The
Icons formed in 1979 and lasted about a year, and in the process played
some great punk rock gigs ('Jim Can' live was fantastic) and left behind
one demo of some of their songs. Discounting the name 'The Stimulators',
they used the name The Squats until they found the name The Icons, which
they found more meaningful. They originally used to be a five piece with
a guitarist called Dick, but things didn't work out with him, and latterly
a guitarist called Corpse briefly played with them, but the classic line
up of the band was Copper - Vocals, Filf - Guitar, John - Bass and Peanut
- drums.
"Nuclear
Power, it's just a show of strength 'We've gotta use it, it's part of
our strength', Windscales the dustbin for all atomic crap, only one mistake
to blow us off the map." 'Atomic Cremation'.
Their fist gig together was as The Squats at Focus - drummer Peanut was
in hospital so, as Filf explained in New Crimes #3 "We got Pete Melling
to drum for us. We got him about 5 minutes before we went on. It was really
chronic...it was just a laugh. We had about four or five songs",
he said "our first serious one as The Icons was at Shrimpers in the
rock competition. All this lot were pissed and I was the only sober one.
We did all right though, I think we were about the only band that people
were actually dancing to. I think we came about third...Because we didn't
win Alien (of Sinyx fame) ran up to Jon Paul and hit him. That's why he
got banned. Nowadays he goes in disguised in a kaftan and smoking joints
so Jon Paul will let him in (laughter)".
"You
can be a big man you can act real flash, if the uniform fits you can earn
the cash, a chance of a lifetime to hold your own gun, you can shoot people,
'yes it must be fun'".'Dead End Job'.
The band had a variety of songs, and when asked what they sing about,
they had this to say: "All the usual things", said Filf, "It's
mostly pacifist stuff" said John. "We do one about the army,
one about nuclear power, er... one about my ex-girlfriends mum who sort
of tried to take over my life. There's one we do about a chemical leak
at a place called Seveso...It was conveniently kept quiet in the local
press..." said Filf. When the band had started, they had incorporated
cover versions by bands such as The Sex Pistols ('Belsen was a Gas') and
The UK Subs, but had soon developed quite a lot of originals, and so on
the 01.11.80 recorded a demo ('All tracks recorded live no 'effects' used')
at Spectrum Studios in Westcliff, comprising the following tracks: '5:15',
'Zone A', 'Dead End Job', 'Jim Can', and 'Atomic Cremation'.
Not long after it's completion however, the band spit up and went their
separate ways. John Edwards went on to play bass in the Sinyx, then for
Allegiance to No One / The Cat Jugglers. Filf also went on to join the
Sinyx, and then later he played guitar in Kronstadt Uprising.
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