Bikini Mutants: Yeovil's Forgotten 80s Punk Band - A DIY Somerset History That Deserves Rediscovery!

In the 80s, a group of punks from Yeovil (Somerset) created Bikini Mutants and built their own underground scene in a rural English town. With Criss Cole (vocals) and Debbie Googe (who later played in My Bloody Valentine), the band rehearsed in pubs, played in village halls and released demos full of post-punk, mutant disco and psychedelia. They called themselves "Somerset's best bad band" - a pride in not knowing how to play perfectly, but creating with pure energy. They recorded demos in 1982 (reissued as Let's Mutate) and helped found the All the Madmen label. The scene was small but authentic: 50p shows, shared equipment and lots of anti-local smoothies. Members have gone on to incredible paths (TV, shoegaze, documentaries), but the old tapes capture the liberating essence of DIY punk. An inspiring story for those who love punk, local scenes and forgotten underground bands!