Medway scene is a term denoting bands and related cultural activities in the Medway Towns, north Kent, England. Main towns involved (from West to East) are Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, and Rainham.
Of Medway musicians, the best known is Billy Childish (from Chatham) who formed punk band The Pop Rivets in the late 1970s, and later formed Thee Milkshakes, Thee Mighty Caesars, Thee Headcoats, The Buff Medways, The Musicians of the British Empire and The Chatham Singers, among others. His inspiration has led to many other bands forming who now have a worldwide cult following. Other acclaimed bands have included The Prisoners, The Dentists, The Claim and Thee Headcoatees. The music often draws heavily on the tradition of garage/punk/rock'n roll/raw-blues-music from the 1950s and 1960s, hence references to the "Medway Delta". Records have been released on Big Beat, Media Burn and other small indie labels, as well as Childish's own Hangman Records and Hangman's Daughter, and latterly Damaged Goods Records. There has also been an accompanying, though not so well known, poetry scene, started by The Medway Poets in the late 1970s; Childish was a member of this group. There is also a crossover into art with the Stuckists art group.
Bands
This list is incomplete
AntmonkeyAllfatherAll Flags BurnAll the FleshAlvin PurpleThe AmbienceAndy PandysArchie Wah WahsArctic StarArmitage ShanksThe AccursedAscend To GloryAudrey, Start The RevolutionAuntie VegetableAvokanBad TaxidermyBalance LostThe Baron Von MarlonBear vs ManeroBela Lugosi BluesBetween the EyesBlack Light BrigadeBlack Lion CourtiersBlind Lemon PieBluevoidBonsai ReservoirBrahma BumsThe BresslawsBrigadier AmbroseBring The RuckusThe BristolsBroken BanjoThe Buff MedwaysCalling NovaCakewalkcapitalHCarpetburnCarCrashTelevisionCerulean EchoesCherubsChevougeThe Chatham SingersBilly Childish and the BlackhandsThe ClaimThe Clockwork SpidersCongressCracked ActorsLupen CrookCrustaceans (The)Crybaby SpecialCrystal Tips & AlastairCTMFThee Cuss WordsThe DaggermenGraham Day and the ForefathersGraham Day and the GaolersDeath Awaits UsThe DeccasThe DelmonasThe DentistsDirtie BertieDirty VibesThe DiscordsDoubtThe Drunken PopesDumb AngelThe Earls of SuaveThe EffectivesEleusiaEnvyExoskeletonsFeed the RhinoFive Days TimeFloreatThe FlowingThe Flying IsaacsFortune WestFrau PouchFrom Fags To NiggersGalileo 7The GermansGet RektGinGodsendsG-PidGroovy UncleThe Godless RedsThe HamelinsThee HeadcoateesThee HeadcoatsHeaven SentThe HerbsThe Hiding PlaceHold Your FireHoudiniJack GedgeThe James Taylor QuartetJosh CarsonJack Ketch and the CrowmenKid HarpoonKILL RPNZLLen Bright ComboThe Len Price 3Let Our Enemies BewareThe Long WeekendThe LovedaysThe Love FamilyThe MasonicsMen from MemphismexicoFALLZThee Mighty CaesarsThe MilkshakesMillions of BraziliansThe MindreadersSexton MingThe Musicians of the British EmpireNakedNear RuinNeeds MustThe NewNiltonesNine Days to No OneNutty GigThe OffbeatsOne Day ElliotThe Only SunOn Margate SandsOubliette
The ObjectorsPaperfriendPetburgerPettsPhineas FoggPity PartyPlanet MushroomPoint IVThe Pop RivetsPower in MotionThe PressureThe Prime MoversThe PrisonersThe ProductPunching SwansPure JoyPunyfishProfessional Biscuit ThiefQuad RiotThe Reg Varney TrioRobert UnderwaterRocking Richard and Whistling Vic TemplarThe RoundRacket BoyzSaracenSaturday SunsetScience NoodlesSecond SunSergeants' MessThe ShagmonroesSilence RemainsThe Singing LoinsSlavesThe SolarflaresThe SpangalitosSparrowsThee Spartan DreggsSpyder ByteStabilisersStringerThe StormkingsStory BooksThe StrookasSwinging TimeSworn to SecrecyThe SyndromesTape ErrorThat Massive BereavementThe Bluesmothers with Seven String LesTheatre RoyalThese Guilty MenTimmy TremoloThings That BlinkThe Men With The Golden GonadsThePARADETogether, We FightTollervey and the TerminatorsThe TourThe TrainsetTake A StandUnderground HeroesUnivited GuestsUnknown ImpulseUpCDownCLeftCRightCABC+StartThe VandebiltsThe Vermin PoetsVlksWhiteDevilWhiteDevilWiremotherThe WildWipeoutWooden DogsYe Ascoynes D'AscoynesBilly ChildishHolly GolightlyWolf HowardStuart TurnerDan MelchiorBen JonesGraham DayV/A - Medway Powerhouse, Vol One (LP) Hangman, 1987V/A - Medway Powerhouse, Vol Two (LP) Hangman, 1987V/A - Medway Powerhouse, Vol Three (LP) Hangman, 1988V/A - Medway Powerhouse, Vol Four (LP) Hangman, 1989