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/
 

Impresario who made the Sex Pistols infamous dies in Switzerland at the age of 64 after a long battle with cancer

Malcolm McLaren, the former manager of the Sex Pistols and impresario, has died from cancer, aged 64.

He died in hospital in Switzerland with his partner, 37-year-old Korean- American Young Kim by his bedside, along with his son Joe Corre. Ms Kim told The Independent: “We were there with him when he passed away. He was diagnosed with cancer in October. He was very active until the end of February when his tumour became very aggressive. He just went very quickly. He said he wanted to be buried at Highgate cemetery. We are now taking steps to try to make that happen.”

McLaren had kept his illness quiet. In February he had travelled to New York in February for the launch of an art book before returning to Switzerland to be treated at a clinic.

 Best-known as the manager of the punk band the Sex Pistols, he achieved the notoriety he sought – and which never left him – when the band’s anti-establishment single “God Save The Queen”, released during the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, was banned from the airwaves by the BBC and the Independent Broadcasting Authority.

He was raised by his grandmother in Newington Green, north London, after his war-deserter father left home when he was two. After having been expelled from several art colleges, he opened a clothes shop on the King’s Road, with his then girlfriend Vivienne Westwood in 1971. The couple’s son, Joe Corre, went on found the lingerie company Agent Provocateur.

Last night Miss Westwood said: “When we were young and I fell in love with Malcolm, I thought he was beautiful and I still do. I thought he was a very charismatic, special and talented person. We hadn’t been in touch for a long time. The thought of him dead is really something very sad.”

The shop became a focal point of the fledgling punk movement. It was here that he first encountered a young John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols. Last night Mr Lydon said: “For me Malc was always entertaining, and I hope you remember that. Above all else he was an entertainer and I will miss him, and so should you.”

Street Voice: First off what gave you the idea of setting up Bristol Archive Records?

A complete desire to provide an accurate account of all the amazing people who have made up the Bristol music scene since 1976/77.

Bristol is regarded quite rightly as the home of  Massive Attack,  Portishead and Roni Size, the home of Trip Hop. These bands deserve all the amazing recognition they get on a global perspective but Massive for example come out of the Punk , Post Punk scene in Bristol and therefore I’m sure took some of their influences from this underground, dynamic scene. The label is about the following:

We aim to showcase music from the diverse Bristol Music scene and provide a historical account / document of all things Bristol that should never be forgotten. Many of the artists and releases are rare, unknown or never before released. The material has been lovingly digitally remastered from vinyl, ¼ inch tape, dat or cassette. The original vinyl releases would generally have been limited to runs of 1000 copies or less.

We would like to thank the original label owners and/or the artists for allowing us to share with you their forgotten works and provide a statement of how brilliant bands have always been from the city of Bristol and the surrounding areas.

Enjoy and never forget the talented ones from the past, they deserve to be recognised & remembered.

A friend of mine Dave Bateman died suddenly in Spain and it got me thinking about all the other fantastic people that had slipped away or would die in the coming years. This label is about putting the record straight and plotting the scene as we know it in Bristol.

Street Voice: How long have you been going as a label?

Started in 2001 but really kicked off about two years ago

Street Voice: Will you be doing other releases apart from punk / new wave bands?

I’m really excited at the moment about a reggae compilation featuring Talisman, Black Roots, Restriction if possible and a whole host of other obscure rare tracks. It would be great if I could Daddy G from Massive to write the sleeve notes as these period in Bristol history was amazing with the St Pauls Riots on the Frontline, the links back to the slave trade, the Blues parties and the development of the underground dance culture through The Wild Bunch and then Smith and Mighty to arrive at what became Trip Hop. I’m sure these massive bands Talisman and Black roots had a part to play in the development of Black music not only in the city but in the UK.

Street Voice: Are there going to be any full albums released on CD or are you just going to do compilations?

I’d love to do a Talisman album. I’m waiting for The Cortinas album to come out on June 21^st and then I’ll approach The Pigs. I’ve always promised myself I’d release The Various Artists album if at all possible so there is loads to be going on with, plenty to keep me on the straight and narrow. 

Street Voice: When you release your material on CD do they come with well packaged booklets telling the story of each band etc?

Bristol The Punk Explosion comes with an eight page booklet, 4000 words by Shane Baldwin and the sleeve is being done by a great Bristol designer Sam Giles so yes is the answer you are looking for.

Street Voice: There is some criticism that labels such as Captain Oi! and Overground have released much of the early punk material you’re working with in various guises over the year. Any comment?

Mark Brennan at Captain Oi has been most supportive with licensing the Riot City material but the early material from 1977 to 1980 has never seen the light of day before in most cases. I would therefore challenge this view as The Cortinas have never agreed to release any of their material before as they didn’t want to be showcased on a PUNK label. They think that the concept of Bristol archive is fantastic and they want to be involved with helping our label and spreading our music as Mark Stewart very recently is quoted as saying …’ Bristol boys make more noise’

Street Voice: What has the feedback been like from both the press and customers?

Amazing especially in Japan. I genuinely believe that most if not all people see the label as it should be seen, as an historical account, as story, a book, a journey an experience. There can’t be another city in the world that has pulled this together and managed to get everyone working together – It’s totally unique!

Street Voice: Are there going to be any DVD’s released of live footage?

Not that we have planed at this stage

Street Voice: Any plans on writing a book on the history of the Bristol music scene?

Yes we’ve just done a deal with Tangent Books in Bristol and we will have a series of books on the scene by photographers from the scene. Our first will be John Spink and I’m hopeful of a book from Stephen Swan, brother of Dan Swan from The Cortinas so you can guess what that book will be focused on – it’s all very exciting at the moment

Street Voice: Anything you’d like to add?

Keep an open mind, give Bristol music a chance and learn about history as you enjoy it

Mike Darby

www.bristolarchiverecords.com

April 2010

Interview on the website:

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=22963792&blogId=532585902

‘LIVE MUSIC SCENE’ INTERVIEW

Mike Darby Questions

http://www.live-music-scene.co.uk/news.asp 

How did Bristol Archive Records get started?

We released a compilation cd ‘Western Stars the Bands That Built Bristol’ in 2001 featuring great bands from 1979-1981.It didn’t sell very well so there was no follow up until about two years ago when a friend of mine Dave Bateman,Vice Squads guitarist suddenly died in Spain. It got me thinking that there was no record anywhere of the people that made up the Bristol scene and if someone didn’t pull the project together lots more people would start dieing and then the music potentially could be lost forever. Bristol as we all know is thought of as Massive Attack and Portishead and rightly so for their recognition around the globe but there were and are hundreds of fantastic people, musicians who helped create the scene from 1976 to get to the first Massive Attack Album. Mission impossible therefore had started.

What can we expect from Bristol Archive Records?

We aim to showcase music from the diverse Bristol Music scene and provide a historical account / document of all things Bristol that should never be forgotten. Many of the artists and releases are rare, unknown or never before released. The material has been lovingly digitally remastered from vinyl, ¼ inch tape, dat or cassette. The original vinyl releases would generally have been limited to runs of 1000 copies or less. We would like to thank the original label owners and/or the artists for allowing us to share with you their forgotten works and provide a statement of how brilliant bands have always been from the city of Bristol and the surrounding areas. Enjoy and never forget the talented ones from the past, they deserve to be recognised & remembered.

How did you get involved in music?

Formed a band called The Rimshots in 1979, released our first of two singles in 1980. Played with The Beat, Hazel O’Connor and The Body Snatchers. Didn’t achieve global domination or recognition but had loads of fun. Started managing bands in 1984 with Fear of Darkness and later Love Jungle and then later again Rita Lynch.

Sugar Shack Records started in 1985 to release the Fear of Darkness single ‘Lay Me Down’.

How do you balance your time between Bristol Archive Records and Sugar Shack Records?

Most of the time these days it’s focused on the Archive. There is so much previously unreleased fantastic material that every week brings something new and exciting. New music has taken a bit of a back seat but as we all know it only takes one song to get you excited again.

How would you describe the current Bristol music scene?

Not sure as I haven’t been to a gig for two years now.

If you could have any line-up for a gig, what would it be?

The Pop Group supported by Talisman, The Electric Guitars and The Various Artists.

What future releases can we expect from Bristol Archive Records?

Bristol The Punk Explosion out on cd June 14^th

The Cortinas album ‘MK 1’ out on vinyl June 21^st

Avon Calling 2 on cd

The Best of Heartbeat Records on cd

The Best of The Bristol recorder and Wavelength Records

Hopefully a compilation featuring The Best of Bristol Reggae

Plus tons of digital only releases

What’s the long-term goal for Bristol Archive Records?

To make Bristol proud by doing a good job, providing an accurate account and a fair and sensible approach to the business end of things

For www.live-music-scene.co.uk

Mike Darby April 2010

The link can be found here at::  http://www.live-music-scene.co.uk/news.asp