Alternative TV

Music

Latest Blog Entries

Aug 30, 2011 12:22 AM GUITARIST CLIVE GIBLIN REJOINS THE BAND!
Jul 8, 2011 12:41 AM NEW DATE FOR 02 ACADEMY ISLINGTON GIG - FRIDAY, 25TH NOVEMBER 2011!
Jun 15, 2011 7:15 AM O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON GIG POSTPONED
Dec 12, 2010 12:55 PM APOLOGIES: BRIGHTON GIG WAS A WASHOUT!!
Oct 29, 2010 12:03 AM ARI UP R.I.P

General Info

Genre: Alternative / New Wave / Punk
Location Southsea, Cannes, London and South East, UK
Profile Views: 32076
Last Login: 8/30/2011
Member Since 12/23/2007
Record Label Lost Moment Records Ltd.
Type of Label Indie
Bio
Mark Perry started the first UK punk fanzine, Sniffin' Glue in July 1976 after hearing and seeing US punk band, the Ramones. He was working as a bank clerk at the time. .. .. Within a few months Mark had left his job and Sniffin'Glue had become an essential part of the growing UK punk scene which included bands like the Sex Pistols, the Clash and the Damned. As the main punk writer, Mark became one of the most important personalities in the scene, making numerous media appearances to explain punk to the masses. .. .. In early 1977, Mark started the Step Forward Records label with Miles Copeland. Releases included early records by the likes of the Fall, Sham 69, Chelsea and the Cortinas. Mark was also involved with Miles' other labels, Deptford Fun City Records and Illegal Records. .. .. In March 1977, Alternative TV were formed by Mark (vocals/guitar) with guitarist, Alex Fergusson. ATV (as they are known) played their first gig at the Nottingham Punk Festival in May 1977. They released their first single, 'Love Lies Limp', as a free flexi disc given away with the last issue of Sniffin' Glue (no.12), August 1977. .. .. Following an abortive demo with EMI, ATV released the first proper single, 'How Much Longer'/'You Bastard', on Deptford Fun City Records. Following various line-up changes, their first album, The Image Has Cracked' was released in May 1978. .. .. Becoming fed up with the punk scene, Mark took ATV into areas of experimentation in late '78 and, after playing as the Good Missionaries for a few gigs, the band broke up for the first time in late 1979. .. .. .. During 1980, Mark released a solo album, 'Snappy Turns'. He also played drums for the Lemon Kittens and the Door & the Window and sung with the Reflections. ATV reformed briefly in 1981 and recorded the 'Strange Kicks' album for Miles' label IRS. .. .. Mark left the music biz in 1982 but was soon back in 1984 with a new ATV line up and playing gigs like Alan McGee's early Living Room Club. The band continued, on and off, into the mid 90s playing various gigs and recording for various labels along the way. This period focused more on Mark's songwriting abilities than on ATV as a punk band. .. In 1995, ATV played a punk festival in Bath and went back into the punk fold for a few years, bringing more of the older classics back into their set. ATV have continued to play live, although they were, once again, playing a more eclectic set. .. In 1996, Mark got back into writing by providing the text for Erica Echenberg's photo book, 'And God Created Punk', which was published by Virgin. In 2000, Sanctuary Books published 'Sniffin' Glue: The Essential Punk Accessory', which compiles all the issues of Mark's fanzine along with lots of new writing and photos. .. In January 2001, Alternative TV visited New York for the first time and played a few gigs including an appearance at Punk Magazine's anniversary party at CBGB. In April they returned to NYC at the invitation of Spin Magazine to play their 25 Years Of Punk party, again at CBGB (a live CD of this show was released in May 2002). In August 2001, the band released a new studio album - Revolution - and did a tour of the UK. On the writing front, Mark has written the booklet notes for the new Saint Etienne album and the Sniffn Glue book was republished by Omnibus Press in 2009.. For the past 10 years ATV have been gigging on and off and continue to provide an alternative to the mainstream dross polluting our airways. A new studio album will be released in 2011................................................. DISCOGRAPHY: ALTERNATIVE TV Singles - Love Lies Limp (SG Records 1 side flexi disc 1977) How Much Longer (Deptford Fun City 1977) Life After Life (Deptford Fun City 1977) Action Time Vision (Deptford Fun City 1978) Life (Deptford Fun City 1979) The Force Is Blind (1979) The Ancient Rebels (IRS 1981) Communicate (IRS 1981) Welcome To The End Of Fun (Noiseville 12” 1986) Sex/Love EP (Noiseville 12” 1986) My Baby’s Laughing (Anagram 1987) The Sol EP (Chapter 22 12” 1990) Best Wishes (Feel Good All Over 1993) Purpose In My Life (Feel Good All Over 1993) Unlikely Star (Sorted 1999) Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue (Public Domain 2004) ...................ALTERNATIVE TV albums - The Image Has Cracked (Deptford Fun City 1978) What You See Is What You Are (Deptford Fun City 1978 - 1 side only) Vibing Up The Senile Man part 1 (Deptford Fun City 1979) Live At Rat Club 1977 (Crystal 1979) Action Time Vision (Deptford Fun City 1980 compilation) Strange Kicks (IRS 1981) Peep Show (Anagram 1987) Splitting In Two (Anagram 1989 compilation) Dragon Love (Chapter 22 1990) Live 1978 (Feel Good All Over/Overground 1993) My Life As A Child Star (Overground 1994) The Radio Sessions (Overground 1995) The Industrial Sessions (Overground 1996) Punk Life (Overground 1998) Apollo (Overground 1999) Action Time Vision (Anagram 1999 compilation) Revolution (Public Domain 2001) 25 Years Of ATV - Live At CBGB (Dressed To Kill 2002 - also issued a 'Love Lies Limp on the Devils Own Jukebox) Action Time Vision - The ATV Anthology (Sanctuary 2003 compilation) Viva La Rock’n’ Roll! (Public Domain 2004 - live) In Control (Anarchy Music 2006 compilation) Black And White: Live (Bongo Beat 2009 live compilation).................OTHER PROJECTS: MARK PERRY solo singles - The Whole World’s Down On Me (Deptford Fun City 1980) You Cry Your Tears (NB 1980) Album - Snappy Turns (Deptford Fun City 1980)............... THE GOOD MISSIONARIES EP - Vibing Up The Senile World (Unnormality 1981) Album - Fire From Heaven (Deptford Fun City 1979)............... THE DOOR AND THE WINDOW album - Detailed Twang (NB 1980).............. THE REFLECTIONS single - 4 Countries (Cherry Red 1981) Album - Slugs And Toads (Cherry Red 1981)............... THE LONG DECLINE singles - I’m A Jew (Hoppel Di Hoy 1996) Buckle Up And Join In Lad (Overground 1997) Album - The Long Decline (Overground 1997)........................ Please note: CD reissues of original vinyl albums and tracks on various artist compilations are not included in the present list. A more comprehensive discography (including full track listings) will be attempted at a later date.
Members
CURRENT LINE-UP: Mark Perry - guitar, vocals, Lee McFadden - guitar, Steve Carter - bass guitar & Kevin Mann - drums............................. FORMER MEMBERS: Alex Fergusson, Micky Smith, John Towe, Tyrone Thomas, Chris Bennett, Dennis Burns, Kim Turner, Mick Linehan, Dave George, Anno Graver, Henry Badowski, Gillian Hanna, Alan Gruner, Ray Weston, Karl Blake, Nag, Protag, Steve Cannell, Allison Phillips, Clive Giblin, Fish, James Kyllo, Dave Morgan, Bob Leith, Luci Bocchino, Rob Ugly, John Isaac, Dick Ugly, Tony Barber & Grahame Hullett.................Other people who have helped ATV by playing or singing something on various occasions but were not actually members - Jools Holland, Genesis P-Orridge, Steve Jameson, Kif Kif, Stefie Sharpstrings, Sam Dobson, Brian James, Pete Brown, Terry Edwards, Ed Ball, Suzi Webb, Yvette Eady, Mika Mizushima, Mike Cook, Roddy Frame, Annie Stubbs, Siobhan Davigneau and a few others who's names we've forgotten!
Influences
Zappa, the Clash, Velvet Underground, Blue Oyster Cult, Can, Throbbing Gristle, Reggae, Industrial, Metal, Jazz etc
Sounds Like
Nobody else on the planet!