Bad Manners -

Bad Manners was an English ska band from Stoke Newington that released four albums on Magnet between 1980 and 1982, followed by a string of titles on assorted labels from 1985 onward.

Members: Buster Bloodvessel [Doug Trendle] (vocals), Louis “Alphonso” Cook (guitar), David Farren (bass), Brian Tuitt (drums), Winston Bazoomies [Alan Sayagg] (harmonica), Paul Hyman (trumpet), Martin Stewart (keyboards), Andrew Marson (alto saxophone), Chris Kane (tenor saxophone), Dave Horn (guitar), Paul Seacroft (guitar), Nicky Welsh (bass), Mark Pinto (bass), Perry Melius (drums), Stephan Hobbs (drums), Ian Fullwood (tenor saxophone), Matt Godwin (tenor saxophone, alto saxophone), Jan Brahms (trombone), Rico Rodriguez (trombone), John Preston (trumpet), Alex Arundel (trumpet), ‘The Billy’ (harmonica), Johnny Tee (strings), John Thompson (bass), Dave Welton (trombone, keyboards), Simon Cuell (guitar), Warren Middleton (trombone), Trevor Irving (trumpet), Tony Rico (saxophone), Mark Harrison (drums), Rick Macwana (keyboards), Carlton Hunt (drums), Chris Bull (trumpet), Dave Turner (harmonica)

Background

Bad Manners formed in 1976 at Woodberry Down Comprehensive School in North London, where frontman Doug Trendle (later Buster Bloodvessel) assembled classmates Alan Sayagg (Winston Bazoomies), David Farren, Brian Tuitt, Paul Hyman, and Louis Alphonso. Sharing a taste for Jamaican ska and slapstick performance, they developed a boisterous stage act rooted in punchy brass charts, danceable rhythms, and Bloodvessel’s oversized charisma. They tightened their lineup over the next two years with keyboardist Martin Stewart, tenor saxophonist Chris Kane, and altoist Andrew Marson, playing their first official gig in January 1978.

Bad Manners built a steady following on London’s pub and college circuit before securing a deal with Magnet Records in early 1980. Their oversized presence and comic image helped them stand apart from the politicized tone of 2 Tone bands, even as they featured in the 1981 film Dance Craze alongside fellow ska revival acts. Their debut album Ska ’n’ B appeared in summer 1980, launching a rapid succession of albums and TV appearances through 1982.

Bloodvessel took his stage name from the bus conductor played by Ivor Cutler in the 1967 Beatles film Magical Mystery Tour.

Ska ‘n’ B

Bad Manners released their debut album, Ska ‘n’ B, in April 1980 on Magnet.

The album showcases a brash, high-energy sound that draws from first-wave Jamaican ska and augments it with amplified rhythm and slapstick exuberance. Guitarist Louis “Alphonso” Cook locks into rapid-fire interplay with keyboardist Martin Stewart, whose organ swells and choppy fills frame the band’s punchy horn charts. Andrew Marson and Chris Kane alternate alto and tenor saxophone phrases against Paul Hyman’s clipped trumpet runs, while Winston Bazoomies (Alan Sayag) threads harmonica leads into the mix. Bassist David Farren and drummer Brian Tuitt anchor the arrangements with driving, offbeat-heavy patterns that keep the pulse rigid through tempo shifts and brass breaks.

On Ska ‘n’ B, Bad Manners rip through fast-cut brass lines, chant-driven refrains, and sharp, sprint-paced rhythms. “Lip Up Fatty” rides clipped sax jabs under staggered vocals; “Special Brew” leans into a lurching sway with locked brass–voice callouts. “Inner London Violence” narrows into tense, minor-mode jolts with clipped phrasing. Covers like “Wooly Bully” and “Monster Mash” blast forward on punchy horns and driving beats, while “Magnificent 7” threads short, escalating fanfares through tight rhythmic breaks. The band keeps the attack tight, the momentum high, and the horn section front and center.

A1. “Ne-Ne Na-Na Na-Na Nu-Nu” (2:35) – Eddie Dean, Al Dredick
A2. “Here Comes the Major” (2:54) – Bad Manners
A3. “Fatty Fatty” (2:25) – Clancy Eccles, Leroy Sibbles
A4. “King Ska/Fa” (4:22) – Bad Manners
A5. “Monster Mash” (3:01) – Leonard Capizzi, Bobby “Boris” Pickett
A6. “Caledonia” (2:58) – Louis Jordan, Fleecie Moore

B1. “Magnificent 7” (2:31) – Elmer Bernstein
B2. “Wooly Bully” (3:09) – Domingo Samudio
B3. “Lip Up Fatty” (2:48) – Bad Manners
B4. “Special Brew” (3:37) – Bad Manners
B5. “Inner London Violence” (3:56) – Bad Manners
B6. “Scruffy, The Huffy Chuffy Tugboat” (1:39) – Bad Manners

Roger Lomas produced the album at Horizon Studios in Coventry, giving it a bright, compressed sound that keeps the brash elements clean and forward in the mix. Recording captured the band’s live energy while refining their arrangements into taut three-minute showcases.

“Ne-Ne Na-Na Na-Na Nu-Nu” appeared as the first single on February 22, 1980, backed with “Holidays.” It introduced the band’s kinetic brass-and-harmonica style to the UK charts and set the tone for their public persona.

“Lip Up Fatty” followed on May 23, 1980, with “Night Bus to Dalston” on the flip. Its harmonica-led theme and marching rhythm pushed it to No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart, where it became a fan favorite and concert staple.

“Special Brew” appeared on September 12, 1980, backed with “Ivor the Engine.” Written on-the-spot as an ode to lager, it peaked at No. 3 in the UK and stayed in the Top 10 for several weeks, solidifying Bad Manners’ image as ska pranksters with mass appeal. A limited-edition picture disc featured Bloodvessel eyeing a pint of beer, tying the song’s concept directly to his over-the-top persona.

Loonee Tunes!

Bad Manners released their second album, Loonee Tunes!, in November 1980 on Magnet.

The album deepens their brassy ska attack with faster tempos, tighter phrasing, and broader instrumental spotlights. Guitarist Louis “Alphonso” Cook punches rhythmic chords between keyboardist Martin Stewart’s descending figures and whirling fills, while the horn frontline—Paul Hyman (trumpet), Chris Kane (tenor sax), and Andrew Marson (alto sax)—trade off in unison lines and staggered bursts. Harmonica player Winston Bazoomies cuts across the brass with darting, high-register phrases, interjecting alongside Stewart’s staccato organ work. Bassist David Farren and drummer Brian Tuitt drive the momentum with a clipped, four-square backbeat that underpins the entire set with relentless forward motion.

A1. “Echo 4-2” (2:45) – L. Johnson
A2. “Just a Feeling” (3:39) – Bad Manners
A3. “El Pussycat” (2:31) – Roland Alphonso
A4. “Doris” (3:46) – Bad Manners
A5. “Spy-I” (2:35) – Bad Manners
A6. “Tequila” (2:15) – The Champs

B1. “Lorraine” (3:34) – Bad Manners
B2. “Echo Gone Wrong” (2:33) – Bad Manners
B3. “Suicide” (2:36) – Bad Manners
B4. “The Undersea Adventures of Ivor The Engine” (2:22) – Bad Manners
B5. “Back in ’60” (2:28) – Bad Manners
B6. “Just Pretendin'” (2:50) – Bad Manners

Roger Lomas produced the album at Horizon Studios in Coventry and Pye Studios in London, keeping the horn lines crisp and balanced while allowing the rhythm section to thump with spring-tight tension. Tracks maintain a consistent compression profile that keeps the momentum front-loaded across both originals and covers.

“Lorraine” appeared first on November 14, 1980, backed with “Back in ’60” and “Here Comes the Major.” Its clipped trumpet riff and stop-start rhythm carried it into the UK Top 30, pairing humor with tempo spikes that became a staple of the band’s stage show.

“Just a Feeling” followed on March 13, 1981, backed with “Suicide.” It extended the album’s run with another round of syncopated horn charts and call-and-response phrasing, further defining Bad Manners’ signature style across UK ska circles.

Gosh It’s…Bad Manners

Bad Manners released their third album, Gosh It’s…Bad Manners, in October 1981 on Magnet.

The album sharpens their signature blend of driving ska rhythms and slapstick flair with tighter ensemble interplay and broader tonal range. Guitarist Louis “Alphonso” Cook delivers clipped chordal pulses beneath the darting lead lines of keyboardist Martin Stewart, who adds bagpipe textures to several passages. Chris Kane and Andrew Marson contrast tin whistle and layered saxophone figures across the stereo field, offset by Paul Hyman’s rhythmic trumpet jabs. Winston Bazoomies injects shrill harmonica leads through the brass phrasing, while David Farren and Brian Tuitt underpin the set with a taut, weight-balanced backbeat that pivots smoothly between double-time ska and slowed breakdowns.

A1. “Walking in the Sunshine” (3:29)
A2. “Dansetta” (3:19)
A3. “Can Can” (2:49) – Jacques Offenbach
A4. “Weeping and Wailing” (3:42)
A5. “Casablanca (Rags and Riches)” (4:53)
A6. “Don’t Be Angry” [Live] (2:33) – Nappy Brown

B1. “Ben E. Wriggle” (3:50)
B2. “Runaway” (3:11)
B3. “Never Will Change” (3:06)
B4. “Only Funkin'” (3:37)
B5. “End of the World” (3:00)
B6. “Gherkin” (4:40)

Roger Lomas produced and mixed the album at Rockfield Studios in Monmouth, Wales, with Ted Sharp engineering. The sessions retained the band’s live energy while refining the arrangements with wider instrumental overlays and harder-stopping dynamics between breaks.

“Can Can” appeared first on June 12, 1981, backed with “Armchair Disco.” Their ska adaptation of Offenbach’s Galop infernal gained notoriety for its breakneck pace and became a staple of their live act, pushing them back onto mainstream television and into the UK Top 5.

“Walking in the Sunshine” followed in September 1981 with “End of the World” as the B-side. Its relaxed swing and clipped brass phrasing carried it to No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming one of their most enduring songs.

Magnet issued a four-song EP on November 13, 1981, featuring “Buona Sera,” “Don’t Be Angry,” “The New One,” and “No Respect.” “Buona Sera,” a brisk cover of the Louis Prima staple, found the band shifting momentarily into swing-infused ska with full ensemble backing and tongue-in-cheek bravado.

Forging Ahead

Bad Manners released their fourth album, Forging Ahead, in 1982 on Magnet.

The album reinforces their brass-driven ska foundation with layered rhythmic interplay and broadened tonal flourishes. Guitarist Louis Alphonso shifts between clipped comping and chordal bursts alongside Martin Stewart, whose organ lines alternate with piano stabs and percussive synth overlays. Chris Kane and Andrew Marson push against the beat with tight saxophone harmonies and interludes, while Paul Hyman punctuates key moments with trumpet blasts. Winston Bazoomies interjects harmonica phrases that cut across the horn phrasing, offset by Den Hegarty’s baritone weight. David Farren and Brian Tuitt underpin the material with a responsive, spring-tight backbeat that accelerates and stalls as the brass and vocals pivot through dynamic transitions.

A1. “Salad Bar” (2:51)
A2. “Tonight Is Your Night” (3:25)
A3. “Samson and Delilah (Biblical Version)” (5:16)
A4. “Exodus” (2:46) – Ernest Gold
A5. “Got No Brains” (3:49)
A6. “Rose of Italy” (3:36)

B1. “My Girl Lollipop (Extended Lick Mix)” (4:58) – Morris Levy, Johnny Roberts
B2. “Falling Out of Love” (3:24)
B3. “Seventh Heaven” (3:28)
B4. “Educating Marmalade” (3:16)
B5. “What’s Up Crazy Pup” (1:57) – Van Morrison
B6. “Your” (3:52)

Roger Lomas produced the album at Rockfield Studios in Monmouth, Wales, with Ted Sharp engineering. Sessions introduced new tonal textures (baritone sax, banjo, expanded backing vocals from The Lillettes) while retaining the clean, compressed separation between rhythm and brass established on earlier releases.

“Got No Brains” appeared in April 1982 as the lead single, backed with “Psychedelic Eric” and “Only Funkin.” Its jagged horn riffs and driving rhythm kept momentum from the previous LP cycle while introducing a sharper edge to the band’s phrasing.

“My Girl Lollipop” followed on July 23, 1982, backed with “Flashpoint.” Their slowed-down, harmonica-heavy version of the Millie Small hit reached No. 9 in the UK Singles Chart and charted in Ireland, cementing its status as their final Top 10 hit of the era. A 12″ version featured the extended “Lick Mix” built around additional instrumental breaks and call-and-response figures.

“Samson and Delilah” appeared on October 8, 1982, paired with “Good Honest Man.” The single edit condensed the biblical-themed track into a focused brass-heavy burst driven by stop-time rhythms and breakbeat flourishes.

In May 1983, Bad Manners released “That’ll Do Nicely,” a standalone single backed with “Monster Love (Dub),” later expanded into alternate mixes. It served as the band’s final Magnet release, closing their initial four-album run with a return to quickstep brass themes and tempo shifts driven by chanted refrains and interlocked horn motifs.