The Wild Bunch

The Wild Bunch were an English sound system and loose collective of musicians and DJs based in the St Paul's, Montpelier and Bishopston districts of Bristol, England, named after Sam Peckinpah's 1969 Western film. History The group started to perform in 1982 as a sound system on the Bristol scene, with Grant Marshall and Miles Johnson as the main two DJs. In 1984, they invited the young graffiti artist known as 3D (aka Robert Del Naja) to join them, and he soon became one of their MCs, writing lyrics to rap with them. Other rappers joined the collective, such as Willy Wee and later in 1987 Tricky. As pioneers of sound system culture they played all-nighters, clubs and abandoned warehouses. In 1986, they played St Paul's Carnival and signed to 4th & B'way Records on Island Records imprint. Success and disintegration (1985–1989) In 1985, the single Tearin Down The Avenue was recorded and in May 1986 the group toured Japan. After the tour DJ Milo left to work in Japan. The group would perform sound clashes against other sound systems, on New Year's Eve 1987 they clashed with Soul II Soul at St Barnabas crypt, Bristol. In 1988, Friends & Countrymen was released. However, by this time Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall and Andrew Vowles had formed Massive Attack. By 1989 the group was defunct. Post disbanding (1989–present) DJ Milo has lived and worked going between Japan and New York. In 2013, he performed at St Paul's Carnival.