The debut (and only) Academy 23 vinyl LP was released on the Thinking Time Record label from Somerset via a printing and pressing agreement with Black Plastic Records in the U.S. The records that were returned to the U.K rather selfishly had the contact address and logo of Black Plastic Records printed on the sleeve rather than the address of the Somerset label. Futhermore, Black Plastic Records did not send the agreed amount to be sold in the U.K by Thinking Time Records, which was a rather unpleasant way to conduct business due to Thinking Time Records putting the cash and effort into the project from the beginning.
Thinking Time Records owner and future Acadamy 23 member Pete Williams, had collaborated with Andy Martin in 1991 when they both performed in the band Time To Think who released one EP ‘Where The Hell Is Andrew?’ which was the debut release on Pete Williams small label.
The line up of Academy 23 consisted, on this LP of Nathan Coles, Pete Williams, Grant Munro, Lee Simpson as well as Dave Fanning and Andy Martin. All the tracks on this LP are of a decent quality, a decent Pack riff on the track ‘Show No Pity’ to listen out for. On some of the tracks on this LP Andy Martin adopts a Scottish vocal style, in respect to his Scottish ancestry (on his mothers side I seem to remember).
A wonderfully overlooked LP and a treasure to any ears that have not heard it before, also came with a 7″ single (upload below) and a nice booklet…
Andy Martin and Dave Fanning now record and perform every now and again as UNIT.
Martin C
November 9, 2008 at 1:49 pmSome terrific stuff on there, the final track on side 2’s probably one of my favourite bits of Andy Martin writing ever, really powerful – John Eden stuck that one on a CD-R for me yonks ago but think I lost it during a flat move . And “show no pity’ kills, gah, wish I’d heard this years ago…even when it gets bleak, there’s some wisecracking lines on this, “Dinnae tell me it’s cos he’s a fucken’ capricorn, I could dae without all that superstitious medaeval blether!” and “I prefer mathetmatics to sex anyway!”
Guess this would have cropped up around the same time Andy was regularly writing pieces for ‘Dregs’ zine, which was run by some bloke from Liverpool who was obsessed with Ned’s Atomic Dustbin and hitchhiking around the country to gigs. ‘Dregs’ was great, I seem to remember Andy’s pieces would generate fierce criticism in the following issue’s letters pages. Could never find Academy 23 product at the time though…
Would also recommend their ‘Kampfbereit’ CD only album, which is mostly Apostles tracks revamped with superior production and lyrics (in some cases) – “Hello SWP” became the brilliant “God of Death” and Current 93 never came up with any title as good as “Aspire to a Spire on Fire!”
devotionalhooligan
November 9, 2008 at 6:45 pmI totally missed out on the Academy 23 stuff, which is strange as i’ve got a few of the releases on Acid Stings… Bloody fine album too… Cheers mate.
I’ve heard some of the unit stuff on pStan batcows excellent godspunk compilations.
http://www.pumf.net
Penguin • Post Author •
November 9, 2008 at 10:39 pmThe track double standards on the free 7″ is sublime guys, also the back cover with an old boy holding up a Charton Athletic football scarf is pretty tops.
^@ Martin C
November 10, 2008 at 11:33 pmYeah, ‘Double Standards’ is pretty amazing – one of the great lost unrequited lurve tunes of all time.
devotionalhooligan
November 15, 2008 at 10:22 pmcheers mick… i almost overlooked them… and you’re not wrong about double standards being sublime…
Pete
November 21, 2008 at 7:09 amThis is actually a Thinking Time Records release, not Black Plastic.
I/we sent the money over to Brian to get it pressed as he claimed he could get it done cheaper than we could in the UK.
I think I paid for a 1000 and I only got a couple of hundred sent back.
..and a big fucking Black Plastic Records stamp on it to boot.
No idea what happened to the rest.
He contacted me a few years after, but he never replied after I wrote him back.
Penguin • Post Author •
November 22, 2008 at 12:18 amI have amended the history slightly in the post now Pete.
Pete
November 22, 2008 at 6:07 amAwesome – thank you!!!