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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

  • Alien Sex Fiend

    Location: UK
    Active: 1982-present

    One of the original Batcave bands, formed in London of 1982, that club was where they played their first gig. They remained active for long periods with an extensive discography, exploring many styles from straight up gothic punk to industrial and even more electronic sounds. Sampling, dubbing and synthesizer elements played a dominant part in their sound, while their visual aesthetic always featured the art of Nik Fiend, and their live performances usually featured  heavy use of props like bones, cobwebs, torn nets and from time to time an oversized inflatable banana. Somewhere in my collection is a Zillion Dollar Bill bearing Nik Fiend’s iconic visage.

    Nik Fiend and partner Mrs Fiend started in 1975 with a group called Demon Preacher, later just ‘Demons’ (with Jim Bryson and Razzle who would both go on to join The Dark), they were joined by Johnny Ha Ha and Yaxi Highrise (aka David James, later of Savage Opera). They worked performing with artists like Specimen, Meteors, and one of their initial cassettes was produced with Youth of Killing Joke, and they appeared on the Batcave Compilation Young Limbs and Numb Hymns in 1983, featured on the John Peel show. They signed on early to Cherry Red’s Anagram label in 1983, putting out several 12” singles, EPs and albums until starting their own 13th Moon label. 

    Official: http://www.asf-13thmoon.com/
    Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_Sex_Fiend
    Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/29001-Alien-Sex-Fiend

    Related: Batcave, Demons, Demon Preacher, Meteors, Young Limbs Numb Hymns, Killing Joke, London, 1982, Savage Opera

    This profile is in development. Contributions?

  • Sexbeat

    Location: London, England
    Active: 1983-1984

    Sexbeat arose out of London’s Batcave club, where Hamish McDonald (guitar, vocals) was one of the core DJs. They are remembered for their self titled song on the ‘Batcave: Young Limbs And Numb Hymns’ compilation. Initial reception to the song led to a record with ABC Records but the resulting  ‘Pump/Sweat’ 12″ lost the essence of the band in production – an all too common occurrence as the 80s music climate began to shift. Though they managed some high profile gigs in England and the USA (CBGBs, Danceteria), after a tour with The Cramps, they ceased activity. A posthumous 7” single of ‘Sexbeat’ was released in 2024.

    Related: Batcave, Young Limbs And Numb Hymns, CBGBs, London, Hamish McDonald, The Cramps

    Links:

    Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/278399-Sexbeat

    This profile is in development. Contributions?

  • Furyo

    After UK Decay disbanded, Eddie Branch, Steve ‘Abbo’ Abbott and Steve Harle contributed the track “Slave Drive” under the name of Slave Drive to The Whip compilation LP. Similarly, they did the same under the moniker Meat of Youth for the Batcave ‘Young Limbs, Numb Hymns’ compilation – both in 1983. When they enlisted Albie De Luca (Gene Loves Jezebel) they settled on the name Furyo and released two dramatic 12″ records under that name in 1984.

    Related: UK Decay, Meat Of Youth, Slave Drive, Eddie Branch, Steve ‘Abbo’ Abbott, Steve Harle, The Whip, Batcave, Young Limbs Numb Hymns, Albie De Luca, Gene Loves Jezebel

    This profile is in development. Contributions?

  • Meat Of Youth

    After UK Decay disbanded, Eddie Branch, Steve ‘Abbo’ Abbott and Steve Harle contributed the track “Slave Drive” under the name of Slave Drive to The Whip compilation LP. Similarly, they did the same under the moniker Meat of Youth for the Batcave ‘Young Limbs, Numb Hymns’ compilation – both in 1983. When they enlisted Albie De Luca (Gene Loves Jezebel) they settled on the name Furyo and released two dramatic 12″ records under that name in 1984.

    Related: UK Decay, Slave Drive, Furyo, Eddie Branch, Steve ‘Abbo’ Abbott, Steve Harle, The Whip, Batcave, Young Limbs Numb Hymns, Albie De Luca, Gene Loves Jezebel

    This profile is in development. Contributions?

  • Slave Drive

    After UK Decay disbanded, Eddie Branch, Steve ‘Abbo’ Abbott and Steve Harle contributed the track “Slave Drive” under the name of Slave Drive to The Whip compilation LP. Similarly, they did the same under the moniker Meat of Youth for the Batcave ‘Young Limbs, Numb Hymns’ compilation – both in 1983. When they enlisted Albie De Luca (Gene Loves Jezebel) they settled on the name Furyo and released two dramatic 12″ records under that name in 1984.

    Related: UK Decay, Meat Of Youth, Furyo, Eddie Branch, Steve ‘Abbo’ Abbott, Steve Harle, The Whip, Batcave, Young Limbs Numb Hymns, Albie De Luca, Gene Loves Jezebel

    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?