Guest Book
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Nice Webside,
short, informativ and beautiful pictures and of course amazing mp3-songs.
Greetings from a kraut named Lampe
site very interesting,have seen many bands over the last 20-odd years,(am 40 now)but punilux were the best band i ever saw live.had an email from ex guitarist,who gave me brian bonds,but he didnt answer.madam x now defunct,time for punilux to reform.hippie dave,bradford
Laughing Academy still in my all-time top ten after all these years. Great site - well done! Josh, London
I'm so glad that at last there is a Punishment of Luxury website. Thanks for letting me know i'm not their only fan!
Steve Sekrit is currently in a band called Shay.
I Randomly stumbled upon the website having searched in vain for Punilux sites in the past. great site - i was lucky enought to see the band live and have all their records cds and some demos as well i also auditioned with Nev when Jimi left the band to become the new bass player but was not given the job! i'd love to see the band together again I always thought they were ahead of their time and a huge influence of many other bands who followed in their wake especially the Cardiacs. keep updating the site perhaps someone out there has some new photos to post?
Mark Kelly
the best band to come out of newcastle and possibly punk great site more mp3's would be nice mark kelly should put them demo's onto cd's and sell them keep it up steve (newcastle)
I suppose there's not really a lot of information to be had really. Anyone know what the others are up to now? (apart from Brian Bond of course) I saw Punilux in 1979 or 80 (not sure) in Germany (thinks Dusseldorf but not sure) Fantastic - sounded just like Laughing Academy live.
When I was 14, I bought a big box of 45s at a discount price. One of them was Secrets b/w Brainbomb, and I have been a fan ever since. Glad to see someone else remembers the band with the best name ever.
Fnord
yes but there gone now. i have some on kazaa so go there for them (mp3's)if anyone has more mp3's join kazaa and post them.steve (newcastle) ps this band should not just fade away spread the word
Great Site and pics. I saw the band at the Nashville, London 1979 when I was a punk and again ten years later at the Red Lion , Brentford (London) when there was a different line up with some black guy on bass playing with Nevill. I bootlegged the '79 gig on a tape with very amateurish results but still have the tape somewhere. 'Puppet Life' was my favourite song but I also liked some song with 'Asia, China' in the lyrics.. not sure of the title. Matt, Chelsea
Wow - how did I go so long without finding this site?? I discovered Punilux after a friend mentioned a review of them and I found a used copy of the "Laughing Academy" single at Wax Trax in Chicago (bought it without ever hearing them) and was converted ever since - especially after hearing "Baby Don't Jump".
I just discovered the "Revolution by Numbers" disc a year ago and play it constantly. I saw a live tape on E-bay once and was (way) outbid. Anyone have any information on that??
AT LAST SOMEBODY ELSE HAS HEARD OF PUNILUX!! I'VE ONLY GOT LAUGHING ACADEMY - ARE THE OTHER ALBUMS WORTH PURCHASING TOO? LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU ALL!
Takes me back!!
Whatever became of old songs that I don't think ever made it beyond some Peel sessions, like "Let's Get Married?"
JF London
I had always thought of Punishment of Luxury as a one-album-band, and one of the best. I don't think that anything other than Laughing Academy ever made it to my side of the planet. My friends and I always wondered what ever happened to them after that. We kept listening to that one album over and over for years. They realy deserved better. They were an excellent band!
Steve
Vancouver, Canada
anybody who wants all the albums join kazaa i have them all posted there under albumwrappunilux keep the faith steve(newcastle)
puppet life is still my favourite,after 25 years,still remember seeing the band perform it on tyne-tees television one drunken friday night! mick b. birtley.
NICE TO KOWN THERE ARE STILL FANS OUT THERE, KEEP LISTENING PUNIFOLLOWERS. BY THE WAY I'M STILL FUNKING OUT ON THE BASS. JIMI GIRO
great to see the site back much better than before will the mp3's be back keep it going if i find any pic's i'll send them to you steve (newcastle)
i was stunned to find a punilux site i`ve been a fan since the beginning and never forgot them great to see so many comments great looking site considering how much info is available on the band
excellent site, I thought I was the only person who still remembered them. Ive been trying to find laughing academy on cd or mp3 (can't find newcastle steve's mp3s on kazaa), can anyone else help? I can't play my vinyl copy anymore - ive no turntable! steve(manchester)
Hi all luxers, I was so very, very glad to find this site I nearly teared myself! Laughing Academy is my top album of all time(and all my ex's will verify this - absolutely NO bullshit). Perhaps I heard it/bought it at an impressionable age sure, but regardless, it taught an errant kid some right from wrong and soothed me through the darkest, blackest holes. As a debut album it is certainly peerless and its qualities have permeated my whole being and inspired me (more than any novel has) on many levels. I think I would not have started to play otherwise. One of the only regrets of my entire existence is that I didn't get to any performances but if it ever happens again I would gladly crawl on bleeding stumps to be present. I hereby hex you good and proper PAUL BELLI for not returning my original vinyl of L.A., but feel free to contact me for a reprieve if you see this! If anyone can show me where I can get 'Revolution' and any other stuff on cd I would be grateful even mp3 will do. Kazza? Cheers all. Ed Daniels LONDON age 39 and three quarters.
Punishment of Luxury played Middlesbrough Rock Garden three times between 1979 and 1981 and I was present at all of these gigs. The last one was marred by violence due to an influx of skinheads who kicked the living daylights out of anyone who danced to the band. The first two gigs were magical especially the 'Laughing Academy' tour. Thanks for the memories. Steve (Teesside)
hello this is the best web sight i have seen so far ,as i was a member of the band in the 70s, and i am new to the web hope to hear from you ,liquid les
Ah ha' toyed with the Idea of doing this myself some time back but time is too tight! so glad to see it. I missed my only chance (loch Lomond) by having an exam... being paying ever since. Hope to see the info Grow!
Angus
One of my most prized possessions is a signed vinyl copy of Laughing Academy, in mint condition too. Just the greatest album ever made. Still trying to find it again on CD (i got burgled).
Good to see they still live on in people memories
Ged Great website, cd now permanently in the car. Assume you got the copy L.A lyrics for the German fan ok. Paul
great to see so many people still into the band i loved to watch them live - 13 times in all anybody know what the band members are up to now
Great web site. Saw Punilux a couple of times, first time at the Centre Hotel in Newcastle (supported by Arthur 2 stroke). Lucky enough to win a signed copy of the Laughing Academy LP now almost worn out so I'm trying to get a copy on cd. Second time I saw them was the Tyne Theatre in Newcastle. Both excellent gigs.
Dave
Happy I stumbled across this site... I first saw Punilux at Brunell University in Uxbridge and loved them from then on. I think I've seen them at least a dozen times. I'm curious what the band members are doing now... anyone know?
Punilux..laughing academy is the best album ever released..brian bond the best lyricist and frontman by far..superb live theatre..i saw them live several times..Lincoln..Nottingham..along with 100"s of bands over the years, they are the ones,gods of the stage..superb..thx Martin Jackson.
Fantastic, where did those last albums come from? still playing Laughing Academy after all these years.... Don't let them take me away!!!!!!
great to see a site for punilux best band i ever saw live
Seen punilux quite a lot as I ran around with a band called Bitch who supported for a tour. Anyone got any photos from the tour ? both punilux and Bitch please let us know
Paul Ant
First saw Punilux in York in some dingy little downstairs bar way back in 78/79? Travelled all the way down from Newcastle and I can still remember it clearly as amongst the greatest gigs I went to in those halcyon days. I still love Lauging Academy. Glad someone else has heard 'LET'S GET MARRIED" - A magnificent track. I had it on tape but it got chewed up years ago. I remember the lyrics: "I work for Securicor, I've got a black alsation - and he'll bite your head off, given the least temptation" - or something along those lines - sheer genius. If anyone has a tape of 'LET'S GET MARRIED' can you let me have a copy - you can reach me on M.D.Wilkinson@hull.ac.uk By the way, great to see you're still doin' the bass thang Jimi - do you have any old gig recordings you can share with us all? Cheers Mick W.
oh yes, punishment of luxury were the greatest band ever,anywhere. if i play laughing academy to anyone, they love it. even my daughter loves them and she is 11 weeks old.glad mr giro is still funkin,he got me playing bass 24 years ago.dont regret a minute.some bastard nicked my vinyl copies years ago,but got the cds now,can you wear holes in cds? allan martin(the ukrainians bass player)
Brilliant site mate. Punilux made me what I am today - completely mad. Johnny Alien
I first came across Punilux at the City Hall, Newcastle when they supported Penetration - Neon were third on the bill. Although I was there to see Penetration it was Punilux that stole the show and to this date "Laughing Academy" remains one of my top five albums. An infamous gig as seats were damaged during the gig and Penetration subsequently banned from the City Hall.
I never saw them again until they played the Marquee on Wardour Street (1984 or 85) - I'd moved down there to start my first job (and where I remain to this day). A very thin crowd, a few fans but mainly Japanese tourists. I got backstage to see them and was amazed at how small it was back there. If I remember correctly they were trying to make a comeback - no Bond though - but the comeback they envisaged never materialised.
The rest of the band were not prepared to carry on so Neville got a few folk together to help him in Punilux - a new guitarist Davie Excess - a young Scot who worked in one of the vinyl-record stores on Hanway Place just off Tottenham Court Road. Davie handled fan queries at that time and I remember they were selling the unreleased Gigantic Days tape. Davie had got in touch when I'd written to the Sounds Q&A page with some Punilux info. They also recruited a new bassist called Eddie - I think he came from Hartlepool - and there were a few changes in drummers.
They played around the circuit in London for a year or so and I often met them backstage and even helped with the guitars on a few occasions - I remember being told to be careful with the synth guitar. I remember seeing them in Shepherds Bush; Brentford Red Lion, one of the music pubs in Fulham and also downstairs at the Hammersmith Clarendon (long gone) where the crowd was me, a couple of mates and a few others. Must have been very dispiriting for them. Also took some mates to see them at the Flag in Wembley where again they confused the natives somewhat.
A lot of the "new" material they played - which subsequently turned up on '7' and 'Wartime' - was great live - the band were very tight and one favourite of mine - which may never have been released - had an Egyptian feel to it.
During that time Neville asked if I fancied putting some money towards them recording some new material. Unfortunately as a newly-jobbed person in the big city I had no money to spare. If only the same opportunity arose now…..
The last I saw of Nev was when he performed his audio-visual Alien 'thing' in the Piazza in Covent Garden one Sunday afternoon. I'd just got back from a holiday abroad and managed to rush into town and catch the gig. I remember vaguely the musical clothing thing he had developed and I think he confused the crowd as much as he entertained them. I never got a chance for a word with him afterwards and that was the last I ever saw of him.
The last I heard (from a guy at Overground) he had moved out to Norfolk where he was working as a plumber. And he may also have found God. Quite strange.
My happy memories are tinged with sadness that such a creative band never got the plaudits they deserved at any point during their career.
I'll try and dig out any cuttings etc I have from those days and get them scanned in and sent to Ged.
Ted Blair
I FINALLY FOUND THE ONE GROUP THAT HAD AN IMPACT ON ME IN MY YOUTH. PUPPET LIFE WAS THE SONG AND SEEING THE GROUP LIVE MADE IT ALL THE MORE GREATER. THEY SOUNDED GOOD LIVE. I MUST HAVE SEEN THEM AT NEWCASTLE QUAY SIDE ABOUT 1979 PLUS. THANKS FOR THE GOOD MEMORIES, I WONDER WHAT THE OTHERS ARE DOING NOW. NAMES LIKE MITCH, HORSE, THE TWINS, PATTERSON, DAVE BUNTING, SPARKY, SMITHY ETC. MANY THANKS.
BM WEB SITE: http://brianmiller.batcave.net
so glad i chose to look at this site today, it has cheered me up no end :)
mary @ ocean village xxxxxxxxxx
Great website for a band who never got the recognition they deserved. The first gig I ever saw by any band was Punishment Of Luxury at a college in Derby in February 1979 - very energetic performance with lots of synchronized bouncing around by the band onstage. At the time I lived in the village of Windley,Derbyshire next door to lead singer Brian Bond's brother and family, so I followed their career at the time with great interest and have still got a scrapbook of press cuttings from Sounds, Record Mirror and the NME . I met Brian on several occasions and as well as signing the 'Puppet Life' single ( I've even got a signed birthday greeting from Brian on the 'La Mer' single by Punching Holes',the band he formed when he left Punilux) he gave me a pile of albums by fellow United Artist bands such as the Stranglers and Fischer-Z. It is such a travesty that 'Laughing Academy' wasn't a big commercial success - it is still one of my favourite albums of all time. I am very pleased that judging by the comments in the guest book, a lot of people feel the same way. Best Wishes to all Punilux fans out there.
John Lake
Hey all - just puchased "7" from Gemm.com and the mixes are far superior to the cd re-release. Very solid and bass-heavy on the vinyl, plus the track 'Gasmask' which missed the cut. I saw a few more copies available on there, so go get 'em!!
Michael 7/04
I've just stumbled onto this site. And glad I did. I saw them in Chesterfield at a club called Fusion. A very memorable gig. I'm surprised to see on this site, that they were still releasing records up till so recently, as I hadn't heard anything about them since..ooh... 1980ish. Are they still going? Any gigs coming up?
Nick Raybould, Shropshire
At last there is life out there. Why has no one reissued these albums Laughing Acadamy has taken up so much time on the net trying to track down a copy. My copy of engine of excess is sat in front of me in mint condition (7inch pic sleeve) Jealous?
For those desperate to hear Laughing Academy again or those who have lost their prized possesions over the years...try soulseek..slsk.org.net..unlike kazza no virus or porn ads and if you look hard enough you will find punilux albums,but having said that WHEN will someone like RENASCENT (who did a brilliant job with the Sound back catalogue)ever re-release this brilliant and much missed bands classic albums? answers to your local mp I guess.
hello if u r reading this hello my name is lyndsay quinnin and i am one of brian bonds stuents he has left the life of rock and now has got the life of a lecturor at gateshead colage bla ...
i have contact wif 2 former band members!!!!! Brian Bond and "Liquid Les" (drummer apperently!) MR VJ