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The Apostles are an experimental punk rock band who developed within the confines of the 1980s Anarcho Punk scene in the UK, but did not necessarily adhere to the aesthetics of that movement.

The Apostles performing at the Spread Eagle, Southend on Sea, December 1981

History

Formed in 1980 by William 'Bill' Corbett, Julian Portinari, Dan MaCintyre and Pete Byng-Hall, the band came into its own when Andy Martin took over lead vocals and lyrics in 1981. Shortly afterwards he was joined by Dave Fanning, ex-Innocent Bystander bassist (not the Irish DJ) and 14 year old Scottish drummer Chris Low, ex-Political Asylum. He later played and recorded with Oi Polloi and, later, The Parkinsons as well as spending most of the 1990s as a highly successful DJ and club-promoter.

Variation was always key in music styles as they progressed from punk, to industrial, with influences like Lemon Kittens, Nocturnal Emissions and Five Or Six cited, through to pure avant garde experimentation.

Over their lifetime the core of the group remained stable, as Andy Martin, Dave Fanning, Geordie guitarist Malcolm Lewty, later of Hellbastard, Sidewinder, Nero Circus and Heavy Water and drummer Chris Wiltshire. This was the group which most people regard as the definitive line-up. Toward the end of their uneven and tempestuous career they also recruited 2 members of The Demolition Company, Sean Stokes and Colin Murrell. Original guitarist Pete Bynghall re-joined late in 1988 for their last recordings and final concert (cf Live At The Academy).

Always highly critical of the seemingly inward looking anarchist movement of the times, the autonomous and extreme libertarian approach of The Apostles seemed to portray classic anarchism, as opposed to the conformity of many of their contemporaries, This led to much respect from notable members of the anarcho-punk movement such as Conflict, who released three records by The Apostles, and Crass with whom the band co-operated with during the squatting of the Zig-Zag Club and during the time in which the The Autonomy Centre and Centro Iberico anarchist venues operated.

However, the violently anti-communist and anti-gay lyrics of "Rock Against Communism" and "Kill or Cure" on the "Giving of Loving Costs Nothing" EP and other similarily neo-fascist themed songs casts a shadow over the Apostles' body of work. Whilst this material was recorded to expose the supine attitudes of those within the 'anarcho punk' milieu who did not challenge such blatantly provocative sentiments, they undermined the credibility of the band's ideology, leading Stewart Home, in his book 'Cranked Up Really High', to describe The Apostles as "locked into...a stasis if not actual paralysis".

During the time the band was together Andy Martin began to write about his homosexuality and the subject in general which alienated many of their former fans but did not deter Martin. In 1989, Andy and Dave did an interview with Homocore fanzine which addressed this issue¹. Among their many recordings released, The Apostles contributed the song "Forbidden Love" to the first queercore compilation, JD.s Top Ten Homocore Hits, released by J.D.s fanzine in 1990.

The Apostles split as a group in 1990, immediately forming Academy 23 which also included Nathan Coles (of The Unbelievables) and Lawrence Burton (formerly of Konstruktivists). The group collaborated with the industrial band The Grey Wolves on two songs, "Terror Chamber" and "Terror Intensifies", both featured on compilations.

Academy 23 were later renamed in 1994 as Unit who continue to record and perform to this day.

Discography

Albums

Live at the LMC, Jan 1983 (Split live LP with The Mob) illegal bootleg, terrible quality
Punk Obituary, 1985, Mortarhate Records
The Lives & Times Of The Apostles, 1986 COR Records
The Acts Of The Apostles In The Theatre Of Fear, 1986 Acid Stings
How Much Longer?, 1986 Acid Stings
Equinox Screams, 1987
The Other Operation, 1988, split album with Statement
Hymn To Pan, 1988 only available in America

EPs

Blow It Up, Burn It Down, Kick It Till It Breaks!, 1982
Rising From The Ashes, 1983
The Curse Of The Creature, 1983
The Giving Of Love Costs Nothing, 1984
Smash The Spectacle, 1984
Anathema/The Apostles, 1985
Death To Wacky Pop!, 1986 (features members of The Joy Of Living)
No Faith No Fear, 1986

The Joy Of Living were a female folk/punk band who released 1 cassette demo in addition to the above recording.

Demo Albums (cassette only)

The Apostles 1981
The 2nd Dark Age 1982
Libertarian Propaganda 1982
Topics For Discussion 1982
A Sudden Surge of Sound (retrospective on CFC Cassettes) 1983
Swimmers In The Sea Of Life 1983
Live At The Recession Club 1983
Will I Ever Be Free? 1984
Fire In The Sky 1985
Visions Of The End 1985
Punk Leftovers 1986
Private Performances 1987
Gary Cooke Was Here 1987
The Progressive Blues Experiment 1988
The 12th Gate To The Underworld 1988
Death 1988
How To Suck Seed 1988
Life 1989
Live At The Academy 1989 (the last ever performance 23/02/89)

Tracks On Compilations

Mob Violence (Part 2) 1986 'We Don't Want Your War' LP Mortarhate
Inner Space 1987 LP (unknown label - more information welcomed!)
Hyde Park 1988 LP Released by German band Doc Wor Mirran featuring international groups, not all punk
You've Heard It All Before 1993 The Crass Covers compilation album 'Walls' Ruptured Ambitions Records

Several early Apostles tracks are featured on the Cause For Concern CFC compilation A Sudden Surge of Power. An excellent sampler of the early 80s post-Punk Industrial music scene, it also features contributions from Nocturnal Emissions,Test Department, Attrition, 400 Blows, We Be Echo and ex-Throbbing Gristle members Chris and Cosey.

References

1.Homocore interview

External links

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 Always highly critical of the seemingly inward looking [[anarchist]] movement of the times, the autonomous and extreme [[libertarian]] approach of The Apostles seemed to portray classic anarchism, as opposed to the conformity of many of their contemporaries, This led to much respect from notable members of the anarcho-punk movement such as [[Conflict (band)|Conflict]], who released three records by The Apostles, and [[Crass]] with whom the band co-operated with during the squatting of the Zig-Zag Club and during the time in which the  [[Wapping Autonomy Centre|The Autonomy Centre]] and Centro Iberico anarchist venues operated.
-However, the violently [[anti-communist]] and [[anti-gay]] lyrics of "''Rock Against Communism''" and "''Kill or Cure''" on the  "''Giving of Loving Costs Nothing''" [[EP]] and other similarily  neo-[[fascist]] themed songs casts a shadow over the Apostles' body of work. Whilst this material was recorded to expose the supine  attitudes of those within the 'anarcho punk' milieu who did not challenge such blatantly provocative sentiments, they undermined the credibility of the band's ideology, leading Stewart Home, in his book 'Cranked Up Really High', to describe The Apostles as "locked into...a stasis if not actual paralysis".
+However, the violently [[anti-communist]] and [[anti-gay]] lyrics of "''Rock Against Communism''" and "''Kill or Cure''" on the  "''Giving of Loving Costs Nothing''" [[EP]] and other similarily  neo-[[fascist]] themed songs casts a shadow over the Apostles' body of work. Whilst this material was recorded to expose the supine  attitudes of those within the 'anarcho punk' milieu who did not challenge such blatantly provocative sentiments, they undermined the credibility of the band's ideology, leading [[Stewart Home]], in his book 'Cranked Up Really High', to describe The Apostles as "locked into...a stasis if not actual paralysis".
 During the time the band was together Andy Martin began to write about his homosexuality and the subject in general which alienated many of their former fans but did not deter Martin. In 1989, Andy and Dave did an interview with ''Homocore'' fanzine which addressed this issue¹.  Among their many recordings released, The Apostles contributed the song "Forbidden Love" to  the first [[queercore]] compilation, ''JD.s Top Ten Homocore Hits'', released by ''[[J.D.s]]''  [[fanzine]] in 1990.