Mark Stewart - The Pop Group - Part Two

<p>Mark Stewart in conversation with David Eastaugh</p> <p>The Pop Group are an English band formed in <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol'>Bristol</a> in 1977 by vocalist <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Stewart_(musician)'>Mark Stewart</a>, guitarist <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Waddington_(musician)'>John Waddington</a>, bassist <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Underwood'>Simon Underwood</a>, guitarist/saxophonist <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gareth_Sager'>Gareth Sager</a>, and drummer <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Smith_(musician)'>Bruce Smith</a>. Their work in the late 1970s crossed diverse musical influences including <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dub_reggae'>dub</a>, <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funk'>funk</a>, and <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_jazz'>free jazz</a> with <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_politics'>radical politics</a>, helping to pioneer <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-punk'>post-punk</a> music.</p> <p>The group released two albums, <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y_(album)'>Y</a> (1979) and <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_How_Much_Longer_Do_We_Tolerate_Mass_Murder%3F'>For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder?</a>(1980), and the singles "<a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/She_Is_Beyond_Good_and_Evil'>She Is Beyond Good and Evil</a>" (1979) and "<a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Are_All_Prostitutes_(song)'>We Are All Prostitutes</a>" (1979), then split in 1981. Its members worked on a variety of subsequent projects, including <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Age_Steppers'>New Age Steppers</a> and <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_Rig_%2B_Panic'>Rip Rig + Panic</a>. In 2010, the band reunited, touring and releasing new material.</p>