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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

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  • Amebix

    Location: England
    Active: 1978-1987 (+)

    Beginning in Devon, England as the Band with No Name by brothers Rob “the Baron” Miller (vocals, bass) and Chris “Stig” Miller (guitar) in 1978, Amebix established a sound all their own. They dealt with dark, apocalyptic motifs with a sound to match, much more foreboding than peers like those in the CRASS records camp or Killing Joke, though not as bizarre as Rudimentary Peni. Most fans of the genre known as crust punk claim Amebix as a formative influence.

    Their first album Arise was released on Alternative Tentacles (Dead Kennedys) though the rest of their EPs and singles were on Spiderleg Records (Flux Of Pink Indians). The band relocated several times during their existence including Cornwall, Bristol, some time cohabitating with CRASS, much of which was squatting. After the bands initial split, Tim Crow of The Smartpils joined sans Baron to form Zygote. Some activity in 2008-20012 resulted in additional releases, though another official split up was announced.

    Related: Band With No Name, CRASS, Killing Joke, Rudimentary Peni, Alternative Tentacles, Dead Kennedys, Spiderleg Records, Flux Of Pink Indians, The Smartpils, Zygote, Nausea, Cornwall, Bristol, CRASS Records, Tim Crow, Rob “The Baron” Miller, Chris “Stig” Miller, crust punk, England, 1978, Devon

    Bandcamp: https://amebix1.bandcamp.com/music
    Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/73168-Amebix
    Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amebix

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  • 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?