MERCENARY SKANK - The Amazon Studio Recordings

Right then, lets get rock’n’rolling. You’ve got a bit of an exclusive here; these two tracks aren’t even up on The Skanks mighty pink myspace page, but there’s a bunch of other stuff available there, some of which I’ve posted here, some I haven’t. I highly recommend you check them out if you’re into stuff like The Clash, Johnny Thunders etc, they’re all there, but Mercenary Skank were more than the sum of some of their influences. They had a no nonsense, no compromise approach to the music biz, that’s reflected in these two tracks (Tell Me Why/12 Midnight) and the vital rough’n’raw feel to them. They were recorded sometime in 19.. But time and dates are irrelevant when something is still relevant and these uncovered and rediscovered gems are. I’d like to think that just as in the 80’s when times were tough, the 00’s will produce some music with as much passion and emotion as Mercenary Skank. The cynic in me isn’t holding his breath, cos I aint gonna turn blue on account of a generation that have had everything yet got nothing , the optimist in me hopes I’m wrong.

BROOKLYN DOGS - 1988 Demo Tape

What’s in a name? Brooklyn Dogs, well they came from Birmingham for a start, and I first came across them when they followed The Quire Boys around on tour in a beat up old Ford something car. Nice blokes from what I remember. They supported the Quire Boys on a couple of occasions, a memorable time being one night in Wolverhampton, when a rather drunk Tyla from The Dogs D’Amour joined them on stage. He was giving it some; with a Jesus Christ/James Dean pose; mic stand behind his back arms wrapped around the stand crucifixion stylee, then he fell over and couldn’t get back up, all the while the Brooklyn Dogs trashed out their Heartbreakers, New York Dolls licks, leaving Tyla thrashing about on the floor, classic. Or maybe you had to be there. Anyway here’s their two track demo from 1988, a no nonsense glam punk rock racket. There should have been a live set from The Marquee, but somehow it has mysteriously disappeared from my tape, if it was ever there, but I’m sure it was, I digresss, no I don’t got nuffin much left to say, mmm!……..I wonder what ever happened to those Birmingham Cats?

TAX PAYERS BEING TREATED LIKE WANKERS.

So Jacqui Smith, Labours Home Secretary puts in a bill for expenses, which included monies for her husband watching pornographic TV channels. What does she think we are? a load of cunts, dicks and tits! Don’t answer that, she’s a politician, so of course she does, and just like her husband, all she wants to do is satisfy herself.

SCUM OF TOYTOWN - Live @ Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage 12/3/92

What with all the demonstrations and discontent going down, I thought I’d go a bit political on the old rock’n’roll front, and it doesn’t get much better than this. It’s those legendary malcontents Scum of Toytown. This is a really early live recording from way back in 1992, which captures them rough, raw and ready! Like The Clash meeting Fairport Convention. There’s a couple of tunes that they never recorded, along with the more familiar Sink or Swim, Different Drum and possibly one of the best anti-fascist songs ever; Jackboot Crusade. One thing that struck me while listening to these eight tracks was that every word Scum sang, screamed and shouted is as relevant today as it was 17 years ago. “IN DEFIANCE I REFUSE TO BE SILENCED!”

"Someone left the cake out in the rain."

"London Calling to the far away towns/Now that war is declared/And battle come down!”
As forces mass in London today for what is planned to be a peaceful demonstration against the evils of globalisation, I hear on the radio that police are preparing for trouble, and have said that they will use anti-terror laws against protesters. Just who are the trouble makers? FIGHT THEIR POWER!

NIKKI SUDDEN - The Jewel Thief (Vinyl Rip)

It was 3 years ago today that Nikki Sudden departed to that great rock’n’roll gig in the sky, leaving behind an enormous and amazing amount of recorded material, some of which appears on this here blog. I posted the single I Belong To You that was taken off this album a while back, so I suppose it was about time to post the album, and now seems as good a day as any to do it, so here yer go, a little something to remember Nikki by. It doesn’t come close to his classic work with Dave Kusworth as the Jacobites, mind you not much does, but it’s still a great album with some fine moments. Recorded in Atlanta Georgia with members of REM on instrument and production duties. It was released in 1991, and re-released in 2000 under a different title; Liquor, Guns and Ammo. Anyway here ya go. Enjoy, and have a drink or two for Nikki, who lived his life the way he wanted to, and left some brilliant and beautiful music behind. Stay pure, stay true, stay free and "Stay bruised"

Sick of it all

I’m getting sick and tired of all these adverts about your health and what’s good for you and what’s not. It seems like we’re living in some Brave New World scenario where no one has the right to be ill, unhealthy or diseased. Well we all should have the right to do what we like, so long as it doesn’t harm others; drinking, smoking, and eating what we choose. As for the argument about health costs and why should the state pay the price for individual choices, so long as a person has paid into the system through taxation, then they should be able to claim what is their right, not that they’ll get it, cos all the moneys gone on wars against terrorism; to maintain the health of the state. Anyway, if all this junk food, cigarettes and alcohol are that bad for people, why give them the chance and choice to buy it anyway? Because money talks and bullshit walks, recently a top government advisor recommended that the price of alcohol should rise, in order to try and cut down on the binge drinking culture, and what did the government do? Nothing, that’s what and why not? Because they didn’t want to make the majority suffer because of the minority. What a load of bollocks! Since when have the government cared about upsetting any one? No they didn’t want to lose the revenue that the drinks industry brings in, like I said I’m getting sick and tired of it all.

I LOVE THE SOUND OF BREAKING GLASS!

Hats off and balaclavas on to those persons unknown that smashed the windows of that scumbag wanker banker Fred Goodwin's house and car. This makes for an interesting prelude to the 3 days of action and protest in London on March 28th, April 1st and 2nd against globalisation and climate change;
looks like things could really heat up on the streets of the capital.

JOHNNY THUNDERS - Live @ The Lyceum, London Oct 9th 1983

This post very nearly didn’t happen, I was saving the favourite of my Thunders tapes until last, after playing it regularly over the years since picking it up from Camden market a couple of months after the actual gig, when it came to convert it to digital, it went the same way as The Ramones one I posted a while back…Fucked! It’s only thanx to a certain Mr ic1960 over at the Chatterbox forum, and original taper of the gig, (small world that’s got even smaller with the help of the internet) that I can bring you this. It was a cold October night in 1983, when Johnny Thunders brought his Cosa Nostra (Jerry Nolan, Billy Rath and Michael Thirman) to town but the Lyceum was hot with 2 hours of pure Thunders; sometimes together, sometimes falling apart, but pure entertainment, 30 songs spanning his career from the New York Dolls (Personality Crisis, Jet Boy), through The Heartbreakers, (Chinese Rocks, Let Go) to his solo stuff from 1978 (London Boys) to his 1982 re-birth (In Cold Blood, Sad Vacation), a few standard Thunders covers (These Boots Are Made For Walkin’, Be Bop a Lula), plus a short acoustic segment, ‘special guests’ made appearances; Peter Perritt and Patti Paladin. This was pure Rock’n’Roll as the devil wanted it played. It was also the gig that got me hooked on the Thunders live experience, which resulted in nights spent on cold railway stations and in strange students flats around the country after many a Thunders performance. Anyway, here what ya think. Side One’s here and Side Two’s there. Enjoy!

Once Africa brought life to the world, now the world brings death to Africa. Crying celebrities and images of dying children on the telly bring aid to those dying of aids, while the Roman Catholic church says condoms don’t offer any protection, against what is effectively the developed worlds population control over developing nations, as is making them dependent on the dollar. Advised by the IMF to follow the global economic program in return for aid, African countries followed this advice, and now they to are being hit by the global recession, and guess what? they are still waiting for the aid promised to them. This is the New Global Deal that wankers like Gordon Brown are talking about, one where the dealers are playing with marked cards, and the games the same as it’s always been; exploiting the poor and keeping them in their place; Imperialism and Empire building re-branded for a new century.

It's the dogs

After nearly a week of no postings, I thought I’d either return with some rantings and ravings, or some shit kicking music, then I thought bollocks!

2009, OK! WAR ACROSS THE U.K!

25 years since the miners strike and the anger it all caused; communities fighting against communities scabs and flying pickets, workers against the government and workers against workers. The IRA were still active on the streets of Northern Island as were the British Army. Oh how times haven’t changed, we’re in an economic crisis, and a socio/political one aint too far off.
The British Army parading through Luton after marching through Iraq and Afghanistan. What did they expect? I mean not only has the town got a high population of Muslims, but security agencies have identified radicalised groups in the town. The small percentage who demonstrated played right into the hands of the media by directing their anger at the soldiers rather than the government, but it was a provocative decision taken by the powers that be, which achieved it’s aim of negative media coverage and more fuel to the fires of Islamaphobia. The recent attacks in Northern Ireland, by the ‘Real IRA’ as oppose to the other ones operating during the 70’s and 80’s who weren’t Real at all? It wouldn’t surprise me if there wasn’t some complicit covert operations going on there in order to cause unrest.
State sanctioned destabilisation, because the state is all powerful in times of fear and crisis. “War is the health of the state” as some old philosopher once said (fucked if I can remember his name) If there is any dissent it aint gonna be just the workers, because there are for more disparate and desperate groups of unhappy people. Pensioners who’ve seen their savings and pensions disappear, white/blue collar workers who’ve seen their jobs go, environmentalists who are seeing the environment go. The British jobs for British workers debate hasn’t gone away. Post Office closures, small businesses not being able to get credit, and people with a general distrust of our leaders. There are tinderboxes everywhere just waiting to ignite. Light the blue touch paper and stand back. If the fear of having details taken for databases and being locked up and labelled a terrorist for speaking out against the state doesn’t stop people, then the time is right for direct action/non violent, whatever yer bag protest is right!
Next month the G20 summit takes place in the UK, it’s when the leaders of the worlds most powerful countries are meeting to decide on a global response to the present economic crisis
It will be interesting to see what happens on the streets of the UK then. How will the people respond to the world leaders, and the crisis that they are partly responsible for, the rest of the blame lies with the people who bought into the capitalist system and all it’s promises of luxury and freedom, lets hope the people don’t buy into The New World Order that America and Britain have been trying to build for the last 25 years.

"Put it all on Number 10"

Let them eat.....

So much to say, that I’ve said before. Turn on the news, open a paper. Same shit, different flavours. But hey what’s this…..Taxing chocolate! In order to cut down on the rise of obesity and diabetes amongst the people. Shutting down all the McDonalds and the rest of the junk food outlets would make more sense to me, if they care that much about the peoples health, but it aint about that, it’s another idea for a stealth tax under the guise of saving the NHS money. What’s this I hear…. Cadburys have made big profits in recent months, as people turn to chocolate to comfort them during times of crisis. Mmmm! The sweet taste of bullshit!

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM - Live!

Here’s a live recording of one of the best bands I’ve heard for many a year; The Gaslight Anthem, if you aint checked them out I highly recommend that you do. Truly uplifting, soulful and tuneful rawk and roll. Here they are captured live and direct at Wheels for Humanity’s third Rock to Roll benefit concert at The Key Club in West Hollywood on Dec 14th 2008. Wheels For Humanity aim to provide increased self sufficiency, mobility and education to people with disabilities in places such as Zimbabwe, Vietnam and The Ukraine. Check out the passion of the anthem here and there!

Gordon 'Bloody' Brown!

The only red nose I wanna see for Comic Relief. He's certainly done something with our money, they only thing is; I aint fucking laughing!

One for the road.

So the Great British pub is calling last orders up and down the land. On of the reasons cited for these closures is people drinking cheap supermarket booze at home. Guess what? Tescos are looking at buying up these former pubs, to create small town centre stores, selling cheap booze no doubt. Still every little bit helps; we’ve got a society were crime is often alcohol related and people are drinking themselves into ill health if statistics are to be believed. Flood the market, Fuck up the people, then monopolise it and let the government control them with safe units of alcohol consumption and asbos. Aaah! The smell of free market capitalist bullshit.

THE RAMONES - Milton Keynes Bowl 22/6/85

I thought this recording was gonna be lost to me (and to you) I started to convert it to digital format and it was all going OK, no problem with the opening number Durango 95, then suddenly "I..m..a..T..e..e..n..a..g..e..L..o..b..o..t..o..m..y The tape slowed down and then a cassette deck full of chewed up and snapped tape. I tried to fix it but to no avail. BOLLOCKS! Then a few days later I came across a copy on a forum, (Guitars101 I think), and thought fuck it, I’ll use that copy (hence the not so high bit rate) This is a fast, frantic and furious set from da brudders Ramone, no surprises there, recorded at a festival they played at Milton Keynes Bowl along with REM and U2, as part of their tour to promote Too Tough To Die, the last great Ramones album in my opinion. I caught a couple of their London dates earlier on that year, they were electric. Anyway enough of this shit here’s the goods!

MANIPULATED BY THE(IR) MEDIA

Untitled # Same old, same old!

With the blood of Iraq and Afghanistan on his hands, and millions in his bank account, Two years into his job as Middle East Peace Envoy Tony Blair finally visits Gaza. What a cunt! It’s wankers like him that have got the world into the shit it’s in now, but we all know that anyway. Still there’s nothing like a bit of a rant and rage to release some anger, especially because the first time I ever voted was in 1997 for New Labour and Bliar, I’d had ’the right to vote’ for 15 years, but had chosen not to use it on account of them all being wankers, I ended up voting cos my girlfriend went on about the suffragettes throwing themselves under horses, chaining themselves to railings etc for ’the right to vote’ was it worth it? cos whoever you vote for the wankers will do what they like, and make sure they’re alright Jack, but we all know that anyway, that’s Liberal Capitalist Democracy for ya, but what’s the alternative? Do we know that?

MARTIAN DANCE - have landed...again!

This ones for Longy and his Punk Friction, who posted the bands debut single The Situation a while back. Martian Dance were a relatively short lived band from the early 80’s, blink and you’d have missed ‘em. They had a sound that was close to Adam and The Ants, and crossed that Post Punk New Romantic divide, if there’d been any justice in Thatcher’s Britain, (which there wasn’t) they would have been as popular as Duran Duran, instead they disappeared without trace. Thanks go out to Pete for making these recordings available. First up here is the bands Peel Session from 1980, followed by their second one from 1981, and finally there’s a live show from The Marquee in Nov 1980. Enjoy! and if you’ve got anything else Martian related, get in touch with Pete over at their myspace page, cos he’d love to hear from ya, there's also an interview with the band over on the excellent No Class fanzine web page that's worth a read, as is the rest of the stuff there.