Action Beat

Action Beat (Southern Records) are an intense semi-improvised noise/no-wave punk ensemble from Bletchley, inspired by early Sonic Youth, The EX, Glenn Branca and other avant guitar ensembles. Based a core of five musicians, but often expanding to as many as fourteen for live shows, a normal gig will have at least three guitarists, a bassist and between one to four drummers, with some shows including saxophone, trumpet and violin. In the wrong hands, such overly-enthusiastic stage overpopulation can lead to muddy indifference - Action Beat, however, concentrate their excess into focused, yet ragged, rock grooves punctuated by bursts of screeching avant-punk noise and evil disco rhythms. Their blistering live shows are a riot of urgent punk energy and frequently descend into chaos (and sometimes semi-nakedness), so its not surprising that they've gained much recognition in the UK and Europe and shared stages with Do Make Say Think, Dälek, Oxes, ZU, Usaisamonster and Bilge Pump.