APB Cure for the Blues

During the 1980s, APB were one of the most popular alternative bands in the New York Tri-State area, touring frequently and enjoying regular airplay on Long Island's WLIR Radio. The band was formed in the rural town of Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1979. Taking inspiration from the D.I.Y. ("Do It Yourself") spirit of punk rock, teenagers Iain Slater (singer, bassist), Glenn Roberts (guitar), and George Cheyne (drums) rehearsed relentlessly and signed with local independent Oily Records at the dawn of the '80s. The band's trademark post-punk dance rhythms energized audiences from the start, with their debut single "Shoot You Down" crackling with edgy guitar and Slater's riveting vocal inflections. APB were lumped in with similarly militaristic dance factions of the time -- Gang of Four, Au Pairs, Delta 5 -- but their own music was more celebratory and inclusive. "When I bought the second APB single, 'Shoot You Down,' I was blown away by the pure energy and sparse funk groove that drove the record," said Matt Pinfield, former host of MTV's 120 Minutes. "Over the course of the next few years, I saw the band live about 15 times. They would always pack clubs in New York, New Jersey, and Long Island." In 2018's Beastie Boy Book, band member Adam "Ad-Rock" Horowitz referred to "Shoot You Down" as a "punk dance-floor classic." The band's 30-year recording career comprised five main releases: three studio albums and two compilations. Their 2006 album, simply entitled Three, features 14 tracks of the same post-punk funk that earned them a legion of fans. The album was released on an indie UK label and has long been out of print and unavailable internationally. The CD reissue features its original artwork. APB remain an active touring band which includes original members Slater, Roberts, and Cheyne. Over the decades, APB's sparse, rhythmic sound has influenced bands from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Franz Ferdinand. A new generation is primed to make their acquaintance.