C86 Show - Indie Pop

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 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 special with Paul Baker in conversation with David Eastaugh

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 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 - 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 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 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 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 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 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 and Biff Bang Pow special with Ken Popple and Simon Down in conversation with David Eastaugh 

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.

J'Anna Jacoby one time member of The Black Watch and now the violinist with Rod Stewart discusses her life in music with David Eastaugh 

Dave Haslam discussing his new book, Searching For Love - Courtney Love in Liverpool 1982, with David Eastaugh 

Tim Rogers talking about life in music with David Eastaugh

Australian musician, actor and writer, best known as the frontman of Australian rock band You Am I. He has also recorded solo albums with backing bands. As of July 2013, Rogers has released 12 albums with You Am I and five solo albums.

Mumps with Kristian Hoffman in conversation with David Eastaugh

Mumps (sometimes credited as The Mumps) were an American punk band fronted by Lance Loud.

Other members of the band included Kristian Hoffman, Rob Duprey, Jay Dee Daugherty and Aaron Kiley. Kiley and Daugherty were replaced with Kevin Kiely and John Earl (JED) Dennis. Shortly thereafter Dennis was replaced by Paul Rutner.

Their first 45 RPM single was "I Like To Be Clean". Their second was "Rock & Roll This & That" with a double side B of "Muscleboys" and "That Fatal Charm". The recorded version of the song "Rock & Roll This & That" interpolated a short guitar riff from the Rolling Stones' "I Can't Get No Satisfaction", but in live performances, they would interpolate other riffs such as David Bowie's "Rebel Rebel".

Mumps concerts were lively and featured energetic, expressive performances from Lance Loud and other band members on songs like "We're Americans", "I Believe In Anyone But You", "Strange Seed", "Brain Massage", "Scream and Scream Again".

Mumps were a popular band at clubs such as Max's Kansas City and CBGB. They also performed at Irving Plaza and Maxwell's (Hoboken, New Jersey), and opened for the Ramones at Hurrah in August 1978.

In spite of two independently produced 45 records they released, they failed to secure a contract with a major record label. Two compilations of their music have been released, "Fatal Charm" (Eggbert Records, 1994) and a remastered, 2-disc CD and DVD compilation, "How I Saved The World", in 2005.

Hazel O'Connor in conversation with David Eastaugh

Her film debut was in Girls Come First in 1975. She became prominent as an actress and singer five years later in 1980 when playing the role of Kate in the film Breaking Glass, and performing its accompanying soundtrack.

Her performance as Kate won her the Variety Club of Great Britain Award for 'Best Film Actor'. She was also nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music. The film's soundtrack album featured songs written and performed by O'Connor and reached number 5 in the UK Albums Chart. It had a 38-week chart run and was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry. Several tracks from the album were released as singles, the most successful being "Eighth Day" and "Will You" (with a notable saxophone solo by Wesley Magoogan) which both reached the UK Top 10. When O'Connor toured the UK to promote the album, the opening act were a then-unknown group called Duran Duran. It was the band's first opportunity to play to large audiences throughout the UK and gave them the exposure they needed to secure a recording contract.

Hank Wangford in conversation with David Eastaugh

His first writing credit (as Sam Hutt) was on a Sarah Miles 1965 single "Where Am I". His first recording was credited as Boeing Duveen & The Beautiful Soup with "Jabberwock"/"Which Dreamed It" issued on UK Parlophone R 5696 in May 1968. He is co-credited as the writer as "Sam Hutt" on both sides together with Lewis Carroll, the songs are adapted. Hutt's family background is radical: his father Allen (a journalist and expert on the history of printing) was a lifelong Communist. During the NUM miners strike in 1984/85, the Hank Wangford Band toured extensively with Billy Bragg and the Frank Chickens as "Hank, Frank and Billy" performing at trade-union benefit and anti-racist gigs. It was during such a benefit for the Greater London Council (GLC) in 1984 that Hank and the band were attacked on stage by a group of right-wing skinheads, an event that has been immortalised in the song "On The Line".

Karl Minns in conversation - talking about comedy, writing, performing & much much more with David Eastaugh

The Nimmo Twins are a sketch comedy duo from Norfolk, UK comprising Owen Evans and Karl Minns. Formed in 1996 in Norwich, they first came to national attention after their show Posh Spice Nude was a sell-out success at the 1997 Edinburgh Festival. Appearances on BBC One's Stand Up Show followed and they became regulars on Radio 4's Loose Ends programme with Ned Sherrin. They returned to Edinburgh in 1998 and 1999, selling out in critically acclaimed shows both years. They toured Britain, played Paris, New York and two sell-out years at the Singapore Comedy Festival.