C86 Show - Indie Pop

David Ford - Easyworld - in conversation with David Eastaugh

http://davidfordmusic.com

Easyworld were an English indie alternative rock/pop band hailing from Eastbourne, consisting of David Ford on vocals, Jo Taylor on bassand Glenn Hooper on drums, active between 1997 and 2004. The band achieved limited success in the early 2000s, releasing 3 albums in total; Better Ways to Self Destruct, This Is Where I Stand and Kill the Last Romantic on Fierce Panda Records and Jive Records before parting ways in August 2004.

Colin Latter - Flux of Pink Indians - in conversation with David Eastaugh

The band formed in Hertfordshire, England in 1980 from the remaining members of The Epileptics (who during the first half of 1979 changed their name to Epi-X, owing to letters of complaint from The British Epilepsy Association) by Colsk Latter (vocals) and Derek Birkett (bass guitar) with guitarists Andy Smith, Neil Puncher, and drummer Sid Ation (who was also a member of Rubella Ballet).

The group signed with the Crass Records label in 1981. Their debut EP Neu Smell was released on Crass in 1981; it featured indie hit "Tube Disaster".^[1] Flux of Pink Indians continued in 1982 with the album Strive to Survive Causing Least Suffering Possible released on their own label, Spiderleg.

They released a second album in 1983, The Fucking Cunts Treat Us Like Pricks; this was banned by many British retailers, and copies were seized by Greater Manchester Police from the Eastern Bloc record shop, which was charged with displaying "Obscene Articles For Publication For Gain".

Ation left the group to work full-time with his other band Rubella Ballet, and was soon replaced by Bambi, formerly of Discharge, while Smith was replaced by Simon Middlehurst. However, both departed quickly for their original band, The Insane.^[1] While auditioning for their replacements, Puncher also left; the line-up was completed by former Darlex and Epileptics guitarist Kev Hunter, and drummer Martin Wilson. An extensive interview with the band appeared in No Class fanzine.

By 1986, the band had shortened their name to Flux; in that year they released their third album, Uncarved Block, which was produced by Adrian Sherwood and featured several members of the On-U Sound Records label.

Kev Reverb - Crazyhead - in conversation with David Eastaugh

Formed in 1986, the band signed to the independent record label, Food, later that year and their début single, "What Gives You The Idea That You're So Amazing, Baby?", reached number 2 in the UK Indie Chart in March 1987.^[2] For the rest of the year they toured extensively, supporting The Cult, then Julian Cope, and also played at the Glastonbury Festival. Their second single "Baby Turpentine" reached number 4 in the Indie Chart.

In mid-1988, their third single "Time Has Taken Its Toll on You" reached No. 65 in the UK Singles Chart, their label now owned by EMI. The band embarked on another UK tour to promote their début album Desert Orchid, released in October 1988, along with another single, "Rags", and then toured Europe supporting Iggy Pop. They then released the Have Love, Will Travel EP  before embarking on yet another UK tour.

Raymond Gorman - That Petrol Emotion - in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://www.thatpetrolemotion.com

That Petrol Emotion were a London-based Northern Ireland-originating band with an American vocalist, Steve Mack. It featured the O'Neill brothers from celebrated Derry pop-punk band The Undertones plus ex-members of fellow Derry bands Bam Bam and The Calling and The Corner Boys. They recorded five albums between 1986 and 1994, exploring an eclectic fusion of alternative rock, post-punk, garage rock and dance music (including sampling) which in part anticipated and overlapped with the dance-pop era of the 1990s.

Following a 14-year break, the band reunited in 2008 for various dates, tours and festival appearances before returning to hiatus in 2010. Four members of the band went on to form The Everlasting Yeah.

Rocco Barker - Flesh for Lulu & Wasted Youth - in conversation with David Eastaugh

Nick Marsh (vocals and guitar) and James Mitchell (drums) formed the band and soon recruited Rocco Barker (originally from Wasted Youth, guitar and vocals), and Glen Bishop (bass), taking their name from an American cult movie. After a well received John Peel session, they signed to Polydor Records in 1983, and soon thereafter, bassist Glen Bishop left to join Under Two Flags, and was replaced by Kevin Mills (formerly of Specimen).

Wasted Youth were an English post-punk band from London, England, active between 1979 and 1982, which blended post-punk/pre-Goth with dark acoustic strains of the sort associated with Nick Drake and Syd Barrett. The line-up of the band was Ken Scott (vocals and guitar), Rocco Barker (guitar), Nick Nicole (synth), Darren Murphy (bass) and Andy Scott (drums)

Scott Ledgerwood - Bam Bam - in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://buttocksproductions.com/home

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tina_Bell

Formed in 1983 in Seattle, WA. First line up was Tina Bell (vocals), Tommy Martin (guitar), Scott Ledgerwood (bass), Matt Cameron (drums).
When Cameron left in 1984, Tom Hendrickson joined on drums.
Ledgerwood and Hendrickson left in the mid 80s, Bell in 1990.
Tommy reformed the band as an instrumental 3 piece with Nick Rhinehart, Mike Peterson in 1991.

Gavin Hogg &  Hamish Ironside - We Peaked at Paper: An Oral History of British Zines - in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://www.boatwhistle.com/we-peaked-at-paper

The book consists of 21 in-depth interviews with editors of zines. Hogg and Ironside travelled across Britain to carry out interviews, seeking to examine the widest possible range of publications: from the science fiction zines of the 1930s right up to the present day, in the form of a thriving Bristolian zine begun by a ten-year-old editor during the COVID pandemic. Case studies include legendary zines such as Sniffin’ Glue and Ablaze!, as well as lesser-known zines about football, feminism and charity shops.

Helen O'Hara - Dexys Midnight Runners & Tanita Tikaram - in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://www.helenohara-violin.com/biog

She was a member and violinist of Dexys Midnight Runners from 1982 to 1987, including performing on songs such as "Come on Eileen", and in 2021 rejoined the band.

She was offered a place with Rowland's new line-up of Dexys—the result of a session she and two other violinists from the university had carried out as part of Rowland's decision to revamp the band's sound and image. Rowland has said that he saw O'Hara standing at a bus stop with her violin case and stopped to meet her. The more prosaic truth is that of the three violinists at the session she was the only one with any rock and roll experience, and therefore the only one to be able to play a solo by feel. This she did well enough to be immediately drafted into Dexys. To fit in with Dexys' Celtic image, she took the stage last name of "O'Hara".

Within months she was touring the UK, followed by the US, as "Come On Eileen" reached #1 in the charts in both countries

Rodney Orpheus - The Cassandra Complex - in conversation with David Eastaugh

http://cassandracomplex.co.uk

The band was initially composed of Rodney Orpheus and Paul Dillon, who met when Orpheus gatecrashed Dillon's 21st birthday party in Leeds. They began putting on large multimedia shows featuring various avant-garde acts from the Leeds area. Andy Booth was a journalist who interviewed the band and was later asked to join. The band released their first self-financed single, "March", in March 1985. A live cassette followed a month later, and the band signed to local label Rouska. Dillon left the band to get married and the band recruited Rodney's childhood friend John Marchini, with Jez Willis and Keith Langley guesting live and in the studio.

Sal Principato - Liquid Liquid - in conversation David Eastaugh

Liquid Liquid emerged from downtown New York's no wave scene. The group's original records were pressed in very limited quantities on 99 Records, and can now fetch high prices. "Cavern" originally appeared on the EP, Optimo, recorded by Don Hunerberg. Though the pressings were small, the music has had a lasting and far reaching impact. A music video for "Cavern" was produced by Michael Sporn.

After "Cavern" was sampled for Grandmaster + Melle Mel's old school rap classic, "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)," 99 Records took Sugarhill to court over its unauthorized use, and after an expensive court battle, won compensation. Before they could collect, however, Sugarhill went into receivership.^[2] The song was also included on the Disco Not Discocompilation album. The first three EPs, plus live material, were reissued in 1997 by Grand Royal (US) and Mo' Wax (UK). After the collapse of both these labels, Domino Recordsreleased the music from all three original 12"s plus extra tracks and early live recordings as Slip In And Out Of Phenomenon in 2008.

David Palmer - Space, The Balcony & Moongoose - in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq-4oKztK70

https://moongoosecult.bandcamp.com

https://thebalcony.bandcamp.com

https://yorkie1.bandcamp.com

British musician who was a member of the Liverpool-based band Space from 1997 to 2005.

Yorkie is the son of Gladys Palmer, a Liverpool-based singer who owned several rehearsal rooms for bands in Liverpool. Yorkie begin his music career as a member of post-punk band The Dance Party alongside Michael Head, who would later go on to form The Pale Fountains and Shack. Yorkie would go on to form his own band The Balcony.

Karen Yarnell - The Gymslips -  in conversation with David Eastaugh 

East London’s The Gymslips, Paula Richards, Suzanne Scott and Karen Yarnell, barged their way onto the post punk scene in 1981. They openly embraced drinking, Pie & Mash, monkey boots and double denim right from the start. Often credited with being  the first female Oi! band, but they brought so much more to the table with their punky 60s influenced girl pop,

Formed in 1980, The Gymslips started playing live the following year, and opened for Dolly Mixture on a 1981 UK tour. The band referred to themselves as “Renees” a late 60s term for mod girls, the same subculture that named boys “Ronees”. Drummer Karen Yarnell told the NME that a “Renee was a girl who got as much shagging done as a bloke while also matching him for pint drinking, fag smoking, nose-picking, farting and the wearing of skinhead style double denim”.

Steve Mack  - That Petrol Emotion - in conversation with David Eastaugh 

https://www.thatpetrolemotion.com

That Petrol Emotion were a London-based Northern Ireland-originating band with an American vocalist, Steve Mack. It featured the O'Neill brothers from celebrated Derry pop-punk band The Undertones plus ex-members of fellow Derry bands Bam Bam and The Calling and The Corner Boys. They recorded five albums between 1986 and 1994, exploring an eclectic fusion of alternative rock, post-punk, garage rock and dance music (including sampling) which in part anticipated and overlapped with the dance-pop era of the 1990s.

Leigh Gorman in conversation with David Eastaugh

Bow Wow Wow signed with EMI Records in July 1980. Their first single, "C·30 C·60 C·90 Go!", for which Gorman shared songwriting credit with McLaren, Ashman and Barbarossa, holds the distinction of being the world's first-ever cassette single. It reached No. 34 on the UK Singles Chart and stayed on the chart for seven weeks.

In November 1980, Bow Wow Wow released the cassette-only mini-album, Your Cassette Pet. Gorman again shared songwriting credit with McLaren, Ashman and Barbarossa on seven of its eight tracks.

Bow Wow Wow signed next with RCA Records and in October 1981 they released their first full-length album, See Jungle! See Jungle! Go Join Your Gang, Yeah. City All Over! Go Ape Crazy. It earned them their first UK top ten hit, "Go Wild in the Country". In May 1982, Bow Wow Wow released a four-track EP, The Last of the Mohicans, which contained a remake of the Strangeloves' 1965 hit, "I Want Candy". "I Want Candy" was Bow Wow Wow's biggest international hit, and has lived on as an eighties classic, thanks in part to an iconic music video in heavy rotation on MTV.

Ricky Dineen - Five Go Down to the Sea? - in conversation with David Eastaugh

Five Go Down to the Sea? were an Irish post-punk band from Cork, active from 1978 to 1989. Vocalist and lyricist Finbarr Donnelly, guitarist Ricky Dineen and brothers Philip (bass) and Keith "Smelly" O'Connell (drums) formed the band as Nun Attax when they were teenagers. They became known for Donnelly's absurdist, surreal lyrics and stage presence, Dineen's angular guitar and bass parts and their Captain Beefheart-style rhythm section. The group later included guitarists Mick Finnegan, Giordaí Ua Laoghaire, Mick Stack,and cellist Úna Ní Chanainn.

Dorothy Max Prior in conversation with David Eastaugh

Discussing her new book - 69 Exhibition Road

https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/product/dorothy-max-prior/69-exhibition-road

Dorothy Max Prior is a writer and artist living in Brighton. In other lives, Max was a punk muse, post-punk drummer, and exotic dancer. Somewhere along the way, she has taught ballroom dancing and toured the world as a street theater performer, choreographer, director, and cabaret dancer.

Gary Asquith - Renegade Soundwave & Rema Rema- in conversation with David Eastaugh

Debuting on Rhythm King label with the "Kray Twins" single, their early records mixed together the sound of the then embryonic dance scene, hip-hop, dub, sampling and electro-industrial noise. Later singles such as "Biting My Nails" (a cover version of a song by Genevieve Waite, from her 1974 album, Romance is on the Rise, produced by her husband, John Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas) and "Probably a Robbery" eventually reaching number 38 in the UK Singles Chart in 1990, mostly due to the AA side "Ozone Breakdown", a popular dance track, which featured a sample from the film, The Warriors.

A switch to Mute Records brought the release of the debut long-player Soundclash in 1989, swiftly followed by In Dub. The Japanese version of In Dub featured a second disc of the cuts, previously available only on their early 12" singles. At this point, Bonnie exited to pursue a solo career (citing musical differences), leaving Briottet and Asquith to continue as a duo. After two more albums, the group formally disbanded in 1995, leaving behind a legacy of four albums and 12 singles.

Simon Nelson - Milltown Brothers - in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://milltownbrothers.wordpress.com

Their first release, in 1989, was the "Coming From The Mill" EP which became single of the week in the NME magazine, and featured the songs "Roses", "We've Got Time" and "Something On My Mind". The same publication tipped Milltown Brothers for stardom in the 1990s, along with The Hoovers, Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, The Charlatans, The Mock Turtles and New Fast Automatic Daffodils.

The band's second indie single was "Which Way Should I Jump", with "Silvertown" as the B-side. After the band signed to A&M Records worldwide in 1990, "Which Way Should I Jump?" was re-recorded and entered the UK Singles Chart at number 38, and reached number 10 in the U.S. Billboard Modern Rock chart.

Dale Farrington - American TV Cops - in conversation with David Eastaugh

American TV Cops - were:

Anthony Cluer - Vocals, guitar

Dale Farrington - Guitar

Steve (Sam) Allsop - Bass

Andy Whitty - Drums, vocals

During the mid nineties they released three critically acclaimed 7" vinyl singles on their own Pest Records label. The first of these, 'Thirst', was granted Single of the Week status on BBC Radio One's Steve Lamacq Show, and all three enjoyed extensive airplay on national and local radio as well as exposure on at least one French station. Over the same period they gigged extensively around England, appearing at all the major music venues of the time and supporting the likes of Deus, Shed Seven, These Animal Men, Smash, Cable and Bush.

Sal Solo - Classix Nouveaux - in conversation with David Eastaugh

In 1981, the first Classix Nouveaux album Night People was released along with two moderately successful singles "Guilty" and "Tokyo". Both singles reached the UK Top 75, and "Guilty" reached the Top 20 in Sweden and #25 in Australia. The album itself peaked at #66 in the UK.

The second Classix Nouveaux album brought the band its biggest hits. La Verité was released in 1982 and the single release "Is It A Dream" brought the group its only British Top 20 hit, peaking at 11.Even though they were not part of the 'Blitz Kids' scene the band are generally seen as a New Romantic act alongside bands such as Ultravox and Japan,with "Is It A Dream" appearing on numerous 1980s synthpop compilations.