In The Trashcan
Records GEM044
"Albion, Good Vibrations, Secret and Step Forward
fight four times, but all are winners..."
Four Albion Records releases on this volume and I start with this Atlanta, Georgia punk pop outfit, featuring Kevin Dunn who was also in bands such as Loretta's Doll. "True" b/w "Deathwish" came out in 1980.
New wave punk outfit with their (probably) sole release from 1980 on Albion Records. The B-side contains two tracks, "Love and murder" and "Baby mine". Written and sung by Bill Carter, who reappeared later in Screaming Blue Messiahs.
Northern Ireland spawned several great punk bands in 1977. First there was Rudi, then The Outcasts and later also Stiff Little Fingers. Formed by the three Cowan brothers + Getty. This is from their third 45, released in 1979 by Good Vibrations.
This is the A-side of "Love you for never" and has become one of their most loved songs, together with "Just another teenage rebel". It's also the title of their first album, both on Good Vibrations Records in 1977.
Secret Records was started by Martin Hooker, which later evolved into Music For Nations. Many 80s punk bands had their first releases on this indie label. This is the only 45 I know by The Civilians. It's powerpop from 1980, put as a B-side of "In America".
By 1982 they were punk heroes in the UK and outside as well. "Punk's not dead" was their statement, but it was their second album "Troops of tomorrow", named after the Vibrators' song, that was their real breakthrough. "Alternative" was also on that album, but not this often forgotten flipside "Attack".
Releasing two albums a year (studio, live and samplers) and also 50+ singles tells all about Smith's urge to write songs and nothing about the quality. For me the unpolished creativity ended in 1980. This is from 1978 when they were still young and naive. Later BBC dj Marc Riley was still the bass player instead of Brix Smith, ex-wife of singer Mark. More than interesting post-punk from Northern England. The first of 4 Stef Forward singles on this volume.
It's always the same thing: the first is the best. "Bingo-master's break-out EP" from 1977 is a real gem containing three tracks that have survived the punk mayhem. A Step Forward release.
Albion Records released this 45 in 1981 under production of Tony Visconti. Outside the UK she remained quite unknown. I remember people calling her the light version of Siouxsie Sioux.
Not the exotica classic, but a self-penned tune by 999 as flipside to an uninspiring version of "Indian reservation". The drumbeat matches with The Exploited's version of "Troops of tomorrow", just in case you wanted to beatmix haha. A 1981 Albion release on clear vinyl.
Singer was Brian Young, a first class Cramps fan, who later can be found in bands like The Roughnecks and The Tigersharks. Together with The Outcasts they were the first punk band from Northern Ireland. These Belfast youngsters recorded four singles and then broke up. Twenty years later several Rudi samplers came out. This Good Vibrations release was issued in 1979, their second EP.
Another Northern Irish punk band on Good Vibrations Records in 1979. Also formed in 1977 they disbanded ten years later. They first were called Roofwrecks but decided to change the spelling.
The UK Subs were one of London's best known punk bands in the early 80s including two girls, Annie and Gladys. I don't know the story, but somehow one of the Gonads lost his girlfriend to a UK Sub. This doesn't sound like 1982, but rather late 70s with a UK Subs touch. A couple of months later Secret Records released a second EP. Another Secret Records band, The Exploited were singing about "Punk's not dead" as reaction to Crass' "Punk is dead". The first song on this EP is "Punk rock will never die". And then we had to wait until Billy Childish wrote his "Punk rock ist nicht tot".
Oi Oi Oi, ready for the last Secret single on this volume? Here are The Business with the B-side of "Harry May" from, I guess, 1981. Their biggest fan was Gary Bushell.
This song has nothing to do with Chrissie Hynde. It's a 1980 B-side by Chelsea, the punk band that was formed by Gene October after his leaving Generation X. All the early Chelsea 45s were issued by Step Forward Records, part of Illegal Records, owned by Miles Copeland.
And again a 1977 classic on Step Forward by this UK band that disappeared after 3 singles and one album. See vol 1 for their best 45.
