Author: nigel Page 1 of 9

As part of ZTT’s 40th Anniversary celebration, they are making 40 new digital releases available. The eighth release in the “Definition Series” is Instinct’s “Sleepwalking”, originally scheduled for release in 1985.

The release consists of 3 tracks:

1. Sleepingwalking – Waking / Exxtended Mix (9:34)
2. Swamp Out 7″ Swamp (3:29)
3. Sleepwalking – Sleeping (4:08)

That first track title may be a typo from “Sleepwalking” to “Sleepingwalking”, we may never know.

Although only the third track (an instrumental version) is previously unreleased, it is great to see the first release solely in Instinct’s name.

The release is available from all the usual digital sources – Spotify, YouTube, Amazon, Apple Music etc.

Congratulations to the band and thanks to all involved in making it finally happen.

In 1982, Pigbag appeared at the first ever WOMAD Festival at Shepton Mallet in Somerset, alongside acts such as Echo & The Bunnymen, Peter Gabriel, Simple Minds, The Beat and Rip Rig & Panic.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of that first festival, Real World Records have put together a compilation album from restored tapes of performances from the 1982 festival.

Included in those is an unreleased live recording of ”Big Bag”, a track from Pigbag’s first album.

The new album will be released on double vinyl LP, CD and digital download on 29th July 2022. It can be preordered directly from Real World Records Bandcamp site

A few years ago, Ollie Moore wrote a piece about how he became involved in music and Pigbag. He posted it on Facebook but has kindly given me permission to include it on this site.

Read Ollie’s Story here

Back in 1979 before Pigbag, Angela was in a New York band called Stare Kits. They didn’t play many gigs or release records, but were an interesting band, influenced by The Slits and other punk/post-punk bands, as well as Jefferson Airplane.

The band have just announced the release of a live album, recorded at Tier 3, the club run by Angela’s sister, Hilary. The songs are taken from two gigs, in May and June 1979. The album can be previewed and purchased on the band’s BandCamp site – https://starekits.bandcamp.com/releases

Initially it’s a digital download-only release, but a release on vinyl is a possibility.

The page also mentioned Angela’s soon-to-be-published diaries, so more to look forward to.

Fire Records’ Punk and Post-Punk specialist label “Call of the Void” re-issued Pigbag’s original 8-track album on black vinyl on 29th August 2020 as part of the online Record Shop Day 2020.

You can order it from the Fire Records website or from Rough Trade. It is a limited edition of 1,000 copies, selling at £19.99.

Y Records founder Dick O’Dell has been recording a monthly radio show for internet station Soho Radio discussing his career from doing lighting for bands in the 60’s through to his more recent management roles with Bat for Lashes and Mute Management. This month he covers the years when he was running Y Records, home to Pigbag, Maximum Joy, The Pop Group, Shriekback and The Slits and many others.

https://www.mixcloud.com/sohoradio/dick-odell-22122018/

Several members of Pigbag were interviewed for the BBC Four TV programme “Top of the Pops: The Story of 1982”.

The programme will be broadcast on Friday 17th June 2016 at 22:00.

1982 was the year Pigbag reached number 3 in the UK Singles Charts with “Papa’s Got A Brand New Pigbag”, so it’ll be interesting to see what the band members have to say, particularly about their Top of the Pops appearances. They were allegedly banned from appearing after some high-spirited “misbehaviour”.

Info about the programme on the BBC website: The Story of 1982

Chris Lee’s Pigbag will be venturing forth once again at the start of June.

They’ll be playing The Jam House in Birmingham on 2nd June 2016, gig starts at 9pm.
Tickets start at £5 – get them here.

There’s an article on The Guardian website today made up of interviews with members of cult bands who had huge hits.

Alongside Gerald Casale (Devo), Stephen Jones (Babybird), David Cunningham (Flying Lizards) and others is Pigbag’s James Johnstone.

James talks about forming the band, appearing on Top of the Pops, Instinct, and the recent Pigbag resurrection.

Read the full article on The Guardian Online