Following the nuclear blast of punk, a new sound and aesthetic emerged from the rubble. This was a grassroots, homemade culture, liberated from the shackles of the corporate music industry. A frenzy of micro-pressed singles were released, sheathed in blurry, Xeroxed sleeves with rubber stamped names on them; Desperate Bicycles, Scritti Politti, Swell Maps and the Shop Assistants. The three letters DIY became both a declaration of intention and an imperativea call to arms, a response to the dire politics and bleak forecast for late seventies, early eighties Britain.
This book offers a fascinating insight into this febrile moment in British music history, looking in depth at 101 key singles that changed the musical landscape. Interviews with key figures from the time run alongside authoritative text from music historian, Jonathon Dale. Lo-fi graphics are presented in all their scrubby glory, resonating with today’s newfound rise of independent culture. A delight for music and graphic aficionados alike.
Jonathon Dale is an academic and historian, whose enthusiasm for the era has been documented in articles for publications includingNME, Dusted, and Fact magazine.
Stephen Pastel was the lead singer for The Pastels, a seminal eighties indie band, and currently runs Glasgow’s leading independent record store.
