Fanzine
A Certain Ratio, Distractions, The Drones, V2, The Fall
St John's College Student Union
6th December 1978

Featuring: ACR, the Distractions, the Drones, V2, The Fall, Martin Hannett.
Contributors: Andy Zero, Martin X, J.C., N.R.H.
Offices: Student Union, St John's College, Lower Hardman Str, M/C3

TRANSCRIPTION:

The ACCELERATORS....at
Kelly's/RAR., 16th Nov.
Fucking disgusting! The same old story.The few bands that show the mark of originality/creativity/TALENT, almost completely ignored by the mass media.Why THIS band wasn'tin the studio ages ago is beyond comprehension.True, they recorded a potential single some months ago, but their sponsor backedout.Cold feet? Shortage of cash?Lack of grey matter?
Self-description"Machine-age R&B" A good appraisal.Certainly on the New Wave,shades of The Fall.Tense, Terse,Staccato.NOT one-chord wonders though, skilled musicians, well able to justify physically what they produce mentally.True their basis is basically R&B,but don't think you're in for a Berry/Feelgoods mutation, this stuff is ORIGINAL....
Liverpool-based, the ACCELERATORS FORMED about 18 months ago, their present line -up being about nine-months old.Giggng all over the country on their(presumably)self-arranged self-financed mini-tours.Headlining where possible... THIS BAND COULD HEADLINE ANYWHERE!!!!Supporting?They should only have to support maybe a dozen bands in the country.There's plenty of one/two album bands, smug, boring, bastards, that the ACCELERATORS could blow off with ease.
Line-up...CHRIS SENSITIVE, VOCALS. A lot like T.V. Smith, but better able to vary the tone/visuals to hold the interest.Doesn't have the pathos/wasted hopelessness of yer average"punk" frontman,doesn't need them.Sings with all the confidence his songs richly deserve,but without the need to blag or bluff like Pursey or Barrett.
LEAD GUITAR....MARTIN ACCELERATOR A nicely balanced musician, not a hint of the screaming Heavy Metal bullshit that passes itself off as "New Wave" these days.Not a Wilko Johnson clone,either,but still a sound blues grounding blending well into the general scheme of things.
Two-guitar line up.... Why minimalise for the sake of it?Rythm and lead in juxtaposition.... the ideal sound for Rock&Roll. A female guitarist, eh? Thought all females were bass players. (Or is it all bass players are female? KATHY APATHY, originally from Sussex, now slumming it out with the rest in Liverpool8.Excellent guitarist,much given to breaking into lead riffs interspersed with some of the fastest rythm runs I've ever seen.The wrist action resembles a propellor! SPECIAL BONUS!!!Ms.Apathy swings her axe round her back,and plays superb keyboards on several numbers during the set.Not betraying any outward emotion, in complete control of the situation,a very cool lady......
BRIAN DAMAGE! Drums. Surrounded by an enourmous drum kit, tends to resemble an an overworked stick insect or a spider crab on sulphate! Really goes at the skins, but not with the double fisted "techniique" of the Muppet imitators, soprevalent these days... Drives the band along nicely, steadily, whilst able to add his own embellishments without clouding the sound, unlike some of the "busy" drummers, the "more bangs the better" merchants.
Combines with bass man TONY MONOTONY into a nice tight rhythm section, every bands dream. Mr Monotony you certainly don't live up to y you surname! Fast bass runs, properly done, are a joy to listen to.................................
THE TIME, RHYTHM, PACE CHANGES DURING THE ACCELERATORS NUMBERS HAVE TO BE HEARD TO BE BELIEVED......CAUGHT THE AUDIENCE ON THE HOP A TIME OR TWO AS WELL............
A superb set from a fine band, pity there were not more people there to enjoy it, but then, that's EVERYBODY'S loss........... One of these days I'll get to write a nasty review of a crap band. When I can afford to get in the Appollo, or bus it down to London.......
Martin.X.

Cont'd FROM OVERLEAF
I saw The Clash last night. The seats(yes seats) tasted lovely. We did have fun. So forward-thinking of the Ap ollo management to provide us with seats to dismantle, as the crowd surged, trying to avoid having their legs broken.
I hated the Ap ollo after the Buzzcocks gig. Now I despise the management. Some violence by bouncers on some of the Clash fans last night could be explained by fear. They must have been scared shitles by the surging crowd, as people fell over seats.
According to Mancuni9n, its two years ago that the Union at Owens was raided by lots of helpful policemen. A drugs bust. According to someone I know, about 28 pushers were arrested, only one of which was a union member. The cause of the union being ultra-strict on who it allows in?
Love Godzilla.