Taken from the Shropshire Star website as printed in the newspaper on Thurs 30/12/1999 

Punk days are a hit

By Nicola Woolcock

The glory days of punk music - when all self-respecting teenagers had dyed hair, a safety pin through the nose and every Sex Pistols record - have been immortalised by a former band manager from Shropshire.

The Platinum Needles was part of a thriving music scene in Market Drayton in the late 1970s and early 80s.

Now 20 years after it formed, and 17 years after splitting up, the punk band has won recognition on the internet.

The website has been voted reader site of the month in a top magazine.

The website, www.platinum-needles.co.uk has been designed by the group's former manager who defined it as "a trip in a time capsule back 20 years to when Market Drayton was the musical centre of Shropshire".

Kevin Ruscoe started off doing roadie work for his friends in the group in 1980 and ended up being its manager.

Now married with two daughters and working as a production manager for a bakery in Manchester, he has fond memories of his heady days looking after a punk band.

Mr. Ruscoe has formed a tribute website to The Platinum Needles which includes a picture gallery, sounds and videos.

It has been voted reader site of the month by internet surfers in national computer magazine, PC Format.

"Back in the very early 80s Market Drayton had a thriving music scene with bands such as Monovision, Strate Angel and The Platinum Needles.

"The Platinum Needles website includes a full band history, audio and video downloads, original artwork and its own internet radio station. It covers the story of the band from its formation in December 79 to the split in March 82.

"The picture gallery brings back a lot of drunken memories of the wild times we had with the band.

"The music is probably dated now, sounding not too dissimilar to the Sex Pistols or the Clash, but the energy and the message were the most important things back in 1980.

"I am now married and have two daughters who are into Steps and cannot stand the racket that dad listens to."