Stackridge was an English art-pop band from Bristol, noted for their comical lyrics and vaudevillian stage act. During their initial 1971–76 run, they released three albums on MCA — Stackridge, Friendliness, and The Man in the Bowler Hat (aka Pinafore Days) — and two on Elton John‘s Rocket label: Extravaganza and Mr. Mick. The band’s […]
Nik Kershaw (born March 1, 1958) is an English musician, vocalist, and songwriter who rose to prominence in the mid-1980s with a run of UK chart hits and critically regarded synth-pop albums. Kershaw released Human Racing and The Riddle on MCA in 1984, both of which went platinum in the UK and produced singles such […]
Robert Wyatt is an English vocalist and songwriter who rose to prominence as the singer and drummer in Soft Machine. After recording four albums with the band between 1968 and 1971, he left to form Matching Mole, which cut two albums for CBS in 1972. The following year, he was paralyzed from the waist down […]
Skywhale was an English jazz-rock band from Bristol that released the 1977 album The World at Mind’s End on Firebrand Records. Members: Steve Robshaw (guitar, violin, synthesizer), Stan Thewils (flute, tenor saxophone), Paul Todd (soprano saxophone, flute, penny whistle), Dougall Airmole (bass), Mick Avery (drums, percussion), Gwyo Ze Pix (keyboards, synthesizer), John Schofield (percussion) Background […]
Shiva was an English hard-rock band that released the 1982 album Firedance on Heavy Metal Records. They recorded songs for a second album that ultimately surfaced on a 2004 CD by archivists Majestic Rock. Members: John Hall (guitar, vocals, keyboards), Andy Skuse (bass, vocals, keyboards), Chris D’Avoigne (guitar, vocals, 1979-80), Simon “Jack” Carver (drums, percussion, […]
Maximum Joy are an English art-funk/dub band that cut the 1981/82 Y Records singles “Stretch,” “White and Green Place,” and “In the Air,” followed by the album Station MXJY. Members: Janine Rainforth (vocals, violin, clarinet, 1979-83), John Waddington (guitar), Tony Wrafter (saxophone, flute, trumpet, 1979-82), Kevin Evans (bass, piano, vocals), Dan Catsis (bass), Charlie Llewellin […]
The Art Objects were an English post-punk band from Bristol that released a 1980 standalone single on indie Fried Egg, followed by the 1981 Heartbeat album Bagpipe Music. Members: Gerard Langley (vocals), Jonathan J Key (guitar), William Stair (bass), John Langley (drums), Robin Key (guitar), Wojtek Dmochowski (dancer) Background The Art Objects formed in Bristol […]
The Pop Group was an English post-punk band that released the 1979 single “She Is Beyond Good and Evil” and the album Y on Radar Records. They singed to Rough Trade for the single “We Are All Prostitutes” and the 1980 album For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder? Guitarist–saxist Gareth Sager and […]
The Glaxo Babies were an English post-punk/dub band from Bristol cut the 1979 EP This Is Your Life and the single “Christine Keeler,” followed by the 1980 album Nine Months to the Disco. Guitarist Dan Catsis held dual membership in The Pop Group. He and members of both bands formed Maximum Joy. Members: Robert Chapman […]
East of Eden was an English folk-rock/psych band from Bristol that released the 1969/70 Deram albums Mercator Projected and Snafu, followed by the 1971 Harvest titles East of Eden and New Leaf. An additional four albums appeared on Harvest/EMI Electrola between 1975 and 1978. Violinist Dave Arbus played on the FM evergreen “Baba O’Riley” by […]
The Cortinas were an English punk-rock band from Bristol that released two singles on Miles Copeland’s Step Forward label in 1977. The band initially formed as a Stones-influenced pub-rock act and reverted back to that style for their 1978 singular album True Romances. Guitarist Nick Sheppard joined the final lineup of The Clash. Members: Jeremy […]
The Blue Aeroplanes were an English underground rock band that released the 1984 album Bop Art on the Abstract Sounds label, followed by the 1986–87 Fire Records titles Tolerance and Spitting Out Miracles, plus multiple EPs and singles compiled on Friendloverplane. Members: Gerard Langley (vocals, percussion, effects, electronics, drums), Wojtek Dmochowski (dancing, percussion), John Langley […]
The JoBoxers were an English new wave soul-pop quintet drawn from the latter-day Subway Sect lineup. They scored UK hits with “Boxerbeat,” “Johnny Friendly,” and “Just Got Lucky” from their 1983 album Like Gangbusters. Bassist Chris Bostock played on subsequent albums by Style Council and Spear of Destiny. Members: Rob Marche (guitar), Dave Collard (keyboards), […]
Jaguar was an English hard-rock/metal band that emerged with the 1981/82 sides “Chasing the Dragon” and “War Machine,” followed by the 1983/84 Roadrunner albums Power Games and This Time. Members: Garry Pepperd (guitar), Jeff Cox (bass, vocals, 1979-85), Chris Lovell (drums, 1979-84), Rob Reiss (vocals, 1980-82), Paul Merrell (vocals, 1982-85), Les Foster (drums, 1984, 1985), […]
The Wurzels were an English comedy-folk band from Nailsea, Somerset, originally formed in 1966 as a four-piece with vocalist Adge Cutler. In this configuration, the band released four albums on Columbia between 1967 and 1969, plus a 1972 fifth on Starline. Trimmed to a trio, the band released six proper albums between 1975 and 1983, […]
