Introduce yourself…
Answering questions Steve Spon and Ray
The band are...Steve 'Abbo' Abbott voice and guitar, ED Branch, bass guitar, Ray Phill, drums and Steve Spon, guitar and keys
How did the band start?
Spon: Late 1977 in Luton's embryonic punk scene a new band formed called the Resistors. A year or so later and after a few line up changes the band settled to become a three piece with Martin Segovia Smith on bass, Steve Harle on drums and Abbo on guitar and vocals. I joined later in 1979 after the first recording, the Split Single. There was a real buzz about the band in those days, an attitude that I sensed that could enable this band to go anywhere. Although I played on the reverse side of that Split Single with Pneumania, I didn't hesitate to go for it when asked to join UK Decay in August 1979.
How did you come up with the name?
Spon: The name change from the Resistors to UK Decay happened at the time the Split Single was released around May 1979. UK Decay was the name of one the two songs the band recorded for the single. It was a name with a mission, so just before the Split Single went to press The Resistors became UK Decay.
Who would you say are your influences?
Spon: Punk for making me realise anything was 'do-able' and John Peel for introducing me to a world of alternative music and styles. The other guys would probably name more names but we all heard most of it first of all, on the Peel show.
What was the punk scene like in the ‘70s?
Spon: Initially most saw Punk as a real threat to the 'established' order – not 'real musicians'. To be punk back in the 70's you had to be tough and prepared for confrontation, which living in urban centres at that time very often happened. The adoption of a hard attitude, often resulted. But at the same time there was an explosion of new bands and exciting new sounds to listen out for. Punk was very 'hands on' in the seventies. It showed that having a positive attitude towards getting things done could prevail against the common apathy. Anyone with an idea and will could get their message out there
How do you feel it has changed?
Spon: Punk has become romanticised, stereotyped, normalised and mythologised in the eye of the public today. That shouldn't take away the fact that punk has now evolved into a major arcana on the world tree of musical styles, alongside Blues, Country, Hip Hop, Dub etc. Punk inspires the rebel, barbarian or pirate in all of us. For those that are drawn that way, Punk is as real today as it ever was.
Describe the song writing process…
Spon: Throwing ideas into the mix, sometimes we jam out a new phrase or sequence of chords and then Abbo finds a lyrical idea like a hook line. We then do our homework and develop ideas further, take em back to the band. We shall demo several ideas in one go but its usually down to Abbo to define which ideas carry forward to the next stage. Sometimes one of us (usually Abbo, sometimes myself) will come up with an almost complete idea. If an idea takes off, the next stage if possible would be to play it out live and develop it further. Finally, the really good ideas get taken into the studio for producing.
Your first release was a split 7” with Pneumania, tell us about the split…
Spon: Two Luton bands decided early in 1979 to collaborate resources and produce a 7” single with each band presenting a side. That made the previously expensive and almost impossible option of getting a deal from a record label do-able on our own terms. The result was The Split Single with each band providing two songs. The collaboration was released by our own created label for the task, Plastic Records. Each record was hand stamped and stapled to save costs and we distributed it as far and wide as possible. Quite a neat concept, that worked really well at least for UK Decay. Sadly there were internal problems with Pneumania which led to a split, following that I joined UK Decay.
The turning point for the band was review in NME, tell us about the review…
A good thing about the Split Single project was that with two bands and friends, a lot of manpower and thinking heads were behind the project. We sent copies to most of the mainstream music papers for review amongst many other marketing ideas we had at the time. The first we heard of the review in NME was when Geoff Travis from Rough Trade phoned up one day out of the blue, to reorder several hundred for distribution. He told us about the review, so we got our own copy of the paper as soon as we could. Charles Shar Murray and Danny Baker had featured the Split Single and had given it the mother of all put downs. Because Charles and Danny were perceived to represent the establishment by any punk worth their salt, their review focussed a lot of attention and interest our way.. We didn’t have enough copies of the Split Single to keep up with demand!
During this time you ran a fanzine called ‘the Suss’, tell us about the fanzine…
Spon: Early 1979 was a heady time for us with the two bands and the Split Single project afoot. We were self promoting gigs and it wasn’t long before we saw the benefit in also publishing our own fanzine. We could give voice to what we saw and felt about the local and national punk scene as well as shamelessly advertise our own records and gigs. Initially The Suss was only a page or two of photocopied print stapled together and brought out in time to coincide with a gig. The day it went to press, we would obtain a copy of The Sun newspaper for that day and cut out the 'Sun' logo complete with that days date. We then covered the letter 'n' with the Nazi 'SS' insignia forming the title 'The Suss'. In total there was seven or eight episodes between 1979 and 1980 with the last couple of issues, printed and distributed by Rough Trade.
You also ran a shop called ‘the Matrix’, tell us about the shop…
Spon: Yep! Matrix punk records and clothes! As if self producing our music, self promoting our gigs, producing a fanzine etc. wasn’t enough, we opened a shop for a time in 1980 in Luton. It proved to be a short lived project. When it opened for business there was nowhere in town that you could buy punk clothes and records. Within a month of opening the towns other record shops suddenly opened 'punk' sections. Had the band not been so busy with tours and other commitments perhaps we could have put more energy into the shop but as it turned out, we were now getting seriously overstretched, so the shop had to go. In all it only lasted for 9 months or so but we had some amazing times based there. Including a wild party with the Dead Kennedy s at the end of their first UK tour. A week later the basement rehearsal rooms below the shop where the party was held, was under 6 foot of water. The flood was another contributory factor in the demise of Matrix.
You guys then released the ‘Black Cat’ EP, tell us about the EP…
Spon: Initially, the 'Black 45 EP' was to be a follow up for both bands on the Split Single. As I had now joined UK Decay and Pneumania was out of action, UK Decay would produce their own EP. I brought some of my ideas with me, Abbo could now concentrate on his vocals. The Black Cat and Message Distortion were two of the newer ideas alongside UK Decay's earlier Middle Of The Road Man and Disco Romance. We were starting to bring a sense of darker themed atmosphere's to the music although we were still rooted to punk principles. The cover shots were taken at the ruined church of St Mary’s in nearby Clophill. It was recorded around October 79 and released just before Christmas on our own 'Plastic Records' label. This time we got the labels printed! The EP sold steadily over a long period of time and eventually, later in 1980 became licensed to Fresh Records
You guys then toured with the Dead Kennedys, tell us about the tour…
Spon: Apparently Jello Biafra had heard and liked our early singles. He put us down as a potential support. We had just recorded the For My Country/Dresden single and earlier in the year our first John Peel session. We were thinking of our own UK tour anyway supporting the DK's was more than convenient! With the help of Fresh Records who we had just signed a deal with the wheels were set in motion for us to get the gig.
The DK's were now set to have the UK DK's supporting! The Kennedy s were riding high on California Uber Allas and Holidays in Cambodia and were to have their first album Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables ready for the tour. We first met up with the Kennedy s and crew at a north London pre tour rehearsal and we got on like a house on fire. The following 4 weeks or so were a frenzied haze of travelling across the length and breadth of the country. We loved the Kennedy s anyway so every night was a party. Every night was packed, it also became apparent that a significant number of the audience were also interested in our music as well as the Kennedy s. We made a lot of friends, obtaining both ourselves and the Dead Kennedy s shit loads of coverage. It was a great tour.
The DK's were now set to have the UK DK's supporting! The Kennedy s were riding high on California Uber Allas and Holidays in Cambodia and were to have their first album Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables ready for the tour. We first met up with the Kennedy s and crew at a north London pre tour rehearsal and we got on like a house on fire. The following 4 weeks or so were a frenzied haze of travelling across the length and breadth of the country. We loved the Kennedy s anyway so every night was a party. Every night was packed, it also became apparent that a significant number of the audience were also interested in our music as well as the Kennedy s. We made a lot of friends, obtaining both ourselves and the Dead Kennedy s shit loads of coverage. It was a great tour.
Your first album was ‘For Madmen Only’, tell us about the album and the issues with the record label…
Spon: In early 1981 Alex Howe from Fresh Records asked us to plan for recording the album. The problem was that Martyn our bassist had just dropped the bombshell that he was leaving. First of all, to carry on with a planned German tour, Lorraine Turvey from The Statix stood in on bass. After returning to the UK, Lol decided that life as UK Decay's bassist wasn't for her. That left us with the dilemma of having the studio booked without a bassist. The result of all this was that the recording of the album fell behind schedule.
There was a number of songs including Battle of the Elements, Shattered, Duel and Stagestruck that we had been playing live over the previous 6 months, we recorded these first. In April we had a call from the Kennedy s manager and we were whisked away to the west coast of America for a tour. Whilst over there, we picked up a bass-player, Creeton Chaos from San Francisco band Social Unrest. We brought him back for our first headlining UK tour and to record some bass parts for the album. But he had to return before we could finish recording the album. He played on a couple of the tracks, notably Dorian Gray.
A few weeks later we found a permanent bassist Ed 'Twiggy' Branch and we soon finished the recordings.
A few weeks later we found a permanent bassist Ed 'Twiggy' Branch and we soon finished the recordings.
We recorded at the late John Loder's Southern studio in Palmers Green, this is where Crass and the Poison Girls did all their studio stuff. Meanwhile Fresh were getting agitated by the length of time it was taking us to finish the recordings, probably because as it turned out later, they were getting into difficulties. It wasn't the only reason for delay either. After finishing the mixing stage we consulted with Bernhard Chandler (the bassist with the Poison Girls and artist in his own right!) about the cover artwork. By then we had titled the album For Madmen Only after the last track on it. FMMO was a song inspired by our visit to the States. A week or so later Bernhard returned at the last minute before the deadline approached with the artwork. We looked at it and were all totally gob smacked!
It was a photo of a 2nd World War Nazi SS officer shooting a mother holding a child, it was too strong for us to use as a cover (although it did end up on the label). Besides, it didn't truly reflect the sentiment of the album. The following day I returned to Bernhard's manor in Suffolk and together we poured through ideas and his art books for images. As soon as I saw Jan Toorop's 'The Disintegration of Faith' I knew that we had our cover. This further delayed the release and now we were told that we had lost the pre Christmas sales window by Fresh.
Eventually For Madmen Only was released in December 1981. A little later in early 82 Fresh collapsed and John Loder guided us out of the mess and together we formed a new label UK Decay Records.
From that point, all further copies of FMMO came out on our own label.
It was a photo of a 2nd World War Nazi SS officer shooting a mother holding a child, it was too strong for us to use as a cover (although it did end up on the label). Besides, it didn't truly reflect the sentiment of the album. The following day I returned to Bernhard's manor in Suffolk and together we poured through ideas and his art books for images. As soon as I saw Jan Toorop's 'The Disintegration of Faith' I knew that we had our cover. This further delayed the release and now we were told that we had lost the pre Christmas sales window by Fresh.
Eventually For Madmen Only was released in December 1981. A little later in early 82 Fresh collapsed and John Loder guided us out of the mess and together we formed a new label UK Decay Records.
From that point, all further copies of FMMO came out on our own label.
How do you feel the ‘Rising from the Dread’ EP differed from your previous work?
Spon: Spring 1982 and the British naval task force were getting a ticker-tape send off as they sped on their way to the Falklands. We were back in the studio. Penny Rimbaud from Crass asked us to do a single for their new Chorpus Christie Label. By now we were firing on all four with our new bass-player Ed really settled in. Ed had brought new textures and presence to the bass sound. We were extremely anti-war, we couldn't help but feel the national vibe of jingoism and patriotism once again rearing its ugly head. These issues of the times filled our heads and formed the basis of our expression and commentary. A hark back to the Dunkirk and Blitz spirit, to us that felt so out of touch with 1982 Britain. It needed challenging. Rising from the Dread was in a large part a response to all that. At the same time we felt we had license to explore new areas as we were now getting considerable respect for our music on its own terms. We had much more confidence recording Rising from the Dread than we did for any of our earlier recordings. Also by then we had played live hundreds of times and were really tight.
What caused the band to split in 1982?
Spon: Silly things really like ego and musical differences
In 2007, you guys started doing shows again, what sparked this?
Spon: Historically it started with the website UK Decay Communities in the mid 2000's. I didn't think a reformation would be possible after the tragic death of our old drummer Steve Harle in 1995. It turned out that the band hadn't been totally forgotten, on the contrary we seemed to be revered by a newer generation. UK Decay had always been more than just a band anyway it was a community of like minded people who were looking for something new. Furthermore there was a good many of the community still out there 25 years later and they were writing into the website. In answer to that we promoted UK Decay reunion party's, first of all without the actual band. The reunions quickly became popular, a few days before the 3rd reunion I got a phone call from Abbo suggesting we get a couple of songs together. I contacted Ray who had told me that he could fill the late Steve's shoes on drums. On the night we managed to play one song (For My Country) twice to a packed and thrilled audience
Tell us about the current lineup…
Spon: Its the same line up as the 1982 period with the late great Steve Harle replaced by Ray Philpott
Ray: I got to know Spon and Steve Harle a few years after the band split up and knew them as mates rather than UK Decay. That said, I was a fan and actually learnt to play by playing along to their records (among others), plus Steve showed me some of the patterns himself. My only other claim to fame is drumming in the Hangman's Beautiful Daughter, who toured a lot with the TV Personalities in the late 80s/early 90s. Playing and writing songs with Spon, Abbo and Ed is excellent, but I always remember that I'm only ever the second best drummer Decay have had.
Spon: Come on! you've done us and Steve proud Ray!
Who are some of the bands you have done shows with?
Spon: Christ! Too many to mention...lets see...here's a few..Dead Kennedy's, Bauhaus, Killing Joke, Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny, Sisters of Mercy, Southern Death Cult, Sex Gang Children, Marrilion, Play Dead, The Dark, Social Unrest, Dead can Dance, Ritual, Rubella Ballet, Crass, Poison Girls, Click Click..hosts of other bands at festivals such as Rebellion, Drop Dead and WGT
Do you prefer to do shows at large venues or small clubs?
Ray: Both. As long as they've an enthusiastic audience and a bar!
Where have you toured?
Spon: UK, USA (west coast) Canada, Germany, Holland, Italy, France, Portugal and Belgium.
Is there a favorite band you like to do shows with?
Spon: Not really, I cant think of a single band. We have enjoyed playing with literally hundreds of bands who either have supported us or who we have supported.
Is there a favorite place you like to do shows at?
Ray: Rebellion and WGT was good fun as was the Italian tour. I've enjoyed all the shows we've done but would like to play Paris, somewhere sunny like Spain and get the band back in the US for a few shows.
What do you see is the future of the UK Decay?
Ray: There'll be a new album out at the back end of 2011 - it's going to be loud, twisted and a political protest of the age!
How can people contact the band?General contact and bookings
Official websitewww.ukdecay.co.uk
Social networks
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