Description
No Sham! is the sole album by the British punk rock/new wave outfit Bill Mason Band, released on Kingsway Music in 1979. As well released in the US two years later by StarSong Records. (According to a note featured in the Gospel section of the April 25, 1981 issue of Record World magazine, “In May, Star Song Records will release four albums featuring Christian “new wave” and British rock sounds. Selling under the name Star Song Special Products, the titles are No Sham, the Bill Mason Band; Charge of the Light Brigade, Ishmael; Life Begins at Thirty, Rev. Counta & the Speedoze; and The Alternative, Giant – killer.“)
Bill Mason Band features Bill Mason on vocals, Simon Hawthorne on guitar, Ian “Beaky” Beeston on bass, and Dave Rawding on drums. (Music by Simon Hawthorne with lyrics by Bill Mason.)
The first Christian response that I’m aware of to the driving punk rock style of The Ramones and The Clash. Listening to this record is the audio equivalent of having gulped twenty cups of coffee. Loud raw neurotic guitars, fast bratty adrenaline-pumped pace, stuttering vocals, plus all the fashionable accoutrement – leather jackets, glurn looks, cryptic lettering on the lyric sheet, black and white photo of the band standing in front of a burnt building, and some classic lines like “triangular power’s got a hold on me”, “I’m checkin’ out on Mr. G”, and “ain’t no God on that radio”. Includes the classic Christian punk anthem «Stand Up And Be Counted». Cover note states “Special thanx to Jesus without whom the new wave would not be possible!”. One heckuva great album! [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th Edition]
The summer of 1979 and two years on from «God Save The Queen», finally Britain’s Christian music labels wake up to the fact that punk had happened. In the UK, there are a few punk bands worthy of attention like Ishmael United and Giantkiller who’ve been making waves on the live scene. From the north west, the Bill Mason Band get the deal with Kingsway and rather unfeasibly hit the studios with producer John Pantry! Live this band were like a torrent of energy and noise but somehow in CD, they sound a little cleaner than I’d have liked. I’ve always blamed Mr Pantry for that! I wonder what it would be like to have time travelled the band from 1979 to Tooth & Nail Records in 2002! Dreaming aside, if you were around during those days, you’ll definitely want to get hold of this. Plenty of it has stood the test of time. There’s the immediate impact of the opening cut «Billy & The Rota’s», the insistent chorus of «I Don’t Want You». «Stand Up And Be Counted» still sounds explosive and anthemic with its pounding rhythm. The message of «Radio» is still as relevant as it was in 1979 with its “ain’t no God on that radio” chorus. When it comes to evangelistically challenging material there’s the thought provoking «I Got The Answers» or «Mr G» (complete with Sylvester disco interlude!) that were designed to connect with those searching. Whether you ever got a chance to see them play live or not, there’s no doubt that ‘No Sham’ is a British Christian rock classic. [Mike Rimmer, Cross Rhythms, November 2002]
No Sham! Legends Remastered 2011, Born Twice Records Promo
This U.K. band’s debut and only release came out in 1979 on the English label, Kingsway. On the 2011 Born Twice Records: Legends Remastered Volume Two you can hear this legendary release in digital format for the first time, remastered by specialist J Powell of Steinhaus. Everything is packaged in a beautiful 6 panel digipak, including a band biography that is helpful for new fans! For fans of The Clash, Ramones, Altar Boys, Resurrection Band, and Generation X! Collect all of the Legends Remastered special series that resurrects classic Jesus Music and Christian rock releases from the 70’s! See also Amaziah & Exkursions Volumes 1 & 3 of this collectible series.
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/no-sham-legends-remastered-vol-two/500242086)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Billy & The Rota’s”
A2. “Detectives”
A3. “Out On The Streets”
A4. “I Don’t Wan’t You”
A5. “Stand Up And Be Counted”
Side Two
B1. “Radio”
B2. “I Got The Answers”
B3. “Mr. G”
B4. “Get Inside”
B5. “Lost Years”
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP. Remastered by J Powell of Steinhaus and re-issued on CD by Born Twice Records in December 2011, a sub-label of Retroactive Records. (Packaged in a 6 panel digipak, including a band biography.)
Bill Mason Band started in 1976. I and been playing around the country for a number of years as a solo artist, acoustic “rock n’ roll” was my sales pitch! In the fall of 1976, my best friend Phil Holmes was offered a place playing keyboards in the newly formed Alwyn Wall Band, with a prospect of recording and album backed by Word Records and living for a year in America, Phil was quick to take up the offer. He left a band based in Cheadle, Cheshire called Apple Crumble. (Don’t ask!). I had a few gigs around that area and asked the bass guitarist, Beaky and Dave Rawding the drummer to back me on a few songs. People said it was a great idea, and so we played together for some more gigs.
After a few months we decided to advertise for an electric guitarist and keyboard player, these were found and the band began. The name Bill Mason Band came mainly because I was pretty well known in the North and it just stuck. After a few months the guitarist, John from the Salvation Army left as did Julie Craddock our keyboardist, and we were again looking for a replacement. One Sunday night at a famous venue called, “the Upper Room,” in Cheadle Manchester, we had played that night and I had noticed a rough looking guy in the audience with pierced ear and a right shifty look about him!
The next practice, Beaky informed me that there was someone coming to audition as a guitarist. He had just become a Christian and was a converted punk rocker! Who should walk in but the same guy I had seen that Sunday night! We all hit it off immediately and the BMB was born. This was in the summer of 1977. After two practices and no gigs with our new guitarist we got a call from Greenbelt asking us to play on the Monday night because someone had dropped out. This whole event was God moving and pushing this band into the spotlight so we could do great things for Him!
The main songs we did for that amazing night were my acoustic rock songs with the band backing me up. We had yet to write any of the No Sham material! So I was still playing acoustic guitar! Plus we still Julie our keyboard player. I had this one fast punky song called «MOT» sadly, never recorded and almost forgotten. [Bill Mason]
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.