"This picture of me with my first 'single cut away' Gretsch White Falcon was taken in my room in Clifton Mansions, Brixton, London. It was probably taken by my flatmate "Little Ian" who was the Theatre of Hate merch guy.
It's funny to see all those 1980's things like cassettes, a corking portable TV and the classic 3 bar portable electric fire! Boy that was "luxury" living!
Check out my home made "Chinese Rocks" t-shirt (I used bleach) featuring the logo off a promo sticker Johnny Thunders had on his yellow Les Paul TV Junior. Also there's no wardrobe, just all my clothes hung up on rails... that's all I had at that time... some tiger stripe cammo and loads of Levis etc... shows my fashion taste hasn't changed much since then ;)
By the looks of my haircut (grown out, black flat top) this might be right before Death Cult was formed as by the time of the first "official" shots (me in a short 'Theatre' grey RAF jacket, white sox, dm shoes and Ian in a long coat with bandanna over his face) I had a mohawk.
Around the time of this photo I very nearly formed a band with Abbo from UK Decay (it eventually became his band 'Furyo'). I'd been working on the riff that became 'Brothers Grimm' with Abbo the week before Ian's brother Brian came down from Bradford to stay in the flat... it was all a friendly post punk positive community at the time we all kinda helped each other and hung out. While Brian was staying he asked me what I was up to as his brother Ian wanted to know... the rest is history as they say :0)
This photo is great as it shows the actual spot me and Ian formed the band and wrote the first Death Cult EP songs (I think 'Brothers Grimm' was first one)."
Billy - June 2015