The Pop Group

The Pop Group formed in Bristol in 1977, Mark Stewart, Gareth Sager, John Waddington, Simon Underwood, and Bruce Smith developing a sound that combined funk, free jazz, dub, and punk in ways that were immediately radical and uncompromising. Stewart's vocals were extraordinary — raw, anguished, and politically engaged — and the band's music was unlike anything else in British music at the time.

'Y' (1979) was one of the most important and uncompromising British albums of the decade — a record of extraordinary sonic radicalism and political engagement that produced 'She Is Beyond Good and Evil' and established them as one of the most important new British acts. 'For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder?' (1980) was equally radical.

The Pop Group dissolved in 1981 before reforming in 2010 for live performances and new recordings. They are remembered as one of the most important and radical acts of the late-1970s British post-punk scene — a band whose combination of sonic radicalism, political engagement, and Stewart's extraordinary vocals influenced virtually every subsequent post-punk and no wave act. ⚠ Flag: post-2010 reformation activity — verify current status and most recent release.