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  • Anorexic Dread

    Location: London, Southend 
    Active: 1983-1985

    Formed in London, 1983, Anorexic Dread played often in Southend. Their sound was a monstrous tremor that added some meat to the sinewy link between punk, gothic, psychobilly and that rare enzyme known as Batcave. Their first gig took place at The Zero 6 on Monday July 18th, 1983. They performed with Alien Sex Fiend at Crocs and on January 20th 1985, supporting Killing Joke at the Queens Hotel and played a show at the original Batcave. The original line up was Phil Black on Vocals (ex-Time in Motion), Andi Schurer (ex-Convicted etc) on Guitar, Pat Moriarty credited as Magoo on Keyboards and Donald Frame (ex-Occult) on Drums. Leonard Finch aka Perry Archangelo Bamonte joined for a while until departing to roadie for and eventually play guitar with The Cure, replaced by Andy Fisher (Kronstadt Uprising). 

    Anorexic Dread released one 12″ single, ‘Tracey’s Burning’/‘Tick Tock’ in 1984 on Criminal Damage (Ausgang, Twisted Nerve, Geschlecht Akt, Stunt Kites, Look Back in Anger). Other songs in their repertoire ‘She’s Beautiful and She’s Mine’, ‘Dragnet’, and ‘Limelight’. Not long after a 1985 demo with songs including ‘Dark Night in London’ Anorexic Dread came to an end, but appear on compilations such as Young Limbs Rise Again and a DJ favorite on deathrock dancefloors has kept their legacy alive.

    Related: Alien Sex Fiend, Killing Joke, Batcave, Time in Motion, Convicted, Occult, The Cure, Kronstadt Uprising, Ausgang, Twisted Nerve, Geschlecht Akt, Stunt Kites, Look Back in Anger, Criminal Damage, Andi Schurer, Phil Black, Pat Moriarty, Magoo, Donald Frame, Leonard Finch, Perry Archangelo Bamonte, Andy Fisher, London, Southend, 1983

    Links:

    Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/704236-Anorexic-Dread

  • The Dark

    Location: Islington, London, England, UK
    Active: 1978-1982

    Formed in London in 1978, The Dark alongside The Damned stood out as capable of more melodic and dynamic sounds, though they never achieved wide success or recognition. Despite never focusing on a particularly gothic sound as their name might imply, their single ‘The Masque’ is a cornerstone on any gothic punk compilation. Like many of their peers in the movement at the time, they highlighted political and social topics, but more directly and succinctly than style over substance bands that achieved more attention. 

    The majority of their music was put out on the label Fresh Records, who brought out some of the earliest UK Decay, Play Dead, and Second Layer records, some more experimental bands like Cuddly Toys and Family Fodder, not to forget about more punk fare like The Wall, Menace, and the fantastic Punk and Disorderly. Their final record was a 1982 live recording of what was to be their final gig, though their actual last gig was at the Klub Foot in August with The Lurkers.

    The initial lineup consisted of John Flannagan, Billy O’Neil, Jim Kane and Phil Langham (later Action Pact and staff at Cherry Red Records), soon joined by Andy Riff. Other members over their career would include Jim Bryson and Razzle (both formerly of Demon Preacher, with Nik Wade aka Nik Fiend in Demon Preacher – the band that would become Alien Sex Fiend). Razzle would end up with Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks until his tragic death in 1984.

    Related: UK Decay, The Damned, Alien Sex Fiend, Hanoi Rocks, Play Dead, Demon Preacher, Second Layer, Cuddly Toys, Family Fodder, The Wall, Menace, London, UK, 1978, Action Pact, Anagram Records, Cherry Red Records, Fresh Records, Punk and Disorderly

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  • Ausgang

    Location: UK – Birmingham
    Active: 1983 – 1987, 2000-present

    Ausgang were part of the post-punk movement that arose as a response to the early UK punk phenomenon. Their lyrics were more abstract, their sound more frenetic and strange; both more considered and more chaotic than the rock. From Birmingham UK, Ausgang formed in 1983 after the band Kabuki released it’s only single. Emerging alongside the UK batcave scene (a nightclub predating the coining of the term ‘gothic’) alongside bands like Specimen and Alien Sex Fiend. In 1987 they disbanded. A retrospective compilation was released in 2001, and in the 2000 they reformed for several successful gigs. As of 2025 they are still active.  

    Links:

    Bandcamp: https://ausgang-kabuki.bandcamp.com/
    Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/396750-Ausgang-3

    Related: Kabuki, Specimen, Alien Sex Fiend, Solicitors, Batcave

    This profile is in development. Contributions?