Getting Close to Nothing: An Indiepop / Riot Grrrl video fanzine from 1994

As the nineties arrived, the C86 sound began to evolve. The younger bands tended to get tougher and more radical in their political and sexual issues.

In 1994, I bought a video fanzine (limited edition of 300), I think I should share with you. It is a fair picture of the Riot Grrrl first years.

The tracks:
• Blood Sausage: F*** You and Your Underground
• Huggy Bear: No Sleep Till
• Mambo Taxi: Belgium Blues
• Cornershop: Waterlogged
• Huggy Bear: Her Jazz
• Tobi / Kathi: Safety First
• Bikini Kill: Rebel Girl
• Cornershop: Gimmie Change
• Mambo Taxi: Poems on the Underground
• Sister George: Virus Envy
• Voodoo Queens: Indian Film Star
• Huggy Bear: Pansy Twist
• Bikini Kill: This is Not a Test
• Bikini Kill: Don’t Need You
• Mambo Taxi: Serial Killer
• Huggy Bear: Single Bullets
• Blood Sausage: What Law Am I Breaking Now
• Bikini Kill: Suck My Left One
• Voodoo Queens: Voodoo Beat
• Cornershop: England’s Dreaming
• Huggy Bear: Teen Tighterns
• Sister George: Sister George
• Mambo Taxi: Do You Always Dress Like That…
• Huggy Bear: February 14th

Brompton Cocktail live at the Onion Cellar – 3 November 1986

I had the privilege to play at the Onion Cellar with Brompton Cocktail, opening for the Close Lobsters. In all fairness, I must admit that the reception was rather cold…. Almost everybody hated us. You may judge for yourself by the lack of applauses 😉

At the time, we were heavily influenced by The Cramps, The Rezillos, B movies and Hammer films. I gess this trad rock universe didn’t mix happily with the C86 crowd.

On the same night, The Catburgers and The Close Lobsters played great sets, so it was a fairly enjoyable evening.

Our drummer was Fritz Van Helsing of many bands, our singer was Pip Boydell, both now sadly passed on. Our guitarist was Michael G Jackson. I played bass.

But what is a Brompton Cocktail may you ask?
It is an oral mixture of morphine and cocaine helping patients in agony with advanced disease, named after the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, England, where the formulation of this mixture was standardized in the late 1920s for patients with cancer.

Weren’t we naughty at the time? We were young(ish), foolish, and we had a great time!

Hope you’ll enjoy our set, so many years later 😉

Note: The photographs were taken in and around our rehearsal room in Niddry Street (Edinburgh).

Set list:
• James Bond
• Shape of Things to Come
• Sally
• King Rat
• Monster Movies
• City of Nightmares
• Do the Scorpion
• Downtown
• Girl from America
• Let’s all Sin
• Everybody wants to be a Cat
• Slither
• The Children of the Living Dead
• Lagartija Nick

The Vaselines live at the Onion Cellar – 22 December 1986

Long before Nirvana “discovered” them, the Vaselines played the Onion Cellar. Here is a recording of that night.

The Hook ’n’ Pull Gang – Studio & Janice Long Session

The Hook ‘n’ Pull Gang were described as “a cross between the Sex Pistols and the Ronettes.” They were always a joy to see live. They only released one 7 inch (“Gasoline” / “Pour it Down Yer Throat”) and unfortunately saved some of their strongest songs for later releases that never materialized.

Here are a few demos and tracks recorded for a Janice Long session.

The line up at this time was Eileen McMullan (drums/vocals), Rita Blazyca (guitar/vocals) and Alan McDade (bass).

Tracks:
• Gasoline
• Gonna be Strong
• Burke N’Hare
• Revenge of Al Green
• Pour it Down Yer Throat
• The Ride
• Lick the Pavement
• Footsie Love
• Pour it Down Yer Throat
• The Family’s in

Close Lobsters – Demos and Live (85 / 86)

This is a perfect example of Indie pop communication in 1986, long before the internet, when we still used snail mail.

Here is a tape sent by the great Close Lobsters with three demos and three live songs dating back to 86 / 87. Many thanks to them!

Tracks:
• All The little Boys And Girls – Demo Feb. 86
• Just Too Bloody Stupid – Demo Feb. 86
• Firestation Towers – Demo April 86
• Going To Heaven – Live in Paisley 2/6/85
• Another Girl Another Planet – Live in Paisley 2/6/85
• Get What They Deserve – Live in Paisley 2/6/85

The Catburgers live at the Onion Cellar (Edinburgh) – 15 December 1986

The Catburgers (Jeff Duffy, Robert Jones and Stuart Macgregor) were an Edinburgh based C86-era indie pop band which never had a physical release in this era (Discogs).

On the 15th of December 1986, they played the Onion Cellar with Angus McPake (surprise!) on drums. I took a photograph during their set and Dave Spalding recorded them. Here is the result 😉



Setlist (To be completed):
01. Anthony
02. Childrens TV
03. Holiday House
04. Long Time Coming
05. ?
06. ?
07. I've Got A Friend
08. Flowers & Trees
09. Diving For The Brick
10. Sixty Seconds
11. ?

The BMX Bandits live at the Onion Cellar - 1 September 1986

The BMX Bandits were definitely one of my favourite bands from the C86 scene, so funny and touching at the same time. They played another great gig at the Onion Cellar) on the first of September 😉

Luckily, I brought my tape recorder and my camera with me. Here is the result, complete with audience participation.

Set list:
• So macho
• The day before tomorrow
• Gym song
• Strawberry Sunday
• Groovy good luck friend
• E102
• What a wonderful world
• In your hair



I am so sorry that I erased “Sad” that was played during the set. I must have been pogoing too hard!

Anyway, you will find it in this blog under "The Onion Cellar Experience - Live compilation 1986 - 1987" (see link below - recorded on that very same night by Dave Spalding).

The Onion Cellar Experience - Live compilation 1986 - 1987l