Tools You Can Trust



Tools You Can Trust were an industrial/experimental band creating music from a mixture of drums and metal percussion, with only minimal use of guitars, and strongly politicised lyrics. They came from the Hulme district of Manchester and essentially comprised the duo of Ben Stedman (drums, tapes), Rob Ward (vocals, percussion, tapes), with other members coming and going throughout their career. They released two albums and recorded three Peel sessions.

(Read more at Discogs.)

Links to Peel


In December 1984, Tools You Can Trust were the subject of a short feature on Old Grey Whistle Test about the making of the band's third Peel session. In the film, Peel described how bands were selected for sessions on his programme:

"“Tools You Can Trust we chose because they'd made an excellent debut single and on the first couple of sessions they recorded Duane Eddy numbers for us – and as far as I'm concerned, anybody who does a Duane Eddy number is just about fine.”"

As noted by Peel on 24 November 1990, the national TV exposure failed to help the band's subsequent career. Despite releasing two albums, the second in 1986, they failed to achieve a significant breakthrough and their third Peel session was to be their last.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * 1983 Festive Fifty: Working And Shopping #34

Sessions
Three sessions. Released in full on Peel Sessions 1983-1984, limited edition cassette, unknown date (Tools You Can Trust TYCT-000). Five session tracks available on Working And Shopping, LP, 2015 (Burka For Everybody B.F.E.29). 'Working And Shopping' from #1 on Various Artists: Manchester- So Much to Answer For, CD, 1990 (Strange Fruit, SFRCD 202).

1. Recorded 1983-10-08. First broadcast 12 October 1983. Repeated 29 February 1984.
 * The Feud / Working And Shopping / Show Your Teeth / Houses And Tools

2. Recorded 1984-03-21. First broadcast 11 April 1984.
 * Ranters And Preachers / Messy Body Thrust / Cut A New Seam / Blowin' Up A Storm

3. Recorded 1984-11-27. First broadcast 27 November 1984. Repeated 15 January 1985.
 * A Knock For The Young / Crammed Down The Throat / Shazam / Sign Of The Swinging Lightbulb

Other Shows Played

 * 1983
 * 13 September 1983: Working And Shopping (7") Red Energy Dynamo (JP: "Well they may not have a team that's capable of winning the title, but Manchester's certainly coming up with the bands at the moment.")
 * 13 September 1983: The Work Ahead Of Us (b-side of the previous 7") Red Energy Dynamo
 * 22 September 1983: Working And Shopping (7") Red Energy Dynamo
 * 22 December 1983: Working And Shopping (7")' Red Energy Dynamo FF#34


 * 1984


 * 26 April 1984: Show Your Teeth (7") Red Energy Dynamo
 * 25 September 1984: Cut A New Seam (single) Red Energy Dynamo


 * 1985


 * 30 July 1985: The Work Ahead Of Us (LP – Yet More Proof) Red Energy Dynamo


 * 1986
 * 16 October 1986 (BFBS): Messy Body Thrust (LP-Sharpen The Tools) Red Energy Dynamo
 * 19 November 1986: A Blaze Of Shame (album - Again Again Again) Red Dynamo Energy


 * 1990
 * 24 November 1990: Working And Shopping (v/a album - Manchester, So Much To Answer For) Strange Fruit
 * 31 August 2000: Working And Shopping' (7" Single) Red Energy

Links

 * Discogs
 * anglefire.com