Having produced more remarkable music in the past thirty-five years than most cities can manage in ten lifetimes, Bristol has always played by its’ own rules.
When we think of Bristol’s influential movers and shakers, the likes of The Pop Group, Massive Attack and Portishead tend to spring to mind, but the merest of glances at Mike Darby’s tremendous Bristol Archive Records website is enough to make you realise that such auspicious names are only the tip of a gargantuan sonic iceberg.
MIKE DARBY himself was right in the thick of Bristol’s immediate Post-Punk years. As frontman with The Rimshots, he shared stages with and/ or was in the front row for virtually all great Bristol bands from 1978 onwards. Thirty years on, he founded the Bristol Archive label to ensure the city’s underground heritage remained available for a new generation to latch on to.
W&H were bowled over by the Bristol Archive’ ‘Best of Fried Egg Records 1979-1980’ compilation prior to Christmas and with a new compilation celebrating the city’s Punk explosion about to be released, Mike Darby very kindly gave W&H this valuable insight into Bristol then and now.
W&H: According to one of the other interviews you've done (reproduced on your website) you say you personally missed the pre-1978 wave of bands on the live circuit (i.e. The Cortinas, the Pigs, Social Security). Which local bands did you first encounter on the local circuit and which ones fired you up the most and made you want to join a band yourself?
MD: "My favourite bands were The Various Artists, Electric Guitars and Talisman."
"Various Artists because of the song writing genius of Jonjo Key, Electric Guitars because of their look, their energy, their sense of melody and style. Talisman because of their confidence, their swagger, their tunes and the number of people that went to their gigs."
"It’s weird because these were three of the first bands to get involved with the Archive. Steve Street recorded all the demos for The VA’s and The Electric Guitars and did out front sound for the EG’s including their support slot on the first Thompson Twins tour. He lost touch somewhat when the signed to Stiff Records and were taken under the wing of Peter Gabriel."
"The Rimshots started more because of the Two Tone scene with The Beat and The Specials. The Beat were and are one of my favourite bands of all time."
W&H: You were in The Rimshots with Simon and Angelo (ex-Art Objects and future Blue Aeroplanes) Respect to you! I know you made two singles in '80/ '81. What were the high points of the band and what are your fondest memories of being a Rimshot?
MD: "Supporting The Beat. Playing some shows in London, we thought we’d made it getting in the van and heading up the motorway. Recording our first single at Crescent Studios, Bath.
Simon and Angello were never in The Art Objects, Angello was in The Numbers and now plays with Massive Attack."
W&H: Still relating to The Rimshots: "Little Boys & Little Girls" (recorded at Crescent in Bath) was engineered by one Steve Street. This isn't the same Stephen Street as in The Smiths, Blur, Babyshambles etc?
MD: "Nope, it’s the other one, who is now my brother in law and runs The Archive with me. Steve was in The Europeans then Apartment. He also joined the Bath band Interview for a short while. Steve owned a recording studio GBH which later became SAM Studios, he recording most things from Bristol from 1977 to 1985 before he went to work for Tears for Fears."
W&H: These days, the term 'eclectic' is horribly over-used to describe the mix'n'match/ i-Pod shuffle music world we inhabit, but 'eclectic' is the word that springs to mind when I hear bands as fascinating and different as The Various Artists, Electric Guitars, The Pop Group etc. Where, in your opinion, does Bristol's rich diversity spring from?
MD: "Dope, middle class, art, St Pauls, Bristol University, Bristol Grammar School, wealth, Reggae, the beautiful fragmentation of all the suburbs from the posh Clifton scene, to the underground St Pauls and Easton vibe to the predominantly white working class areas like Knowle West and Barton Hill."
W&H: In my review of your excellent 'Best of Fried Egg Records' compilation, I (perhaps cheekily) refer to Fried Egg's Andy Leighton as Bristol's answer to Independent Label moguls like Tony Wilson or Geoff Travis. Did he ever see himself as a svengali or did he simply love music and just put out whatever moved him at the time?
MD: "Fried Egg Records was an extension of his band Shoes for Industry and his Theatre troupe – Crystal Theatre. They owned a warehouse and would put on shows and parties. Andy now owns the rights to The Rocky Horror Show and I remember him living in a big flat in Clifton. I’m not sure he saw himself as an industry mogul as most things that happen or come out of Bristol are not following national trends or fads. To our downfall within the Industry we have always been on the outside looking in or on the outside not even looking."
W&H: According to Gerard Langley's fascinating sleeve notes, Andy Leighton allegedly disappeared when he was left an inheritance of a Caribbean island or some such thing? Is this simply myth-making?
MD: "As above. The Rocky Horror Show comes into play."
W&H: Listening to the Electric Guitars tracks on the Fried Egg comp reminded me just how fantastic they were to my mind as well. What happened with them? They should have been huge!
MD: "God bigger than huge. Andy the guitarist is firmly of the opinion that they made the classic mistake when signing to Stiff. They employed Martin Hannett to produce them which took them in an electronic direction when they should have gone with the guys that produced Madness. They would have become more commercial but still retained their weirdness and therefore crossed over to the mainstream easier."
"Richard the bass player went solo and signed to Island publishing, Andy transferred to Tears for Fears and played guitar on a couple of world tours. The other three guys I think packed music in and the girls transferred to Shreikback as their backing singers."
W&H: Another band you mention as a favourite are The Pop Group. Despite their uncompromising stance, they achieved a fair amount of success and certainly left behind a whole lot of influence. Were they as wild as a live band as I imagine them to be?
MD: "I never saw them but my wife did on several occasions. It’s a weird story really because Steve Street can remember them rehearsing at his GBH Studios in Old Market and he’d have to let them in and lock up after they’d finished. In those early days they were a Pop Group, really catchy songs with loads of hooks and then BANG from nowhere they changed to the band we all love and remember so fondly."
W&H: Despite being based in the North West and being weaned on bands in Liverpool and Manchester, I was aware of Bristol venues such as Trinity Hall, the Locarno and (for bigger groups) the Colston Hall, but which venues were especially important for nurturing local talent? Which gigs did local bands really need to get to make strides forward?
|
MD: "The Stonehouse, a tiny gig at the bottom of the M32.
The Green Rooms on King Street. The Western Stars Domino Club really close to the Stonehouse. Cawardines on Park Street."
"Here is a list of all the venues in the late 70’s and whether they are still open or not:
1. Exhibition Centre, Anchor Road - SHUT DOWN
2. Colston Hall - STILL OPEN
3. Brunel Technical College - STILL OPEN BUT NOT PROMOTING LIVE MUSIC
4. Locarno - SHUT DOWN
5. Barton Hill Youth Club - STILL OPEN BUT NOT PROMOTING LIVE MUSIC
6. Students Union, Bristol Uni - STILL OPEN BUT NOT PROMOTING LOCAL LIVE MUSIC
7. Granary - SHUT DOWN
8. Tiffanys - SHUT DOWN AND KNOCKED DOWN
9. Hope Chapel - STILL OPEN
10. Ashton Court Festival - STILL GOING STRONG
11. Stonehouse - SHUT DOWN AND KNOCKED DOWN
12. Hillfields Youth Club - STILL OPEN BUT NOT PROMOTING LIVE MUSIC
13. Romeo and Juliets - SHUT DOWN
14. St Mathias - STILL OPEN BUT NOT PROMOTING LIVE MUSIC
15. Bristol Bridge Inn - STILL OPEN BUT NOT PROMOTING LIVE MUSIC
16. Trinity - STILL OPEN
17. Arts Centre - STILL OPEN BUT NOT PROMOTING LIVE MUSIC
18. Carwardines - SHUT DOWN
19. Redland Site, Bristol Poly - STILL OPEN BUT NOT PROMOTING LIVE MUSIC
20. Crystal Theatre Warehouse - SHUT DOWN
21. Avon Gorge Bar - STILL OPEN BUT NOT PROMOTING LIVE MUSIC
22. Green Rooms - SHUT DOWN AND KNOCKED DOWN
23. Dockland Settlement - SHUT DOWN."
W&H: When we think of 'Punk' and how it evolved, we tend to think of ingredients like frustration, boredom, lack of opportunity, but also a DIY spirit borne of living in squats and existing on cheap booze and drugs. Was there a big squat scene in Bristol and how did it influence the sound of the city's music?
MD: "Not as I remember in the late 70’s this came with the 80’s Punk Squat scene with Disorder, Lunatic Fringe and so on. The 70’s Punk scene was more Arty, obviously there were the odd exceptions like the brilliant X-Certs but in the main it was about Grammar school kids being rebels."
W&H: I'm waiting to hear the new Bristol Archive Punk Comp as I type, but I believe Shane Baldwin, Vice Squad's drummer wrote the sleeve notes. Are Vice Squad still performing in any capacity these days? I was sorry to hear Dave Bateman died a couple of years back.
MD: "Becky or Rebecca Bond as I used to know her are still going strong with three new musicians. Shane and Mark haven’t played for years now with Mark joining The Crazy Trains after Vice Squad and Shane forming Sweet Revenge but also playing with Cold. The sleeve notes all 4000 words are excellent, Shane's done a fab job."
"Dave dying was tragic as he fell over banging his head in Spain and never woke up, again he hadn’t played for years after Sweet Revenge split and was more interested in following his beloved Bristol City."
W&H: Objectively, is it harder to run a 'label' these days Mike? On the plus side, I know we have the internet, MySpace etc, but the 'industry' is in a real sorry state and I do mourn the fact young kids don't have the excitement of collecting 7" singles etc the way we used to and 'following' bands from the grass roots level. What's your take on trying to exist in the current music world?
MD: "In some respects it’s much, much easier but music doesn’t have a value anymore. It’s not precious and loved in the same way. Yes kids till go to gigs probably more than ever and hero worship the bloody AMERICAN ROCK bands!! AGH!!! But people won’t be seen on Mondays outside Virgin Records desperate for it to open so they can buy the new 12” by The Police or Never Mind The Bollocks by The Pistols. I remember my brother nicking Never Mind The Bollocks from the original Virgin Records store down in the subway by Paradise Garage- those were the days!"
W&H: Aside from the Bristol Archive set up, you also have a label called Sugar Shack. Can you tell us a little of its' history and which current Bristol bands you're working with we should be listening out for?
MD: "Sugar Shack started in 1985 with Fear of Darkness and then Love Jungle. Our biggest band to date is still Redefine with their critically acclaimed album ‘The Daisychain Cycle’. Our biggest sellers are Crashland and Septembre (ex Vex Red).We currently have Left Side Brain, Darkhorse and Full Scream Ahead."
W&H: Finally, what releases do you have in the Bristol Archive pipeline for 2010/2011? Also, will they be available on CD or via download?
MD: "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. OH, and Hundreds of new download only releases."
Bristol Archive Records online
Sugar Shack Records online
|
