The Ignition Of Irish Punk | 43 years ago, Radiators From Space released their debut album 'TV Tube Heart'
The ripple felt around the globe in 1977 from New York to London, The Ramones to The Sex Pistols, the aggression and angers built in the youth culture could not be contained any longer and the last remnants of the hippy dream was extinguished with a flamethrower of angst.
The Radiators From Space landed at the right time and the right city, cut with a blade of stinging guitar into the right audience. They released their debut album 'TV Tube Heart' on 21 October 1977.
They had inspiration, the 'Troubles' in Northern Ireland, the lack of jobs in the cities, the depressive atmosphere was finally given a voice, an album, suddenly an anthem grew from the littered streets. The album, 'TV Tube Heart' is an unequivocal masterpiece, make no mistake, and they did on this recording, the perfection lies in the imperfect delivery.
Not well honed or soaked with perfection, but then again neither is life. This is what the album mirrored in a time capsule of angst, Dublin- in -1977 and the atmospheric, downtrodden mood of the inner city.
The album opens with the distorted screech of feedback but nobody cared about the delivery as they got caught up in the speeding juggernaut of free speech.
Up until this point we were subject mainly to the lush sounds of progressive rock, organ and keyboard driven music with complex structure and melodies, when this album arrived it dragged away that format from the streets of the capital and replaced it with simplicity, of two guitars, one set of drums, one singer and one bass player, the only organ to be had been held back behind a ripped, dirty pair of jeans.
This was music so basic it could easily be repeated when young kids picked up instruments and so its influence spanned across a generation of musicians, not to put together a punk band but to play an instrument and in turn finding another type of escapism. This was the cause and reaction in its most direct form held together with the glue of; Philip Chevron, Pete Holidai, Steve Rapid, Jimmy Crashe and Mark Megaray.
The signing to the UK Label Chiswick in 1977 was a turning point and meant distribution outside of the island, within the island however the debut single 'Television Screen' became the first and one of the few true punk releases to break the Irish top twenty, proving their arrival was well-received, not just by critics but the actual buying public, heightened by their support of fellow Irish man Phil Lynott and his band Thin Lizzy on their Bad Reputation tour across the UK.
Then there is the follow-up, sometimes they do not match the intensity of the debut album, they lack at times the hunger, in this case however it is the opposite. With the departure of forming member Steve Rapid, which only led to a shortening of the name to simply the Radiators and under the watchful eye of Bowie supremo Tony Visconti the now four piece reconvened to record the staggeringly brilliant 'Ghostown'.
A concept album of sorts, drenched with heavy theme of society, force-fed paranoia and the isolation felt through the working classes; 'Who Are The Strangers', ‘Walking Home Alone Again', every note licked the grime from the streets of Dublin in the 1970s and was immediately hailed as one of the most important releases of the era. An importance not translating In sales and the band dissolved shortly afterwards after a relocation to London in an attempt to heighten the public attitude towards the band.
The following is a brief Question and Answer session we had in 2019 with Pete Holidai, guitarist with The Radiators From Space and The Trouble Pilgrims.
What drove you as a person to the punk style of music? Was there a particular event you witnessed, a band or even a particular song?
PH;”My first real Interest in music was the Glam-Rock era of the early seventies T. Rex, Bowie, Roxy Music in particular-guitar music that was full of energy was always a style I was drawn to although like most 'Punks' we like the occasional tearjerker”.
Do you feel that The Radiators debut album ‘TV Tube Heart’ is more so a result of the environment than any outside musical influences?
“It was recognized by the UK press as an Irish version of Punk where our anger was focused at our reality...the church, the politician, the guard and the other so called pillars of society..we needed to be free from their shackles of emotional oppression”.
What do you think is the high-point in the career of The Radiators?
”All of it. The very fact we created and lead the scene in Ireland before leaving these shores to seek our fortune just like those before us..’TVTH’, ‘Ghostown, ‘Trouble Pilgrim’ and ‘Sound City Beat’ is our legacy”.
Looking back do you feel The Radiators achieved what they set out to do?
”Yes we did, we helped kick this God-forsaken island into the 21st century”.
Why do you think that a band who brought out an album of such a high quality as ‘Ghostown’ did not make it bigger?
”The reality is you need major financial backing to reach the bigger audience via marketing etc...however we were released in all the major territories via licensing deals”.
[KB]
Electronic/Alternative Artist CARVR Unleashes Debut Single & Visualizer, 'Erase Me'
Cristian Carver (BELLA MORTE, PANIC LIFT, MAN1K1N) officially unleashes his debut single and accompanying visualizer for the song, "Erase Me." The single and visualizer premiered on ReGen Magazine.
"Erase Me" features the ethereal and jolting vocals of Goo Munday from Sydney, Australia (Negative Gain Productions.) and was released on all streaming platforms independently on October 10th, 2020.
“The song was inspired by the act of how partners come to terms with the end of relationships, acting like their counterpart was never even there to begin with and masking their grief with happiness publicly.” - Cristian Carver
LA based, Dark Pop Rock artist SAMMI DOLL (IAMX, Kat Von D.) has released the official music video for her debut single, "AN OM IE." Originally premiered with Alternative Press, "AN OM IE" is an amalgamation of pounding dance beats and industrial keyboard hooks that showcase Sammi's vocal range and frontwoman persona.
Directed by Ron Underwood, the "AN OM IE" music video features a series of haunting vignettes taking the viewer through a window of bold and artistic imagery, tipping the hat to nostalgic, 90's color themes.
“ANOMIE theory is the state of social disintegration. We as a society, live within this theory; and we are our own worst enemy.
I’ve been involved in many projects with other bands (IAMX, Bullet Height, Kat Von D, Losers) and this is the first time that I’m branching out on my own. I wrote "AN OM IE" with Sean and Juliette Beavan - they have shown an incredible amount of support and mentorship through the entire process of launching this project. We got in the studio and amalgamated a sound that took influence from a few bands i’m inspired by, the first melody and word to come to my head was “ENEMY”.... which switches later in the song to become AN OM IE.”
“The video began as a concept of vignettes with director Ron Thunderwood. I knew that I wanted to create something beautifully artistic and visually unsettling. We filmed the video over the course of four months due to quarantine restrictions, so we had the luxury of time to build on the characters. I really give my blood, insomnia, and tears to everything I do artistically and tend to think about the consequences later… but I knew I was committed when a frozen octopus from Seattle showed up at my front door...” - SAMMI DOLL
The 7” single Baby Turns Blue, by Irish band Virgin Prunes, turns 38! It was released on 9 October 1982 and was the preliminary single for their iconic upcoming album … If I Die, I Die, also released by Rough Trade Records one month later. The single as well as the whole album were produced by Colin Newman of Wire. The remixed 12' version was retitled “The Faculties of a Broken Heart”.
Baby Turns Blue (UK 7' single RT 119)
- 'Baby Turns Blue' – 3:43
- 'Yeo' – 2:17
Baby Turns Blue (UK 12' single RT 119T)
- 'The Faculties of a Broken Heart (What Should We Do If Baby Turns Blue)'
- 'Chance of a Lifetime'
- 'Yeo'
Baby Turns Blue
Mary be so proud, things like that are'nt allowed,
To take your own life, stab it with a knife.
They put you in a box, they send you to heaven, heaven.
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
Give me money, give me sex,
Give me food and cigarette.
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
What should we do if baby turns blue?
You broke my heart, it came in two.
The faculties of a broken heart.
I go out on Monday, looking for a Tuesday.
Nothing ever makes such sense.
You don't seem to make much sense.
Shooting out in someone's dream.
Shooting out in something else.
It was an accident, I didn't mean it.
It was an accident, I didn't mean it.
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
What should we do if baby turns blue?
John had a bomb and he lit his head,
Went to bed for seventeen weeks,
Took too many drugs, now he don't eat.
They put you in a box and send you up to heaven, heaven.
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
Give me money, give me sex,
Give me food and cigarette.
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
Oh what to do, not to feel and who are you?
What should we do if baby turns blue?
Detroit "deathgaze" duo VAZUM has announced the release of their new Halloween-themed concept album, Rated V.
Rated V is inspired by classic movie monsters, traditional folktales and their love of vintage Halloween horror soundtracks. The pair, Emily Sturm and Zach Pliska conjured this unique and original collection of songs, then wrote and recorded the album in their home studio during the summer of 2020.
Rated V features 6 doomgaze rock songs and 6 dark ambient instrumental tracks to accompany your Halloween rituals. The album was released on October 1st, 2020. Limited edition CDs are available as a 2 disc set from the VAZUM Bandcamp page and feature stereoscopic 3D artwork created by Emily Sturm and accompanying limited edition handmade 3D bat glasses.
