C86 Show - Indie Pop

Weekend, Working Week & Afro Celt Sound System with Simon Emmerson in conversation with David Eastaugh

Record producer, guitarist, DJ, musical director at Lush, and founder of the group Afro Celt Sound System.

He is also the main organiser of The Imagined Village, a collaborative work from many roots artists. Emmerson also plays on this album.

In 1995 Emmerson was nominated for a Grammy for his production work on Baaba Maal's album Firin' in Fouta.

Earlier in his career, under the pseudonym Simon Booth, he was a member of the bands Working Week and Weekend, played guitar on Everything but the Girl's debut album Eden and produced records for Baaba Maal and Manu Dibango.

Peter and the Test Tube Babies with Derek 'Strangefish' Greening in conversation with David Eastaugh

Peter and the Test Tube Babies were first featured in Sounds magazine in July 1980, and after a John PeelRadio One session, made their vinyl debut on the Brighton compilation album Vaultage 78.

In recent years the band has played at festivals including the 11th Antifest in 2005. They also had two songs on the Oi! compilation Oi! the Album in that same year. They favoured absurd lyrics and strange titles, such as "The Queen Gives Good Blow Jobs". In 1982, they covered the chart-topping Gary Glitter hit "I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am)" on their album Pissed and Proud.

The Legendary Pink Dots special with Edward Ka-Spel in conversation with David Eastaugh

The Legendary Pink Dots are an Anglo-Dutch experimental rock band formed in London in August 1980. In 1984 the band moved to Amsterdam, playing with rotating musicians and having, as core members, singer/songwriter/keyboardist Edward Ka-Spel and keyboardist Phil Knight. As of 2012, the group is composed of Edward Ka-Spel (vocals, keyboards, songwriter), Phil Knight(keyboards, electronics), Erik Drost (guitars) and Raymond Steeg (live sound engineer).

Although outside the mainstream (in terms of their music and career path), LPD have released more than 40 albums, have a devoted worldwide following, and tour frequently.

Pete Jones special - talking about life with Public Imagine Limited, Department S & Brian Brain with David Eastaugh

Pete Jones played bass in different bands since the punk rock era of the 1970s, but is known for being a member of Public Image Ltd., during 1982–1983. He played bass guitar on PiL's highest charting UK single "This Is Not a Love Song" as well as recording Commercial Zone whilst with the band in New York.

During punk days, in the late 1970s, he played in The Hots with Martin Atkins, formerly Blonde (not Blondie). After The Hots split up, he was asked to join Cowboys International, touring with them across Europe. After that he formed part of Brian Brain with Atkins, then joined Public Image Ltd. while he was in the band.

He left PiL in 1983, and has since produced his own material under his own name and released several CDs. Jones has also done various cross-collaborations with Mikee Plastik over the years. In 2008, he teamed up with Fred Suard to form The Creepy Dolls, and released an EP entitled Grande Finale, and released various tracks with Clem Chambers under the name Pete & Charlie. He has recently returned to the live stage with a guest appearance for Mod Revivalists, Back To Zero and has joined post punk band Department S as permanent bass player and producer. Jones currently lives in Harpenden where he writes and records.

Senser special with Heitham Al-Sayed in conversation with David Eastaugh

In 1993, Senser released two indie singles on Ultimate – "Eject" and "The Key".

In March 1994, Senser released their third single, "Switch", which entered the UK Singles Chart at number 39. Senser's first album, Stacked Up, was released in May 1994, and entered the UK Albums Chart at number 4.

At the beginning of 1995, Senser toured the UK supported by Skunk Anansie before setting off to tour the United States with Moby. It was during this tour that the band decided to split over musical differences. Al-Sayed and Morgan left to form a new band with Haggis called Lodestar. The remaining members of Senser found a new drummer, Paul Soden, and set about writing Senser's second album.

During the spring of 1997, they recorded the second album. And in the summer of 1997 De-Senser released "Om".

In the summer of 1998, Haigh was able to tour and the band released the second album, Asylum. Once again musical differences became apparent and in February 1999 the band decided to split.

In 2003, the original lineup reunited originally to perform at one show, but decided to re-form and record again. They released their third studio album SCHEMAtic in 2004. A concert performance was released in 2006 as Live At The Underworld.

In 2009, they released How To Do Battle.

In 2013, they released their fifth album To the Capsules via Pledgemusic and toured with Erika Footman on vocals in place of Kerstin Haigh.

In 2014, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut Stacked Up, the band re-released the album in expanded edition with a remastered version of the original tracks on the first CD, and bonus tracks from the era (remixes and previously unreleased songs) on the second disc.

Thousand Yard Stare special with Stephen Barnes in conversation with David Eastaugh

The band's debut effort, the Weatherwatching EP was released in November 1990 on Stifled Aardvark Records, the band's own record label. Both the Easter 89 and Tumbletown EPs were demo tapes made up by the band and sold at gigs prior to their first official release, the 12" vinyl only Weatherwatching. In a response to this record, NME nominated Thousand Yard Stare as "brightest hope for the future".

That summer the band performed at the Reading Festival, further raising their profile and leading to their stint as support for James in October and November of that year. In the Autumn, the band began the sessions for their first album, Hands On, the first fruit of which was another EP. Seasonstream EP was released on Stifled Aardvark Records in 1991, their last independent release on their own label. The Seasonstream EP began with a track titled "0-0 a.e.t", (which means "No Score After Extra Time"), a football metaphor laden song that featured Martin Bell of The Wonder Stuff on fiddle. 0-0a.e.t appeared as the first track on the Hands On LP. This single again topped the Indie music charts, and reached number 65 in the UK Singles Chart.

With the backing of the major label Polydor, Thousand Yard Stare went on to release a further three EPs, and two studio albums. (Hands On and Mappamundi) were both produced by Stephen Street, who had already produced records for The Smiths and Blur.

Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey in conversation with David Eastaugh

Amelia Fletcher has been the frontwoman of an evolving series of pop groups from the 1980s to the present. Her bands included Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, Marine Research, Tender Trap, and, since 2014, The Catenary Wires.

She also sang backing vocals for The Wedding Present early in their career and on the Hefner album We Love the City. She toured with, and was guest vocalist for The Pooh Sticks on their albums Orgasm, Million Seller and The Great White Wonder, and in 1988 released a single under her own name, "Can You Keep a Secret?" She has also appeared as a guest vocalist for The 6ths on the song "Looking For Love (In the Hall Of Mirrors)", on both Bugbear recordings, a single by The Hit Parade, "Why Do You Have to Go Out With Him When You Could Go Out With Me?" single by The Brilliant Corners, and the 2000 album Trend by Oxford band The Relationships. Since 2002 she has been keyboardist for Sportique. Amelia Fletcher was also an early promoter of Scottish act Biswho Heavenly performed alongside and whose lead singer, Manda Rin, repeatedly cited Amelia as one of her inspirations/influences.

Ride special with Mark Gardener in conversation with David Eastaugh

Gardener formed Ride with Andy Bell (guitar), whom he met at Cheney School in Oxford, and Laurence Colbert (drummer) and Steve Queralt (bass guitarist), whom he met doing Foundation Studies in Art and Design at Banbury in 1988. While still at Banbury the band produced a tape demo including the tracks "Chelsea Girl" and "Drive Blind". In February 1989 "Ride" were asked to stand in for a cancelled student union gig at Oxford Polytechnic that brought them to the attention of Alan McGee. After supporting The Soup Dragons in 1989, McGee signed them to Creation Records.

With Ride, Gardener released three EPs between January and September 1990, entitled Ride, Play and Fall. While the EPs had only limited chart success, enough critical praise was received to make Ride the "darlings" of the UK music press. The first two EPs were eventually released together as Smile in the USA in July 1990 (and later released in the UK in 1992), while the Fall EP was incorporated into the CD version of their debut album, Nowhere, released in October 1990. Nowhere was hailed as a critical success and the media dubbed Ride "The brightest hope" for 1991.^{[citation needed]} This was followed in March 1992 by the band's second album Going Blank Again.

Despite having a solid fanbase and some mainstream success, the lack of a breakthrough contributed to inter-band tension, especially between Gardener and Bell. Their third album, Carnival of Light, was released in 1994, after shoegazing had given way to Britpop. Carnival of Light was oriented towards this new sound, but sales were sluggish and the shift in musical tastes devastated much of their original audience and critics alike.

Inca Babies special with Harry Stafford in conversation with David Eastaugh

Still retaining their original Manchester post-punk roots, the Inca Babies have appeared since 2008 at festivals and concerts across Europe, performing at 'Drop Dead' festival in Vilnius, Lithuania and 'Deathcave 2014' festival in Saint-Petersburg and Moscow, as well as playing live in Warsaw, Milan, Rome, Athens, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, London and many other cities across Europe. They are booked to appear for the first time in India, at the Saarang 2015 festival in Chennai (Madras).

The band was formed in Hulme, Manchester by Bill Bonney (bass guitar), Harry Stafford(guitar) Julian Woropay (vocals) and Alan Brown (drums), taking influences from Link Wray, The Cramps, The Gun Club and The Birthday Party Debut single "The Interior" was released in November 1983 on their own Black Lagoon label. Over the next five years they released a further six singles and four albums with a few changes of line-up, 1988's Evil Hourfeaturing Clint Boon of Inspiral Carpets on keyboards. Alan Brown of bIG fLAME and The Great Leap Forward was also drummer for a time.^[2]

The band recorded four sessions for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 programme between 1984 and 1987.

Mega City Four special with Gerry Bryant in conversation with David Eastaugh 

The group were officially formed in 1987 and the band's career started with performing gigs around their local town of Farnborough before making their vinyl debut in September 1987 with "Miles Apart"/"Running in Darkness". The single led to a round of gigs with fellow punk-influenced bands like Senseless Things and Snuff.

"Miles Apart" and "Running" were reissued (separately) in 1988 on the independent label Decoy, along with the more melodic "Distant Relatives" and "Less Than Senseless". A healthy following latched on to them quickly, and by 1988 the group were performing to packed audiences on a regular basis. Continuing on their local success, the band would eventually release their 1989 debut album, Tranzophobia

The band continued to tour extensively in the UK, Europe and North America, working with bands including Les Thugs, Ned's Atomic Dustbin, Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine and Doughboys, amongst many others. The band's second studio album, Who Cares Wins, was released in 1990.^[2] Extensive touring across Europe began again, with the band performing in the Reading Festival that year. Who Cares Wins was followed by a compilation album of their early 7" singles, called Terribly Sorry Bob (1991).

The band subsequently moved to a major record label to record two further studio albums, Sebastopol Rd. (1992) (recorded by Jessica Corcoran at London's Greenhouse Recording Studios) and Magic Bullets (1993). This album produced the singles "Wallflower" and "Iron Sky", which both placed 69 and 48 in the UK Singles Chart respectively. After falling out with their record label, they moved to Fire Records to record their final studio album, Soulscraper (1996). In addition to their studio albums, the band also released a live album, a Peel Sessionsdisc, and a number of singles. The British music journalist, Martin Roach, wrote a biography of the band, Mega City Four: Tall Stories and Creepy Crawlies, published in 1993.

Stephen Street in conversation with David Eastaugh

English music producer best known for his work with The Smiths, The Cranberries and Blur. Street collaborated with Morrissey on his debut album Viva Hate following the split of The Smiths.

More recently he has worked with Kaiser Chiefs, Babyshambles and The Courteeners.

For a time, he was managed by Gail Colson's company Gailforce Management.

In February 2020, it was announced Street will receive the Outstanding Achievement Award at the upcoming Music Producer's Guild Awards.

Carolyn Fok in conversation with David Eastaugh

Cyrnai is Los Angeles-born painter, writer and electronic musician Carolyn Fok. She self-produced a number of cassettes and eventually released Charred Blossoms (1985). It took a decade to release the follow-up, the ambitious multimedia project Transfiguation (1996), and then The Listener (2000), which is less ambitious but perhaps more accomplished.

Spizzenergi special with Spizz in conversation with David Eastaugh

Their lineup in late 1979 consisted of Spizz on vocals and guitar, Mark Coalfield on keyboard and vocals, Dave Scott on guitar, Jim Solar (real name James Little) on bass guitar and Hero Shima (real name Suresh Singh) on drums. With a distinctively new wave sound, as Spizzenergi they became the first number one band on the newly formed UK Indie Singles Chart in January 1980. BBC Radio 1 disc jockey John Peel described "Where's Captain Kirk?" as... "the best Star Trek associated song". Spizz created the artwork for the single cover using felt pens. This was the peak of Spizz's commercial popularity.

This lineup continued as Athletico Spizz 80, gaining a considerable following. They became the only band to sell out the Marquee Club for five consecutive nights (with a sixth alcohol-free, matinee show). "Where's Captain Kirk?" was featured in the 1981 live music film Urgh! A Music War. This material was shown occasionally on late-night American cable TV, and may have helped prolong Spizz's fame. The band released an album entitled Do a Runner on A&M Records, to mixed reviews.

When Lu Edmonds joined the lineup in 1981, the band changed its name to The Spizzles. The group released a record called Spikey Dream Flowers, which cemented the group's sonic image as science-fiction weirdos. Two final 1982 singles, this time as Spizzenergi 2, "Megacity 3" and "Jungle Fever", were the swan song of Spizz in the 1980s. By 1982, the second wave of punk in the UK was over, and post-punk bands were taking over the indie music scene.

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 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 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 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 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 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.

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).