Just When You Though We Were Dead

 

Between 1980 and 1983, annual Bangor area compilation tapes were released, bringing together a selection of the music made in the area during the previous year. We have already posted 1980's "Overloaded and We're Running" and now we jump somewhat unchronologically to the final tape in the series, which appeared in May 1983. This time, there were 29 tracks, covering a wide spectrum and lasting a full two hours, the release being spread across two C60 cassettes.

Among the tracks featured, all otherwise unreleased, was the first ever recording by the legendary Cut Tunes, the last ever recording by Fay Ray and the only released solo recordings by John Cratchley, Ian McMillan (as 'Manny'), Chris Walker, John Cratchley, Dav Devalle and Alan Holmes. We also get some electro-psych from the original Smiths, who had been operating under that name for a good couple of years before Morrisssey's gang took it on and one-offs from otherwise unheard groups like Armchair Theatre, Jung Again and Legendary Mountaineers.

Brer Fox were the ancestors of The Scapegoats, who can still be heard regularly at the Auckland in Menai Bridge, and Alternative Destinations marked the recorded debut of both Emyr Tomos, who went on to play with the likes of Glassglue, Hungry Dog Brand, Reinheitsgebot, Zombie Noise etc.. and Ann Matthews, who went on to fame and fortune with Fflaps, Ecotgram and Annalogue.

Many of these groups were very short lived, and some of them were even quite good.

 

Participants:

Jeff Taylor - organ on 7

Roger Hughes - guitar, vocals on 23

Phil Layton - reeds, tapes, effects, drums on 13

Doig Housley - guitar on 18

Chris Ellis - grand piano on 19

Mark Creathorn - drums on 16, guitar, vocals on 21

Tony Travis - bass, vocals on 7

Alex ? - guitar on 25

Rob Parry - guitar on 17

Alan Holmes - organ, violin on 8, bass on 9, guitar, vocals on 22

Dav Devalle - vocals, guitar on 17, 24, synthesiser on 24

Greg MacMillan - sax, vocals on 25

Fran Lock - guitar on 26

Maeyc Hewitt - synthesiser, percussion on 3, guitar, vocals on 14, bass on 10, 13, 14, drums on 23

Peter Elliott - piano on 5

Carl Owen - bass on 29

Emyr Tomos - drums on 18

Colin Dean - bass on 25

Ann Matthews - vocals on 22, sax on 18

John Cratchley - guitar on 6, 12, vocals on 6, 17, bass on 6, 12, 17

Stephen Davies - vocals, synthesiser on 3

Gary Stubbs - vocals, guitar, bass, whistle on 9

Eilian Jones - drums on 29

Ian McMillan - guitar on 11, bass, vocals on 14

Sheila Brook - vocals, guitar on 7

Paul Fletcher - guitar, vocals on 28

Chris ? - violin on 1

Charli Goodall - guitar on 26

Dewi Evans - keyboards on 22, 27, vocals on 22

Scott Saunders - vocals, guitar on 16

Chris Walker - vocals, guitar on 2

Bev Jones - bass on 26

Maria Hycz - vocals on 10

Sean Williams - bass on 18

Paul Hill - bass on 19

Tim McCartney - congas, vocals on 17
Sam Beresford - vocals, percussion on 12

Alun Rhys Jones - vocals on 27

Nicki Dupuy - double bass on 5

Huw Heywood - guitar on 29

Huw Roberts - guitar on 10

Brian Roberts - bass, sax on 1

John Dexter Jones - vocals on 29

Ed Knight - keyboards on 18

Sue Hoy - bass, vocals on 23

Mike Fielding - percussion, vocals on 25

Andy Beaumont - vocals, guitar on 23

Steve Jones vocals, guitar on 1

Mark Thomas - drums on 17,19

Alan Slin -  keyboards on 1

John Lovering - guitar on 7

Robert McCawley - guitar on 12

Dave Evans - keyboards on 26

Jo Laxton - keyboards on 28

Gorwel Owen - synthesiser on 1

Martin Wilson - guitar on 16

Mike Penny - drums on 25

Hayley - vocals on 4, 15, 20

Owen Hughes - drums on 7, 26

Anton Hughes - drums on 1

Mike Sweeney - guitar on 25

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