The Tax Exiles
The Tax Exiles formed in late 1976/early 1977 in South Wales from members with similar music tastes i.e. the American “garage bands”, like The Stooges, MC5, Velvet Underground etc. Seeing the Sex Pistols play at Caerphilly in South Wales on the notorious “banned” tour, and also meeting and hanging out for a pre-gig drink with Joe Strummer in Cardiff gave them the extra incentive.
They played their very first gig at ‘The Roxy’ in 1977 and was possibly filmed by a Canadian news-team). The band played many venues in London including The Roxy, Dingwalls, and also many venues here in Wales. They were regulars at the main punk venue the Top Rank in Cardiff. They were often the headline act and sometimes support to bands like 999, X-Ray Spex, Sham 69 & The Rich Kids. They had a huge following in Wales, and many groups playing here asked the to support, knowing they would draw a large “local” audience
The most well known songs in their set were ‘Rough in the Valley’ (the Welsh punk anthem of the time!), ‘Miracles’, ‘Attack and Destroy’. Their set also included covers of ‘Violence’ by ‘Mott the Hoople’, and ‘Waiting for the Man’, by the ‘Velvet Underground’. They made some studio recordings which were as tapes to fans. The band were also featured in a BBC Wales documentary in 1978, which included interviews with the band, their followers, plus two live songs. Some record companies at the time were interested in the band, but a mixture of naivety, and the fact that the band were from Wales (an unfashionable region at the time), and didn’t want to move to London, left them unsigned. The band spilt in late 1978.
Late November 1977 / Chapter Arts Centre Cardiff was unprepared for the minor chaos of their first (and last) punk event – featuring the Tax Exiles. Well done John for bringing down the lighting rig – delaying the Exiles’ set for fifteen minutes … and all praise to the many underage teenage Exile fans demanding admission to licensed premises.
Tax Exiles play Chapter 1977 – Dave Smitham Nov 2007 (they are also his excellent photos)
Chapter, a renowned centre for innovative and experimental arts was promoting a mini ‘modern’ music festival over four consecutive weekends that ‘naturally’ had to include a punk night: South Wales’ own Tax Exiles supported by Barry Town’s Discarded. The audience ultimately consisted of art students, over eighteen fans and the curious – take note, not much in the way of Seditionary fashion in evidence – and still much long hair.
A proper punk ‘disco’ entertained before and after sets – notably featuring a mint copy of the just released ‘Never Mind the Bollocks’, immediately scratched by some lad who insisted that ‘Submission’ be played repeatedly.
John, Carlos, Wayne and Spider (mostly hailing from Pontypridd) went on to play an impressive set of originals and covers, assisted by recruited girlfriends clad in fishnet.
TalkPunk
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