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Bristol Punk Scene 1977 - 2019


KURTZ

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Just wondering if there are any of you who are old enough to have witnessed the Bristol Punk scene in its heyday?

Can any of you remember Seeing The Clash, and the Stanglers play the Exhibition Center? 

Did you see Siouxie and the Banshees play the Barton Hill Youth club?

 Do you remember gangs of Punk Rockers congregating outside the Virgin Records shop?

Does anyone still go to see Punk bands?

Is there still a Punk Scene in Bristol?

 

 

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Yes chief.

Was a teen and saw the Clash and the post City Gas dust up … That in 2019 would be front page it was full scale.

And the Damned and the post City Gas dust up.

Crass new Trinity was the gig. Yes there was a dust up but pre gig v the British movement. That small gig changed Punk in Bristol and its politics. For some anyway.

Do you remember gangs of Punk Rockers congregating outside the Virgin Records shop? Yes twas also the eighties.

Thrash and anarcho of the eighties could be Bristols punk heyday Chaos UK, Disorder, Lunatic Fringe, Amebix in squats around St Pauls and the Vice Squad but the not the Vice Squad of now.

We had kicks todays kids can never know … Can smoke, cant squat, drink is expensive, can't protest like the eighties and can't dive off the stage if I could muster enough energy to climb on one.

Is there still a Punk Scene in Bristol? Yes. Check the exchange. Check St Nicks covered market. Easton Pubs. Its not as big, numerous and spiky and has a lot less hair but is still there.

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Saw loads - Stranglers Exhibition - I am sure there was spitting and Hugh leapt off stage and poleaxed some geezer with his guitar :laugh: - never saw the Clash  (grrrrr)

had (still have) a ticket for the Pistols at the Bamboo Club

Can even remember seeing Siouxie at YATE and Blondie - saw the Damned backing T REX and left after the Damned (fool that I was)

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I witnessed that fighting on the Center between Punks and City fans,  I was also present when all hell broke loose at the BQ club in st Pauls ( The Slits were playing ).

Incredibly exciting times to be a young lad, Great music, but it seemed as you have pointed out , that it was dogged with violence.

Mind you, It wasn't violent at punk gigs alone, I remember there was always a chance of violence just being in "Town" after dark.

It does seem safer nowadays, but that may be the mistaken perception of an old man.

 

 

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20 minutes ago, Markman said:

Saw loads - Stranglers Exhibition - I am sure there was spitting and Hugh leapt off stage and poleaxed some geezer with his guitar :laugh: - never saw the Clash  (grrrrr)

had (still have) a ticket for the Pistols at the Bamboo Club

Can even remember seeing Siouxie at YATE and Blondie - saw the Damned backing T REX and left after the Damned (fool that I was)

You are right about Hugh Axeing some guy with his guitar, because he missed me by about two bodies!!!

I still have the Pistols ticket also, I think we had to pay to go watch the awfull band The Stukas to get that ticket.

Shame the club burnt down a few days after.

I also saw the Siouxsie at Yate, great gig.

Interesting days my friend, 

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We were a couple of years too young to go to gigs in 1977, I didn't get to my first one until May 79 (The Undertones at the Locarno), but my mates and I became totally obsessed with the 'new wave' in the summer of 77 and nothing was ever the same again.

In fact I can still remember the Sunday afternoon when the epiphany happened. Taping the top 40 show off Radio 1 on my cassette player (* HOME TAPING IS KILLING MUSIC!!), I heard for the first time in quick succession Pretty Vacant, All Around The World and Something Better Change.

The sounds and the attitude blasting out of my little transistor radio that day absolutely blew me away and the world did indeed change, forever.

 

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Becki B was from Bristol I think?

Clem Burke (Drummer Blondie) is playing at the Thunderbolt next week (Thursday I think) with a band called the Tearaways - I shall pop up for a visit - certainly worth the £12 or so - I will wear colours in case any other City turn up ?

(the emoji is a safety pin)!

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saw the Angelic Upstarts, Clash, Cockney rejects, Damned, Dead Kennedys, Killing Joke, PIL, Ruts, Skids, SLF, Stranglers, UK Subs and a lot of bands on Bristols Riot City records normally four or five on the bill headed by Chaos UK or the Vice Squad both bands had City fans in them. the Vice Squad gig at the granary is on youtube. Best live were SLF and Crass which was more than lively for a band who were pacifists. Chaos Uk and Disorder were always a shambles but fun. Vice Squad were class and should have been bigger but Beki went on to form rock band ligotage. Gigs back then were seriously violent and gigs often worse away from the Cities as you get local v skins v rockers v mods v punks. Bath and the UK Subs saw a side of Bath never seen now!!   

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2 hours ago, Markman said:

would have liked to have seen the Dead Kennedys - one of my best gigs was the Cramps (bit after punk really) 1980 at Trinity Hall - about a year after they supported the Police at the Locarno

I was a late band-wagon jumper: saw The Cramps at The Studio in, I think, 1985. One of the scariest looking crowds I ever saw at a gig.

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Saw the Dead Kennedys at Bath Pavillion in 82 markman. Lot of good gigs then in Bath and Chippenham alongside Bristol. Bristols Disorder supported DK and Jello Biafra was in the crowd slamming away before getting up on stage. Saw the Stranglers in Bath as well. Bit of theme here JJ Burnell got so pissed off with the fighting in the crowd he invited anybody to get up on stage and have a go with him there were no takers!!     

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How many of you old gits still listen to proper punk then?

They said that we were trash 
Well the name is Crass not Clash 
They can stuff their punk credentials 
Cause it's them that take the cash 
They won't change nothing with their fashionable talk 
Their RAR badges and their protest walk 
Thousands of white men standing in a park 
Objecting to racism like a candle in the dark 
Black man's got his problems and his way to deal with it 
So don't fool yourself you're helping with your white liberal shit 

 

 

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On 08/08/2019 at 10:24, Sixtyseconds said:

Yes chief.

Was a teen and saw the Clash and the post City Gas dust up … That in 2019 would be front page it was full scale.

And the Damned and the post City Gas dust up.

Crass new Trinity was the gig. Yes there was a dust up but pre gig v the British movement. That small gig changed Punk in Bristol and its politics. For some anyway.

Do you remember gangs of Punk Rockers congregating outside the Virgin Records shop? Yes twas also the eighties.

Thrash and anarcho of the eighties could be Bristols punk heyday Chaos UK, Disorder, Lunatic Fringe, Amebix in squats around St Pauls and the Vice Squad but the not the Vice Squad of now.

We had kicks todays kids can never know … Can smoke, cant squat, drink is expensive, can't protest like the eighties and can't dive off the stage if I could muster enough energy to climb on one.

Is there still a Punk Scene in Bristol? Yes. Check the exchange. Check St Nicks covered market. Easton Pubs. Its not as big, numerous and spiky and has a lot less hair but is still there.

Class band :yes:

 

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14 hours ago, ZiderEyed said:

How many of you old gits still listen to proper punk then?

They said that we were trash 
Well the name is Crass not Clash 
They can stuff their punk credentials 
Cause it's them that take the cash 
They won't change nothing with their fashionable talk 
Their RAR badges and their protest walk 
Thousands of white men standing in a park 
Objecting to racism like a candle in the dark 
Black man's got his problems and his way to deal with it 
So don't fool yourself you're helping with your white liberal shit 

 

 

Nah mate, punk was never meant to be about radical politics. If Crass wanted to take it down that road then fair enough, but at least write some decent songs and have a go at learning to play your guitars.

Crass weren't the real punks, The Clash were. They meant it (man)! Sandinista was more of a punk record than Stations of the Crass will ever be.

Back in the garage with my bullshit detector. 

 

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5 minutes ago, City Rocker said:

Nah mate, punk was never meant to be about radical politics. If Crass wanted to take it down that road then fair enough, but at least write some decent songs and have a go at learning to play your guitars.

Crass weren't the real punks, The Clash were. They meant it (man)! Sandinista was more of a punk record than Stations of the Crass will ever be.

Back in the garage with my bullshit detector. 

 

Was hoping to reel some proper bites, not reasonable replies!

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Personally think Crass Bloody revolutions , Big a Little a and Christ the album blows anything the Clash did lyrically away. They could more than play and I think people just didn't the the diy idea and lo fi production from records costing pay not more than 85p. the Clash were in the same studios as Genesis!!! The Subhumans from Wiltshire from the cradle to the grave is also leagues apart. Getting away from the topic so back to Bristol scene Chaos UK and No security equals any hardcore from the USA. Still stands up hairs 35+ years later,

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On 09/08/2019 at 01:05, Markman said:

Becki B was from Bristol I think?

Clem Burke (Drummer Blondie) is playing at the Thunderbolt next week (Thursday I think) with a band called the Tearaways - I shall pop up for a visit - certainly worth the £12 or so - I will wear colours in case any other City turn up ?

(the emoji is a safety pin)!

Becki was from Frampton Cotterell, went to school with her

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I knew Mark ‘Sooty’ Byrne at the time (who was Vice Squad’s manager, and occasional guitarist) as I played in a band with his brother.  He used to mix for us occasionally and was very talented.  I think Simon Edwards (later of K-Passa) had something to do with them too, maybe started a record label with them.

Never much liked Sioux and the Banshees but that Old Market gig was unforgettable (not least for the amount of saliva in the air). 

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On 11/08/2019 at 15:51, City Rocker said:

Nah mate, punk was never meant to be about radical politics. If Crass wanted to take it down that road then fair enough, but at least write some decent songs and have a go at learning to play your guitars.

Crass weren't the real punks, The Clash were. They meant it (man)! Sandinista was more of a punk record than Stations of the Crass will ever be.

Back in the garage with my bullshit detector. 

 

  Back in the garage... Back in the garage.....Back in the garage!  ? ?

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I saw Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Stranglers, The Damned amongst others in   Bristol.

The strangest gig was Magazine who were supported by Bauhaus in a disused church.

 I believe it was the Trinity but am not totally sure. It was very Goth and Pete Murphy got a lot of stick for his agressive stance towards the audience. 

He was painted white and wore a loin cloth ! 

 

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7 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

I saw Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Stranglers, The Damned amongst others in   Bristol.

The strangest gig was Magazine who were supported by Bauhaus in a disused church.

 I believe it was the Trinity but am not totally sure. It was very Goth and Pete Murphy got a lot of stick for his agressive stance towards the audience. 

He was painted white and wore a loin cloth ! 

 

I went to a few gigs at Trinity, I have very little recollection of them, apart from the fact they involved excess of everything and I must have enjoyed them to keep going back......

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