Sex Gang Children

Formed London, 1982; disbanded 1985; re-formed Los Angeles, 1991.

The name 'Sex Gang Children' was a dynamic tag dreamt up and discarded by Malcolm McLaren in favour of 'Bow Wow Wow'. It then passed to Boy George, who used it until he signed to Virgin and came over all consumer-friendly as Culture Club. Aware of its pedigree, a fledgling band called Panic Button grabbed the baton and decked themselves out in appropriate fetish-punk garb. Decadent and furious, the Sex Gang Children proceeded to revitalize punk in the early 80s. '

It was Panic Button vocalist Andi Sex Gang and bass player Dave Roberts who formed the new group, enlisting Terry McLeay (guitar) and Rob Stroud (drums). Their timing was immaculate: punk-pop bands such as Theatre of Hate and Wasted Youth were beginning to falter, and the post-Adam and the Ants audience to fracture. Sex Gang Children stepped into the void and became big on the scene very quickly, releasing Naked (1982), an acclaimed, cassette-only live album.

A prestigious Futurama festival appearance coincided with the Sex Gang Children's first vinyl record, Beasts/, an EP consisting of four reworked tracks from Naked and the macabre title track. This and the follow-up single, "Into The Abyss" (1982), both hovered in the higher echelons of the UK indie charts for months.

1983 saw release of a debut album, Song & Legend, which shot to the top of the indie charts along with its accompanying single, "Sebastianne". At the same time, Dave Roberts put together The Whip, a compilation album including a fine duet between Andi and Marc Almond entitled "The Hungry Years". The accumulated pressure of this workload came to a head when, on the first date of a tour to promote Song & Legend, Stroud failed to appear.

The difficulties of Stroud's untimely departure were exacerbated when the band's label, Iliuminated, declined to extend their deal and a major label withdrew an offer after Sex Gang Children refused to abbreviate their name. Ex- Theatre of Hate drummer Nigel Preston filled in for a one-off single with Clay Records -the captivating "Mauritia Mayer" -before joining Death Cult. For their first American tour Sex Gang engaged Death Cult's former drummer, Ray Mondo, who culminated an eventful affair by getting himself deported to his native Sierra Leone upon their return to England.

The turbulent year of 1983 ended with Dave Roberts leaving to form another (you'll never make it with that name) band, Car Crash International. This signalled the end of the Sex Gang group, though a cassette of their final US concert was released under the title Ecstasy And Vendetta Over New York on the back of favourable notices they'd attracted in the States.

Andi and Terry carried on a while with new bassist Cam Campbell and drummer Kevin Matthews before Andi too went solo, releasing two albums under the name Andi Sex Gang. Dave Roberts responded by forming a group called The Children, while Terry lent his guitar virtuosity to all manner of unsuccessful projects. However, in 1991 Receiver Records put out a compilation CD, The Hungry Years: The Best Of Sex Gang Children, and it caused enough of a stir for Andi and Dave to reconcile and reconvene the group in Los Angeles.

For Sex Gang Children mark 2, Dave Roberts moved on to guitar as they toured the West Coast in 1991, playing to a hybrid breed of Goths. For a while LA luminary Gerald Santana filled in on bass for live dates, though they never again had a settled rhythm section. A new album was recorded in Los Angeles with a variety of musicians and released on Cleopatra in 1993 under the title Medea. The same label issued a compilation album, Dieche, and re-issued the Ecstasy And Vendetta Over New York cassette on CD. Then, despite Dave Roberts' optimistic sleeve notes, all fell silent again. A lot of things have happen since then with Andi returning to the UK and as such the force that is SEX GANG CHILDREN has returned. The band embarked on their bravest mission yet and that is to establish themselves amongst the current Goth scene, but much to their surprise they have been warmly received and honoured as one of the true pioneers of Goth. The band released their latest album 'Bastard Art' as part of a new programme of exstensive live performances. As such many people have seen them in a different light with blinding performances both in the UK and Europe.

The current line up is:
ANDI SEXGANG (VOCALS)
ADRIAN PORTAS (GUITAR)
MATTHEW SAW(GUITAR)
KEVIN MATTHEWS (DRUMS)
MARTIN OLOFSSON (VIOLIN)
CARL MAGNUSSON (BASS)

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