Inner City Unit

Inner City Unit were a London based popular music group active from 1979 through to 1985, their music style encompassing psychedelia and punk rock. They recorded four studio albums, one studio EP and one compilation album of previously unreleased material.

The group were established by ex-Hawkwind saxophonist Nik Turner, joined by bassist and keyboardist Phil Reeves (known as Dead Fred). Trev Thoms was the guitarist of the first incarnation and Steve Pond the second. Ermano Ghisio-Erba (known as Dino Ferari) and Mick Lee (known as Mick Stupp) were the drummers. Andy Anderson (drums) and Michael Vickerage (known as Mo Vicarage) (keyboards) played live and recorded with the group in the early days. Barry Downes (known as Baz Magneto), GP Wayne (known as Little Bit), Dave Anderson and Nazar Alikhan had stints with the group playing bass.

Since their split, various members have got together on occasions to record or play live using the name.

History

Formation 1977–1979

In 1977, after Nik Turner had been dismissed from Hawkwind, he traveled to Egypt and made some portable recordings playing flute in the King's Chamber of Great Pyramid of Giza. With producer Steve Hillage he worked these recordings into the album '' Xitintoday'' (exit into day) with contributions from members of Gong, Harry Williamson and Andy Anderson. His group performed live as Sphynx.

With Williamson he conceived the protest single "Nuclear Waste" issued as Fast Breeder and the Radio Actors, with vocals from Sting, and then contributed to the album ''Fairy Tales'' by Williamson and Gilli Smyth's group Mother Gong. On this session he met keyboardist Michael Vickerage (known as Mo Vicarage) and drummer Ermano Ghisio-Erba (known as Dino Ferari), both of whom would be pulled into Turner's band. Erba brought in guitarist Trev Thoms with whom he had played in Steve Took's Horns, Thoms in turn brought in keyboard player Phil Reeves (known as Dead Fred), the two having played in Steve Gibbons Band together. The new name Inner City Unit had been suggested to Turner by his close friend, the graphic designer Barney Bubbles.

First incarnation 1979–1982

The group recorded four tracks at Foel Studios in April, with "Solitary Ashtray" (originally titled "Solitary Astrid") issued as a single on their own Riddle Records imprint, backed with a dub version titled "So__t_ry As__id"; the remaining three tracks ("Watching the Grass Grow", "Cars Eat With Auto Face" and "Alright On The Flight") would later be included on the ''Punkadelic'' compilation. The group debuted at a gig in Liverpool, then appeared at the 1979 Glastonbury Festival and at the first Futurama (The World's First Science Fiction Music Festival) on 9 September in Leeds.

By the end of 1979, the line-up of Turner, Thoms and Reeves had been joined by Barry Downes (known as Baz Magneto, bass) and Mick Lee (known as Mick Stupp, drums). They cut demos of "Space Invaders" and "Polyethylene" for Polydor Records in December, but no deal was forth-coming - these tracks would also be included on the ''Punkadelic'' album. They recorded the album ''Pass Out'' at Nick Lowe

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