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 […]
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 […]
Nik Kershaw (born March 1, 1958) is an English musician, vocalist, and songwriter who released the albums Human Racing and The Riddle on MCA in 1984, followed by two further albums on the label between 1986 and 1989. Prior to his solo career, he recorded the album Till I Hear From You with the band […]
The JoBoxers were an English New Wave/soul-pop band from Bristol that released the album Like Gangbusters on RCA in 1983. Members: Rob Marche (guitar), Dave Collard (keyboards), Chris Bostock (bass), Sean McLusky (drums), Dig Wayne (vocals) Discography: Like Gangbusters (1983)
Jaguar were an English hard-rock/metal band from Bristol that released a pair of shortplayers on the NWOBHM-specialty labels Heavy Metal and Neat circa 1981/82, followed by two albums on Roadrunner in 1983 and 1984. 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), […]
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 […]
Skywhale were an English jazz-rock band from Bristol that released the album The World at Mind’s End on Firebrand Records in 1977. 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) […]
Shiva were an English hard-rock band from Bristol that released the album Firedance on Heavy Metal Records in 1982. The following year, the band recorded material for a second album that was ultimately released in 2004 by archivists Majestic Rock. Members: John Hall (guitar, vocals, keyboards), Andy Skuse (bass, vocals, keyboards), Chris D’Avoigne (guitar, vocals, […]
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 […]
The Pop Group were an English avant-punk/funk band from Bristol that released the single “She Is Beyond Good and Evil” and the album Y on Radar Records in 1979, followed by For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder? and the dub release We Are Time on Rough Trade in 1980. Members: Mark Stewart […]
Maximum Joy were an English art-funk/dub band from Bristol that released three 1981/82 singles and the 1982 album Station MXJY on Y Records, followed by a final single on Garage Records. 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), […]
The Glaxo Babies were an English experimental/dub band from Bristol that released two shortplayers on Heartbeat Records in 1979, followed by two albums on the label in 1980. Members: Robert Chapman (guitar, vocals), Dan Catsis (guitar, vocals), Geoff Allsop (drums), Tom Nichols (bass), Tony Wrafter (saxophone, vocals), Charlie Llewelyn (synthesizer, drums, vocals), Tim Aylett (vocals, […]
The Art Objects were an English New Wave/art-punk band from Bristol that released a standalone single on small-press Fried Egg in 1980, followed by the album Bagpipe Music on Heartbeat in 1981. Members: Gerard Langley (vocals), Jonathan J Key (guitar), William Stair (bass), John Langley (drums), Robin Key (guitar), Wojtek Dmochowski (dancer) Discography: “Hard Objects” […]
