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Blurt

Blurt is an English band founded in 1979 in , , by saxophonist, vocalist, and Ted Milton. The band's sound is unclassifiable, often described as a blend of , , and Dadaist elements, featuring minimalistic riffs, guitar, and alongside Milton's existential spoken-word . Originally including Milton, his brother on , and Pete Creese, the lineup has evolved; as of 2025, it consists of Milton, Steve Eagles, and drummer David Aylward. Associated with in the early 1980s, Blurt has released over a dozen studio albums and maintains a , continuing to tour and record, with the EP ''The Mecanno Giraffe'' issued in 2025.

History

Formation and Early Years (1979–1981)

Blurt was founded in late 1979 in , , by poet, puppeteer, and performance artist Ted Milton, who took up the to create a new outlet for direct audience confrontation after years confined to puppet theatre work. Initially conceived as a and performance project, the band emerged from Milton's frustration with indirect artistic expression, blending spoken-word elements with musical improvisation. Milton, who had published poetry collections such as Mungo in 1963 and contributed to the 1969 anthology Children of , drew on his roots to shape the group's experimental ethos. The initial lineup formed as a with Milton on and vocals, his brother Jake Milton—a former member of the band —on drums, and local arts teacher Peter Creese on guitar. This debut configuration emphasized raw, urgent interplay between improvised lines, driving percussion, and Creese's guitar, often incorporating Milton's poetic spoken-word delivery. Ted Milton has remained the band's creative leader throughout its history. Early performances took place in small UK venues starting in 1980, including the Moonlight Club in for the Factory Records showcase in , the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in June alongside acts like , and clubs such as , No 1 Club in , and Rafters in in August. These gigs highlighted the trio's chaotic, energy, rooted in free-form and influences, with Milton's confrontational poetry adding a performance-art dimension. The band's first recording captured a live set at the Rock Against Junk concert on December 13, 1980, at the Free University in , featuring performances alongside groups like and PVC. This material was released in 1981 as the live album In Berlin on Armageddon Records, marking Blurt's debut and preserving their initial improvised style in a raw, unpolished form.

Factory Records Period and Breakthrough (1980–1982)

In 1980, Blurt became associated with , marking them as the label's first band from south of , after frontman Ted Milton sent a demo tape to label founder , who was impressed enough to include the group on the seminal compilation A Factory Quartet (FACT 24), released that December. This association brought early exposure within the post-punk scene, though it was short-lived; Blurt parted ways with Factory in 1981 amid frustrations over release delays and limited support, opting instead for independent paths. During this period, the band also secured a publishing deal with Blackhill Music, further solidifying their professional footing. The group's debut single, "My Mother Was a Friend of " backed with "Get," emerged in August 1980 as a test pressing, capturing Blurt's signature abstract, stream-of-consciousness delivered by over driving riffs and minimalist rhythms from brothers Jake on and Peter Creese. This release highlighted their unclassifiable sound, blending urgency with improvisational elements, and gained traction through live showcases tied to events, such as the "Factory by Moonlight" gig at London's Moonlight Club in April 1980. Blurt's live activity intensified in 1980–1981, with performances alongside other Factory-associated acts at venues like London's ICA on June 20, 1980, and on August 28, 1980, helping to build a in the underground. A notable support slot came on July 7, 1981, opening for at Myron's Ballroom in during the band's U.S. tour, exposing Blurt to international audiences amid the growing transatlantic punk network. That December, they played the Free University in for a "Rock Against Junk" benefit, joined by acts like , where the performance was recorded for a live album originally slated for Benelux but ultimately released independently as In Berlin on Records in 1981 after the label fallout. Early media recognition arrived via , where Blurt recorded their debut session in September 1980, featuring tracks that showcased their "paranoid jazz-mutant " style—a raw fusion of grooves, mutant , and dystopian lyricism that Peel championed for its edge. This session, broadcast later that year, amplified their visibility and contributed to descriptions of the band as a Dadaist-inflected outlier. The period culminated in Blurt's breakthrough with their self-titled debut studio Blurt, released in May 1982 on Red Flame Records, which distilled their live energy into a cohesive set of seven tracks recorded at Windrush Studios in . Standout songs like "The Ruminant Plinth" exemplified the album's hypnotic, rhythmic , with sparse guitar patterns and propulsive underscoring Milton's poetic intensity, while pieces such as "Empty Vessels" and "Trees" evoked modal, almost North African-inspired grooves. Issued alongside a 12-inch , the album marked Blurt's transition from fringe players to established independents, earning praise for its bold, unorthodox innovation and cementing their reputation in the early scene.

Independent Era and Later Developments (1983–present)

Following their departure from Factory Records in 1981, Blurt transitioned to independent labels, beginning with Armageddon and Red Flame for early post-Factory releases such as the live album In Berlin (1981) and the studio album Blurt (1982). By 1984, the band issued Bullets for You (Divine, 1984) and the live recording Friday the 12th, captured during a performance in Kortrijk, Belgium (Another Side, 1985). This shift marked a period of greater artistic autonomy under Ted Milton's leadership, with the lineup stabilizing around Milton on saxophone and vocals, Steve Eagles on guitar, and various drummers. The band undertook extensive tours across Europe in the mid-1980s, solidifying their cult following through energetic live shows that blended post-punk improvisation with jazz-inflected chaos. Later 1980s output on Toeblock included Poppycock (1986) and Smoke Time (1987), albums that explored increasingly experimental rhythms and Milton's poetic spoken-word delivery. The 1990s brought periods of hiatus for Blurt, with sporadic activity amid lineup changes, including guitarist Chris Vine's tenure from 1990 to 1994 before Eagles' return. occasionally reformed the group for releases like Pagan Strings (1992) on Toeblock, a raw collection emphasizing frenetic lines and minimalist guitar, and Celebrating the Bespoke Cell of (1999). Revival gained momentum in the , highlighted by compilation albums such as The Best of Blurt – Volume 1 – The Fish Needs a Bike (2003) and The Best of Blurt – Volume 2 – The Body That They Built to Fit the Car (2006), which captured the band's enduring punk-jazz hybrid through lo-fi production and live energy. These efforts were supported by independent imprints, allowing Blurt to maintain a niche presence without major-label constraints, though touring remained intermittent. Entering the 2010s, Blurt resumed consistent output with Cut It! (2010) on LTM Recordings, featuring new drummer David Aylward and a renewed focus on groove-oriented tracks. The decade's highlight was Beneath Discordant Skies (2015) on Metadrone Records, an album blending anti-establishment lyrics with angular rhythms, praised for its vitality after years of dormancy. Live performances persisted, including a 2022 show at MS Stubnitz in that showcased the trio's improvisational prowess and cult appeal. In 2024, Blurt released the single "The " on All City Records, a spiky, off-kilter track heralding potential new material with Milton's signature barked vocals and rhythmic bursts. As of 2025, a crowdfunder supports The Last Puppet Show, exploring Milton's life, puppetry roots, and Blurt's anarchic legacy through personal and archival footage.

Musical Style and Influences

Core Characteristics

Blurt's core sound is defined by a minimalist centered on Ted Milton's as the lead instrument, complemented by sparse guitar or lines and driving percussion from a basic , typically lacking to emphasize a raw, improvised intensity. This setup, often featuring just , guitar, and drums, produces a stripped-back, noisy aesthetic that blends frantic energy with restraint, evoking comparisons to pioneers like . The result is a visceral, unpolished propulsion that prioritizes rhythmic power and spontaneous interplay over layered complexity. The band's genre fusion merges post-punk's angular urgency with elements of jazz, funk, and avant-garde experimentation, creating a hybrid often described as jazz-punk-funk or subterranean nonsense funk. Milton's saxophone delivers splintered, screeching figures that intertwine with repetitive guitar phrases and tight, danceable rhythms, fostering an abstract yet accessible chaos influenced by bebop, Chicago blues, and North African music. Lyrically, Milton's contributions draw from his background as a poet and performance artist, delivering surreal, provocative verses in spoken-word bursts—bitter and humorous assaults on societal conventions—that extend his existential fantasies over the instrumentation's manic undercurrents. Production-wise, Blurt embraces a lo-fi, experimental , capturing performances with minimal intervention, such as as-live recordings on basic four-track setups to preserve unfiltered energy akin to . In live settings, this translates to theatricality rooted in Milton's puppeteering , incorporating facial contortions, hamming, and provocative gestures that unsettle audiences and amplify the music's situationist edge. Over time, these traits have evolved while retaining their foundational rawness.

Influences and Evolution

Blurt's sound draws heavily from free jazz pioneers such as and , whose improvisational approaches influenced 's raw, expressive style and the band's emphasis on spontaneous energy. has cited these artists as heroes, shaping Blurt's departure from conventional structures toward chaotic, boundary-pushing performances. Additionally, punk's confrontational attitude permeated the group's ethos, evident in their raw delivery and rejection of commercial norms, aligning with influences like and James Chance's no-wave intensity. Milton's background in 1970s puppetry and performance art further informed Blurt's theatricality, with early shows evoking aggressive, surrealist theatre reminiscent of Alfred Jarry's and Dadaist provocation. This fusion of poetry and music—rooted in Beat poets like and Russian avant-garde figures such as —created a unique sax-poetry tension in the 1980s, where Milton's spoken-word blurts clashed against minimalist rhythms from guitar and drums. The band's early association with placed them alongside post-punk contemporaries like , though Blurt quickly diverged into more abstract, unclassifiable territories. Over time, Blurt's style evolved from the 1980s' stripped-back to incorporate in the 1990s and 2000s, including synthesizers with Herman Martin in 1985 and processing by Sam Britton from 2007 onward, adding layers of sonic experimentation without diluting their core abrasiveness. By the , they returned to raw minimalism, as heard in albums like Cut It! (2010) and Beneath Discordant Skies (2015), which blend hypnotic guitar riffs with subtle tweaks, maintaining the punk-jazz hybrid while emphasizing tight, rhythmic focus. Into the 2020s, Blurt sustained this approach with a series of singles including "Cry" (2023) and "My Mother Was a Friend of " (2024), followed by the EP The Mecanno (2025), demonstrating continued innovation and live performances as of 2025. This shift reflects a refined anarchic energy, often compared to Pere Ubu's intensity or Captain Beefheart's eccentric funk. Critics have hailed Blurt's innovation in circles, with praising their live shows for galvanizing chaos and cult reissues sustaining European interest, though their unyielding abrasiveness limited mainstream appeal. This enduring status underscores their influence on , prioritizing provocation over accessibility.

Band Members

Core and Current Members

Ted Milton founded Blurt in 1979 and has remained the band's central figure and sole constant member ever since, serving as saxophonist, vocalist, and spoken-word on every recording and . Born in 1943, Milton drew from his prior careers as a and artist—crafting puppets from his own torn in the 1970s—to infuse Blurt's music with experimental, improvisational energy and surreal lyricism. As the creative force, he has shaped the band's unclassifiable sound through his leadership, often directing lineups while contributing abstract, rhythmic that blends with his raw lines. Guitarist and synthesist Steve Eagles joined Blurt in 1984, departing in 1989 to form Bang Bang Machine before rejoining in 1997 and continuing as of 2025. Eagles played a pivotal role in defining the band's aesthetic, layering jagged guitar riffs and synth textures over Milton's sax-driven grooves on albums like Bullets for You (1984), and has since anchored recent tours with his versatile, propulsive style. His long-term with has provided sonic continuity amid personnel shifts, emphasizing Blurt's raw, live-wire intensity. Drummer David Aylward has held the rhythm section since 2008 as of 2025, succeeding Bob Leith and delivering a steadfast, driving pulse that underpins the band's post-2010 live outings. Aylward's precise yet dynamic playing—rooted in his prior work with —complements Milton's improvisations and Eagles' guitar work, forming the tight trio backbone essential to Blurt's intimate, high-energy performances. Blurt's core dynamic revolves around Milton's visionary leadership, with rotating support musicians enabling a consistent trio format that prioritizes spontaneity and direct interplay over fixed structures; early drummers like Milton's brother provided initial propulsion before this evolved into the current stable lineup. This approach has sustained the band's output across decades, allowing Milton's poetic and sonic experiments to thrive in fluid, collaborative settings, including recent tours like the Blurt Tour.

Former and Session Members

Blurt's original drummer, Jake Milton, Ted's brother and formerly of the psychedelic prog band , played from the band's formation in 1979 until 1985. He was foundational to the group's early improvised sessions and contributed drums to the live album In (1981) and the compilation (1980). Creese, known as "The Human Loop," was part of the initial lineup from 1979 until around 1985. He featured on the debut single "The Fish Needs a Bike"/"She's So You" (1980), early live shows, and recordings including In (1981) and the self-titled album Blurt (1982). After Jake Milton's departure in 1985, several s filled the role in subsequent years. Nic Murcott (also known as Dominic Murcott) served as an interim starting with The Body Live! (1989, recorded 1988) and continuing through Kenny ' Greatest Hit (Take 2) (1989). Paul Wigens joined as in 1986 for the Poppycock, providing percussion and occasionally across multiple releases through the and early ; he left the band several times for commitments with groups like The Wood Children and Cousteau, departing permanently in 2005. Session and guest contributors have included Charles Hayward of , who played drums for Blurt during a brief stint from May to October 2001 while Wigens was on hiatus.

Discography

Studio Albums

Blurt has released a total of 10 over its career, often through independent and small labels, underscoring the band's commitment to a DIY ethos and distribution across 18 different imprints. The debut album, Blurt, was issued in 1982 by Red Flame Records and features 9 tracks that blend spoken poetry with prominent lines, produced by frontman Ted Milton. Friday the 12th, released in 1985 on Another Side Records, continued the band's experimental sound. Poppycock appeared in 1986 on Fundamental Records, incorporating surreal elements into Blurt's sax-driven style. Smoke Time, issued in 1987 by Pang's, explored improvisational influences across its tracks. Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hit (Take 2) was released in 1989 on Midnight Music, showcasing the band's rhythmic intensity. Later works include The Ears Have Walls (2001, Test Pressings), which explored introspective themes through minimalist production. Most recently, Beneath Discordant Skies (2015, Salamander Records) showcased the band's mature , with Ted Milton's poetry intertwined with atmospheric instrumentation.

Live Albums, Compilations, and Singles

Blurt has released several live albums capturing the band's energetic performances, often highlighting their improvisational post-punk and free jazz style. The debut live recording, In Berlin (1981, Armageddon Records), documents a raw concert from December 13, 1980, at the Free University in Berlin during the Rock Against Junk event; it features eight tracks mixed at The Music Works in London and was initially scheduled for Factory Benelux but released independently after tensions with the label. Other notable live releases include Bullets for You (1984, Divine Records), recorded during European tours, and The Body Live! (1989, Heute Records), which showcases the band's evolving lineup and intensity in a club setting. More recent archival efforts, such as the 2024 live version of My Mother Was a Friend of an Enemy of the People, preserve earlier material with contemporary vigor. Compilations have played a key role in retrospectives of Blurt's early output, aggregating rare tracks and alternate takes to illustrate the band's development. The Factory Recordings (2008, LTM Recordings) collects the four tracks from the 1980 A Factory Quartet compilation alongside the full In Berlin set, digitally remastered to highlight the raw energy of their 1980–1982 Factory era material. Subsequent volumes like The Best of Blurt – Volume 1 – The Fish Needs a Bike (2003, Object Music) and The Best of Blurt – Volume 2 – The Body That They Built to Fit the Car (2006, Object Music) draw from singles and album cuts, emphasizing Ted Milton's poetic lyrics and sax-driven improvisation across two decades. Blurt's singles and EPs often served as entry points for their experimental sound, with several becoming cult favorites. The debut single, "Get" b/w "My Mother Was a Friend of an Enemy of the People" (1980, test pressing), was recorded as-live on four-track equipment and later associated with Factory influences. "The Fish Needs a Bike" b/w "This Is My Royal Wedding Souvenir" (1981, Armageddon Records) followed, capturing the band's satirical edge during their early punk phase. The White Line Fever EP (1984, Another Side Records) marked a shift toward more abrasive, politically charged content amid their independent era. In recent years, "The Meccano Giraffe" (2025, independent release via Bandcamp) exemplifies ongoing evolution, blending groovy bass lines with free-form sax over a non-stop drum beat. Notable unofficial live captures include Blurt's 1980 John Peel session for , which aired tracks like "" and "," providing an intimate glimpse into their live without formal release. These non-studio outputs, totaling around four live , four compilations, six singles, and two EPs, underscore Blurt's emphasis on alternate takes and performance vitality over polished studio work.

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