Divert Off Centre

Biography

Formed in Lytham, Lancashire - not a million miles away from the Vegas of the North - Divert Off Centre were the self-styled pioneers of alternative dance beat. The band was associated with the 'Blackpool Rox' scene of the early eighties, however, their camped up performances and overblown lyrics set them apart from their punky/oi contemporaries.

Released a picture flexi disc in the Spring of '82 featuring 'Instant Death and Immortality' - a song that eventually topped the 'Sounds Obscurist Chart'. This was followed by the inclusion of 'Love In Ephemeral...I Confess on the Lightbeat Records' compilation, 'A Drop In The Ocean' - the song peaked at 7 on the aforementioned chart. After a couple of years of inactivity D.O.C. evolved into The October Group, moved to Amsterdam in '86 and put out a 12" single, 'Colours'. The song was favourably reviewed in the NME who described it as, "Compelling for it's subversive undertones." Although the band split up a year later their songs have turned up on the Messthetics compilations, and continue to receive airplay on alternative radio shows both in Europe and The States.

Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.