| Death to Trad Rock! | | Print | |
| News | |
| Friday, 22 August 2008 | |
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A Witness and the 1980s independent music scene is the subject of a new book by acclaimed music journalist John Robb. Death to Trad Rock explores the roots, impact and lasting influence of bands like A Witness, Big Flame and dozens more who sprang up in the mid-eighties, generating a whole new scene and laying the seeds of the modern independent scene."A Witness were one of the key British underground bands of that mid-80s scene on one of the pivotal underground labels - Ron Johnson. Championed by John Peel - as were all the bands working in that field - they penned classic songs that shone intensely like stars. "Sharpened Sticks" was one of the golden nuggets of the C86 announcing their arrival; I Am John's Pancreas is a classic album, but one so clearly made in the north of England, and their final single in 1989 "I Love You, Mr Disposable Razors" was uplifting, eternal pop which should have been a hit, but for the death of Rick Aitken. It stands almost as a bookend for the 'Death to Trad Rock' scene I'm writing about in the book. "Teenagers and music lovers everywhere should seek out A Witness: they wrote motivating and inspirational songs about the reality of their lives and the people they lived alongside with irresistible melodies you can dance to. What more can you ask for?" Death To Trad Rock by John Robb is published by Cherry Red , available from good bookshops from January 2009. |
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