The link in question:

http://www.bristolarchiverecords.com/people/people_Tim_Williams.html

I recently came across your site while surfing the net for 70s nostalgia,in doing so i read the article by Tim Williams on punk/funk people clothes  and places in Newport (Gwent)and Bristol.
Tim really got it nailed on the head,i remember the Bristol boy and girls coming to both Rudi’s,and the monday night Stowaway (Alan jones run,dave bumford and Brian Lewis dj-ing)this was the Paradise soul night with a reverential amount of jazz funk disco & reggae,normally with a band to follow,most of the UKs top reggae and jazz funk/funk outfits cut their teeth there,from Steel Pulse to Hi Tension,and the Pretenders if my memory serves me correctly.
What i have been meaning to get around to is, we ventured over to the Princes court in Park St (i believe),as we had it on good authority from a group of Bristol girls we had got close to in Newport, that we could expect to hear the same tuneage there as we were used to in Newport,and like Rudi’s it was upstairs. One of the girls vivian……? from St Paul’s ,who wore that night  a Johnson male shiny grey peg retro 50s suit complete with shirt and tie, (a bead of sweat or liquid was enough to leave a mark, i know because i had one) had the most amazing long cleopatra ish cut with her fringe down to just over her eye lids,so when she spoke she would always have to raise her head to see or when talking.(dead cool or at lest what passed for cool  in 78).
Her friend who i believe was an on off friend to Alan Jones,and did some local modeling  adorned the wall in a life size  black and white photo at the Princes Court.
If this rings a bell with anyone an update as to how they are doing now would be appreciated or if they have gone on to better things.
in closing iand when i have more time i will respond to Tims excellent piece,and give an update on how and what some of those names he mentioned are up to now, and some others he didn’t but should still know,together with some Bristol night out stories.
regards
ian.

VARIOUS ARTISTS

‘AVON CALLING 2’

Released worldwide on 23rd August 2010

20 SUPERB TRACKS ALL PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

In 1979, Bristols’ music scene was riding the crest of the new wave, spawning numerous bands and performers whose influences and indeed physical beings have gone on to feature in some of todays’ big music makers.

During this period local musician Simon Edwards decided to form Bristols’ first independent label, Heartbeat Records, to capture all the excitement and get Bristols’ music out beyond the M32.

With so many bands to choose from the label set about releasing a series of 7” singles, and such was the demand realised by these that a compilation LP featuring fifteen of these bands was released. The album, topically titled AVON CALLING went on to achieve near legendary status – even hailed by John Peel as “truly superb, the compilation that all others should be judged by”.

Such was the interest in the album that the bands involved continued to supply the label with demo tapes, and the lucky ones went on to release more singles, even 12” EP’s and ultimately LP’s. The sheer volume of demos and the eventual logistical constraints of “just how many records can one man put out in a year” meant that only a few would actually see further releases – though the content was in most cases nothing short of superb.

Label boss Edwards openly admits to continually returning to many of the songs purely
just to listen and enjoy some “bloody good music”. Long has it been his ambition to put together an album of these songs – for no other reason but to get them out there where they belong, so they can at last be heard by others and the bands once more be applauded for making such exciting and essential sounds.

Well, the dream has finally been realised and Bristol Archive Records have given him the platform to finally release AVON CALLING 2, a collection of previously unreleased recordings from the vaults of Bristols’ Heartbeat Becords. Featured bands include EUROPEANS, APARTMENT, SNEAK PREVIEW, JOE PUBLIC, 48 HOURS, ESSENTIAL BOP, THE DIRECTORS, THE X-CERTS and SOCIAL SECURITY.

This new album full of forgotten treasures will sit perfectly along side the original AVON CALLING release and go some way to completing the story of just what was happening in Bristol back in 1979/1980 and how the music sounds as relevant today as it did back then.

TITLE: AVON CALLING 2
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: Bristol Archive Records / Shellshock
CAT NO: ARC160 CD
FORMAT: CD plus digital download
WEBSITE: www.bristolarchiverecords.com

VARIOUS ARTISTS
BRISTOL – THE PUNK EXPLOSION
Bristol Archive Records

This is a highly commendable compilation, as you should expect from this label, with some interesting bands, which is harder to achieve with Punk material than you may realise. Punk compilations tend to be fairly orthodox nowadays, and after a while almost pointless, the same material endlessly regurgitated, but having a regional niche to explore gives this a character of its own, with the timeline aspect fairly unnecessary. It’s a snapshot stretched out over whatever frame you might wish for. Like the wonderful hyped2death releases Bristol Archive continues to intrigue and captivate with their diligent work, so you should enjoy this if you’re an adept at discerning Punk varieties, but also for the newcomer it’s a pretty diverting mixture. Some you will love swiftly, some will make you feel sick. This is all to be expected, and while you could argue some bands deserve more or less space than others, that’s a personal argument. The weirdest part, as with pretty much any Punk compilation, is just how cute it all sounds. There’s also one of the greatest punk songs ever quivering on the autopsy table, which you may be unaware of.

With cuteness under scrutiny The Cortinas are coyly puffing their puny chests out throughout the jingly-jangling ‘Defiant Pose’, which originally felt like a breath of fresh air but now appears to be gerbils covering Dr Feelgood. The voice of rebellion ladies and gentlemen! The Pigs spin into view with ‘National Front’, complete with some shockingly inane lyrics, but then I thought this was dopey old tripe when I first heard it. In fact this was about the only one of the first indie punk singles I didn’t buy, at a time when you bought pretty much everything which came within reach. Even that Clark Kent thing, or Pork Dukes. Luckily Social Security’s ‘I Don’t Want My Heart To Rule My Head’ is made of sterner stuff, albeit determinedly one-dimensional, as agile and chunky guitar disports itself alongside some spirited, ambitious vocals. The Pigs partially redeem themselves with the ironically callous ‘Youthanasia’, complete with a guitar break that wouldn’t exhaust a flea. Social Security could be attempting a cheeky Buzzcocks impersonation in ‘Choc Ice’ but come over as a lopsided version of The Boys, which is okay as their guitar is bright and vivid.

The Posers pound away at the yappingly gumboid ‘Good Advice’ which is a cross between UK Subs and some early hardcore, with neatly slithering bass. It would appear The Media recorded ‘New Blood’ inside a thimble decorated with Gen X posters where they sound tiny, stylishly constricted and a bit demented. It’s bizarre hearing something so oddly recorded it seems to be trapped inside the speakers, and yet it’s fun! The Primates have a live version of ‘Generation Warfare’ and this is a rough and tumble engagingly delivered with punky verve which isn’t squalid or aping others. The X-Certs also blare their way through the jiggling ‘Fight Back’ with some vivacity, at which point we reach The Great Moment.

One of the finest independent punk releases appeared on the ‘4 Alternatives EP’, a song by 48 Hours entitled ‘Back To Ireland.’ I lost my copy a while back but here we have a demo version of it, called ‘A Soldier’ and Ange, whoever he was, is a brilliant lyricist, detailed but direct, with the band, fittingly enough, close in style to Stiff Little Fingers without any hectoring aspect. Passionate but straightforward, this is almost modest in its excitement. I can’t work out all of the words but I felt it necessary to type out what I can, as this is so good compared to most of the dross punk bands used to come up with, especially the ‘have-you-got-10p?’ merchants who were everywhere back then.

“In 1969 I was just twelve years of age,
I didn’t know I was sent to act out on Britain’s great stage,
I had six years to go,
To play with my toy tommy gun,
It took one shot in the leg,
To prove that this isn’t much fun.

“Cos they said I’m going to Ireland,
I got to fight for my life
I’ve got to fight for Britain,
Using rifles and knives.”

(May have that last line slightly wrong.)

“1975, eighteen years have passed,
Eighteen years I’ve been here,
I hope this won’t be my last.
Standing in long lines with rifles in our hands
I crush them up with my big boots…

(Can’t make these words out properly.)

“Cos they said I’m staying in Ireland, for the next 18 months
A British army corporal
Once signed on at once
Cos they said I’m going to Ireland (etc).”

Guitar spiral off wonderfully in discontent at this point, over thumping drums, as we hit the best bit.

“How I wish I was back in the office,
Leaving off work at four-thirty
And here I am, in the Lansdowne Road.
I’m cold, I’m wet, I’m dirty.
The army just ain’t for me,
Guns and barbed wire is all I see
I’ve just got to leave this post,
I’ll ditch all my stuff
…and I’ll run for the coast.

“And I never wanted to come here anyway!”

That final touch of petulant post-Pistolian wit nails the perfect song, seemingly throwaway but an actual spark of emphatic genius. Bliss.

The Verdict keep the Irish theme going through a bustling ‘IRA Man’ that reminds me strangely of The Pirates as though they have an r’n’b past, and the carefully emphasised vowels are simply too Rottenesque to be taken seriously, while the guitarist just wants to go on soloing forever! The X-Certs do their convincing reggae in ‘Stop The Fussing And The Fighting’ which has spry touches, and comes over as soothing. Then it’s none other than Vice Squad who charge off in ‘Resurrection’ and here’s a band we could have done with more of. They always had a crazed energy about them and like many of the more exciting bands of that time their energy seemed to have been poured into a fragile shape you expected to shatter, but somehow they’d always seem to surf their own slipstream, round and round, up and down.

That’s the good stuff and then we’re into the bowels of Hell, I’m afraid. Disorder’s ‘Complete Disorder’ is some form of rakish shorthand I’m sure, like low level sonic suicide. Mad and bad they keep the right side of thrash or the plain scrappy, and trail off coldly. Chaos UK offer a fairly identikit sub-anarcho rant in ‘Four Minute Warning’ and represent the kind of earnest but dog-eared, dog-tired Punk I never found remotely exciting or endearing. I suppose they sound pretty decent when set against Court Martial and their slack ‘Gotta Get Out’ but it’s a close run thing as both bore you senseless. The Undead want to complain about the world in ‘It’s Corruption’, as the police and the army are very naughty and apparently corruption destroys freedom of speech and drives people to do crazy things. Their drummer is truly awful. Lunatic Fringe ask ‘Who’s In Control?’ and I think they’re genuinely confused. Chaotic Dischord scamper through the utterly abysmal ‘Who Killed E.T? (I Killed The Fucker!)’ and you have to ask why this garbage was even allowed on the record. Onslaught think they’re Motorhead and gargle through the terminal ‘Thermo Nuclear Devastation Of The Planet Earth’ as I gaze around the office trying to summon up the enthusiasm to leave this chair. At least it’s a short song, but that final phase of the record is a weird thing. Punk started off exciting, developed character and then become a generic heap of shite. The record reflects that, I guess.

While you should find the majority of the album enjoyable, and can simply ignore the final tracks, this is a compilation worth buying for the mighty 48 Hours alone. That’s a total classic and it’s fantastic to be reunited with it again.

http://bristolarchiverecords.com/index.html

Taken from www.mickmercer.com  

SeanOrgan

http://forum.resonancefm.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3800&start=75

Please check out this website for images of the Fans tour of Japan April 2010.

http://donkeysong.exblog.jp/

Bristol – The Punk Explosion
Preorder the cd from TODAY at the following distribution outlets:

PLAY.COM
http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/14809877/Bristol-The-Punk-Explosion/Product.html
AMAZON.CO.UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=bristol+the+punk+explosion

VARIOUS ARTISTS
‘BRISTOL THE PUNK EXPLOSION’
Released worldwide on 14th June 2010

20 STUNNING TRACKS 7 OF WHICH NEVER PREVIOUSLY RELEASED

The Cortinas were the first. They played the Roxy Club, released two singles on Mark Perry and Miles Copeland’s Step Forward label, graced the front cover of Sniffin’ Glue and recorded a Peel Session. Guitarist Nick Sheppard remembers the night it all slotted into place: “I think a real turning point for us was seeing the Ramones at the Roundhouse on July 4 1976 – we definitely started to write our own songs after that gig. We had been playing and doing gigs for about a year by then – all covers apart from one song, Tokyo Joe as I remember. After that gig we started writing stuff like Television Families. I think we saw people like us in the audience at that gig, and it must have given us confidence.”
Taking their cue, bands like Social Security (the first band on Heartbeat Records), The Pigs (whose Youthanasia single was released by Miles Copeland’s New Bristol Records), The Primates, The Media, The Posers and The Verdict gave Bristol one of the strongest provincial early punk scenes, mainly centred around the Clifton area of Bristol and Barton Hill Youth Club.

Barton Hill also gave us The X-Certs, who by 1978 could already pull audiences of 500 into Trinity Church, without the aid of a safety net or record contract. Though we didn’t realise it at the time, they effectively bridged the gap between the late 70s Bristol scene and what our American cousins like to term the UK82 bands.

Vice Squad and Heartbeat Records boss Simon Edwards formed Riot City Records toward the end of 1980, releasing the band’s first single Last Rockers in January 1981. It sold well and after a second Vice Squad single the label recruited other Bristol bands like Portishead lunatics Chaos UK, Court Martial and The Undead, while Disorder recorded for their own label, all achieving impressive sales. The less said about Chaotic Dischord, the better.

Lunatic Fringe, with the mighty Bear Hackenbush on vocals, recorded their first single on the short-lived Resurrection Records label.

The Bristol Punk Explosion brings you all these bands, and closes with a track from Death Metal Monsters Onslaught. Before all this “Spitting blood in the face of Gaaaahd!” malarky, Onslaught were a Discharge-style hardcore punk band, and here we include the snapilly-titled Thermo Nuclear Devastation Of The Planet Earth from their first demo.

In short, this is the history of Bristol punk, from its very beginnings, through the early 80s, and up to the point when hardcore began to morph into thrash, metal, and, um, thrash metal.

(Sleeve notes by Shane Baldwin – Vice Squads Drummer and Record Collector / Big Cheese Journalist)

TITLE: Bristol The Punk Explosion
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: Bristol Archive Records / Shellshock
CAT NO: ARC154 CD
FORMAT: CD plus digital download
WEBSITE: www.bristolarchiverecords.com
PRESS CONTACT: Garry Hutchinson / SaN PR. [email protected].uk – T / 01429280582

Hi All;
 
   Here’s a reminder that the new season of Reg’s Rebel Rock is about to pollute the airwaves yet again! Classic punk, reggae and tunes from people with something to say. You can expect a bit of Woody Guthrie, Elvis, Bob Marley,The Clash, Steel Pulse and the legend that is William Shatner..
 
   You can listen live by going on to www.glossfm.org  and clicking on the ‘listen live’ button. I’m on 10-Midnight starting Sat.24th April. For those of you outside the UK don’t forget to adjust your timing!! So I’ll be soothing the raging acne of Punk with the soothing lotion of classic Reggae!! Enjoy!!!
 
                  Cheers   REG

Reg was the manager back in 1980 of Recorded Delivery – Charlie Jones first band

TEMPLE
SEDUCTION
Bristol Archive Records

This is great, a Goth band finally cropping up in the Bristol Archive menagerie and not a band I had heard before. Luckily Ian Pirrie provides some detailed memories on their page of the discog section. The songs come from the ‘86/’87 period and here we find Matthew Butler – vocals, Ian Pirrie – bass, John Murray – drums and Adrian Bennett – keyboards and then guitar (who went onto Claytown).

They’ve got a brash confidence about their sound, with the boney bass protruding and the vocals in the tiny ‘Intro’ just an instrument by itself, and so it’s in ‘Book of Dreams’ we can really settle down. Solid but lightly handled drums mingle with a busy, pretty guitar, the song clean and bright as the muted vocals skirt the instruments wisely. ‘Twilight’ is another delicately balanced song with some interestingly sprung vocals, but what we’re talking about here is demo quality, it’s just they have a very full sense of what the songs should sound like, and have a good stab at creating that, leaving you with a weird Goth sound from that era, including some truly mangled, wiry guitar. Rockier than most late 80’s small Goth bands, but adhering to a sensitive core spirit.

‘Cabaret of Death’ was apparently a crowd favourite, although it’s hard to get to grips with. A linear, loping thing, with charismatic cross-woven vocals, it’s almost coy about its charms, although still stylishly sleek. ‘In Our Darkness’ has a bobblier drum beat, some scurvy guitar laid low by dominant vocal mess and some lovely bass capering but bearing the title in mind you wouldn’t automatically think Goth when first hearing it. The brusque count-in on the very demoish ‘Jewell’ is funny, as they chomp like an easily dented bit of acoustic glam, which probably hoped to seem a bit rock and rolly. It shuffles off rather cheerfully.

A needle-thin guitar opens the bumptious, slippery ‘Seduction’ and we’re finally into some reptilian Goth; dark vocals draped over some taut, angular shapes, with intermittently frisky passages, agile and thorny. ‘Renewal’ has a nicely peaky flow, guitar on a long, glowing fuse and the vocals ensuring the repetition makes the melody emphatic. ‘Lilith’ manages to concentrate on atmosphere instead, with nagging, torn guitar slivers and sinuous bass intrigue behind vocal drama. ‘Spine’ is a bit of a jangling, schizoid weirdness, heartfelt and pushy, but also crouched in basic form. ‘Temple’ is a curiously active little piece which is gone before you know it and maybe a clue of an artier direction they might have taken, with ‘Book of Dreams’ and ‘Renewal’ popping back up for further breath, astutely stark and noble.

Fascinating little record and a real find.

http://www.bristolarchiverecords.com/bands/Temple.html

Review taken from the rather brilliant www.mickmercer.com 

You once described Bristol Archive Records as “a mission”, what does the mission hope to achieve?

To find as many great pieces of Bristol music that we can and make them available for the world to enjoy. Every city in the UK has no doubt had a stream of acts that have broken through but equally there have always been amazing bands that have slipped under the radar. The label gives these acts the chance to be heard again and if appropriate recognised. If one person downloads their music then it was worth while going to all the trouble of transferring the material, seeking permission to release it, remastering the tracks and if possible getting a story plus pictures from the artist. Some of this music in 34 years old so imagine the thrill of having a chance to rerelease it or in many cases release it for the first time. The mission is to provide an accurate account of all things Bristol through the ages and remember the people involved.

British punk was undeniably a movement driven by social changes, like high unemployment and racial tensions; do you think there was anything going on specifically in Bristol that attracted young people to Punk as a mode of expression?

The Dole

Maggie Thatcher

Bower Ashton Art College

Paradise Garage

The Dug Out

Mark Simpson

The Cortinas

The Sex Pistols

The Blues Clubs

Reggae

Bristol Grammar School

Cotham Grammar

Barton Hill Youth Club

Why is now the time you decided to release the compilation? Does the current social situation (not dissimilar to what was going on at the birth of British Punk) have anything to do with it?

If I’m honest no but listening to the lyrics on some tracks it does make perfect sense. I’m working on a reggae compilation and the lyrics on this material fit right into the slot:

Juvenile Delinquent

Dole Age

Bristol Rock

Amazingly topical with the current state of the economy.

The Pigs tracks on the Punk compilation fit brilliantly with whats going on in the UK at present

Why do you think that bands from Bristol, and certain other cities, don’t get the same (long or short term) recognition as bands from London?

In Bristols case it was quite simple:

To middle class

Lazy

Weed / Drugs

No Management

Few record labels

No music infrastructure

The bands didn’t want or know how to work hard and therefore in most cases they split up too quickly therefore not giving themselves chance to develop or make an impression. Loads of musicians in the later 70’s all left Bristol and moved to London to try and make it! What ever make it means?

Do you think this lack of outside recognition might have helped the Bristol Punk scene to develop; did the bands ignore the lack of wider critical reception and play to the home crowds knowing that’s where they were accepted and loved?

Bristol bands have NEVER been loved by their own people; it’s a common problem that runs not only through music but sport. Bristolians want everything for nothing and don’t support things. I would say most bands operate inspite of Bristol not because of Bristol. It’s a weird thing to get your head around when I am obviously so proud of the city and the people who made great music within it.

Do you think there is much punk spirit still alive and well in Bristol, if so which bands/venues/ labels are keeping it ticking over?

I’m not so sure about Punk spirit! But there are loads of Punk / Rock bands playing the underground scene at The Croft, The Junction, and The Louis.

Check out Cars on Fire, Left Side Brain and Full Scream Ahead plus my other label www.sugarshackrecords.co.uk

On The New Release:

Were any members of the original bands included on the compilation involved in its creation, and if so in what capacity?

Shane Baldwin Vice Squads drummer has written all the sleeve notes, all 4000 words and brilliant they are to. He’s interviewed most of the bands as well for his fanzine. Obviously we couldn’t have put this together without the permission of the original artists so in many respects everyone has been involved.   

What sort of audiences do you hope the album will appeal to?

I don’t have a plan or a vision for the album. It’s just a great collection of tunes which spans the entire scene from 1977 to 1983. It’s a great piece of work with many previously unreleased tracks so it will be special and collectable especially for the sleeve and the sleeve notes

How hard was it to select just twenty tracks to feature on the compilation?

Relatively easy because it wasn’t as if there were a 100 different bands around in 1977 – 1980. Shane Baldwin and I compiled the track listing together and we hope people like it

How did you make the selection?

As above

Was it especially important to include bands who had obtained different levels of success on the album?

No it was about starting with The Cortinas and ending with Onslaught and filling in the gaps. Secondly it was about the quality of the song.

Were there any bands you just didn’t have room to include, but would liked to have seen on the CD?

 I’m delighted to say NO but we’ve missed out loads of brilliant New Wave or alternative bands from the same period, maybe they’ll appear on some different compilations.

What’s next for Bristol Archive Records? Are there any plans for more compilations like this one?

New cd releases scheduled or in production:

Bristol the Punk Explosion

Avon Calling 2

The Best of Heartbeat Records

The Best of the Bristol Recorder and Wavelength Records

The Best of the Private Dicks

Limited edition vinyl album from:

THE CORTINAS ‘MK 1’ – without them the label would not have got the kick start it needed and therefore I am indebted to the band and Nick Sheppard in particular

Hundreds of new download only releases

Mike Darby

April 2010

www.bristolarchiverecords.com

www.sugarshackrecords.co.uk

Link to the article:  http://www.redhotvelvet.co.uk/interviews/interview-bristol-archive-records-mike-darby/