John Kosh in conversation with David Eastaugh https://koshdesign.com/ Kosh is a Multi-Grammy award winning art director and former creative director for Apple Records. In the mid-sixties, he was designer for The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera House, where he produced a gold foil covered program for the anniversary Royal Gala attended by her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. At the age of 22, Kosh was responsible for designing the innovative entry portal to the “Young & Fantastic” avant garde art and sculpture exhibition on The Mall in London’s West End. Following his work for The Opera House, he met John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1968 as they had admired his work as art director of Art & Artists magazine. They invited him to meet them one evening at Hammersmith Hospital, where Yoko was recuperating. Shortly thereafter they offered him a desk at Apple Records at 3 Saville Row. His first project was the “War Is Over (if you want it)” Christmas card, which led to the worldwide WAR IS OVER billboard campaign that continues to this day. He designed The Beatles’ Get Back picture book with the Let It Be album package, the Abbey Road album cover, John & Yoko’s elaborate Wedding Album box set, and Hey Jude. Kosh was one of the few attendees at the Beatles’ farewell rooftop concert. While working for Apple Records, he designed Mary Hopkin’s Postcard, Billy Preston’s That’s The Way God Planned It, George Harrison’s Radha Krisna Temple and The Plastic Ono Band’s, Life With The Lions, plus singles, “Give Peace a Chance”, “Instant Karma”, “Cold Turkey” and “Power To The People.”  

Mark Brydon in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.mark-e-brydon.com/ Brydon established himself in the Sheffield music scene, most notably with the funk band Chakk whose advance from MCA Records financed the building of FON Studios. His biggest contribution to British art pop to date would come as a result of meeting Róisín Murphy, with whom he formed Moloko, at a party.      

Ian Trowell in conversation with David Eastaugh https://www.intellectbooks.com/an-endless-discontent https://www.amazon.co.uk/Throbbing-Gristle-Endless-Discontent-Global In 1976 the British band Throbbing Gristle emerged from the radical arts collective COUM Transmissions through core members Genesis P-Orridge and Cosey Fanni Tutti, joined by Hipgnosis photographer Peter Christopherson and electronics specialist Chris Carter. Though having performed previously in more low-key arts environments, their major launch coincided with the COUM retrospective exhibition Prostitution at London’s ICA gallery, showcasing and contextualising an array of challenging objects from COUM’s various actions in performance art and pornography. In a deliberately curated strategy inviting press, civic and arts dignitaries, extravagant followers of the nascent punk scene and music journalists, the band created an instant controversy and media panic that tapped into the restrictive climate and encroaching conservatism of late 1970s Britain. Any opportunities that were being explored by a formative punk ethos and movement around sex, censorship and transgression were amplified and exposed by Throbbing Gristle and Prostitution. An outraged Member of Parliament Nicholas Fairbairn took the bait and called the ensemble the ‘wreckers of civilisation’, providing the suitable newspaper headline that would be followed a month later by ‘the filth and the fury’ as the Sex Pistols uttered strong profanities on live television.

The Jack Rubies with Ian Wright in conversation with David Eastaugh The Jack Rubies - Witty and slightly sinister guitar combo with furious bongos to the fore - the black cutting edge of 'Blue Velvet' and the tinsel town sex appeal of '61 Elvis.Ian Wright: lead vocals, guitar/ SD Ineson: guitar, vocals/ Steve Brockway: bass/ Lawrence Giltnane: percussion/ Max: drums.

Chris Riou in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.facebook.com/claytowntroupe/?locale=en_GB The Claytown Troupe were formed in 1984 in Bristol by lead singer Christian Riou, who claimed in an NME interview that a local clairvoyant advised him to form a band called "the Clayton Troop" who would have success internationally and spend time in America. Between 1985 and 1987 the band were active on the Bristol live circuit supporting acts that included Fields of the Nephilim, Alien Sex Fiend and Chiefs of Relief. The line up changed in late 1987, and a new set of songs was written which became the album 'Through The Veil' After recruiting guitarist Adrian Bennett & bassist Paul Waterson they played as supporting act such as Salvation, Lightning Strikes.

John Abulafia in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://unfinishedhistories.com/history/companies/incubus/john-abulafia-on-incubus/ https://unfinishedhistories.com/history/companies/incubus/ Incubus Theatre has its origins in a 1968 production of Kafka’s Metamorphosis that John Abulafia wrote and directed while he was at Sussex University. The part of Josef  K was created by Paddy Fletcher, then studying at Brighton Art College. John says of Paddy, ‘He was the most extraordinary, inventive performer, and a wonderful creative collaborator. I had a clear vision of the kind of theatre I wanted to create but everyone else told me that it was impossible to stage a play where a human turns into an insect. Paddy’s response was that if I didn’t give him the part he would never speak to me again. He tried any and every distortion of his body to create Josef K: he brought to life Kafka’s vision of a tormented creature paying the price for the sins of his family. This Metamorphosis was before Berkoff and before anyone used the term Physical Theatre.‘ Metamorphosis took the 1968 NUS/ Sunday Times drama festival by storm, was invited to the Oxford Playhouse, and then to a series of other London venues.

Ian A Anderson in conversation with David Eastaugh https://frootsmag.com/ https://www.ianaanderson.com/ https://ghostsfromthebasement.bandcamp.com/ Anderson first performed in his home town of Weston-super-Mare as a member of the Backwater Jook Band and came to prominence as a member of the Bristol based country blues scene of the mid to late 1960s, performing live and on record, both solo, with Al Jones and Elliott Jackson as the trio "Anderson Jones Jackson", and as a duo with Mike Cooper.  After two EPs, he recorded his first album, Stereo Death Breakdown, as Ian Anderson’s Country Blues Band, which was released by Liberty/United Artists in 1969. In December 1969, with John Turner, he conceived the record label The Village Thing, for which he was also a producer.

Edward Barton in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vgcYBwyw28 English poet, artist and musician from Manchester, known for his eccentric stage performances and use of home-made instruments. He has had top 30 success as a songwriter with hits including "It's a Fine Day" (Opus III) - the tune of which was then used in Kylie Minogue's hit "Confide in Me" - "Halcyon" (Orbital) and "Happiness" (Pizzaman). He also wrote a trio of hits for Lost Witness - "Happiness Happening", "Red Sun Rising" and "7 Colours".

Graham Cunnington & Paul Jamrozy in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://testdept.bandcamp.com/album/industrial-overture Formed in London in the early 1980s, Test Dept are regarded as one of the pioneering forces of ‘industrial music’, recognised for their groundbreaking sound and powerful performances that pushed the boundaries of music, art and protest while exploring political and social issues. Centred around the founding duo of Paul Jamrozy and Gray Cunnington since resurfacing in the mid-2010s, the group recently signed to the Artoffact label and have just issued the first in a series of carefully curated box sets that will chronicle their career.‘Industrial Overture. Studio & Live Recordings 1982-1985’ consists of 42 tracks across 4 CDs and also available digitally. It includes a first ever reissue of the group’s 1983 cassette-only debut album ‘Strength Of Metal In Motion’, the classic ‘Ecstasy Under Duress’ and ‘Atonal & Hamburg’ albums (both unavailable for over three decades), plus a disc of hitherto unreleased studio recordings that incorporate two sessions recorded for the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1.

Paul Morley in conversation with David Eastaugh https://www.headline.co.uk/titles/paul-morley/far-above-the-world/9781472289506/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Far-Above-World-Space-David/dp/1472289471 A landmark exploration of David Bowie as an everlasting cultural force and change maker, by acclaimed writer Paul Morley. In the ten years since the death of David Bowie in 2016 there has been no loss of interest in and fascination with his life, music and driven, complex personality. He is definitely one musician, one performer, destined not to be forgotten. The significant grief and sadness that greeted Bowie's death has evolved into a deeper, enduring love for his music, style, wit, artistic curiosity, sexual energy, flamboyant outsider spirit and insatiable, provocative appetite for life.Far Above the World documents one of the UK's greatest creative artists, through the spectacularly colourful and vibrant journey of a man who constantly reinvented himself and his music. Bowie lived in the future, using the pop song to chronicle overwhelming and dangerous times, searching for the light, and creating a communication channel between post-war 20th century times and where(ever) we are now. This anniversary book will place him in the now and next, as much as is past, and argue that his songs, and his messages, reflections and warnings become ever more relevant and compelling as time passes.

Elizabeth Westwood in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.theguntonarms.co.uk/new-years-eve-2025/ Named after the sci-fi film Westworld, it was formed in 1986 by former Generation X guitarist Bob "Derwood" Andrews and American vocalist Elizabeth Westwood. The line up was completed by drummer Nick Burton. Before the recording and release of their third and final album, Burton left the band and was replaced by Gary "Gaz" Young and Tracey "T.J." O'Conner, making them a quartet. Visually the band were styled in a way reminiscent of comic book art and musically they were a blend of classic 1950s rock and roll, glam and punk, updated with beatboxes and sequencer. They had an early success with their debut single "Sonic Boom Boy", which reached #11 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1987, and was used in Sony's advertisements. They had one more Top 40 hit, "Ba-Na-Na-Bam-Boo" which reached #37 in May the same year. They released three albums before moving to the Arizona desert in the US in 1992 to form the band Moondogg.

Harry Dingman in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://foragainst.bandcamp.com/ https://www.harrydingman.com/ https://themillionsne.bandcamp.com/ Something of an anomaly in Midwestern America, For Against—especially early in its career—has looked to a distinctly British aesthetic for inspiration, most obviously the post-punk scene exemplified by the early rosters of the Factory and 4AD record labels. Featuring members of underground Lincoln bands Cartoon Pupils and Hymn to Joy, the band first called itself Glue, and then D.B.L., finally settling on Four Against One, a name that reflected its status as a quintet at the time. Bassist Liz Panarelli's early departure gave way to keyboardist Jeffrey Runnings' shift to bass, as well as the band's truncation of its name to For Against. By 1985, singer Jon Fynbu had departed as well, leaving the core trio of guitarist Harry Dingman III, drummer Gregory Hill and bassist Jeffrey Runnings. The latter would become (with very few exceptions) the band's sole vocalist and lyricist.

Andrew 'Tiny' Wood in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.facebook.com/UltrasoundTheBand English indie rock band. With roots in the British underground psychedelic and experimental rock scenes of the 1980s and early 1990s, the band emerged in 1997 and soon gained attention for their "operatic prog-glam ambitions" and "violent reworking of the idiosyncratic compositions of Captain Beefheart and the staged ambisexual pop idioms of the likes of Marc Bolan and David Bowie". Signing a high-profile deal with Nude Records at the tail-end of the Britpop era, the band released several well-received singles and were tagged as "another big, bright hope for British music" but split up acrimoniously in 1999 following the release of their debut album Everything Picture. Reuniting in early 2010, Ultrasound have gone on to tour and to release two further albums.

Tim Polecat in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.facebook.com/ThePolecats/?locale=en_GB https://westhampsteadarts.com/nightery_event/the-polecats-2/ The band formed in 1977 in north London. The original line-up was Tim Worman (a.k.a. Tim Polecat, vocalist), Martin "Boz" Boorer (guitarist and vocalist), Phil Bloomberg (bassist), and Chris Hawkes (drummer) who originally played under the name "Cult Heroes". Finding difficulty persuading promoters to book them on the rockabilly circuit with a name sounding "too punk", they adopted Hawkes' suggested band name, the Polecats. Hawkes was later replaced by Neil Rooney, who was subsequently replaced by John Buck. The Polecats played rockabilly with a "punk sense of anarchy and helped revive the genre for a new generation in the early '80s." The band were first signed by the fledgling British rockabilly record label Nervous Records, and recorded their first single "Rockabilly Guy" at guitarist Alan Warner's "Lane Studios" in 1979. Formerly with the "Foundations" band, Warner toured and recorded with the Polecats for about a year. In 1980, the band signed to Mercury Records, and released their most successful LP, Polecats Are Go! They had UK chart success with the David Bowie cover "John, I'm Only Dancing", a reworking of "Rockabilly Guy", and another cover version of the T-Rex (Marc Bolan) song "Jeepster". In 1983, they hit the charts in the United States with their song "Make a Circuit with Me". John Buck replaced Neil Rooney in 1982 playing drums.

Mark Johnson in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLE9mfb6eZU https://dontsleepdream.bandcamp.com/album/life-is-just-a-ride Although first formed in 1985, The Bollweevils did not come together properly as a live act until 1988. The first full line-up included Sarah Griffiths (vocals), Mark Johnson (lead guitar), Steve McKevitt (bass guitar), Dave Lloyd (rhythm guitar) and Chris Coyle (drums). From their first gig The Bollweevils received favourable reviews. However, it was not until late in 1989 that the band signed a recording contract with the Vinyl Solution. In March 1990, their first single was released on the Decoy label, the self produced and critically well-received four track Talk To Me EP. ABC's Stephen Singleton agreed to help record the second single, but it was not finished until 1991 and neither the band nor the record company were happy with the results. The tracks were re-mixed in June with the punk/dance producer Alan Scott, but the Life's A Scream EP was never released in that form.

Shaun Ward in conversation with David Eastaugh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGqFli3c7wM Floy Joy was an English group formed in Sheffield, England, who recorded two albums and had minor success with several singles. Into the Hot was released by Virgin in September 1984. It was preceded in July 1984 by the single "Burn Down a Rhythm", which also failed to chart. The second single, "Until You Come Back to Me", was released in October 1984. The third and final single, "Operator", was released in January 1985 and reached No. 86. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izOdvBmTDh0

Aki in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://sonofpunk.co.uk/ https://nationrecords.bandcamp.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9bzv8-c_gs British musician/rapper, grew up in Bradford. He co-wrote some songs and played drums with the rock band 'Southern Death Cult' as Haq Qureshi, but is best known as member of Islamic rap band Fun-Da-Mental. Aki also runs Nation Records.

Dave Howard in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://thedavehowardsingers.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/dave.howard.3133 The Dave Howard Singers is a cult Canadian alternative rock band/project originally formed in Toronto Canada. The project is based around the talents of singer-songwriter Dave Howard (the only consistent member) and the signature sound of his Ace Tone organ. During the second half of the 1980s, the band were resident in (and drew many members from) Britain, where they were a cult act making several appearances on nationwide television.

Rob Miller in conversation with David Eastaugh https://mngbookshop.co.uk/9780252088964/the-hours-are-long-but-the-pay-is-low/ https://www.robmillerwriting.com/ In this memoir/history/fever dream, Rob Miller, co-founder of Chicago’s venerable Bloodshot Records, chronicles the unlikely evolution of Bloodshot from a list scribbled on a cocktail napkin one cold winter night into an internationally renowned home for roots music, Americana, and “alt-country,” as well as his own evolution from self-described shy, dorky Detroit teenager to DIY label owner. Working with celebrated artists such as the Old 97s, Neko Case, Robbie Fulks, Scott H. Biram, The Sadies, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, and the late Justin Townes Earle at the beginning of their careers, established, critically-acclaimed artists like the Bottle Rockets, Detroit Cobras, Wayne “The Train” Hancock, William Elliott Whitmore, Bobby Bare Jr, and Murder By Death, as well as important musicians that had an early impact on him like Graham Parker, Alejandro Escovedo, Barrence Whitfield, Exene Cervenka, Dex Romweber, and R&B icon Andre Williams, Miller had an almost 30-year run in Chicago’s vibrant music scene, from the 1990s into the early 2020s. Through it all, the label remained fiercely independent, resisting efforts to pigeonhole their sound or succumb to the music industry’s hit machine mentality.  Written with wry self-deprecation, the book is a unique look at the vibrant Chicago music scene and a little label that could.  It is a musical coming of age story that treads the line between memoir and history, and is full of anecdotes, cautionary tales, and a from-the-trenches perspective on the workings of underground music.  In great detail, the author hits the highs, the lows, the harsh realities, and the acts of creative enthusiasm that defied common business practices.  And, at its heart it is a celebration of indie communities, and an appeal to appreciate and strengthen them.

Jennifer Finch in conversation with David Eastaugh  https://jenniferfinch.com/ https://jenniferfinch.bandcamp.com/album/diamonds-in-the-belly-of-the-dog https://substack.com/@jenniferfinch https://theshockerofficial.bandcamp.com/album/up-your-ass-tray-extended American musician, designer, and photographer most notable for being the primary bass player of the punk rock band L7. Active in L7 from 1986 to 1996, Finch also wrote music and performed with her bands OtherStarPeople and The Shocker in the interim before joining the reunited L7 in 2014.