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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

  • Actifed

    Location: London, England
    Active: 1981-1984 (+)

    Short-lived punk band from London that had a darker sound akin to UK Decay, Killing Joke, Ritual. At the start vocals were carried out by Weasel, though Phraser from Crisis also auditioned. They performed regularly throughout London, accompanying bands like Killing Joke, The Dark, Uk Subs, Danse Society, pre-Ausgang The Solicitors, Sex Gang Children, Ritual, In Excelsis, Bone Orchard, and Brigandage to name a few.

    They released two singles, though a live recording with Erazerhead at 100 Club for it’s 2nd anniversary was released in July 1982. Weasel was replaced by David Rogers who took on vocals as well as guitar. They obtained a cover feature on Sounds magazine, before releasing either of their initial records (both produced by Tony James of Generation X) put out by Jungle. They allegedly beat a lawsuit by the company who released the Actifed cough syrup. After a long time of inactivity, the band reformed and put out their only full albums, ‘Chains No More’ (2009), ‘Rhythms Of Mass Destruction’ (2011).

    Related: UK Decay, Killing Joke, Ritual, Crisis, Killing Joke, The Dark, Uk Subs, Danse Society, pre-Ausgang The Solicitors, Sex Gang Children, In Excelsis, Bone Orchard, Brigandage, Erazerhead, David Rogers, Tony James, Generation X, Jungle Records, London, England, 1981

    Links:

    Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/277656-Actifed

    Actifed interviewed for The Sky-Fi Music Show by Pat Sharp, 1983: http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=St-LWy8tQ1Q

    This profile is in development. Contributions?

  • 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?