‘The Source of Dreams 1982-1984’ Thin Air

Released 9th August 2024 on Strictly Limited (200 copies only) Transparent Red Vinyl and Digital Download

Bristol Archive Records have been telling the story of the incredibly diverse Bristol Music scene for many years now. The label has focused recently on the sub-culture of Mod, Modernism and Power Pop and recently gained considerable success with their release ‘The Bristol Mod Explosion 1979-1987’. They have also released albums from the same scene by The Reaction ‘Shapes of Things To Come’ and The Rimshots ‘A Way With Words 1980-1983’. Now we turn our attention to another undiscovered Bristol band, Thin Air who featured on the Mod Explosion and the song writing genius of a would be Paul Weller, John Lennon, Elvis Costello – Paul Sandrone.
This album covers the period 1982 to 1984 and features 12 tracks compiled in collaboration with drummer Phil Ollerenshaw.  When punk rock started to fizzle out many of the UK’s disaffected youths had already moved sideways into Modernism and fell in love with The Jam. Inspired by Paul Weller’s song writing skills Thin Air started out life as Out of Order and supported The Jam at the Bristol Locarno in 1980 (on the day of John Lennons death), Paul was 15 years old.
The band had been formed in 1979 in a local youth club by Bill Waine (18), Phil Ollerenshaw (16) and Paul Sandrone (15), they changed their name to Thin Air in 1981 and continued with this line up until 1983 when Bill Waine left and was replaced by Simon Nicholls. Thin Air were never an authentic Mod band appealing to a strictly Mod audience, they were a Jam influenced, power pop outfit concentrating on writing edgy yet commercial, catchy pop rock music.
In 1982 they signed a deal with Coach House management owned by an American George Lennards. George had achieved considerable success with Bath outfit Naked Eyes. He wanted to replicate this and saw the song writing skills of Paul Sandrone as the vehicle to more chart success. Under his management the band received courtship from Polydor and Magnet Records amongst others.
This album is a soundtrack to an era, remembering a period in time when Top of The Pops was full of The Jam, Squeeze, XTC and Elvis Costello. Thatcherism was killing multi-cultural Britain but to escape, it was ok to write a catchy pop song, it was ok to look smart and it was acceptable to want a major record deal.
Thin Air did not achieve their objectives and remarkably never even got to release a record despite the obvious quality. They cut many demos for major labels, Polydor and Magnet Records appeared especially keen but they remained a secret of the Bristol underground scene until now. Paul Sandrone moved on in other guises from 1985, finally achieving chart success with London artiste Rassia in 1996-99 and Brighton based The Mummers in 2008-2012.
Enjoy the sound of the underground 42 years later than you should have ‘The Source of Dreams 1982-1984’ is released on 9th August 2024.

Bristol Boys Make More Noise!

bandcamp