Blunt Instrument

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London based Blunt Instrument formed in May 1977, they were Robert Sandall (guitar/vocals), Bill Benfield (guitar), Ed Shaw (bass) and David Sinclair (drums). Sinclair had recently moved to London from his home in Giffnock, Scotland. After a few weeks of rehearsals, they threw themselves into the London gig circuit playing all the usual punk haunts including the famous Roxy Club.

Their single 'No Excuse' / 'Interrogation' (Diesel, 1978) is one of punk's best kept secrets, a great record that continues to be criminally ignored. Blunt Instrument's progression was halted when Sinclair fell off his drum stool during a gig, breaking his wrist, which resulted in a long lay-off for the band. By the time Sinclair had recovered Bill Benfield had quit to return to his previous job, teaching English, his replacement was Nick Aldridge.

 

."....in 1978 I'd drifted down to London and was playing drums in a pseudo-punk band called Blunt Instrument led by Robert Sandall, a singer and rhythm guitarist who is now a rock critic on The Sunday Times. True to form I'd been the last get rid of my flared jeans. Punk for me was the conduit for a fairly rudimentary drumming style , but I was less sure of the ideology of the movement as a whole."  David Sinclair from Love Is The Drug...Living as a pop fan. Penguin 1994.
 

With a new guitarist the band decided to change their name to London Zoo. Musically they had also changed to a more new wave sound. In 1979 they signed to Edinburgh based Zoom records and released a single 'Receiving End' / 'London Zoo', though they were dropped when Zoom were taken over by major label Arista. They did manage one more single 'Who's Driving This Car' / ' You & Your Big Ideas' (Gramaphone, 1980) before splitting up, David Sinclair then joined TV Smith's Explorers.

 

Above. Sounds Single review 25.3.78
Left. Live Sounds review 6.3.78
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 Click here for audio clip of 'Interrogation'

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