The Ignition Of Irish Punk | 47 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]
Amphi Festival has some exciting news for you!
Added to their diverse 2025 line-up are now, the legendary CAMOUFLAGE. With hits like ‘The Great Commandment’ and ‘Love Is A Shield’, they left their mark on the 80s. Their performance promises a magical journey through nostalgic sounds and captivating melodies.
While also welcoming the up-and-coming band SANZ! The ‘modern dark rockers’ combine poppy vocals with fat walls of guitars, modern synthesizers, driving bass and groovy drums.
More bands are still being planned!
Be there and celebrate together at Cologne's Tanzbrunnen on 19 & 20 July 2025!
Tickets are available in our Amphi Shop at www.amphi-shop.deas well as online at www.eventim.de (including Print@Home) and at all nationwide CTS/EVENTIM advance booking offices.
UK Dark Electro Act, IAMIMPERFECT Drop Their Electrifying Debut EP, ‘Reincarnate’
UK dark electro band, IAMIMPERFECT has just unveiled their first EP, Reincarnate.
The lyrical themes in Reincarnate deal with addiction, insecurity, depression, anxiety, fear and eventually, the realization that change must happen for growth to restart anew. Without reaching the darkness, we'll never know the light.
The EP also represents a reincarnation of a musical identity, sound, image and even genre, to be something better than what was there before. Reincarnate presents a unique blend Darkwave, Synthpop, Industrial and Goth genres, with the music driven by complex synth arrangements, electronic drums, loud distorted guitar and soaring vocal hooks and harmonies.
Reincarnate is available on all major digital outlets including Bandcamp and Spotify.
Electro-industrial band, OUR GRAVES has just unleashed their debut, full-length album, System Overload. The album is a passionate tribute to the electro-industrial, EBM, and aggrotech genres. It seeks to strike a delicate balance: honoring the roots of the scene while weaving in new ideas to keep the sound fresh and engaging. With System Overload, Ron Graves has crafted the dark, intense, and undeniably industrial music he wants to see more of in the world.
Lyrically, System Overload draws from a time of grief and reflection following the loss of Graves' father the previous year. Without an overarching concept in mind, the themes of the album emerged organically, revolving around the search for meaning amidst a decaying world. Some of the tracks on System Overload offer critiques of institutions that seek to control us while others offer a glimpse into the personal wars within and others explore the disturbing consequences of societal degeneration.
System Overload is available on all major digital platforms including Bandcamp and Spotify.
The long-awaited new album from Prague gothic cowboys, CATHEDRAL IN FLAMES titled Count To Nine, has finally been unveiled on the Musicraft label! The themes of the songs cover contemporary psychological problems and addictions, Lovecraftian mysticism and magical sexual practices.
The title, Count To Nine refers to both the number of songs and the mystical number "9". Nine is the number of fulfilment, closure and completion. It also symbolizes the coming of age and the connection between dimensions and worlds on all levels.
The nine tracks were mixed by the legendary John Fryer (Fields of the Nephilim, Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, Paradise Lost, Cradle Of Filth and more). The band has significantly tightened up their dark gothic rock on their third album, from the hypnotic and gothic rock purist track, "Dreaming In The Witch House" to the cowboy shuffle of "Pale Rider" to the dark pop of "Summertime."
Vocalist Phil Lee Fall says of the album, "On Count To Nine we tried to cross boundaries. We ventured further and deeper than ever before. Musically, lyrically and sonically. It took us almost three years, but we are extremely happy with the result. Dark, mystical and monumental gothic rock for the 21st century."
Gatsby adds: "Each track is heavily influenced by the mood and situations in which it was created. That's why I make music, to get the emotion out. So the fact that it's dark is probably natural. In a way, it's a catharsis of the disgust and confusion we live in."
Count To Nine is available on all major digital outlets worldwide including Spotify and Bandcamp.
