The Wild Bunch was a sound system based in the St Paul's district of Bristol, England from 1983 to 1986. The group was renowned for playing sets that drew large crowds from the club scene and had performed shows as far away as London. They performed in soundclashes against other Bristol sound systems. The Wild Bunch's sound incorporated a wide and disparate variety of musical styles - an unusual thing at the time. Their shows included elements of punk, R&B and reggae, with a focus on slower rhythms and ambient electronic atmospheres that would become a cornerstone of the Bristol sound, more popularly known as trip-hop. They were a key member of what became the Bristol underground scene.
The Wild Bunch is perhaps best known for having been the first group of several notable British DJs and performers:
Other members included:
The first Wild Bunch record was a cover of Burt Bacharach's 'The Look of Love', featuring Shara Nelson on vocals, and released in 1985.
In 2002, DJ Milo released The Wild Bunch - Story of a Sound System, a collection of songs that are representative of the music The Wild Bunch performed. The booklet included with the album contains an extensive history of the group, as well as pictures.