During the summer of last year a few local bands decided to get together and record a cassette album, mainly for their own amusement, but also for sale to their friends and other interested parties. Such was demand, however, that the initial fifty copies were snapped up within days, and the cassette is now something of a collectors item! (Any offers for my copy of 'An Evening with Rupert'??!)

The co-ordinator of this enterprise, the underestimated Mark Flunder, was overwhelmed with requests for a second batch to be produced, and it was at at this point that 'Tracks' (your friendly/aggresive local record shop, depending upon who is behind the counter!) agreed to finance the production of a better quality L.P. featuring the same bands plus many more. A four-track mobile studio was installed in the cellar of Digswell House, Old Wewyn, and, for nominal fee, bands were able to book time and record one song each. Despite the sometimes unfavourable conditions and with basic recordning equipment, the quality af the final product is surprisingly good.

Local Hertford bands are allocated the lion's share of the playing time, although Hoddesdon, Watton-at-Stone, Hatfield Buntingford and Wewyn Garden City are also represented. The Hertford/Ware bands, despite the critical lambasting recived from Des de Moor, have all gained healthy reputations for themselves: The Plugs, Köln, Oblivion II, the Elusive Diplomats, the Absentees and Amatory Mass are all captured on vinyl. Of the others, Portion Control, Bona Dish, and in particular Frankie's Crew, provide fresh and pertinent material.

Outstanding are the Plugs, whose 'Bat Brain Moon Man Boiler Boy' is in earthy contrast with their critically-acclaimed first single. Eddy Steady Go, our local rock poet (sorry Simon!) who was last seen sliding down a wall at a Waterford party, concludes the album with one of his typically X-rated ditties entitled 'A Boy Named Sue'. Whatever your taste in music - pop, punk, futurist or heavy metal, the album is well worth checking out, and, of course, is avalible now for only £1.99 at all "Tracks" shops. In the wake of the success of the Buntingford Compilation, who knows which bands may be the next for a Radio 1 recording session, providing, of course they can remain in existence for long enough!

By Mikey D. / Bone

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This is what you get for your money (Localities given for non - Hertford bands):

• The frets - Two choices. (Hoddesdon)
• Elusive diplomats - Twist and run.
• Bona dish - Actress. (Watton)
• Life machine - life and times.
• Köln - Dope prohibition.
• Oblivion II - Sword.
• The absentees - Fairytales.
• Innocent vicars - She was my girl. (Hatfield)
• Marine girls - Hate the girl. (Hatfield/Hertford)
• Fankies Crew - Somebody. (Buntingford)
• Deranged - Factory girl. (W.G.C.)
• The plugs - Bat brain moon man boiler boy.
• Amatory mass - Girl on the corner.
• Portion control - Preach. (Hertford/Ware/Croydon??)
• Eddy steady go - Boy named sue.

Catalogue No. Naive 002 - Strictly Limited Edition

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© HIP 1981

Digital assistance and credit: Phil Barnad