JANUARY NEWS UPDATE FOR BRISTOL ARCHIVE RECORDS
Happy New Year to you and your family. We have just published the first website update of 2010 with the promise of continued new releases throughout the year and beyond. The support we continue to receive from the artists is incredible and the Archive label continues to grow as we share the historical, sometimes long forgotten, sometimes brilliant music from the vaults of Bristol’s musical past with the world.
New Releases – worldwide on all digital platforms – OUT NOW!
ARC 123 GARDEZ DARKX
Live Ashton Court
1. The Random Alligator
2. Freeze (UL Zone)
3. S.M. Tiger
Recorded live at Ashton Court 1978 by Simon Edwards
Recordings supplied by Simon Edwards
Mastered by Steve Street 2009
ARC 122 OUR VIOLET HOUR
Demos
1. The Cradle Grave
2. Ghost Skip
3. The Broken Wing
4. In Armour
I almost recorded over the tape of this band by mistake. I wanted to make a recording of the HEY BELABA gig at Moles, but fortunately I used the ‘blank’ side.
It was only when I was having a ‘spring clean’ of old stuff that I came across a copy I’d made of OVH, and then found the original. Listening to the copy after all these years, the music still blew me away.
I’d met up with the singer, Ross, at his flat off Blackboy Hill. He’d called me out of the blue, and as I lived reasonably nearby I went to his place. He played me all 4 songs and I was gobsmacked. This was SO unlike the usual ‘’Bristol band’’ – very ‘’Goth’’ and dark, and sounding very Factory Records circa 1980.
He was planning for the band to do gigs, though I can’t recall if they ever did. So it’s the music that lives and breathes 25 years on. And WHAT a collection it is. All chiming guitar riffs, thunderous bass and edgy drumming, topped off by Ross’s menacing bellow. And with lots of surprises thrown in too.
I think ‘Ghost Ship’ sums them up best. High drama comes at you in waves and then a very un-Goth like treat awaits you the listener towards the end. They had humour as well – the line ‘the moonlight flits, across her…..’ cracks me up every time.
Just choose your favourite stimuli, have minimal lighting and play LOUD! (Dave Massey)
ARC 124 STARGAZER
Live Granary Bristol 1978
1. The Devils in Me Tonight
2. Shout to the Wind
3. Free and Easy
4. Images
5. Crystal (For You I Cry)
6. Lyin’ By Your Side
7. Don’t Ever Fool Me
8. Chug All Night
Recordings supplied by Simon Edwards and recorded live at The Granary Bristol 1978
Line up:
Cherie Beck Musialik Vocals
Alan ‘Scratch’ Scrase Lead Guitar
Stuart Amesbury Rhythm Guitar
Jebs Blake Bass
Steve Jones Drums
Mastered by Steve Street Oct 2009
STARGAZER was formed upon the demise of Baton Rouge: the original members being; Mike Dixon and Andy Evans ( from Baton Rouge ), Cherie Musialik, Stuart Amesbury and Gareth Woods. Some fairly elaborate and inventive photographic work was incorporated into the original publicity artwork.
Much about the same time another local band, Premonition, was splitting up. The drummer, Steve Jones, replaced Gareth Woods. The band were playing the usual haunts such as, the back bar at the Naval Volunteer, ‘Chutes, etc. When Andy Evans left Stargazer, it was Steve that persuaded one-time Premonition guitarist, Scratch (Alan Scrase), to join the band. Mike Dixon was about to move away from Bristol and needed to be replaced.
Cue: the arrival of Jebs Blake on bass, but it was the catalyst that parked an immediate song writing partnership with Stuart. By now the band were working more often away from Bristol than in
their home city; Dingwall’s and the Music Machine in London, various venues in the Midlands and Wales, but still managed to undertake gigs at the Dockland Settlement, the Bamboo Club, the Folk House, the Green Room, Crocker’s, the Ashton Court Festival, Trinity Church and of course the much loved and lamented Granary Club.
Around this time the band name was abbreviated to * Gazer, which in short became, GAZER. The band struck up associations with: Ariola- Hansa, Nomis Morgan and, more lastingly with, Bright Music Publishing. It was Danny Morgan who had introduced the band to Martin Wyatt. This was a fairly stable line-up for a few years, although, there was a period when Eddie Parsons took over the drummer’s position. Eventually, Jebs and Eddie headed for London together, but that’s not
the end of the story………
ARC 127 STEREO MODELS
Demos
1. Move Fast, Stay Ahead
2. Middle of No Where
Russell Thomas (guitar, vocals)
Marc Hatwood (drums)
The demos were supplied by Simon Edwards
of Heartbeat Records.
Mastered by Steve Street Oct 2009
ARC 121 ROYAL ASSASSINS
Live Thekla Bristol 1985
1. Open Up the Rivers
2. Hypnotism
3. King Briar
4. Second Breath
5. Animal
6. Ju Ju Man
7. River of Tears
8. Lets Partake
9. Quiet Sun
10. Song of a Bullet
11. Kene Forever
12. King Briar
13. Quiet Sun
Copyright DAVE MASSEY/Visceral Thrill Recordings
Recorded Live at the Thekla – 16th October 1985
Mixed by DAVE MASSEY
Line up:
CHRIS SCOTT – Vocals/Guitar/Effects
DAVE HARES – Guitar
VINCE – Bass
SEAN HENNEBURY – Drums
PETE – Backing Vocals/Percussion
Mastered by Steve Street Oct 2009
THE PEOPLE / FANZINES SECTION
Cuttings from 1983 Venue Magazine written by Eugene Bryne have been added.
Plus another cutting from Venue Magazine written by Dave Higgitt on the television programme R.P.M
THE NEXT BATCH OF RELEASES:
EUROPEANS ALBUM ‘VOICES’
JOE PUBLIC EP ‘DEMOS’
CREATURE BEAT ALBUM ‘LIVE’
48 HOURS SINGLE ‘BACK TO IRELAND’
ANANDA MAYA ALBUM ‘CHILD OF LIGHT’
MISDEMEANOUR SINGLE ‘FALL’
THE POSERS ALBUM ‘THE POSERS’
THE VERDICT ALBUM ‘GUILTY AS CHARGED’
THE BEST OF FRIED EGG RECORDS (BRISTOL 1979-1980) – OUT ON CD 1/2/2010
Please remember to buy your copy now and support Bristol music
NEWS:
The Cortinas ‘Anthology’ album for Cherry Red Records is progressing nicely.
Bristol Archive will release a Limited edition vinyl Cortinas album in the New Year with hopefully some extra special extras included.
The compilation album ‘Bristol – The Punk Explosion’ is nearing completion with sleeve notes from Shane Baldwin.
Work continues on piecing together ‘Avon Calling 2’ compiled and with sleeve notes written by Simon Edwards
Thomas Brooman CBE is finishing off the sleeve notes for the album he is compiling provisionally entitled ‘The Bristol Recorder’
The Pigs have been confirmed on The Rebellion Bill in Blackpool this year
That’s all for now folks
Best wishes
Mike Darby
