Anti-Pasti

Last updated

Anti-Pasti
Origin Derby, England
Genres Punk rock
Years active1978–1984, 1995, 2012–2022
LabelsDose, Rondelet, Anagram,
Captain Oi!, Westworld
Past membersKev Nixon
Ollie Hoon
Ben Hanson
Martin Roper
Dugi Bell
Russell Maw
Edmund Sonuga-Barke aka Eddie Barke
Stan Smith
Stu Winfield
Will Hoon
Gez Addictive
Glynn Barber
Micky Bones

Anti-Pasti was a British punk rock band, founded by vocalist Martin Roper and guitarist Dugi Bell in 1978, featuring Kev Nixon on drums and Will Hoon on bass guitar. Later they were joined by a second guitarist, Ollie Hoon. Their first album, The Last Call, spent seven weeks in the UK Albums Chart, peaking at No. 31. [1] Roper left the band in 1982, and Anti-Pasti effectively ended until reformations in both 1995 and 2012.

Contents

History

From Derby, England, Anti-Pasti were part of the second wave of punk of the early 1980s. [2] The group were formed from a local outfit called The Scrincers, and comprised Dugi Bell on guitar, Martin Roper on lead vocals, Russell Maw and Eddie Barke (aka Edmund Sonuga-Barke). Barke and Maw soon quit. Maw went on to play for The Allies, Aftermath UK and The Egyptian Kings. Barke went on to become a notable cognitive neuroscientist. With the addition of Stu Winfield on bass and Stan Smith on drums, they released their debut EP, "Four Sore Points", on their own Dose record label. [2] They played many gigs in and around Derby, most notably The Cosmo Club and The Ajanta and soon built up a large local following supporting bands such as The Clash and U.K. Subs

Winfield and Smith were then replaced by Kev Nixon and Will Hoon before the group signed to Rondelet Records and re-releasing the "Four Sore Points EP" followed by "Let Them Free" in January 1981. [2] Later that year, Anti-Pasti released their debut album, The Last Call, which reached the Top 40 in the UK Albums Chart. [1] Their growing profile was confirmed when a third single, "Six Guns", appeared at the end of the year and reached number 1 in the UK Indie Chart, as did the joint venture with The Exploited on a 12" single EP, Don't Let 'Em Grind You Down. [2] It featured the tracks "Ain't Got Me" and "Another Dead Soldier", both were recorded as part of The Wragby Studio Session Tapes in 1980. The latter spent one week at No. 70 in the UK Singles Chart in December 1981. [1]

In 1981 also saw the band take part in the "Apocalypse Now" tour with fellow third wave punk bands The Exploited, Discharge, Vice Squad, Chron Gen and The Anti Nowhere League. Winter 1981 saw Anti-Pasti tour America and Canada performing with Dead Kennedys, Naked Raygun and Flipper

"East to the West", released in 1982, preceded the final Anti-Pasti album and single, both titled "Caution in the Wind", [2] which featured Will Hoon's brother Ollie on guitar. A self-titled singles retrospective was issued a year later, [2] but the group split in 1984 following the firing of Roper. There was a reunion in 1995, leading to mini-tours of the UK and (Germany).

After years working in the retail trade, Roper currently runs Real Ale Tours of Derby, [3] and has various food related business interests. Bell has a financial interest in the Golddigga fashion chain.

Reformation

The band reformed in 2012, with a line up of Martin Roper (vocals), Ollie Hoon (lead guitar), Kev Nixon (drums) and new member Ben Hanson (bass). The first concert back after a 17-year absence was a warm up gig at The Horn at St. Albans on 31 July 2012, they then performed three days later as special guests at the Rebellion Festival. The third gig they played was at the 1st Annual Punk Gig at London's 229, along with Ruts DC, Glen Matlock and the Philistines, Discharge (band), The Business (band), Vice Squad, and Infa-Riot amongst others.

During 2012, the band has also written and performed two new songs live "Viva Che" and "I See Red", which have been demoed along with re-workings of old songs "Last Train to Nowhere" and "Burn in Your Own Flames". A press statement said that the band would soon be releasing a four track EP; however, in January 2014 it was announced that Roper had decided to leave the band to pursue interests outside the music business. As of February 2014, Anti Pasti announced a new vocalist, Gez Addictive, and their intention to be playing material old and new at some of the pre Spannered Festival shows. [4]

This line-up played various festivals around the UK and Europe, including Rebellion and Pod Parou; as well as mini tours on the continent, most notably Germany.

The band continued to write new material and finally, 34 years since their last studio album was released, laid down tracks for an upcoming album. The album was to be released in August 2016 and the band were asked to feature on the 20th anniversary of Rebellion Festival alongside other UK82 contemporary's such as The Exploited, Discharge, Chron Gen, Vice Squad and the Anti Nowhere League, however with the album set for release and shows arranged to promote it Gez Addictive was fired from the band. The Rebellion show was cancelled as were other festival and UK dates.

In August, the album Rise Up was finally released, and original member and lead singer Martin Roper agreed to fulfil gigs arranged in Antwerp and Paris; this however (because of Roper's work commitments) was agreed as a temporary measure. In the summer of 2017 vocal duties were assumed by Chron Gens, Glynn Barber, who split duties between the two bands. Following Barber's departure from the line-up Micky Bones, briefly became the front man before the band decided to become a trio with bassist Ben Hanson becoming permanent lead vocalist.

Discography

Singles

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Exploited</span> Scottish punk rock band

The Exploited are a Scottish punk rock band from Edinburgh, formed in 1978 by Stevie Ross and Terry Buchan, with Buchan soon replaced by his brother Wattie Buchan. They signed to Secret Records in March 1981, and their debut EP, Army Life, and debut album, Punks Not Dead, were both released that year. The band maintained a large cult following in the 1980s among a hardcore working class punk and skinhead audience. Originally a street punk band, the Exploited eventually became a crossover thrash band with the release of their album Death Before Dishonour in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ruts</span> British reggae-influenced punk rock band

The Ruts are an English reggae-influenced punk rock band, notable for the 1979 UK top 10 hit single "Babylon's Burning", and an earlier single "In a Rut", which was not a hit but was highly regarded and regularly played by BBC Radio 1 disc jockey John Peel. The band's newfound success was cut short by the death of lead singer Malcolm Owen from a heroin overdose in 1980. Despite this the band continued under a different musical style as Ruts D.C. until 1983 when they disbanded. The band reformed in 2007.

Flux of Pink Indians was an English punk rock band from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England, active between 1980 and 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-Nowhere League</span> English punk rock band

Anti-Nowhere League are an English punk rock band, formed in 1979 by lead singer Animal, guitarist Magoo, Bones on drums and Chris Elvy on bass.

The Threats are a punk band from Dalkeith and Edinburgh, Scotland. Originally formed in 1979 as the Reflectors, the band soon renamed themselves Threats.

Special Duties are a British punk rock band from Colchester, Essex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.K. Subs</span> English punk rock band

U.K. Subs are an English punk rock band, among the earliest in the first wave of British punk. Formed in 1976, the mainstay of the band has been vocalist Charlie Harper, originally a singer in Britain's R&B scene. One of the first hardcore punk bands, elements of rhythm and blues music - including harmonica - also remained an occasional element of their work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blitzkrieg (punk band)</span> English punk rock band

Blitzkrieg are an English punk rock band, based in Southport and formed in 1979. They made a distinct contribution to the UK hardcore punk scene and have strong underground following. Despite the Nazi connotations of the name Blitzkrieg, German for "Lightning-War", they took a fiercely anti-Nazi stance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Business (band)</span> English punk band

The Business were an English punk band formed in 1979 in Lewisham, South London, England. The band lasted for four decades until their frontman Micky Fitz died from cancer in December 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crazyhead</span> English band

Crazyhead are an English garage punk band from Leicester, England. Though lumped in with the largely media-created grebo scene, they were more influenced by the garage rock of the late 1960s, as well as bands like the Ramones, The Stooges and Captain Beefheart. They have often described themselves as an "urban bastard blues band", and their songs range in theme from trenchant social commentary to the surreal, but always with an underlying vein of black humour.

Chron Gen are a British punk band, formed in January 1978 in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Membranes</span> English band

The Membranes are an English post-punk band formed in Blackpool, Lancashire in 1977, the initial line-up being John Robb, Mark Tilton (guitar), Martyn Critchley (vocals) and Martin Kelly (drums). Critchley soon left, with Robb and Tilton taking on vocals, and Kelly moving to keyboards, with "Coofy Sid" (Coulthart) taking over on drums.

The Enemy are a punk rock band from Derby, England, who formed in 1980, releasing two albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riot Squad (band)</span> English punk rock band

Riot Squad were an English second-wave punk rock band from Mansfield, England, initially active between 1981 and 1984.

The Fits were a punk rock band from Blackpool, Lancashire, England, who were active between 1979 and 1985, having several hits on the UK Indie Chart. They reformed in 2011.

Captain Oi! Records is a punk rock and Oi! record label based in High Wycombe, England. The company has released over 300 albums by many notable punk and Oi! bands of the late 1970s and 1980s. The label was set up by Mark Brennan, former bassist of The Business, who had previously co-run Link Records and the Dojo subsidiary of Castle Records. Brennan's inspiration had been Ace Records, with Captain Oi! targeted at being "the Ace Records of retro punk rock", reissuing material by classic punk bands.

The Defects are a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland, formed in 1978.

Dogsflesh are an English band, formed in May 1982 by guitarist Rob Moore. Considered early pioneers of English hardcore punk, often nicknamed "UK82", they were heavily influenced by The Exploited, GBH, Discharge, and Broken Bones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rondelet Records</span>

Rondelet Records was a British independent record label started by Alan Campion, who owned a record shop in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire in the early 1980s. The label published many punk groups including Special Duties, The Threats, Deadman's Shadow, Riot Squad and Anti-Pasti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Stiffs (band)</span> English punk rock and power pop band

The Stiffs are an English band, variously referred to as punk rock, pop punk and power pop, hailing from Blackburn, Lancashire. Championed by Radio 1 DJ John Peel, their most successful singles were "Inside Out" and "Goodbye My Love". Band members are Phil Hendriks, Ian "Strang" Barnes, "Big" John McVittie and Tommy O'Kane (drums).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 26. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who’s Who of Indie and New Wave Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 20. ISBN   0-85112-579-4.
  3. "Default Parallels Plesk Panel Page". Realalederby.com. Archived from the original on 4 October 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  4. Sparham, Sophie (15 March 2014). "Louder Than War Interview: GeZ Addictive from Anti-Pasti – first interview with New front man". Louderthanwar.com. Retrieved 25 July 2014.

Bibliography