A new Book, CD and download that celebrates the Bristol music scene between the periods 1974 - 1981
Here is a book that may be of importance to Bristol folk or general music lovers. The book and CD are due for release on October 6th 2014, this is guaranteed to be a really good read, and for me, pretty much sums up my teen years!
This was a time before the internet, and we had no You Tube, no music downloads, and no Facebook. Our evenings would consist of listening to live music in small Bristol venues or hanging out in The Dug Out listening to DJ's play their choice of music. It was also a time when every other friend and/or family member played in a band. During 1974 to 1981 I had a brother who played drums in the Cortinas and Gardez Darkx, a father who was manager of the Cortinas, a sister who sang in the Spics and The Sidneys, and a brother who played guitar in a band and took photos of the band scene over this time. We didn't have mobile phones, so no mobile phone cameras, making photographs of these gigs a rare thing. John Spink's photographs, combined with author, Gill Loats' words, make this book a great time capsule of this period in Bristol. Accompanying the book is also a CD and download featuring 22 tracks from the band scene at this time.
See below for more details on the book and the CD
About Bristol Boys Make More Noise
Bristol’s leading
counter-culture publishers Tangent Books and Bristol Archive Records have
joined forces to produce a photographic book, download and CD celebrating the
Bristol music scene 1974-1981.
The book is based on
the work of John Spink one of the few photographers
to capture the Bristol music scene from the mid 1970s to the early 1980s. John
moved to Bristol from London in 1972 and fell in with the band Magic Muscle who
lived in the communal ‘Fun House’ in Cotham’ He worked as an occasional
photographer for music mags as well as performing in some early shows by the
surrealist Crystal Theatre.
He pioneered a
technique of processing black and white film using X-ray developer which
enabled him to shoot in low light (such as clubs) without using flash. This
collection not only captures the Bristol scene during these years as Bristol
music moved from 70s rock (Magic Muscle) through punk (The Cortinas) to the
experimental adventurers The Pop Group and The Various Artists but also
showcases John’s unique photographic style.
In 1981, John left
Bristol for New York where he worked for Caroline Records. He now lives in
Northern California and works as a tour manager for a large music merchandising
company.
John’s pictures are
put in context by author Gill Loats who was at the heart of the Bristol music
scene working as a DJ at the infamous Dug Out Club and watching live music most
nights of the week.
The release of the
book is accompanied by the launch of a CD and download. The CD features 22
tracks including contributions from Magic Muscle, The Cortinas, Shoes for
Industry, The Various Artists, The Ratbites From Hell, The Spics and The
X-Certs.
The limited-edition
CD features a 44-page booklet with sleeve notes by Thomas Brooman CBE who
played drums with The Media, The Spics and The Sidneys before going on to
co-found WOMAD and Real World Records with Peter Gabriel..
Said Richard Jones
of Tangent Books: ‘I’ve known Mike Darby from Bristol Archive Records for many
years and we both work in similar areas celebrating Bristol’s rich
counter-culture, but this is the first time we’ve worked together. It’s a
really exciting project bringing together John Spink’s photography and Gill
Loats’ written memories with a CD and download. It’s a fantastic package that
begins to make sense of the early years of the Bristol Sound.’
Book Details:
Bristol Boys Make More Noise:
The Bristol Music Scene 1974-1981
Photography by John Spink,
words by Gill Loats • £14 • 200 pages
203mm x 241mm (landscape)
Isbn: 978-1-910089-07-1
Available 6th Oct, 2014
Distributor: Central Books
Sales:
Richard Jones richard@tangentbooks.co.uk
CD Details:
Bristol Boys Make More Noise: The Soundtrack
1974-1981
ARTIST: Various Artists
TITLE: Bristol Boys Make More Noise:
The Soundtrack 1974-1981
RELEASE DATE: 6th October 2014
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: Bristol Archive Records /
Shellshock
FORMAT: Limited Edition, numbered, 44 page
booklet and Digital Download
CD Tracklisting:
Bristol
Boys Make More Noise: The Soundtrack
1. Magic Muscle: Free As A Bird
2. The Cortinas: Defiant Pose
3. The Spics: You And Me
4. Gardez Darkx: Bliss
5. The Radicals: Nights Of Passion
6. Talisman: Run Come Girl
7. The X-Certs: Queen And Country
8. The Media: New Blood
9. Joe Public: Yellow Runs Forever
10. The Spics: Angels In The Rain
11. Sneak Preview: Slugweird
12. The Various Artists: Unlucky In Love
13. The Various Artists: Time Of My Life
14. The Stingrays: Exceptions
15. The Untouchables: Keep On Walking
16. Wendy Partridge & Joanna Swan (The
Spics): Fire
17. Shoes for Industry: Sheep Dog Trial In A
Babylon
18. C.C. Sager: Deathbed Lullaby
19. The Fabulous Ratbites From Hell: Sparkle
20. The Dragons: Best Of Both Worlds
Bonus
Tracks:
21. The Vultures: She’ll Be Back
22.
The Sidneys: Bleak Grey Skies