Keeping Control: Independent Music from Manchester 1977-1981
Various Artists on Cherry Red Records (76 track 3xCD set)
This a great collection of Manchester music from a 4-year period in its history, perhaps the most important era in the overall scheme of things. Manchester entrepreneurial legend Anthony Davidson, the owner of TJM Rehearsal studios, probably the most singularly important building in the history of Manchester music, writes the notes accompanying this 3 CD box set. It’s fitting that he has because 80% of the bands featured rehearsed or had a base in his studios.
‘Keeping Control’ boasts the “name” bands out of Greater Manchester from that period, however, the underlying musical story of this box set lies with the lesser-known Manchester Musicians Collective. A catalyst for many musicians at the time, the MMC organised gigs, other activities and encouragement to the many and varied talents emerging in the region during punk and its aftershocks.
Starting with the daddies of the nascent Manchester punk scene, Buzzcocks and the buzzsaw guitar of Orgasm Addict and ending with the polished production of New Order’s – Everything’s Gone Green, the intervening 74 tracks visit every corner of the city’s independent output at the time. From the more illustrious and innovative citizens such as Joy Division, The Fall, A Certain Ratio, Blue Orchids, Magazine, Ludus and The Durutti Column, to little known footnotes in history such as the Pere Ubu-esque 48 Chairs or proto-surf punk of Bet Lynch’s Legs, herself a Manchester institution.
Some of the featured acts were little more than pub rock bands, caught up in the punk/new wave thing, who adapted their sound rather than die, (Private Sector & Accident On The East Lancs.) but there are some genuine nuggets included too. The Talking Heads-esque Manicured Noise – Metronome, Steroid Kiddies – Seaside Teaser & Pathetix – Love In Decay, and The Out – Who Is Innocent to name but four. Many of the artists featured barely made it out of their own post-codes, but each had something important to give the city, the passion that has made this city arguably the most fertile breeding ground for innovation in the UK, if not the world.
Louise Alderman, co-founder of the Manchester Musicians Collective, has written a foreword for the box set, which is named after the MMC’s short-lived fanzine.
Beyond the MMC, Manchester enjoyed a thriving independent scene from 1977 onwards, inspired by Buzzcocks’ debut EP on New Hormones, Rabid, TJM, Object Music, Absurd, Bent and last but certainly not least Factory … each of them carved a different furrow. Outside of the gravitational pull of London, which exerted such a strong pull across the South of England, Manchester evolved its own unique identity, often mixing sharp humour with seemingly bleak, desolate-sounding music (reflecting the city’s hardship during that time).
Keeping Control is released by Cherry Red Records on May 26th. You can pre-order here
If you’re anywhere near Manchester that day why not pop along to the launch evening, which features live music from several of the artists featured – Fast Cars, The Distractions & Edweena Banger (formerly of The Nosebleeds). You also get a DJ set from Cherry Red Records very own John Reed.
Tickets available from Vinyl Revival Records, Manchester, X Records Bolton and the venue itself, but hurry they’re flying out.
Track Listing:
DISC ONE
BUZZCOCKS Orgasm Addict
SLAUGHTER AND THE DOGS The Bitch
THE NOSEBLEEDS Fascist Pigs
THE DRONES City Drones
THE PANIK Murder
V2 Nothing To Do
JILTED JOHN Jilted John
GYRO Central Detention Centre
SALFORD JETS Lookin’ At The Squares
JOHN THE POSTMAN’S PUERILE Kawalski Of The Seaview Has Got The Best Hairstyle I’ve Ever Seen
ALBERTO Y LOST TRIOS PARANOIAS Fuck You
JOHN COOPER CLARKE I Don’t Want To Be Nice
THE TEARDROPS Pompous
PASSAGE Slit Machine
SPHERICAL OBJECTS Sweet Tooth
STEVE MIRO Smiling in Reverse
JOY DIVISION Digital
THE SMIRKS American Patriots
NOTSENSIBLES Lying On The Sofa
48 CHAIRS Psycle Sluts
EDDIE FICTION UFO Part 2
MELLOTRON Warriors From Space
SPEED She’s All There
GENOCIDE Renegade
SISTER RAY Suicide
EDDIE MOONEY & THE GRAVE I Bought Three Eggs
GERRY AND THE HOLOGRAMS Gerry Ad The Holograms
DISC TWO
THE FALL Flat Of Angles
STEROID KIDDIES Seaside Teaser
DIRECT HITS Back To The Sixties
FOREIGN PRESS Crossfire
CRISPY AMBULANCE Motorway Boys
I.Q. ZERO Insects
ACCIDENT ON THE EAST LANCS. We Want It Legalized
THE OUT Who is Innocent?
GODS GIFT These Days
MUD HUTTERS Danger
PATHETIX Love in Decay
PRIVATE SECTOR Just Wanna Stay Free
THE FRANTIC ELEVATORS Hunchback Of Notre Dame
FAST CARS You’re So Funny
MISS KATE Ebony Eyes
GROW-UP The Best Thing
PROPERTY OF… Dance Like You’re Dead *
THE DISTRACTIONS Doesn’t Bother Me
THE DURUTTI COLUMN Sketch For Summer
BET LYNCH’S LEGS Riders In The Sky
THE HOAX Storm Trooper
MANICURED NOISE Metronome
MAGAZINE A Song From Under The Floorboards
VIBRANT THIGH Walking Away
ENIGMA Play With Fire
THE STILL 9.5
SPURTZ Boyfriends Or Your Money Back
THE CHARLIE PARKAS Space Invaders
DISC THREE
IF ONLY Puppet Masters
THE CHEATERS (I Wanna Be A) Policeman
MANCHESTER MEKON Must Have More Wheels
BATHROOM RENOVATIONS Apathetic Hell
THE LIGGERS Recorded Or Live *
SECTION 25 Knew Noise
THE DIAGRAM BROS. There Is No Shower
THE THINGS Pieces Of You
DISLOCATION DANCE Familiar View
MARTIN HANNETT The Music Room
BLUE ORCHIDS The Flood (Demo) *
KEVIN HEWICK Haystack
ELECTRA COMPLEX Magic *
HAMSTERS Animal
BITING TONGUES You Can Choke Like That
THE FRESHIES Wrap Up The Rockets
LUDUS Hugo Blanco
MOTHMEN Temptation
A CERTAIN RATIO Waterline
BEE VAMP Lucky Grills
NEW ORDER Everything’s Gone Green
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