M1-45 Mark Perry
M1-45 Talking World War III Blues
Mark Perry aka Mark P, one of the most political and activist of the punks. A concert by him and his band Alternative TV was much more than just another a punk/reggae thrash, it was a call to arms, a challenge, a rally.
I just checked this website and found that ATV only played 3 times at the punk haven, the Roxy in Covent Garden (apparently – I could have sworn I’d seen them there more often; maybe it’s just the power of their performances that still ring loud in my memory). Each time they played the Roxy (it says), they were opening for Wayne County (now Jayne County) and the Electric Chairs, with whom I played briefly, though not at these three shows (June 23 & 30, July 1, 1977). So, thanks to my friendship with Wayne and the Chairs, I discovered Mark’s unique punk style.
ATV gigs often began with him literally standing on a soapbox and berating the crowd like it was Speaker’s Corner, telling them to stop blindly following fashion, no matter how cool it currently was, and find their own bloody thing to do. Which was fair enough. And I’d bet a good percentage of those who attended Roxy gigs DID start their own band or organic farm or T-shirt shop or dub project or something.
Mark’s own bloody thing was a hand-written, photocopied punk magazine called Sniffin’ Glue. As grass roots as it gets, it covered the rise of punk, from the inside, and is now considered to be as valuable as something like the lost sea scrolls of the movement. I don’t know if he named it in the same way I named my indie label, Pipe Records at that time (I was smoking a pipe while thinking of a name). Its full name was “Sniffin’ Glue + Other Rock’n’Roll Habits for Punks!” It lasted just over a year: 12 issues from July ’76 to August ’77. Circulation started at 50 and quickly rose to 15,000. Not bad! 
Currently a full original set of Sniffin’ Glue can be had for a mere £13,000. More than one paperback book version was published in 2000 and later, with additional texts by Perry. These can be had for a mere £50 to £200. The full display of these rare (only 14 items on sale worldwide, today) jewel-like items is here. I do hope Mark gets to benefit from these fantastic prices, but he may be like so many painters, who continue to scratch a living while canny galleries and dealers make big bucks.
In their first two years of existence, ATV made two studio albums, two live albums and six singles. Great work ethic!
For me their best song was the single Action Time Vision. Just the title made me sit up and pay attention – as does Mark’s strong, direct portrait in this video. It has the urgency of other songs (e.g. by The Ramones or Jonathan Richman) that are belted out basically on one repeated note (in this case with some pretty nifty harmonies behind – how not-punk is that?). To me the lyrics are a statement of intent, a short, sharp manifesto: ACTION needs to happen; the TIME is now, and if you don’t have VISION then you’re just a bunch of pogoing tossers.
Action, Time and Vision • Action, Time and Vision
ATV equals three points in time
A equals action
T equals time
V equals vision and the four minds crack
In ATV, V, V, V, V
Action, Time and Vision • Action, Time and Vision
The chords and notes don’t mean a thing
Listen to the rhythm, listen to us sing
We’re in action and the four minds crack
In ATV
Action, Time and Vision • Action, Time and Vision
Everything’s as clear as time
See the movement, see the mime
We’re in vision and the four minds crack
In ATV, V, V, V, V, V
Action, Time and Vision • Action, Time and Vision
Mark’s choice of song for his miniature dates back to 1963. It’s probably unlikely in the 70’s that he saw this video of Dylan singing it on a folk TV show. The song appeared on Dylan’s 2nd album “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan” – his first album to be comprised mainly of original songs rather than covers.
Based on the “Talkin'” style of improvised songwriting developed by Woody Guthrie, it was created by Dylan in the studio, and after five takes, he nailed it. Its almost humourous mood belies the anti-nuclear sentiments in the lyrics.
During the same sessions Dylan also created “Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues”, “Talking Hava Negilah Blues”, and “Talking Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues”, none of which saw the light of day until they were issued on the “Bootleg” album series in 1991.
Over 40 years on, Mark keeps the flame alive, having released numerous solo recordings and performed with The Good Missionaries, The Reflections, The Door and the Window, Baby Ice Dog, and others. Alternative TV have played occasional gigs in recent years, both in the UK and USA. Mark’s Facebook page seems to be issuing plenty of news, so stay in touch!
Coming up: Count Michael.
