"Inner City Unit, a devolving London five piece whose music is so far over the boundary that it almost defies comprehension, Had the Bonzo Dog Band spent the `70s attending muddy rock festivals this might have been the outcome."
Ira Robbins, "The Trouser Press Record Guide"
In April 1979 the first ICU converged at Turners Caddilac Ranch the guilty parties were:
Nik Turner - Vox & Sax,
Dead Fred - Vox &
Keys,
Trev Thoms - Vox & Guitar,
Mo Vicarage - Synth
Dino Ferrrari - Drums
After 4 days Rehearsal the ring went to Foel Studios in Wales and recorded 4 Tracks: Watching The Grass Grow, Cars Eat With Auto Face, Alright On The Flight Solitary Astrid. This business up played 1 gig in Liverpool and likewise at the 1979 Glastonbury Festival as SPHINX this picture was filmed by the BBC and an edited version was shown in 1980.
Mo Vicarage retired from live playing and Nik, Fred, Trev Dino were united by Baz Magneto on Bass. After playing Stonehenge and several other festivals Dino returned to Rome and was replaced by Dave Dog. In September the set released its 1st single Solitary Ashtray on its own judge and begins to grow on the club-dump circuit.
Dave Dog leaves Fred takes a bad trip, (The beginning of many. .he's cured now though) meanwhile Mick Stupp takes the Drum Chair. Fred returns and the band records demos of Space Invaders and Polyethylene for a Major Label. (Polydor) December 1980 see's our heros turning down the major label staying with their own label (Riddle records) to register their 1st Album - PASSOUT at low cost in 3 days. The 3rd and final exit on Screen was the single PARADISE BEACH in March 1980. It was during this time that the "Insolence accross the Nation" half of "Ersatz" was recorded..
After the button of Passout Baz leaves the band & is replaced by Man of Mystery 'Little Bit' for a tour supporting Sham 69 - Skinhead violence becomes a percentage of the bands persona. Little bit leaves and is replaced by Speed Machine who destroys any credibility he may have had by falling on his mind off of the Music Machines 9 ft Stage during his first live apperance. NEXT!
May-June 1980 Dead Fred is now on Bass as a final resort Pstupid Steve (Pond) joins as miming Keyboard player and synthi anarchist. Blithering Idiots tour starts 1 week later in Leeds. (Does anyone know where we can stay tonight?)
In the summer the circle plays the Stonehenge festival and supports Horsewind at 2 Lyceum gigs in London. Mick Stupp slips away Dave Dog returns to support Psychadelic Furs at the Lyceum. Pstupid leaves to connect the magnificent Three Laws, the balance of the band reconverge at the Caddilac Ranch.
Dino Ferrari returns to drum stool and band now a 4 piece Nik, Trev, Fred Dino start to practice and write stuff for THE Maximum EFFECT. Following the departure of the album in the summer of 1981 the band begins a 6 week residency at the Marquee. After various gigs through the summer (including 2 with Hugh Lloyd Langton as Guitarist) ICU played its last gig at Sizewell.
Nik rejoins Hawkwind and takes Fred with him. No body knows what happened to Trev or Dino. during this time, though the global chemical stocks became unbalanced. Following Hawkwinds mammoth UK tour in 1983 (and hey, they almost became upright again for a while. Nik Fred left to revive ICU and make "Newanatomy". not the best album in the world. but what started out as demos by a sax player and a keyboard man became the springboard for ICU MkII
Steve Pond returns for the qualification of the LP because he knew how to form a drum machine and is promoted to Guitarist - because he had one and said he'd see to bring it before they did some gigs. a hope he -almost- kept. (No solos! Dave Anderson joins on Bass. The band played the Montgomery Music Festival in Wales during the qualification of Newanatomy with a Drum Machine and various guests Violin/Percussion/Jugglers etc. It was entertainmenet but it was only -just- music. A spell was set up for late in the year....
The tour line-up received a hike when Mick Stupp returned, so ICU Mk2 hit the road:
Nik - Vox & Sax
Fred - Vox & Keys & Violin
Steve - Vox & Guitar
Stupp - Drums
Dave - Bass
The circuit was a big success. so often so they did another one! .by now another Hawkwind alumini Robert Calvert was guesting regularly and the stripe was building up quite a large cult following. Riots in Manchester. chosen to work with Husker-Du on that bands UK debut to see a good house (ICU *KILLED* Husker-Du that night. I have video proof! )
Soon it was time for more recording. Newanatomy was released on Dave Andersons "Demi Monde" label and next a bit of a falling out (ahem) he left and the set started recording its new EP for Lythm St Annes based label "Jettisoundz" without a bass player (the ring had earlier met Jettisoundz when they made a picture for "Help Sharks" from Newanatomy) the resolution was a similtaneous Video/Vinyl release for "Blood & Bone" the bands strongest release since Maximum Effect..
When the royaltie statement for Blood & Bone arrives the ring are surprised to find they've been charged "location expenses" for the picture shoot. it was shot in Freds back garden. suffice to say not a penny was earned from this release. by the band anyway. Once again, time to tour, time for a new Bass Player, cue "Sprog Turnip" a hippy from Reading who still owes Steve Pond a hundred quid and will therefore experience no more good publicity here (Bastard). .the circuit goes Ok, except for Turnips stench. that git stunk like a whores ass. anyway, come the sentence to record a new album and it's discovered in the studio that the turnip not only stinks but he can't play bass. Fred gives him 20 quid and tells him to fuck off back to Reading. off he went to be replaced on the show by Fred & Steve.
"The Presidents Tapes" is the bands 5th LP and is released by "Flicknife" a mark with longtime Hawkwind connections, it is a full LP and for a transfer is well received by the press. (4 stars out of 5 all round. Time to tour!!
The Bass spot on the circuit is filled by Nazar Alikhan, Newanatomys sleeve designer and longtime Hawks/ICU/Calvert/Barney Bubbles fan. I like Nazar, but feel I may have blotted my copybook in that dept. I wasn`t a really nice person at this time. (who was?) Calverts still guesting occasionally. it's the bands final tour. ego's, personality clashes and keep on opposite sides of the country end what was a large time..
"INNER City UNIT are a weird and wonderful lot, and this a weird and wonderful record Any band who can combine murderous disco rhythms thumping heavy metal riffs punky noise and psychedeic buzzes into a collection as varied and povierful as this deserve to be number one.
'Punkadelic' is a compendium of songs recorded at varrocis stages of lnner City Unit's career; this may get something to do with the variety of styles on show, although their live repertoire is pretry varied as well. I've ahuays believed diversity To be a safe thing, and as every track on this album is a success in it`s own right I`m delighted.
But be warred. If you wish your records staid, stylistically predictable and plotted out computer fashion, you`ll likely find "Punkadelic" really annoying. If you want categories, there's two mickey-taking disco tracks. two punky ones. a few weird psychedelic efforts and the occasional hunky heavy metal offering.
Personal favorites in a big bunch are the Hawkviind-ish "Watching The Grass Grow, The heavy thud of 'Cars Eat With Autoface, the vocal duet on 'Bildeborg' and, above all; the punchy and punky 'Blue Rinse Haggard Robot'. This is a call about a certain female politician dear to all our hearts and features the business "Little Girls Are Pretty; robot, you're not - you're a cunt!" An articulate political critique if ever I heard one... "
John Opposition -Sounds 28-8-82
From: http://www.doremi.co.uk/icu/history.html
this contains bonus the song :Amyl Nitrate,originally released as 7".
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