Westminster Kitchens, DIY Punk, Early Electro: Whybrew and Sharp

Host Terry Wiggins welcomes John Whybrew and Ian Sharp, alumni of the House of Commons kitchens and founding members of Portion Control, the cult UK industrial and electro act. The conversation connects life behind the pass in Westminster with the birth of a raw, do-it-yourself electronic sound. John and Ian swap stories from Parliament catering, including carving trolleys, classic members’ menus, banqueting logistics, and shifts across Bellamy’s, Millbank and Portcullis House. Then the aprons come off and the machines switch on, as they chart Portion Control’s early gear experiments, Apple II sampling, tape edits, drum machines, punk attitude, and the realities of the 1980s underground.

Hear the legendary “biggest ice cube” stunt outside Our Price on Charing Cross Road, the John Peel Session at Maida Vale, the Musicians’ Union forms that did not even list synthesizer, European and Japan tours, and why so much of the back catalogue has become highly collectible on vinyl and Bandcamp. The trio also dig into work ethic, creativity on a budget, and how kitchen discipline shaped stage craft and studio habits. We wrap with life after late shifts, from an independent café in Kent to hospitality education, plus where to find Portion Control releases and live news online.

Portion Control, John Whybrew, Ian Sharp, industrial music, electro, UK synth, John Peel Session, Maida Vale, Apple II sampling, punk DIY, Westminster kitchens, House of Commons catering, Parliament food, Bellamy’s, Millbank, Portcullis House, Bandcamp, rare vinyl, UK underground, Westminster Kingsway College, Terry Wiggins, Order Order podcast