| Formed in
late 1976/early 1977 in South Wales from members with similar music
tastes i.e. the American "garage bands", like 'The Stoges', 'MC5',
'Velvet Underground' etc. Seeing the 'Sex Pistols' play at Caerphilly in
South Wales on the notorious "banned" tour, and also meeting and hanging
out for a pre-gig drink with Joe Strummer in Cardiff gave them the extra
incentive.
They played their very
first gig at 'The Roxy' in 1977 and was possibly filmed by a Canadian
news-team).
The band played
many venues in London including 'The Roxy', Dingwalls, and also many
venues here in Wales. They were regulars at the main punk venue
the Top Rank in Cardiff. They were often the headline act and sometimes
support to bands like '999', 'X-Ray Spex', 'Sham 69' & 'The Rich Kids'.
They had a huge following in Wales, and many groups playing here asked
the to support, knowing they would draw a large "local" audience
Line-up: John Evans (vocals), Wayne Jones (Guitar), Kevin Evans (Bass),
Carlos de Freitas (Drums) |
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| The most
well known songs in their set were 'Rough in the Valley' (*the* Welsh
punk anthem of the time!), 'Miracles', 'Attack and Destroy'. Their set
also included covers of 'Violence' by 'Mott the Hoople', and 'Waiting
for the Man', by the 'Velvet Underground'. They made some studio
recordings which were as tapes to fans. The band were also featured in a
BBC Wales documentary in 1978, which included interviews with the band,
their followers, plus two live songs. Some record companies at the time
were interested in the band, but a mixture of naivety, and the fact that
the band were from Wales (an unfashionable region at the time), and
didn't want to move to London, left them unsigned. The band spilt in
late 1978. |
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Tax Exiles play
Chapter 1977 - Dave Smitham Nov 2007
Late November 1977 / Chapter Arts Centre Cardiff was unprepared for
the minor chaos of their first (and last) punk event - featuring the
Tax Exiles. Well done John for bringing down the lighting rig -
delaying the Exiles’ set for fifteen minutes … and all praise to the
many underage teenage Exile fans demanding admission to licensed
premises.
Chapter, a renowned centre for innovative and experimental arts was
promoting a mini ‘modern’ music festival over four consecutive
weekends that ‘naturally’ had to include a punk night: South Wales’
own Tax Exiles supported by Barry Town’s Discarded. The audience
ultimately consisted of art students, over eighteen fans and the
curious - take note, not much in the way of Seditionary fashion in
evidence - and still much long hair. |
A proper punk
‘disco’ entertained before and after sets - notably featuring a mint
copy of the just released ‘Never Mind the Bollocks’, immediately
scratched by some lad who insisted that ‘Submission’ be played
repeatedly.
John, Carlos, Wayne and Spider (mostly hailing from Pontypridd) went
on to play an impressive set of originals and covers, assisted by
recruited girlfriends clad in fishnet. |
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I kept in touch with
various members of the band over the years: providing these photos
as publicity for the South Wales punk package that played the Roxy
in early 1978. John later released a solo single and went on to
become a respected experimental writer, Spider was part of the
London experimental poetry scene of the mid eighties … and Carlos
tragically died of a sudden brain haemorrhage in his early twenties,
he was a great kid.
Tax Exiles (along with the Nylonz) enlivened Cardiff’s early home
grown punk scene through 1977 and 78, although Chapter never booked
a live punk band again - at least not until the music became ‘safe’.
Admittedly the queue for snorting sulphate lines, on sale from the
top of a Men’s toilet cistern was a little excessive! |
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Thanks to David
Smitham for the images and recollections
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