Tag: c86

Liverpool-based The Free Zone duo met in a Christian Union at Liverpool University in 1982, bonding over post-punk and especially Londoners, The Clash. Initially called Cross Purposes, The Free Zone wanted to take the energy, urgency, and excitement of punk rock without the music sounding too primitive. The Free Zone was officially born in 1984. The band comprised drummer/sequencer Peter Scarlett and vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Tim Thwaites, and played mostly secular venues around their home city, even opening for NW England stalwarts The La’s. They also played a handful of gigs with fellow Liverpudlians, neo-folksters Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus.… Continued →

Our feature today comes from two brothers who started making music in their teens, first as a new wave/post-punk band called Morella’s Forest (no, not that one), and then an immensely quirky synth-pop group called Dance House Children, before parting ways and forming two of the most legendary, creative, and prolific Chrindie groups ever–Joy Electric and Starflyer 59. Yes, we are talking about none other and Ronnie and Jason Martin. In the early 1990s an independent label emerged (technically started much earlier but with very limited distribution) called Blonde Vinyl.… Continued →