# Don Letts Bristol Special



## Lily (Jul 19, 2009)

Bristol based acts past and present

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00lrmqh/Don_Letts_18_07_2009/


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## Geri (Jul 19, 2009)

Can you tell me what bands are on it, to save me watching the whole thing and getting disappointed? (if you have watched it already, that is).


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## Lily (Jul 19, 2009)

It's radio.....


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## Geri (Jul 19, 2009)

Ok, to save me listening to it then.


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## Lily (Jul 19, 2009)

I'm only 25 mins in Rip Rig & Panic, Pop Group, Pigbag, Roni Size, Tricky, Massive Attack, The Fall & a couple of new bands whose names I missed.

Tracklisting not up on the site yet. (shoulda put this in music really, maybe)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/don_letts/tracklisting.shtml


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## Geri (Jul 19, 2009)

The Fall? 

I thought it might be that kind of thing, I'm more of a Blue Aeroplanes/Brilliant Corners type of girl.


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## Lily (Jul 19, 2009)

Geri said:


> The Fall?



NO!!  The Pop Group, doh! I always get them muddled, fuck knows why!


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## bristolradio (Jul 19, 2009)

EDIT: Damn, that was incomplete, I'll post the full thing in a bit.

Safe for a while yet in case people miss it before the iPlayer runs out


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## bristolradio (Jul 20, 2009)

http://rapidshare.com/files/257979358/DonLettsBristolSpesh-FULL-1248098641.mp3


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## butchersapron (Jul 20, 2009)

Ta


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## Sunspots (Jul 20, 2009)

> Massive Attack ~ Unfinished Sympathy
> The Pop Group ~ She Is Beyond Good And Evil
> Mancini & The Creepers ~ Ever So Calm
> Rip Rig & Panic ~ You're My Kind Of Climate
> ...



Good stuff, but pretty much just the hits by the usual suspects.  

I imagine that if you're an aspiring Bristol guitar band, the shadow of 'The Bristol Sound' has been a bit of a fucker these last 15+ years...


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## BlackArab (Jul 20, 2009)

Here's one they missed 
Would also say 3PM and Fresh Four were slightly influential on 'the Bristol Sound'

who else have they missed? suggestions???


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## butchersapron (Jul 20, 2009)

The Seers!


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## Sunspots (Jul 21, 2009)

butchersapron said:


> The Seers!



I _knew_ you'd say that. 

I'll nominate The Heads.  

But then, you knew _I'd_ say that.


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## BlackArab (Jul 21, 2009)

Just realised they've also missed out on 

The Brilliant Corners - Brian Rix

in fact the more I think about the more I realise that the original list is shite, no Blue Aeroplanes, Rita Lynch, Restriction, Moonflowers, Herb Garden


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## Sunspots (Jul 21, 2009)

BlackArab said:


> Just realised they've also missed out on
> 
> The Brilliant Corners - Brian Rix
> 
> in fact the more I think about the more I realise that the original list is shite, no Blue Aeroplanes, Rita Lynch, Restriction, Moonflowers, Herb Garden



I think most of the music on that BBC6 playlist is great, but yeah, there's no denying that the playlist itself is predictable.  I'm sure a longer show would've allowed for a deeper selection though.  The Star & Garter did get a mention though... 



PS: I don't know of Restriction; who/what/when?...


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## BlackArab (Jul 21, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> I think most of the music on that BBC6 playlist is great, but yeah, there's no denying that the playlist itself is predictable.  I'm sure a longer show would've allowed for a deeper selection though.  The Star & Garter did get a mention though...
> 
> 
> 
> PS: I don't know of Restriction; who/what/when?...



Now you too can play connect the dots 

_'Other local reggae acts contained characters that would become local legends. Restriction had a young guitarist called Rob Smith who would later team up with Ray Mighty to form Smith and Mighty. They also had a young engineer called Dave McDonald who would later become the `fourth' (referred to as such because he was an engineer rather than a musician) member of Portishead.'_

http://www.electricpavilion.org/dugout/vaults/reading/reading05.html


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## Sunspots (Jul 21, 2009)

BlackArab said:


> Now you too can play connect the dots
> 
> _'Other local reggae acts contained characters that would become local legends. Restriction had a young guitarist called Rob Smith who would later team up with Ray Mighty to form Smith and Mighty. They also had a young engineer called Dave McDonald who would later become the `fourth' (referred to as such because he was an engineer rather than a musician) member of Portishead.'_
> 
> http://www.electricpavilion.org/dugout/vaults/reading/reading05.html



GODDAMMIT, IT'S JUST ONE HUGE SONIC CLUSTERFUCK. 

I'd love to see one of those Rock Family Trees, tracing the Bristol scene.  I wonder if one already exists?...


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## BlackArab (Jul 29, 2009)

Does Bananarama count as a Bristol group?


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## jusali (Jul 29, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> Good stuff, but pretty much just the hits by the usual suspects.
> 
> I imagine that if you're an aspiring Bristol guitar band, the shadow of 'The Bristol Sound' has been a bit of a fucker these last 15+ years...



Yep, that "Bristol sound" is probably the worst thing about Bristol


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## butchersapron (Jul 29, 2009)

BlackArab said:


> Does Bananarama count as a Bristol group?



Possibly - bit tenuous though, maybe we could claim Soul II Soul through NH!

Marxman - they were ok for a while, like what they tried to do.


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## Sunspots (Jul 29, 2009)

butchersapron said:


> Marxman - they were ok for a while, like what they tried to do.



Must admit, I had no idea 'til now that they were from Bristol.


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## hermitical (Jul 29, 2009)

did they play any Onslaught on 6music?


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## butchersapron (Jul 29, 2009)

I saw Onslaught - rubbish light metal. Got themselves a local myth as some fans were kicked out of the colston hall for ripping up seats or something.


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## Sunspots (Jul 29, 2009)

hermitical said:


> did they play any Onslaught on 6music?


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## BlackArab (Jul 29, 2009)

butchersapron said:


> Possibly - bit tenuous though, maybe we could claim Soul II Soul through NH!
> 
> Marxman - they were ok for a while, like what they tried to do.



2 out of 3 pure Brizzle but I guess they did actually form in Londinium. re the Soul II Soul connection, on this basis we could include Tackhead and Mark Stewart & The Maffia..whatever happened to Gary Clail anyway?

Marxman! (slaps head), how did I forget? I used to know one of them really well, they unfortunately suffered for their politics like a few at the time.


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## Endeavour (Jul 30, 2009)




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## Geri (Jul 30, 2009)

BlackArab said:


> whatever happened to Gary Clail anyway?



He lost loads of weight, appeared on TOTP and moved to Brighton. 

I met him in the Tropic Club once, he's a really nice bloke.


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## Sunspots (Jul 30, 2009)

Geri said:


> He lost loads of weight, appeared on TOTP and moved to Brighton.
> 
> I met him in the Tropic Club once, he's a really nice bloke.



He was probably half-cut for confidence...


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## Sunspots (Jul 30, 2009)

BlackArab said:


> whatever happened to Gary Clail anyway?





> He went on to buy a church in Penzance, convert it into a guest house and then run it for several years. The most recent word I have, however, is that he is living on a boat at Saltford, between Bristol and Bath, and is working at a hostel for homeless people in Bath. We wish him well.



From a fairly comprehensive site of all things On-U, but I've no idea how up to date this Clail snippet is.


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## butchersapron (Jul 30, 2009)

Another one i used to love, that i suspect only BlackArab will recall, were The Royal Assassins - a sort of more aggressive and expansive Gang of Four type band - storming live band - always seemd to play the bristol bridge as was.

Avon calling anyone?


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## Sunspots (Jul 30, 2009)

butchersapron said:


> Avon valling anyone?



http://www.discogs.com/Various-Avon-Calling-The-Bristol-Compilation/release/1420456

Do any of those jog any memories?...


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## butchersapron (Jul 30, 2009)

Fuck me, dire days! One of my mates brother was one of/the guitarist in Vice Squad, the carry-on team of bristol punk. That LP use to be in so many 2nd hand record shops and charity shops, 50p tops - probably worth somthing to record collecter scum now.


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## Sunspots (Jul 30, 2009)

http://www.bristolarchiverecords.com/index.html

(-How the hell did The Brilliant Corners manage to get on _Revenge Of The Killer Pussies_? )


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## butchersapron (Jul 30, 2009)

Because the song said _fever_ i think -  i can see no other reason at all 

I noticed from that archive site there's a previously unreleased LP by the original line-up of the Royal Assasins...interesting...


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## Ground Elder (Jul 30, 2009)

Gary Clail was a big hit in the pubs of Penzance during his time here


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## BlackArab (Jul 30, 2009)

butchersapron said:


> Another one i used to love, that i suspect only BlackArab will recall, were The Royal Assassins - a sort of more aggressive and expansive Gang of Four type band - storming live band - always seemd to play the bristol bridge as was.
> 
> Avon calling anyone?



I remember the name but not the band. This thread is jogging so many memories though, Avon Calling - quality! 

Another two from days of old, Herb Garden and The Moonflowers. Saw a fantastic set from Herb Garden at Ashton Court fest( now there was a loss to Bristol).


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## BlackArab (Jul 30, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> From a fairly comprehensive site of all things On-U, but I've no idea how up to date this Clail snippet is.



Surprised he didn't go back to scaffolding. What's the chance of characters like this getting in the charts these days 

Turn up the speakers (unless you're in work!)


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## Geri (Jul 31, 2009)

The Herb Garden reformed recently, or played one off gig - I'm not sure which.


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## JWH (Aug 2, 2009)

BlackArab said:


> the more I think about the more I realise that the original list is shite


Don Letts has (according to third-hand internet rumour, anyway) been running on fumes for quite a while now: last year he showed up to DJ a gig without any records, sent a runner out to buy some sort of best of ska/reggae/punk compilation CD and then just played it for an hour or so before claiming his cheque and buggering off.

No word on whether he was as energised as Peter Hook at the time, though  :


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## BlackArab (Aug 5, 2009)

JWH said:


> Don Letts has (according to third-hand internet rumour, anyway) been running on fumes for quite a while now: last year he showed up to DJ a gig without any records, sent a runner out to buy some sort of best of ska/reggae/punk compilation CD and then just played it for an hour or so before claiming his cheque and buggering off.
> 
> No word on whether he was as energised as Peter Hook at the time, though  :




Just got round to watching this, youtube at work is blocked, absolutely hilarious. It's like watching a DJ in a wind tunnel holding onto the mixer for dear life or a chemically enhanced Uncle at a wedding


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## bristolradio (Aug 16, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> http://www.bristolarchiverecords.com/index.html



Excellent!  Time to catch up on things I've missed.


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## Sunspots (Sep 5, 2009)

_*bump*_

Anyone able to shed any light on this?


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## rollinder (Sep 6, 2009)

BlackArab said:


> Just got round to watching this, youtube at work is blocked, absolutely hilarious. It's like watching a DJ in a wind tunnel holding onto the mixer for dear life or a chemically enhanced Uncle at a wedding


 
that is brillient...ly terrible and it's (apparently) a free Pete Tong mixmag cd he's miming to too


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## boskysquelch (Sep 7, 2009)




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## Sunspots (Sep 7, 2009)

boskysquelch said:


>




Is there a Bristol connection?


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## boskysquelch (Sep 7, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> Is there a Bristol connection?



probably not(it was a throwaway for the GE looksie...) but there is with the "Flies"...

Wasn't there a mythical/real Avon Calling 2 too?


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## Sunspots (Sep 7, 2009)

boskysquelch said:


> probably not(it was a throwaway for the GE looksie...) but there is with the "Flies"...



The only Bristol 'Flies' I know of are the latter day bunch made up of The Insects and Sean Cook (ex of Lupine Howl and Spiritualized)...



boskysquelch said:


> Wasn't there a mythical/real Avon Calling 2 too?



I don't know, but if so, some of it might be making up the multitude of extra tracks on this CD reissue of the original compilation: 



Sunspots said:


> http://www.discogs.com/Various-Avon-Calling-The-Bristol-Compilation/release/1420456


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## boskysquelch (Sep 7, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> The only Bristol 'Flies' I know of are the latter day bunch made up of The Insects and Sean Cook (ex of Lupine Howl and Spiritualized)...



thems the ones...

re:AC2... yer prolly right on the CD tack on... I was lucky enough to be involved in the promo-ing of the "local" compilations of the time eg Vaultage, East, Avon Calling & quite a few others at the time I vaguely remember... but then got stuck into the York/Hull scene moreso & drifted into gigs rather than disks.


Do you rember at track called "Baby Buyer"?... there a tenuous Bristolian connection with Welsh punks... The Elevators?...or High Rise Elevators?


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## boskysquelch (Sep 7, 2009)

doh!!!

http://www.discogs.com/Victimize-Baby-Buyer-Hi-Rising-Failure/release/478984

http://www.mediafire.com/?lww4jboo0jc


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## Sunspots (Sep 7, 2009)

boskysquelch said:


> Do you rember at track called "Baby Buyer"?... there a tenuous Bristolian connection with Welsh punks... The Elevators?...or High Rise Elevators?



No, but I think Discogs does?

Edit: Dammit, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too slow.


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## BlackArab (Sep 10, 2009)

Stop the press!

Gary Clail is playing this weekend:http://www.guide2bristol.com/events/952/Gary_Clail__The_Croft_Bristol/12_September_2009


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## butchersapron (Sep 10, 2009)

Interesting...very interesting...


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