The Claim (band)

The Claim
Origin	Cliffe, Kent, England
Genres	Indie rock, indie pop
Years active	1985–1992, 2009, 2010
Labels	Esurient Communications, Caff Records, Trick Bag, A Turntable Friend
Associated acts	The Dentists
Website	http://www.theclaim.moonfruit.com/
Members	David Read (vocals, guitar) David Arnold (guitar) Martin Bishop (drums) Stuart Ellis (bass)
Past members	Adrian Hatcher John Cleary

The Claim were a British band from Cliffe, Kent, England.

They formed around 1980, as part of the independent Medway scene around the nearby towns of Rochester, Chatham and Gillingham and influenced by classic acts such as The Kinks, The Jam, The Clash and The Smiths. Stylistically, they shared much in common with fellow Kent band The Dentists and early Creation Records acts such as The Jasmine Minks.

Between 1985 and 1992, The Claim released two albums and various singles and EPs, first on their own record label, and then via Kevin Pearce's Esurient Communications imprint, Bob Stanley's Caff label and the German-based label A Turntable Friend. Their first outing, Armstrong’s Revenge & Eleven Other Short Stories (1985) was followed by the 12" EP This Pencil Was Obviously Sharpened By a Left-Handed Indian Knife Thrower (again on Trick Bag Records). By the time of 1988's Boomy Tella LP, the quality of their politically fused, bittersweet songs had matured considerably, and it is now regarded as their high-water mark. Meanwhile, their single "Wait And See" was recorded at ex-Jam drummer Rick Buckler's studio with ex-Jam producer Vic Coppersmith-Heaven.

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