Band from the pubs

Cult punk band Peter and the Test Tube Babies are to play at the Fermain Tavern. Colin Leach caught up with singer and co-founder Peter Bywaters.

MY MEMORY of Peter and the test Tube Babies is a fleeting one.

Their first single, 1982's Banned From the Pubs, was a war-cry for disenfranchised punk youth. It never charted but was a popular single among those into all things punk at the time.

From there on I couldn't tell you any of their other songs, but a bit of research for this article revealed a band that wasn't content to rehash the same three-chord punk format – there was a noticeable change in their sound as the decade wore on.

This and the fact the band have never really stopped touring has garnered them a strong following in the UK, US and Europe. I spoke to lead singer and the band's co-founder, Peter Bywaters who, in his spare time, runs a one-on-one English language course from his Brighton home.

You started Peter and the Test Tube Babies in 1978. Which bands around at that time influenced you the most?

'All the main punk bands, really – The Pistols, The Clash, The Damned. The Clash were probably my favourite because of what they stood for and their songs were great.

Did that annoy you?.

'Well, we're a punk band, I mean you quite easily could've said we were an Oi! band, but we're just a band.'

As the years progressed, your sound changed a fair bit from the early days. Was that a deliberate decision to move away from the punk sound?

'Well, as a musician you've got to change, it's a natural progression.'

What has the reaction been to the band in the US?

As well as gigs in the US and Europe, Peter said the band get asked to play quite a few festivals.

'There's four in Germany alone this year. We just did one about two weeks ago. Last year I had to fly out from a family holiday in Ibiza to play a festival in Berlin then fly back.'

Do you still play Banned From The Pubs?

'Oh yeah, we've gotta do that otherwise the audience would lynch us. Ha!'

Peter said he vaguely recalls coming to Guernsey on holiday, in his early teens with his parents.

'The band are really looking forward to coming to over. After 34 years of being in this band, it's just nice to visit new places.'

* Peter and The Test Tube Babies play the Fermain Tavern on Friday 1 June. Support comes from Insurrection and Of Empires. £10 entry. 7.30pm start.