Leeds goth rock band Salvation enjoying a revival 40 years after smashing into the music scene

Salvation came up during a post-punk revolution.

It was the early 1980s, when Leeds bands were carving out an alternative music scene - earning it the nickname 'gothic city'.

The band toured the length and breadth of the country, followed by loyal supporters at every turn.

Now back together after a 17-year hiatus, and preparing to release their first live album, vocalist Danny Mass and guitarist Ben Farvak fondly recall how their journey started.

“There was a good punk scene in Leeds with the F Club and the Faversham," Danny told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

"It was where all the ‘weirdos’ and musician-types used to hang out and then started forming bands.

“Back in the early 80s, there were either pubs or nightclubs. There was no such thing as a ‘cool bar’ and there were only about two or three safe pubs for all the punks to go to - the rest were just old men's pubs.

“Anyone who went in with straight trousers and spiky hair either got chased or beat up.”

“It could be quite dangerous for ‘the alternatives’ at night,” Ben added.

With one guitarist, a bass player and Danny on synths, Salvation was formed in 1983 as gothic and post-punk bands began to find underground fame in Leeds.

There was a camaraderie among artists in the city's alternative music scene, Danny said, with pioneering bands such as The Sisters of Mercy bringing in others to support them at gigs.

Danny added: “Salvation started with us making weird noises in our bedrooms and, really organically, those noises turned into riffs and songs.

“We got a set together of about six or seven songs, and that’s when we found out the guitarist we had didn’t want to do live gigs.”

After a band reshuffle, Salvation performed their first gig at the University of Leeds' Tartan bar in 1995 - with Danny turning to vocals.

Ben, who moved to Leeds from France in the early 1980s, joined Salvation as a guitarist in 1987 as the band began to build its live following.

Ben said: “I liked the idea that Salvation had songs, any of their songs could be played on an acoustic guitar. They were like a 70s glam band, very melodic and song-based.

“That’s why I joined the band and it turned out that I was quite good at coming up with those catchy riffs.”

“It’s all about the riffs,” Danny added.

“Our music used to be described as catchy pop with b******s. I think that’s why we can relate to the glam bands of the 1970s - they were quite heavy, but they still had songs."