Video link:  http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=39729696

Blind Justice formed in 1988, with myself (Gus) (vocals), Grant (guitars), Gavin (drums) and Jolly (bass). Immediately we began writing our own material, together with a handful of cover versions (mostly from the Ramones). We played a few gigs and recorded our first demo tape, titled "Rock'n'Roll Vermin" with this line up. Jolly parted company in 1989, joining fellow Merthyr punk band Foreign Legion. Wolfie joined on bass for a while but was replaced by ex-Foreign legion bassist, Eggy, for our second recording session in 1990, titled "Into The 90s". This line-up was stable for the duration of the band's lifespan, until sometime in 1994 when the band ceased.

There was a 7" and an album deal with Full Circle agreed and then announced in Maximum Rock'N'Roll through an interview with Andy Turner Full Circle. Unluckily for Blind Justice Full Circle closed down just as we were about to be launched. A couple of other independent record companies were also in discussion with BJ at this time but didn't materialise for one reason or another. This was probably the turning point - the beginning of the end for the band: I'd (Gus) just started college in England, making rehearsals almost impossible. 1991's song "X Ray Vision" did however appear on the Boss Tuneage Records compilation LP (Vinyl), "Floor 81". Other bands on the LP included Sink, Exit Condition, Wat Tyler, Love Junk, Sleep and Trench Fever.

Following the first two cassettes with Jolly on bass, Blind Justice recorded four further sessions, with Eggy on bass. The first two in 1991 combined to make the "Self Injustice" cassette, another in 1993 making the cassette titled "43" and a final one song demo, which would later help to make up a Blind Justice compilation cassette on Poland's "Demonstracja Tapes", titled "9193". ("43" refers to the 4th cassette release as BJ and the 3rd as that lineup. "9193" refers to the recording years 1991 and 1993).

Blind Justice played gigs across Wales and England, with a short mini Irish tour in 1992. We supported bands including: UK Subs, Joyce McKinney Experience, The Abs, Thatcher On Acid, Wat Tyler, Cowboy Killers and many others, together with our own headline shows.

There were numerous fanzine articles and interviews with or about BJ, and independent distributors, spreading the music and name, from across the world (predominantly Europe, with some in USA, South Africa and other places too), including: Suspect Device (UK), Vision On (UK), Pogo Post (Germany), Zips and Chains (Italy/Yugoslavia), Puke (South Africa), Crude (USA), Crud (UK), Little Green Man Music (UK), Demonstracja (Poland) plus many, many more.

We made loads of friends across the world and had a great time. Today Gavin, Jolly, myself (Gus) and Grant have their own My Space pages (Jolly still plays for Foreign Legion). Eggy is happily married over the mountain in Aberdare, Grant now lives in New Zealand and Gus is an artist (visit mgpayne.com). All the band are still good friends.

All the recordings are demo tapes, rather than highly polished official releases, which perhaps catches our live sound better than if we'd spent months in the studio. I think the total hours we ever spent in a studio must add up to less than a week - including the two first demo tapes (7 songs making a grand total of 17 songs in under a week). The first two demo tapes only exist as regular cassette tapes. No MP3s!

Adios amigos - Hwyl fawr i chi.

Gus

I'd like to think that we were our own influence but I guess that's a little naive, like most other bands, we would probably never have started if it wasn't for the other music we liked at the time:

Gus - Ramones, Dead Kennedys, Subhumans (UK), Descendents, Dag Nasty, Scream, Nomeansno etc.

Grant - Ramones, Metallica, Joe Satriani, Vandals, NoFX, Blondie, Midnight Oil, Rollins Band etc.

Gavin - Ramones, Metallica, Nirvana, Misfits, Guns'N'Roses, REM etc.

Eggy - Bad Religion, 7 Seconds, Minor Threat, Misfits, Dr and the Crippens, Extreme Noise Terror, Fugazi, Black Flag etc.

Jolly - Ramones, Dead Kennedys, Slayer, Public Enemy, Rollins Band, Guns'N'Roses etc.