Part 1 and "Pictures Of Pain:" an interview with vocalist Jake Baker
Jake Baker, vocalist of Part 1
Part 1 are an interesting band. Coming from Milton Keynes, England, they played a style that mixed a darker gothic sound with anarcho punk. They released only one EP while they existed, entitled "Funeral Parade" on their own Paraworm Records label in 1982. Primary Part 1 songwriter Mark Ferelli then began communicating with US artist Pushead which led to the band posthumously releasing the "Pictures Of Pain" LP on Pusmort Records in 1985, as well as an inclusion on the "Cleanse The Bacteria" compilation album.
However Part 1 remained in the shadows when compared to the popularity level of many of their contemporaries, and stock copies of their LP were available into the early 2000s. It wasn't until the resurgence in 1980s British goth and anarcho punk exploded that word started to spread about the quality of the band. It was well deserved.
This interview was conducted with vocalist Jake Baker in 2011. It was intended for an issue focused on the anarcho punk meets goth sound of early '80s Britain but was never completed. The issue is one of four aborted issues of Negative Insight, and we will slowly be putting up material from each of those issues.
NI: How did the Part 1 form? Part 1 blend goth, post-punk and anarcho-punk to form a very unique sound. Did the band aim for a particular sound?
Jake: Part 1 was formed in the summer of 1980. We were all at school together and following the punk explosion several years earlier. I just loved the music and general attitude and really wanted do something creative... There was a few bands in the beginning but the most memorable one was probably 'Airfix' which i suppose became the foundation for Part 1. We never really aimed at a particular sound, it just kind of evolved from the noise we were making with Airfix? We each had our own influences too; Mark loved guitar sound of the Banshees, Chris liked PIL and liked to experiment with his bass, and Bob was into early Genesis, where as i was listening to bands like Discharge! It was quite an eclectic mix really but it worked!
NI: There is a lot of religious imagery on all of the Part 1 material. The lyrics in particular seem to focus on religion. Were you anti-religion or just commenting on religion in general? And if so, are you still anti-religion today?
Jake: The artwork is all down to Mark who's incredible drawings cover the sleeve of the Funeral Parade e.p and do reflect a religious theme, there is so much going on the closer you look the more you actually see! It does crop up a lot in the lyrics too along with death, destruction, war etc.... So i think it's more 'commenting in general' besides i had never been religious anyway, i don't think any of us were? I am still pretty much anti religion today i just do not want that in my life.
NI: Was anyone in the band politically active at the time?
Jake: Nobody was really politically active within the band, but all very much aware... as we played regularly at places like the Anarchist Centre and Centro Iberico i suppose you could say that was our contribution?
NI: Part 1 recorded two demos at the Crypt in Stevenage, the same studio The Mob had used for their first single, "Crying Again." Was this the reason for going to this studio?
Jake: I can't remember how we found out about this studio apart from hearing it was built beneath a disused church. We did the "In The Shadow Of The Cross" demo there, it was recorded in just a few hours too and we were really happy with the end result. We sent copies out to several independent labels with no response whatsoever...
NI: Did Part 1 have any relationship with The Mob or any other Crass Records bands other than Rudimentary Peni?
Jake: We never really formed relationships with any of the bands but did make friends with people like The Apostles, Primal Chaos, Chronic Outbursts as we usually played the same venues together.
NI: How did Part 1 form a relationship with Nick Blinko? Did you play any shows with Rudimentary Peni?
Jake: I first saw Rudimentary Peni at the Anarchy Centre and was blown away! As we were playing there regularly it was only a matter of time before we were on the same bill and used to crash at each others houses too depending on where the gigs were... it was during this time that Mark and Nick became close they had a lot in common too.
Jake Baker (vocals) and Mark Ferelli (guitar)
NI: By today's standards Part 1 is most closely associated with the anarcho punk scene, the same is true for Rudimentary Peni. How did you feel about your relation to that scene at the time and how do you feel about being categorized as part of it 30 years later?
Jake: I wasn't really aware we were getting categorized because that was something we never wanted to be. There were so many bands around then, some brilliant bands in fact who were probably more anarcho punk than us anyway? I am amazed at the amount of interest in all this 30 years on and hope that people will still be talking about it in 30 years time.
NI: Part 1 is included in Ian Glasper's book, The Day the Country Died, which focuses on the anarcho punk scene. Have you seen or heard of the book? And if so, what are your feelings on it? He mentions a possible discography CD on the way. Is this still in the works? Is there any unreleased material?
Jake: Yes, i have heard of this book and do own a copy of it, i bought it from a bookshop in Oxford some years ago! I think it's a brilliant book and feel proud to be featured in it too, These was history in the making and i think it was important that somebody bothered to record it all so well done Ian!
The discography mentioned in there was going to happen but as everything back then was recorded on cassette, the transition to CD loses that edge which is a shame because the plan was to put out a box set compilation with lyrics, artwork etc... and yes there was unreleased material!
NI: While bands such as The Mob and yourselves were mainly associated with anarcho punk, did you ever have any desire to play with the early gothic bands such as Play Dead, Bauhaus, Sex Gang Children, Danse Society, or others or be a part of that early gothic or Batcave club scene?
Jake: No desire whatsoever thank you... we were perfectly happy playing gigs where we could, preferably low key ones. London was a regular haunt of ours. Play Dead were good and Bauhaus were an early influence too, so yeah it would have been good to have got on the bill with them, just not at the Batcave.
NI: You mention having no desire to play at the Batcave. Was this because of certain DIY ethics or other reasons?
Jake: I suppose it was but then Batcave was emerging around the time we had called it a day... i had friends at the time who used to go there. It was a kind of nightclub back then, with live music. I don't actually know where it was or even if it's still going!
But no, we had no desire to play there at all, or any 'major venues' mainly because of the DIY ethics, also it was much more intimate playing these smaller places and just stand in the crowd watching the other bands.
NI: The "Funeral Parade" 7" was put out by the band's label, Paraworm Records. Was this the only record on Paraworm? How many records did were pressed? What sort of reception did the record receive?
Jake: Funeral Parade was the only release on the Paraworm label. We were determined to put out a record and knew that it had to be Graveyard Song but had no desire to join the Crass label... even when they offered us a slot on their Bullshit Detector album we declined. Originally we planned to press 500 copies but it worked out cheaper to go for 1000, so with a helping hand from Peni we managed to pull it off. We took it around to the likes of Rough Trade, but nobody showed any interest in distributing it for us. So again we went it alone, selling them at gigs and through mail order mainly.
NI: What was the reason for refusing to submit a track to the "Bullshit Detector" comp?
Jake: Like i said, we wanted to put our own record out, and make an E.P. The invite came about in the early days, we must have sent them a copy of our demo just to get a reaction i suppose? But when they eventually got in touch we had already decided not to go through with it. I'm glad we did too because the E.P. was all our own work... We recorded it ourselves, we designed and printed the cover ourselves, even distributed it as no one showed any interest. It was very much something to be proud of!
NI: In 1984, Pushead posthumously released your first demo "In The Shadow of the Cross" as the "Pictures Of Pain" LP. Why were the last two songs of the demo, "Tomb" and "The Graveyard Song," left off LP?
Jake: These songs were from the original demo and were on a completely different recording to the others... Pushead was only given the masters to these and not the demo that's why. Also the artwork on the original album was different to the Pusmort LP too.
NI: After the record was released, did you ever think about reforming the band due to the critical praise it received?
Jake: I never thought about getting back together then. i don't think the others did either? We had all gone our separate ways by the time the "Pictures of Pain" came out. I was never aware of the praise we were getting then albeit critical at the time, but reforming the band was never mentioned or even talked about!
Bob Leith (drums) and Mark Ferelli (guitar)
NI: How did Part 1 end up on Pusmort? What were your dealings with Pushead like?
Jake: I have absolutely no idea how we ended up on Pusmort or what the dealings were... this was something that Mark and Brian did so you will have to ask them. I don't think it's at all relevant to what the band was/is about either... since the reformation we have talked a lot about things that have gone on over the years, and to be honest it doesn't really matter anyway!
NI: Did you get a good response from the US due to the release on Pusmort? Did anyone in Europe express interest in releasing the record domestically?
Jake: The overall response from the U.S.A. has been pretty incredible. I still cannot believe the interest over there. It's overwhelming! There was some interest from Europe, but mostly from people like yourself and fanzines... by now we were getting requests from France, Germany and Italy.
NI: Pushead included the song "Black Mass" on the "Cleanse the Bacteria" comp LP. Did you think it was odd to be included on a comp of all hardcore bands when Part 1 had an entirely different sound?
Jake: Not at all... i was extremely happy to get a song on that album and proud to be a part included. "Black Mass" was a good choice, it's a fucking great song!
NI: Pushead put contact information for all the bands on the back of the comp except for Part 1. Why wasn't your contact information included?
Jake: As i said earlier, this was between Mark and Brian, you have to remember back then there was no internet or email, so the only contact information would have been your actual home address. He could have put that on there if he wanted but chose not to! "Funeral Parade" had the address of a bed-sit i was living in at the time which became a sort of base for communication, etc...
NI: Why did you leave the band? Did you ever see the band live once you left?
Jake: I never officially left the band, but just drifted off slowly into the sunset! Mark and Bob were starting to experiment more with the music and the songs seem to be getting longer and longer, and i never felt comfortable singing them either... I couldn't sing anyway, but they were not the sort of songs you could just belt out like "Black Mass," "Graveyard Song" were. Shortly after the departure, i moved away for a while then completely lost touch with them... I never saw them play after that but did hear from somebody they were still playing.
NI: Do you keep in touch with any members of Part 1? Are any members still involved in the punk scene, and have the ideals and ethics of the anarcho scene influenced the way you live your life today?
Jake: We used to bump into each other now and again but as time went on lost sight altogether... But never ever got away from the punk scene. I think this is something that will always be with you... in your blood even! And i guess it does become a way of life if you choose it.
NI: Steve Ignorant is currently touring playing the whobrle "Feeding of the 5000" album, Zounds have put out a 7" in the past few years and are currently touring, and I have heard the Mob are getting back together. What is your opinion on the current trend of bands attempting to recreate something that happened nearly 30 years ago, and has Part 1 discussed any sort of reunion?
Jake: I think it's great that bands like The Mob have reformed as they were one of my favourite bands along with Zoundz etc... I am not sure the Steve Ignorant tour is a good thing though, don't get me wrong i fucking loved Crass, and if it was the whole band playing these gigs i would probably go. Sorry i would definitely go but this just feels like Crass greatest hits live... I would rather remember them how they were.
I am sure it would sound just as good and the sentiments are still the same only now it is a new generation we are reaching out to now, so why not, if it feels right then it is right.
A Part 1 re-union has been talked about for a few years and after a chance meeting last February at a UK Decay concert the wheels were put in motion and by August we got together again for the first time in over 25 years, and it was fucking amazing! Since May we have been rehearsing on a regular basis and the plans now are for brand new recordings of all the songs, a new EP and most exciting of all to play live...
Part 1 a new beginning is happening now!
