Mike Darby and Shane Baldwin being interviewed by Richard Jones from Tangent Books
Here’s the listen back sound cloud link for the talk:

What a week coming up at The Arnolfini, Bristol

http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/…/bristol-archive-records-and-s…

Bristol Archive Records and Shane Baldwin (Vice Squad) in conversation
Saturday 30 July 2016, 17:00 to 18:00
£5 / £4 → Book

Founder of Bristol Archive Records Mike Darby, and former Vice Squad drummer and now punk writer Shane Baldwin share their stories about the Bristol punk scene in the late 1970′s and early 1980′s.
Bristol Archive Records is a record label and archival resource for Bristol post punk and reggae from 1977 onwards.

Bristol Archive Records archive provides an incredible historical account and document of all things from the Bristol punk scene including rare photographs of gigs and people from the scene, gig and club night posters, gig listings (including a remarkable comprehensive gig list from Richard Wyatt who attended a huge amount of gigs during the period 1978-1985), punk-oriented record labels and band discographies, gig and release reviews and stories from people active in the scene.
The record label element showcases music from the diverse Bristol punk and reggae scene from 1979 onwards, many of who are still active today. Many of the artists and releases are rare, unknown or never before released and the material has been lovingly digitally remastered from vinyl, ¼ inch tape, dat or cassette.

“Enjoy and never forget talent from the past, it deserves to be recognised & remembered.”
Bristol Archive Records have also kindly allowed us the use of their archival images for our commission with artist Phoebe Davies and students from UWEBA Graphic Design, which will be installed on a hoarding behind Arnolfini for the duration of Moving Targets.
www.bristolarchiverecords.com

Shane Baldwin was the drummer in the initial line up of punk band Vice Squad, formed in Bristol in 1978. Members of the band were involved in setting up the Riot City record label, which became one of the major punk labels of the era.

Today Shane is still very much involved in punk rock scene writing for a variety of publications and wrote the book ‘Last Rockers: The Vice Squad Story’. He is currently in the process of writing a new book about the Bristol punk scene of the late 70’s and early 80’s.
This event is part of the Moving Targets programme

http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/moving-targets

Moving Targets
Friday 29 July 2016 to Sunday 11 September 2016, 11:00 to 18:00
Free →

Punk has more than one story

This summer at Arnolfini we embrace the unstable, the volatile and the unpredictable. In Punk’s 40th anniversary year, we draw on Bristol’s independent spirit and explore punk as an attitude that has more than one history and meaning.
Moving Targets brings an unruly summer season of music, performance, visual art and activities to the harbourside. Art works, sounds, events and workshops spill out of the building, taking over our foyer, leaking into the bookshop and café, and activating the outdoor space.
Arnolfini and the city of Bristol have a special relationship to punk. During July and August, join us to find out about other stories and ideas around punk and tell us what punk means to you.
Should we reject the future? Be angry, raw, fearless? Is there a place in punk for everyone?
Let’s step outside the gallery, make things happen, shout out loud, disrupt, improvise and make some noise!

Moving Targets includes:

A foyer takeover by artist Gillian Wylde, overloading with a frantic collage of images, sounds, video and text

Outdoor poster work exploring print as protest by artist Phoebe Davies and students from UWE Graphic Design in collaboration with Bristol Archive Records
Live radio shows by artist Jenny Moore and collective, gal-dem

Inhabit, a space to debate the future of our city, created by Young Arnolfini

Unmissable Music celebrating Bristol’s punk heritage

Plus a whole host of defiant performances, films, workshops, discussions and family activities.
*Our title Moving Targets is taken from and dedicated to Mimi Thi Nguyen and Golnar Nikpour’s amazing chapbook, ‘Punk is a Moving Target’, Guillotine press, 2013

Tags: Arnolfini, mike darby, Moving Targets, Punk, Shane Baldwin, Vice Squad

http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/bristol-archive-records-and-shane-baldwin-in-conversation

Bristol Archive Records and Shane Baldwin (Vice Squad) in conversation
Saturday 30 July 2016, 17:00 to 18:00
£5 / £4 → Book

Founder of Bristol Archive Records Mike Darby, and former Vice Squad drummer and now punk writer Shane Baldwin share their stories about the Bristol punk scene in the late 1970′s and early 1980′s.
Bristol Archive Records is a record label and archival resource for Bristol post punk and reggae from 1977 onwards.

Bristol Archive Records archive provides an incredible historical account and document of all things from the Bristol punk scene including rare photographs of gigs and people from the scene, gig and club night posters, gig listings (including a remarkable comprehensive gig list from Richard Wyatt who attended a huge amount of gigs during the period 1978-1985), punk-oriented record labels and band discographies, gig and release reviews and stories from people active in the scene.
The record label element showcases music from the diverse Bristol punk and reggae scene from 1979 onwards, many of who are still active today. Many of the artists and releases are rare, unknown or never before released and the material has been lovingly digitally remastered from vinyl, ¼ inch tape, dat or cassette.

“Enjoy and never forget talent from the past, it deserves to be recognised & remembered.”
Bristol Archive Records have also kindly allowed us the use of their archival images for our commission with artist Phoebe Davies and students from UWEBA Graphic Design, which will be installed on a hoarding behind Arnolfini for the duration of Moving Targets.
www.bristolarchiverecords.com

Shane Baldwin was the drummer in the initial line up of punk band Vice Squad, formed in Bristol in 1978. Members of the band were involved in setting up the Riot City record label, which became one of the major punk labels of the era.

Today Shane is still very much involved in punk rock scene writing for a variety of publications and wrote the book ‘Last Rockers: The Vice Squad Story’. He is currently in the process of writing a new book about the Bristol punk scene of the late 70’s and early 80’s.
This event is part of the Moving Targets programme

http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/moving-targets

Moving Targets
Friday 29 July 2016 to Sunday 11 September 2016, 11:00 to 18:00
Free →

Punk has more than one story

This summer at Arnolfini we embrace the unstable, the volatile and the unpredictable. In Punk’s 40th anniversary year, we draw on Bristol’s independent spirit and explore punk as an attitude that has more than one history and meaning.
Moving Targets brings an unruly summer season of music, performance, visual art and activities to the harbourside. Art works, sounds, events and workshops spill out of the building, taking over our foyer, leaking into the bookshop and café, and activating the outdoor space.
Arnolfini and the city of Bristol have a special relationship to punk. During July and August, join us to find out about other stories and ideas around punk and tell us what punk means to you.
Should we reject the future? Be angry, raw, fearless? Is there a place in punk for everyone?
Let’s step outside the gallery, make things happen, shout out loud, disrupt, improvise and make some noise!

Moving Targets includes:

A foyer takeover by artist Gillian Wylde, overloading with a frantic collage of images, sounds, video and text

Outdoor poster work exploring print as protest by artist Phoebe Davies and students from UWE Graphic Design in collaboration with Bristol Archive Records
Live radio shows by artist Jenny Moore and collective, gal-dem

Inhabit, a space to debate the future of our city, created by Young Arnolfini

Unmissable Music celebrating Bristol’s punk heritage

Plus a whole host of defiant performances, films, workshops, discussions and family activities.
*Our title Moving Targets is taken from and dedicated to Mimi Thi Nguyen and Golnar Nikpour’s amazing chapbook, ‘Punk is a Moving Target’, Guillotine press, 2013

If you’re a fan of great music and have a modicum of knowledge about the local scene then Rita Lynch should need no introduction. A highly regarded live performer she has a new anthology covering her career so far (Story to Tell (Anthology 1988 – 2011)) brought to us by those splendid people at Bristol Archive Recordings. The album is being launched at the Thunderbolt on Friday 6th May and Rita took time to answer a load of questions for us prior to the show.

What was the first record you ever bought and where did you buy it?

The first record I bought was Slade. Merry Xmas Everybody from Woolworths.

What was the most recent record you bought and where did you buy it?

I can’t remember the most recent, it’s been years since I had a record player.
What record do you stick on the deck to sooth your soul?

I don’t play records any more but the song I play a lot lately to soothe me is Peggy Seeger, Swim to the Star.

Have you bought a record on the basis of a great single and then been disappointed by the rest of the album? If so, tell us all about it…

Yes, Oasis with Wonderwall and the album was terrible, I loved their first album, Definitely Maybe, but the second was very disappointing.

What record do you turn up to maximum to get in to that party mood?

It changes a lot but recently has been The Saints, Know Your Product.

If we had the ability to land you at the recording of one classic LP so you could witness the whole recording process, what would you choose and why?

Patti Smith recording Horses, I’d love to hear what she had to say in between recording those songs and just to watch her would be amazing.

Ever bought a record solely because you liked the sleeve? If so, what was it and did it delight you or disappoint you?

No.

Oh no, your house is burning down and you can only rescue one record! What would it be and why?

I have so few records that I wouldn’t bother with them, but I’d try to get my Telecaster guitar out if I could.

What’s your favourite record sleeve? Tell us all about it (and whether or not the music gives you as much pleasure as the sleeve).

One of my favourite record sleeves is The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan and I love the songs as well; it’s an all-round absolute hit.

Morbidity alert: what record(s) would you like played at your funeral?

The End, by the Doors (the beginning bit only) and a couple of songs by the Brian Jonestown Massacre from Revelation and Amazing Grace; one of my own: It Feels Like the End of The World.

Looking back, what were both the best and worst things about being a musician when you started out?

One of the best things was my own youth and belief that I could really “make it”. One of the worst things was my own lack of knowledge of the music business and how to go about making it happen. Also one of the best things was my belief in music itself as a worthy and moral useful thing to do with my life. One of the worst things was the sexism towards women at that time.

And by contrast what are the best and worst things about being a musician right here, right now?

One of the best things now is I have confidence in what I do. I find it easier to write songs but no longer have absolute faith that there is a whole lot of point in song writing any more when so much about the music world is not about if your songs are any good but how well you can promote yourself and “big yourself up” to get attention. It’s become a “bragger’s paradise”, but then the whole social media thing is a great platform to show people your work and the “open mic” thing is a great way for anyone to demo their songs.

How important do you think artwork is for bands in these digital days?

Artwork is always important.

The N.M.E., Kerrang!, Mojo, Classic Rock – how important is print media to a working band in the age of social media?

Absolutely as important as it ever was, anyone can be a bit of a star on social media but getting something in a magazine is a true commendation.

Speaking of the digital world: vinyl, CD or download – what’s your preference?

I think it means more to have a physical album on CD or vinyl with the artwork as well. But if you want to hear a certain song then it’s by any means possible. I still use tapes and record on a tape machine so whatever it takes really.

How does it feel to look back over your career as anthologised on the new recording?

I am really happy that Mike Darby has put out this Anthology. I feel proud of my staying power and the fact that I have written so many songs over the years. I have enough songs to do an Anthology 2 and 3 and I have nearly finished recording a new album to be released later this year. I hadn’t quite realised how many songs I’d written over the years. It’s not bad for a life’s work and I continually write songs at the moment – it’s a bit like a CV. Also I’ve written a longer biography for this album, with much more detail than any before. It is very honest. It has made me remember the days of punk and the young woman I was then; of how important it has always been for me to be myself and find my uniqueness even if it is not currently trendy or fashionable. And has reminded me, again, of why I do music.

If you could hop back in time, is there any single key choice you’ve made that you’d like to change, and if so, what & why?

I wish I had been more confident when I first started. There are things I regret but, I’m still here writing songs, doing music and still gigging. I love singing, especially since stopping smoking. It still feels new and exciting, I am more hopeful now than I’ve been in a long while.

Women in the music business have come a long way since Billie, Janis & Aretha; do you think women artists now have true equality with their male counterparts?

Women artists do not have true equality with men. They have the equality that men allow them. The same as in every other aspect of life. A lot of changes still have to happen. Both men and women have to look in to their own hearts, to be open and honest about these inequalities. It is not an easy task but I am hopeful.

What’s the best thing about the Bristol music scene…?

The best thing about the Bristol music scene is its diversity. Having lived in St Pauls for over 30 years I really appreciate the mix of cultures and ethnicity that is reflected in the music here.
…and keeping it positive, what would you say needs the most improvement in the scene?
I think more cheap venues would be good with bands playing every evening.

How has the music scene in town changed since you first started out (assuming it has changed in any significant way)?

It has changed and evolved as everywhere has in the last 30 years. I think there are more bands in Bristol now than there used to be.

Do you think Bristol is a good place for a band to launch a career, and if so why…and if not, why not?

I think Bristol is as good a place as anywhere to launch a career. With computers these days it’s not so important where you are located as long as you have a strong presence on the internet. And, as in so many other areas, it’s not so much where you are as who you know.

What have been some of your most memorable gigs in town?

One of my most memorable gigs in town was Sound City in about 1993 or 1994. I played on Castle Park; it was exciting – John Peel was there. Playing at the Fleece as part of Ladyfest in 2003 or 2004 when the Gossip headlined; playing at the Bierkeller when I was filmed for Channel 4. All these gigs stand out but there have been so many. Playing at Ashton Court Festival was always great.

We’ve lost some great venues over the decades (the Granary, Western Star Domino Club, the Dugout etc.); anywhere that you particularly miss?

The Western Star Domino Club was totally great, a really cool venue, The Malaap was great for a while.

Outside of town people have a perception that it’s all trip-hop round these parts; but Bristol has always had a wildly eclectic scene (the Brilliant Corners to Onslaught; the Seers to the Blue Aeroplanes), what’s your take on outside perceptions of the Bristol sound?

People always will focus on the bands that gain success and fame because they’re the bands they hear about. The Blue Aeroplanes have been very successful as well but don’t tend to get the same recognition.

Building on that question, is there anything that you think makes the scene here unique?

I used to enjoy the squat gigs, they were always so exciting and allowed many people a platform to start from. My first band ever, Rita and the Piss Artists, played mostly squat gigs. There was always such an air of excitement and possibilities at those shows. Maybe it was the same in other cities, but at the time I felt it to be unique to Bristol. It’s a shame it’s all become quite corporate now.

Would you care to mention a few of your favourite local bands – new outfits to check out, under sung acts from the past and any defunct groups worthy of resurrection?

So many bands, too many to mention but, from the past, God Bless You were brilliant – intense and dark, brilliant melodies. They were like the Bristol sound before the Bristol sound was invented.

So we’re finally getting an arena…probably. What’s your view…what impact do you think it will have on the musical landscape?

Artists on my level rarely get to play in big venues like the proposed Arena. I suppose it will make a few rich people even richer.

Pix: Jens Holm
Taken from and © http://www.bristol247.com/channel/culture/music/interviews/interview-rita-lynch-part-2

NEWS

The Cortinas – ‘Summer in The City’ (Previously unreleased and never heard before)

Available from 14th March 2016

To download and listen click on the link or copy/paste into your browser: https://soundcloud.com/bristolarchiverecords/the-cortinas-summer-in-the-city

Summer in City was recorded on Wednesday 5 April 1978 (’12 noon- 8am’) at Trident Studio, London W1. It was produced by Will Birch who reviewed one of our earliest gigs at The Roxy in Sounds (one of 3 or 4 national weekly music papers. Imagine.), perhaps our first, supporting The Stranglers. Anyway it would have been very early 1977, the first 100 days. The review was outstanding so we assumed that he had got the name of the band wrong. We also recognised the writer; Will Birch was the drummer in the Kursaal Flyers, a band that we had admired from the mid – 70s. The Kursaals were from Southend and played what can only be described as western-swing-tinged classic pop. They were a great live band, very theatrical and retro. Paul Shuttleworth, the singer, had a sort of flamboyant spiv image. They didn’t just play music. They were an act. They were a show. So the review was an endorsement from someone we admired.

That initial connection with the Kursaals was cemented later that year when we toured with them as support, having passed on an offer to tour with The Stranglers to the Pop Group (whatever happened to them?). By then we had done two Step Forward singles and were growing out of the punk thing, writing songs that were looking for pop magic, and had somehow obtained a contract with CBS. So the tour was an opportunity to test and refine the songs. It was also a great laugh. At the end of it, for reasons we didn’t quite grasp, the Kursaals called it a day.

After that we did the album, True Romances. I think that during the recording everyone had some sense of waiting for something to happen. It didn’t. What we didn’t understand was production. And neither did the producer. It’s very flat and doesn’t have a direction. That’s not to say it would have been any better with a proper producer and we made the mistake of thinking in terms of a live sound which, it turns out, has to be produced. But the songs had actually moved away from that and we didn’t know it. The album slipped out to, at best, sympathetic reviews, although John Peel had some kind words for it. CBS had probably been expecting a more cartoonish punky-wunky Vibrators record.

So after that, we were at a bit of a loose end. In fact, we were a bit bored. Then Miles Copeland suggested we do some recording with Will Birch. It was logical and exciting. We decided to do a cover and after having a go at Love’s version of Bacharach’s Little Red Book, (to sing Bacharach you actually have to be able to sing) The Lovin Spoonful’s Summer In The City was rehearsed and off we trotted to the world famous Trident Studios. It was as if we had been beamed onto the bridge of the Starship Enterprise.

I think we had imagined that producing records was all about someone knowing how to push some secret buttons on a machine. That’s part of it. But the main thing is about getting a performance. I think this recording shows that Will Birch knew how to do that. No big fuss or mystique. No psychology. But it wasn’t really enough to revive our enthusiasm. Other moods had started to emerge and we were pretty clear that we didn’t want to end up like those rock casualties reminiscing 40 years later about what might have been. Will went on to form The Records and subsequently produced (The Yachts, The Long Ryders), wrote music, journalism, and No Sleep Till Canvey Island: The Great Pub Rock Revolution (2004) and Ian Dury: The Definitive Biography (2010. who once, during the Kursaals Tour, told me to ‘fuck off’).

A few years ago Will contacted me – because of the internet – and told me that he had transferred the analogue tape to digital. We didn’t have any copies so of course we wanted to hear it. I think we thought it was better than we remembered. Then we ummed and ahhed about what to do with it! Eventually we decided that Bristol Archive Records was the right outlet. There were a few wobbles on the original so Steve Street, engineer on The Cortinas GBH demos (also available through Bristol Archive Records), pressed some secret buttons and sorted them out. I have heard it said that The Cortinas were whisked away from punkdom and exploited by the evil music industry. If only. Who knows? We might have got a Huey Lewis and The News support slot – Touring Germany – In February.

Jeremy Valentine – March 2016.

Rita Lynch has been a part of the UK’s underground music scene for 30 years. Her adopted hometown of Bristol is a key part of her incredible story and development through punk rock, squatting, hard drinking, experimentation, love and loss and some beautiful music. She has made 6 albums in a career where the key motifs are about funnelling emotion and experiences into music and developing her craft so that it becomes a soundtrack to people’s lives. Songs like ‘Beautiful Eyes’, ‘Call me your Girlfriend’ and ‘Rolla Coaster’ have been many people personal soundtracks and this compilation presents many more of Rita’s previously released and unreleased songs. Never easily pigeon holed, Rita Lynch is a gifted songwriter and talented lyricist.

‘Story To Tell’ Anthology 1988 – 2011 – soon come in spring of 2016

We are chuffed to get this release on the catalogue coupled with the fact that Rhythmites have reformed and back playing Festivals this summer. More news soon:
‘INTEGRATION’
RHYTHMITES
Released on CD and Digital Download 18th September 2015

Originally formed in the mid-eighties, Bath based reggae outfit Rhythmites spent more than a decade gigging throughout the UK and Europe, building up a loyal fan base and a strong reputation as the West Country’s leading proponents of live roots reggae. Although their catalogue wasn’t excessively large, they did manage to record and release a couple of cassettes, a 12” single and most memorably in 1989, a very well received vinyl only album, “Integration”.
Rhythmites split up in the year 2000 but in 2007, they picked up where they’d left off and once more began spreading the roots reggae message at live shows as well as recording new material. With all the renewed activity, many fans both old and new have been asking about “Integration”, an album released only on vinyl more than twenty five years ago, long deleted and not readily available on the used market.
As chance would have it, Rhythmites and their music were already on the Bristol Archive Records radar so; when they mentioned the possibility of reissuing “Integration” we were very happy to be of assistance. We discovered that the band had never been entirely happy with the original mix and wanted to remix the album with the benefit of twenty first century facilities. Remixes can be a bad thing but as someone who saw the band perform many times and bought “Integration” on release, I was blown away by the new mix. Not only have they remained totally faithful to the original with no badly judged attempts to update the sound, but engineer Ben Findley has totally nailed it with the new mix; it takes the original to another level, improving it whilst maintaining the spirit of the vinyl pressing.
For those that aren’t familiar with the band this is a roots album, the songs deal with living one’s life in a better way. The sound is authentic and not in any way contrived, in no small part due to Angus’ excellent and distinctive vocals which really fit both the music and the lyrics. Anyone who has seen them perform live will know about Stuart’s didgeridoo and that makes an appearance right from the start in “No Guns”, a song that suggests it doesn’t take weapons and violence to be a freedom fighter.
Other stand out tracks includes “Nation Integration” with its call for unity, and “Pain and Suffering” which shines a light on some of the ills of the world. The rest of the tracks all deal with serious issues although, “A True” and “Hold On” drift into what was, when recorded, a more contemporary almost dancehall style. As a bonus we’ve included brand new exclusive dub versions for “Heed No Dream” and “A True”.
It’s great that one of the best live reggae bands of the late eighties and nineties are back on the road, as is the fact that their first album is getting a long overdue reissue, the fact that it’s sounding better than ever is the real bonus. “Integration” by Rhythmites is released on CD and digital download by Bristol Archive Records on the 18th September 2015, available from all usual outlets.
Tracklisting:
1. Nation Integration
2. No Stopping We
3. Pain and Suffering
4. No Guns
5. Heed No Dream
6. A True
7. Give and Take
8. Hold On
Bonus tracks:
9. Heed No Dream Dub
10. A True Dub

ARTIST: Rhythmites
TITLE: “Integration”
RELEASE DATE: 18th September 2015
LABEL: Bristol Archive Records
DISTRIBUTION: Shellshock / SRD
FORMAT: CD and Digital Download
CAT NO: ARC274CD
BARCODE: 5052571062029
GENRE: Reggae, Dub

“PUNK WAS BRILLIANT…OF ITS TIME AND EXPLOSIVE”: 15 QUESTIONS WITH CLIVE ARNOLD (THE X-CERTS) (2/06/15)

Feb 9, 2015

If I’ve learned one thing from all the musical interviews that I’ve done, it’s that every band is only one or two classic songs away from making an impact…whether it makes the charts or not. That’s how I feel about the X-Certs’ “Queen & Country,” which I found off a blog — don’t we all these days, right? — and immediately couldn’t get out of my head.

Not many songs possess that kind of throat-grabbing immediacy, but “Queen & Country” packs all the right ingredients that a classic of its era (1980, in this case) needed to achieve that goal…starting with a clanging declamatory intro that quickly yields to a brisk, propulsive pop-punk riff.

Crisp, powerful guitars and a relentless backbeat drive home the song’s central point of how the common man always ends up used as cannon fodder for somebody else’s wars (“Uncle Sam needs you/He wants your eyes to see him through/Uncle Sam needs you/He wants your body for a sandbag, too!”). Sadly, time hasn’t done anything to date that particular lyrical scenario — one that would have given the decade’s bigger names a run for their money…if only the band’s chemistry had held together.

Of course, that’s all water under the bridge for the man behind “Queen & Country” — X-Certs singer/guitarist Clive Arnold, who entered a totally creative field (acting), as he explains below. With “Queen & Country” finding renewed life and exposure on the recent BRISTOL BOYS MAKE MORE NOISE! compilation, now like seemed the ideal moment to ask Clive for his impressions of the song, the era and the band behind it all…so relax, tune up, and enjoy the exchange. I certainly did!
CHAIRMAN RALPH (CR): Not many bands can say that they started off rehearsing in a church crypt! What made you want to play guitar in the first place, and how did the band get started?

CLIVE ARNOLD (CA): I remember being aware of music (dancing and trying to sing to songs on the radio) and pestering my parents for a guitar from a very early age. We had an old piano so learning that was my first option. I don’t think I actually got my hands on a guitar with real strings until I was about 10. I remember it was a beast of a thing (acoustic) and made my fingers bleed when I played; couldn’t have bent a string if I’d taken a crane to it. I was still at school when punk exploded and suddenly the idea of being in a band was something tangible right now at 15 years old. I got together with anyone interested, could play or had an instrument; we just started playing. Locally in Barton Hill, a typical working class area of Bristol, the local Church ran a boys club in it’s crypt (it hadn’t been used as one for a while) and after a couple of sessions rehearsing in front rooms and garages we were offered the chance to use it; I’m sure it was because of the noise we were making.

CR: What was the Bristol scene like when you started, and how did things change once punk broke on a national level in the UK? Which bands were the most influential in your own development?

CA: I wasn’t aware of a Bristol scene when punk exploded, in my small 15 year old world bands and musicians existed on the radio and TV or they didn’t exist at all. Punk changed everything; all the rules were torn up and anybody could do anything, without permission from anyone. It was a very powerful time that must have been frightening to those on the outside, we didn’t ask if we were good enough to play, we just picked up our instruments and did. Simple as that! Marc Bolan and T.Rex were huge for me in the early 1970s and they certainly influenced how I approached music on a personal level; I was always looking for a sophisticated/poetical lyric and we included a version of “Children of The Revolution” in our later sets.

CR: As your Bristol Archives bio mentions, your lyrics attracted the interest of such disparate entities as RAR and the Socialist Workers Party — how did these associations come about, and to what extent did they influence your future direction?
CA: It was just natural to write about things we knew, most notably the British class structure and its unspoken limits placed on those (white working class kids, immigrants, women, etc.) not within a select group. These were prejudices we were able to confront through music. Rock Against Racism & Socialist Workers Party picked up on the themes of no hope and discrimination and it was an easy fit. I don’t remember a conversation paving our future as RAR bedfellows but we were very happy with the association. We had some great gigs and are very proud of being part of their world at that time. If we made a little difference, then great.

CR: At what point did you see your own songwriting evolving — in other words, can you point to a particular track that made you say, “We’re on to something bigger and better here?” If so — which one?

CA: I’d been writing songs since I was in my mid teens, but when I was 17 I wrote “Together” which was lyrically much more accomplished than anything I’d done before. I soon after wrote “Queen & Country” and “Visions of Fate”, again which I think was a turning point as a lyricist for me, not that I realized it at the time.

CR: Before long, you supported lots of big names — besides that night with the Clash, which other supports stand out in your memory (good, bad, indifferent)?

CA: We somehow became the “go to” opening act for lots of punk bands gigging in Bristol during this time so we supported: The Buzzcocks, The Only Ones, Pere Ubu, The Associates, Angelic Upstarts and, of course, The Clash.

CR: As far as that night with the Clash goes, what did you take away from it — given that they were arguably at their peak in the UK, and you were still looking to reach something like it? How did they strike you, as people and musicians?

CA: An amazing night, I remember it vividly. The Clash were brilliant, they took the time to get to the hall in time to meet us and watch us play, they were really supportive, knew the name of the band and came across as just great, down to earth blokes who really cared and nicked all our cigarettes off us! We were very happy to share, especially after Nicky “Topper” Headon saved our night by mixing and sound checking us for free after the engineer refused because we didn’t have enough money to pay him; the crafty crew had fleeced us for £50.00 to turn the lights on, then once the money was in their pockets, announced it was another £50.00 payment to get any sound. No one had warned us about the cost and that was a lot of money back then and we didn’t have it between us. Topper turned up just as we were walking off the stage thinking our night had ended before it had begun, heard the story and said, “Fuck it. I’ll mix you myself!” He has been my hero ever since. There were 4,500 people in the audience and we went down well; it was a great night.

The Clash are great people and brilliant artistes who captured a generation around the world. It was a huge honour to play on the same stage as them and will always be a highlight of my life.

CR: What were your recording experiences like? Going from, say, an operation like Simon Edwards to the likes of Stephen Street must have been like night and day, I imagine!

CA: Stephen Street and Simon Edwards worked together, at least with us. Simon was a fabulous champion of Bristol bands during this period and Steve was our Producer from the very first recording, so the journey from our first to last studio recording was very organic as Steve was involved throughout. The studios were more of a leap, going from GBH rehearsal studios in St Pauls, Bristol (a very red light area at the time) to Crescent Studios in Bath (which were used by Peter Gabriel and Tears For Fears as their rehearsal/initial recording studios) was huge. We went from drinking the beer we’d brought in and peeing in a toilet most people would have cringed at, to being able to make coffee (in a machine) and have someone able to “go out” and get us lunch. We were flying high.

GBH was great but really filthy and grimy whereas Crescent Studios was plush with a grand piano in the hallway. I remember feeling nervous the first time at Crescent because I was out of my comfort zone – everything was so clean.

CR: Since I started this discussion with “Queen & Country,” tell me what inspired it — was it a specific incident or headline, or just a general feeling that you had? What other songs from that era hold up today, you think?

CA: The X-Certs were always political. Thatcher came to power when most of the band were able to vote for the first time and there was a lot to fight back against if you were one of the majority and not one of the UK’s privileged citizens. “Queen and Country” came to me when I was thinking about how it is usually the working classes that become the dead of a politician’s war. This has been true for many years, which I think is why you feel it is relevant today. It is a story of the everyman being expendable. Lyrically, “Together” I think is still relevant, the cost of war will always be the same. Sadly.

CR: Why did the band leave so few vinyl footprints behind? Was it a case of, couldn’t get a deal, or were you always determined to strike out your DIY path (so to speak)?

CA: I wish I could say we were determined not to succumb to the Music Industry pitfalls, but the reality is we were a bunch of kids who played, had no idea how the music industry worked and really didn’t know anything, about anything. We played live, that was our thing. Simon Edwards asked us to record for his four-band ep single and all subsequent recordings were thanks to the likes of Simon who guided us and gave us a platform.

CR: That being said, I think “Together” points toward what the X-Certs could have become — how did you see the inclusion of reggae in your sound?

Was it a case of wanting to do more than one thing at a time, or just a willingness to take another “underground sound” (so to speak) on board?

CA: Neil and I grew up in and around the St Pauls area of Bristol; there was a huge Caribbean community and reggae became part of our DNA. Plus, we were huge Clash fans and they showed all of us that music doesn’t have borders and doesn’t belong to just one community. If you feel it, you can play it. When we jammed reggae in rehearsal we found we did it well, so we just kept going. Also, we were playing a lot and getting better musically, so naturally we were wanting to stretch ourselves and reggae was a very natural alternative to power pop punk.

CR: You had a couple of notable lineup changes along the way, like so many bands — then and now — compared to the previous changes, why did Chris’s leaving prove to be the final coffin nail (so to speak)?

CA: Chris Bostock is a fabulous musician and joined the band when we were approaching better musicianship all round and therefore perhaps able to break free of being a Bristol band only. Kevin Mills then joined on guitar, we moved forward and became much more professional with the two of them in the line up. We opened for The Clash with Chris and recorded “Together” the single with Chris and Kevin; those were probably The X-Certs’ finest moments. When Chris left to join Subway Sect and become a professional musician (later to become JoBoxers and then Dave Stewart’s Spiritual Cowboys, we were on the cusp of getting some national recognition – the single had been released and was getting quite a lot of radio airplay. But Chris is a one off and there wasn’t a bass player in Bristol available who could replace him. I remember we played a London gig to promote the single and it was a disaster; the magic/chemistry that we’d recently found had gone and that was the last gig The X-Certs played. It was all over after that.
CR: Looking back, it seems that Bristol doesn’t get much respect — since the official punk histories focus so heavily on London and Manchester, and skip so lightly over the rest!

Would you agree with that sentiment, or do you feel acknowledged enough for what you accomplished in your (roughly) three-year lifetime? Is there such a thing as “the sound of Bristol,” and if so, how would you venture to describe it?

CA: London and Manchester are big UK cities; it figures that they should get the most recognition for music coming out of Britain because their quantity will always be greater. Bristol was like so many other cities across the UK where kids picked up instruments and formed a band – Sheffield, Northampton, Plymouth, etc. I was never aware of a Bristol sound; it would be interesting to investigate though.

CR: Did you play in any notable bands after the X-certs, and is music still part of your life now? (I suspect you’re aware of the current band sharing a similar name, XCerts, whose music is worlds apart from yours?)

What is your old band’s legacy, in your opinion, since its story played out amid the rise of Thatcherism — or do you feel that angle has been blown out of proportion?

CA: I gave up music as a career choice after The X-Certs; I felt we were on the verge of achieving something when we split and the disappointment meant I didn’t want to continue. I took a sideways step and went into acting.

There is a new band from Aberdeen named the Xcerts, who are really good but it is a shame for them they didn’t Google the name first; it can get quite confusing on i-Tunes and Spotify. However, we’ve no complaints if some of their fanbase download us by mistake and discover our music. They might like it.

CA: Of the bands featured on the BRISTOL BOYS MAKE MORE NOISE! comp — which ones do you consider most representative, and which ones is the world still waiting to discover?

CA: It’s difficult to single out one band as representative of the time, we were all doing our thing not realising we were part of something bigger. I was a big fan of The Spics; they played well, there were so many of them on stage and it was always a great show.

CR: Lastly, but not least: forty-odd years after the original punk explosion broke, many of the noxious elements it aimed to overthrow — assembly line pop, authoritarian governments, class divisions-verging-on-chasms — are back in fuller vigor than ever.

Like many people I know, I feel that we’re overdue for some changes — do you see a place where that could happen? From where do you draw your own creative inspiration these days?
CA: Punk was brilliant. Of it’s time and explosive. We tried to change the world, as did generations before us; we left a footprint and influence, isn’t that great? The world keeps turning and the period is remembered and celebrated forty years on. “That’s Something Else”.

LINKS TO GO: BRISTOL ARCHIVE RECORDS (lots of great info here): http://www.bristolarchiverecords.com/bands/x-certsBio.html

THE X-CERTS: http://www.xcerts.co.uk/

Interview conducted by: http://www.chairmanralph.com/communiques/

Limited edition pressing of 450 cds, numbered, 44 page booklet, sleeve notes by Thomas Brooman – release date 6th October 2014

1.    Magic Muscle: Free As A Bird

2.    The Cortinas: Defiant Pose

3.    The Spics: You And Me

4.    Gardez Darkx: Bliss

5.    The Radicals: Nights Of Passion

6.    Talisman: Run Come Girl

7.    The X-Certs: Queen And Country

8.    The Media: New Blood

9.     Joe Public: Yellow Runs Forever

10.  The Spics: Angels In The Rain

11.  Sneak Preview: Slugweird

12.  The Various Artists: Unlucky In Love

13.  The Various Artists: Time Of My Life

14.  The Stingrays: Exceptions

15.  The Untouchables: Keep On Walking

16.  Wendy Partridge & Joanna Swan (The Spics): Fire

17.  Shoes for Industry: Sheep Dog Trial In A Babylon

18.  C.C. Sager: Deathbed Lullaby

19.  The Fabulous Ratbites From Hell: Sparkle

20.  Dragons: Best Of Both Worlds

Bonus Tracks:

21.  The Vultures: She’ll Be Back

22. The Sidneys: Bleak Grey Skies