Biography
Early 1978 marked the formation of the band in Sunderland, England, where they locked in their initial stable roster: Andzy on bass and vocals, Lowery handling vocals, Rab Fae Beith on drums, and guitarist Nick Ward, formerly of Urban Gorillas. Their first release, the single ‘Exchange’ on the Small Wonder label, came next, after which Lowery departed and Keely, ex-Ruefrex, stepped in as replacement. That configuration held from September 1979 through June 1980, during which they added a fifth member, Heed, previously with the Straps. By then the group had issued the Ghetto EP and the album Personal Troubles And Public Issues, both on Fresh Records. Ward and Keely exited as 1980 wound down, leaving the band to continue as a trio. Polydor Records reissued ‘Ghetto’ and paired it with the single ‘Remembrance’, after which the Wall embarked on a nationwide tour supporting Stiff Little Fingers. An album appeared soon afterward, yet friction with the label over artistic direction quickly surfaced. Their subsequent output returned to an independent outlet and included a high-energy reading of the Beatles’ ‘Day Tripper’. Lowery would later appear in Ski Patrol and the Folk Devils.
Singles
