C86 Show - Indie Pop

Dorothy Max Prior - Rema Rema, Psychic TV &  The Ragroof - in conversation with David Eastaugh

Member of Rema Rema. Under her first name, she is best known for a pop single released on Industrial Records which claimed she was 19 when in fact she was already 27. The other musicians on this record were Genesis P-Orridge and Alex Fergusson who were shortly to form Psychic TV with Peter Christopherson. They apparently asked Dorothy to play in the group, but she declined and didn't join the group until many years later when she was credited under her middle name Max. Dorothy only stayed in Psychic TV for about a year. In between this, she was in punk-pop rockabilly band first called The Weekend Swingers and then The El Trains.

Kev Hopper - Stump, Ticklish and Prescott in conversation with David Eastaugh

His debut for Dimple Discs ‘Sans Noodles’ is a musical delight, at turns playful and surreal, but always surprising and intriguing. Weaving together digital sound collages with live instrumentation, Kev creates a musical universe where guitar twang co-exists with processed voice rhythms and song narratives can take on a life of their own. The album features a cover version of the The Shadows classic “Theme For Young Lovers” and ends with a disarmingly beautiful and off-kilter piano balled “Fruit Flies” featuring the only traditional vocal performance on the record by Sharron Fortnam. 

APB with Iain Slater in conversation with David Eastaugh

APB formed in the small rural town of Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and consisted of singer/bassist Iain Slater, guitarist Glenn Roberts, and drummer George Cheyne.

Though living in a remote area, they took inspiration from the "DIY" spirit of the punk scene, sounding like bands as Liquid Liquid, adopting a hard-working approach to writing, rehearsing and performing. Meanwhile, in Aberdeen, a small independent record company called Oily had started to release records and they were impressed enough by the band's live shows to release a single in 1981. The song was "Chain Reaction", which had long been a favourite at gigs. It was basically a two and a half minute punk/pop song with fuzzy distorted guitar and Scottish inflected vocals, but already the band was evolving with a sparser and more rhythmical sound. Bootsy Collins, George Clinton, Gang of Four, ESG, Buzzcocks, and The Clash were all filtered through three teenagers from Aberdeenshire to create a catchy, rhythmic sound.

The Vibrators with John ‘Eddie’ Edwards in conversation with David Eastaugh

The Vibrators were founded by Ian 'Knox' Carnochan, bassist Pat Collier, guitarist John Ellis, and drummer John 'Eddie' Edwards. They first came to public notice at the 100 Club when they backed Chris Spedding in 1976. On Spedding's recommendation, Mickie Most signed them to his label RAK Records. Most produced their first single, "We Vibrate". The band also backed Spedding on his single, "Pogo Dancing".

The Vibrators recorded sessions for John Peel at BBC Radio 1 in October 1976, June 1977, and February 1978. They were one of the pioneering punk bands that played at London's Roxy Club. They headlined in January 1977, supported by the Drones, and in February they played twice at the venue. In March 1977, the band supported Iggy Popon his British tour. Later that year, they backed ex-Mott the Hoople frontman Ian Hunter

Martin Bisi in conversation - B.C Studio - in conversation with David Eastaugh

In 1981, he started B.C. Studio (initially named OAO, Operation All Out, Studio) with Bill Laswell and Brian Eno in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn, where he recorded much of the No Wave, avant garde, and hip-hop of the early 1980s including Lydia Lunch, Live Skull, Fred Frith and Afrika Bambaataa. In 1982 he recorded the instruments for the first song Whitney Houston recorded as a lead singer, "Memories" off of Material's One Down LP.
Soon after recording Herbie Hancock's "Rockit", Bisi split from Bill Laswell but continued working from BC Studio till present time, with a specialty in loud, dense sound, such as Foetus and Serena Maneesh.

In 2021, he worked with the Hypnagogia album of Travis Duo.

The Standells with Tony Valentino in conversation with David Eastaugh

In 1964, Liberty Records released three singles and an album, The Standells in Person at P.J.s. The album was later re-issued as The Standells Live and Out of Sight. The band also appeared on The Munsters TV show, as themselves in the episode "Far Out Munsters," performing "Come On and Ringo" and a version of The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand".^[9] In late 1964, they signed with Vee Jay and released two singles in 1965. Later in the year they signed with MGM for one single.

The group appeared in several low-budget films of the 1960s, including Get Yourself a College Girl (1964) and cult classic Riot on Sunset Strip (1967). The Standells performed incidental music in the 1963 Connie Francis movie Follow the Boys, which coincidentally co-starred Larry Tamblyn's brother, Russ Tamblyn. The Standells played the part of the fictional rock group the "Love Bugs" on the television sitcom Bing Crosby Show in the January 18, 1965 episode "Bugged by the Love Bugs". In addition to appearing in the aforementioned The Munsters episode as themselves, they also appeared performing an instrumental in the background in the March 29, 1965 Ben Casey series episode, "Three 'Lil Lambs." The band also performed the title song for the 1965 children's movie, Zebra in the Kitchen.

Tony - Tibetan Ukranian Mountain Troupe and the Kidzfield - in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://www.kidzfield.com/classroom/

Delphi Newman - Baby June, Jim Jiminee, The Box Brothers and Vital Disorder - in conversation with David Eastaugh 

Jim Jiminee hailed from Fleet in Hampshire, comprising Kevin Jamieson (lead singer/guitar), Peter Dyes (lead guitar), Delphi Newman (keyboards), Nick Hannan (bass), and Lindsay Jamieson (drums). Another notable ex-member was Harriet Wheeler from The Sundays who had sung in an early incarnation of the band called Cruel Shoes. Jim Jiminee sounded like the best of Mod-style indie-pop combined with surprising elements of skiffle and subtle jazz, Kevin sang about relationships as tragicomedy, life on the dole; semi-routes to small town madness.

Their first EP Do It On Thursday, released in 1987, is an indie classic, when indie actually meant independent. It was, rightfully, a top 20 indie hit, featuring four life-affirming songs; the type that made you want to throw your best hat in the air, kiss your dearest friend, throw yourself into your neighbour’s goldfish pool, that sort of thing. They were all suffused with natural energy bursting life; they made signing on the dole sound like the finest thing you could do.

Ian Donaldson in conversation with David Eastaugh

Ian Donaldson is a Scottish singer, songwriter, composer, record producer and writer - with a new single, All I Have is Forever, coming out spring 2022.

Donaldson's music career spans more than 40 years. He came to prominence in the early 1980s as co-founder and lead singer of new wave band H₂O, which released two UK Top 40 hits in 1983 with the singles "I Dream to Sleep" and "Just Outside of Heaven". After the band's break-up, he pursued a solo career and played in a band called FourGoodMen.

Donaldson released his debut novel, A Rainbow in the Basement, in 2016.

Steve Conte - New York Dolls, Michael Monroe, Company of Wolves  - in conversation with David Eastaugh

Conte first became known to the music industry in the early 1990s as the songwriter and guitarist of the band Company of Wolves (Mercury Records). After the Wolves' breakup in 1992, he went on to form the band Crown Jewels with John Conte, and in 2003, the pair made an album under the name The Contes. In 2004, Steve Conte joined the New York Dollsas a guitarist and vocalist, where he would remain until 2010 when he joined Michael Monroe's new band.

American musician, songwriter, guitarist, music producer, and lead singer of the band Steve Conte NYC. He has worked with Japanese composer Yoko Kanno on a variety of anime soundtracks including Wolf's Rain, Cowboy Bebop, RahXephon and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG. He is the former lead guitarist of the New York Dolls.

Ellen Foley  in conversation with David Eastaugh

American singer and actress who has appeared on Broadway and television, she has released five solo albums but is best known for her collaborations with rock singer Meat Loaf.

Fighting Words is her new album release in 2021, has seen the singer receive some of the best notices of her career. Classic Rock Magazine called the album “Vintage jukebox Americana” while Songfacts wrote “Fighting Words finds Foley in stunning vocal form and, like the title suggests, not backing down.” 

Christian Hayes or Bic Hayes special - Dark Star, Levitation & Ring - in conversation with David Eastaugh

Bic Hayes, is an English rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. Best known as the frontman of Dark Star and guitarist with Levitation, he has also released solo material as Mikrokosmos, which was produced by Tim Smith.

Hayes first appeared on the south London psychedelic rock scene in the mid-1980s: by 1988 he was playing guitar with Ring, moving on to become bass player with The Dave Howard Singers in 1989. In the same year he joined Cardiacs as second guitarist, replacing departing saxophonist Sarah Smith. Hayes would appear as part of the band on their All That Glitters is a Mare's Nest live album and video: he would also make writing and recording contributions to their studio album Heaven Born and Ever Bright. During this period, he also worked on an intermittent thrash rock project called Panixphere.

Amebix & Zygote with Stig Miller in conversation with David Eastaugh

Amebix were an English crust punk band. Formed as the Band with No Name, the band's original run was from 1978 to 1987, during which time they released three EPs and two full-length albums. The group reunited in 2008, released another full-length album in 2011, and disbanded again in November 2012.

By being one of the first bands to blend anarcho-punk and heavy metal music, Amebix are often cited as one of the key bands that helped to create the crust punk style, and are considered as a proto-thrash/extreme/speed metal band.Such notable bands as Sepultura, Neurosis and Deviated Instinct have paid homage to the band.

Here & Now with Keith da Missile Bass  or Keith Bailey in conversation with David Eastaugh 

The first version of the group was co-founded in London by drummer/vocalist Keith Dobson later known as "Kif Kif Le Batteur", guitarist/keyboardist José Gross, bassist Franco and others in March 1974.

In 1977, Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth recruited the band to tour with them under the name Planet Gong, and this combination released a live album Live Floating Anarchy 1977 and a single "Opium for the People".

The Scientists with Kim Salmon in conversation with David Eastaugh

Australian rock musician and songwriter from Perth. He has worked in various groups including The Scientists, Beasts of Bourbon, Kim Salmon and the Surrealists, Kim Salmon and the Business, and Darling Downs. Australian rock musicologist, Ian McFarlane, described Salmon as one of the first Australians to "embrace wholeheartedly the emergent punk phenomenon of the mid-to-late 1970s" with The Scientists. He declared that Beasts of Bourbon were "masters of uncompromising gutbucket blues and hard-edged rock'n'roll". In 2004 Salmon was inducted into the West Australian Music Industry Association Hall of Fame and in 2007, into the Music Victoria Awards Hall of Fame.

Robin Guthrie  in conversation with David Eastaugh

40 years on from founding Cocteau Twins, Robin Guthrie has certainly been its most prolific member, offering a steady and stellar stream of material over the years. His film scores include Gregg Araki's ‘Mysterious Skin’ and ‘White Bird in a Blizzard’, co-written with longtime collaborator Harold Budd. His many other collaborators include John Foxx, Mark Gardener, Telefon Tel-Aviv, Eraldo Bernocchi and Jay Jay Johanson.

Following the October release of his 'Mockingbird Love' EP and the November release of his full-length album 'Pearldiving' (his first album in nine years) comes another unique release by legendary Scottish music sculptor Robin Guthrie - the 4-track 'Riviera' EP, a collection completed earlier this year.. 

The 'Riviera' EP is available on limited-edition CD and as a digital download via Soleil Après Minuit with distribution in North America via Darla and in Europe by Cargo.

The Belle Stars with Sarah-Jane Owen in conversation with David Eastaugh

After The Bodysnatchers broke up, guitarists Stella Barker and Sarah-Jane Owen, saxophonist Miranda Joyce, keyboardist Penny Leyton, and drummer Judy Parsons decided to form a new band, recruiting bass player Lesley Shone and lead vocalist Jennie Matthias (also known as Jennie Bellestar). Their first performance was on Christmas Day 1980, before they had chosen a name.

Within a short time, the group became well-known around London, notably appearing on the front cover of Sounds magazine early in 1981. Shortly thereafter, they were signed by Stiff Records, then highly successful through its star act, Madness.

The band's debut single, "Hiawatha", was released in the late spring of 1981; it was produced by Madness producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley. The band promoted the single by playing support slots at gigs by ska acts The Beat and Madness. 

When the third single, the radio-friendly "Another Latin Love Song" again failed to break into the charts, the band tried cover versions instead, with some success. "Iko Iko", a cover of The Dixie Cups' 1965 hit 

In January 1983, the Belle Stars released what would be their signature single, "Sign of the Times", peaking at number three, and a chart success throughout Europe

Slinky Vagabond with Keanan Duffty in conversation with David Eastaugh

Slinky Vagabond is a concept band that originally formed in 2007 and became an integral part of the New York club scene and performed at celebrations for Joey Ramone’s Birthday Bash alongside the New York Dolls, Fashion Week’s Gen Art and Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp and Marc Bolan’s 30th Anniversary Show alongside Patti Smith, Tom Morello, Joan Jett and Ronnie Spector. They release their album ‘King Boy Vandals’ on December 6 that can be pre ordered at: slinkyvagabond@slinkyvagabond.net 

Chris Tofu MBE - Tofu Love Frogs & Vibe Engineer - in conversation with David Eastaugh 

stablished in 1995 DJ Chris Tofu has become a pioneer of Vintage Remix and the UK Festival scene, sharing his obsession with all things remixed and raucous with jumping crowds across the globe! From Glastonbury to Istanbul this musical maverick is constantly exploring, discovering and creating new sounds and new experiences, mixing up the formula for good vibe pie!

He’s a true believer that DJ’ing is as much about “vibe” and communicating with an audience as endless technical skill. I just love music that remixes the ancient and the new. Sometimes that makes me really obscure, sometimes pioneering but whatever happens, the audience generally gets it.”

Tofu has two lives; as a world renowned DJ and as the programmer and director of thousands of events and artists in some of the most legendary clubs and festival stages and even whole festivals, providing him with the canvas to try all these crazy new remixed discoveries. Enticing the crowds to jump over barriers (both physical and metaphorical) and get down to new and unusual sounds is the main Tofu goal.

Gaye Bykers On Acid & Crazyhead - Rich Deakin talking about his new book Grebo! with David Eastaugh 

‘Grebo’ was a media constructed music genre that even today sends a shudder down the spines of discerning music fans and critics. A homegrown proto-grunge — counterpart to the likes of Butthole Surfers, Mudhoney, early Nirvana, Alice In Chains, and Soundgarden in the US  — grebo was a British phenomenon that drew on an eclectic range of influences, from punk, 60s garage and psychedelia, through to 70s heavy rock and thrash metal. It foreshadowed rave culture and was steeped in class politics.

GAYE BYKERS ON ACID and CRAZYHEAD hailed from Leicester. They were not the first bands to be labelled grebo but they were the most unashamedly unkempt and came to be considered its greatest exponents. They were “a burst of dirty thunder” and almost no one liked them.

Based on interviews with band members, friends, fans, and roadies, this book is an uncompromising history of an overlooked music scene. Rich Deakin charts its course via the changing fortunes of the Bykers and Crazyhead, taking us on the booze-filled tour buses, behind the dodgy deals and onto the international stage and back again (with a pitstop for a rock movie that swallows lots of money). Their careers were short, but the two bands managed to shake up the UK indie scene and along the way became Britain’s unlikely ambassadors of rock following the collapse of Soviet Russia.