The Pop Group was a post-punk
band from Bristol,
England
whose uncompromising, dissonant sound spanned punk, free jazz, funk and dub reggae.
Their lyrics were, more often than not, political in nature.
Formed in 1978 by Mark Stewart (lyrics,
vocals), John Waddington (guitar), Gareth
Sager (guitar), Simon Underwood (bass) and Bruce Smith
(drums, percussion), they issued their debut single, "She is Beyond
Good and Evil" on the Radar label the following year.
Their debut album Y, was produced by
reggae veteran Dennis Bovell to critical acclaim but
low sales figures. Although it did not chart, the album's success was
sufficient to convince Rough Trade to sign the band,
but not before more line-up changes, with Dan Katsis replacing
Underwood on bass.
The band's career with Rough Trade commenced with what is
possibly their best-known single "We Are All Prostitutes", which
featuring a guest appearance by free
improviser Tristan Honsinger on cello. This
was followed the release of their second album, For How Much
Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder? in 1980, which included a
contribution from US proto-rappers The Last Poets.
Shortly afterwards The Pop Group released a split single,
"Where There's a Will...", with The Slits, a band with whom they
now shared a drummer and managers (Christine Robertson and Dick
O'Dell), as well as a growing interest in exploring musical genres such
as dub and funk
rhythms.
The band split in 1981, after legal wranglings and internal
disagreements. Members of the group went on to form bands including Pigbag,
Maximum Joy, Head and
Rip Rig & Panic,
the latter notable for the involvement of Neneh
Cherry.
Singer Mark Stewart, meanwhile, collaborated with the On-U Sound
posse, issuing records firstly as Mark Stewart and Maffia, then as a
solo artist.
The Pop Group and associated bands started a Bristol 'scene'
that would later spawn trip-hop.
Discography
- Y (1979, Radar
Records) (album) (reissued on CD by Radar in 1996 and Rhino in 2007)
- "She Is Beyond Good and Evil" (1979, Radar Records) (single)
- For
How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder?
(1980, Rough Trade Records- includes
collaboration with The Last Poets) (album)
- "We Are All Prostitutes"
(1980, Rough Trade Records) (single)
- "Where There's A Will..."
(1980, Rough Trade (split release with The Slits: "In the Beginning
There Was Rhythm"))
- We Are Time
(1980, Rough Trade semi-bootleg compilation of live
tracks, demos and out-takes) (album)
- We Are All Prostitutes
(1980, Radar Records (retrospective compilation)) (album)
- Idealists In
Distress In Bristol (2007, Vinyl Japan
(official bootleg compilation)) (double CD album, Japanese only release)
References
- The Great Alternative and Indie Discography
(Martin C Strong)
External links
