Based in a bleak Northern Town called Bradford, Aki,
Barry and Buzz were originally in band with Ian Astbury called Southern Death
Cult. When Ian split to form Death Cult, they were suddenly left without a
singer. After a nine-month search they were introduced to Bee, who was looking
for a band. After a few months of writing songs and performing shows all over
the UK, Getting the Fear secured a massive record contract with RCA Records.
Elated at time, little did they know that it would mark the beginning of the
end for the band. A few days after band had recorded their first single (Last
Salute) the company’s Managing Director left and took half of the staff with
him. When the single was released the band had no A&R person, no press
person and no TV or radio person to promote it. The only upside was that they
managed to get a photograph of Charlie Manson’s embroidered waistcoat on the
front sleeve without anyone realising; that may seem tame now but at the time
it was unthinkable that a major record company would allow that. Over the next
few months they struggled to deal with a dysfunctional record company and despite
their short lived tenure they recorded two Radio 1 sessions: one for David
Jensen and one for Janice Long.
