The Free Zone Re-Issues a Remastered Expanded Edition of “Mammon”

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“A little introduction. 30 years ago there was a band called The Free Zone who, through the 80’s, inspired (but not restricted) by punk developed their own eclectic take on melodic indie music. Politics seeped into their lyrics, as much as anything because they lived in the Toxteth area of Liverpool, synonymous then with deprivation and riots. After a few best forgotten cassette releases and an EP, they recorded Mammon, now remastered and presented digitally for the first time. Influenced by various bands of the era – (U2, The The and The Waterboys), as well as bands from their home town of Liverpool – (Bunnymen, Icicle Works) there was also a distinct electric Dylan/Doors flavour, not just the harmonica and liberal use of Hammond organ but some surreal lyrics too. These range from anti-nuke anthem “Let Them Eat Progress” (atypical in its use of drum machine) to the materialist dystopia of “Crocodile Street,” influenced by Polish surreal novelist Bruno Schultz, taking in the UK government’s complicity with apartheid (Common Purpose) along the way. Some of the lyrics are more personal but the idea that Mammon (the worship of money) ultimately dehumanises, is never far away. Among positive reviews at the time, the most prominent appeared in UK Music Weekly Sounds who described the album as “thoughtful intelligent pop” and “OMD meets The Wedding Present”. When the band parted amicably in 1992, Tim went on to form electronica act Radium 88 who currently record on the Disco Gecko label.”

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