10 Artists/Bands From Bristol – UK’s ‘Top City’ For Musicians!
According to a survey conducted by PRS For Music, Bristol has produced more musicians by size of population than any other town in Britain. So, Classic Rock thought this should be put to the test. Could we come up with 10 artists and bands from the area. It’s a challenge, we can tell you. But, we’re up for a bit of Avon calling…Beki Bondage – the feisty animal rights loving who’s fronted Vice Squad for over 30 years. A punk pin-up.
Wayne Hussey – the main man in The Mission, who previously walked on the dark side with Sisters Of Mercy.
Onslaught – One of the UK’s finest thrashers, who once boated the famed all dwarf rhythm section of Jim Hinder (bass) and Steve Grice (drums).
Jaguar – ah, NWOBHM wannabes, who are big in Lars Ulrich’s mind…and nowhere else, really.
Robert Wyatt – the percussionist and musician who started out with The Wilde Flowers, before helping to form the influential Soft Machine.
Bill Bailey – the celebrated comedian and musician, who’s a bit of a metalhead on the quiet. Actually, it’s not a secret.
East Of Eden – Remember 1971’s Jig-A-Jig hit single? This lot were very much a psychedelic/folk/prog ensemble. One member, Dave Arbus, even played on The Who’s Baba O’Riley!
The Pop Group – The antithesis of their name, these art school types were almost jazz-punk, such was the density of the music. Only around for about three years from 1978.
Stackridge – The folky progressives with a quirky sense of humour. Most famous for playing first and last at the inaugural Glastonbury Festival in 1970.
The Wurzels – We must be struggling to include the scrumpy & western lot. Still, they did have The Combine Harvester, which was a tribute of sorts to Melanie’s Brand New Key.
Phew, got there in the end. But if we’ve omitted some legends, then put them in the Add Comment section below.
Coventry
Jerry Dammer
Terry Hall
Nevile Staples
Rest of the specials
members of Selector
singer with All about eve
King
Hazel o`conner
Frank Ifield
Vince Hill
Not all rock and roll, but musicians
You Forgot Justin Lee Collins!
Stackridge re-formed in 2007 and issued a new CD ‘A Victory For Common Sense’ in July ‘09. Still gigging throughout the UK, the eight-piece group is wowing audiences everywhere, with their line-up that includes Mutter Slater, Andy Davis, Crun Walter and James Warren from those Glastonbury days/daze.
Better and brighter than ever, still with that extraordinary blend of quirky humour, innate musicianship and a strange, enticing magic.
We had a great underground scene in the 90’s with The Seers who were always out touring with the Ramones, Iggy etc. Right now we’ve got Dark Horse and We Will Have Victory – both have been on CR CD’s!
Undercut could have been CR-worthy. If anyone else had bought their records, that is.
Glad Stackridge mentioned. Absolutely ‘classic’ band absolutely crying out for a decent – and up-to-date – Classic Rock feature. As mentioned above, not just in the ’still gigging’ category – in that exclusive category of ’still gigging and making albums BETTER than they used to’. C’mon – get that feature sorted NOW!
N.O.D – you can still hear Undercut’s stuff, they just renamed themselves as The Chemists – http://www.myspace.com/thechemistsuk
How about Turbowolf who played Download etc last year?
Riot:Noise and Dark Horse who have both been on Classic Rock CD’s:
http://www.myspace.com/riotnoisemusic
http://www.myspace.com/darkhorseengland
Onslaught – “all drawf rythm section” – you should be ashamed – how smallist!
AT LAST Beki gets some recognition !
She’s a hell of a singer, massively underrated but we Punx are pleased Beki is back at the top of her game in Vice Squad, not too keen on Bombshells they were not ‘ard enough really
Amebix. Awesome band.
Also, The Wurzels were from Portishead, Somerset … not Bristol.
Are you aware there’s a book “Straight Outta Bristol” documenting the birth of triphop? If you’re defining your list as “bands/musicians,” it would be criminal to exclude Massive Attack and Portishead, who have probably sold more albums than your enitre list combined (but big ups to Vice Squad!)
If you check this site out you will find out about the Bristol Music scene
http://www.bristolarchiverecords.com
The Claytowne Troupe, Startled Insects, Herb Garden, Chaos Uk, The Cortina’s, Strangelove, Burning Skies, Mother’s Ruin, Rita Lynch, Blue Aeroplanes, Fortune Drive, Sun Tribe, Pig Bag…
And if we are gonna include Bath bands (after all The Amebix were Bath, not Bristol) how about Haircut 100, The Flame, Pendragon (ok they were Stroud, but if we are gonna include Bath…)