Why Control 1977 ; Bombsite No Control

Above; Bombsite on Display at Liverpool's World Museum
Bombsite Fanzine - Call it teenage frustration, or youth expression, but the fanzine was our participation for the punk generation and youth culture for UK and Merseyside during 1977.
The "Peel Sessions" proved to be a valuable collection of 77 band radio recordings, and Tony Wilson's show on Granada broadcast the new music weekly on TV. These two shows are now considered valuable punk music archives, recording the early period of punk rock in the UK. Interestingly, there is not much commentary at a regional level to document the street movement outside of what was happening in London and New York. Bombside provided Liverpool, what Shy Talk fanzine provided Manchester, local news about the early part of the 77 scene during this interesting period for rock & roll and youth culture.
The Pistols would play their last UK gig in Huddersfield on Christmas Day 1977, so for the UK the first wave of punk was almost over by the end of 1977. Other bands would go forward with the flag and add their part to the energy, but punk enthusiasts mostly agree that the scene ended in 1977.
The writers of Bombsite were Mark H, Martin C and Colin G, they were carefree and energetic punks living the scene.
The future for England appeared very bleak, and freedom had taken a back seat to government control, media censorship and nasty police bullying.
Bombsite released 4 issues during 1977 naming the 4th issue number 5 as the writers became more involved with their band - "Why Control".

Liverpool World Museum - During 2008 the fanzine was put on didplay at The World Museum in Liverpool on Lime Street. The exposition was part of a celebration of the history of Merseyside rock.
The "Beat Goes On"exhibition highlighted the remarkable achievements of Merseyside artists from across the years; people who have influenced generations of musicians.

above; Liverpool World Museum Bombsite on Display

The Everyman Theater - The promoters for Eric's the musical made about two hundred copies of Bombsite Fanzine issue #2 from 1977, to hand out on press night [September 24th 2008]. The show ran in Liverpool through to October 2008. The fanzine copies were all snapped up pretty quickly. The Theater group also used the fanzine as a prop in the play, and distributed them during the intermission through the duration of the 2008 showing.

Above; Eric's The Musical; Remember This Place As Year Zero !
LIPA - An old Eric's regular who is now a lecturer at LIPA remembers the fanzine the first time around.
LIPA - Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts was started by Sir Paul McCartney and Mark Featherstone-Witty. LIPA was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth in 1996. The institute is dedicated to people who want to enter - and survive - the tough world of arts and entertainment, whether as performers or those who make performance possible.
He was in a punk/roxy/bowie band in Liverpool during 1977 named Berlin. During 2008 plans to discuss Bombsite fanzine as part of the student curriculum as an example of a "can-do, entrepreneurial effort".

above; click to enlarge Magazine clips from December 2008 SPIN magazine
SPIN Magazine - The musical publication referenced Bombsite fanzine site as research for a Liverpool post punks story that they ran during 2008.

Why Control – UK punk band at the center of the Merseyside and Liverpool punk scene who believed in self expression, pulling down barriers with raw teenage energy and loud guitars. The idea of a record deal or signing to a record label eroded the origins of their ideology. Formed in 1977 previously called Bombsite after the fanzine that the members launched the band featured; Clif "Cookie"(voc,), Colin "Grom" (bass), Martin "Mart" (gtr), Mark "Algy" (drms). As Eric’s regulars they were not part of the more flambouyant art crowd. Why Control were a rebellious bunch and not interested in selling out to an establishment that controlled what people listened to, or what individuals could do. They believed in truth, humanity and freedom and were angry at the state of Britain.


Why Control 1977 ; Our Generation
On the day that The Clash released White Riot the band bought their equipment and started to practice together. Martin recalls the members as disgruntled and frustrated because of the bleak outlook for Britain and British youth, but they had been energized to do something by the sound and lyrics of the Clash. Their generation was broken and so was England, and it was up to them to fix .

above; Why Control's Cookie and Mart 1977
The band played live performances with The Toilets, The Brownshirts and a band named Amsterdam. The guys in Amsterdam were friends with Mike Peters and Jock from the Buckley contingent. "Why Control" played roughly 8 gigs in about 7 months. The fan base was from the Chester, Liverpool and North Wales region. Band practice sessions took place one or two times per week, in a room behind the pump and filter room in the old Chester baths. Martin recalls a young punk that would sit and watch the band at almost every session, he would tell a friend, he believed "Why Control" were heading for a promising future, and was disappointed when he later heard the band had split.
The Buckley Contingent - The guys who left an impression, were the North Wales fans, friends and all Eric's regulars. Later the band members would refer to them as the "Buckley Contingent" [although a few were from Mold], Tommy, Jock, Hawkeye, Iball, Daisy and Droopy and other names forgotten were a mixture of Mods, Punks, Teds and crazies. If any of you guys read this thanks for the support.

above; Why Control guitar smashing gig. Blond Guy Tommy from Buckley Contingent