Screaming Babies
Kill Your Pet Puppy’s Mick Lugworm with Fred Previous of Screaming Babies
Jon From Bromley, Rob and Fred before Screaming Babies gig at Centro Iberico
Rob and Jon From Bromley before Screaming Babies gig at Centro Iberico
Screaming Babies PRACTICE
Screaming Babies DEMO
Paralysis
Laughing At Me / Far Cry / So Prententious / Frightened Of…/A.D.
Mass / Spirit / What Do You Know? / I Hate / Me And You
Seventh Seance
The Grandfather Clock Ticked On / A Narrow Way / The Incision / Epitaph
Thanks to Jon From Bromley for these tapes and the text that follows also the photographs (except the Lugworm one which is from the mighty Lugworms collection)
Screaming Babies 1981
Dave Waller – vocals, Jon From Bromley – guitar, Fred Previous – bass, Rob Maidens – drums.
The band started as two school friends with a Damned obsession (Rob Maidens, Chris Ward – guitar and vocals). This line-up managed to disappoint a sizeable audience at Wapping Autonomy Centre who had turned up expecting an under-cover Crass show. This line-up slowly expanded to include Dave Waller and Fred Previous. When Chris left I (J.F.B) was asked to join the band. This led to a bit of a chance in direction given my leanings towards Joy Division, UK Decay, Bauhaus etc. A lot of our gigs were to the anarcho punk crowd who never really liked us much – the best response we ever had was performing Crisis ‘Holocaust’ at Centro Iberico. After a year or so of this line up, we split with Dave, got a new vocalist (Aidan Williams) who also played rhythm guitar (and loved Echo And The Bunnymen), changed the name to Still Screaming, did one gig at the Sir George Robey and disbanded.
Paralysis 1982
This was a Hornchurch super-group of sorts for a few hours only with various members of Cold War (Chris Knowles, Kev, Ian Smith), Screaming Babies (J.F.B), and a few others, Gary Gherkin and the mysterious AED, a friend of Chris who turned up, played a bit but said he hated the whole thing. We improvised and recorded the whole thing in a four hour session at Romford’s ‘Lower Wapping Conker Company’ rehearsal room. It was only made available in limited quantities and we never spoke about it afterwards.
Seventh Séance 1982
Ritual One is the cassette release by Seventh Séance. This band was formed by Winston Detleiv (A.K.A, Smith brother of Ian from Cold War and ex-Orange Cardigan guitarist). The released this tape in small quantities, later followed by a 12″ EP ‘The Incision’. The text below from the band’s myspace page:
A band from the decaying heart of London’s docklands, formed in 1982 by ex-drummer and guitarist of four piece Goth/Punk band the Orange Cardigan, Steven Humphreys and Winston Detleiv released their first 12″ EP, “The Incision” in Nov. 1982. Guitarist Paul Shewan and bassist Richard Moore soon joined the duo for a string of live dates around London and the UK. This line-up self destructed in 1983 and a new line-up, Winston’s brother Ian on backing vocals, Garfield on Saxaphones, Peter Collins on Drums, recorded a 12″ EP in 1983, called “I Could Forget Myself”. After meeting up and performing with Martin McCarrick on Cello/Piano and Bill McGee on Double Bass, for Marc (Almond) and the Mambas farewell shows in Dec.1983, Martin and Bill both played live with Seventh Seance, followed by the release of the third 12″ EP “Another Empty Face” in April 1984. The band recorded an unreleased acoustic album for Chrysalis Music in mid 1984 and split soon after. A temporary line up then formed for a BBC radio session and Chrysalis demos featuring Dave Addams on drums, Phil Steriopoulos on double bass, Rachael and Caroline on flute and violin, Garfield still on sax. A more stable line-up, Chris Calvert on drums, Richard Spyers on bass, then formed shortly after with a radical change in direction back to an electric/alt./rock/goth sound. Extensive gigging around London and UK then followed, before tape releases on Icon in 1986.
Vertical Hold
A performance recorded at the Autonomy Centre, Wapping 10/01/82 text below by Southend Paul
Vertical Hold were one of a crop of bands to come out of the east London suburb of Hornchurch, an area famed for producing acts such as The Wolfhounds, Winston Detliev (in his various guises), Cold War, The Screaming Babies/ Still Screaming and Martin Luggers Amazing Heavy Metal Iron Beard.
So what did they sound like? Well If New Order had embraced punk instead of electro pop they would of been Vertical Hold, and what were they like? The group were fronted by Steve George a lead singer that would not of been out of place in the Anti Nowhere League, a man with a girl in every town and a regular girlfriend who knew it! I once saw the whole band hide behind him when the bottles started to rain down at a gig in Swindon. As for Mark Routledge, Mark played chuga chuga guitar like a rasta on speed. A song writer of great talent with an unflappable character. Fred Previous on bass. Moody, prone to throw valve amps and bass guitars off the stage, looked like the bastard son of Captain Sensible and Daniel Ash, on a bad hair day. Paul Fenlon, The musician of the group could play any instrument but chose drums, could be because his love of wearing denim and of trying to outdo Steve on tats and shades. Did this indicate a latent desire to be an extra in Grease.
The Band gigged for around five to six years in the early 1980s, being well considered by the likes of Kirk Brandon (Spear of Destiny) Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys) and Gene October (Chelsea). They supported acts such as Theatre of Hate, The Exploited, And UK Decay at venues such as the 100 Club in London and The Rez in Romford.
Vertical Hold produced two Singles, One EP and had two tracks on the Tails from the Crypt comp Album. They also share the accolade of having a joint single of the week with The Damned in the NME.
Jon From Bromley’s recent Yellow 6 material can be listened to HERE
PG
June 27, 2009 at 6:55 pmBerluddy Hell! If you want obscure stuff, I have the cassette of a Portsmouth area based group called Abstract Critique stashed away somewhere. And the tee-shirt…vest…thing…
Penguin • Post Author •
June 27, 2009 at 8:13 pmHi PG, if your local band cassette comes along with loads of lovely rare cassette gems from Androids / Zounds / Mob / Part 1 / Apostles / Theatre Of Hate etc etc, like the box J.F.B. chucked my way then be my goose and send the little fella.
That was the size of the ‘bribe’ that got J.F.B’s various old band cassettes online (Hi Jon! 🙂 ).
jon (ex-from bromley)
June 28, 2009 at 4:23 pmi guess Seventh Seance’s coming from “the decaying heart of London’s docklands” sounds a bit more deserving of credibility than “nice London suburb of Hornchurch”!
pretentious? never 🙂
chris
June 28, 2009 at 8:34 pmNic will be able to confirm this, but wasn’t there a feature on ‘Screaming Babies’ in the second issue of Miles’ “Twisted Nerve” zine?
Fred Previous
June 29, 2009 at 3:39 amYes
Nic
June 29, 2009 at 8:44 amYes, there was Chris (as Fred rightly indicates)…
The band were certainly ‘on the radar’, probably through the fanzines emanating from that London…
Graham Burnett
June 30, 2009 at 12:27 amWot no Boiled Eggs???
Mike Jones
July 15, 2009 at 4:46 pmWhatever happened to Mike Stout and What is Oil?
Penguin • Post Author •
July 18, 2009 at 12:36 amFred Previous band Vertical Hold performance recorded at the Autonomy Centre Wapping in January 1982 now uploaded on the end of this post.
Penguin • Post Author •
July 18, 2009 at 1:38 pmA fine Screaming Babies demo also now uploaded onto this post.
John No Last Name
July 19, 2009 at 7:06 pmVertical Hold? I remember seeing them at the 100 club opening for UK Decay. John Peel had played “Rubber Cross” a few days before so I was quite psyched to see them. Though if I remember correctly the song “Sex Shop” was called “HX sex shop” not “my sex shop”. The HX standing for Hornchurch. Not their best song, but for some reason I still remember it only after hearing it once live at a show over 20 years ago, weird.
“Rubber Cross” in my memory was a stand out track, but most likely sounds better as a distant memory than something I actually want to download and listen to now. I also remember sitting around with JFB playing the guitar intro to it on whatever cheapo les paul copy I owned at the time and seeing his surprised look about the fact that I had actually heard of Vertical Hold.
cheers Jon
jon (ex-from bromley)
July 19, 2009 at 11:18 pmsometimes jogging the memory is much better than reliving the moment… in the case of some of these old tapes the memories are certainly better than hearing them again 🙂
my first gig with screaming babies was at the pied bull in islington and vertical hold were all in the audience (fred was in one of his periods of having left them at the time but would return many more times)… we started the set using the intro to rubber cross (which i probably learned from john) to shouted threats of violence from one vertical hold member (not realised thankfully)…
history lesson… HX came from the old telephone codes – HX being 49 on the dial (before buttons on phones!).
the song HX sex shop celebrated the scandal in the local papers (romford recorder) after a private shop was opened in hornchurch, to be picketed by vicars etc. vertical hold mocked up a 7″ single sleeve which they sent to the paper and made the headlines for their ‘shocking’ single supporting the filthy trade of this shop…
Penguin • Post Author •
July 20, 2009 at 12:11 amCorrect title ‘HX Sex Shop’ now placed in post. Thanks for letting me know.
Sven
September 2, 2009 at 2:06 amYikes! Abstract Critique that’s a name I haven’t heard for many years and you STILL have one of their old T-shirts? I have their album on a CD somewhere? ACE for obscure weirdness…
BUZZ2010
October 4, 2009 at 2:52 pmSaw the brilliant Orange Cardigan live twice at the Rockgarden way back in ………… [fill the blanks]… They had a great crowd following them I remember… I remember Winston nursing his bleeding hands after the second gig there… No compromise… And they sounded not unlike some early Adam and the Antz, but they stuck to their guns and obviously never sold out. Almost did the Antz Invasion tour I remember but Martian Dance got the support slot instead… Bloody disgraceful if you ask me … I had a couple of the Orange Cardigan’s demos… “She fell in love with an astronaut”, “Elevator ripper (?)”… Then Winston sent over his Seventh Seance tape… then I lost track… But that type of acts were seminal.
Whatever happened?
See U Sioux.
kurye
October 16, 2009 at 8:26 amgreat post thank you
crow
November 3, 2009 at 10:45 pmplay the tape of what is oil?
Egor
January 16, 2010 at 3:05 pmDoes anybody have Orange Cardigan in mp3?
Thanks!
Niki Berlin
February 6, 2010 at 4:46 pmHi, this is Niki, bass player from The Orange Cardigan. Really nice to find that we are still fondly remembered by some! Thank you! All of the original members of the band are in touch over the last couple of years so who knows what might happen? The Rock Garden gigs were certainly a highlight for us. Great support from our very loyal and long-standing fans and a really good venue to boot. Shame we missed the Ants tour (you are right BUZZ2010, Martian Dance got it instead), but lots of interesting times and great memories. I will post a longer message soon and will ask the other band members to do the same. Cheers again!
Niki Berlin
February 7, 2010 at 9:02 pmBy the way BUZZ2010, it was ‘Elevator Raper’! A version of ‘Living in a Haunted House’, scheduled to be our first single for Beggars Banquet but never released despite being recorded at Alaska Studios Waterloo and delivered to the label, is on the same demo tape that you refer to.
Kate Youlden
August 2, 2010 at 6:10 pmHi there! I am pleased to discover this site whilst trying to track Rob Maidens. Anyone know what he is up to these days? He used to come and watch me gig at the Rock Garden, Covent Garden after I’d met him in an 18 – 30 Holiday in Ibiza. Rob, if you read this, you can contact me at ktballam@aol.com
You used to come visit me in Bournemouth remember? Kate xx
DaveFromChadwellHeath
September 22, 2010 at 11:31 pmRE.Niki Berlin bass player for the Orange Cardigan if you are interested there is a band profile/history of the Orange Cardigan waiting to be completed at the bored teenagers web site http://www.boredteenagers.co.uk .
Niki Berlin
February 5, 2011 at 8:14 pmHi Dave! We will be providing the Bored Teenagers website with info about The Orange Cardigan in due course, inc some photos, full gig lists, flyers, etc I hope. We are also in the process of converting our demo tapes and the aborted Situation Two (Beggars Banquet) single A&B sides to mp3 though this will not be completed until end Feb or even end Mar at the very earliest. Thanks a lot for your interest…
Niki Berlin
June 11, 2011 at 6:44 pmExpect 11 (or maybe 12) track Orange Cardigan CD release from Bored Teenagers very soon. Check out the website for more details.
davefromchadwellheath
June 14, 2011 at 10:23 pmFame at last ! When are the comeback gigs Niki?
Niki Berlin
June 16, 2011 at 7:31 pmHey Dave – all I can say is, we’re all talking!!
Niki Berlin
August 5, 2011 at 6:47 pmCD release edging closer. Will be 12 tracks. Check out the Bored Teenagers website for release details soon…
Niki Berlin
August 28, 2011 at 5:43 pmIf anyone is interested in The Orange Cardigan, or the forthcoming CD release, please check out our Facebook page which now has a direct link to the Bored Teenagers website.
davefromchadwellheath
August 31, 2011 at 11:50 pmHi Niki just listened to the 3 tracks on your facebook page,great songs,fantastic to hear them again.
Niki Berlin
September 4, 2011 at 10:12 pmThanks Dave, please share the page with anyone you think may be interested!
Niki Berlin
September 24, 2011 at 4:11 pmHi Dave. Thanks for your interest and support, however, there are no plans for a CD launch event or reunion gig. We hope you will enjoy the CD anyway…
Niki Berlin
November 6, 2011 at 1:16 pmTHE ORANGE CARDIGAN – CD release 28/11/11
“Only Fit For The Bin” would like to present their latest release….
Dark? Jerky? Unconformist? Thought Provoking?
These ‘Post-Punk-New-Wave,’ Essex boys originally un-buttoned their musical career as far back as 1978, were influenced by bands like Television, Magazine and Pere Ubu, and made one hell of a commotion on stage! They built up a devoted and faithful following in Essex and East London, headlining many great gigs in their own right up to 1982 and supporting the likes of The Birthday Party, Tenpole Tudor, Zounds and The Lemon Kittens amongst others. Serious record company interest grew steadily, but despite finally signing a deal with ‘Situation 2’ the band did not release any material at the time. Now after 30 years some of the band’s finest songs that have all been recovered from long lost cassettes have all been restored to their former glory, including…
1. DON’T TURN OFF MY LIFE MACHINE / 2. I’M IN LOVE WITH MY TELEPHONE / 3. THE ELECTROCUTIONER’S ASSISTANT / 4. YOU’RE A SPY / 5. THIEVES IN THE NIGHT / 6. DON’T SLEEP IN THE SUBWAY / 7. ABSOLUTELY NO CO-ORDINATION / 8. I LOVE YOU BUT I THINK I COULD KILL YOU FOR A BRIBE / 9. LIVING IN A HAUNTED HOUSE / 10. SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH AN ASTRONAUT / 11. ELEVATOR RAPER / 12. I LIKE YOU BUT I THINK I COULD KILL YOU FOR A BRIBE
Check it out and order at: http://boredteenagers.co.uk/ORANGECARDIGAN.htm
Niki Berlin
November 7, 2011 at 6:20 pmTHE ORANGE CARDIGAN – CD release 28/11/11
Sorry! Web adress above is just the OC page at Bored Teenagers. CD can be ordered from http://www.detour-records.co.uk/ONLYFITFORTHEBIN.htm