Live, the Decorators play an exciting, varied set which includes some slow, thoughtful songs which are heavily reliant upon Mick Bevan's singing, as well as some fast 'n' funky ones, where Joe's sax is put to good use, providing a variation from a standard 4 piece format, and some fine rock too, but if you're looking for categories I'm afraid I can't help.

The band's 1977 roots are perhaps reflected in John Gilani's rigid, relentless style of rhythm guitar, as along with drummer Allan Boroughs he originally played in The Prisoners. This band, and another Decorators line-up, used to play Rock Against Racism gigs at Southall Community Centre in 1977, together with The Ruts and Misty. They have not played any RAR gigs recently, due to bad organisation. The present Decorators line up played its first gig in October 1978. They performed about "3 or 4 numbers" as support to The Satellites at the White Hart, Acton.

They released their first single Twilight view/Reflections early in 1980, on New Hormones, after label-supremo Richard Boon was "semi-impressed" with one of their gigs. He financed the recording of the single, which was produced by Martin Rushent, who has since worked on successes by Altered Images and Human League. They wanted to stay with the label, and did intend to release a second single through it, but the distance between Manchester, where New Hormones is based, and West London where the band hail from, proved to be a problem, also Boon's greater interest were with Ludus, so they had to leave. A Rushent produced version of Underground was recorded, but won't see daylight "until somebody dies!" They then went on to release Rendezvous/Pendulum on Red Records but despite these "straight-forward fast pop" records being "a bit premature" they have no regrets about making them.

Their aim has been to head for the chance to put out records, but because they haven't been in a position to write then release songs, a number of compositions have been discarded. They now have a deal with Andrew Lauder to release their material, originally via Island \records, but now through Albion. "There's not a lot of money involved, but there's a lot of control…basically it's down to us what we're gonna put out."

During three weeks in August 1981 they recorded their debut ten track long platter, which originally would have been released in January 1982, the delay being due to the pointlessness of releasing and album at the Christmas period when "shop0s only order greatest hits records", but will not now be released until march. They are complemented on keyboards on about half of the album by Pete, who is an ex-Dexy. Regarding the al um, they say there will be no inclusion of lyrics as "they're not separate from the songs, they're not poems", lyrics and music are both4e "exactly as important as each other". As well as the album, which includes a song written by the original Transmitters' line up, a group who the band rate highly, they have recorded a track on a Moonlight Club compilations. Lastly, if you happen to catch The Lucky saddles, the band formed by ex-Pinpoint, ex-Lurker Arturo, you're likely to hear one of Mick's songs, in the shape of A Place in the Sun.

Thanks to Graeme for the review