I have just finished reading Nige Tassell’s excellent book Whatever Happened To The C86 Kids?

The premise is that, after rediscovering the tape in his loft, the author tracks down one (or more) members of each band on the NME C86 tape to find out how things went for them and their bandmates since the tape was released.

This isn’t a book review so you will have to obtain a copy to find out but various things stood out for me. These included the underestimating the impact of the tape (bad move The June Brides!), the track choices, different sounding bands being lumped in together, lack of diversity and much more. I really enjoyed the interviews with David Keegan who comes across a lovely bloke, David Westlake, “Martin St John”, Age of Chance and Mighty Mighty. Not to say the others were not as interesting. The Ron Johnson bands also stood out for me just as they did on the tape. There were some also nice tributes and sadness around those no longer with us including Alex Taylor, Phil Hartley, Tris King, Rick Aitken and Mick Lynch. A thoroughly enjoyable book and well recommended.

Whatever Happened To The C86 Kids? is published by Eight Nine Books and can be found at various outlets.

More can be found here:

An article on C86 I wrote for my old blog Indie Mp3 – Keeping C86 Alive! via Wayback Machine (it wasn’t given away free though. I even had bad memory in 2006 ha ha)

Alistair Fitchett’s C86 article via wayback Machine

Krister Bladh’s C86 Essay via Wayback Machine

(those three links took me back to London’s C86/indiepop revival. If you come across this post Alistair and Krister I hope you are both doing well!)

Nige Tassell – Reel Lives, The Guardian

Nige Tassell interviewed by the C86 Show.

Cud’s Will Potter reviews the book.

If you have not heard the tape then this You Tube Playlist will help. The Bogshed contribution is missing and that can be found here.

I have also put together a mix with an alternate track listing and band sequence namely due to humming most of these whilst reading said tome. Some obvious tracks, some not so much. As ever enjoy!

Big Flame – The Illness
The Bodines – Untitled
Servants – The Sun, A Small Star
Primal Scream – Crystal Crescent
Miaow – When It All Comes Down
Mackenzies – New Breed
The Wedding Present – At The Edge Of The Sea
Half Man Half Biscuit – Arthur’s Farm
Stump – Kitchen Table
McCarthy – Frans Hals (version)
The Pastels – Surprise Me
Soup Dragons, The – I Know Everything
The Shrubs – Edith
Bogshed – Little Grafter
We’ve Got A Fuzzbox And We’re Gonna use It – Do I Want To?
Shop Assistants – All That Ever Mattered
Age Of Chance – Kisspower
Close Lobsters – I Kiss The Flowers In Bloom
Mighty Mighty – Built Like a Car
The Mighty Lemon Drops – Pass You By (C86 Version)
A Witness – I Love You Mr Disposable Razors (Peel Session)
The Wolfhounds – Me (single version)