The first issue of WIRED UP! appeared in the spring of 2017 with the intention of covering '' Glam Rock, Junkshop Glam, Boot Boy Rock, Hard R&B and whatever exists in-between ''. The fanzine is colour printed on glossy A5 paper and DIVES DEEP into it's subject matter with meticulously researched articles, insightful reviews and rare photos. Issue 28 focuses on the closing years of the 70's, a time when former BOWIE BOYS and ROXY GIRLS passed through THE PUNK SCENE and created new musical forms, clothing outlets and club nights that would later be characterised as the NEW ROMANTIC SUBCULTURE
THE RICH KIDS were a band instigated by the former SEX PISTOLS bassist GLEN MATLOCK and the gifted young guitarist STEVE NEW { who was turned down by the Pistols when he refused to have his hair cut! }. Vocalist MIDGE URE was formally with GLAM POP hitmakers SLICK and the precocious RUSTY EGAN secured a place on the drum stool. '' RICH KIDS - Guys Too Much For You '' is a six page article that details their woefully short tenure and includes a track by track examination of their stunning MICK RONSON produced LP '' GHOSTS OF PRINCES IN TOWERS ''
The 8 page feature: '' 1978 - The Cult With No Name '' centers on the origins of a legendary club night instigated by former RICH KIDS drummer RUSTY EGAN and ' face about town ' STEVE STRANGE. The club grew out of a '' BOWIE THEMED NIGHT '' at a tiny basement club in Soho. The flamboyantly dressed STRANGE stood the door and EGAN'S selection of primarily ELECTRONIC BASED DANCE MUSIC created a distinctive ambience. The night would move onto the slightly more salubrious BLITZ CLUB the following year and it subsequently took off in a big way. The club runners collaborated with another RICH KID: MIDGE URE to form VISAGE and after a false start with the independently released '' TAR '', enjoyed a EUROPEAN WIDE HIT with the momentous '' FADE TO GREY ''
The four page feature '' GLAM ROCK TELEVISION '' will be of great interest to 70's nostalgia lovers who simultaneously have a taste for the the arcane. It looks at two televised plays and a strange murder-mystery drama / panel show. Each of them feature POP MUSIC AS A CENTRAL THEME and there's some familiar faces on show. You'll have a gist of the style of these programs if you've already encountered the 1976 BBC ' Play For Today ' JUMPING BEAN BAG . Wonderful stuff! The POST PUNK / POST GLAM theme continues with PHIL STRONGMAN discussing his ACME BOY memoir. There's two short interviews with authors of recent GLAM RELATED band biographies. One with STEVE WRIGHT who wrote '' The Ultimate Guide '' to JUNKSHOP GLAM heroes JOOK and another with PETER CHECKSFIELD on '' HEY ROCK AND ROLL '' which examines the 70's ROCK REVIVAL hitmakers SHOWADDYWADDY. The issue is rounded off with the usual magazine, record and book reviews
The fanzine is produced in a short run, so be sharp. Check the links below for buying options / info:
