C86 Show - Indie Pop

Boris Williams in conversation with David Eastaugh

https://vamberator.bandcamp.com/

Boris Williams was present during the Cure's most successful period and is often cited by fans as the best drummer in the band's history.

Vamberator - From the dying embers of Shelleyan orphan (with the late Caroline Crawley), jem Tayle plucks out its heart, and along with Boris Williams of the Cure, they forge the beast that is Vamborator: a magical funky hybrid; a frisky colt on a journey to find a meaning in this age of loneliness.
This is Vamberator growing in the shade where the most interesting plants grow: a rebellious beast!

King of The Slums special with Charles Keigher in conversation with David Eastaugh

King of the Slums formed in Manchester, England, by writer Charley Keigher aka Charlie Keighera (vocals, guitar) and Sarah Curtis (electric violin), initially as Slum Cathedral User. Joined by bassist John Eccles in early 1985, they recorded a demo tape at Crimson Studios in Urmston, Manchester with the help of a drummer who left the band soon after. The band took up its image of Kings of the slums incorporating a plastic dustbin and a tambourine replacing the drums which added to their 'Slums' authenticity when playing live. They won Muze magazine's Band of the Year competition winning a recording session at a studio in Gorton Manchester producing a second demo tape. Their third demo tape came soon after at a recording studio in Upper Mill high up in the Saddleworth moors.

During the second and third demo tape recordings the group made its vinyl recording debut with the "Spider Psychiatry" single in 1986 on a small independent label SLR Records.

During this time they gigged at various Manchester venues as a three piece with their now trade mark dustbin drum and homemade stage. The single, reviewed by Melody Maker, never made any significant sales. In mid 1987 Eccles left the band. Sarah Curtis had studied violin at the Royal Northern College of Music, but dropped out before finishing her studies.

Further releases followed in 1988 and 1989 on the Play Hard label, now with bassist Jon Chandler and drummer Ged O'Brien (who replaced a succession of drummers), most of which were collected on the album Barbarous English Fayre (1989).

The band also recorded a session for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show in 1988. An incendiary live performance of "Fanciable Headcase", shown on the influential Snub TV television programme, earned the band national exposure, and helped to push their EPs up the independent chart, "Bombs Away on Harpurhey" reaching No. 8.

Gene Loves Jezebel special with Michael Aston in conversation with David Eastaugh

Originally called Slav Aryan, Gene Loves Jezebel was formed in 1980 with the Aston brothers, guitarist Ian Hudson, bassist Stephen Davis and drummer Snowy White. The Astons grew up in Cornelly, and later Porthcawl, in Wales, and moved to London in 1981. With a new home, and shortly afterwards, the new name, the trio, with bassist Julianne Regan and drummer James Chater (later replaced by John Murphy (the Associates and Richard Hawkins), played several live shows and were signed by Situation Two. Gene Loves Jezebel underwent numerous lineup changes between 1981 and 1985. In May 1982, Situation Two released Gene Loves Jezebel's demo and single, "Shaving My Neck". The band then added keyboardist Jean-Marc Lederman. Regan left the band within a year to form All About Eve, leaving Ian Hudson briefly playing bass and Albie DeLuca as the guitar player until Stephen Marshall joined.

In 1983, the band released two more singles, "Screaming (For Emmalene)" and "Bruises", and then their first album, Promise , which peaked at number 8 in the UK Indie Chart. In 1984, the band recorded a John Peel radio session for the BBC and toured the U.K. with fellow Welsh artist John Cale.

The band's second album, Immigrant, was released in mid-1985. However, at the start of a long American tour for Immigrant, founding member Ian Hudson left the band and was replaced by former Chelsea and Generation X guitarist James Stevenson (who later also played rhythm guitar on tour with the Cult).

My Life Story with Jake Shillingford in conversation

At the time of their debut single, "Girl A, Girl B, Boy C" (1993) produced by Giles Martin son of George, the group had a regular line-up of twelve members. Though the membership fluctuated continually, it rarely dipped into single figures until 1999, when their third album credited just four regular members, though most of the former line-up were still used as session musicians. Their orchestral sound led them to be compared to groups such as Tindersticks and especially The Divine Comedy. Their debut album, Mornington Crescent was released on 10 January 1995. My Life Story enjoyed the most success at the time of their second album The Golden Mile, which was released on 10 March 1997. It spawned five singles that entered the lower half of the UK Singles Chart, but finally disbanded after a series of farewell concerts in December 2000.

On 26 May 2006 the band reformed with the full line-up of thirteen members, to play at the Mean Fiddler (LA2) on Charing Cross Road in London, in support of their forthcoming Best Of album. The gig got a review rating of 10/10 from Planet Sound. A second reunion show took place at the Astoria in London on 8 December 2006. Further reunions have taken place every two years on 13 December 2007 at the O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, and Koko on 26 November 2009, where the band performed their debut album, Mornington Crescent, for the first time in its entirety. In 2009, it was announced that, to mark 15 years since their debut album, the group would reform and perform the album in full, together with later songs. This concert took place at KOKO which is next door to Mornington Crescent tube station.

My Life Story announced that they were to reunite again to perform The Golden Mile at the Shepherds Bush Empire on 3 March 2012 to celebrate fifteen years since the album's release.

In mid-2013 the group announced their first UK tour in 14 years. Singer Jake Shillingford is reported to have said: "For many years we have only been able to play a big London show due to the sheer size and scale of the band. Now I am able to take my songs out on the road with a stripped down tight rocking outfit."

"I will be joined by various members of My Life Story along my journey around the UK, culminating in our traditional annual London concert with the original bunch, I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone again, expect a big, bold and brash performance, all foxy horns and horny foxes."

In September 2016 My Life Story released their first single in 16 years, "24 Hour Deflowerer". The launch was marked with a two-night residency at The Borderline in London on 14–15 October, with all audience members receiving a numbered limited edition 7" vinyl of the single.

My Life Story performed in the Star Shaped Festival, a Britpop revival tour, alongside The Bluetones, Space, Dodgy and Salad, in July/August 2017 and again in August/September 2018 together with Echobelly, Black Grape and The Supernaturals. The band's current five-piece line-up features Jake Shillingford (vocals), Nick Evans (guitar), Chris Hardwick (drums), Jack Hosgood (bass) and Aimee Smith (keys).

The fourth My Life Story studio album, World Citizen, was crowd-funded with pre-orders from fans and was released on 6th September 2019. Described as "the best My Life Story album ever", World Citizen received review scores of 4/5 in The Express, 85% in Hi Fi News and 7/10 in Uncut

The release will be followed by a UK tour in November.

Arthur Brown in conversation with David Eastaugh

Arthur Brown is an English rock singer and songwriter best known for his flamboyant theatrical performances, eclectic (and sometimes experimental) work and his powerful, wide-ranging operatic voice.

Brown has been lead singer of various groups, most notably the Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Kingdom Come, followed by a varied solo career as well as associations with Hawkwind, the Who and Klaus Schulze. In the late 1960s, the Crazy World of Arthur Brown's popularity was such that the group shared bills with the Who, Jimi Hendrix, the Mothers of Invention, the Doors, the Small Faces, and Joe Cocker, among others.

He is best known for his 1968 single "Fire", reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart and Canada, and number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 as well as its parent album The Crazy World of Arthur Brown which reached number 2 in the UK and number 7 in the US. Following the success of the single "Fire", the press would often refer to Brown as "The God of Hellfire", in reference to the opening shouted line of the song, a moniker that exists to this day.

Although Brown has had limited commercial success and has never released another recording as commercially successful as "Fire", he has remained a significant influence on a wide range of musicians in numerous genres due to his operatic vocal style, wild stage persona, and often experimental concepts; he is considered to be a pioneer of shock rock and progressive rock and has had an influence on both electronic and heavy metal music. In 2005, Brown won the 'Showman of the Year' award from Classic Rock magazine, with Brown receiving the award at the Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards ceremony held in London's Café de Paris.