...is Shoes For Industry, at least according to Jonny Zchivago over at Die Or D.I.Y.? in June 2017.
(If you're interested, #'s 1 and 2 are The Pop Group and Glaxo Babies respectively, with "the dreadful" Massive Attack in pole position as "the most boring band [he] ever saw live")
I don't know a lot about Shoes For Industry to be honest, but the fates conspired and converged to inspire today's post.
Firstly, Walter over at A Few Good Times In My Life put the spotlight on The Bristol Post Punk Explosion Vol 2 (1979-1986) last Saturday. It's another top notch compilation from Bristol Archive Records, officially due out on vinyl in October but available digitally right now.
However, available in physical and digital formats today (12th) is it's predecessor, The Bristol Post Punk Explosion (1978-1982), promising that "Bristol Boys Make More Noise!" You can even buy the T-shirt.
This 12-track compilation just the one Shoes For industry song, Jerusalem (which opens this post), but it's a goodie. Scratchy, angular guitar, Paul Bassett Davies' raspy vocals, bouncing bass and disco synths all making for a vibrant and exciting four minutes. Apparently the singer used to wear "an exploding brain wig" at gigs and I can think of no better "you had to be there" endorsement.
If you're feeling sufficiently inspired on the back of that, then check out The Best Of Fried Egg Records (Bristol 1979-1980), also on Bristol Archive Records, offering up 20 post-punk songs released on the titular label, including three from Shoes For Industry. Jerusalem opens the compilation, followed a third of the way through by this one.
"We interrupt your regular broadcast to bring you news of a seaborne disaster approaching the shores of Great Britain.
A huge oily slick, several hundred miles wide, leaving from the coast of France.
All coastal dwellers and alert citizens are warned to prepare for the
Invasion Of The French Boyfriends!"
The second unexpected reference to Shoes For Industry came a couple of days ago, when I was listening to Playgroup's self-titled debut album from twenty-odd years ago. This Playgroup is not Adrian Sherwood's (arguably better known) collective but an alias of the multi-talented Trevor Jackson. Three quarters of the way through, the deeply dubby track Surface To Air is built around a sample of this Shoes For Industry excursion on the version.
I don't think there are many songs inspired by bygone BBC TV staple One Man And His Dog but it should come as no surprise that arbiter of good taste, Ernie at 27 Leggies, was on the case with Bristol Archive Records years ago and featured Sheepdog Trial Inna Babylon as far back as February 2012. I remain in awe.
