(1982 – 1987) The Beginning
It was the Indian summer of 1982 and two outstanding eccentric young characters were possessed by the dream of transforming their juvenile energy into songwriting, having a band.
Out there a new sound was raging thru the music scene and Punk died a long time ago in England, but was still undead in the middle of Europe.
New Wave has reached the top of its popularity and especially some Synthiepopbands climbed the charts in a worldwide success, some others changed their sound and became more melodic, influenced by classic Rock and other kinds of styles like Folk or even Reggae or whatever. Music has never been more creative then in these days.
Stepps Hartmann and Clarke felt well in this world of new sounds and images, while the other guys of their age desperately searching for the sound of the Stones, T:I:C: chose “PUNK” as their stairway to making music.
From the bottom of their bones, these guys were Punks thru and thru, their nonconformity was in everything they have done, yes even their clothes seemed to be so strange, that even the last few punks who had known them were astonished and displeasured.
Punk was simple, easy…but soon they discovered what would be their handicap to get the recognition of the scene:
They were not BAD enough!!!
And indeed, they found more affinity and inspiration in Bands like Kraftwerk, Police, Roxy Music etc. than in the "Damned" or the “Broken Bones” and also other styles found their interests such as Reggae, Country, Rock and even Classics what was a Fauxpas in those days of black dressed wavers.
But their demand on making sound and songs was even at this time a totally different one; they wanted to write their own songs and to instrumentalize them with anything they would find.
The Lyrics should have been more to say than just:
“No future – No chance – Fuck them all!!!”
As fans of Monty Python they knew that the thing they were planning was a pure
“Terryfying Immaculate Chaos”
T:I:C