Psykik Volts

“Psykik Volts was my first original music band & we were inspired/influenced by bands like The Clash, Sex Pistols etc. We were around 18 at the time of releasing our self-financed single & it was our first time in the studio, hence some of the rough & ready bits of the single (feedback, bum notes, etc.). I think we probably formed just the year before the single (1978). We considered ourselves more ‘new wave’ than ‘punk’ at the time as the initial wave of punk bands had died down by then. Our bass player, Nathan, designed the picture sleeve & we stuck them all together ourselves! We lived in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire which is near Leeds, by the way.

John Peel played the single quite a lot on Radio 1, & it was subsequently repressed on the MHG label after the initial 1000 copies had sold. I think they released another 1000 (in plain white sleeves) but we never saw any money if I remember correctly. The band got signed shortly afterwards to Graduate Records (UB40 etc.), who recorded 4 songs but never released them. Myself & drummer Mick Reed then got signed to Rockburgh Records in 1980/81 & released a single called “Wooden Heart”, calling ourselves ‘Poptones’ (after the Public Image song). This got a few airplays but didn’t sell many & once again we never got any money.

I’ve had quite a few more singles released under various pseudonyms until my last single in 1993 (Club X “WAM RIP” cd ep), & almost made it in the early 80’s with a duo called ‘The Toy Shop’ (signed to Towerbell), while living in Sheffield. Paul Metcalf who was Victor Vendetta. (that’s him in the middle above) 11.5.03

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