Alternative TV

It was the old, old story. Bored bank clerk falls in love with punk rock, writes a few pages about it, Xeroxes a fanzine, sells it at gigs, creates a monster, starts a new fashion. The first issue of Sniffin' Glue featured The Ramones and Blue Öyster Cult; the Punk Reviews page hit The Flamin' Groovies and The Stranglers, and the intro hinted at treats to follow: The Nazz, Roogalator, The Raspberries, and The Count Bishops. There really wasn't much punk around in those days.



The magazine grew with the scene it championed, and for a year, it ruled the British fanzine roost. But the bank clerk, Mark Perry, was sick of writing -- he wanted to step out and be written about himself. His last band, the New Beatles, had done nothing; his next, Alternative Tv, could scarcely do any worse.



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