Tag: Famous Names

The band here is actually Writz but they had to do a name change for their U.S. release due to a conflicting band name. Now everything after this is up for debate as I’ve read a few different stories of how this album came to be. Apparently some time in 1981 Bev Sage and Steve Fairnie joined up with David Hewson to form the Techno Twins. Apparently this album had been recorded but not mixed or even accepted by the record company. There’s some back biting and accusations involved but I’m not going to repeat them. Simply enough I will explain it as, it’s Rock & Roll. Anyway apparently Steve Rowles had possession of the album and it found it’s way on to the internet. I tend to believe that this is a pre-production mix as it just has that feel. Anyway if you liked Writz then this should be a treat for you. I really liked it but it does suffer from a poor mix but who cares, it’s bonus music.

Tracklist
1 – Muscle Culture II – 4:11
2 – Observation – 3:58
3 – Techno Refugee – 4:18
4 – Blind Girl – 6:37
5 – Jack’s Party – 3:19
6 – Change – 3:43
7 – Venetian Blinds – 4:54
8 – Dance On – 3:21
9 – Boy – 4:10
10 – Pain – 3:57

This was the one and only album from Writz but they have a long history of many albums from many different names. Writz was Bev Sage and Steve Fairnie, (Later to be the Techno Twins), Steve Rowles who was a member of Fish Co. with Steve Fairnie, along with Arry Axell, Jules Hardwick, and Nick Battle who did some work with After The Fire and Iva Twydell. Let’s further complicate things because Writz was actually called Famous Names for the purposes of their U.S. and Israeli audiences. Yes it’s a complicated story. Anyway they had a great B52’s, Devo sound and as near as I can tell were the only band doing this sound in this Genre. As I said they only had this album but even that’s a little complicated as they recorded an album using the name Famous Names but it never got released. I have that album and plan on releasing it later. It should be noted that they were supposed to play Greenbelt 79 but apparently for ego related issues they did not. Lucky for the fans because After The Fire played instead and had one of the best sets in the history of Greenbelt. Writz did however play Greenbelt 1980 using then name Famous Names.

Tracklist
1 – Night Nurse – 3:00
2 – Luxury – 3:20
3 – Swinging With The Reptiles – 3:50
4 – Drive Away – 3:30
5 – Super Heroes – 3:59
6 – Movies – 3:04
7 – Robberoni – 3:47
8 – Private Lives – 3:50
9 – TV Times – 5:07
10 – Muscle Culture – 6:06

Credits
Arranged By – Writz
Artwork, Design – Dobney Johnson Studios
Bass – Nick Battle
Drums – Arry Axell
Guitar Synthesizer, Guitar – Jules Hardwick
Photography – Paddy Eckersley
Producer – David Rees
Vocals – Bev Sage, Steve Fairnie
Vocals, Guitar – Steve Rowles
Written-By – Steve Fairnie, Steve Rowles

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Trident Studios
Mixed At – Trident Studios
Mixed At – DJM Studios
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Noeland Productions Ltd.