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Here's what Jungle records who have released some
of The Slits back catalogue and unreleased songs have to say. |
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"It's
difficult to describe the impact the Slits had on the
music scene twenty years ago, as now it's difficult to
imagine a pre-punk world with few female artists. They
came out of the heart of London's punk scene: Viv Albertine and Palmolive were members of Flowers Of Romance
along with Sid Vicious and Keith Levine, rehearsing in
Joe Strummer's squat. Meanwhile an all-girl group were
rehearsing as The Castrators, including Kate Korus and
Tessa Pollitt. Palmolive then teamed up with 14-year old
Ari, the wildly brattish, precocious daughter of a former
rock chick, German heiress Nora. Kate Korus joined The
Slits as guitarist, before moving on to form The Modettes. Tessa and Viv then joined the ranks, completing
the definitive early line-up.
<< Picture
Ray Stevenson |
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After a few gigs they were
invited by the Clash to support them on the 'White Riot'
tour. The band quickly acquired a violent, chaotic image,
attacking bands like Sore Throat and Throbbing Gristle on
stage, and chosen by Derek Jarman to trash cars in his
1977 film 'Jubilee'.
Their music fitted the image - shambolic and loud, with abrasive guitar, shouted
choruses, and crazy Ari's screeched vocals over
Palmolive's hammered, stuttering drums. |
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Their uncompromising attitude, combined with
gleefully subverting any and every notion of traditional female behaviour
- skirts raised over heads, obscene and aggressive gestures, indeed
anything to put the shits up people - scared the A&R men away. Peel
Sessions in '77 and '78 was all the public got to hear, apart from gigs,
which included tours with the Buzzcocks and Rich Kids.
Other punk bands who'd taken their time - Siouxsie
& The Banshees, Adam & The Ants - eventually got signed in 1978, but not
the unpredictable, unmanageable Slits. Record companies telling them
they 'weren't tight enough' led them to part company with Palmolive and
her trademark drum style.
Her replacement was Budgie from seminal
Liverpool group Big In Japan (later a Banshee and Creature). But by the
time of their long-awaited debut album 'Cut' on Island in 1979, they had
become bored with punk." |
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