Martin Moss, musician, singer songwriter and Entertainments Manager of www.theprom.co.uk was diagnosed with bowel cancer in September 2009. Unfortunately the cancer had already spread to his liver.

Two operations and 6 months of chemotherapy later, Martin is well and has stayed positive and uncomplaining throughout his ordeal. The tumour in the bowel has been removed, but sadly the liver tumours are too extensive to be surgically removed, and chemotherapy can only work for a limited time.

The music community in Bristol is raising funds for this great guy whose early releases can be found on this label – check: The Headlines and Tropical Hearts

  http://www.facebook.com/pages/MOSSFEST-Raising-money-for-cancer-treatment/132351260110160

THE RETURN OF THE POP GROUP: No. 1 – UPPING THE ANTI

The Pop Group return after nearly thirty years to play a small amount of club dates to “blow the dust off the old songs and pick up where we left off.”

These initial dates serve as a brief introduction to a new generation
of the band’s signature caustic Molotov dub funk that manifested
itself into only two albums that went on to sporn a whole genre.

Formed in Bristol in 1978, The Pop Group were for many the first and the last après punk band. After two seminal albums ‘Y’ and ‘For How Much Longer Must We Tolerate Mass Murder’ the group split in 1981.

“There was a lot left undone,….we were so young and
volatile….Let’s face it, things are probably even MORE fucked now
than they were in the early 80′s…..and WE are even more fucked off!”

The 2010 line-up features all original members, Mark Stewart (vocals), Gareth Sager (Guitar, Keys, Sax), Bruce Smith (Drums),  Dan Catsis (Bass).

ATP are proud to present The Pop Group over two nights at The Garage, London. Tickets are on sale now, full info below…

ARTIST: The Pop Group
SUPPORT ACT: Special guest DJ T.B.C.
VENUE: The Garage, London, UK
DATE: Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th September 2010
ADVANCED TICKET PRICE: £17.50 + bf
VENUE ADDRESS: 20-22 Highbury Corner, London, N5 1RD
VENUE TELEPHONE: 0844 847 1678
AGE RESTRICTIONS: Strictly over 14s. Under 16s need to be accompanied by an adult (ID required for entry)

DOORS OPEN: 7.00pm
CURFEW: 10pm Saturday, 11pm Sunday

CLICK TO BUY TICKETS

There will be a significant amount of ex Stargazer band members at 
this year’s Party On The Hill event in Bristol.

Please see the website: www.partyonthehill.org.uk
PLEASE HELP US PUBLICISE THIS EVENT.
The aim is to raise money for the Bristol Children’s Hospital.
2010 will be our 10th anniversary of running the event.
Just in from a gig now.
Midweek gigs tend to be Americana singer/ songwriter type shows.
Check out the website: www.crhmusic.com

LABEL OF LOVE

Bristol Archive Records

‘Provincial punks pogo local’

Why start a label?

Having been in a band in 198O and managing acts throughout the mid-80s, a label seemed the natural progression. I’ve run the Sugar Shack imprint since 1985, primarily concentrating on new rock music. Bristol Archive is a subsidiary of that. We aim to showcase music from Bristol’s diverse scene and provide a historical document for all things Bristolian.

When and how did it start?

ln  20O1, when we released Western Stars.’ The Bands That Built Bristol’ on CD, which featured acts form 1978-81. That record didn’t sell very well, so there was no follow up until a friend of mine, Vice Squad’s guitarist Dave Bateman, died two years ago. Bristol is quite rightly known for the success of Massive Attack! Portishead, Tricky, Smith & Mighty and Roni Size, but l thought

that there ought to be a library documenting those that support the

local music scene at its roots. lf you live in Bristol you’ll know that there’s a giant web of people who were in bands throughout the post-punk period, and many are still very active.

Was lt a financial struggle?

Running a record label is a labour of love; you only ever make money if you get very lucky. lt’s always been a drain on the finances and there’s no sign that this will change. Fortunately, I have a great team working with me, which means that we’ve kept costs to a minimum.

What labels lnfluenced you?

Heartbeat, Wavelength,

Recreational, Shoc Wave, Fried

Egg, Nubian and Black Roots.

Who are your competitors?

We don’t have any as we’re unique.There can’t be another city in the world reissuing its entire back catalogue with the support of the

artists and the original label owners.

Why the name?

Obviously the label’s about archive material which comes form Bristol – or the immediate sunounding areas,such as Bath and Cheltenham.

What’s your guiding principle?

It’s all about history. Yes, the music is vitally important, but it’s about the people as much as the songs. You’ll find stories in the People/Fanzines section of our website from individuals that weren’t in bands but were part of the scene. There are also downloadable PDFs of fanzines.

Can you sum up your output?

Three CD releases to date: Western Stars; The Bands That

Built Bristol, The Best Of Fried Egg Records (Bristol 7979-80) and

Bristol: The Punk Exploslon. New CDs in production include Avon

Cailing 2 and the best of the Heartbeat, Bristol Recorder and

Wavelength labels. We’ve also put out 155 digital releases in two

years and have a limited edition vinyl from The Cortinas, Mk I

(reviewed this month on page 82).

Without them, the label wouldn’t have had the kick-start it needed.

l’m indebted to the band and Nick Sheppard in particular.

How do you find new acts?

We should be talking about finding old ones, but through word of mouth and via friends of friends. I’ve got a reasonable memory; lots of detective work tracking people down, asking them to look in the loft or under their bed for recordings they made 30 years ago. Virtually everyone is thrilled that I’m interested, they’re incredibly

positive and want to be part of the archive.

How important is the Iook and packaging of your records?

Not that important, as most are digital-only, so there’s only ever a

front sleeve. With the CDs and vinyl it’s a different ball game, as we’ve tried to maintain a look and feel from the time, using old images, pictures, posters, etc. Recently, we’ve got Sam Giles on board, who’s a brilliant designer.

What are your future plans for expanding the label?

Alongside more vinyl releases and an ever-expanding website, we have a series of books in the pipeline, in partnership with Tangent Books. These will be picture/photo-based and by photographers from the scene.

As told to Jason Draper

Visit BristolArchiveRecords.com

Contact: [email protected]

Published in Record Collector Edition 143

The Cortinas

MK1     ***/5

Bristol Archive ARC 755 V LP

Engines turn-over once more for Bristol punks.Though they certainly couldn’t claim to have been a part of the upper echelons of the original surge of punk (their most significant moments being a support slot for The Stranglers at the Roxy in early ’77 at the

bequest of Hugh Cornwell and a memorable single in Fascist

Dictator), The Cortinas certainly did everything required of them.

Remembered for being the first punk band out of Bristol, they fired out a couple of 45s on the Step Forward label, both of which appear on this limited to 500 vinyl-only release, hammered their way through a Peel session, got their mugs firmly on the cover of Sniffin Glue and shot their bolt with a disappointing LP. All of which

was pretty much the form for most bands below punk’s premier division.

That said, this collection of 10 demos and all of their 7″ A and B sides crackles with three-chords so that, despite not really

marking them out as a band with an individual identity, it

demonstrates that, for a band “of their kind’, The Cortinas managed to hit all the targets and then some. Fourteen short

and sharp volleys – not the greatest punk outfit but definitely archetypal.

lan Abrahams

Edition 82 Record Collector

THE GRANARY CLUB

Tangent Books has acquired the remaining stock of The Granary Club: The Rock years 1969 to 1988 from previous publisher Broadcast Books. The book is now available for just £5.99 including postage from www.tangentbooks.co.uk until the end of July. The book normally retails at £14.95

Compiled by Al Read – one of the team that started rock events at The Granary in 1968 – and painstakingly researched, the book lists the bands that played the famous Bristol venue between 1968 and the final gig on 11^th August 1988.

Al Read was a DJ at the Granary between 1968 and 1982 and the book is a compelling record of Bristol’s premier rock venue . Open its pages to find Mott The Hoople on October 19^th, 1970; The Cortinas supporting Looney Tunes on Novemebr 23^rd 1976 or Man on August 25^th1983.

Most of the entries are accompanied by profiles and there are several first-had accounts of life at the club, which many of us recall being less than salubrious and never dull.

Granary Club: The Rock Years 1969 to 1988 is essential reading for anyone interested in Bristol’s musical heritage.

The direct link to the page is http://www.tangentbooks.co.uk/products/Granary-Club%3A-The-Rock-years-1969-to-1988.html but it’s also on the home page at www.tangentbooks.co.uk.

THE PIGS

‘1977’

Released on 4^th October 2010

LIMITED EDITION 500 COPIES VINYL ALBUM

100 Copies will have a special Limited Edition Insert featuring stories and exclusive pictures

“When we finally got to see The Cortinas at the Granary – up till then we had them down as more of the Feelgood thing – wow we really got the message!! And that’s what did it. It was so energizing, it felt like we had to get our band started the next day, the same night probably. The Punk train came and we all jumped on it, like a lot of people did, but we were the first ones on in Bristol, after The Cortinas.”

So says guitarist Kit Gould, who indeed formed The Pigs with drummer Ricky Galli, bassist Nigel Robinson and singer Eamonn McAndrew, in time to release the second Bristol Punk single to hit the shops after said Cortinas debut.

New Bristol Records was set up after the band supported Generation X at Chutes, where they met Miles Copeland. “We decided to set it up, it was our idea, with Vernon and John (their managers), and he just went along with it”, says Kit. “Now, looking back, it’s obvious that if Miles Copeland’s going to pay for you to do a recording, he’s not just donating it to you so you can set up your own label, whereas at the time that seemed like an entirely realistic proposition. It’s just naïve kids really that don’t have a clue about the music business. Miles Copeland came on board, he was our London connection.”

The band went into Sound Conception Studio on 12 August 1977 and recorded their whole set, from which four tracks were selected for the ‘Youthanasia’ EP. It gained airplay on John Peel’s show and sales were reasonable, but it proved to be their only release. They continued to gig regularly, including two more shows with The Cortinas, a support slot with Siouxsie and the Banshees at Barton Hill Youth Club, and even a headliner at the legendary (but by that time sadly ailing), Roxy, on 13 January 1978 with Open Sore and The Heat, but they called it a day the following March.

And now we are proud to give you, for the first time, all eleven tracks that the band recorded at Sound Conception, on lovely vinyl, in a rather dinky sleeve.

TITLE: “1977”

LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: Bristol Archive Records / Shellshock

CAT NO: ARC090V

FORMAT: Limited Edition 500 copies Vinyl Only

WEBSITE:  www.bristolarchiverecords.com

VARIOUS ARTISTS: Bristol “The Punk Explosion”

Possibly my favourite ever band, never mind just â punk band, came from Bristol you know? FIVE KNUCKLE were around in the mid 80’s and were obviously too late for a compilation such as this, but it just goes to show the depth and longevity of the punk scene in the South West.

This twenty-track CD highlights many of the bands that were around between 1977 and 1983. The whole point of this collection is to showcase the musical mood of Bristol during that period, but really it’s quite illustrative of what was going on in cities the length and breadth of the UK at the time. And where this album also scores is that the tracks are listed chronologically, so the listener can see how the punk scene was changing during that six year period, with the songs becoming harsher, harder and more abrasive as the album (and years) progress.

Opening with one of the two most famous bands of the time to come from the city (although there are several listed here who will be remembered by original punk fans) THE CORTINAS were one of the first pioneers of this new music. They played the city’s Roxy Club, released a couple of singles on the Step Forward label, were featured on the cover of the seminal Sniffin Glue fanzine and recorded a Peel Session. Defiant Pose is their contribution to the compilation and is pure old school punk bliss with everything you’d expect from an original punk band. Simple, repeated riffs, shouty vocals and gang-backing.

National Front by THE PIGS follows. Brilliant! A song with a distinct anti-racism message even if it is put across in a rather patronising manner: “The National Front are fascists, there’s nothing wrong with the black kids no way” the chorus goes. Genuine sentiment, of course but could that line pass the PC brigade today? A¦ the innocence of 1977!

THE PIGS actually have a second contribution shortly thereafter: Youthanasia. The recording sounds like it was done with their dads old tape recorder in the living room, but this just adds to the overall flavour of the album. The previous two tracks are interspersed by two from 1978 and SOCIAL SECURITY “I Don’t Want My Heart To Rule My Head” is the first, the guitar riff seemingly plagiarised from The Bannedâ hit at the turn of 1977, “Little Girl”. Their second song is Choc Ice which is slightly Buzzcock-esque in sound.

So off to a blistering start and it continues this way right through to the end. I’d happily write all night long in praise of this collection, but time and space is a bit of an inhibitor. Instead, I shall just mention the following highlights. Well, EVERY track is a gem, but these just shine a little brighter for me:

VICE SQUAD were always favourites of mine, so it’s good to see Resurrection included here. And the political age in which we lived then is brought to the for with two songs that relate to the troubles in Northern Ireland at that time: 48 HOURS have A Soldier (Demo) included and THE VERDICT sing IRA Man. THE X-CERTS have two songs that were previously unreleased Fight Back is a chugging guitar driven punk anthem with a shout-a-long chorus, while Stop The Fussing And The Fighting is a nine and a half dub / reggae epic. Again, the almost primitive sound on this just takes you right back to the time and parties in dingy basements.

Moving onwards through time, the album culminates with some early hardcore / Oi from the early Eighties. You can tell by the change of tone in the bands names that the music has taken on a more aggressive feel. The likes of DISORDER; CHAOS UK; LUNATIC FRINGE; CHAOTIC DISCHORD and ONSLAUGHT are all represented with tracks that just go to show even Punk moves with the times.

For anyone around at the inception of the punk scene, this is an essential!

It’ll be straight to the top of my personal playlist, I can tell you!

(Released through Bristol Archive Records and available now July 2010)

(10 / 10)

Taken from http://www.loudhorizon.com

Released this week
LIMITED EDITION 100 COPIES VINYL ALBUM (Special ones)

(With special pull out featuring stories/ a personal insight from Tim Williams, Steve Bush and Phil Harrison plus never before seen pics by Stephen Swan)

VISIT : http://www.bristolarchiverecords.com/vinyl.html TO BUY THE ALBUM NOW!!!!
THE COPIES HAVE JUST ARRIVED AND THEY SMELL FAB!! and selling fast!!

14 STUNNING TRACKS 3 PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED IN ANY FORMAT

This album contains all four tracks from those two great singles, plus ten rare early demo tracks, all newly remastered.