• The Mob

    Location: Somerset, England
    Active: 1979-1983, 2011-2015+

    Formed and disbanded during the early UK punk scene, The Mob distinguished themselves with possibly the most emotional, albeit negative, of contemporaries like CRASS, Conflict, and Flux Of Pink Indians. They used dirges and a pessimistic perspective to paint a dim picture of the world with their music. With most of their songs maintaining the slow pace of a dirge, they were one of the bleakest punk bands ever. Even other bands with a morbid streak like UK Decay, Rudimentary Peni and Southern Death Cult could take a non-cynical perspective from time to time. 

    They released one LP, ‘Let The Tribe Increase’, but had a healthy collection of EPs and singles. The ‘No Doves Fly Here’ 7” was released on on Crass Records, but they formed their own label, All The Madmen to release most of their records, also releasing bands like Clair Obscur, Blyth Power, The Astronauts, Part 1, Zos Kia, Flowers In The Dustbin, Poison Girls among others. The label was related to the Kill Your Pet Puppy collective, which also had ties to Blood And Roses and other bands through the squat scene.

    After they split up in 1983, Joseph Porter who had also played in Zounds, formed Blyth Power. In 2011, The Mob reformed and played several gigs through England, Europe and America. They released new material in 2013, ‘Rise Up’.

    Related: Blood And Roses, CRASS, Conflict, Flux Of Pink Indians, UK Decay, Rudimentary Peni, Southern Death Cult, Crass Records, All The Madmen, Clair Obscur, Blyth Power, The Astronauts, Part 1, Zos Kia, Flowers In The Dustbin, Poison Girls, Kill Your Pet Puppy, Somerset, England, 1979

    Links: 

    Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/261863-The-Mob-3
    Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mob_(British_band)

  • Astaron

    Location: Vienna, Austria
    Active: 1985-1988

    Using synthesizers to create dark rhythms, the female duo of Angie Mörth (Viele Bunte Autos) and Martina Aichhorn arose from the mid 1980s in Vienna. Along the lines of the darkwave sounds coming out of France and Belgium at the time, their work included a visual and performance art element which can be seen in their film for the song ‘It’. The contrasting vocals sets the band apart from peers like Xmal Deutschland or Collection D’Arnell-Andrea, Clair Obscur. They released only one full length album in 1987, reissued in 2020. 

    Links:

    Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/805718-Astaron

    Related: Viele Bunte Autos, Xmal Deutschland, Collection D’Arnell-Andrea, Clair Obscur, Austria, 1985, Angie Mörth, Martina Aichhorn, Vienna