Location: London 

Active: 1977

Punk group formed in London in 1977 by Tony Wakeford, Douglas Pearce, Phrazer and Lester Jones. Their stance was highly political; they were adamantly anti-fascist, focusing on anti-racism, criticizing the British government, and promoting worker solidarity. Their distinct sound distinguished them from the one chord wonder bands in the punk scene of that time, and helped influence bands like Warsaw (later to become Joy Division) and Killing Joke. They paved the way for what would start to become the Postpunk sound, a forerunner of which was known as positive-punk.

This was punk with a strong message, and while some presented such in a pessimistic way like The Mob, or ironically like Blood And Roses and the Kill Your Pet Puppy collective associed bands, sometimes also the Anarcho bands associated with Crass, Crisis was straightforward: “We can change the destructive world through solidarity and standing up against fascist governments.” Singer Phrazer (he would audition unsuccessfully for Actifed) departed in 1979 along with their original drummer, when Luke Rendle and Dexter joined. By 1980 they called it a day, but not before a final gig supporting Bauhaus and Magazine.

After they broke up, Douglas Pearce and Tony Wakeford would form Death In June at the forefront of an emerging genre known as neo-folk. Luke Rendel would join Theatre Of Hate. Lester Jones formed Carcrash International with Dave Roberts of Sex Gang Children and also played with Andi Sexgang. Wakeford later performed as Sol Invictus. In 2018, Tony Wakeford revived the band, carrying on its anti-fascist stance.

Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/288492-Crisis-2

BandCamp: https://crisisuk.bandcamp.com

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crisis_(punk_band)

Related: Theatre Of Hate, Sex Gang Children, Actifed, Death In June, Carcrash International, Warsaw, Joy Division, Killing Joke, The Mob, Blood And Roses, Crass, Bauhaus, Magazine, Tony Wakeford, Douglas Pearce, Phrazer, Lester Jones, Dave Roberts, Andi Sexgang, London, UK

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Location: Bradford, UK 

Active: 1980 – 1984, 2014 – present

The band began in 1980 in Bradford, near Leeds, UK, with Ian Tilleard on vocals, Mark Tighe on guitar, Mick Reed on drums and Nick Hiles on bass. Their tribal influenced drumming and bass creates a dance friendly sound they echo from Killing Joke’s most approachable angles, and presented a solid template for what would become known as the postpunk sound. Their debut LP ‘Machine’ was released in 1982, as well as a session with John Peel, an influential radio presenter for the BNC who was known for championing punk and gothic artists like UK Decay and Bauhaus, along with dozens of other well known names from England, Europe and elsewhere. In 1983 Steve Madden stepped in on bass, performed another Peel Session. They put out the ‘Cry Wolf’ singles, and recorded for their final EP, ‘Earth Song’ released after their dissolution soon after.

After 1919 disbanded, Tighe, Tilleard and Madden formed Another Cinema. Reed recruited synth player who had played with 1919, Paul Drake, and formed The Hive. In 2014 Mark Tighe reformed the band with newcomer Rio Goldhammer on vocals.

Official: https://1919.co.uk

Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/278396-1919

BandCamp: https://1919official.bandcamp.com/

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1919_(band)

Related: Killing Joke, John Peel, Another Cinema, The Hive, Ian Tilleard, Mark Tighe, Mick Reed, Nick Hiles, Steve Madden, Bradford, Leeds, UK

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Location: Dublin, Ireland

Active: 1982 – 1989

Blue in Heaven formed in Dublin, Ireland, 1982. Dave Clarke and Declan Jones were in Amuse before, that band split up in 1982. They released their first 12” singles on fellow Irish rockers U2’s Mother Records. After signing with Island Records in 1983 they released ‘All The Gods’ in 1985. Their second album ‘Explicit Material’ followed in 1986.
They benefited from good exposure touring with the likes of The Damned, The Cramps, Echo & The Bunnymen, and The Chameleons. The ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll R.I.P’ EP came out in 1988 but Blue in Heaven disbanded in 1989. They would reform in 1990 using the name The Blue Angels.

Links:

Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/564894-Blue-In-Heaven

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_in_Heaven

Related: Amuse, U2, The Damned, The Cramps, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Chameleons, The Blue Angels, Dave Clarke, Declan Jones, Dublin, Ireland

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Location: Düsseldorf, Germany

Active: 1982 – 1985

Belfegore emerged from Düsseldorf, Germany, in 1982 by Meikel Clauss of German punk/new wave band, Nichts. He was joined by both Charlie Terstappen of both Twelve Drummers Drumming and Wallenstein, together with Walter Jaeger of Die Krupps. They released only two albums and some singles before they ended in 1985. Belfegore performed a reunion show in 2011 in their hometown of Düsseldorf.

Links:: 

Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/148399-Belfegore

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfegore

Related: Nichts, Twelve Drummers Drumming, Wallenstein, Die Krupps, Meikel Clauss, Charlie Terstappen, Walter Jaeger, Düsseldorf, Germany

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Location: San Francisco

Active: 1980 – 1983

Formed in San Francisco in 1980, Beast were Andrella, Greg Langston, James Christ, and Bryan Gregory (after abruptly leaving The Cramps). They only released three singles ‘Witch/Wolfbane Night’ in 1982, followed by ‘Love In A Dying World’ and ‘New Moon’ in 1983

After they split up Langston started Fade To Black, and would also play in Fang and The Insaints. The Andrella and however moved to London and formed The Veil. They would both reunite with Bryan Gregory in The Dials.

Links:

Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/961990-Beast

Related: The Cramps, The Veil, Fang, Insaints, The Dials, Bryan Gregory, Greg Langston, San Francisco

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Location: Brighton, UK

Active: 1983 – 1986

About as close a crossover of goth and psychobilly as you can get, even considering The Cramps, as Bone Orchard narrowed their aesthetic and atmosphere to the dark and wild, with less homage to their garage and rockabilly predecessors. They disbanded in 1986.

Their EP ‘Stuffed to the Gills’ was released on Jungle Records. Tim Huthert replaced Finch in 1984, but left to join Specimen (later Until December after relocation to San Francisco) after the ‘Swallowing Havoc’ EP. Guitarist Mark ‘Horse’ Benjamin was in minimal electronic coldwave band Schleimer K. Bone Orchard contributed ‘Fats Terminal’ to the infamous psychobilly/goth/punk compilation ’Blood On The Cats’. In 2011 they received a retrospective compilation release making many of their vinyl only releases available to new audiences.

Links:

Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/198401-Bone-Orchard

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_Orchard

Related: The Cramps, Specimen, Schleimer K, Batcave, Brighton

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Location: San Diego

Active: 1981 – 1987

A very early gothic band from San Diego active in the 1980s. After punk band Fifth Column split up, members Tamara Henry on vocals and Jeffrey Hamblin with drum programming, guitar and piano formed Black Tango as a two piece band. They present a Cocteau Twins/4AD-Blood & Roses sound with cascading, dissonant guitar, primary over drum-machine, though towards the end of their run they incorporated live drums.

Scott Blackstone, on loan from Forbidden Chant joined them on bas for a Wall of Voodoo gig in 1982, followed by Shane Flanery. Charles Cole of The Brood stepped joined on a more permanent basis in 1983, when they released the ‘Sequel Avalanche Ritual’ cassette EP. They supported Sex Gang Children in Los Angeles later that year. 1984 however saw little activity from the band and they were essentially split up until reviving in 1985, including a supporting gig with The Jesus & Mary Chain.

Their seven track album ‘Maggots in the Icing’ was released on cassette in 1986. Following that, Peter ZO and Matthew Rabe joined as drummers replacing the synthetic percussion. Unfortunately that October, they played their final gig. In 1987 they came to an end.

The Black Tango track ‘Ritual’ appeared on the 1983 ‘Our Blow Out’ compilation from Slow Death Cassettes. Also appearing on that various artists tape is 5051, Battalion Of Saints and a slew of other punk bands from that scene. 5051 played with Cramps and Christian Death in 1981, and Battalion of Saints were a thrash hardcore band with a significantly sinister bent that often lent them towards appearing with deathrock and gothic bands.

‘Maggots in the Icing’ was reissued in 2013 by Normal Heights Records. That year also invited them to a reunion performance at iconic San Diego venue Casbah for its 25 year anniversary.

Links:

Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/2903827-Black-Tango

BandCamp: https://blacktango.bandcamp.com/album/maggots-in-the-icing

Related: Fifth Column, Forbidden Chant, The Brood, Wall of Voodoo, Sex Gang Children, 5051, Battalion Of Saints, Tamara Henry, Jeffrey Hamblin, Scott Blackstone, Shane Flanery, Charles Cole, Peter ZO, Matthew Rabe, San Diego, Our Blow Out

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Location: Barnsley, England

Active: 1980 – 1986

One of the best combinations of synthwave and postpunk, without the sterility of other bands that spearheaded the electronic dance music genre. Like Human League, and Gary Numan before them, they had a clear direction towards synthesizer based music but with a darker, tragic romantic motif.

Early incarnations of the band began with names like Y and Danse Crazy. Original lineup of Steve Rawlings, Paul Nash, Lyndon Scarfe, Tim Wright, released primarily on their own Society Records label. The band ended in 1986. Various lineups consisting of some original members (now all left or deceased) sans original singer Steve Rawlings reformed in 2011 with instead a female vocalist.

Related: Danse Crazy, Y, Johnny In The Clouds, Society, Steve Rawlings, Paul Nash, Lyndon Scarfe, Tim Wright, Barnsley, England

Official: https://thedansesociety.co.uk

BandCamp: https://dansesociety.bandcamp.com

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Danse_Society

Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/104174-The-Danse-Society

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Location: Denver, Colorado

Active: 2008-2010

The solo project of Douglas Halbert (founding member of Radio Scarlet) utilizing samplers, mutilated electronic backing tracks and a boundless energy to below forth aggressive distorted sonic poetry.  A regular on the Drop Dead festival circuit and for a time based in Los Angeles. Released ‘This Head Is For Burning’ in 2009 and ‘I Will’ in 2010. Douglas Halbert passed away in 2022.

Links:

Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/1285620-Birth!

BandCamp: https://realiciderex.bandcamp.com/album/i-will

Related: Radio Scarlet, Denver

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