THEMES FROM GREAT CITIES: 1919

Monday, 16 February 2026

1919 - Machine + Singles

Remember to ramp this one up as loud as you can.
Formed in the post-industrial northern town of Bradford in 1979 as Heaven Seventeen, post punk legends 1919 scorched a path across the punk scene in the early 80’s. Playing with other Bradford bands such as New Model Army and Southern Death Cult and with luminary figures like Mark (Zodiac Mindwarp) Manning joining and leaving the ranks, anything was possible. Now with new members, original guitar hero Mark Tighe is back making new music under the moniker 1919. Here though is a mighty short visit with one of the original post punk bands of the era…

The first real gigging band they were known as was “Heaven Seventeen” until Mick Reed a drummer from Dewsbury who liked his drums tribal joined. After rehearsing for a while they developed their sound and a new name to match. It was now late 1980 and 1919’s sole aim was to pound out a rhythmic, heavy and melodic / dark dance beat.

The first release was a limited edition white label double A side 7” inch single with “Repulsion” and “Tear Down These Walls” stamped on the labels with “Take it or leave it”, sent out to various radio stations and Magazine/fanzines. Eventually 1919 signed a deal with Red Rhino Records based in York, and “Repulsion/Tear Down These Walls” was re-released due to the demand. Recording started on the next single, another double A side entitled “Caged/After The Fall”. The even more menacing mini-album “Machine” was the last outing with Red Rhino released in 1983. The band felt that Red Rhino were not pushing them enough and decided to upsticks and leave. Signing with Abstract Records in London, plans were made to record a new 12” EP. The Cry Wolf 12” single with Storm/Dream on the B side was still the old dark sound with tribal drums/dissonant guitar lines, but Dream was a more dark/dance track, it still retained a sinister edge but the eastern guitar/big flange bass was more PIL territory than the other tracks. By 1984 the band was in turmoil and problems within the band caused a split, Mick went one way and the remaining three went the other. They had started to demo new tracks for the next release, before recording proper. Mick had brought a mate in who sort of played sax and the whole thing was going down the Gary Glitter. The Earth Song EP was released (remember these were still rough demos) without the bands permission which contributed to the 21 plus year absence of 1919.

Combined here in their original formats are all of 1919’s analogue outputs from 1982 to 1984. Now I could just post the Goth Collectors Series Complete Collection, but where is the fun in that?!

Contained in one file and ripped to MP3 @ 320kbps and presented in release order;