Book Review: ‘Neat & Tidy: The Story Of Neat Records’ by John Tucker (Iron Pages)
Written by Johnny H
Sunday, 11 October 2015 03:00
It’s impossible to imagine what the world of heavy metal would look like here in 2015 without the influence of Neat Records the self-declared No. 1 Independent Heavy Metal label of Britain – ‘ALLEGEDLY’.
Author John Tucker picks up the subject matter with the same level of enthusiasm and genuine love for the music that he offered his ‘Suzie Smiled’ NWOBHM debut. Beginning with Neat’s almost accidental overnight success story, the debut 7″ from Tygers Of Pan Tang. From there on in pretty much every release is exhaustively covered, the author interviewing many of the bands involved whilst coupling these with archive music magazine reviews along the author’s own opinions on the singles and albums in question.
I have to admit that early on in the book I found the depth to which bands like Bitches Sin and Fist are covered intriguing but perhaps a little too intensive, simply because by contrast when the author turns his attentions to the likes of Hellanbach and Warfare later on I found the page and half dedicated to them to perhaps be a little too scant in direct comparison. However this might just be because I grew up buying the latter’s releases at the time they went on sale whereas the very early days of Neat I missed. From that almost microscopic attention to detail though it’s fantastic to discover the true origins of Neat Records and the story behind the entrepreneurial genius (?) of Dave Wood, the man responsible for Impulse Studios along with the likes of Steve Thompson and Keith Nicol who helped shape the sound of those pivotal early releases.
Chapter wise things run pretty much in chronological order, albeit for two chapters dedicated to Raven and Venom. I found these sections to be very informative and the fast pace of the Gallagher brother’s musical momentum certainly comes over in the pages dedicated to them. Likewise Mantas original guitarist with Venom (and now Venom inc) talks very passionately about the pride he had in watching the band he formed become one of the most influential underground metal bands of all time. He also deals very sensibly with any of the still outstanding issues he has with his old bandmate Cronos and I can’t help but wish they could bury the bloody hatchet once and for all.
As the media attention moved from the NWOBHM to the NWOACR (New Wave Of America Cock Rock) it’s interesting to see how Neat’s business model shifted to reflect this, in fact the whole Neat business model is laid open in great detail here by those that experienced it first-hand. Was there even a business model? You’ll find out here folks.
I think the great thing about Neat Records and in turn this book is the fact that if you were involved in any way with the NWOBHM (even like me as a fan) is that you will have your very own story to tell about someone involved in this book. In fact as I got to the latter stages and the couple of pages on Statetrooper (Gary Barden’s band after MSG) I couldn’t help but chuckle at the fact that their drummer was stood next to me in a taxi queue at a Blackpool hotel only just a few weeks back.
Small world eh! And it’s one John Tucker captures perfectly in this book. ‘Neat & Tidy: The Story Of Neat Records’ is 384 pages of heavy metal gold, and as such weighs a bloody tonne too, whilst retailing at a penny short of twenty quid. My only minor gripe about this book though aside from my earlier comment on the early chapters is that it really would have been nice to have seen all the cover art in one hilarious photographic chapter (for that I had to keep my CD copy of the long since deleted Tucker compiled ‘The Neat Singles Collection’ close at hand). Still I can more than make do with the group pic of Black Rose on the comedy front…that imagine is one thing I’m glad Neat Records never gave to the heavy metal world of 2015.
So, as Shades Records used to say back in the day. Buy this or FOAD!
http://www.johntuckeronline.co.uk/neat-and-tidy-the-story-of-neat-records.html
To pick up your copy of ‘Neat & Tidy: The Story of Neat Records’ – CLICK HERE
