Culture

The great punk and new wave pics from Wales 1976-1984

22 Aug 2021 2 minute read

The Sex Pistols, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

The Sex Pistols, featuring Glen Matlock (left) Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

The Sex Pistols, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Sex Pistols, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Sex Pistols, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Sex Pistols, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Sex Pistols, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Sex Pistols, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

The Sex Pistols, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Sex Pistols, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Sex Pistols, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Sex Pistols, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

The Sex Pistols, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

The Clash, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Clash, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Clash, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Clash, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Clash, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Clash, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Clash, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Clash, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Clash, Caerphilly, December, 1976 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Clash, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Clash, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Clash, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Clash, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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The Clash, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Siouxsie and the Banshees, Stowaway, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Siouxsie and the Banshees, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978

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Siouxsie and the Banshees, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978

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Siouxsie and the Banshees, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978

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Siouxsie and the Banshees, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978

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Siouxsie and the Banshees, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978

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Siouxsie and the Banshees, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978

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Siouxsie and the Banshees, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978

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Siouxsie and the Banshees, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978

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Siouxsie and the Banshees, Stowaway, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Siouxsie and the Banshees, Stowaway, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Siouxsie and the Banshees, Stowaway, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Siouxsie and the Banshees, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978

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Slits, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Stowaway, Newport, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Stowaway, Newport, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

Slits, Stowaway, Newport, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Stowaway, Newport, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

Slits, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

Slits, Stowaway, Newport, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

Slits, Stowaway, Newport, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Stowaway, Newport, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

Slits, Stowaway, Newport, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Stowaway, Newport, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Stowaway, Newport, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

Slits, Stowaway, Newport, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Stowaway, Newport,1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

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Slits, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1978 (Credit: Dave Smitham)

U2, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1981 (Credit: Martin Briggs)

Classix Nouveaux, Mel’s, Cardiff (credit: Martin Briggs)

Mel’s, Cardiff (Credit: Martin Briggs)

Photographer Martin Briggs with his partner Francis Brown, Mel’s, Cardiff (Credit: Martin Briggs)

Depeche Mode, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1982 (Credit: Martin Briggs)

The Swinging Laurels, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1982 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Eurythmics, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1982 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Simple Minds. Top Rank, Cardiff, 1982 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Simple Minds. Top Rank, Cardiff, 1982 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Simple Minds. Top Rank, Cardiff, 1982 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Simple Minds. Top Rank, Cardiff, 1982 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

A Flock Of Seagulls, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1982 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

A Flock Of Seagulls, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1982 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

A Flock Of Seagulls, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1982 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

A Flock Of Seagulls, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1982 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

A Flock Of Seagulls, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1982 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

A Flock Of Seagulls, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1982 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

The Alarm, New Ocean Club, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

The Alarm, New Ocean Club, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

The Alarm, New Ocean Club, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

A Flock Of Seagulls, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1982 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

The Psychedelic Furs, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1981 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

The Psychedelic Furs, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1981 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

The Psychedelic Furs, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1981 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

The Psychedelic Furs, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1981 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

The Psychedelic Furs, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1981 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

The Psychedelic Furs, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1981 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

The Psychedelic Furs, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1981 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

The Psychedelic Furs, Top Rank, Cardiff, 1981 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Simple Minds. Top Rank, Cardiff, 1982 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Demented Are Go, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Demented Are Go, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Demented Are Go, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Demented Are Go, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Demented Are Go, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Demented Are Go, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Demented Are Go, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Demented Are Go, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Demented Are Go, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Demented Are Go, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Demented Are Go, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Demented Are Go, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Divine, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Divine, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Divine, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

Divine, Nero’s, Cardiff, 1984 (Credit: Martin McCabe)

David Owens

Dave Smitham, Martin Briggs and Martin McCabe all have something in common – they were on hand to document a musical uprising.

The three aspiring photographers were in the audience at some of the most influential and controversial shows in Wales at the time.

From The Sex Pistols infamous gig at Caerphilly’s Castle Cinema in December 1976, to the early days of U2, Depeche Mode and Simple Minds at the Top Rank in Cardiff, their photographs tell a vivid story of a time of huge musical change.

It was a period when Wales, like the rest of the UK, was witnessing the rise of youthful tribes – punks and mods, new romantics and goths, psychobillies and rude boys.

Revolutionary

These tribes populated long lost, but much loved venues of yore like the Top Rank, Mel’s, Nero’s, New Ocean Club in Cardiff and Stowaways in Newport.

All these pictures tell a story – of how the period between 1976 – 1984 – was the most dynamic and revolutionary in the history of music.

The influence of the musicians in these pictures is still keenly felt to this day. Many who were in the audience at these gigs formed their own bands, many transformed the face of clubland, others pushed the boundaries of fashion, many others were key components of the creative arts.

Thanks to the efforts of keen snappers Smitham, Briggs and McCabe, we can revisit a time for action, a time for change, when the kids were alright and youth was on fire.

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