Nikki Sudden
Following the dissolution of premier UK art punk band Swell Maps, former lead singer and driving force Sudden joined the Abstract label to release WAITING ON EGYPT. He had continued to make music erratically before this. Among these recordings were sessions with Another Pretty Face (later Mike Scott's Waterboys) in Christmas 1980. His first solo single was Back To The Start on Rather Records, before the release of Channel Steamer which would form part of the debut album. He was pleased with the results: ‘Nearly everyone I know thinks it's the best thing I've ever done and I must admit when I listen to it I get a pleasant surprise’. Also included were Forest Fire and New York, both unreleased Swell Maps songs. Sudden also wrote for several music magazines including the later issues of ZIG ZAG. The nucleus of musicians that he employed included Scott (guitar), Steve Burgess (bass), Anthony Thistlethwaite (saxophone) and Empire (ex- TV Personalities) on drums. His most recent album, THE JEWEL THIEF, saw him work with his long-time fans, R.E.M..