{"product_id":"various-artists-the-bristol-bath-blitz-club-meets-art-school-sound-80s-explosion","title":"Various Artists -  The Bristol \u0026 Bath Blitz Club Meets Art School Sound: 80's Explosion","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe 1980s literally changed how things looked as well as how they sounded. The influence of London's legendary Blitz Club is now widely recognised as a central factor in shaping the music and style of the era. There was also a strong spirit of artistic exploration, fuelled in part by the art school environment. Long acknowledged as a fertile breeding ground for creative talent from the 1960s onwards, art schools continued to play a significant role throughout the 1980s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis creative energy was felt beyond London, particularly in cities such as Bristol and Bath. Music curator \u003cstrong\u003eDave Massey\u003c\/strong\u003e recognised these influences at work among local musicians, shaping both their creativity and their approach. While compiling the first \u003cem\u003eBristol and Bath Blitz Club Meets Art School Sound – 80s Explosion\u003c\/em\u003e albums, these connections became increasingly apparent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMassey set out to select songs and recordings from the West Country that reflected the sounds, themes, and spirit of what was happening during the decade, both locally and nationally. There was also a conscious effort to capture the eclecticism of a Rusty Egan DJ set on a typical Blitz Club night. Earlier, punk and funk had already begun to merge within local bands, much as they had in the ethos of Birmingham's \u003cstrong\u003eDuran Duran\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cstrong\u003eThe Pop Group\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eGlaxo Babies\u003c\/strong\u003e had demonstrated this crossover, and their influence would continue to ripple through the years. Later, the emergence of \u003cstrong\u003eMassive Attack\u003c\/strong\u003e would be firmly rooted in the same club culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese recordings showcase both playful and perceptive pop sensibilities in groups such as \u003cstrong\u003eVicious Circle\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eWadi Vision\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eHey Belaba!\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eCreature Beat\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eBig Outdoor Type\u003c\/strong\u003e, alongside electronic dance-driven grooves from \u003cstrong\u003eUmo Vogue\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eEither\/OR\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the darker, nocturnal sounds of \u003cstrong\u003eGod Bless You\u003c\/strong\u003e. In contrast, the outright hedonism of \u003cstrong\u003eNite Watch\u003c\/strong\u003e sits alongside the adventurous lyrical and textural explorations of Glaxo Babies, \u003cstrong\u003eEssential Bop\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the multimedia artistry of \u003cstrong\u003eStartled Insects\u003c\/strong\u003e. Elsewhere, the European-inspired aspirations of \u003cstrong\u003eThe Escape\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eDistant Cousins\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eEuropeans\u003c\/strong\u003e are complemented by the irresistible film noir atmosphere of \u003cstrong\u003eGreat Naked\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BRISTOL ARCHIVE","offers":[{"title":"Limited Trans Violet Vinyl LP","offer_id":58345112076633,"sku":"SDZ-47514","price":26.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":58345112109401,"sku":"SDZ-47515","price":16.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3455\/0945\/files\/6a0dac9dbc23f99f9a1cdd8a.jpg?v=1781865636","url":"https:\/\/spindizzyrecords.com\/products\/various-artists-the-bristol-bath-blitz-club-meets-art-school-sound-80s-explosion","provider":"Spindizzy Dublin","version":"1.0","type":"link"}