Trash formed in October 1976 by students at the Food Technology College in St George’s Hill, Weybridge. As singer Simon Wright says in his sleevenotes, “The food technologists would have been a great name for a band,” but they went for Trash “partly because of the New York Dolls song, but possibly because we thought it would put us beyond further criticism.” How wrong they were.
Trash discovered punk when Wright and Jane Wimble, who shared lead vocals in the early days, caught the Pistols playing one of their infamous “unannounced” support slots at one of their college dances – and the die was cast. John Peel’s manager, Weybridge resident Clive Selwood, secured the band a deal with Polydor, and the label released Priorities in November 1977. N-N-E-R-V-O-U-S, produced by Shel Talmy, followed in June 1978, but when neither single sold (despite airplay from a “gerrymandered” John Peel), Polydor dropped them.
It was a shame, as Trash’s combination of punk, pub-rock and NY sleaze deserved a better crack of the whip. Rescued from the bin, this collects both singles, previously unreleased studio and live tracks, and a 1977 interview on Radio 210.
