Emerging from Edinburghs fiercely creative post punk underground in 1980, Fini Tribe were never a conventional band. Formed by teenagers still in school, the group quickly evolved into a six member collective featuring Chris Connelly, Simon McGlynn, Andy McGregor, Davie Miller, Philip Pinsky, and John Vick. Their journey from experimental outsiders to a groundbreaking dance driven force is captured throughout The Sheer Action Of Fini Tribe: 1982-1987, released through Shipwrecked Industries.
Across three discs of singles, EP tracks, BBC sessions, and unreleased live recordings, the collection documents a band constantly reshaping itself. Recorded in spaces across Edinburgh and London, including Calton Studios and BBC Maida Vale, the music reflects the citys thriving arts culture and the bands fascination with film, literature, and avant garde sound.
Early tracks reveal the influence of Wire, Can, Throbbing Gristle, and Captain Beefheart, yet Fini Tribe always sounded distinct. Songs like Curling Theme and All Fours fuse clipped guitars, detached vocals, and repetitive rhythms into something cold, hypnotic, and cinematic.
The legendary John Peel sessions remain a major highlight. Produced by Dale Griffin and first aired in 1985, these recordings strip the music to its essentials while preserving all of the bands urgency and intensity. The performances sound leaner, sharper, and more immediate than the studio versions, proving how powerful Fini Tribe could be without heavy production.
That evolution becomes even clearer on tracks like Detestimony and the bands explosive take on Can s I Want More. By the mid 1980s, Fini Tribe had transformed into a full scale audiovisual assault, blending industrial rhythms, sampling, and performance art energy into something years ahead of its time. The 1986 Let The Tribe Grow EP remains a defining statement, balancing dancefloor momentum with tension and chaos.
The live recordings underline how unpredictable the band could be onstage. Songs become louder, harsher, and more physical in performance, revealing why Fini Tribe developed a reputation for intense and chaotic shows in Glasgow, London, and beyond.
This era eventually closed following releases on Wax Trax! Records and Chris Connellys move to Chicago, where he later joined Revolting Cocks and Ministry. Yet The Sheer Action Of Fini Tribe: 1982-1987 makes clear that the bands influence reached far beyond their commercial profile.
More than a retrospective, this collection captures a moment when young musicians armed with tape machines, radical influences, and limitless imagination pushed post punk into bold new territory. Decades later, these recordings still sound daring, disorienting, and completely alive.
CREDITS
Produced by Fini Tribe, John McVay, Dale Griffin, John Vick
Mixed by Fini Tribe, Paul Barker, John Vick
Engineered by Peter Haigh, Chic Medley, John Vick, Trigger, Mike Engles, Wilf Smarties, Rock Hardware
Recorded at Wilfs Planet, Edinburgh
Pier House, Edinburgh
Demo & rehearsal recordings made at Niddry Street Rehearsal Rooms, Edinburgh with overdubs at various band members flats around Edinburgh
Live recordings made at Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh, 15 December 1983
Live recordings made at Calton Studios, Edinburgh, 27 May 1987
Location recordings made at Monimail, Fife, Scotland
Southern Studios, London
BBC Studios, Maida Vale, London, 12 May 1985
Mastered by James Scott, Populist Recording & Mastering
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
