{"product_id":"the-bristol-post-punk-explosion-1978-1982","title":"The Bristol Post Punk Explosion (1978-1982)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eToo Much Commotion\u003c\/strong\u003e - You Have Been Warned. The post-punk explosion of the late 1970s\/early 1980s is regarded as one of the most exciting periods of music making explorations in Bristol. Half a century later (gulp!), the period is now being revisited, seen as being even more relevant as there is the 2020s surge of new acts reviving and mining the seam of the genre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMany of the original Bristol bands in question had either been featured on or been rocket-fueled inspired by the success of a local label's 1980 compilation album of bands from the city on \u003cem\u003eAvon Calling\u003c\/em\u003e, that was lauded, championed, and played to death by John Peel. John Peel rated the compilation of Bristol bands above those from Manchester and Liverpool, stating on air 'this really is the standard by which others should be judged in the future. It really is superb with not a bad track on it.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThat local label releasing it was Heartbeat Records, run by Simon Edwards (who also ran Riot City). Heartbeat was part of a coterie of Bristol indies, such as Fried Egg, Wavelength, and Recreational (the latter operating out of another central destination for music lovers, the Revolver record shop). The emergent labels were tapping into the range of musical talent responding to the challenges of a new decade, the Thatcher government tearing down hard-fought-for certainties and securities, allied to the impact of punk that had shifted the shape of the musical landscape so dramatically.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe quasi-psychedelic, archly poetic \u003cem\u003eEssential Bop\u003c\/em\u003e even got as far as being praised to the skies in the NME by Paul Morley. \u003cstrong\u003eArt Objects\u003c\/strong\u003e 'a beat combo fronted by a poet' became the better-known \u003cem\u003eBlue Aeroplanes\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eElectric Guitars\u003c\/strong\u003e somewhat incongruously signed to Stiff and - sadly - stiffed. \u003cstrong\u003eLatif Gardez\u003c\/strong\u003e from Gardez Darkx signed with EMI and later Virgin. He would release two albums under the name \u003cem\u003eMystery Slang\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003cstrong\u003eTim Norfolk\u003c\/strong\u003e from the artful, wacky, and tight-fitting \u003cem\u003eShoes For Industry\u003c\/em\u003e went on to become a member of The Insects and worked with Massive Attack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat cannot be ignored all this time on when listening to so much of the \u003cem\u003eExplosion\u003c\/em\u003e album is the quality - the sheer attack of Art Objects, the angular extremities of Electric Guitars along with the caustic sneer of Fishfood. Then there is the more hipster Danceteria driven, percussive, and horny frenetic grooves of Animal Magic, in marked variance to the loose-limbed, guitarless Scream \u0026amp; Dance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is all contrasting with more electronic vox ultra uber-cool mensch and darker elements of Europeans (featuring later Specimen and Siouxsie and the Banshees guitarist, John Klein), Creature Beat, and Colortapes (who had Mike Fewins, ex of The Cortinas, in their line-up). Much can be found in the sheer lyricism of so many of the songs and groups. \u003cstrong\u003eGlaxo Babies\u003c\/strong\u003e even recently performed in Bristol in their current iteration, Dan Catsis being the sole original member.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Objects\/Aeroplanes main man Gerard Langley regarded the band in their heyday as the 'cornerstone of the Bristol scene' placing them above the Pop Group (usually ranked as being top dogs by national media, though Essential Bop regarded them as 'beatnik fascists') in that status. For Langley the Glaxos were 'both sophisticated and primitive, they were basically pre-post-punk punk. They were real man, and I loved them'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eExplosion\u003c\/em\u003e album is the tip of the iceberg of the treasure trove of goodies from the era. Archive label owner Mike Darby, who compiled it, makes that plain: \"There's easily enough for a great volume two.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTracklisting\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSide One\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eArt Objects\u003c\/em\u003e - \"Hard Objects\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eGlaxo Babies\u003c\/em\u003e - \"Christine Keeler\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAnimal Magic\u003c\/em\u003e - \"Standard Man\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eElectric Guitars\u003c\/em\u003e - \"Beat Me Hollow (Demo)\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eCreature Beat\u003c\/em\u003e - \"She Won't Dance\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eShoes For Industry\u003c\/em\u003e – \"Jerusalem\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSide Two\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eEuropeans\u003c\/em\u003e – \"Europeans\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eEssential Bop\u003c\/em\u003e – \"Croaked\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eGardez Darkx\u003c\/em\u003e – \"Bliss\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eFishfood\u003c\/em\u003e - \"Modern Dance Craze\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eColortapes\u003c\/em\u003e - \"Cold Anger\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eScream and Dance\u003c\/em\u003e - \"In Rhythm\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bristol Archive","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50445276938571,"sku":"2198532","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_46cd29ee_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727035604","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/fr\/products\/the-bristol-post-punk-explosion-1978-1982","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}