‘Bristol Boys Make More Noise!
Mods, Power Pop, Scooter Boys – 1979-1987’
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Released on CD and Digital Download 1st April 2016

Bristol Archive Records have been telling the story of the incredibly diverse Bristol Music scene for several years now. The label has gained incredible success with their three previous releases ‘The Bristol Reggae Explosion’ series – Volume one, two and three covering 1978 to the end of the 80’s. They followed the Reggae vibe with another critically acclaimed release, The Bristol Punk Explosion 1977-1983 which covered 1977 and The Cortinas through to Onslaught and the oncoming of Thrash Metal.
Now they turn their attention to another SUB CULTURE – Mods, Power Pop and Scooter Boys.

This album covers the period 1979 to 1987 and features 21 tracks. When punk rock started to fizzle out and Squat Punks started to appear on the streets, many of the UK’s disaffected youths had already moved sideways in Modernism and fell in love with bands like The Jam, Secret Affair and The Chords.

Mod was another gang culture, to some a way of life, to some it became life. The smart, striking fashion sense, the scooters, the music; (some from the 60’s, soul and motown), some from the 70’s and 80’s, guitar driven power pop. Wow, Mod was the real deal.

The West Country embraced the scene and produced its own Mod bands like Mayfair and The Newbeats. Other bands were in on the act but could be more appropriately described as Power Pop / Ska, namely The A.T’s from Bath, The Review from Clevedon and Sky High from Gloucester.

Success for some was supporting their heroes, a good example being Thin Air (previously called Out of Order) with their 14 year old guitarist and songwriter Paul Sandrone, who supported The Jam at The Locarno in 1980. Or The Rimshots, who played on the same bills as The Beat and The Bodysnatchers.

Most of the tracks on this album are previously unreleased or were issued on tiny runs of Limited 7” vinyl.

Some of our boys did make the grade though. Huw Gower with his band The Records, signing to Virgin in 1978 and had a number 56 Billboard Top 100 hit single with ‘Starry Eyes’, also playing on the same bills as the Jam. Huw recorded the track ‘She’s Still a Mystery immediately after he’d left The Records in 1981 with a big anthemic chorus, classic trademarks of The Who.
This album is a soundtrack to an era, remembering a period in time when Top of The Pops was full of Two Tone bands. 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 wear a Parka (weirdly all the rage again now in the 2016).

Enjoy the soundtrack to their lives – Bristol Boys Make More Noise! Mods, Power Pop, Scooter Boys 1979-1987 is released April 1st 2016 on CD and digital download.

The novel provisionally entitled ‘To Be Someone’ Bristol Mod 1979-1985 written by Michael W Salter will follow later in the year published by Bristol Archive Records and Tangent Books which tells the story of the Bristol Mod and Scooter Boy scene.

www.bristolarchiverecords.com

ARTIST: Various Artists
TITLE: “Bristol Boys Make More Noise! Mods, Power Pop, Scooter Boys 1979-1987”
RELEASE DATE: 1st April 2016
LABEL: Bristol Archive Records
DISTRIBUTION: Shellshock / SRD
FORMAT: CD and Digital Download
CAT NO: ARC287CD
BARCODE: 5052571065822
GENRE: Punk, Mod, Power Pop, Ska
WEBSITE: www.bristolarchiverecords.com
PRESS CONTACT: Mike Darby, E: [email protected] / T: 07885 498 402

Track Listing:

1. The A.T’s Too Young Girl
2. Huw Gower She’s Still A Mystery
3. Thin Air A Thousand Burning Voices
4. The Rimshots Little Boys and Little Girls
5. Mayfair Traffic
6. The Various Artists Weekends
7. The Gross Club Second Chance
8. Sky High Maryanne
9. The Rimshots I Was Wrong
10. Joe Public Hermans Back
11. The Review Englands Glory
12. Cass Carnaby Five November Rain
13. The Untouchables Keep Your Distance
14. The Letters Nobody Loves Me
15. The A.T’s Sand In My Face
16. Thin Air Sentry’s Life
17. The Newbeats Somebody’s Girl
18. Mayfair The Legend
19. The Review Fleet Street
20. Blue Riverside Experiments in Colour (Live)
21. Blue Riverside High Time Baby (Live)

Another welcome addition to our team for 2016 is Michael W Salter

Formed as a garage band in the summer of 79 in the wake of the Who’s movie Quadraphenia and the Mod revival.

Started playing gigs in and around Bristol the Christmas of 79, and played regularly at the old Bunch of Grapes that went on to be the Stonehouse, and later the Electric Stonehouse, were also regular performers at  Trinity Hall, Hope Chapel, and the Green Rooms.

The early 80’s music set from Mayfair, was a collection of songs written by the band and covers from the Kink’s, Beatles and various Motown and Northern soul artists.

In 1980 Mayfair were a 5 piece band, Johnny Locomotion/Vocals,  Rob Colledge/ Bass,  Mark Placito/Lead Guitar, Dave Hale/Rhythm guitar & Tony Pierce/Drums.

During 1980 the band gained strong local popularity and were regulars on the Bristol circuit.

At the end of 1980 several musicians left the band, and the band reformed as a 3 piece with Johnny Locomotion on Bass/Vocals, Rob Colledge on Guitar/Vocals and Conway Wynne Jones/Drums, a new music set was put together and the band started to gig again at the start of 81. The new music set  comprised of songs written by Johnny  L /Colledge with only a small amount of covers, the band continued to play the local circuit, and were now regularly playing to audiences in Birmingham, Worcester, Swindon, Gloucester & Cheltenham. Mid 1981 Mayfair also added Jon B on Saxophone which added a new dimension to the band and gave the music a more soulful feel. 

During this period, Mayfair played some memorable gig’s in Bristol as support acts to the Alarm and Amen Corner, at the Bierkellar. They produced several demo tapes with the bands own songs which included Traffic, The Legend and Strange little World. During 1981 Mayfair were interviewed live on BBC radio who also played the bands track ‘’Traffic’’. 

Mayfair also played the ‘’Battle of the Bands’’ at Trinity Hall, and have several tracks on the re-released  ‘’Bristol Beat’’ the Stonehouse tapes.  At the ‘’Battle of the Bands’’ , Mayfair were spotted by a panel judge from the rock band ‘’Status Quo’’ and were invited to London.The band turned  down the opportunity citing ‘’musical differences’,  had they gone, how this might have changed the future for Mayfair is anybody’s guess.

In 1982 Mayfair were again playing locally and further afield, and played several gig’s with the London band ‘’Small World’’ the song writing duo of  Locomotion/Colledge both heavily influenced by R&B from the 1960’s continued to write strong material for the band and were on the verge of bigger things when the toll of combining music with family and work commitments finally took their toll and Mayfair disbanded in early 83.

Commenting at the end of the bands reign, Locomotion stated, we have no regrets, we stayed true to our roots and beliefs, we’ve all had a fantastic few years, it was hard work, worth it, but I don’t want to do it again!.

In thanking their fans at a farewell gig in Bristol, at the end of the show Mayfair invited the remaining audience to follow to a large Italian local restaurant where they footed the bill for Pizza and beers for all, well over 100 people were in attendance and the band paid out over 800.00 pounds, a lot of money back then.The band knew many of the fans had travelled far and wide to support  the act during those years, coaches with fans from the Bristol Area, Gloucester  & Weston Super Mare were regular to support Mayfair, and it was a final ‘’thank you’’.      

(Johnny Locomotion Dec 2010 )

The Rimshots second single originally released in 1981 has just been rereleased via www.1977records.com in Japan.

If you wish two check it out and maybe buy a copy please use the link above

Rimshots Biography

Formed in 1979 in Bristol, England this Power Pop / Mod band started to appear on the British gig scene along side the likes of The Purple Hearts, The Chords, The Beat and Secret Affair. They unfortunately never achieved national recognition but did support The Beat, Hazel O’Connor, The Bellstars and The Bodysnatchers along with many others in their home city and the surrounding area.

This is their second single originally released on Spectro Records in 1981, their first a Ska offering ‘I Was Wrong’ was released on Shoc Wave Records in 1980.

The band were managed by Gene Walsh owner of Shoc Wave and were influenced in their early development by the thriving Reggae scene in Bristol and supported British heavyweight reggae kings Black Roots and Talisman who were leading the charge on the British public.

More information and a digital download Rimshots album can be found at www.bristolarchiverecords.com with a vinyl album release in the pipeline.