Mark Perry of Alternative TV performing at CBGB, NYC on 22 October 2003

Mark Perry is a British writer and musician, and former

fanzine A fanzine (blend word, blend of ''fan (person), fan'' and ''magazine'' or ''-zine'') is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by fan (person), enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) ...

publisher. Perry was a bank clerk when, inspired by

The Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...

, he founded the

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

Sniffin' Glue ''Sniffin' Glue and Other Rock 'N' Roll Habits...'', widely known as simply ''Sniffin' Glue'', was a monthly punk zine started by Mark Perry in July 1976 and released for about a year. The name is derived from a Ramones song " Now I Wanna Sniff ...

(And Other Rock 'n' Roll Habits)'' in 1976. Publication ceased in August 1977 when he founded the band

Alternative TV Alternative TV (sometimes known as ATV) are an English band formed in London in 1977. Author Steve Taylor writes: "Alternative TV pioneered reggae rhythms in punk and then moved on to redefine the musical rules". History Alternative TV were fo ...

.Perry, Mark. ''Sniffin' Glue: The Essential Punk Accessory''. Ed. Terry Rawlings. London: Sanctuary House, 2000.

Alternative TV

''ATV'' released their first single "Love Lies Limp" as a flexi disc given away free with Sniffin' Glue 12 in 1977.Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 5 They then released the following singles on Deptford Fun City records: "How Much Longer / You Bastard (1977)", "Life After Life / Life After Dub (1978)" and "Action Time Vision / Another Coke (1978)". Alex Fergusson left the band due to "musical differences" prior to the band releasing their first album, ''The Image Has Cracked'' (1978). There were two further singles:- "The Force Is Blind" / "Lost in Room" (1979) and "Love Lies Limp" / "Life" (1979) - a posthumous release. They released a further LP:- ''Vibing Up the Senile Man'' (1979). Reformed versions of the group (with Perry as the only constant) have released numerous singles, EPs and albums since the early 1990s.

Solo

In 1980, he released a solo LP, ''Snappy Turns'', on the Deptford Fun City label, preceded by the "Whole World's Down on Me" 7", a cover of a

Ken Boothe Kenneth George Boothe OD (born 22 March 1948) is a Jamaican vocalist known for his distinctive vibrato and timbre. Boothe achieved an international reputation as one of Jamaica's finest vocalists through a series of crossover hits that appeal ...

track. Another 7", "You Cry Your Tears", a collaboration with Dennis Burns, was released on the NB label in 1980. Perry went on to perform with

The Good Missionaries Alternative TV (sometimes known as ATV) are an English band formed in London in 1977. Author Steve Taylor writes: "Alternative TV pioneered reggae rhythms in punk rock, punk and then moved on to redefine the musical rules". History Alternative ...

, The Reflections, and The Door and the Window. In the 1990s, he was involved with Baby Ice Dog. Alternative TV have played occasional gigs in recent years, both in the United Kingdom and the United States.

References

Year of birth missing (living people) Living people English male singers English punk rock singers Cassette culture 1970s–1990s {{UK-musician-stub