BOB BEASLEY makes tracks with the ABRASIVE WHEELS
Article published in Sounds, 29th May, 1982
‘Got my marching orders/In the morning post/When I read the letter/I thought it was a joke/ Who are you to tell me/I’ve got to fight a war?/It won’t be the same as in ’39/In call-up ’84’.
THOSE HARSH words of warning come from ‘Army Song’ by veteran Leeds punksters the Abrasive Wheels.
“Veteran?”, I hear you ask. Yep, far from being one of the ever growing number of bands currently resting their laurels on the ‘new punk’ bandwagon, the Wheels have been rolling since 1978, although it wasn’t until two years later that the above song first saw the vinyl light of a day.
The EP, featuring ‘Army Song’, ‘Juvenile’ and ‘So Slow’, came out on the band’s own (now defunct) Abrasive Records, although if you missed it first time don’t panic as it’s being re-released by Riot City this very month.
The original ‘Army Song’ sold 5,000 copies despite a bad distribution. No mean feat for a band who at the time didn’t even have a permanent drummer and were relatively unknown outside of their native Yorkshire town.
The Abrasive Wheels | Tyred And Emotional
So much for the background info, on with the phone call. The first attempt to phone screen-printer-by-day-vocalist-by-night, Dave Ryan, proved to be fruitless as he was on a driving lesson. But after a few ear-splitting plays of their two records to date, I try again and we are soon chatting away.
At first I tried to write everything as he spoke in his broad northern accent, but this proved to be as successful as a one-legged man in an arse kicking contest. So I ask Dave to slow down and we are under way.
What is the deal with Riot City?
“We haven’t signed any deal,” the singer explains, “we just do a record when we want to put something out. Cherry Red published the songs on the original EP and they wanted us to sign a three or four year contract, but we weren’t prepared to do this. They sent a tape to Riot City on our behalf and they liked it.”
Didn’t you consider putting out another record on your own label?
“No. We couldn’t because we’d run out of money. We bought a Transit van to get us to gigs. Then we paid the insurance and tax. So that was most of the money gone and we are still getting the rest of it back from the record.”
The Abrasive Wheels | Tyred And Emotional
ABRASIVE WHEELS’ first release on Riot City was another three track EP called ‘Vicious Circle’ (released a few months ago), which has already notched up sales somewhere in the region of 8,000. But although it’s an enjoyable, fast, rowdy disc, the production seems to be a little bit, shall we say, lacking.
“Yes, as with ‘Army Song’, the production could have been a lot better. The sound wasn’t deep enough. We produced both EPs ourselves, although we will be getting an outside producer for the LP.”
What LP is this? I enquire.
“We are hoping to release an album in the summer, with a single out about a month before. No name has been decided for either record yet. We also have a track called ‘Criminal Youth’ on a Riot City compilation LP. It’s all about youngsters getting classed just from the way they dress.”
The band (who are currently languishing in a 75% unemployment rate) seem to have their vinyl future well secured, but what about a spot of the old live shows?
“We’ve got gigs coming up in Bristol with Vice Squad and the Partisans, one in Keighley and a few in Scotland. There’s also talk of a Riot City package tour. There’s nowhere for us to play in Leeds. In fact, Keighley Funhouse is the only place in Yorkshire. Around here there’s loads of kids and bands into punk, there’s just no gigs.”
The Abrasive Wheels | Tyred And Emotional
Talk then turns to one of the songs on the second EP, ‘Voice Of Youth’. Does this, I wonder, show a deep down hatred for the present government?
With words like “Put Maggie Thatcher on the dole/Relieve her now of her role”, what else am I supposed to think? Once again, Dave explains, “It’s an anti-politics song, against all politicians.”
The Abrasive Wheels don’t write songs about the proverbial pie in the sky, they write about all the things around them, things that affect their lives. Songs about reality.
Before I put the phone down, I sling one last question at them. Is there anything else you’d like to say? A voice in the background bellows, “We’re a punk band, nothing else . . .”
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