Modern Eon were a British post-punk/new wave band, formed in Liverpool in 1978. They released one album, Fiction Tales, on the UK label Dindisc in 1981.
The band, originally called Luglo Slugs, were founded by guitarist/vocalist Alix Plain (real name Alex Johnson) and bassist Danny Hampson, later joined by drummer Dave Hardbattle. The Luglo Slugs lineup recorded "Benched Down/70s Sixties" at Open Eye Studios in Liverpool. Soon after the recording, Hardbattle left. Guitarist Ged Allen and drummer Joey McKechnie joined, and the band eventually decided on the name Modern Eon. The Open Eye recording was released under the name Modern Eon in late 1978 on the compilation album Street to Street: A Liverpool Album.
After one self-released EP, Pieces, released on Eon Records in 1979, they recorded the single "Euthenics" for Inevitable Records in 1980. Allen and McKechnie left the band in 1980, prior to the recording of their debut album, and were replaced by Bob Wakelin (strings, vocals, percussion) and Tim Lever (guitar, saxophone), with Cliff Hewitt (drums) joining shortly thereafter.
In early 1981, a rerecorded version of "Euthenics" was released as a single on Dindisc followed by two more singles, "Child's Play" and "Mechanic". Fiction Tales was released in mid 1981 to lukewarm reviews, citing disappointment at six of the twelve songs on the album already being released as singles or B sides. Later reviews were more positive. After a tour was arranged that year, drummer Hewitt critically injured his wrist, forcing them to go on tour using Hewitt's drum playing on a tape machine. Modern Eon dissolved by the end of 1981 while working on demos for a second album, which was never released.
Lever later played with Dead or Alive, while Hewitt was a member of Apollo 440.
Links to Peel[]
Peel discovered the band in 1979 via the various artists compilation album named Street To Street: A Liverpool Compilation. Further material from the band were played by Peel on his shows including a session they recorded for his programme in 1981. After 1981, when the band split, Peel didn't seem to revisit them on his programmes, according to available tracklistings on this site.
Sessions[]
Modern Eon - Peel Session 1981
1. Recorded: 1981-01-28. First Broadcast: 05 February 1981. Repeated: 23 February 1981
- Real Hymn / Grass Still Grows / High Noon / Mechanic
Other Shows Played[]
- 1979
- 02 August 1979: Benched Down / 70s Sixties (v/a LP - Street To Street: A Liverpool Compilation) Open Eye
- 1980
- 26 February 1980: Second Still (EP - Pieces) Eon
- 03 March 1980: Choreography (EP - Pieces) Eon
- 12 March 1980: Second Still (EP - Pieces) Eon
- 15 March 1980 (BFBS): Special Patrol (7" EP - Pieces) Eon
- 17 March 1980: Choreography (12” EP – Pieces) Eon
- 19 March 1980: Special Patrol (EP) Eon
- 01 April 1980: Choreography (Various Artists LP - Hicks From The Sticks) Rockburgh
- 1981
- 11 January 1981 (BFBS): Euthenics (7") Dindisc
- 14 January 1981: Euthenics (7") Dindisc
- 24 February 1981: Euthenics (7") Dindisc
- 01 March 1981 (BFBS): Euthenics (7") Dindisc
- 02 March 1981: Cardinal Signs (b/w 7" - Euthenics) Dindisc
- 19 March 1981 (BFBS): Euthenics (7") Dindisc
- 11 May 1981: Visionary (7" - Child's Play) (Dindisc)
- 14 May 1981: Child's Play (7") (Dindisc)
- 19 May 1981: Child's Play (7") Dindisc
- 21 May 1981 (BFBS): Child‘s Play (7") Dindisc
- 07 June 1981 (BFBS): Second Still (album - Fiction Tales) Dindisc
- 07 June 1981 (BFBS): The Grass Still Grows (album - Fiction Tales) Dindisc
- 30 July 1981 (BBC World Service): Waiting For The Cavalry (album - Fiction Tales) Dindisc
- 23 August 1981 (BFBS): Mechanic (7") Dindisc