The Ignition Of Irish Punk | 46 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]
VampireFreaks announces Dark Force Fest 2024, America's largest 3-day gothic-industrial music festival and convention. Dark Force Fest will be held 19th - 21st April 2024 in Parsippany, New Jersey.
Dark-alternative music fans worldwide are gearing up for over 30 top international gothic and industrial bands, including influential classic acts as well as hot new artists that are bringing newfound interest to goth-industrial music.
In addition to live bands on two stages, Dark Force Fest also features drag queen performances, sideshow acts, a live bats exhibit, band meet and greets, DJ club events, 100+ vendors, panels, presentations, meet ups, food trucks and spooky crafting activities.
Dark Force Fest takes place in Parsippany, NJ (1 hour from New York City), where goths from around the world congregate and take over the massive castle themed Sheraton Parsippany—including 44,000 square feet of event space and all 370 hotel rooms. The castle will be adorned in gothic décor and art installations for an immersive experience. Rooms in the main venue sold out within 2 days of announcing the dates but there are still overflow hotels in the area.
BUY TICKETS HERE:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dark-force-fest-2024-tickets-664945428677
The festival lineup includes live performances from:
Stabbing Westward
Stabbing Westward rose to great heights in the mid '90s alternative boom with their unique brand of industrial rock music with two gold albums and numerous hit singles. Formed in 1986 by Walter Flakus and Christopher Hall the band went from underground cult sensation to the heights of critical and commercial success thanks to songs such as “Shame,” “Save Yourself,” “So Far Away” and “What Do I Have to Do?”. To this day, these songs remain anthems of heartache, dejection, rage, betrayal and depression.
Nitzer Ebb
Britain's Nitzer Ebb is one of the most influential acts associated with the EBM (electronic body music) scene, as well as alternative dance in general. Since the early '80s the group (led by enthusiastic frontman Douglas McCarthy) has produced an aggressive, visceral brand of electronic music. The group remains best known for the classic, "Join in the Chant,"—a single taken from 1987's That Total Age—which became a staple of dance clubs from Ibiza to Detroit.
The Crüxshadows
The Crüxshadows is an American darkwave band that formed in Florida in the 1990s. Known for their unique fusion of electronic, gothic, and synth-pop elements, the band is led by Rogue (their iconic frontman, vocalist and songwriter). Blending synthesizers, violins, & guitar with passionate and introspective lyrics, The Cruxshadows has generated a unique signature all its own. Over the years they have defied the odds by topping the Billboard charts in the United States, as well as the DAC and Media Control Charts in Europe.
Additional bands include:
Leaether Strip, Gothminister, Das Ich, Priest, Vision Video, Vampires Everywhere, Then Comes Silence, Ayria, Ash Code, System Syn, Dawn of Ashes, FGFC820, Moris Blak, Danny Blu, Kanga, Auger, Creux Lies, Angels & Agony, I:scintilla, Ego Likeness. Abstinence, Nite, Al1ce, Astari Nite, Mechanical Vein, The Long Losts, October Noir, Biomechanimal, Eva X, Stoneburner, Oberer and Rabbit Junk.
Activities include:
- Over 100 Vendors
- A drag queen show hosted by Onyx Ondyx
- Sideshow performances
- A live bats exhibit and presentation by NJ Batman
- Dj club events playing goth-industrial music
- Panels and presentations
- Arts & crafts activities
- Food Trucks
- Karaoke
For More Information:
https://www.facebook.com/Vampirefreaks
https://www.instagram.com/vampirefreaks/
https://vampirefreaks.com/
The 7” single Baby Turns Blue, by Irish band Virgin Prunes, turns 41 ! 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?
Post-punk/synthwave band, SUPERNOVA 1006 recently unveiled their new album, Chains via Negative Gain Productions.
Every person has turning points in life that change everything. There is a huge number of events that come at you in a continuous stream. It’s often hard to accept the feeling of change and that we will no longer be the same.
We experience change in everything: character, life values, even in our work and personal environments.
The fear of change is natural. You can only close your eyes and move forward towards your dream of finding eternal silence and peace.
Chains is about the struggle for your happiness, about the struggle for silence and harmony with oneself.
Sonum Unum Addresses The Pain Of Loss Through Human Connection With New Album
Electronic rock duo, Sonum Unum have just unveiled their debut album, Signals From The Sun. The album is heavily inspired by 80s and 90s eras electronic and synth-pop music. Dark and ominous tones, ambient textures and thumping beats are abound while lush, layered vocals soar to epic and cinematic tiers.
Signals From The Sun is meant to be a personal and interpretive listen but many of the tracks touch on the power and the pain of love and loss through human connection. Overall, it's up to the listener to assign meaning to how each track relates within their own human experience.
Signals From The Sun is out everywhere NOW on Negative Gain Productions.
