UK Decay

Infobox musical artist
Name = UK Decay


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Background = group_or_band
Origin = Luton, UK
Genre = Gothic rock Punk rock Post-punk
Years_active = 1979 - 1982
Label = Plastic Records Fresh Records Corpus Christi Records UK Decay Records
Associated_acts = The Resistors
Also Known As =
URL =
Current_members = Steven Abbot Steve Harle Steve Spon Eddie Branch
Past_members = Paul Wilson Martin Smith
Notable_instruments =

UK Decay was a Luton-based band, formed out of the ashes of another local band called The Resistors, who were Steven Abbot (Abbo) guitar, Steve Harle on drums, Paul Wilson vocals, and Martin (Segovia) Smith bass.

History

After Paul Wilson left during the spring of 1979, the remaining band members changed their name and released the ‘Split Single’ 7” in partnership with local band Pneumania on their own Plastic Records label, under the new name UK Decay. There were two tracks from each band, with UK Decay contributing "UK Decay" and "Car Crash", and Pneumania "Exhibition" and "Coming Attack". The 'Split Single' sold extremely well, mainly thanks to a damning review in the NME, whose Danny Baker and Charles Shaar Murray described them as "one of the worst punk bands of all time". At the same time, some of the band produced their own monthly fanzine ‘The Suss,’ and ran their own punk record and clothes shop, 'Matrix'. Guitarist Steve Spon was poached from Pneumania, allowing Abbo to concentrate on frontman duties.

The next release for Plastic Records was the band's "Black Cat" EP, which came out in early 1980 and made the UK Indie Chart for three weeks, getting to No. 42. Alex Howe from Fresh Records offered to license the first two singles off them and signed UK Decay to the label for several new 7"s and an album. It was around this time that UK Decay played their first out-of-town gig, with Bauhaus, at the Northampton Racecourse Pavilion.

The first official release for Fresh was the single "For My Country" in September 1980, which got airplay from John Peel (for whom they would record two sessions) and spent eight months in the indie chart reaching No. 13. The single was promoted by a major UK tour with raging political punk band, Dead Kennedys. By 1981 two further singles, "Unexpected Guest" and "Sexual", had also been released, the former actually achieving the band’s highest Indie chart placing of No. 4, and paving the way for UK Decay’s debut album, "For Madmen Only", released by Fresh Records in December 1981.

The band had taken a year in recording, after delays caused by taking time out for a US tour and further frustrations with finding a permanent bass player. After Segovia left, Lorraine 'Lol' Turvey from The Statics stood in for some UK dates and a European tour in early 1981. For the US and subsequent UK tours in Spring 81 Creetin K-Os (of US punks Social Unrest) stood in. Following that stint he returned home and Eddie 'Dutch' Branch (AKA 'Twiggy') from Northampton joined on bass, just in time to finish the album.

In early 1982, Fresh Records collapsed soon after the album's release, and the band were caught up in the ensuing management buy-out by what would become Jungle Records. With the help of John Loder and Southern Studios, however, they managed to buy up the rights to their back catalogue and set up their own UK Decay Records. John Loder also introduced them to Penny Rimbaud from Crass, which resulted in the "Rising From The Dead" 12" coming out on Crass's Corpus Christi label in August 1982. However, despite a strong showing in the independent charts and an ever-expanding fanbase, UK Decay split up in December 1982. A posthumous live album, "A Night For Celebration", was released during the summer of 1983.

Abbo, Spon and Eddie Branch would regroup with new guitarist Albie de Luca (formerly of Gene Loves Jezebel) as Furyo in mid-1983, releasing two mini-albums through the following year and recording an unreleased album before splitting again in early 1985.

UK Decay were arguably a major influence on an emerging wave of bands such as the Sisters of Mercy, Sex Gang Children and Southern Death Cult. These bands together spawned the emerging postpunk and Goth movements that still resonate today. UK Decay had a major role in developing these scenes, but had ceased to exist by the time these other bands started getting serious press coverage and sales. CD re-issues of the band's music have recently become available through their official website.

UK Decay Now

There has been a strong resurgence in interest in UK Decay due to a strong internet presence and reissue of their material. In 2008 UK Decay has decided to reform for few rare live appearances. The band has performed on June 2008 at a rare reunion gig in UK. There will is also be an exclusive performance outside of UK at the legendary Drop Dead Festival October 8-12 in Lisbon Portugal. That Festival also features a rare reunion gig by the Kitchen and the Plastic spoons as well as performances from many other cult bands.

Discography

ingles

* "The Split Single" - 1979 (Plastic Records Plas 001)
* "The Black 45" - 1980 (Plastic Records Plas 002)
* "For My Country" - 1980 (Fresh Records 7” Fresh 12)
* "Unexpected Guest" - 1981 (Fresh Records 7” Fresh 26)
* "Sexual" - 1981 (Fresh Records 7” Fresh 33)
* "Rising from the Dead" - 1982 (Corpus Christi Records Christ ITS 1)

Albums

* "For Madmen Only" - 1981 (Fresh Records Fresh LP5)
* "A Night for Celebration" - 1983 (UK Decay Records DK6)
* "Nights for Celebration 2005 UK Decay Records CD
* "Death,So Fatal 2006 Yak Records DKCD1 (available thru website)

External links

* [http://www.ukdecay.co.uk/ UK Decay official site]
* [http://dropdeadfestival.com Drop Dead Festival featuring UK Decay exclusive reunion gig outside of UK]
* [http://dropdeadmagazine.com Drop Dead Magazine featuring UK Decay interview in issue 3]