Tell us about how you got started and your first line up as Embryo, and what they released?The first incarnation was a school band really, we couldn’t play our instruments and we had no amps but Phil and I had an electric bass and guitar on permanent loan from a rich mate at school. I played the guitar through an old valve tape recorder – I could get this great distortion while it was in “record” but every fifteen minutes I’d have to turn the tape over. Phil played the bass through an old television set that our big brother had messed about with – the sound was like a wet fart but we were happy! We got together with three mates – one was a Stones fan but he had a drum kit, one was a closet teddy boy but could sing, the other was Queen fan but he had a guitar and an amp. I think the name Embryo, came up in a biology lesson – blimey, we were wild then. Punk was just happening then and we had a set that included Mott The Hoople and Pistols covers. We played school discos and the odd pub but gave up after about 18 months. Phil and I then put an ad in Melody Maker for a singer and drummer and we ended up with Steve Brewer and Simon Hart who were schoolmates from Dartford. With this line up we recorded a demo tape of “Good Old England” “Confusion” (out on some punk rock rarities album on Link) and “Dotted Line”. We later released a 7” single, “I’m Different”/ “You Know He Did” on our own Rampant label – we’ve still got copies left if you want one!!. Back To TopTell us about the kidnapping of the Radio One DJ Mike Read.
?Mike Read was a cutting edge evening Radio One jock at the time – difficult to believe now but it’s true. We were desperate to get the single on the air so we dressed up as burglars and waited outside Broadcasting House and caught him on his way in to do the evening show – he was bigger then we had reckoned on and if he had put up much of a fight or called over the security blokes we wouldn’t have had a chance. But I think the black berets and stripy shirts told him it wasn’t a Baader Meinhof kidnapping. We put him in the back of our transit van and drove to a disused garage where we put him in a chair and made him watch a cheap video we had made of us playing the single. We drove him back in time for his show and he played the single and talked about the kidnapping on the radio all evening – I think he was quite chuffed really. Back To TopWhy did Embryo stop?Embryo didn’t stop. We just figured out one day, that the name was bollocks and we weren’t gonna be taken seriously wearing red corduroy trousers! We changed the name to Jump Squad bought some black trousers and continued with the same line up. The Van Del & The Hooligans track “Confusion” on an early Oi! compilation was actually the red trousered Embryo in a cunning disguise. Back To TopWhat happened after Jump Squad?
Round about 1985 anything that sounded remotely punk was pretty much illegal. It’s accepted now because it’s influence is recognised but it would have been like us dressing up and playing like Kajagoogoo today – punk was so unacceptable that even using the word to describe the band meant no gigs, no press (there were no fanzines around), no punters and no record company interest. It wasn’t even useful in a way to aggravate punters or the media – everyone had been there and done that. We then changed the name from Jump Squad to The Untouchables, hired in a brass section and dug out Steve’s Motown and Kent record collection and headed off down a mod/soul/r&b with bollocks type road. Things went well till we were threatened with legal action by Stiff Records who were bringing over a band with the same name from the States – like idiots we gave in a changed the name ‘cause we couldn’t afford the legal bill to fight. We missed the best opportunity for a real scam there – imagine bailiffs charging ‘round the country trying to serve an injunction on us to prevent a gig, Anyway, we were then “Under The Gun”, still the four of us who were in Embryo MkII. We released a single called “My Love Is A River” c/w “Get Ready” on Wizz Records. Then our singer, Simon woke up one day and decided he had a life to lead that had been on hold for ten years and he called it a day. Back To TopHow did you end up on Link
Records?We had all known Mark Brennan and Steve Whale for years when they were playing in other bands before The Business and we had played gigs together. Guitar Gangsters came about after I had been helping Mark write some new material for The Business during one of their dormant periods – none of the song ideas were used although I think Mark liked some of the stuff. When Mark put out Underground Rockers Vol 1 he asked me to record a couple of tracks for the album – Phil played bass, I played guitar and sang for the first time, and Mark introduced us to Micky Fairbairn from The Business who play drums. When we started gigging we got Steve back on board to play drums again Back To TopEarly on you supported SLF on tour. How did these gigs go?We did ten shows in the UK with SLF on their comeback tour in 1989 and we still look on those shows as a high point for the Gangsters – we are definitely a better band now than we’ve ever been but we had an opportunity to play in front of big audiences then and put some of our experience to use. Before the tour we had supported SLF at Brixton on St Patricks’s night and the show went better than we could‘ve hoped. We had heard story’s of support bands being bottled at SLF shows but the tour went well and the audiences were great. Back To TopWhere
did Steve disappear off to around the time of Skweeler?
He basically decided to get a life! Blind enthusiasm will get you through anything when you’re eighteen but practical considerations get in the way the older you get – like how do I get six weeks off a year for touring!? Not everyone can give that kind of commitment so rather than let us down he bailed out – we were then lucky to be introduced to Gianfranco Scalia of The Roadholders and Big Boy Tomato – he did a great job for a couple of years and then decided to try gigging with bands making more money! Thankfully Steve came back and I think it comes across at gigs that this is three mates who have been through a lot and are still having a good time. Back To TopIs anyone besides the band members involved in Rampant Records?
No one else, only us. We put stuff out on Rampant when we can’t get a deal with anyone else – that’s how we started, and with such an active network of fanzines you can get your CD’s out to people without having to involve anyone else. I’m always proud of being part of this scene that succeeds totally outside the mainstream record industry, press and venues – they probably don’t know it exists. Back To TopWhy do you frequently tour Germany and why do you seem to be a
lot more popular over there than in the UK?I don’t know exactly why, but we can reach audiences in Europe that don’t even seem to exist in the UK. There are far more venues to play that encourage punk and alternative music and people travel miles to see a band. In the UK we’ve got band overload and punter underload – or at least punter apathy. We first toured Germany with the likes of 999 and The Lurkers who were attracting 300 a show – we went back and we were getting crowds of 150/200 on our own and would come home and play The Bull & Gate to 30 people. This makes touring Europe financially possible and the UK impossible. Back To TopWhich other countries have you played in, and which have been the most
enjoyable, or worst touring experiences abroad?We’ve probably had the best and worst shows in Poland – one extreme was a squat with no toilet and thieving bastards everywhere – if you weren’t wearing it they would have it away. Our driver stayed with the bus during the gig in case they nicked the wheels or siphoned the diesel. The other extreme was a gig at a state of the art community centre with four hundred teenagers who had never heard a punk band from the UK before – body signing teenage girls brings out the best in us we find! We’ve also played some great gigs in Czech Rep, Italy, France, Malta(!) a disaster in Sweden and reliably good shows in Germany. Bands are treated like humans in Europe – we don’t ask for much but the promoters mostly will provide food, beer, and accommodation on top of the fee depending on the number of punters the band will attract. But if you make demands and don’t pull a crowd the promoter won’t book the band again – simple. Back To TopWhat radio play have you had in the UK?We’ve had a few plays by John Peel and had a good response for ages after – somebody even recorded a show from the radio with a song of ours on it, he sent it to his mate in Berlin who put a gig on for us as a result! I reckon if we had a few regular plays we could take a leap forward provided the band wasn’t described as streetpunk, pop punk or any other variety of punk – this is still the kiss of commercial death. Back To TopWhat was the first record you ever bought, and have you still got it?An LP called Top Of The Pops from Woolworth with terrible cover versions of chart songs – it was awful but the woman in the bikini on the cover made it worth the price alone (99 pence). Apart from that it was “Blockbuster” by Sweet. And yes I’ve still got it! Back To TopWhat’s your favourite gig you’ve ever seen, and what was so great about
it?Slade at a local night club in Southgate! They had just come back from a failed tour in the States and they were completely forgotten about – there were about 60 people there but they gave everything – probably the most powerful band I’ve ever seen - daft boots mind. Steve remembers The Who at Charlton Football ground, and Phil keeps talking about sweat coming through his leather jacket at an Eddie and the Hot Rods gig at the Marquee. Back To TopDoes any of the band have tattoos?Yes. Phil had a mad weekend in Blackpool and came back with an upside down flaming torch on his arm. He still can't remember what exactly it's meant to be. Back To TopHow would you describe your
music?Perfect punk pop – the Shangrilas meets the Ramones meets The Saints meets The Boys. Back To TopEmail your question to us
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