Formed: Bristol, England, UK

Punk (later post-punk) band formed in summer 1978 by electronics technician Alan Griffiths after having been inspired by a Blondie/Television double bill at the Colston Hall in Bristol. He had been writing songs for five years without even considering forming a group, until punk came along that was. He placed ads in the local press and bassist Richard White - who was working as a delivery driver - applied for the job, eventually bringing a drummer called Emil Joachim with him. After rehearsals at a place called the Biggleswell and in Griffiths' bedroom, they hired a function room called The Stonehouse, which was at the back of The Bunch of Grapes pub, and this soon became a popular venue for local bands.

Alan Griffiths, React #5, October 1979: The crowd contact is great, that's the beauty of small venues, the kids are packed in like sardines, and the atmosphere is amazing. 'Crockers', that's just the opposite. God it's so dull and predictable, the people just look and stare, really awful, they don't even get up, just sit there.

Citing their influences as The Doors, Talking Heads and Television, the band began the rigmarole of gigging locally. A song from their first recording session, 'The Alternative' was selected for the Avon Calling compilation in October 1979. An interesting single in 1980, The Car / Winter earned some radio play and led to gigs outside Bristol. White moved to guitar in Spring 1980 when Steve Street joined, but despite sharing stages with The Cure, Wah Heat Athletico Spizz 80, the band split later the same year.

Griffiths and Email subsequently played in The Escape (1982-1984). Griffiths also played in White Hotel. Street became an in-demand producer; he had already produced demos for The Pop Group and Glaxo Babies, and in the '80s produced artists as diverse as The Blue Aeroplanes, Electric Guitars, Essential Bop, Vice Squad and Tears For Fears.

Lineup 1 (1977-1980):

Alan Griffiths - vocals, guitar
Richard White - bass
Emil Joachim - drums

Lineup 2 (1980):

Alan Griffiths - vocals, guitar
Richard White - guitar
Steve Street (Ex-The Europeans) - bass
Emil Joachim - drums

 

DISCOGRAPHY

Singles / Albums

The Car / Winter (7", 1980)
Extraneous Releases
House Of Secrets (CD, 2016)

Various Artists

Avon Calling - The Bristol Compilation UK LP 1979 (Heartbeat): The Alternative; plus Poison, The Car and Winter on CD reissue

Teenage Treats Vol. 1 UK LP 1998 (Xerox): The Car [bootleg]

Powerpearls Vol. 7 ?? LP 2000 (no label): The Car [bootleg]

Western Stars - The Bands That Built Bristol Vol. 1 UK CD 2001 (Bristol Archive): The Car

I'll Give You My Heart I'll Give You My Heart (The Cherry Red Records Singles Collection 1978-1983) UK 8xCD 2008 (Cherry Red): The Car

Avon Calling 2 UK 2xCD 2010 (Bristol Archive): Broken Glass / Retrospect

The Best Of Heartbeat Records UK CD 2014 (Bristol Archive): The Car / Winter

Gary Crowley's Punk And New Wave UK 3xCD 2017 (Edsel): The Car

Links