The Apostles (band) explained

The Apostles
Background:group_or_band
Origin:London, England
Genre:Punk rock, anarcho-punk
Years Active:1979–1989
Label:Scum Records
Mortarhate Records
Past Members:Andy Martin
William 'Bill' Corbett
Julian Portinari
Dan McIntyre
Pete Bynghall
John Soares
Chris Low
Dave Fanning
Chris "Widni" Wiltshire
Malcolm "Scruff" Lewty
Sean Stokes
Colin Murrell

The Apostles were an English experimental punk rock band, who developed within the 1980s anarcho-punk scene in the UK, but did not necessarily adhere to the aesthetics of that movement and were critical of what they saw as its ideological conformity and especially pacifism.

History

The Apostles were formed in the Islington area of London in 1979 by William 'Bill' Corbett (vocals), Julian Portinari (bass), Dan McIntyre (drums) and Pete Bynghall (guitar).[1] This line-up of the group did not play any concerts, and only appeared in a small number of fanzines (including Paroxysm Fear[2] and New Crimes) before Bill Corbett left the group.

Andy Martin joined as vocalist in summer 1981, and the group played their first concert on 22 September 1981. This line-up of the group then recorded an eponymous demo tape later that year.[3]

The music of the group is generally characterised by a varied eclecticism which encompasses punk and blues rock, with influences like Lemon Kittens,[4] Five Or Six,[5] and other avant-garde groups.

The remaining founder members left the band in early 1982.[6] Martin recruited Dave Fanning (ex-Innocent Bystander) as bass player, along with a revolving line-up of musicians – including John Soares, Kev Apostle, Flump, Chris Low (ex-Political Asylum)[7] and Olly Bucket (Eat Shit) – to continue the group.

Andy Martin and Dave Fanning were joined in 1984 by Malcolm "Scruff" Lewty (later of Hellbastard, Sidewinder, Nero Circus and Heavy Water)[8] and drummer Chris "Widni" Wiltshire, which created a line-up that remained relatively stable (with the addition of Sean Stokes and Colin Murrell) until the group's demise at the end of the 1980s. The group released numerous demo cassettes, seven 7" singles and seven 12" LP's. Original guitarist Pete Bynghall re-joined the group in late 1988 for their last recordings and final concert (recorded and released as the Live at Thee Akademie 108 cassette).

The Apostles split as a group in 1989.[9] [10] Fanning and Martin then formed Academy 23, which also included Nathan Coles (of The Unbelievables) and Lawrence Burton (formerly of Konstruktivists). Academy 23 were renamed in 1994 as UNIT.[11] Fanning left UNIT in 2007. Both Academy 23 and UNIT reworked lyrics and music from tracks by The Apostles across multiple releases.

Andy Martin has subsequently been extremely critical about The Apostles' output and especially his own contributions:

Nevertheless, interest in The Apostles is enduring. In 2014 Ty Segall namechecked the group in an interview with Entertainment Weekly[12] and the debut LP Punk Obituary was re-released by Spanish label Beat Generation.[13] In 2019 a previously unreleased split EP with the band Anathema recorded in 1986 was made available as a 12" by the Inflammable Material label. Former Apostles drummer Chris Low has produced two double LP compilations by the band – 2022's Best Forgotten (Horn of Plenty) is a selection of "Early Demo, Live and Practise Tapes '81-'83"[14] and 2024's There Can Be No Spectators (Grow Your Own Records) collects four of the early 7" EPs.[15]

In a 2016 primer on Anarcho Punk in The Wire Magazine, Louis Pattison asserts that the band:

Political orientation and controversies

Always highly critical of anarchist movement of the times, the autonomous and extreme libertarian approach of The Apostles seemed to portray classic anarchism, as opposed to the conformity of many of their contemporaries. This led the group receiving respect from notable members of the anarcho-punk movement such as Conflict, who released three records by The Apostles, and Crass with whom the band co-operated during the squatting of the Zig-Zag Club and during the time in which The Autonomy Centre and Centro Iberico anarchist venues operated. Both Martin and Fanning worked during this period at the Little @ printers – an anarchist printers located in the same building as the Autonomy Centre in Wapping.[16] [17]

Early songs like 'Pigs For Slaughter' and 'Mob Violence' included lyrics about direct action which were out of step with the pacifism usual in the anarcho-punk scene of the time, as was the title of the first EP: Blow It Up Burn It Down Kick It Till It Breaks. This EP's sleeve included an account of an Apostles performance at the London Musicians Collective being curtailed after objections from the pacifist owner of the PA system, as well as practical advice on squatting and constructing an incendiary device.[18] The title of the EP was taken from "Communique 8" by left wing urban guerillas The Angry Brigade.[19]

Cultural critic Stewart Home states that: Anarchist newspaper Class War referenced the group in its second issue:

The group's lyrics and written output covered homosexuality and homophobia:

In 1989, Martin and Fanning gave an interview with Homocore fanzine which addressed their sexuality and several examples of homophobic bigotry they had faced.[20] The group contributed the song "Forbidden Love" to the first queercore compilation, JD.s Top Ten Homocore Hits, released by J.D.s fanzine in 1990.

The anti-communist and anti-gay lyrics of 'Rock Against Communism' and 'Kill or Cure' on the 1984 Giving of Love Costs Nothing EP[21] and other similarly themed songs on 1987's The Equinox Screams LP opened the group to charges of fascism and homophobia.[22] [23] [24] As Dr Ana Raposo said about "The Giving of Love Costs Nothing" EP:

Whilst this material was intended to expose the attitudes of those within the 'anarcho punk' milieu who did not challenge such blatantly provocative sentiments (a tactic which Andy Martin had used since his entrance to the group), they undermined the coherence of the band's ideology, leading Stewart Home, in his book Cranked Up Really High, to describe The Apostles as:

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Chart placings shown are from the UK Independent Chart.[25]

Live album

Compilation albums

Demo albums (cassette only)

Compilation album appearances

External links

Notes and References

  1. Glasper, Ian, The Day the Country Died: A History of Anarcho Punk 1980 to 1984, Cherry Red Books, 2007, p. 90.
  2. Web site: Paroxysm Fear #1. Home of Metal. 13 November 2024.
  3. Web site: The Apostles – The 1st. Demo!. Discogs. 9 November 2024.
  4. Web site: Best Forgotten by The Apostles. Horn of Plenty. 9 November 2024.
  5. Web site: Martin. Andy. Autobiographical essay on the band Blood And Roses. Kill Your Pet Puppy. 9 November 2024.
  6. Glasper, Ian, The Day the Country Died: A History of Anarcho Punk 1980 to 1984, PM Press, 2014, p. 158.
  7. Web site: XVX. Mittens. Rethinking the Legacy of Anarcho-Punk Zines: An Interview with Chris Low. DIY Conspiracy. 9 November 2024.
  8. Web site: Soynoise interview with Scruff – Hellbastard (Part 1) by. YouTube. 10 November 2024.
  9. Glasper, Ian, The Day the Country Died: A History of Anarcho Punk 1980 to 1984, PM Press, 2014, p. 165.
  10. Web site: Live at Thee Akademie 108 sleevenotes. Discogs. 13 November 2024.
  11. Web site: Eight Years Too Late: UK Anarcho Punk 1988-1992. Negative Insight. Negative Insight. 9 November 2024.
  12. News: Raymer. Miles. Ty Segall talks about his new album and his work habits. 10 November 2024. Entertainment Weekly. 28 August 2014.
  13. Web site: The Apostles: Punk Obituary. Beat Generation Bandcamp site. 10 November 2024.
  14. Web site: Lucy Allan. Jennifer. Rum Music For October Reviewed. The Quietus. 10 November 2024.
  15. Web site: Brown. Nathan. The Apostles: There Can Be No Spectators – Double Album Review. Louder Than War. 10 November 2024.
  16. Web site: Martin. Andy. The Apostles: A Brief History of Chaos. UNIT website. 10 November 2024.
  17. Book: Russ Bestley. Rebecca Binns. Ripped, Torn and Cut: Pop, politics and punk fanzines from 1976. 2018. Manchester University Press. 978 1 5261 2059 5. 138. The evolution of an anarcho punk narrative, 1978-1984.
  18. Web site: Artwork for Blow It Up Burn It Down Kick It Till It Breaks EP. Discogs. 9 November 2024.
  19. Web site: The Angry Brigade – documents and chronology. Libcom. Elephant Editions. 10 November 2024.
  20. Web site: Interview with The Apostles. Uncarved.org. 31 May 2020.
  21. Web site: The Hackney Hell Crew and "The Giving of Love Costs Nothing" EP. Negative Insight. Negative Insight. 9 November 2024.
  22. "Rising from the Ashes" EP review. Maximum Rocknroll. December 1983. 10. 68. 9 November 2024.
  23. Oi. Mickey. Letter. Maximum Rocknroll. February 1988. 57. 8. 9 November 2024.
  24. Web site: Interview with The Apostles from Homocore issue 4, June 1989.. uncarved.org. Homocore. 9 November 2024.
  25. Book: Lazell, Barry. Indie Hits 1980–1999. 1997. Cherry Red Books. 0-9517206-9-4.

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