C86 Show - Indie Pop

Jason Collins/Umbrellabird in conversation with David Eastaugh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5uCjjeIi68 The Roots of the Seers lie in two places; Bristol (obviously) and Billericay (not so obviously). Leigh Wildman grew up in Billericay and it was there he met Jason Collins, a guitarist from nearby Brentwood. They had spent some time in bands around the Essex region and they, along with a few friends, had decided to up sticks and try somewhere else. At the suggestion of one of their number, Bristol was decided upon, and a mini Essex invasion took place in the summer of 1984. Adrian Blackmore, or Age, as he was known, had been in the second wave of Bristol's punk scene, too young to be in bands like the Cortinas, but old enough to be won over by punk's energy. He picked up the drums quickly and formed Lunatic Fringe with fellow Bristol Punk stalwarts Bear Hackenbush and John Finch. The Bristol punk scene in 1984 was a more cider fuelled version of what Crass was peddling, with a very much Do it yourself vibe. Bands squatted venues like the old Beetle Centre on Stokes Croft and encouraged the squatting of disused houses, which many lived in. It was in one of these squatted houses, Turdy Way, named for the amount of dog shit in the house when it was first squatted, that the Essex invasion landed. After a single and some tracks on a few compilation albums, Age had left Lunatic Fringe (very amicably) and started jamming with Leigh and another of the Essex invasion, Marc Hymas, in a loose knit band called Death Machine. Influenced by T-Rex and Hawkwind, they played a few gigs at the Demolition Ballroom (the name given to the squatted Beetle Centre). After a while, Marc decided he wanted to do something else and played Saxophone with Pigbag sound-a-likes Animal Magic. Leigh and Age decided they liked playing together and enlisted Jason on bass guitar and vocals. Getting more focused, and deciding to add some shared influences in the form of 60's Garage bands they enrolled a singer, Dean Strange, with Jason providing backing vocals.  

Richard Barbieri in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://richardbarbieri.bandcamp.com/ ‘Hauntings' is Richard Barbieri's first studio album since 2021's ‘Under A Spell' and deepens the pensive, dark instrumental aesthetic of its predecessor. A diverse collection of immersive sound worlds, both dark and uplifting in equal measure, ‘Hauntings' is influenced by a nostalgia for the past and future, and for things that didn't happen yet still manage to haunt the mind and soul. What is real and what is simulation?   Richard Barbieri remains one of contemporary music's most distinctive voices. Emerging as a key architect of the late '70s/'80s synthesiser revolution with David Sylvian's art-rock ensemble Japan, his visionary synthesiser programming expanded the horizons of electronic music and left a lasting mark on artists from The Human League and Duran Duran to Gary Numan and Talk Talk. His subsequent and ongoing tenure with Steven Wilson's legendary progressive outfit Porcupine Tree across albums such as In Absentia (2002), Fear Of A Blank Planet (2007) and, most recently, Closure/Continuation (2022) further affirmed his status as one of the most intuitive and unique musicians of his generation.   The album finds Barbieri at the height of his powers, his deft keyboard and sonic architecture conjuring a shadowy, creeping Lovecraftian atmosphere. The music wanders through the streets of a gloomy lamp-lit Victorian London and drifts into grain-speckled snapshots of Belle Époque Paris. These journeys into the past are contrasted with nihilistic but euphoric forays into the future, “Traveler” and “A New Simulation” bristling with the itchy modern anxiety that often runs through his best work.   Contrasting the sound designs and electronics of Barbieri, the album features performances from renowned musicians Morgan Agren (drums and percussion), Percy Jones (bass guitar) and Luca Calabrese (trumpet).

Momus in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://imomus.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwH79Z9-WQe2jwaHCK_Cgpg https://momus3.bandcamp.com/ Nicholas John Currie more popularly known under the artist name Momus (after the Greek god of mockery), is a Scottish musician and writer. For over forty years he has been releasing albums on labels in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan. In his lyrics and his other writing he makes use of continental philosophy, and has built up a personal world he says is "dominated by values like diversity, orientalism, and a respect for otherness".[2]  

Roddy Bottum in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Royal-We-Memoir-Roddy-Bottum/dp/1636142699 THE ROYAL WE is a poetic survey of a time set in a magical city that once was and is no more. It is a memoir written by Roddy Bottum, a musician and artist, that documents through prose his coming of age and out of the closet in 1980s San Francisco, a charged era of bicycle messengers, punk rock, street witches, wheatgrass, and rebellion. The book follows his travels from Los Angeles, growing up gay with no role models, to San Francisco, where he formed Faith No More and went on to tour the world relentlessly, surviving heroin addiction and the plight of AIDS, to become a queer icon. The book is an elevated wallop of tongue and insight, much more than a tell-all. There are personal tales of historical pinnacles like Kurt and Courtney, Guns N' Roses, and recaps of gold records and arena rock - but it's the testimonies of tragedy and addiction and preposterous life-spins that make this work so unique and intriguing. Bottum writes about his dark and harrowing past in a clear-eyed voice that is utterly devoid of self-pity, and his emboldened and confident pronouncements of achievement and unorthodox heroism flow in an unstoppable train that's both captivating and inspirational. A remarkable portrayal of a creative individual in emergence, a gay man figuring out how to be a gay man, and a detailed look at the nuance of 1980s pre-tech boom San Francisco, The Royal We will be greatly appreciated by people who loved Kathleen Hanna's Rebel Girl, Patti Smith's Just Kids, Hua Hsu's Stay True, and other memoirs about the artist's life.

Rob Tannenbaum in conversation with David Eastaugh https://www.cherryred.co.uk/various-artists-cbgb-a-new-york-city-soundtrack-1975-1986-4cd?srsltid=AfmBOoohm1glA9ey7r6K1osC9drIJOO4YZT5Q0P6y6vXPapBUTVMN2ig “CBGB was a place for the dirty people.” - Jimmy Destri of Blondie “Afterwards, I took off and went crosstown to CBGB's, the stronghold of the unknown, to be with my own people.” - Patti Smith In December 1973 Hilly Kristal changed the name of his roots music bar from Hilly's on the Bowery to CBGB and altered his musical policy to hire mostly rock bands. He was indifferent to many of them (“No one is going to like you guys, but I'll have you back,” he told Joey Ramone), blissfully unaware of how important his scruffy little club would soon become. In the span of only 15 months, the five groups that comprise the CBGB's pantheon all debuted: Television in March 1974, followed by Ramones in August and Blondie in October, then Patti Smith in February 1975 and Talking Heads four months later. Those five groups all quickly got record deals and became popular enough to outgrow CBGB's. By the fall of 1977, Smith was the only one who was still playing there. What succeeded the Big Five was an array of new and retro styles, all of which feature here: No Wave (Sonic Youth, Mars, DNA, Bush Tetras), post-punk (Ritual Tension, Unknown Gender, Khmer Rouge), mutant funk and R&B (James Chance & The Contortions, Mink DeVille), art-rock bands (R.L. Crutchfield's Dark Day, The Revelons, Erasers, Jeff and Jane Hudson) hardcore punk (Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Vatican Commandos, Beastie Boys), and lots of power pop (Sorrows, The dBs, The Rudies, The Miamis, The Paley Brothers) . The club's best-known bands are present on this compilation but we've also revived interest in dozens of unfairly forgotten acts that, for a moment in time, made an album, EP, 45, or even a demo that crackled with innovation, wit, and joy. CBGB no longer exists, at least not in the physical plane, but what happened between those soot-filled, beer-stinking walls continues to reverberate around the world.

Dominic Blaazer in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXMB0fZMhxw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef0Cw6j70H4 https://dominicblaazer.bandcamp.com/

Adele Bertei in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.roughtrade.com/product/adele-bertei/no-new-york-a-memoir-of-no-wave-and-the-women-who-shaped-the-scene In 1975 a young queer singer from Cleveland meets photographer Nan Goldin - an encounter that will lead them to New York's bombed-out downtown, where something unprecedented is brewing. At Max's Kansas City and CBGBs, in derelict lofts and underground clubs, a generation of visionary women artists is rewriting the rules of creativity, sexuality, and power. Adele Bertei didn't just witness the No Wave explosion-she ignited it. As acetone organist for the Contortions and Brian Eno's assistant, she was at the epicenter when punk collided with post-punk, birthing a counterculture that fused music, art, cinema, fashion and outlaw literature into an uncompromising explosion of creativity. While mainstream culture wallowed in sexism and homophobia, these artists and more created something fluid, fierce, and transgressive. Raw, gripping, and illustrated with rare photographs from personal collections, No New York is the definitive insider's account of the women who obliterated every barrier in their path, taking you deep into the artistic and sexual experimentation of an era when true expression mattered more than money or fame.

Ben Vaughn in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://benvaughn.org/ https://www.straightfromthehat.com/ https://lnkfi.re/SFTH Ben Vaughn grew up in the Philadelphia area on the New Jersey side of the river.  At age 6, his uncle gave him a Duane Eddy record and forever changed his life. In 1983, he formed the Ben Vaughn Combo.  The band was together five years, releasing two albums and touring the U.S. several times.  They received rave reviews in Rolling Stone and People magazine and video airplay on MTV.  The attention inspired Marshall Crenshaw to record Ben's "I'm Sorry (But So Is Brenda Lee)" for his "Downtown" album. Ben embarked on a solo career in 1988, recording several critically acclaimed albums, touring extensively in Europe and the U.S. and receiving more MTV exposure.  During that period he produced three records for the Elektra Records American Explorer series (Memphis rockabilly legend Charlie Feathers, Muscle Shoals country soul singer Arthur Alexander) and recorded "Cubist Blues," a collaboration with Alan Vega and Alex Chilton.  He also scored two films ("Favorite Mopar" and "Wild Girl's Go-Go Rama"), as well as appearing as a frequent guest commentator on nationally syndicated radio shows “Fresh Air” and "World Cafe."   

Chris Anderson in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://crayolalectern.com/n-e-w-s https://crayolalectern.bandcamp.com/ Departure Lounge was initially known as Tim Keegan & Departure Lounge, reflecting the fact that the band evolved from a solo project and Tim Keegan was the singer and main lyricist. They released an album under this name in 1999 (the US version with different tracklisting as Departure Lounge in 2000), Out of Here, which received warm reviews in both the general and music press (subsequent re-releases of the CD have changed the name to simply Departure Lounge). 

Kevin Cann in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.kevincann.com/ https://www.theguardian.com/music/gallery/2011/mar/09/david-bowie-in-pictures https://www.amazon.co.uk/Any-Day-Now-London-1947-1974/dp/0955201780  

Peter Yarmouth in conversation with David Eastaugh https://blackandbluerecords.com/hom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pik16Mpn6Lw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-izEjeVZCX4    

Michael Hampton in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://michaelhampton.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-public-domain-2 https://www.youtube.com/@MaWaHa Among Hampton's Funkadelic writing credits are group staples like “Who Says a Funk Band Can't Play Rock?!” and “Funk Gets Stronger”, both released during the group's late-'70s/early-'80s hit run.  Into the Public Domain, an EP produced by 9-time Grammy Award winner and Ruffhouse Records co-founder Joe “The Butcher” Nicolo. A founding father of power-funk electric guitar, Hampton edges into new territory on Into the Public Domain, a meld of rock and world music with jazz and western overtones, hallmarked by Michael's trademark sizzling leads.

Ben Cardew in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Space-Age-Batchelor-Pad-Music/dp/1916829325 http://jawbonepress.com/space-age-batchelor-pad-music/ Stereolab are one of the most fascinating guitar groups of the past fifty years, a source of constant reinvention and illuminating contrasts, where political ideology meets the sweetest pop melodies and driving guitars rub along with space-age jazz. They are perhaps the greatest Anglo-French collaboration since Concorde—a hugely respected, highly influential group whose fan base grows larger by the year, stretching from chart-topping hip hop artists to underground indie stars. And yet their appeal remains elusive. What kind of music do Stereolab make? What's their best album? Their greatest song? There are no easy answers. In writing this book, Ben Cardew spoke to more than fifty people from the Stereolab universe to trace the history of the band from the depths of 90s indie London to their all-conquering reunion tour of 2025. Using twenty of their songs as jumping-off points, he examines in loving detail what makes this most fascinating band work, unpicking the cultural references, stylistic contradictions, and brilliant ideas at the heart of the group.

Martin Dupont in conversation with David Eastaugh https://martindupont.bandcamp.com/music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5nAMbEQwu8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i9pxew6-Xg A French group from Marseille formed in 1980, consisting of Alain Séghir, Beverley Jane Crew, Brigitte Balian, and Catherine Loy. The music they made was colorful, enthusiastic and delicate, but also melancholy and mysterious. A mixture of hot and cold, light and dark. They made electronic music that incorporated guitars and clarinets, though described as New Wave they truly transcended genres.   less

Ramona Carlier in conversation with David Eastaugh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0JCoMYpiA0 Mo-dettes were a multinational all-female post-punk band, formed in 1979 by guitarist Kate Korris, an original member of the Slits and brief member of the Raincoats, and bassist Jane Crockford, a former member of Bank of Dresden. Ramona Carlier (vocals) and June Miles-Kingston (drums) completed the line-up.

Jeff Bright in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.jeffreyalanbright.com/ https://thepleasurespale.bandcamp.com/ https://jeffbrightthesunshineboys.bandcamp.com/ The Pleasures Pale was an influential indie quartet+ based in Dayton, Ohio, active from 1985 to 1987. Often compared to UK groups of the era, TPP's influences can now be read as more diverse — taking cues from post-punk, rockabilly, swing, Motown and Dayton funk. A band for misfits, their extensive, lyric-driven output sought to light a way through the rust belt's post-industrial bleakness.

David Bash in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://internationalpopoverthrow.com/ The International Pop Overthrow Music Festival was created in December 1997. The name was chosen to pay tribute to Jim Ellison, singer songwriter of Material Issue, a power pop band from Chicago, whose 1991 debut album was entitled International Pop Overthrow. In August 1998, the first International Pop Overthrow festival was held in Los Angeles, featuring 120 pop and rock bands from Los Angeles, several other US cities, and 10 bands from five countries: Canada, Australia, Sweden, France, and the Netherlands. Over the next three years, its roster grew to include bands from countries such as Japan, Norway, Austria, Israel, and the United Kingdom. At the 2001 festival, during a panel discussion, it was suggested by several bands that Bash take International Pop Overthrow on the road

Shayne Carter in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://shaynepcarter.bandcamp.com/ https://www.lifeinonechordfilm.com/ https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/dec/03/shayne-carter-documentary-life-in-one-chord-film-review New Zealand musician best known for leading Straitjacket Fits from 1986 to 1994, and as the only permanent member of Dimmer (1995–2012). Carter is a member of the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame, and has been awarded the New Zealand Herald Legacy Award (with Straitjacket Fits at the 2008 New Zealand Music Awards), and the recipient of several Aotearoa Music Awards including best band, album and top male vocalist with Straitjacket Fits and Dimmer.    

Harold Bronson in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://mogandavidandhiswinos.bandcamp.com/album/savage-young-winos Out of circulation since 1976, the recordings of the Los Angeles rock band Mogan David and His Winos is finally be available again. The group's lineup featured a 'who's who' of heavyweights in the American music industry, including Harold Bronson and Richard Foos (co-founders of Rhino Records), Paul Rappaport (Columbia Records), and Mark Leviton (Rhino/Warner Music Group). Additionally, the band included Jonathan Kellerman, a New York Times bestselling author known for his series of novels starring the fictional child psychologist Alex Delaware. Started in high school by Bronson, a music-obsessed Los Angeles native, the Winos' band name was derived from Westfield, New York's Mogen David Wine Company, inspired by those crazy band names from the psychedelic era, such as Jefferson Airplane and Strawberry Alarm Clock.  

John Andrew Fredrick in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://theblackwatch.bandcamp.com/ https://www.bluematterrecords.com/copy-of-debbie-the-millbanks https://www.facebook.com/theblackwatchmusic/?locale=en_GB The Black Watch was formed in 1987 by John Andrew Fredrick in Santa Barbara, California, and he has been (and still is) it's guiding light. They have released 25 albums over the last 38 years and show no sign of ageing. With a fantastic band behind him, John has presented us with a wonderful batch of songs ranging from mesmeric psych to indie/punk. In late 2025 John paid a brief visit to the UK to see friends and also to do a couple of live acoustic performances.  The Bevis Frond was lucky enough to share the bill with John at London's Betsey Trotwood for a wonderful evening of acoustic revelry. Not only is he a hugely talented musician/songsmith, but a thoroughly decent fellow. It's a true privilege to be able to put out ‘Varied Superstitions' on our label. The LP will come out on purple vinyl with a lyric insert, and there will also be a CD version.  

Alexander Larman in conversation with David Eastaugh https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/books/Lazarus-The-Second-Coming-of-David-Bowie/Alexander-Larman/9781917923446 Lazarus: The Second Coming of David Bowie is the first biography of Bowie that tells the full and candid story of what happened in between those two apparently unbridgeable points. With new and exclusive interviews with the musicians, filmmakers and cultural figures who worked with and befriended Bowie throughout this period, Lazarus is the definitive account of the previously overlooked and fascinating latter half of a great and distinguished career. A career that climaxed with his final masterpiece, Blackstar, and the unprecedented theatrical flourish of his departure from the stage as he passed into legend.

Roger Fisher in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.rogerfisher.com/ The band Heart started out as Army in 1967 in Seattle, Washington, formed by bassist Steve Fossen and brothers Roger and Michael Fisher. The group went by the names Army, Hocus Pocus, and White Heart before settling on just Heart in the mid-1970s. Ann Wilson joined the band in 1970 and Nancy in 1974; romances sprang up between the Fisher brothers and Wilson sisters, with Mike dating Ann and Roger dating Nancy. Heart rose to fame following the release of their debut album, Dreamboat Annie, in 1976. Follow-up albums Little Queen, Magazine, and Dog and Butterfly also sold well. Following the release of the Dog and Butterfly album, the Roger Fisher / Nancy Wilson romance came to an end. In October 1979, Fisher quit the band.

Heitham in conversation with David Eastaugh https://www.senser.co.uk/ https://senser.bandcamp.com/album/sonic-dissidence-2 In 1993, Senser released two indie singles on Ultimate – "Eject" and "The Key". The latter would appear on NME Singles of the Week 1993 album. In March 1994, Senser released their third single, "Switch", which entered the UK Singles Chart at number 39. Senser's first album, Stacked Up, was released in May 1994, and entered the UK Albums Chart at number 4.    

Ray Russell in conversation with David Eastaugh  http://tartaruspress.com/ray/fifty-forgotten-records.html Ray Russell was not at the crossroads when Robert Johnson met the devil, and he didn't see Elvis Presley perform live. He wasn't at Woodstock, or Altamont, or on the roof of the Apple Building. To his enduring frustration, he didn't get to see The Sex Pistols in Manchester at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in June 1976, because he was only ten years old. There will be many others who are just as passionate about music as Russell, who also failed to be in the audience at seminal moments in music history. But, like him, they own records that mean the world to them, and have seen bands play who blew them away. The point is, we all treasure our own personal musical histories because they enrich our lives. This book is a celebration of being a committed music fan. He formed a band at seventeen and discovered he couldn't sing. Close friends released a record which used his lyrics, but John Peel played another of their songs. He ran a record label for a month, worked in a record shop and has released a few records of his own music.

Peter Ormerod in conversation with David Eastaugh  In this wide-ranging biography, Peter Ormerod explores the quest for spirituality that powered David Bowie's creativity from his earliest recordings to his death-defying final album. Bowie's genre-expanding, era-crossing genius had an extraordinary impact on popular culture but his life-long search for spiritual truth and enlightenment has been overlooked. https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/david-bowie-and-the-search-for-life-death-and-god-9781399422826/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/David-Bowie-Search-Life-Death   From Bowie's first musical encounters as a choirboy, this book traces his spiritual obsessions over the years. As a young musician at the start of his career, he was enraptured by Tibetan Buddhism. It was the first step in a spiritual journey that would generate his most profound lyrics and music. From the Kabbalah-influenced tracks of Station to Station to Ziggy Stardust's messiah complex and the profound affinity between Heroes and Christian thought, Ormerod sheds new light on the spiritual traditions behind Bowie's genius. 

Oliver Jackson in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://oliverjackson1.bandcamp.com/album/south-foreland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdhv-rEDOEQ&t=4s Biography  by Alistair Fitchett, excerpt from "Young and Foolish" (Stride Books) Take Emily. Purveyors of sometimes ethereal genius with moments that can grow wings and fly, or grow horns and charge, depending on their mood / mode. A percussive assault that often puts me in mind of Big Star's magisterial 'You Can't Have Me' with its runaway optimistic negativity, can switch abruptly into cathedral reverberation, as Emily become immersed in their effervescing style, an iridescent arc of sparkler fiery kisses on the heavens. T he former mood / mode often makes me think of Ollie Jackson as some sort of Soul brother to Tony France, and I see / hear Emily metamorphose their brass backed masterworks into Stockholm Monstrous swirls of breathtaking intensity. The latter mode / mood puts me in mind of some Scott Walker figure, with Emily swelling with strings and orchestral woodwind into epic proportions, again snatching my breath away, just so.     

Julie & Paul in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://thewouldbes.bandcamp.com/album/hindzeitgeist Indie pop band from Ireland formed in 1988 by the three Finnegan brothers, evolving from their earlier band The Nobody's. Another brother James Finnegan managed the band, and footed the bill for the recording and for the first pressing of 250 copies of their debut single, released by Danceline Records. This single was famously championed by John Peel (it reached number 12 in that year's Festive 50). 17 year old singer Julie McDonnell left the band shortly afterwards, replaced by Eileen Gogan before breaking up in 1991. 

Vix & Martin Tracey in conversation with David Eastaugh https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1917504489/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1 https://www.facebook.com/OfficialFuzzbox Signed on only their second gig much of the story of the all-girl band We've got a …FUZZBOX… and we're gonna use it!! is what dreams are made of… but was it all Pink Sunshine? With exclusive access to original band members this authorised biography by fellow-Brummie Martin Tracey not only covers the breadth of the band's most successful and colourful years, it also reveals a powerful insight into the pressures of a very young girl band pluckily navigating their way through a male-dominated industry in a different time. And, of course, they did it the ‘FUZZBOX' way – armed with wit, fun and a unique unity, these four girls with unstoppable energy smashed through any barrier that dared to stand in their way! This authentic and untold story candidly reveals the rollercoaster ride of three schoolgirls and a big sister who rocketed to worldwide success and the trailblazing aspects of their whole outlook which paved a way for others to follow.

Jim Morris in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://balaamandtheangel.co.uk/ Balaam and the Angel are a rock band founded by Mark, James (Jim), and Desmond (Des) Morris  in 1984. Initially the band self-released a series of EPs and an album entitled Sun Family via their own Chapter 22 and played some tour dates opening for The Cult. This caught the attention of Virgin Records, who signed them and released their debut album, The Greatest Story Ever Told. They toured in the USA with Kiss and label mate Iggy Pop.

Tony Jenkins in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.facebook.com/kbsbookstore https://theportlandarms.co.uk/wp/product/the-loft-the-kobayashi-bookstore-29th-may-26/

Greg LoPiccolo in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73usDk7AK1w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7rwGjK38Ro Tribe was an American alternative rock band from Boston, which was active in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They released three albums including two on Slash Records.  However, their popularity in Boston did not translate their local appeal into national fame and they disbanded in 1994. Greg LoPiccolo later stated that "When Warner Bros didn't pick up our option for the third album; that was kind of a momentum-killer." Terri Barous, now Brosius, and Eric Brosius and Greg LoPiccolo later joined video game developer Looking Glass Studios and did sound/voice/music work on various games. They would later become critical members of Guitar Hero developer Harmonix.

John Kosh in conversation with David Eastaugh https://koshdesign.com/ Kosh is a Multi-Grammy award winning art director and former creative director for Apple Records. In the mid-sixties, he was designer for The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera House, where he produced a gold foil covered program for the anniversary Royal Gala attended by her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. At the age of 22, Kosh was responsible for designing the innovative entry portal to the “Young & Fantastic” avant garde art and sculpture exhibition on The Mall in London's West End. Following his work for The Opera House, he met John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1968 as they had admired his work as art director of Art & Artists magazine. They invited him to meet them one evening at Hammersmith Hospital, where Yoko was recuperating. Shortly thereafter they offered him a desk at Apple Records at 3 Saville Row. His first project was the “War Is Over (if you want it)” Christmas card, which led to the worldwide WAR IS OVER billboard campaign that continues to this day. He designed The Beatles' Get Back picture book with the Let It Be album package, the Abbey Road album cover, John & Yoko's elaborate Wedding Album box set, and Hey Jude. Kosh was one of the few attendees at the Beatles' farewell rooftop concert. While working for Apple Records, he designed Mary Hopkin's Postcard, Billy Preston's That's The Way God Planned It, George Harrison's Radha Krisna Temple and The Plastic Ono Band's, Life With The Lions, plus singles, “Give Peace a Chance”, “Instant Karma”, “Cold Turkey” and “Power To The People.”  

Mark Brydon in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.mark-e-brydon.com/ Brydon established himself in the Sheffield music scene, most notably with the funk band Chakk whose advance from MCA Records financed the building of FON Studios. His biggest contribution to British art pop to date would come as a result of meeting Róisín Murphy, with whom he formed Moloko, at a party.      

Ian Trowell in conversation with David Eastaugh https://www.intellectbooks.com/an-endless-discontent https://www.amazon.co.uk/Throbbing-Gristle-Endless-Discontent-Global In 1976 the British band Throbbing Gristle emerged from the radical arts collective COUM Transmissions through core members Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti, joined by Hipgnosis photographer Peter Christopherson and electronics specialist Chris Carter. Though having performed previously in more low-key arts environments, their major launch coincided with the COUM retrospective exhibition Prostitution at London's ICA gallery, showcasing and contextualising an array of challenging objects from COUM's various actions in performance art and pornography. In a deliberately curated strategy inviting press, civic and arts dignitaries, extravagant followers of the nascent punk scene and music journalists, the band created an instant controversy and media panic that tapped into the restrictive climate and encroaching conservatism of late 1970s Britain. Any opportunities that were being explored by a formative punk ethos and movement around sex, censorship and transgression were amplified and exposed by Throbbing Gristle and Prostitution. An outraged Member of Parliament Nicholas Fairbairn took the bait and called the ensemble the ‘wreckers of civilisation', providing the suitable newspaper headline that would be followed a month later by ‘the filth and the fury' as the Sex Pistols uttered strong profanities on live television.

Chris Riou in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.facebook.com/claytowntroupe/?locale=en_GB The Claytown Troupe were formed in 1984 in Bristol by lead singer Christian Riou, who claimed in an NME interview that a local clairvoyant advised him to form a band called "the Clayton Troop" who would have success internationally and spend time in America. Between 1985 and 1987 the band were active on the Bristol live circuit supporting acts that included Fields of the Nephilim, Alien Sex Fiend and Chiefs of Relief. The line up changed in late 1987, and a new set of songs was written which became the album 'Through The Veil' After recruiting guitarist Adrian Bennett & bassist Paul Waterson they played as supporting act such as Salvation, Lightning Strikes.

John Abulafia in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://unfinishedhistories.com/history/companies/incubus/john-abulafia-on-incubus/ https://unfinishedhistories.com/history/companies/incubus/ Incubus Theatre has its origins in a 1968 production of Kafka's Metamorphosis that John Abulafia wrote and directed while he was at Sussex University. The part of Josef  K was created by Paddy Fletcher, then studying at Brighton Art College. John says of Paddy, ‘He was the most extraordinary, inventive performer, and a wonderful creative collaborator. I had a clear vision of the kind of theatre I wanted to create but everyone else told me that it was impossible to stage a play where a human turns into an insect. Paddy's response was that if I didn't give him the part he would never speak to me again. He tried any and every distortion of his body to create Josef K: he brought to life Kafka's vision of a tormented creature paying the price for the sins of his family. This Metamorphosis was before Berkoff and before anyone used the term Physical Theatre.‘ Metamorphosis took the 1968 NUS/ Sunday Times drama festival by storm, was invited to the Oxford Playhouse, and then to a series of other London venues.

Ian A Anderson in conversation with David Eastaugh https://frootsmag.com/ https://www.ianaanderson.com/ https://ghostsfromthebasement.bandcamp.com/ Anderson first performed in his home town of Weston-super-Mare as a member of the Backwater Jook Band and came to prominence as a member of the Bristol based country blues scene of the mid to late 1960s, performing live and on record, both solo, with Al Jones and Elliott Jackson as the trio "Anderson Jones Jackson", and as a duo with Mike Cooper.  After two EPs, he recorded his first album, Stereo Death Breakdown, as Ian Anderson's Country Blues Band, which was released by Liberty/United Artists in 1969. In December 1969, with John Turner, he conceived the record label The Village Thing, for which he was also a producer.

Edward Barton in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vgcYBwyw28 English poet, artist and musician from Manchester, known for his eccentric stage performances and use of home-made instruments. He has had top 30 success as a songwriter with hits including "It's a Fine Day" (Opus III) - the tune of which was then used in Kylie Minogue's hit "Confide in Me" - "Halcyon" (Orbital) and "Happiness" (Pizzaman). He also wrote a trio of hits for Lost Witness - "Happiness Happening", "Red Sun Rising" and "7 Colours".

Graham Cunnington & Paul Jamrozy in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://testdept.bandcamp.com/album/industrial-overture Formed in London in the early 1980s, Test Dept are regarded as one of the pioneering forces of ‘industrial music', recognised for their groundbreaking sound and powerful performances that pushed the boundaries of music, art and protest while exploring political and social issues. Centred around the founding duo of Paul Jamrozy and Gray Cunnington since resurfacing in the mid-2010s, the group recently signed to the Artoffact label and have just issued the first in a series of carefully curated box sets that will chronicle their career. ‘Industrial Overture. Studio & Live Recordings 1982-1985' consists of 42 tracks across 4 CDs and also available digitally. It includes a first ever reissue of the group's 1983 cassette-only debut album ‘Strength Of Metal In Motion', the classic ‘Ecstasy Under Duress' and ‘Atonal & Hamburg' albums (both unavailable for over three decades), plus a disc of hitherto unreleased studio recordings that incorporate two sessions recorded for the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1.

Paul Morley in conversation with David Eastaugh https://www.headline.co.uk/titles/paul-morley/far-above-the-world/9781472289506/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Far-Above-World-Space-David/dp/1472289471 A landmark exploration of David Bowie as an everlasting cultural force and change maker, by acclaimed writer Paul Morley. In the ten years since the death of David Bowie in 2016 there has been no loss of interest in and fascination with his life, music and driven, complex personality. He is definitely one musician, one performer, destined not to be forgotten. The significant grief and sadness that greeted Bowie's death has evolved into a deeper, enduring love for his music, style, wit, artistic curiosity, sexual energy, flamboyant outsider spirit and insatiable, provocative appetite for life. Far Above the World documents one of the UK's greatest creative artists, through the spectacularly colourful and vibrant journey of a man who constantly reinvented himself and his music. Bowie lived in the future, using the pop song to chronicle overwhelming and dangerous times, searching for the light, and creating a communication channel between post-war 20th century times and where(ever) we are now. This anniversary book will place him in the now and next, as much as is past, and argue that his songs, and his messages, reflections and warnings become ever more relevant and compelling as time passes.

Elizabeth Westwood in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.theguntonarms.co.uk/new-years-eve-2025/ Named after the sci-fi film Westworld, it was formed in 1986 by former Generation X guitarist Bob "Derwood" Andrews and American vocalist Elizabeth Westwood. The line up was completed by drummer Nick Burton. Before the recording and release of their third and final album, Burton left the band and was replaced by Gary "Gaz" Young and Tracey "T.J." O'Conner, making them a quartet. Visually the band were styled in a way reminiscent of comic book art and musically they were a blend of classic 1950s rock and roll, glam and punk, updated with beatboxes and sequencer. They had an early success with their debut single "Sonic Boom Boy", which reached #11 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1987, and was used in Sony's advertisements. They had one more Top 40 hit, "Ba-Na-Na-Bam-Boo" which reached #37 in May the same year. They released three albums before moving to the Arizona desert in the US in 1992 to form the band Moondogg.

Harry Dingman in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://foragainst.bandcamp.com/ https://www.harrydingman.com/ https://themillionsne.bandcamp.com/ Something of an anomaly in Midwestern America, For Against—especially early in its career—has looked to a distinctly British aesthetic for inspiration, most obviously the post-punk scene exemplified by the early rosters of the Factory and 4AD record labels. Featuring members of underground Lincoln bands Cartoon Pupils and Hymn to Joy, the band first called itself Glue, and then D.B.L., finally settling on Four Against One, a name that reflected its status as a quintet at the time. Bassist Liz Panarelli's early departure gave way to keyboardist Jeffrey Runnings' shift to bass, as well as the band's truncation of its name to For Against. By 1985, singer Jon Fynbu had departed as well, leaving the core trio of guitarist Harry Dingman III, drummer Gregory Hill and bassist Jeffrey Runnings. The latter would become (with very few exceptions) the band's sole vocalist and lyricist.

Andrew 'Tiny' Wood in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.facebook.com/UltrasoundTheBand English indie rock band. With roots in the British underground psychedelic and experimental rock scenes of the 1980s and early 1990s, the band emerged in 1997 and soon gained attention for their "operatic prog-glam ambitions" and "violent reworking of the idiosyncratic compositions of Captain Beefheart and the staged ambisexual pop idioms of the likes of Marc Bolan and David Bowie". Signing a high-profile deal with Nude Records at the tail-end of the Britpop era, the band released several well-received singles and were tagged as "another big, bright hope for British music" but split up acrimoniously in 1999 following the release of their debut album Everything Picture. Reuniting in early 2010, Ultrasound have gone on to tour and to release two further albums.

Tim Polecat in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.facebook.com/ThePolecats/?locale=en_GB https://westhampsteadarts.com/nightery_event/the-polecats-2/ The band formed in 1977 in north London. The original line-up was Tim Worman (a.k.a. Tim Polecat, vocalist), Martin "Boz" Boorer (guitarist and vocalist), Phil Bloomberg (bassist), and Chris Hawkes (drummer) who originally played under the name "Cult Heroes". Finding difficulty persuading promoters to book them on the rockabilly circuit with a name sounding "too punk", they adopted Hawkes' suggested band name, the Polecats. Hawkes was later replaced by Neil Rooney, who was subsequently replaced by John Buck. The Polecats played rockabilly with a "punk sense of anarchy and helped revive the genre for a new generation in the early '80s." The band were first signed by the fledgling British rockabilly record label Nervous Records, and recorded their first single "Rockabilly Guy" at guitarist Alan Warner's "Lane Studios" in 1979. Formerly with the "Foundations" band, Warner toured and recorded with the Polecats for about a year. In 1980, the band signed to Mercury Records, and released their most successful LP, Polecats Are Go! They had UK chart success with the David Bowie cover "John, I'm Only Dancing", a reworking of "Rockabilly Guy", and another cover version of the T-Rex (Marc Bolan) song "Jeepster". In 1983, they hit the charts in the United States with their song "Make a Circuit with Me". John Buck replaced Neil Rooney in 1982 playing drums.

Mark Johnson in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLE9mfb6eZU https://dontsleepdream.bandcamp.com/album/life-is-just-a-ride Although first formed in 1985, The Bollweevils did not come together properly as a live act until 1988. The first full line-up included Sarah Griffiths (vocals), Mark Johnson (lead guitar), Steve McKevitt (bass guitar), Dave Lloyd (rhythm guitar) and Chris Coyle (drums). From their first gig The Bollweevils received favourable reviews. However, it was not until late in 1989 that the band signed a recording contract with the Vinyl Solution. In March 1990, their first single was released on the Decoy label, the self produced and critically well-received four track Talk To Me EP. ABC's Stephen Singleton agreed to help record the second single, but it was not finished until 1991 and neither the band nor the record company were happy with the results. The tracks were re-mixed in June with the punk/dance producer Alan Scott, but the Life's A Scream EP was never released in that form.

Shaun Ward in conversation with David Eastaugh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGqFli3c7wM Floy Joy was an English group formed in Sheffield, England, who recorded two albums and had minor success with several singles. Into the Hot was released by Virgin in September 1984. It was preceded in July 1984 by the single "Burn Down a Rhythm", which also failed to chart. The second single, "Until You Come Back to Me", was released in October 1984. The third and final single, "Operator", was released in January 1985 and reached No. 86. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izOdvBmTDh0

Aki in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://sonofpunk.co.uk/ https://nationrecords.bandcamp.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9bzv8-c_gs British musician/rapper, grew up in Bradford. He co-wrote some songs and played drums with the rock band 'Southern Death Cult' as Haq Qureshi, but is best known as member of Islamic rap band Fun-Da-Mental. Aki also runs Nation Records.

Dave Howard in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://thedavehowardsingers.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/dave.howard.3133 The Dave Howard Singers is a cult Canadian alternative rock band/project originally formed in Toronto Canada. The project is based around the talents of singer-songwriter Dave Howard (the only consistent member) and the signature sound of his Ace Tone organ. During the second half of the 1980s, the band were resident in (and drew many members from) Britain, where they were a cult act making several appearances on nationwide television.

Rob Miller in conversation with David Eastaugh https://mngbookshop.co.uk/9780252088964/the-hours-are-long-but-the-pay-is-low/ https://www.robmillerwriting.com/ In this memoir/history/fever dream, Rob Miller, co-founder of Chicago's venerable Bloodshot Records, chronicles the unlikely evolution of Bloodshot from a list scribbled on a cocktail napkin one cold winter night into an internationally renowned home for roots music, Americana, and “alt-country,” as well as his own evolution from self-described shy, dorky Detroit teenager to DIY label owner. Working with celebrated artists such as the Old 97s, Neko Case, Robbie Fulks, Scott H. Biram, The Sadies, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, and the late Justin Townes Earle at the beginning of their careers, established, critically-acclaimed artists like the Bottle Rockets, Detroit Cobras, Wayne “The Train” Hancock, William Elliott Whitmore, Bobby Bare Jr, and Murder By Death, as well as important musicians that had an early impact on him like Graham Parker, Alejandro Escovedo, Barrence Whitfield, Exene Cervenka, Dex Romweber, and R&B icon Andre Williams, Miller had an almost 30-year run in Chicago's vibrant music scene, from the 1990s into the early 2020s. Through it all, the label remained fiercely independent, resisting efforts to pigeonhole their sound or succumb to the music industry's hit machine mentality.  Written with wry self-deprecation, the book is a unique look at the vibrant Chicago music scene and a little label that could.  It is a musical coming of age story that treads the line between memoir and history, and is full of anecdotes, cautionary tales, and a from-the-trenches perspective on the workings of underground music.  In great detail, the author hits the highs, the lows, the harsh realities, and the acts of creative enthusiasm that defied common business practices.  And, at its heart it is a celebration of indie communities, and an appeal to appreciate and strengthen them.

Jennifer Finch in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://jenniferfinch.com/ https://jenniferfinch.bandcamp.com/album/diamonds-in-the-belly-of-the-dog https://substack.com/@jenniferfinch https://theshockerofficial.bandcamp.com/album/up-your-ass-tray-extended American musician, designer, and photographer most notable for being the primary bass player of the punk rock band L7. Active in L7 from 1986 to 1996, Finch also wrote music and performed with her bands OtherStarPeople and The Shocker in the interim before joining the reunited L7 in 2014.

Christian Riou in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.facebook.com/claytowntroupe The Claytown Troupe were formed in 1984 in Bristol by lead singer Christian Riou, who claimed in an NME interview that a local clairvoyant advised him to form a band called "the Clayton Troop" who would have success internationally and spend time in America. During 2025, the current Claytown Troupe lineup supported: The Godfathers at the Garage, London. Spear of destiny at the 100 club London, Cardiff and Brighton. Gene Loves Jezebel in Oxford, Birmingham and The Lexington, London. Darkfest, an alternative rock festival in Wolverhampton with Balaam and the Angel. They have been announced as the support for Fields of the Nephilim in October 2025, at Manchester, Glasgow (with Balaam) and the Forum, London.