cherryred.co.uk/blue-rondo-bees-knees-and-chicken-elbows-expanded-2cd-edition?srsltid=AfmBOop68rFMyboq_cMuXbKfDxStVOacJIeB2YGuD-iZUNlgpTsdKf9E

Blue Rondo à la Turk was a floating collective of jazz and salsa oriented musicians, created by singer/lyricist Chris Sullivan who arrived in London from Merthyr Tydfil in the mid 1970s. His stated goal for the band was "to bring back show biz".

In the band’s first interview, Sullivan said of their sound: “Call it Latin American jazz with funk and African leanings – plus a few others because all of us have adventurous musical tastes.” Sullivan co-wrote most of the band's original material; he also painted the distinctive cubist art that adorned most of the band's releases.

Peter Crowley in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Down-at-Maxs-Peter-Crowley/dp/B0D7QR4F6Y

https://www.farwestpress.com/far-west-books/p/down-at-maxs-peter-crowley

Laura Davis-Chanin in conversation with David Eastaugh

http://backbeatbooks.com/books/9781617136870

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Infinite-Dreams-Life-Alan-Vega/dp/149307248X

Winner of the ASCAP Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award for Excellence in Writing and named in Billboard's top 10 Music books of 2018 for her book, "The Girl in the Back," Laura is pursuing her second love, writing. Her first love, her daughters, bring her eternal sunshine everyday. Her second book, "I am Michael Alago," about the unique and remarkable person who brought Metallica to the world as well as Nina Simone's last album, was released in 2020 on Backbeat Books.

Just completed a biography of Alan Vega, front man for the band, Suicide, entitled "Infinite Dreams: The Life of Alan Vega" - released August 2024, while she finishes her novel based on true events entitled "A Finished Noise".

Simon Fisher Turner in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://simonfisherturner.bandcamp.com/album/instability-of-the-signal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMKWlALrBIA

English musician, songwriter, composer, producer and actor. After portraying Ned East in the 1971 BBC TV adaptation of Tom Brown's Schooldays and roles in films such as The Big Sleep (1978), Turner rose to fame as a teenage star in Britain when his mentor, Jonathan King, released Turner's eponymous first album on UK Records

Gaye Black in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://www.gayeblack.co.uk/

English punk rock musician, who played bass guitar in the band The Adverts in the late 1970s. She was one of the first female rock stars of the punk rock movement, whom The Virgin Encyclopedia of 70s Music called the "first female punk star". She was "one of punk’s first female icons". Dave Thompson wrote that her "photogenic" looks, "panda-eye make-up and omnipresent leather jacket defined the face of female punkdom until well into the next decade".

Rin Lennon, Michael George,Jay Smith-drums &  Alias Wilde  in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://monogroove.bandcamp.com/album/the-flip-side

http://www.rinsrescues.com

https://www.youtube.com/user/rinlennon4/featured

Frank Deserto in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://www.cherryred.co.uk/no-songs-tomorrow-darkwave-ethereal-rock-and-coldwave-1981-1990-4cd-box-set

•    FEATURING THE CURE, DEAD CAN DANCE, CLAN OF XYMOX, COCTEAU TWINS, SOFT CELL, TONES ON TAIL, IN THE NURSERY, ATTRITION, IRON CURTAIN, ALIEN SEX FIEND, CRANES, KIRLIAN CAMERA, NEON AND MANY MORE.

•    4CD SET EXPLORING THE 1980s’ DARKWAVE/COLDWAVE SCENE THROUGHOUT THE UK, EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES

•    A BROAD CHURCH TAKING IN ELECTRONICS, DARK AMBIENT, NEO-CLASSICAL NEW WAVE, GOTHIC SOUNDSCAPES AND COLD DREAM POP.

•    CURATED BY THE TEAM WHO BROUGHT YOU ‘CHERRY STARS COLLIDE’, ‘SILHOUETTES AND STATUES’ AND ‘STILL IN A DREAM’.

•    SLEEVENOTES COURTESY OF FRANK DESERTO.

Lora Logic in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://www.essential-logic.co.uk/

https://essentiallogic.bandcamp.com/

fter co-founding X-Ray Spex, Lora Logic formed Essential Logic in 1978, shaping post-punk with unique sax, whimsical melodies. Their 1979 album, 'Beat Rhythm News,' stood out. After a long hiatus, Essential Logic returned in 2022 with 'Land of Kali.’

Essential Logic are an English post-punk band formed in 1978 by saxophonist Lora Logic after leaving X-Ray Spex. The band initially consisted of Lora on vocals, Phil Legg on guitar and vocals, William Bennett (later of Whitehouse) on guitar, Mark Turner on bass guitar, Rich Tea (Richard Thompson) on drums and Dave Wright on saxophone. Turner was later replaced by Sean Oliver (later of Rip, Rig & Panic) on bass. The band split in 1981 and reformed in 2001.

Alan Lee Shaw in conversation with David Eastaugh

English guitarist whose career began after leaving art school, in music projects with Twink. He later formed short-lived The Rings with 'Twink' Alder & drummer Rod Latter, before he and Latter created punk band Maniacs with bassist Robert Crash.

In 1977 Shaw created glam-punksters Physicals, who released a single, with Paul Cook on drums. This was followed by stints in Brian James' "Brains" and "The Hellions" (managed by Miles Copeland) from 1980. During 1981, Shaw teamed up in a writing partnership with Kirsty MacColl.

During 1983 there was another brief band, "Hush Hush" with Chris Sol. Then, with Sol, the eponymous band album "Heaven And The Angels" in 1986 and a later shelved UK project with Dee Dee Ramone. Another brief spell with a Brian James band was followed by Shaw joining The Damned in 1993.

Ira A Robbins in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://trouserpress.com/

Trouser Press magazine began as a mimeographed fanzine in March 1974 and grew to a 60,000-circulation glossy rock music monthly. Started by two high school Who-freak friends and a Jeff Beck fanatic they’d recently met, Trouser Press published 96 issues over the following decade, covering everything from British Invasion bands, ’70s arena rock and prog to punk, new wave, synth-pop, post-punk and reggae.

Zip It Up! The Best of Trouser Press Magazine 1974-1984 is an annotated anthology of the music writing that appeared in the magazine.

Annotated with recollections and reflections on the changing times, the ridiculous business of independent magazine publishing and the colorful, complicated artists — illustrated with cartoons, covers, documents and ads from the Trouser Press archive — Zip It Up! is vintage rock journalism of a form that is no longer widely practiced: features heavy on historical detail and lengthy, probing interviews, all written with wit, intelligence and a willful expression of opinions and values. It is also an extensive document of rock’s evolution from the 1970s to the mid-’80s, often capturing now-iconic bands in the early stages of their existence. By turns reverent, snarky, adulatory and cynical, Zip It Up! is a rich grazing ground for fans and students of music and music journalism.

The book is divided into sections covering the Sixties, Classic Rock, Glam Rock, Art and Prog Rock, the Roots of Punk, US / UK Punk and New Wave, Reggae, Post-Punk and more.

Michael Kastelic in conversation with David

https://www.facebook.com/thecynics/

American garage rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band, at the time consisting of guitarist Gregg Kostelich, drummer Bill Von Hagen, vocalist Michael Kastelic who joined in 1985, bass player Steve Magee, and keyboardist Becky Smith (later founder of New York City's Bellwether gallery), debuted with their first album, Blue Train Station in 1986. Many of their songs "carry the torch" for other favorite bands as cover songs or tributes. They underwent a number of lineup changes culminating in 1989's Rock and Roll album. They formed their own independent record label called Get Hip Records in 1986.

Roy in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7gDxQ0FudI

The Bambi Slam were a UK based Canadian-British quartet with an unusual instrumental lineup of guitar, cello, bass, drums, led by singer/guitarist Roy and featuring cellist Linda Miller and drummer Nick Maynard. By the time of the release of the first full-length album, The Bambi Slam, in 1988, the group had splintered, leaving the Bambi Slam as a Feldon solo project. (The album credit reads, "Written, produced, arranged and performed by Roy," though former group members also contributed.)

John Sparrow in conversation with David Eastaugh

Long-time drummer and percussionist of iconic folk punk band Violent Femmes, John Sparrow has spent his life steeped in a wild mélange of music.

John joined Violent Femmes in 2005 as a member of the Horns of Dilemma, playing cajon. In 2016 he made his drumming debut with the band, playing a Weber Grill as part of his drum kit on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Several other notable performances with Violent Femmes include headlining Coachella, as well as orchestral engagements with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl, and Kansas City Symphony Orchestra.

From Innovative Percussion

Andy Shernoff in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://www.andyshernoff.com/

Founding member of The Dictators, one of the original New York punk bands, in which he wrote nearly all of the songs, played bass guitar and keyboards, and sang backing vocals and occasional leads. He has been involved with a variety of other musical projects, most notably the heavily Dictators-populated Manitoba's Wild Kingdom and Joey Ramone's first studio album, Don't Worry About Me.

Ali Smith in conversation with David Eastaugh

http://www.alismith.com/

https://www.blackstoneindie.com/the-ballad-of-speedball-baby-gkno.html#541=2790081

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2024/feb/05/ali-smiths-90s-new-york-punk-scene-in-pictures

The Ballad of Speedball Baby is the thrilling, extremely funny, and heart-wrenchingly vulnerable story of Ali Smith―coming of age in ’90s New York―who commits to the messy, exhilarating life of a musician and must survive the slings and arrows society reserves for women who refuse to comply.

As an only child reeling from the demolition of her parents’ toxic marriage, the New York City underground music scene offers a young Ali a different family of misfits and talented outsiders to belong to.

She becomes the bass player for edgy band Speedball Baby, a decision that will take her around the world―from onstage at the legendary CBGBs to the red-light district of Amsterdam. She’s often the only girl in a broken-down tour van, being strip-searched at the Croatian border, chased by lunatics, and navigating the seedy underbelly of a male-dominated music scene full of addiction, violence, and misogyny―all while keeping her sharp wit and dark humor intact.

Rimmed with heavy black eyeliner and smelling faintly of cheap booze, The Ballad of Speedball Baby is a pulse-quickening, unpredictable ride through the ’90s music scene―alternately terrifying, hilarious, and painfully evocative―as well as a love letter to the power of female solidarity.