Alternative TV
| Alternative TV | |
|---|---|
Mark Perry in New York City, 2003
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| Background information | |
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1977–79, 1981, 1985–2004, 2014-present |
| Labels |
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| Website | http://www.markperryatv.com/ |
| Members |
Mark Perry Steve Carter Clive Giblin Dave Morgan |
| Past members |
Alex Fergusson John Towe Tyrone Thomas Chris Bennett Dennis Burns Dave George Mick Lineham Wally Brill Alex Gruner Ray Weston Steve Cannell Alison Philips Karl Blake 'Protag' James Kyllo Mike Cook Luci Bocchino John Isaac Kevin Mann Roddy Frame Rob Ugly - Lee McFadden |
Alternative TV (sometimes known as ATV) are an English punk/post punk band, formed in London in 1977.
Author Steve Taylor writes: "Alternative TV pioneered reggae rhythms in punk and then moved on to redefine the musical rules".
Alternative TV were formed by Mark Perry, the founding editor of Sniffin' Glue, a punk fanzine, with Alex Fergusson. Early rehearsals took place at Throbbing Gristle's Industrial Records studio with Genesis P-Orridge on drums (recordings from this period appeared, long afterwards, on the Industrial Sessions CD). The band's first live appearance was in Nottingham supporting The Adverts.
The band's debut on record was "Love Lies Limp", a free flexi disc issued with the final edition of Perry's Sniffin' Glue fanzine. For their first two singles Perry and Fergusson were accompanied by drummer John Towe (ex-Generation X) and Tyrone Thomas on bass; Towe later left to join The Rage and was replaced by Chris Bennett. This line-up was the most straightforwardly 'punk' version of ATV, although they combined short, fast songs with extended pieces such as "Alternatives to NATO", in which Perry read an anarchist political text and envisaged the possibility of a Soviet invasion of Britain. Shortly afterwards they released the "How Much Longer"/"You Bastard" 7" in December 1977. The A-side was a pointed critique of punk style: "How much longer will people wear/Nazi armbands and dye their hair?"
At the end of 1977, Perry sacked his chief collaborator and co-writer Fergusson. The latter went on to form the short-lived Cash Pussies and, a few years later, Psychic TV along with Genesis P-Orridge. Tyrone Thomas switched to guitar, later replaced by Kim Turner, while Dennis Burns joined on bass. A dub-influenced single, "Life After Life", was released, followed by the band's debut album, The Image Has Cracked, both featuring Jools Holland guesting on piano.
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