The last great All The Madmen band in my opinion, a roster of artists that had included The Mob, The Astronauts, Blyth Power and Flowers In The Dustbin amongst others. This recording got them on the label, just before the record company moved from Brougham Road, Hackney to Crucial Corner, Caledonian Road, Kings Cross. This new premises was shared with Better Badges and Fuck Off Records.
Originally from the Yeovil area in Somerset, the band relocated to the squats of South London, generally in the Lambeth area. The band performed many gigs during this time, always supporting the squatting / free festival scene in London, playing in the 121 Railton Road squat and a very weird gig in a patch of wasteland in the middle of a mainly squatted housing estate in Kennington where the Plod almost conviscated Protags backline, and of course Meanwhile Gardens in Westbourne Park.
Amongst the hundreds of normal club gigs at venues like the Sir George Robey and Bull And Gate etc, they also supported Conflict at the ‘Feeding Of The Five Thousand’ show piece with Benjaman Zephaniah, in the very immense Brixton Academy. This was by far the biggest gig to date and ended up famously in a mini riot, Sean Forbes and myself packing up the All The Madmen stall inside the venue after the gig and then walking up Streatham Hill, we witnessed a bit of it. Both of our ‘smash the system’ reactions were on the ‘off’ position this night, and we did not get involved. Dr Barnardos’ windows being put through and the store looted did not affect our views favorably on this whole situation after the gig.
Thatcher On Acid consisted originally of Ben Corrigan, Matt Cornish and Martin Hosken. Martin left the drum stall vacant after the recording of ‘Curdled’. A fine LP released in 1987 on All The Madmen Records. Andy Tuck, another Yeovil based free spirit, joined up on drums for the rest of the bands career in which, after All The Madmen Records had fallen apart, they recorded for a new record label run by ex All The Madmen staffer Sean Forbes called Rugger Bugger.
The band went on performing and recording up to the early 1990’s, but then the bands members started to work on other projects and eventually Thatcher On Acid calapsed and faded away. Amongst the Thatcher On Acid connections are the following bands, the 1990’s Schwartzeneggar, The Tone and a spoof Oi band called Hard Skin.
The art on the insert for this release on All The Madmen Records was created by Wilf, the long term Yeovil artist that is most remembered for other All The Madmen releases by The Mob. Wilf is no longer with us, but leaves plenty of iconic artwork via The Mob record sleeves.
The complete All The Madmen Records releases from 1980 until 1986, except ‘Let The Tribe Increase’ LP by The Mob, which is being discussed as a re-release, are now uploaded onto this site. Search for them by putting in All The Madmen Records into the search function. Further information on the All The Madmen Records can be found by going on the official site below and checking the blogs.
denzil
September 26, 2010 at 3:32 pmGreat band. Had pleasure of supporting them at Planet X in Liverpool
dan i
October 8, 2010 at 9:05 pmThey were great. I remember Canterbury Arms in Brixton several times, Mermaid in Birmingham and The Venue in New Cross in particular. A really original sound and quite surreal instead of inyerface lyrics.