RELEASES
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THE BRISTOL HEAVY ROCK EXPLOSION
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Released on CD and Digital Download 11th November 2016
The critically sanctioned history of Bristol music tells us that the melting pot of punk and sound systems spawned a generation of musicians who skipped arm-in-arm from hip hangout the Dugout Club to conquer the world with the fabled ‘Bristol Sound’. All of which is true. But it’s not the whole story. That great sage Mr. Rob Zombie has described metal as the biggest underground movement in the world. There are outposts in every major city – even cooler-than-thou Bristol. Mostly unnoticed by the local and national press, the city’s hard rock and metal acts have created an impressive and remarkably diverse body of work over the years.
Of course, we shouldn’t over-state the case. Bristol isn’t the West Midlands. The city has never produced a Led Zeppelin, a Black Sabbath or a Judas Priest. Nor has there ever been a local hard rock/metal ‘scene’ as such; indeed, many of the bands in this compilation are not known to one another. If you choose to play this type of music, you cannot afford to succumb to the great Bristol band syndrome of cliquishness and insularity. No metal band has the slightest chance of becoming a big fish in this small pond. So as much through necessity as ambition – and there’s been no shortage of the latter quality – Bristol’s purveyors of the heavy stuff have tended to be much more outward-facing than their peers. And the rest of the world has been listening, from the NWOBHM-obsessed likes of Metallica’s Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield lapping up Jaguar’s proto-speed-metal and recycling it into world-conquering thrash to Max Cavalera of Brazil’s Sepultura and key members of the early Scandinavian black/death metal scene gorging on the hugely influential anarcho-punk/metal crossover of Amebix.
Spanning nearly 25 years from the early ’70s to the mid-’90s, The Bristol Rock Explosion celebrates the city’s unfairly overlooked rock talent. Its 17 tracks, many of them rare and previously unreleased, also take in early space rockers Magic Muscle, punk rockers-turned-thrash metal titans Onslaught, the mighty goth-rockers Claytown Troupe, Shiva’s pioneering prog-metal, the accomplished classic rock of Lautrec and Stampede, classy melodic rockers Bronz, Headmaster’s saucy pin-up rock, the ’90s sounds of Voodoo and Mirror Mirror, and much, much more.
Additionally, the extensive, anecdote-rich sleeve notes tell the frequently eye-opening stories behind this great music, written by Robin Askew.
bandcamp
CD
Comes with a 16 page CD booklet with extensive sleeve notes written by Robin Askew Includes rare and not seen before photos supplied by the bands. 17 tracks from the heaviest bands in the area circa late 70′s to early 90′s. Lets Rock!
£8.00 + Delivery
Track listing:
1. Lautrec – Mean Gasoline
2. Bronz – Ask No Questions
3. Magic Muscle – Free as a Bird
4. Claytown Troupe – Hey Lord
5. Shiva – Not There
6. Stormtrooper – In The State In The City
7. Hunted – Strangers
8. Voodoo – Crazy
9. Mirror Mirror – Domino Effect
10. Brabazon – Having The Time of my Life
11. Headmaster – Kids Said Rock
12. Jaguar – Stormchild
13. Gazer – Give It To Me
14. Metropolis DC – Snake Madness
15. Stampede – Shadows of the Night
16. Onslaught – Metal Forces 2013
17. Amebix – The Power Remains
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HUNTED ‘FALLEN ANGEL’ (THE COLLECTION)
Released on CD and Digital Download 28th October 2016
Limited Edition Deluxe gatefold card sleeve.
15 Track cd ‘best of’ from one of Bristol’s best Hard Rock bands. We present ‘Fallen Angel’ (The Collection), the first 50 copies come with a signed A3 poster.
If talent and timing are the two prerequisites for success, Bristol quintet Hunted had only one of them working in their favour. Back in the early 1990s, the fashion in rock music was to schlep around in plaid shirts pretending to be glum in emulation of such grungemeisters as Nirvana and Pearl Jam. This was not a time to launch a career in well-crafted melodic hard rock with soaring twin lead guitars. With the odds stacked against them from the outset, the remarkable thing about Hunted was that they managed to achieve so much during their all-too-brief flowering, winning a national battle of the bands contest and building an enviable live following.
Guitarist and Hunted founder Bob Starling had already tasted a modicum of success with Bristol NWOBHM Stormtrooper, whose ‘Pride Before a Fall (The Lost Album)’ is also available on Bristol Archive Records. Joining forces with old chum and fellow guitarist Dave Preston in the spring of 1992, Bob swiftly secured the services of vocalist Andy Milsom, bassist Mark Williams and drummer Andy ‘Woody’ Knight. By Christmas, the band had clocked up gigs at all the key venues on the local live circuit, including the Bristol Bridge Inn, the Fleece and the Bierkeller.
But 1993 was to be Hunted’s big year. In January, they recorded their first, self-financed EP, ‘Streets of Fire’ , as a statement of intent to become more than just another bunch of wannabes playing local pubs for beer money. On a roll, they entered and won Radio 1′s Rock Wars contest in June, bagging a recording session at the legendary Maida Vale Studios. This was broadcast twice on The Friday Rock Show, in August 1993 and January 1994. Now established as Bristol’s leading hard rock act, they secured coveted local support slots with Steve Grimmett’s Lionsheart and ex-Iron Maiden men Paul Di’Anno and Adrian Smith’s respective solo projects. The year was capped with a memorable Christmas gig at the Bierkeller. Headlining a bill that included fellow local acts Brabazon, Devious and Joker’s Wild, this was the venue’s biggest selling local show of 1993, pulling 400 punters. Despite the efforts of an over-zealous pyro operator who managed to flood the ‘keller with a bilious cloud of evil-smelling smoke, the performance was a triumph that was to prove the high-water mark of Hunted’s live career.
1994 continued on a high with an invitation to go to New York to discuss a potential development deal with RCA. Six new songs were recorded for the occasion and the A&R people were suitably enthusiastic, as A&R folks so often are. Back in the UK, Hunted played the Marquee and recorded more material for their proposed debut album, ‘Crawl’. But the RCA deal fell through, hitting the band hard. With disillusion setting in, it was only a matter of time until the inevitable split.
What they left behind are the tracks collected here for the very first time, which amount to Hunted’s complete recorded output. Opening track ‘Strangers’ is the perfect introduction: a huge riff, screaming guitars, powerful vocals, thunderous drums and a lyric dealing with lady trouble (something of a preoccupation with Hunted). But there’s plenty of versatility here, from driving rock to more intricate arrangements drawing on a variety of influences. ‘Judgement’ is built on a huge groove; the anthemic ‘I See the Sun’ boasts terrace-chant vocals that would give Def Leppard a run for their money; ‘Fallen Angel’ is a rare example of the non-weedy power ballad; the ridiculously catchy ‘Three Wise Monkeys’ brings the funk in a style that recalls ‘Pornograffiti’-era Extreme; and ‘Victim’ sees Hunted at their most atypically punky. Arguably, the best is saved till last with the epic, Ritchie Blackmore-style, Eastern-tinged guitar showcase, ‘Swing of the Pendulum’, which still holds its own against the titans of post-millennial prog-metal. It’s all hugely accomplished stuff. In an alternative universe, they’ve got an A-list producer, a string of Platinum albums and a packed touring schedule of the world’s biggest enormodomes heaving with devoted fans. They probably have just as much lady trouble, mind.
bandcamp
CD
Limited Edition Deluxe gatefold card sleeve.
15 Track cd ‘best of’ from one of Bristol’s best Hard Rock bands. We present ‘Fallen Angel’ (The Collection), the first 50 copies come with a signed A3 poster
£8.00 + Delivery
Tracklisting:
1. Strangers
2. Judgement
3. This Must Be Love
4. I See The Sun
5. Fallen Angel
6. Broken Heart
7. Three Wise Monkeys
8. Two Timed
9. Crawl
10. Streets Of Fire
11. Wish U Wuz Ded
12. Destiny
13. Kill Me
14. Victim
15. Swing Of The Pendulum
ARTIST: Hunted
TITLE: Fallen Angel (The Collection)
RELEASE DATE: 28th October 2016
LABEL: Bristol Archive Records
DISTRIBUTION: Shellshock / SRD
FORMAT: CD and Digital Download
CAT NO: ARC300CD
BARCODE: 5052571069127
GENRE: Classic Rock, Rock, Metal
Sounds like: Def Leppard, Thunder, Gun
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AVON CALLING VARIOUS ARTISTS
(The Ultimate Regional compilation album)
Released on CD and Digital Download 21st October 2016
Limited Edition Vinyl Replica card sleeve with mini fold out poster.
After the huge success of Attrix Records’ Brighton compilation Vaultage 78, there was something of a vogue for regional albums, and the obvious man to throw the West Country’s musical hat into the ring was Simon Edwards, head honcho of Bristol punk and post-punk indie label Heartbeat.
When Heartbeat distributors Cherry Red demurred, Edwards convinced them with the 4 Alternatives EP featuring excellent tracks by The X-Certs, 48 Hours, Joe Public and The Numbers. It more than did the job, though only The X-Certs went on to appear on the album.
It was recorded at Crescent Studios, Bath, with David Lord and Glen Tommey at the controls with two bands recording per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, sharing gear where possible. This was a fantastic studio, but not cheap so time was of the essence.
The finished result, Avon Calling, was everything that Simon and Cherry Red had hoped for and then some. It’s now regarded as a post-punk and pop-punk classic and a cult favourite in countries like Japan, where The Stingrays tour every year, and their Avon Calling track Sound is a show-stopper every night.
The ever-canny John Peel declared Avon Calling “…really the standard by which the others must be judged in future because it really is superb. There are fifteen tracks on the LP, genuinely not a bad one amongst them and a lot of really good stuff.”
And he wasn’t wrong, of course.
Avon Calling comes home so to speak and gets a welcome rerelease via the Bristol Archive Records imprint. Released on CD and Digital Download on 21st October 2016
bandcamp
CD
Limited Edition Vinyl Replica card sleeve with mini fold out poster.
The original 15 tracks reissued on cd. The ultimate regional compilation album comes home to Bristol. All tracks digitally restored and remastered by Bristol’s legendary recording engineer Steve Street. First 50 copies include an A3 signed poster by Simon Edwards
£7.00 + Delivery
ARTIST: Various Artists
TITLE: Avon Calling
RELEASE DATE: 21st October 2016
LABEL: Bristol Archive Records
DISTRIBUTION: Shellshock / SRD
FORMAT: CD and Digital Download
CAT NO: ARC302CD
BARCODE: 5052571069226
GENRE: Punk, Post Punk
Tracklisting:
1. It’s Irrational – Glaxo Babies
2. On The Continent – The Europeans
3. Green Is In The Red – Private Dicks
4. Too Much Commotion – Moskow
5. Chronicle – Essential Bop
6. What You’ve Got – Directors
7. Own Up – Various
8. Slugweird – Sneak Preview
9. Sound – The Stingrays
10. Anthem – X-Certs
11. The Alternative – Apartment
12. Cross-Slide – Numbers
13. Nothing – Vice Squad
14. Move Fast-Stay Ahead – Stereo Models
15. My Dead Mother – Double Vision
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Punks on Scooters: (The Bristol Mod Revival 1979-1985) – BOOK
Signed copy of the book by MW Salter with limited edition poster.
Like many young people in the mid 70s Michael Salter adopted punk as his protest against ‘no future’ politics, dreary chart music and the pomp and excess of prog rock. But as the punk sub-culture split and evolved, Salter and his friends moved away from the spiky haired shock tactics to the sharp-suited, 1960s retro-style of the mods.
The mod revival embraced the music of 60s bands such as The Who and created new acts such as The Jam and Secret Affair. It also saw the revival of scooter clubs across the country.
But as in the 60s when mods and rockers fought running battles, the mod revival was steeped in violence and Salter doesn’t pull his punches in recalling the violent scenes played out most nights at Steamers night club in the centre of Bristol or the suburban violence which saw mods being attacked and leading the attacks in and around the pubs of Kingswood, Downend and Winterbourne.
Punks on Scooters is Salter’s autobiographical account of the fashion, music and violence of the mod revival. The book also includes appendices with pieces on The Newbeats and Colonel Kilgore’s Vietnamese Formation Surf Team and contributions by mod girl Eve Pearce, leading Bristol mod Geoff Rice, Steamers DJ Jerry Cripps and Jon Andrews of Bristol mod band Mayfair.
Punks on Scooters is a collaboration between Tangent Books and Bristol Archive Records and accompanies the BAR CD Mods, Power Pop, Scooter Boys 1979-1987 (CAT NO: ARC287CD).
Shipping 1st October 2016 – Preorder
Book
SOLD OUT
Format: Book
Release date: 1st October 2016
Cat No.: BARC002
Book and CD
SOLD OUT
Format: Book and CD
Release date: 1st October 2016
Cat No.: BARC002Bundle
STORMTROOPER ‘Pride Before A Fall – (The Lost Album)’
CD includes a limited edition A3 poster signed by the band (100 copies only)
Cast your mind back to a time when new music was coming at the public in ‘waves’. First there was the ‘new wave’ of punk rock. Then 1979 and into the early 1980’s, taking its’ cue from those shorter haired thrashings, the then mighty music press in the form of Sounds came up with the laborious name of the ‘New Wave Of British Heavy Metal’ for the deluge of new rock bands that were emerging from all over the country.
In a story that is little appreciated, bar amongst the bands’ fiercest fans, Bristol’s very own Stormtrooper were ahead of the ‘N.W.O.B.H.M’, as they had originally formed in the mid 1970’s. But they were right in there more than holding their own with the likes of Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, Saxon and Motorhead in terms of seeing their music released in the slip-stream of that catch-all ‘brand identity’.
Bristol as a city has no claim to being a rock stronghold, but the band didn’t let that hold their campaign back. Their passion, talent and ambition enabled them to launch themselves to gain recognition, and their hard work and blistering live shows paid off when ‘Pride Before A Fall’ became one of the singles released through the unlikely means of local Heartbeat Records operation, run by Simon Edwards in Bristol.
Released 19th August 2016 via Bristol Archive Records
bandcamp
CD
£8.00 + Delivery
ARTIST: Stormtrooper
TITLE: “Pride Before A Fall – (The Lost Album)”
RELEASE DATE: 19th August 2016
LABEL: Bristol Archive Records
DISTRIBUTION: Shellshock / SRD
FORMAT: CD
CAT NO: ARC297CD
BARCODE: TBA
GENRE: Rock / Prog / Metal
Cast your mind back to a time when new music was coming at the public in ‘waves’. First there was the ‘new wave’ of punk rock. Then 1979 and into the early 1980’s, taking its’ cue from those shorter haired thrashings, the then mighty music press in the form of Sounds came up with the laborious name of the ‘New Wave Of British Heavy Metal’ for the deluge of new rock bands that were emerging from all over the country.
In a story that is little appreciated, bar amongst the bands’ fiercest fans, Bristol’s very own Stormtrooper were ahead of the ‘N.W.O.B.H.M’, as they had originally formed in the mid 1970’s. But they were right in there more than holding their own with the likes of Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, Saxon and Motorhead in terms of seeing their music released in the slip-stream of that catch-all ‘brand identity’.
Bristol as a city has no claim to being a rock stronghold, but the band didn’t let that hold their campaign back. Their passion, talent and ambition enabled them to launch themselves to gain recognition, and their hard work and blistering live shows paid off when ‘Pride Before A Fall’ became one of the singles released through the unlikely means of local Heartbeat Records operation, run by Simon Edwards in Bristol.
‘Pride’ roared its’ way into the ‘Heavy Metal’ chart at 23 in Sounds in its’ first week of release. It reached the heady heights of number 11 after. But unfortunately that was as far as it got in terms of national recognition of the bands’ releases.
Now the other recordings made by the band in that era, including at the now sadly lost Crescent studios in Bath, as well as in their home city, are available on the ‘Pride Before A Fall – The Lost Album’ album, released on Bristol Archive Records.
Songs like ‘In The State In the City’ and ‘Still Coming Home’ showcase the bands’ unique blend of Bob Starling’s distinctive and passionate blazing guitar attack, with the driving force of an electrifying rhythm section.
Nick Hancox’s technically brilliant and energetic drumming fused with Colin ‘Boggy’ Bond’s knock down the walls bass playing, and his definitive use of Moog bass pedals which brought another dimension to the textures in the music. In the best traditions of a great rock band, this was topped by the rock power and vocal range of singer, Paul Merrell.
The full-on epic ‘Battle of the Eve’ – recorded ‘live’ in the studio in one take like the other songs on ‘Pride’ – took the band into more ‘Prog’ territory, with the use of basic Moog synthesisers and various effects adding extra colour.
You can hear on this album how the band wore their collective influences – centring on Led Zeppelin and Rush – on their musical sleeve, whether it was hard rock, intricate ‘Prog’, blues or plain kick out the jams slamdunk riffing. Their sheer vim and punk-infused enthusiasm, combined with a strong collective control, gave them a sound that was very much their own.
In spite of the minimal time spent on it in the studio, ‘Pride’ as an album bristles with high level musicianship that transcends any production limitations. This is a band recorded in the raw, and the music tells it like it is, with no frills yet has plenty of depth. It’s music that HAS to be listened to.
The album shows the undoubted potential in a band that with the right management, combined with that bit of luck that every act needs in their career, should have been serious contenders to make an international breakthrough, as Leppard and Maiden did. But that’s the rock and roll dream, and they certainly lived it.
They ‘got away’ from their backgrounds from the meaner streets of south Bristol – and there are plenty of those all over the city – while doing their best to reach out to a wider audience. It takes a lot to get out of what could be seen as ‘the Bristol attitude’, but once the band split Colin Bond also had his own wide ranging career after he’d left as a member of Stampede, touring with Meatloaf and playing on 14 different albums . His brilliant sleeve notes to the album convey this and his story wonderfully.
Now it’s time for Stormtroopers’ brand of crafted musicianship, high-octane, no holds barred passionate rock thrill to get its’ official album release, and the wider recognition that will inevitably go with it. This album is an explosive listen, with depth, intensity, heart and graft written right into it. It’s a lost gem that’s rock gold and is worthy of being in any genuine rock fans music collection. Feast your ears on it!
Colin Bond -
Bass: Rickenbacker 4000
Synthesisers: Moog Taurus, Moog Prodigy
Effects: Colorsound Flanger
Amplification: Hiwatt/WEM
Bob Starling -
Guitars: Gibson Les Paul SG, Gibson Firebird, Yamaha Acoustic
Effects: MXR micro amp, Cry Baby wah wah, Coloursound delay and Flanger
Amplification: Marshall/Vox
Nick Hancox -
Drums: Sonar
Paul Merrell -
Vocals: Shure
Tracklisting
1. Pride Before A Fall. 3.01 (Bond/Lloyd)
2. Battle of The Eve. 12.38 (Bond/Lloyd)
3. In the State in The City. 4.57 (Bond/Starling/Merrell)
4. If It Takes A Man a Week To Walk a Fortnight Then How Long Is a Piece a Piece of String. 2.44 (Bond/Starling/Merrell)
5. Bounty Hunter. 4.01 (Bond/Starling/Lloyd)
6. Still Comin’ Home. 4.30 (Bond/Merrell)
7. Drunken Women. 5.59 (Bond/Lloyd)
8. Confusion. 8.16 (Bond/Merrell)
9. After Battle. 9.42 (Bond/Merrell)
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Rita Lynch ‘Story to Tell’ (Anthology 1988 – 2011)
A worthy heir of Patti Smith, The Velvet Underground, Poison Girls, Iggy Pop and Pauline Murray and gutsy contemporary of PJ Harvey, Liz Phair, Kirsten Hersh and Juliana Holter releases.
This documents Rita’s 30 years of work in the world’s musical underground. She has produced nine outstanding studio albums to date. This compilation spans her career and includes unreleased demos, mixes and classic tracks which truly represent the breadth of Rita’s song writing ability. Songs like ‘Beautiful Eyes’ and ‘Call me your Girlfriend’ and ‘Rolla Coaster’, included on this album, have been soundtracks to many people’s lives. Her recent work with Blue Aeroplanes drummer and bassist; Jon Langley and Mike Youe have been her most productive yet.
Includes a limited edition signed poster (100 copies only)
bandcamp
Format - CD
£8.99 + Delivery (Available to Preorder now)
ARTIST: Rita Lynch
TITLE: “Story to Tell”
RELEASE DATE: 22nd April 2016
LABEL: Bristol Archive Records
DISTRIBUTION: Shellshock / SRD
FORMAT: CD and Digital Download
CAT NO: ARC288CD
GENRE: Punk, Indie
A worthy heir of Patti Smith, The Velvet Underground, Poison Girls, Iggy Pop and Pauline Murray and gutsy contemporary of PJ Harvey, Liz Phair, Kirsten Hersh and Juliana Holter releases.
This documents Rita’s 30 years of work in the world’s musical underground. She has produced nine outstanding studio albums to date. This compilation spans her career and includes unreleased demos, mixes and classic tracks which truly represent the breadth of Rita’s song writing ability. Songs like ‘Beautiful Eyes’ and ‘Call me your Girlfriend’ and ‘Rolla Coaster’, included on this album, have been soundtracks to many people’s lives. Her recent work with Blue Aeroplanes drummer and bassist; Jon Langley and Mike Youe have been her most productive yet.
The daughter of Irish immigrants to London in the 1950’s, she was brought up a very religious child and wanted to be a nun or a saint when she grew up. Instead, inspired by Bob Dylan, Irish traditional music and then the counter-revolution of punk rock, she became a songwriter and threw herself into every experience she could get. Hard drinking and living in squats, travelling Europe, experimenting sexually and living a life that challenged preconceptions of identity, led her to be upheld as a true Lesbian icon. She fought though, against the limits of any categorisation and made music that reflected that. Her work bristles with an aggression that is often softened by her words and her ability to write about humility, sexuality, religion and death speaks to all of us. Channel 4 made a documentary about her life and work called ‘On the road with Rita Lynch’ in 1998 and she has been inspirational for so many artists:
I think my music is less aggressive than hers; or rather she’s aggressive in different way. She’s had more experience of the world and I think that shows in her performance.” P.J. Harvey
Her albums from 1991’s “Call me your Girlfriend’, ‘All Dressed Up’ (2001), ‘Good Advice’ (2008) through to the most recent album ‘Anti-Social’ (2015), have always presented beautifully crafted, angry, staccato guitar stabbing brilliance with thoughtful and strong lyrics about the human condition – all captured wonderfully in this career spanning compilation.
Track Listing:
1- All Dressed Up
2 – Illusion
3 – Far Away
4 – Call Me Your Girlfriend
5 – Beautiful Eyes
6 – Alright Alright
7 – Losing
8 – Love Goes On
9 – Sweet Pain
10 – Shiver
11 – The Only Man
12 – Rolla Coaster
13 – Last a Lifetime
14 – New Girl
15 – Do You Dream
16 – O God Above
17 – So Good To Me
18 – Remember Me
19 – You Gotta Leave
20 – Tied To You
21 – I Can’t Explain
22 – Strip Right Away
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Bristol Boys Make More Noise! Mods, Power Pop, Scooter Boys – 1979-1987
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.
“I love a subculture, particularly when the fashion sense is sharp and the music is full of youthful energy. Even better when it’s homegrown in the provinces and not in London, then there is a feeling of authenticity and sense of place. That is exactly what is captured on this 21- track album ‘Bristol Boys Make More Noise’ released by Bristol Archive Records.
From the jangly pop of Huw Gower’s ‘She’s Still a Mystery’ to the pop romanticism of Thin Air’s ‘A Thousand Burning Voices’ or my personal favorite, the fusion of ska and mod on Sky High’s ‘Maryanne’, this album is a testament to Bristol’s mod/ power pop revival and those boys and girls who weren’t afraid to embrace diversity in their music”.
Pauline Black (The Selecter) – Feb 2016
bandcamp
Format - CD
£8.00 + Delivery
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
GENRE: Mod, Power Pop, Ska
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.
“I love a subculture, particularly when the fashion sense is sharp and the music is full of youthful energy. Even better when it’s homegrown in the provinces and not in London, then there is a feeling of authenticity and sense of place. That is exactly what is captured on this 21- track album ‘Bristol Boys Make More Noise’ released by Bristol Archive Records.
From the jangly pop of Huw Gower’s ‘She’s Still a Mystery’ to the pop romanticism of Thin Air’s ‘A Thousand Burning Voices’ or my personal favorite, the fusion of ska and mod on Sky High’s ‘Maryanne’, this album is a testament to Bristol’s mod/ power pop revival and those boys and girls who weren’t afraid to embrace diversity in their music”.
Pauline Black (The Selecter) – Feb 2016
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.
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)
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The Bristol Roots Explosion
Nine tracks of classic Bristol Roots Reggae including two previously unreleased tracks. The LP comes with a limited edition, signed, numbered poster (100 copies) only available from Band camp and the Bristol Archive Records website.
bandcamp
LP and Digital Download
SOLD OUT
ARTIST: Various Artists
TITLE: ‘The Bristol Roots Explosion’
RELEASE DATE: 4th March 2016
LABEL: Bristol Archive Records
DISTRIBUTION: Shellshock / SRD
FORMAT: LP and Digital Download
CAT NO: ARC279V
BARCODE: 5052571064412
GENRE: Reggae, Dub
WEBSITE: www.bristolarchiverecords.com
PRESS CONTACT:
Mike Darby, E: [email protected]
T: 07885 498 402
To keep a vinyl album on catalogue and steadily selling for five years, is something of an achievement and we are rightly proud that “The Bristol Reggae Explosion 1978-1983” and it’s slightly newer follow-up “The Bristol Reggae Explosion 2 – The 1980s”, both continue to find new fans. Unfortunately five years, is also a long time when it comes to licensing agreements and with the expiration of some licences, we needed to update both compilations and swap some tracks for alternatives. Since 2010, our approach to compilations has also evolved, so both updated volumes will be getting a release on CD and digital download. When it comes to vinyl, we’ve borrowed an idea from our hugely successful Midlands Roots Explosion series and created a brand new exclusive vinyl compilation, “The Bristol Roots Explosion”.
The new LP naturally draws heavily on the first two Bristol Reggae Explosions, featuring firm favourites such as Joshua Moses’ all time classic “Africa (Is Our Land)” produced by the great Dennis Bovell, Bunny Marrett’s rare and almost impossible to find on the original 12” “Times Are Getting Harder” and Ron Green’s 3D Productions “Riot”, another track that’s very difficult to find on its original 7” format.
Local legends Talisman contribute the 7” mix of their excellent “Dole Age” single and make a second appearance, in their earlier Revelation Rockers guise with “Culture”. Having reformed around the time our first Bristol Reggae Explosion was released, it’s good to see that Talisman are also still going strong and making regular live appearances throughout Europe. With the core members of Restriction also being members of Zion Band, we have another double with “Calling For Mercy” and “Twelve Tribes”. It’s been a long time coming, but Restriction fans can rest assured their planned compilation album is still on its way.
The remaining two tracks mark the debut appearances for Big Roy and the Rhythmites. Roy ‘Big Roy’ Bailey has been involved in reggae music for decades and is still active to this day; he was also one of the first Bristol reggae artists to document his talents in the studio with this track “Ethiopia Revelation” dating from the mid-seventies. It’s great to welcome Roy to the fold. Bath band The Rhythmites saw a welcome reissue of their “Integration” album earlier this year, it’s excellent to add them to our compilation series and also to give the excellent “Nation Integration” a vinyl outing.
Compiling this album along with recompiling the first two volumes of “The Bristol Reggae Explosion”, we also looked at updating the sleeves and tweaking our approach to graphics. The vintage cover shot we chose was provided by the ever supportive Popsy Curious and shows him on his bike outside what were the remains of Bristol’s famous Bamboo Club. It was with great sadness that we recently learned that Popsy had passed away. He was a true friend and supporter who will be greatly missed and it’s somehow a fitting tribute that he adorns the cover of this release.
“The Bristol Roots Explosion” is exactly what the title says, a record that documents the West Country take on roots reggae from the second half of the 1970s until the end of the 1980s. The album will be released on vinyl LP and digital download on 4th March 2016, distributed by Shellshock/SRD Distribution and available from all good retailers worldwide.
Side A
1. Big Roy – “Ethiopia Revelation” (R Bailey 1976) (p) Copyright Control
2. Revelation Rockers – “Culture” (D Taylor 1979) (p) Archive Publishing Ltd
3. Joshua Moses “Africa (Is Our Land)” (S Bailey / D Bovell 1978) (p) Archive Publishing Ltd / Copyright Control
4. Bunny Marrett – “Times Are Getting Harder” (B Marrett 1980) (p) Archive Publishing Ltd
5. 3D Productions – “Riot” (J Carley 1980) (p) Archive Publishing Ltd
Side B
1. Rhythmites – “Nation Integration” (Rhythmites 1989) (p) Archive Publishing Ltd
2. Restriction – “Calling For Mercy” (Restriction 1983) (p) Astar Artes Publishing
3. Zion Band – “Twelve Tribes” (R Duncan 1982) (p) Unitone Publishing
4. Talisman – “Dole Age” (7″ Mix) (D Joseph / Talisman 1981) (p) Recreational Music
ARC279V
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‘HOUSE OF SECRETS’ – APARTMENT
Released on CD (Deluxe Edition) 26th February 2016
Limited Edition CD (Deluxe Edition) and signed poster
Comes with a 16 page booklet, sleeve notes by Dave Massey., 15 tracks of brilliant post punk noise (like Comsat Angels, Gang of Four, Joy Division) Includes a limited edition, numbered (50 copies only) A3 signed by Alan Griffiths poster
bandcamp
Format - CD
£8.00
ARTIST: Apartment
TITLE: “House of Secrets”
RELEASE DATE: 26th February 2016
LABEL: Bristol Archive Records
DISTRIBUTION: Shellshock / SRD
FORMAT: CD
CAT NO: ARC261CD
BARCODE: 5052571034521
GENRE: Post Punk
WEBSITE: www.bristolarchiverecords.com
PRESS CONTACT: Mike Darby, E: [email protected]
T: 07885 498 402
Whereas Bristol is all too often associated with the ‘’Bristol Sound’’ of Massive Attack, Portishead and Tricky, the city has produced musicians and bands who’s work goes way past that stereotype. With the release finally of Apartment’s ‘House of Secrets’ album, music lovers will hear a classic example of this for themselves. It is set ‘in’ the city, but is also very much ‘(a) part’ of it, because those on the outside of any charmed circle in a given place have to fight to get heard.
In the mid to late 1970’s the raucous and angry meets chorus strewn ‘new wave’ sounds of New York and punk driven London were also finding fertile soil in the west of England.
Part of that surge of the blast of youthful energy that shifted eardrums came from the more affluent Clifton west side area of the city, and to national attention, in the shape of The Cortinas and The Pop Group. But many others were writing, rehearsing and playing based in all 4 corners of Bristol. These included Glaxo Babies, Vice Squad and Essential Bop. All of these bands went on to achieve a respectable level of national recognition.
Hidden away right out in the suburbs of the eastern fringes of the metropolis, 3 young lads called APARTMENT were forging a truly international, post-punk variation of the classic guitar band trio. Guitarist / singer / songwriter, Alan Griffiths, drummer Emil, and bassist Richard White had a vision that was driven by their talent and ambition, and a burning desire to shatter the complacency of what was going on musically in Bristol and beyond.
Griffiths and Emil were inspired by seeing Television and Blondie on the same bill, utilising the artful angularity, chiarascuro guitar blendings and existential angst of the Verlaine / Lloyd axis, and the melodic twists and pop sensibility of La Harry’s quintet in their own soulful, sonic mayhem.
The spirit of CBGB’s had infused this band, like no other from the city of Bristol’s environs. In spite of the inevitable technical limitations of these home-recorded songs, enough of their power and passion shines from them and into the wonderful variety of songs.
The music sound-tracks a travelogue of themes, seasons and places, providing a perfect backdrop for the plentiful stories which were cascading from Alan’s imagination. The settings dramatically come over as often relentlessly urban, rammed full of atmosphere, self-doubt, pain, questioning and clarity.
Apartment’s star burned brightly for a relatively short period, but the band packed a lot into their time together. They did a session for national radio in the UK, played shows in London at the legendary original site of the Marquee club, and along with releasing just the one single were also included on one of the seminal compilations of music from a city in the UK, ‘Avon Calling’, released on arguably the most important label at that time, Heartbeat Records.
One of the key people in developing Apartment’s early career was the label owner, Simon Edwards. His initial contact with the band’s music was, for him, highly memorable.
“I distinctly remember receiving the Apartments’ original demo cassette – which I still have – and remember being immediately impressed by the songs and how well they were presented. They were almost good enough to use as they were. This wasn’t because of any amazing studio quality – I was later to learn they were recorded in Alan’s bedroom – but because they were delivered with such energy, innocence & a sense of urgency. They were SO alive. In fact, one of Apartments most endearing qualities to me was always their “on the edge” delivery – both in recorded work and live performance, the latter often being quite shambolic and in danger of literally falling apart. ‘’
Edwards’ own direct involvement came with the recording and release of a double-A side single, both tracks being included on ‘House of Secrets, along with a home recording on ‘Avon Calling’.
‘’Perhaps it was this single that told the bands story in one – front man Alan Griffiths with the ability to write really great yet very diverse songs and deliver them like it was the first and only time he would ever get to sing them. Was it all this emotion and angst that just became too much to control?”
‘House of Secrets’ collects that blend of organised chaos in all of its glory from a heady time in Bristol music, and all over the UK at the time. Open the door and walk on in.
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Fresh 4 ‘The Lost Tapes’
Released on LP (Limited Edition) and Digital Download 23rd Oct 2015
Think of the “Bristol Sound” and the same three or four bands tend to spring to mind however, the first widely heard example of the pioneering new sound from the West Country came with a 1989 attack on the Top Ten from South Bristol in the shape of established collective Fresh 4. Co produced by fellow Bristol pioneers Smith and Mighty, “Wishing on A Star” was the first exposure many people outside of Bristol got to the unique fusion of heavy bass lines, Hip Hop beats, soulful vocals and new takes on classic songs.
bandcamp
Strictly Limited Edition (100 copies) numbered Blue Vinyl - SOLD OUT
Record/Vinyl
Exclusive screen printed jacket
Insert
Signed poster
Cd of the tracks on the vinyl
Numbered on Blue Vinyl
£20.00 + delivery
Limited Edition Black Vinyl
Includes insert
CD of the tracks on the vinyl
Edition of 400
£15.00 + delivery
Formed as a collective in the mid-eighties, Fresh 4′s roots were firmly south of the river Avon with members Flynn and Krust coming from Knowle West. Suv was from Ashton and joined by fourth member Judge from Totterdown. The band stayed close to their South Bristol roots and based themselves in a warehouse on nearby St. Lukes Road. They represented the south of the City in a scene that was more often orientated somewhere north of the city centre.
Although “Wishing on a Star” cracked the Top Ten, the two follow up singles were less successful and due to disagreements with their label, a planned album never materialised and the group members went their separate ways. In the following decade Suv, Krust and Flynn would all go on to find greater success as pioneers and mainstays of Bristol’s hugely successful Drum and Bass scene, writing new chapters that overshadowed their earlier success.
Who can say what might have happened if a Fresh 4 album had been released on a major label at the start of the 1990s, perhaps they would now be discussed alongside Massive Attack and Portishead or maybe Bristol’s Drum and Bass scene would have felt the loss and not been as successful as it was. We can’t give you that lost album, but we have tracked down some long forgotten demo tapes and twenty five years later, assembled them into an album. It’s not THE Fresh 4 LP, but it is filling in a gap in their story and the story of Bristol music, therefore at Bristol Archive Records we thought the music deserved a wider audience.
The seven tracks plus an alternative edit, lead off in a familiar style with “Take Control”, the closest match to the “Wishing on a Star” blueprint recorded at Fresh 4 and Smith & Mighty’s studio and also featuring that song’s vocalist Liz E. The rest of side A sees some early authentic British Hip Hop with that unique Bristol twist, whilst side B, aims for a then contemporary dance sound.
These tracks are definitely works in progress rather than polished finished tracks, they show the band working on a variety of musical ideas and exploring various directions. The sound is rough, these tracks were never expected to be shared at such an early stage yet they give us an insight into the thought process of the group.
They were pioneers, not confined by rigid rules; they could try anything and often did. These are musical sketches, a peak behind the scenes that listeners rarely get and also a reminder, that Fresh 4 have more to their claim of a place in Bristol’s musical history than those three singles.
Fresh 4′s “The Lost Tapes” is released by Bristol Archive Records on vinyl and digital download on 23rd Oct and is available from all usual retailers and all digital platforms
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