Our old website had been in existence and hardly changed for many, many years!  Hopefully you will find this version more user friendly and better looking with more interesting pictures and content.

Feel free to comment or ask questions. Cheers!

We are all very sad at the recent passing of the incredible David Bowie. He had a great influence on all in the band and on our music. We loved him and will miss him greatly.

In commemoration we are listening a lot to our version of ‘Hang On To Yorself’ that we loved to play, often in closing our show.

‘Love on ya’ David !

 

 

RADIO ONE’S Andy Kershaw turned record-plugger after being seduced by the current, infectious 45 by Edinburgh five-piece AV0-8. Falling for its resounding fusion of the Darling Buds and Girls At Our Best, Kershaw spun ‘IsThisThe End’ on his show and then offered to take copies round to Radio One’s daytime DJs.

Simon Mayo and Steve Wnght both played the single and John Peel has been on the case too. “We thought it might be more prestigious to be played by Peel,” says vocalist Jan Hastie.’ But then I thought of my poor old mum waiting to hear it and having to listen to Extreme Noise Terror! At least Kershaw plays some nice things.”

‘Is This The End’ on the band’s Avo label (through Fast Forward), is a bristling, bobbling pop song, laced with rich vocals and a sharp hookline. After three years with the present line-up (Jan, Steve Hastie-guitar, George Glen- bass, Claire Gourlay- vocals and Kenny Gourlay – drums), it’s a pointer to the band’s punchiness which has also earned them a Kershaw session.

But just what exactly is an Avo-8? “Well if anyone asks, we’re telling them it’s a cocktail,” replies Jan, a hint of skullduggery in the air. “We’re saying it’s a mixture of advocat, vodka and orange juice with eight pieces of Ice.

“But really it’s an electric meter that measures volts and ohms- only we don’t want people to know that because AVO is a trade name and we might get sued!”

Steve Lamacq

New Musical Express – Thrills – 2 July, 1988

 

Big Car  7″ & 12″ Single  Feb 1989  © Cherry Red Records  Cherry 102
Recorded at Pier House Studios, Edinburgh
Produced by AVO-8   Engineered by Ian K. Beveridge

GONE WRONG 7″ Single  1980  –  Stroppo Records Strop 1
Recorded at Palladium Studios, Edinburgh
Produced by AVO-8 Engineered by Jon Turner

 

Out Of My Mind –  7″ & 12″ Single – Jan 1990 – © Cherry Red Records – Cherry 102
Recorded at Pier House Studios, Edinburgh
Produced by AVO-8   Engineered by Ian K. Beveridge

The uncrowned kings of cutie rock in one of their past lives, AVO-8 have reformulated their ’60s/punk mix and moved out of the playpen onto the Steve Wright show with their snappy ‘Is This The End’ 45.

The band’s name is old enough to have mastered long division, but the current line-up dates back around two years. The power chords have been turned up a notch, but are sweetened by the twin girly vocals and feisty dancing of Jan and Claire.

As time-served rockers, the guys are now unfashionably capable musicians, though to their credit this is evident more in the absence of breakdowns than outbursts of exhibitionism. It’s slick, good-humoured stuff, though there are the usual nagging doubts about originality. Still, if the Primitives are Blondie, by the same quantum leap of imagination are the new Rezillos.

Alastair McKay

New Musical Express 28 May 1988