Bouquet Of Steel

Compilation of Sheffield and area bands from 1980 on the Aardvark label distributed by Rough Trade/Red Rhino. Contains 32 page booklet about the Sheffield music scene of the 70's. A bit of a curate's egg containing some gems and some awful stuff.

Wikipedia says of Comsat Angels -

"Named after the J. G. Ballard short story The Comsat Angels, the foursome's core lineup (lasting 1978–1992) consisted of:
Stephen Fellows – vocals, lead guitar;
Kevin Bacon – bass;
Mik Glaisher – drums;
Andy Peake – keyboards.
They debuted with an EP, released in 1979, named "Red Planet". This release attracted Polydor A&R man Frank Neilson and the band signed a three-album recording contract. These three LPs, Waiting for a Miracle (1980), which included the single "Independence Day", probably their best known song, Sleep No More (1981) and Fiction (1982), are regarded by some as their best, but only sold modestly.
In their early years, the group shared live stages with bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Depeche Mode, U2 (an 18-date tour in 1981), Captain Beefheart, The Sound, Wall of Voodoo, and Gang of Four. In 1982, they performed two songs on BBC Television's Old Grey Whistle Test television program. A U.S. tour in 1982 had to be cancelled after a week, due to Bacon contracting appendicitis."

Wikipedia says of Artery -

"Artery evolved from earlier punk band named 'The' in 1978, with an original lineup of Mark Gouldthorpe (guitar), Toyce Ashley (vocals, guitar), Neil McKenzie (bass) and Garry Wilson (drums). After a self-financed single in 1979, the band released a second in 1980 on the Aardvark label, after which Mick Fidler (vocals, guitar, saxophone) was added. Two further singles followed in 1981, before Ashley left, with Gouldthorpe taking over on vocals and Simon Hinkler (formerly of TV Product) joining on keyboards and guitar ] They received support from John Peel, for whom they recorded their first session for his BBC Radio 1 show in July 1981, recording a second early the following year. They signed to the Red Flame label in 1982, releasing a single and the Dale Griffin-produced mini-LP Oceans that year. Their track "Into the Garden" reached number nine in the 1982 Festive Fifty. They were often compared to Joy Division, although Gouldthorpe stated "We never listened to Joy Division – they were never an influence". Further lineup changes followed, with John White replacing Fidler, who was sacked for missing rehearsals, Christopher Hendrick replacing MacKenzie, and David Hinkler joining on keyboards. The band was reduced to a trio of Gouldthorpe, Wilson, and Hendrick by the time of the release of their second album, One Afternoon in a Hot Air Balloon (1983), with White leaving to form UV Pop and Simon Hinkler moving into production. Simon and David Hinkler and Garry Wilson all played in Pulp around 1983. In 1984 Hendrick left, with MacKenzie returning, and the band moved on to the Golden Dawn label, adding Murray Fenton to the lineup. A third album, The Second Coming, was released in 1984."

Tracks are -

1. Artery - The Slide
2. B Troop - Peroxide Romance
3. Comsat Angels - Ju Ju Money
4. Disease - Psychobin
5. Flying Alphonso Bros. - Video Date
6. I'm So Hollow - Touch
7. Musical Janeens - Glen Miller and his musical intimacies meets the musical janeens uptown with a packet of jellies and a caribbean monolith.



Bouquet Of Steel - Side One