God Save The Queen!

So The Queen’s skint, aaah! my heart fucking bleeds; welcome to my world. She wants a pay rise, her first for 20 years, tough, she’s had 20 years living off the backs of her people, now she can start making savings like the rest of us, but she’s good for tourism. Public executions use to draw the crowds in; Bring forth the guillotine and I’ll make some cut backs!!

Never again....The sound of marching men!

THE DeRELLAS - All Fired Up (EP)

The Derellas are a four piece glam/punk rock outfit from London and Brighton, England. They first got together in 2007 some members of the band are no strangers to the scene; Vocalist and Guitarist Robbie has played with The Vibrators while Bassist Timmy played with The Glory Strummers. So what do theses Derella fellas sound like? Well….file next to The Ramones, Slaughter and The Dogs, The Heartbreakers, New York Dolls etc, or if we’re gonna go more contemporary The Skuzzies or The Vivians. This is good time in yer face Rock’n’Roll for a time when sometimes the good is hard to find, but you can find it here. “Stay Free and Stay Pretty”

Pipeline / Wipeout

It’s dark black days for the US environment, as oil continues to gush out of the BP pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico. It seems there’s less of a battle going on to stem it’s flow than there was to secure future supplies of oil in The Gulf War. I mean in the age of all this high technology what’s the best idea that they’ve come up with to stop the flow of oil; Pumping mud, golf balls and rubbish into the leak, for fucks sake why not lower Obama down there in a deep sea diving suit to put his finger in the hole.

Another day, Another death....

Dennis Hopper: RIP

Easy Rider,One of my favourite films.

RICH KIDS - Ghosts Of Princes In Towers

I’ve neglected this album over the last few years. It’s sad that it’s taken the death of Guitarist Steve New for me to dig it out and play it again for the first time in ages. Those Punkers hoping for the Sex Pistols MKII when Glen Matlock formed the Rich Kids with Steve New, Rusty Egan and Midge Ure were to be totally disappointed, cos punk rock it certainly wasn’t, there were traces of it, but it was well hidden amidst some serious guitar riffs’n’licks and unexpected experimental weird noises, the sound pointed to a new direction, one that Midge Ure and Rusty Egan found with Ultravox and Visage, and something that Steve New added to bands like PIL and Gen X, when he became a guitarist for hire. I may not have played this album a lot recently, but it’s had more listens in the wolf den than Never Mind The Bollocks has over the last twenty plus years. Check it out here. Highly recommended!

If yer into the Rich Kids, or wanna check out some live stuff of theirs its well worth a trip to King Rocker Rocks On, were there's some top quality shit available.

More untitled thoughts.

We’ve had all the pomp, ceremony and tradition of the state opening of parliament. So this is the ’New Politics’ then, nothing new with all that fancy dress House of Lords shit. If the Posh boy Rich Kids ConLib coalition is to be believed, it’s gonna be the opening of the state, and a dispersal of power, which sounds good, giving back what was ours to start with before we gave it away, just one thing though….who are gonna get the power? The people, or a people? Will we see a new social strata grow with new powers over the people? Only time will tell!

Another day, another death....

STEVE NEW: R.I.P

"You either got it honey, or you aint."

THE FUZZTONES - Live @ The Marquee, London, 27/5/85 and Peel session.

FUCKIN’ BOLLOCKS!! I’ve been dragging my shoulder over posting this live recording of the rather fine Fuzztones, which was picked out of Fat Regs Big Box Of Tapes, thanx to him for letting me re-post it here. I get down to typing up the post, and find that a link to it has also been posted over at Rare Rock Collection Fetish, (with a rather sexy cover.) so I’m now not sure about posting it…..Fuck it, I’ve already uploaded the show, done the scanning of another of my scrapbook pages so here we go. The Fuzztones were/are a rather fine Rock’n’Roll band with a Hammond driven psychedelic, swamp rock from the garage sound; park between The Doors, The Stooges, Electric Prunes and The Cramps. Saw ‘em a couple of times over consecutive days in May 1985 at The Marquee where this show was recorded and at The Embassy Club late the previous evening, went along to that one after seeing The Dogs D’amour at The Marquee the day before The Fuzztones gig there. Ahh! those were the days, a gig every night, some times two in one night. I didn’t catch when they supported the Damned on tour in 1985, but saw ‘em again in Stevenage in 1987, on the final night of their European tour, which was a shame because from what I can remember it turned into a bit of a jam session with the bands roadies and support group members, rather than a full on set of Fuzztones classics. Talkin’ of classics the bands album Lysergic Emanations is one such album; a desert island disc of mine, it sucks you in, throws you out, leaving you dripping and tripping on the tarmac. Here’s their Peel Session from 1985, and there’s the Marquee show. Enjoy!

HERE WE GO! HERE WE GO! HERE WE GO!

Here’s some Saturday ramblings for yer. For the past month I’ve been in constant pain and discomfort with a muscle problem in my arm and shoulder. Too much mass-debating, Ha! Ha! Ha! No, the Doctors don’t know what brought it on, but it should go away in about 8 weeks with the help of some anti-inflammatory. Half way there and I’ve had to get some prescription painkillers to ease the pain, which they’ve done, but they’re also leaving me feeling spaced out, lethargic and apathetic, which aint good when you’ve got things to do, it’s a right pain in the arse, but then there’s the pain in my arm! I’ve been given some exercises to do, but they hurts like fuck. No pain no gain I suppose, I’m having to type with one hand. Anyway where’s all this self pity going when there are people in worse suffering than me. I feel their pain, but do they feel mine?
On one of my recent Election posts some one left a comment asking me what my answer was, well that’s a question? Is it about answers or solutions? Here’s a couple of thoughts
Balancing the Individual with the Collective. Not so much the end of capitalism, more a reduction in it. Take stock! The shop is overstocked. We can’t go back, but instead of forwards how about going sideways. I don’t wanna piss on anyone’s parade, but it’s nearly
Patriotic flag waving, mass euphoria, time again….The world cup. The game starts here. New TV’s to watch the matches on. A need or a want? Or just an excuse!
The only game being played in June is the money game. From South Africa’s slums and corruption to global mass consumption, players ‘worth’ millions to the people cracking open another can of cheap supermarket lager and sticking another sausage on the barbeque in their patio decked garden as England miss another penalty
I should be positive about England’s chances, after all they’re gonna be wearing the same red colour strip as the team that won in 1966 did. If England do/did win it’ll be interesting to see how this sporting triumph and national euphoria will be co-opted and manipulated by the media and politicians for their own ends, especially as it’ll be right at the beginning of the ‘historic’ ConLibCo’s first term in government. Their first step to their Big Society; uniting the nation in triumph! “If the kids are united, they will never be divided” unless that unity is organic, there’s always gonna be someone in control of it all, ie the politicians and the media. If things don’t work out in South Africa there’s always the London Olympics in 2012, talking of which; Have you seen the two mascots? What a load of bollocks! I mean one even looks like a knob, with a couple of arms. I expect we’ll be seeing a lot of these fuckers over the next couple of years as they are used to engineer national pride and unity. Bring on the cheap booze and prescription pills to numb the pain of the people and keep 'em under control.

Pieces Of The Puzzle.

NIKKI SUDDEN & CAPTAIN SENSIBLE - Kill City (MP3)

Here’s a short but very, very sweet post for ya. Only one track. But what a tune….It’s Nikki Sudden and Captain Sensible teaming up and tearing up Iggy Pop’s Kill City. Nikki and the Captain first met in 1977 when Nikki was following Marc Bolan on tour, and The Damned were supporting him, at one point Sensible and co. thought Nikki was a spy for The Clash’s manager Bernie Rhodes, not that that stopped them from keeping in touch over the years. The photo of Captain Sensible is from the Nikki Sudden memorial show were he fittingly played three Marc Bolan numbers along with Max Dechampe and Daryl Bath. In 2005 The Captain visited Nikki in Berlin and collaborated with him on Kill City, which was included on the compilation album He Put The Bomp in The Bomp which celebrated the life of Greg Shaw founder of Bomp Records. Other artists on the album include The Warlocks, The Barracudas, The Fuzztones, Soledad Brothers and loads more. The whole album can be found to download over at Youngmosstongue. So click here for a blast of Kill City and there if you want it all, either way you aint gonna be disappointed. "I'M SICK OF KEEPING QUITE I AM THE WILD VOICE"

Election / Reflection

*RESULT* Two for the price of one! *TAKE AIM FIRE* A historic/hysteric coalition / From Britain’s Got Politicians to the Ant and Dec of politics / Can it work? after all the analysis of CleggCams body language Will the media let it work? / Do we the people want it to work? Can a couple of public school toffs really be in touch with the people? / What if it doesn’t work? / Too many questions! / What’s the answer? / Well we could take a leaf out of the Greek and Thai peoples books and take to the streets, or alternatively; we could stab our MP‘s! *WE ARE THE PEOPLE* Is everything how it’s meant to be, or is it just how they want it to be. Is everything really what we see? No! Everything is what they want us to see and how they want it to be. No winners just losers, that’s their result.

The(ir) New Deal....

THE DEAD RABIDS - Night Of The Living Dead Rabids.

Today’s musical offering from Sydney, Australia is one of the best things I’ve heard for weeks/months/years. It’s an album of two half’s which fit together to make a 14 track monster; six are covers the rest are Dead Rabids originals, and one I Spit Upon Your Grave is a reworking of a number that Guitarist and Singer Bob Short did with one of his previous bands. The covers aren’t karaoke covers, and are well chosen reference points to the bands influences and history. (Velvet Underground, The Clash, The Ramones, Iggy and The Stooges, Bo Diddley and The Kingsmen) Talking of history here’s a brief resume, courtesy of the bands myspace page
“In 1977, Bob Short formed legendary punk band “Filth” with Peter Tillman (later of the Lipstick Killers). Filth managed to upset a lot of people but, given how easy it used to be to upset people, that wasn’t too difficult. Bob then went on to form the Urban Guerrillas and made a dreadful noise with such songs as “Paradise” and “No Allegiance”. John Gunn joined as drummer and here the Dead Rabids’ story begins.John went to London with another group of punk legends, The Last Words as well as drumming for a variety of other acts including a long stint with The Associates. Bob went to London and formed proto Goths Blood and Roses. Blood and Roses made the front cover of NME, played the John Peel Show and released large wobbly slabs of vinyl that squirmed into the UK alternative charts. Bob and John have reunited with newcomer Wade McPherson on Bass. The band is called the Dead Rabids.“ here’s what the band have to say about ’emselves now:
“The Dead Rabids walk this Earth with a song in our hearts. It is, however, not a pretty song. The Dead Rabids are the best at what we do. The trouble is, what we do isn't very nice. We play for a happy a few. A band of sisters and brothers. The one per cent of the one percenters. We love them and they love us. It's a big old love factory in Rabid Land. Outside, the world can tumble into dark entropy. Popularity belongs to the mediocre. Well, we're not going away. We're not going into that darkness. We believe in what we do. We are passionate. Dead passionate. You can bring on your slings and your arrows. You can take your outrageous fortune. We've been born and we've lived under bad signs for so damn long that anyway looks up. You can curse us, poison us, condemn us but you better get the job done right first time. If you spit in our face, we'll take out your eye.”
The album was recorded and produced in less than 10 hours, not that you’d think it. I wonder what it would have sounded like if more time had been spent? I dunno! because this is full on, vital and urgent straight to the point down’n’dirty rawk’n’roll. No frills but plenty of thrills’n’spills. This download is approved by the band who "want the music to be heard"……so what are you waiting for? Hear it here. Enjoy and Destroy!

There may be trouble ahead.

Now’s the time to filling the power vacuum. Take to the streets with minority and single issue politics. Take the workplace to the streets for one big party. Not a General Strike, but a General Sickie! A whole country off work through illness. “Sorry boss can’t come into work today, I’m feeling stressed, depressed and generally unwell.” Yeah…. SICK OF IT ALL! The(ir) selfish free market capitalist consumer death culture and all the unfair and unjust social/economic ills it brings to people. It makes me wanna puke!

THE ORDINARY BOYS - Maybe Someday (CD Single)

Here’s a band that promised something, but in the end delivered nothing, apart from this great debut single. Their Over The Counter Culture album was alright, but from then on in it was downhill and the band became…just Ordinary. Maybe Someday is a critique of the modern world and it’s technologies that numb the mind, “Waiting for some inspiration, A lack of human interaction.” It’s b-side Laughing From The Sidelines is about not fitting in. Cracking stuff, like The Jam meeting The Smiths. Check it out here.

Post Election Blues, Reds,Yellows and Greens. (Some Notes)

So that’s it then. The winners of Britain’s Got Politicians 2010 are……No one really. The Conservatives got the most seats in parliament. First past the post, but not enough to have total control over parliament. Labour came next, followed by the Liberals. Hang 10! One winner was The Green Party, getting their first ever seat, UKIP crashed, and no seats for the BNP…result! No victorious Things can only get better march to Number 10 by anyone. No, because all three parties know it’s only gonna get worse in the economic department. If people can’t see the writing on that wall, then they really are fucking blind.
The £ is already starting to wobble, with the global financial markets lack of certainty in the uncertainty of who’s running the show in Britain.
The electoral system can be seen for the sham it is. Tory’s haven’t enough seats to govern, but despite getting less votes Gordon Brown is still Prime Minister,(he must be the only MP never to have been elected by the people) and can remain so until a deal is struck between the Tory’s and The Liberals, that’s if one is agreed, lets remember the Liberals want electoral reforms which will break the hundred year old two party system. Will they settle for anything less in any deals? Will the Tory's be prepared to give up some of their power? Who decides ? Well....the people did! not all of them though.

Some people didn’t even get to exercise their right to vote, as polling stations were closed while they were still queuing outside, others didn’t have enough ballot papers. For fucks sake you couldn’t make this shit up. Britain’s defending democracy in Afghanistan, but it can’t defend it’s own. Did people get cross at not being able to place their cross? Yes,complacent, compliant and peacefull, in some countries people would have smashed the polling station up if they’d been denied their right.
Interesting and possibly messy times ahead. Hold on tight because nobody’s driving, except the media.

THE 25th OF MAY - Fuck The Right To Vote (12" Single)

Here we are in Britain on the eve of polling day in the X Factor Britain’s got Politicians General Election. Yes whoever you vote for the government wins, and if voting did change anything it would be made illegal, or would it? I mean let the people think they’re having a say while the ballots are rigged under the guise of a ‘postal vote’ change has been a key word amongst all the parties. The powers that be fear a hung parliament, because they have the most to lose. Their press has been talking in terms of …A summer of strikes, A weak economy, and being on the verge of Anarchy. Hey I’m liking the sound of that result! Anyway enough of my ranting. Lets have someone else’s ranting and music. The 25th Of May were a unique band, ahead of their time. Never before had a British band combined Rap, Hip Hop and Rock with such stark social comment. Their lyrics echoed the dissatisfaction of the social climate at the end of the 1980’s and start of the 90’s. The music broke new ground; hard drums and guitars married to strong hooklines, singer Steve Swindelli’s powerful message was ever prominent over a pumping back-beat. Fuck The Right To Vote was released prior to the 1993 General Election, and is a different version to the one that appeared on their brilliant 1992 debut album Lenin and McCarthy, which address issues such as Homelessness, Joyriding and the Hillsborough disaster. This was the sound of revolution. I saw ’em live many times and they were awesome, total commitment whether playing in front of 30 or 300 people, they were also a nice bunch of people who liked to party, talk politics and music. It’s a shame Britain wasn’t ready at the time for such an overtly political band, now in 2010 the country needs one. So here you go if you fancy a blast of something new, or if you’re one of the few who knew the score and haven’t heard the Yeltsin Mix of FTRTV or it’s b-side Made In The USA (Scud Mix). Enjoy!

International Workers/Revolution Day.

The artwork above was done by Brian, a friend of mine, who died on this day in 1993.