‘Four Walls Falling’ was a political (SxE) HC band from Richmond, Virginia. The day of this concert Françoise ‘Hazel’ Lepers (together with Kurt & David, her fellow band-members in ‘Shortsight’ at that time) interviewed them in a rehearsal-room of the V.V.
Taylor Steele (vocals) was on tour with his brother Robert ‘Bo’ Steele (guitar), John Peters (guitar), William ‘Bill’ Thideman (bass; Greta Brinkman, one of their first bassplayers, didn’t tour with ‘4WF’ in Europe but DID tour with ‘That’s It’) and Tommy Anthony (temporary drummer, was in ‘Ipecac’; replacing Jared Srsic). By this time they’d done 3 7”s: a self-tiled one on Axtion Packed recs (89), Burn It / Happy Face / Temple on Redemption recs (92) and an European release on Understand recs (1993); and the Culture Shock LP on Jade Tree (91).
The day before my pal Joeri H. had already organised a concert in Brugge (@ De Kelk) for them, together with ‘Sofa Head’ (UK), ‘Blindfold’, ‘Feeding The Fire’, ‘Nations On Fire’ & ‘Glue’ (UK). ‘Four Walls Falling’ played last … After the second song they were forced to stop playing because people were complaining…
‘Four Walls Falling’ pics provided by Bill Thidemann (2nd pic, on the left, at the window: Ian Simpson – Subjugation recs, René Natzel & Roger ‘F.T.F.’ enjoying the show)
In front of the old Vort’n Vis (Kiekenmarkt 7, Ieper/Ypres): guitarist John Peters & Willy the driver.
This was a few months after the ‘Shortsight’/’Blindfold’ summer-tour (mostly Germany) and a couple of months before ‘Shortsight’ made a little trip to Spain for some gigs during the X-mas holidays. Françoise ‘Hazel’ Lepers (guitar) was still in the band; together with David (guitar), Kurt Deprez (bass), Björn Lescouhier (drums) and Saskia Verbeke (vocals). See also 91-10-12, 91-12-21, 92-06-27, 92-09-05, 92-10-10, 93-02-21, etc.
‘Blindfold’s original line-up would record (Cats studio) for the split-7” with ‘Encounter’ the next month. Hans released it on SoberMind recs. A similar trajectory through the V.V.’s history: 91-12-21, 91-12-31, 92-02-22, 92-03-29, 92-08-09, 92-09-05, 92-10-10, 93-02-21, etc.
Some stuff on the ‘Shortdight/Blindfold’ summer-tour here…
The line-up of ‘Dawson’ (from Glasgow) here was: Jer Reid (guitar/vocals), Robbie McKendrick (drums), Ali Begbie (bass/vocals) and Carig ‘Brycey’ Bryce (percussion/vocals). They toured in Billy Steele’s van; the driver was ‘I.B.’ (‘Disaffect’ drummer), I think…
Their first release was a tape they’d recorded (Sep. ’88), followed by a 7” (Romping Egos) on Jer’s label Gruff Wit recs (recorded Apr ‘89). In 1991 Jer released 2 LPs (Barf Market: You’re Ontae Plums & How To Follow So That Others Will Willingly Lead). Brycey appeared on the Oct 1993 released split-EP with the Japanese band ‘Ruins’. In 1994 they did an LP entitled Terminal Island and a 7” entitled Small Eared Rank Outsider Earth Summit… By 1994 ‘Sedition’ had split up (because of personal differences and commitments) and Brycey went on to play percussion with ‘Dawson’ until they disbanded.
‘Dawson’ (upper 2 photos courtesy of Karl Penando): [1] Robbie & Ali, [2] Ali & Jer, [3] Brycey & Jer
The music was complex avant-gardesque hardcore/punk with an angular jangly dissonance (with references to ‘The Ex’) sometimes described as ‘frenetic’ or ‘jazz-punk’. “Political lyrics sung over intricate bass-lines and metallic screeching guitars.”.
Mark Greenwell took the guitar-position (replacing Vic ‘Croll’ Timoveric and numerous others) in ‘Concrete Sox’ as the group signed to Lost And Found for the ‘No World Order’ LP (‘93). The band undertook a tour of Japan and issued a split-EP with ‘Nightmare’ (with Lloyd Simms singing and Ian Halpin on guitar) on MCR Company, who also released the Japan Tour ‘92 LP. Drummer at this time was Andy Sewell, bassist Les Duly and vocalist Sean Cook.
Brob
I left the band in the summer of 1992, so I missed the European tours. My time with the band went from 1989-1992. It was a lot of fun & I could tell you all sorts of crap from those years but never made it across the water with ‘4WF’…
Mickey Scheer, 1st bassplayer of ‘Four Walls Falling’
I finally found a few shots and our tour-schedule. Just had to dig through and try to remember everything. It ended up being a long enjoyable walk down memory lane. I had almost forgotten some of this. Thanks for making me have to look through all of this.
[Bill is a (tattoo-)artist in Denver nowadays; have a look at his work: – thidemann.com]
William Thidemann
The Vort’n Vis was the place with the awesome boxed vegan pudding. We played there with ‘Shortsight’. Another time with ‘Avail’ [95-06-18]…
We didn’t play with ‘Concrete Sox’ in Belgium but did play with them in Prague. They were awesome!
Funny story: the first show we ever played in Belgium [Brugge], a bunch of people came over from England to see it. We met this one guy who was older, about 28 at the time, who was a SxE squatter. He had both Anarchist & SxE tattoos. A different sort of cat, so we got along great. Anyway, he had hitched a ride over with a bunch of SxE teenagers and told us that when we went on, they were all bummed and one of them said “I thought they were SxE but they look like a bunch of punks”. Hahaha.
Taylor Steele
I was in school at VCU [Virginia Commonwealth University] at the time. My father was paying and made it impossible to leave for a semester for a tour. Tommy Anthony filled in during that tour and played a few stateside shows to prepare for the ’93 tour…
Jared Srsic
Touring with ‘4WF’ was some of the best times of my life.
Tommy Anthony
‘Concrete Sox ‘did not play then…think their van broke down… [Newsletter 93-10: ‘Concrete Sox’ didn’t show up (no warning, no info)]
Michael Maes
>> The first weekend in October saw Jase Fox, Nick Royles, Ian and I travel to Belgium for the ‘Four Walls Falling’ tour-dates in Brugge and Ieper, meeting up once again with the lovely Sharon and other friends from London. The two gigs were brilliant and I remember Sharon and I withstanding the good natured total melee at the front of the Brugge gig as we surged for the mic for the singing of ‘Four Wall’s anthemic line “culture……SHOCK!” Meeting up again with friends at the Vort’n Vis in Ieper was as lovely as always with much news, ideas and gossip shared! […] I think the person standing above the crowd [2nd ‘F.W.F.’ pic above] on the right just might be Ian [Simpson; of Subjugation recs]! << (From Helene Keller’s blog (subjugationrecords.wordpress.com)
excerpts from the V.V. guestbook:
‘Four Walls Falling’
‘Dawson’ & co (Driver I.B. & Brian ‘Disaffect’ Curran)
I wasn’t driving. I couldn’t back then. I was just at the gig, whilst visiting friends in Liège…
Brian Curran
additions wellcome!…
Vort'n Vis in the 90s 
A photo exists of ‘Dawson’ (taken in Lyon, France by I.B.) of Billy’s old a transit-van with Billy Steele, Angus McPhee, Ali Begbie, Craig Bryce, Robbie McKendrick & Jer Reid…
Awesome, This was the first time ever I entered the ‘infamous’ Vort’n Vis! I was skateboarding and when I rode by the Vort’n Vis, Vik told me ‘Shortsight’ was playing… I didn’t have any money with me but Vik collected enough money for me to get in! To me, things like that were/are my idea of hardcore…
Interview with Four Walls Falling in the German zine Bloodred #1
‘Concrete Sox’ didn’t play. [Michael stated why.] I think they broke up. [Taylor Steele tells us they played in Prague though…]
Have a look at the Vort’n Vis frontdoor on the right from guitarist John Peters & Willy the driver. A month before, Swiss assholes broke the glass window in it. And it wasn’t the first time the window was broken. So we replaced it by a wooden plank. The wood isolated better than the glass window, so it became warmer inside during winter-time. Notice also the cheesy traditional curtains at the window on the left.
‘Dawson’ from Glasgow. Probably not a band that some would associate with punk. However, for those who lived in Glasgow in the early 90s know that Jer was such a key player in the DIY/Punk scene, organising so many gigs with the Glasgow Music Collective as well as running Gruff Wit recs. So many great bands graced us with their presence thanks to Jer’s energy and willingness to do the hard work of organising gigs and helping out local bands with gear/sound etc.
‘Dawson’ were more than a 3 chord punk band, they played bizarre structures and challenged the listener to try and keep up with chord and tempo changes. Musically not to everyone’s taste, but if that’s not punk I don’t know what is.
Punk / DIY to me is and always has been a community, a network of friends. It was more than music, it meant something and I hope we all remember that. ‘Dawson’ are a perfect example of that community and diversity of music.
Jer and Ali are now playing in ‘Sumshapes’, who are as great as you would expect. Brycey is still playing his bass with ‘Sedition’ once every two or three years. Don’t know what Robbie is doing.