Posted: 02 July 2009 at 4:27pm | IP Logged

Banksy, I touched upon this subject back in Dec'08 following your Farncombe gig & I thought it might just be worth opening a debate about it again now. The main reason being is that the recently released ATF Radio Sessions 79-81 cd is just so good that it would be a crying shame not to introduce the material in this original vibrant form to a whole new generation (& satisfy the older one for that matter) & what better way to do that by re-uniting with Andy (if only on powerful, pounding bass with Rob on vocals) for a thumping 30 year college/university style reunion tour ??

I know you're all a bit older now & that finance is a concern, but I would repeat that the music is simply too good to let these things get in the way of re-lighting the fire after 30 years. Surely there must be producers &/or promoters who've heard the sessions cd that can make it happen ??

Here's hoping, Neil A.

Posted: 03 July 2009 at 9:39am | IP Logged

Morning Neil and many thanks for your comment. Really pleased you love the Radio Sessions CD, as I have already mentioned in e-mails I really do think it shows off how good ATF were in our heyday.

However, I must seriously stress their is NO DEBATE! Andy P will not join forces with the current ATF and right from our open rehearsal in 1995 has maintained that position. He expressed that he had (and presumably still has) great comfort in what he was doing musically and therefore there was no desire to re-visit what we had achieved in our day. Additionally we have kept him informed of what we are up to. As you probably know, Andy has now re-settled in the States where he lives and works.

What we need as ATF in the 21st Century is encouragement for what we are doing now!!! Frankly it is seriously hard work running the band and running the dates we do both from a financial and time perspective.

Taking the financial side first it is down to arithmetic... on the Autumn tour last year we played to an average audience of 85 people. Total ticket sales LESS costs (a long list!) meant there was £212.20 left to pay the band and crew for 10 days of around 12 hours each - I am not a greedy person yet my instinct tells me what I gave at each gig is worth more than £2.65?!

A second aspect of the financial side is please do NOT think that playing live means we make shed loads of money selling CDs! It simply doesn't work that way anymore. We really appreciate your loyalty buying the CDs through our Webshop which is a massive help to keep us going. There again the business has changed and CD sales are very low for nearly every artiste.

Now let's look at the time side... for us to play in ATF means we give up time with our families, holiday days from work, weekends and just simply chilling out! It is sacrificial despite the enjoyment of being 'loved' for a couple of hours :-)

So, we have to examine the dreaded question, 'is it worth it?' and with the economic climate affecting live gigs so badly that becomes even more critical... if our audience numbers decline even slightly then we truly 'pay to play'.

I rest my case...

Banksy

Posted: 03 July 2009 at 3:52pm | IP Logged

Banksy & Ian, for clarity's sake I  was in no way belittling or denegrating your latest sound & performances which are absolutely terrific & much appreciated by myself &, I suspect, all long-term followers & fans of ATF. Long may they continue in whatever format, style & venues you're able.

Instead, I was merely hoping & dreaming that a whole new generation could experience the stength, intensity & power of the original sights & sounds that we so enjoyed in our youth.