JD: Hello. John Dee here.

Q: Why is your group called The Shocks?

A: Well, the band used to be called The Electric Shocks, but the band was renamed when I joined and my brother joined on Bass. We knocked the ‘Electric’ off. A bit too heavy-metallish.

Q: Who is in the group?

JD: Errr…

I Know it’s a hard one

JD: Err… well, there’s me, Gary Ames on Guitar, Perry Ames on Vocals, and my brother Paul on Bass. This chap here has nothing to do with The Shocks…(At this point Clive of The Damned, sorry I mean The School Bullies, walks past) Clive: School Bullies are better than the Shocks.

Q: Who are your influences?

JD: Well, it’s been said that we sound like the Ramones, but we don’t. It’s only a joke.

You do sound like the Ramones, I’ve heard you!

JD: Ok, so we do sound like them, I was lying.

Q: What Songs Do You Do?

JD: We do about 19 songs…It’s like f******Capital Radio this…Mainly they’re abut nothing, about love and f******’ shit like that. But my songs are ‘The Clothes You Wear’ and ‘It’s You I want to Know’, which is about it doesn't matter what you are, it’s your mind I would like to look into. I suppose we do about an hour set.

Q: What music do you listen to?

JD: The Pistols, The Damned…You know, most of the punk bands of ’77 and quite a few of the ones around today. And a lot of reggae. Jamaican Reggae and Dub. That’s nice, I like to listen to that. As for Crass, I'd give them a miss.

Q: Are there any political influences in the band?

JD: None at all in the band. Me and Paul have done our best though.

Q: What about Personally?

JD: Me? I’m a socialist…I’ve just walked millions of miles in London today…(It was the day of the Blair Peach memorial march)

Q: Have you done many gigs?

JD: Well, we played here (The Shrimpers) last week in the Rock Contest. We came fourth, but the judges were all fixed…all fixed up on heroin…all fixed, and they couldn’t understand what we were playing, so there you go.

Q: Are you thinking of recording anything?

JD: We did. We done a tape about a year ago. Well, actually it was last September.

Q: What about getting a record out?

JD: Well, not really. We were thinking about getting some thing out on the Wax label, but it’s a bit expensive.

Alien (of Sinyx fame): John Dee was one of the original punks in Southend

JD: He certainly was

Q: Is there any truth in the rumour that you used to be a hippy?

JD: I used to be a hippy but I was still a rebel. There you go.

Q: What other bands have you been in?

JD:The Machines…(everyone present choruses with ‘The Machines’, shouted loudly)

Q: Is that the only other band you’ve been in?

Clive: They’re the only ones that matter

JD: I used to play with the Deciballs, along with Vints here. Any more questions?

None that I can think of...

An unidentified voice: 'I played with The Jam once'

Tape ends here