My mind is a _____ at the moment.

"I aint a boy, I am a bomb and I've been searching for the switches just to turn myself on."

This band were the sound of the new millennium, The Time Was Then, except not many people were listening....the deaf, dumb bastards would rather have listened to Coldplay, whom Terris did a co-headline tour with. This is their debut 4 track CD released on Rough Trade, and a corking one it is too. These guys were intense, emotive and angry with lyrics of great depth, feeling and intelligence. Musically they took the 'Britpop' template and stuck it in a cement mixer with half a yard of sand and a couple of house bricks and produced a unique sound and style, that was a bit much for the mindless masses. Their debut album Learning To Let Go is a lost classic that was destined for the bargain bins, if you come across a copy I urge you to buy it, although I may well post it at a latter date, along with the rest of their singles, but until then click here and see what yer may have missed. I'm aware that some of the bands I've been posting may be new to people, but I would recommend giving 'em a go. If you find I've been talking shit and have a bad taste in music delete 'em from yer hard drive, it's cost yer nowt. Just before I go, I feel I should mention that these last few musical posts have partly been inspired by John 'he's here then he's gone again' Liedown over at the excellent Punks On Postcards who posted another great 90's band; Novocaine, which triggered me to post 60ft Dolls, and when going through my CD's I thought fuck it lets post a few more bits of pre millennium music. Well there you have it. Enjoy or Destroy.

DOLE MODELS

sO bRITAINS 2ND rOYAL fAMILY; tHE BeckHams, shit, shouldn't try and ytpe aftera couple of beers. Right start again. So Britains 2nd Royal Family; The Beckhams have finally fucked off to the USA. Good riddance to bad rubbish that's what I say. Take away their passports so they can't come back when it goes 'surgically enhanced tits up', and good luck to the American people, as if they didn't have enough of their 'own talent' to cope with. I'm sick of brand Beckham and their celebrity lifestyle which is shoved down the throats of the media obsessed masses. Dosh and Pecks are bad. The only thing people need to aspire to is to be themselves.

COMPULSION - Safety (EP)

While digging out the CD for the 60ft Dolls post I came across this little gem from the 90's (forgot I 'ad this, unlike their fantastic debut album Comforter, which sits comfortably next to Crass, Crisis, The Clash and Cock Sparrer in my collection.) Compulsion rawked in a grungy, punky and shouty sorta way. Great stuff, a reference point; The Pixies maybe? Saw 'em live once; Guitarist Garret Lee swinging from the scaffold beams of the venues ceiling, with his guitar swinging and screeching, in time to the pounding rythm. Garret has gone on to find more success than Compulsion did as uber producer JacknifeLee. Compulsion were one of the 90's most criminally ignored band. Shame on you! Grab the Safety EP there. Then take a trip to Born In The Basement where you can download a best of compilation of Compulsion. The revival starts here'n'there and everywhere.

DOH!

Watched George Bush the other day on the news giving a speech about Iraq. There he was strutting around with a microphone in his hand walking and talking shit; like some sort of stand up comedian except he wasn't funny and no one was laughing, cos the joke aint funny anymore, if it ever was. If we're gonna have a cartoon character as the leader of a global 'superpower' I'd rather it was a real one. Homer Simpson for President, that's what I say. He may be as incompetent and dumb as Bush, but at least he gives a shit and has more humanity than DUBYA.

DON'T SUCK 'CORPORATE COCK'; It'll leave a horrible taste in yer mouth!

"....THE ISSUE IS WHETHER WE WANT TO LIVE IN A FREE SOCIETY OR WHETHER WE WANT TO LIVE UNDER WHAT AMOUNTS TO A FORM OF SELF-IMPOSED TOTALITARIANISM/WITH THE BEWILDERED HERD MARGINALIZED/DIRECTED ELSEWHERE/TERRIFIED/SCREAMING PATRIOTIC SLOGANS/FEARING FOR THEIR LIVES/AND ADMIRING WITH AWE THE LEADER WHO SAVED THEM FROM DESTRUCTION/WHILE THE EDUCATED MASSES GOOSE-STEP ON COMMAND AND REPEAT THE SLOGANS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO REPEAT AND THE SOCIETY DETERIORATES AT HOME/WE END UP SERVING AS A MERCENARY ENFORCER STATE/HOPING THAT OTHERS ARE GOING TO PAY US TO SMASH UP THE WORLD//" - Noam Chomsky

"THE WORKING CLASS CAN KISS MY ARSE, IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT"

From South Wales, here come the 60ft Dolls, 3 notorious drunken hellraisers with an ear for a catchy tune. The best 'Britpop' band that weren't Brits. Their debut 7"; Happy Shopper is a top tune of theirs. The tale of a cross dressing conspicuous consumer of commodity culture, a great Heartbreaker Clash of Jam punk. Errm a bit like The Enemy but eleven years earlier. This is the CD re-release of Happy Shopper, which unfortunately includes a cover of a Beatles number, Everybodys Got Something To Hide (Except Me And My Monkey) but fortunately it is saved by another great number of their own; Dr Rat. Enjoy.

"ALL THE THINGS THAT I CAN SEE ARE BREAKING UP AROUND ME"- Screaming Blue Messiahs

a CLASH with THE ENEMY

Had a bit of an eco-politikal weekend, so didn't get a chance to post some more Clash stuff, so here we go. Mind you this wasn't the stuff I'd planned to post. Anyway look at this as a bonus download to The Clash On TV post. It's from Michel Druckers French TV Show, broadcast on 28/9/77; 3 tracks: London's Burning/Complete Control and 1977. (Thanks to Laxman, from you know where for this) I'll get round to posting what I'd planned; The Clash's Tale Of Two Cities soon. Anyway, talking of THE CLASH, there's a band from Coventry called THE ENEMY, who are treading the same path as The Clash did 30 years ago. Their debut LP We Live And Die In These Towns was released today. Thanx to the wonders of t'internet I've been listening to it for a couple of weeks now, ain't too bad as new bands go, and will probably speak to a generation of kids like The Clash did back in the day. Musically The Enemy are a hybrid of The Clash/The Jam and don't let this put you off Franz Ferdinand, lyrically they are very socially aware. Next to Send Away The Tigers by the Manic Street Preachers (who they've been touring with) it's one of my favourite new releases of the year. I'm not gonna post the album, but there's a bunch of early singles, B-sides and session stuff for ya included in this post. Enjoy.

DEAD Earth.

Yesterdays Live Earth event, has got me thinking. I aint gonna go on about 'the issue' getting lost amongst 'the music' and the motivation behind the bands appearances, instead I'm gonna look into what really needs to be done to save our planet, it's extreme, but the only way I can see the planet surviving is if some one takes control. Palm Oil is being used as a biofuel, a more renewable energy source, but in certain regions of the globe deforestation of the rain forest is taking place in order to grow palm oil. This presents a problem; a search for a fuel to help save the planet is actually causing the destruction of the planet. The locals are now reliant on this source of income and if for example checks and balances were put on the production of palm oil, then the livelihood of the indigenous people would be threatened. The West is happy to see the rest of the world develop in a capitalist free market way, but the reality now is that it aint working, just look at China; who have opened their markets to the joy of the West and in the process of increasing production of cheap products for the western consumer market they have pumped vast amounts of pollution into the environment. It's all about supply and demand, so if there was no supply there'd be no demand, so one way to save the planet is to have a market economy based on control and not freedom. Instead of searching for new fuels, cut down on the amount of cars manufactured and only allow one per household, also cut back on the hugh variety of goods available, place controls on the freedom to choose and there would be less produced. It's all about a balance and at the moment the world is unbalanced. There are too many controls over individual freedoms, and none over economic freedom. So now is the time to say NO! to the producers, fuck your freedom to make money, because your freedom is fucking up the planet. Fuck making countries base their economies on Western models, cos as we now can see these models are faulty, as Marx said there is an inherent contradiction in capitalism, which is becoming more obvious with each new global crisis. The economic liberty of the few is effecting the freedom of the rest of us. It is time for them to take responsibility. Yes we can all do our bit using energy saving light bulbs and saving water, but it really is only a drop in the ocean of saving our planet. It is not just down to us to stop buying consumer goods, it's down to to those producing them to stop. Our lives would be no different without some of the shit that's on the market, and nations would be no worse off if they didn't produce the goods for the West. They need look for different economic models that provide independance and not dependance on Western markets. If Live Earth was about raising awareness; then people need to be made aware that in order to save the planet; someone soon is gonna have to take away their freedom of choice in the market place, and the producers need to be aware they're gonna have to cut back on profits, governments need to be aware that they should be searching for new forms of governance. If there is no major change in thinking then one day soon there will be nothing left. Like Marx said "All that is solid melts into air." In other words don't take anything for granted, which is what we have been doing with our world for too many years. Producers, governments and citizens we are all guilty, some more than others. Anyway, here's some music from the only good band to play at the Live Earth event; It's Kasabian stamping their carbon footprint all over Wembley Stadium.

Never MIND the WEATHER it's beyond our CONTROL.

This is a continuation of a post I started a couple of days ago. For the purpose of this post I shall not be touching on the science of the technology involved. Woosh!.......right over my head. Instead I shall be looking at the social/political implications of this technology. The HAARP Project (High frequency Active Auroral Research Program) is located in a remote part of Alaska. A series of Aeriel's protrude into the skyline and bounce high pitched radio waves into the earths ionosphere, creating electro magnetic beams that can then be targeted anywhere in the world for various purposes, including Mind Control and weather modification. The project is backed by US Government and funded by the Pentagon and the CIA. The technology is based on the work of Nikola Tesla in early 1900's and expanded on by Bernard J Eastlund, during the 1940's. The electromagnetic frequencies and orgone energies HAARP produces create a dramtic impact on both the weather and the emotional and psychological states of human beings. There are groups of conspiracy theorists that are watching and listening for when HAARP is fired up, they are looking out for events such as increase of 'crazed gun killers' and dramatic changes in weather, their findings have shown a few 'coincidental events' when the HAARP was being played. Since the 40's the US have been experimenting with various methods of mind control and weather modification as a military tool, first used in Vietnam. "Nutters" the powers that be cry. Well maybe, but lets look at what former national security advisor to Jimmy Carter during the 1970's; Zbigniew Brzezinski has to say about it all. "Unhindered by the restraints of traditional liberal values an elite would not hesitate to achieve its political ends by using the latest modern techniques for influencing public behaviour and keeping society under close surveillance and control. Technical and scientific momentum would then feed on the situation it exploits." Stop and think for a moment about the changes in society over the years, the breakdown in social order, increase in violence etc. This is put down to a raft of reasons such as proliferation of the media and growth of consumerism, but is this a 'natural' progression that comes from technology for the masses or is it 'man-made' by using technology to control the masses thinking. What about the worlds changing climate? is it all down to the citizens and their disregard for the planet , or is it a result of weather modification by powers that want to control the planet, hiding behind the smokescreen of global warming. Remember that things are not always what they seem and there is always a reason behind events, whether it be a 'natural disaster' or a 'lone lunatic gunman' What about if these sort of events were/are made to happen in order to control societies across the globe through the way these sort of events are responded to, or not depending on what outcome the 'powers that be' require to suit their own ends. As I type this there are a series of global live music events taking place to highlight climate change, encouraging the people to change their attitudes, well what about if it aint the people at fault but global superpowers. Anyway here's some music to download for ya to listen to while you have a think, (it's 100 times better than the shit playing at these music events the BBC are broadcasting that I've been listening to in the background as I type this.) HAWKWIND - Orgone Accumulator

Looks like the netwerks gone down with the web message widget, if it aint up'n'running over weekend will replace it with another one. Am thinking about enabling the anon comments again, but I aint prepared to put up with abuse and threats, will engage in debate over my views/opinions etc, but only in a manner that is constructive.

Don't know WEATHER you've noticed...

that we seem to be having a lot of 'unseasonal extreme' weather conditions over the recent years, which have been primarily put down to global warming. Well I have a theory about this (oh no! I hear you all cry, here we go again...) well yes, but not today 'cos I'm a bit pushed for time. But I will leave you with a thought.... Think of the damage and death that 'the weather' can cause to a nation and it's people, and think about the countries and their regimes that our buddy Bush across the Atlantic would love to see removed from the globe, but can't using 'traditional' methods of warfare. Like I said just a thought, but one I will be expanding on in a future post. One final thing, remember.... "There is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing"-Billy Connolly, mind you try telling that to the people of New Orleans.

FUCKIN' DESTROY

This recording finds The Scream movin' on up from their frankly shite psychedelic beginnings, the only band I've come across who's second album is better than the first. The band are captured here going through changes. Dropped by their record company due to poor sales, the core of the scream; Gillespie, Young and Innes relocated to Brighton, got shit faced and re-examined the band with the help of Johnny Thunders, MC5 and 9 yards of dead cow. The new leather and loaded Scream rawked. This gig in May 1988 at Dingwalls was a taster for the future of a heavier and harder sound. A highlight of the set is a cover of The Ramones Swallow My Pride. Only Primal Scream could get away with fucking it up at the start. Too much speed! This recording came via Moggieboy @ The Webadelica Forum, top guy, top forum, cheers. Enjoy, it is an important piece of musical history from one of the few bands since The Clash that matter. It's just a click away....CLICK

This is a footnote to the previous post, well not really cos it appears at the top, so technically its a 'headnote'. No sooner had I posted it and gone to work. I saw a copy of The Sun news paper and fuck me what did I read about, Gordon Brown asking us all to fly the flag in the face of terror, which is the sort of shit I was talking about, were politicians turn something into something else. Brown has taken the nations perceived fear of terror (which Blair helped foster) and co-opted it with the help of the media into some sort of exercise in creating national pride and unity, just like Blair did with Diana. Wankers!

SOMETIMES THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON

So Gordon Brown is gonna be giving some of the powers back to Parliament and the people, for example decisions about going to war. Lets remember that anything Gordon Brown does in the early days of his premiership is because he has to; in order to increase his long term power. He needs to be seen to act on criticism of the New Labour regime from Parliament and the people in order to maintain and gain support. He will also be doing nothing for nothing and there will be a time when it is payback. He seems to have passed his first test OK. In the wake of the 'failed 'n'foiled' recent bomb plots arrests have been made quickly, with minimum fuss. It's almost as if the secret services knew where to find 'the doctors of terror' (since this post was first conceived a couple of days ago reports in today's press confirm this) When Tony Blair first took office he had a test as well; the death of Lady Di, and look what that did for him and New Labour; it laid the ground for their new form of media based politics. With the death of the 'peoples princess' Blair was able to shape and control the mood of a nation, with the help of a new breed of politician 'the spin doctor' I'm not suggesting that both these events 10 years apart were manufactured and made to happen for a reason, but it does make ya think. I wonder how long it will be before Brown pushes for the lengthening of the time terrorist suspects can be detained for with out trial? and how many new laws will be passed to safeguard our future freedom, by taking away our future liberty. Like I said before; there is always something behind the actions of politicians, that at first hand appear to be for the benefit of the people but are infact a benefit to the party, don't be fooled by Brown, cos he's gonna be a lying manipulative mutha fucker just like the rest of 'em.

FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK. BOLLOCKS! apologies for the colourful language, have had a bad day at work.

Alright then here it is, couldn't help myself. The final unreleased SCUM OF TOYTOWN track: Another Bomb ,another slice of scumtastik ska. You knew it would happen one day Toad, cheers maan!, and like you said TimK it's gonna be out of context, but that's art for ya Craig, you Know it makes sense Jon, but god knows what Nic and Lea would say? What do ya reckon Beth?

A man drives a car through the front doors of a Doctors surgery, it bursts into flames.

Q) "Doctor, Doctor. I feel like a terrorist"

A) "How long have you Jihad these feelings?"

"NO MORE SMOKING ANYMORE."

So that's it the clampdown continues. The Liberty of the smoker has been taken away. As from today 'smoking in public places is banned' (remember its all about the language) any one who breaks the ban can be fined up to £200. Right then since when has a smoking room at work been a 'public place' would a non smoker go into one, I doubt it, but thanks to this new law workers that smoke have to stand outside their work place; on street corners like prostitutes and drug dealers. In pubs and clubs fair enough, after all it's all down to the harm principle and the rights of individuals, so long as their liberty to do what they like doesn't effect the liberty and rights of others. (J.S Mill-On Liberty)hence public places, but smoking rooms at work? Looks like the bosses are using a piece of government legislation to their own ends in a bid to increase productivity among workers who would normally go for a smoke break, surely this is the same as having a break, which is required by Health and Safety law from sitting in front of a computer for too long. Britain is the only EU country that has banned smoking in the work place. Others have left that decision to the employers. As for the cost saving to the NHS, this is bollocks! the savings to the Health Service are outweighed by the profits to the Treasury. After all if you don't want people to smoke, stop allowing the production and retail of the fucking things. Aaah, but then you'd be infringing the rights of individuals to make vast amounts of money and we can't have that can we, because then characters like Bernie Eccelstone wouldn't have been able to make a hefty donation to New Labour party funds and buy his way out of a cigarette advertising ban in sport. How many more clampdowns on our freedoms are there gonna be in the name of profit and peace. These 'foiled' terrorist attacks in London and Glasgow are nice and timely. The first test for our new leader, how will he react in the face of a critical terror threat how many front doors of the Muslim communities will be kicked down, how many 'suspects' will be detained without trial and what new laws will be introduced 'to secure our future safety', well a few laws about the production and consumption of Western commodity goods would be a start, after all one of the things the terrorists express their hatred for is the excesses of the West. So let the government clampdown on conspicuous consumption, but we know they won't for reasons I said earlier, so until they do we best be prepared for more smoking carbombs.

Was gonna post an unreleased SCUM OF TOYTOWN track today called Another Bomb, but thought, nah that would be a bit to obvious so I haven't. Maybe another day. Hope no ones disappointed.

DO YOU REMEMBER THE 80'S?

Dunno how to begin this post, without taking some nostalgic trip down memory lane with a tescos shopping trolley full of amps, guitars and drum kit to another gig at a youth club somewhere in North Herts. This EP comes from an age of innocence and independence. THE PARAMEDIC SQUAD were/are still mates of mine, well Daz is cos I'm still in contact wiv him. Friendship, is an important thing and should be treasured with the passing of time. Shit, what the fuck am I going on about here, knew there was a reason why I hadn't posted this sooner, gonna start going all misty eyed knew it'd end in tears. Right where was I, that's right in The Crypt Studios Stevenage, same place The Mob recorded their debut single and where The Astronauts mixed Peter Pan Hits The Suburbs. That's where this was recorded and also released by the studios label Gargoyle Records, same label as Chron Gens Puppets Of War. There were 1000 copies pressed, dunno how many were sold, but a lot disappeared when distributors Fresh Records went bust. One sale resulted in a review in the now defunct music paper Sounds, by the now sadly deceased journalist Johnny Waller, who was approached by Daz and myself at a Blood and Roses/Mob gig at the Pied Bull Islington in Sept 82 with the immortal words of Daz "wanna buy the best record of the year" his response was he already had it and it was by the Simple Minds, as he mentioned in the review "........he looked a bit crestfallen....instead he should be proudly indignant, for this is a plucky little electro punk rant that cleverly avoids all the cliches that lie in its path. The synth-drums and phased guitar give it a bizarre edge that is entirely welcome" when we approached him he was just another punter as far as we were concerned, what a result. Like the man said...this is a slice of 80's post punk closest references 25 years latter are The Stranglers and Killing Joke, I could go on forever about some of the gigs they played with The Meteors, UK Decay and Lack of Knowledge, but I wont, in fact I'm gonna stop typing very soon, but this recording is another piece in the jigsaw of British musical heritage, when things were alternative, it shouldn't be ignored get it here. 1)Movements In Time 2)For You 3)Thinking Psychedelia. Just remember, that unlike Johnny Waller, you didn't have to pay for it.

The Vibrators - Warzone

Postmen on strike, Prisoners released early, Daily stabbings and shootings, unexploded car bombs in London and to top it all The Spice Girls have reformed, things just can't get any better than this. The futures bright, the futures................

THE HEARTBREAKERS - L.A.M.F.D.E.M.O.S

These 6 tracks: Born To Lose/Can't Keep My Eyes On You/Do You Love Me/It's Not Enough/Take A Chance/I Love You// were recorded as demos during 1976 for the bands debut L.P; LAMF. The actual sound of these recordings is possibly better than the actual album. The image to your left is a demo of Nina Antonias excellent biography of Johnny Thunders - In Cold Blood, which was originally published in a fanzine format around 1985. For the demo recordings click here:http://www.sendspace.com/file/5qvhb1 For the book you'll have to go to the library or a bookshop.

"MEET THE NEW BOSS,

SAME AS THE OLD BOSS"

We have been fooled again!

So Tony Blair's gonna be a peace envoy for the Middle East, like he's made such a great job of it in Afghanistan and Iraq. The only peace making he needs to do is to PEACE OFF!

FROCK 'N' ROLL WIV

the NEW YORK DOLLS. What can I say about this band that can't be read about in Nina Antonias book Too Much Too Soon or seen in Bob Gruen's grainy black and white film about the band ; All Dolled Up, a great documentary, you can see why they got up the arses of the American establishment. This recording, a WABX Radio Broadcast finds the Dolls playing a New Year show at Michigan Palace, Detroit in 1973. It was '74 time to open the door,' to go through it click here:http://www.sendspace.com/file/xbvt47

More Muzik On The Way

It's been a while since I've posted some tune-age, so... I'm now sitting here thinking what shall it be. Some more Clash, a bit of acoustic Manic Street Preachers, a slice of The Deviants, Iggy Pop, the New York Dolls or some other shit, well I can't decide at the moment, so ye'll have to pop back later and find out. It could be good, bad, happy or sad, but whatever it's gonna rock.

DON'T MENTION THE WAR(S)!

It's all kicking off. (not that it's ever really stopped) Increased Taliban attacks in Afghanistan, Hamas taking control of The Gaza Strip, daily bombings in Iraq by insurgents, Salman Rushdies knighthood and Allan Johnsons 100th day of captivity; that's without mentioning Iran. Funny, I remember someone saying when Saddam was gone the world was gonna be a safer place.

"Our only defence is together like an army, I'll hold you like a gun....Western values mean nothing to her" - The Pop Group

Perhaps if the West had butted out of the whole Middle East region over the years instead of protecting their interests things may have been different. Who are we to try and import and impose our values on other nations? just because democracy 'works' for the West it doesn't naturally mean that it is good for other nations , especially ones so heavily divided on ethnic and religious grounds. Their value and belief systems and ideas of governance may be abhorrent to the West, but who are we to dictate a New World Order upon the Middle East how would we feel if Sharia Law was trying to be imposed on us. The only Westerner to have any idea about the whole situation was T.E Lawrence, who tried to unite the area, unlike for example the Trade Unions who at their 1936 conference declared that they hoped the British government of the time would take all necessary measures to bring the present disorders to an end. 71 years later the blood shed still continues.

Ha,Ha, Harman.

Ha, Ha, Harman. Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Harman. Ha, Ha, Harman. Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Harman. Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Harman Ha, Ha, Harman. Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Harman. Ha, Ha, Harman. Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Harman. Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Harman.

Perhaps I'm being cynical here but could it be the only reason Harriet Harman was elected as New Labours deputy leader was because she leans to the left and is a woman? Only time will tell when we see and she finds out how much power and influence she will really have with Gordon 'Stalin' Brown when it comes to policies and decisions. The words 'not a lot' and 'token' spring to mind and I'm wondering who Brown will appoint as Deputy Prime Minister, cos thats where the power will lie, and I'm sure they will.

Don't forget to read the small print!

GlaSTUNGbury 2007

Wish I'd gone to Glastonbury this year. I've been watching it on the telly, and maaan there's been some good shit on, and I mean shit! I should have made more of an effort to register and get my photo ID and pay a couple of hundred pounds for a ticket to spend 3 days in a cow field with the rain and the mud, living along side hundreds of middle class indie hippies who feel that it is the only time they feel truly free and able to be themselves, while giving the powers that be another excuse to bring in some sort of ID scheme, you suckers. WHAT PRICE FREEDOM?

anarchoSPACE

Thanx to the hard work of a couple of former anarchoscenesters; Penguin and Chris.L, there are now a couple of really good myspace pages documenting two of the most important bands of the 80's; THE MOB and THE APOSTLES, without these bands and the clash and crass I very much doubt you'd be reading this now. The links are over to the left just scroll down and click to take a trip back 26 years to a time of hope and positivity, while you're there check out the KILL YOUR PET PUPPY and ALL THE MADMEN RECORDS pages as well. It'll be a great way for yer to spend some of the weekend. Trust me, you know it makes sense.

A Post About No Post

Just been going through my 'blog books' where I keep thoughts and scribblings for rants and ravings, thinking right what shall I post today. The audit culture of New Labour, the cheap Chinese imports that are threatening our climate, the up and coming ban on smoking in public places. Then I took a look in the folder where I keep stuff for collages. Images of riot police and demonstrations, dead bodies in Iraq pictures of Blair, Bush and Brown, torn out words and a load of other visual delights. Cracked open a can of lager and then thought fuck it I just can't be bothered to think about anything tonight, sometimes it just gets too depressing writing about the shit that is

going down in the world these days. I'm sure it wasn't like this when I was younger then I thought no it was; fear of nuclear destruction, Thatcher and Regan economics, unemployment police oppression. Different times different sorts of issues/problems. Then again when I was younger didn't have work and family commitments, time didn't seem so scarce, still age is just a state of mind and I'm still an angry 16 year old, well probably more angry than when I was 16 and didn't have the worry of what sort of a world my daughter would be growing up in............shit lost my train of thought, bollocks....... I'm sure I could drink more than one can of lager then as well without turning into a jibbering idiot. Where was I, oh yeah, that's right, wasn't gonna post anything tonight................................

The Adverts ( Live In Germany 1979 )

THE ADVERTS - The Wonders Don't Care

Can't believe it's taken me this long to post some Adverts stuff, love this band TV Smith was one of punks best songwriters second only to Strummer and Knox.

This collection of favourites is made up of radio sessions recorded for the BBC by the band between 77-79. These versions are less polished than the original recordings, and in the words of TV, it's a chance to "hear a band get born, grow up, get old and die, all in less than an hour" I cant think of a better way to spend an hour, so if you've time to spare, click here: http://www.sendspace.com/file/1dgkct

If not make time, cos Televisions Over.

What exactly did Salman Rushdie do to get a knighthood? wrote some books, big fucking deal.

So, Bernard Manning is dead. My sympathies go out to his family; for puting up with him for all these years. That's one less sexist, racist bigot the world has to put up with. What will the Greater Manchester Police force do for entertainment at this years Christmas party? suppose they could book Roy Chubby Brown or Jim Davidson.

Their HEALTH AND Their SAFETY

What sort of a society have we become were our children are not allowed to be children? caring and protection has become suffocation by cotton wool. Schools enforce rules about what games can be played in the playground. No conkers if you're not wearing goggles. Health and Safety guidelines came into place to stop unscrupulous employers putting their workers in danger, now they are used to protect employers, organisations and businesses from being taken to court; the concern is not for the safety of anyone but for the health of the bank balances. 'Had an accident at work or play? ring.....no win no fee....' The growth of these Lionel Hutz type solicitors is in part due to cheap US legal dramas and copy cat Brit ones along with the increase in 'rights' for consumers. Anyway I always thought that with rights come responsibilities. Therefore surely if it is a persons right to seek compensation it is also their responsibility to take precautions against an accident 'at play' happening and not to try and pass the responsibility to a third party rather than accepting that sometimes shit happens. I'm not advocating that there should be no standards of Health and Safety, organisations such as local councils should be responsible for their standards, but if it is a persons right to sue for injuring themselves because they tripped over a paving slab then it is also their responsibility to look were they're fucking going. If your child slips up because of bubbles blown by a clown at a kids party, so what it was an accident. In this so called risk society the compensation culture has become a way to make money out of misfortune. We have become a society were the freedom to play is dictated by 'guidelines' from bureaucrats who think they can run our lives for us because some people can't take any responsibility for their own actions or inaction's.

Mr Benn, where are you now?

ORDINARY LIFE IS EXTRAORDINARILY SPECIAL, CHERISH IT/SEARCH TO EXPRESS YOUR INDIVIDUALITY/MACHINES SHOULD SERVE US, NOT CHANGE US/PRESERVE YOUR VALUES/LEAD BY INCLUSION, DON'T RULE BY FEAR/REAL FREEDOM IS LIBERTY AT NO ONES EXPENSE/OPEN YOUR MIND TO A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES//

These slogans/statements come not from a Situationist text or a Manic Street Preachers record, but from a children's TV program broadcast by the BBC during the late 60's and early 70's called Mr Benn; a conventional chap in his bowler hat and suit. He'd visit a costume shop try on a costume and have an adventure in a different place each week, what ever world he went to he would change for the better. Injustice and selfishness did not exist in Mr Benns world. Society was all of us and we must take care of everyone. Naive fucking liberal lefty I hear some people cry, well maybe or maybe not, at least he cared about the future. I have distant memories of watching Mr Benn as a kid, but obviously at a young age you don't consciously understand the message, but now in reflection and with the knowledge of how powerful a tool television is for giving out messages to the subconscious I believe that Mr Benn was as much an influence on my teenage and adult years as The Clash,Crass and Herbert Marcuse.

This is TV Clash!

The Clash always refused to appear on Top Of The Pops, the price they paid was the bizarre sight of Pans People dancing to Bankrobber dressed in skimpy black and white hooped skirts and tops. We won't dwell on that, it's probably on youtube if you really wanna see it. Moving swiftly on...This audio download is a compilation of TV shows they did appear on: SO IT GOES(granada 1977), SOMETHING ELSE(bbb 1978), ALRIGHT NOW(tyne tees 1979), FRIDAYS(abc tv 1980), MIXER TV(italian tv 1980) SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE(nbc 1982) 22 tracks of high octane rock'n'roll and reactionary chat. From Capital Radio to Should I Stay or Should I Go. A career spanning set of monochrome moments. Enjoy. It's just a click way: http://www.sendspace.com/file/55ixho

Ooops nearly forgot to thank every one on The Clash forum who made available the stuff from which I compiled this.

BLOG COMMUNIQUE #2

I make no apologies for lack of posts over the last couple of days, times have been busy, also been experiencing a few PC problems that may or may not have been resolved. Time will tell, if not PC may need a trip to rehab, so if there's a break in communication that'll be why. Anyway whats been going on? Vets, prey on the feelings of pet owners and are a fucking rip off, but what price for the love of your pet. What does it mean to be British?, dunno been giving that some thought for a few months haven't come up with an answer yet. Political Correctness, has it gone mad? How many people will be made homeless because of the Olympics? and what the fuck is going on in the Middle East apart from more killings. All this and more will be addressed over the coming days/weeks/months. Anyway there's gonna be some more muzik at some point today. So don't go away, and thanks to each and everyone of yer who's hit this site, checked it out and commented. TOGETHER WE ARE ONE, APART WE ARE NONE!

BLAH, BLAH, BLAIR!

Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blair…. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah….
Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah…. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah…. Blah….Blah….Blah….Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah…. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah…. Blah….Blah….Blah….Blah….Blah, Blair, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah…. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah….
Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah…. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blair…. Blah….Blah….Blah….Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah…. Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah…. Blah….Blah….Blah….Blah….BLAH!

WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH!

From the G8 summit to the crap on the streets of the council estates across this green and unpleasant land. We are having the piss taken out of us. We pay and they profit. From the packaging of the product that could be sold without all the cardboard and plastic wrapping to the removal of all the rubbish. Council taxes keep rising but the services keep falling, fortnightly refuse collections and talk of paying for rubbish collection to encourage re-cycling. Re-packaging the packaging, I never asked for this. What was wrong with glass milk bottles? or the cardboard containers? why have we now got plastic ones? Ketchup bottles do we really need a choice of plastic squeezey ones or glass ones?, veg in plastic wrapping, why not use paper?, at least cardboard and paper are from natural renewable sources unlike plastic which is man made from oil, so surely in the long term it would be more environmental friendly not to use plastics for packaging and stick to paper, cardboard, glass, (or anything that is more biodegradable or easier to recycle) after all that was what was used in the past before 'manufacturing progress.' Talking of progress or to be more precise capitalist progress countries like China with their developing economies are pumping the atmosphere full of shit so that we in the west can enjoy the benefits of their cheap products. The G8 can have as many treaties and make as many promises as they like but it's all a load of shit if there is no real change. While some profit others perish, just look at the effect climate change is having on some of the poorest nations in the world. From the producer to the retailer to the consumer, we are all responsible we all need to act and do what ever we can to preserve the planet. From Molotov's in Rostock to dumping your unwanted packaging outside ASDA, Tescos or Salisbury's, it's time to act. But please recycle what you can before it's too late, if it aint already. I'm gonna end this rant in a minute, just a couple of things to add where I live we've got recycling bins for cans, paper and glass which get filled up regularly, well all except the glass one. It would make more sense to have one for plastics rather than glass, as that is one of the most used packing's and the only recycling place for plastic is a car drive away.(more shit going into the atmosphere) Like I said before; Producer, Retailer and consumer we are all responsible and long term we are all gonna pay, but in the short term who is really gonna be paying? well it wont be the producers 'cos the G8 will see that they're all right.

ALTERNATIVE TV - Live 1978

What makes Mark Perry one of the most important figures in 'Punk Rock'? Well right from the start with Sniffin' Glue he embraced the ethos of DIY, i.e don't wait for something to happen.... do it yourself. Regardless of fashion it was all about pushing the boundaries and breaking down barriers. He was critical of The Clash signing to CBS records, the day punk sold out. At the height of it's success Perry folded Sniffin' Glue and got a band together; Alternative TV, this was to be no ordinary 'punk' band rehashing the same three chords these guys experimented with dub and avante garde rhythms and tested their audience with each performance. Ironically they became the last 'punk' band to play the 100 club in April 78, and then in the same year they toured with hardcore hippies; Here and Now, performing at various free festivals and gigs, bridging the gap between flares and bondage trousers. Now that's punk rock. Anyway grab some ATV from 1978 here, it's just a click away: http://www.sendspace.com/file/ax0nkk

"YOU GAY NIGGER"

In reference to the comment left on the post it note. It's all about context. When Crass referred to us all being "niggers to the rulers of this land" and The Mob had a song called White Niggers, and because Johnny Thunders was white and didn't want to be treated like a nigger, they were all referring to the oppression of blacks and using it to relate to their own oppression and continuing with the theme of white alienation that Norman Mailer started with his essay 'The Last White Negro' Crass gigs may have been quite violent and intimidating but I don't remember Penny Rimbaud, Steve Ignorant or Mark Mob getting lynched from a tree in the Bayou, and Dial House was no slave plantation. So I don't think there's much of a comparison. White people have a choice about their oppression, it's not based on colour of skin, and like The Clash said "Black man gotta lotta problems, but he don't mind throwing a brick. White people go to school where they teach you how to be thick." (not that Crass, The Mob or Thunders were thick, but that blond from Big Brother is a different case.) Another oppressed group in society who have no control over their oppression is the 'gay community', who have tried to reclaim the word gay and use it as a positive, as Tom Robinson said, "Sing if you're glad to be gay" the normalisation of such terms can have a negative effect were now in the English language the word gay has become a derogatory term among young people for something that isn't very good, so my eleven year old daughter told me when she kept referring to things being gay. Language is a funny old thing. Just as we look back at the 70's and see the attitude towards blacks and gays in TV sitcoms of the time, what attitudes will future generations be looking back on during the 00's. Times change and ignorance can be overcome by education and political struggle. What becomes acceptable is a reflection of society at the time. What sort of society will we have become if the word nigger is allowed to be come common place in the English language just like gay has for people to drop into conversation. It could be argued that the normalisation of such offensive terms takes power away from right wing extremists, but I'm not so sure. Like I said at the beginning its all about the context. This article has been written from a white perspective, so I'm gonna end it from a different perspective, I was recently speaking to a couple of people from the Indian community. One had worked along side someone who was "Proud to be a Paki" and they kept referring to themselves in that context all the time, the person I was speaking to told me they felt this was not right and found it offensive. Words are a powerfull weapon and there's enough weaponary being discharged across the world at the moment without adding to it.

DON'T BELIEVE THE TYPE!

'White Kids Talking Like Their Black' THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT

Another Big Brother controversy, while the G8 summit and protests continue, while Russia and the US rattle their sabres and £400,000 is wasted on an Olympics logo a contestant on the show drops the 'N-Word' and is evicted for her stupidity, good that's what I say. There can be no excuse for the ignorance of a white middle class fake blond bimbo trying to talk street with a black contestant, the way the word nigger rolled from her tongue suggested it wasn't the first time she had used the word in a way she felt was socially acceptable. If any one is to blame for the normalisation of such language it is artists like 50 Pence and their gratuitous use of it in their raps. In an effort to reclaim the word and use it as a positive they have now shot themselves in the foot with their 9mm's, when idiot white trash feel that it is OK, for them to use it.

A HOLY GRAIL (of mine)

Had been after these MANIC STREET PREACHERS tracks for ages, was it worth the wait? I dunno, not really if compared to Send Away The Tigers, but yes if you love the Manics. Here's some background on it's release:

The EP was created as a gift to fans who went to the final concert of their "Past/Present/Future Tour" at the Hammersmith Apollo in London on April 19th 2005.
There were problems with the promotion, however, as staff at the Hammersmith Apollo left boxes full of the EPs by the entrance doors, with none actually handed out. Many fans were confused as to whether the 3000 copies of available EPs would be given before or after the gig, whereas some simply stole armfuls. To make up for the Apollo staff's mistake, the band posted the EP on their website as a free download for those who were not able to receive a copy.
Copies of the CD were also available for free on a first come, first serve basis to fans on the band's mailing list who sent in a SAE to an address supplied in an email newsletter.

1)A Secret Society 2)Firefight 3)Picturesque. Get em here: http://www.sendspace.com/file/eb88yp

BUY THIS NOW! Available on 7", 4 Track CD and Digital Download.

The News - Carbon/Silicon

People started caring about what they eat/And people started smiling at everyone they meet/And people started looking for good instead of bad/Realize what they could lose in what they always had// People started growing, instead of being crushed/And people started slowing down instead of being rushed/And people started looking with very different eyes/And this information now comes as a surprise// Good morning here's the news and all of it is good/Good evening here's the news and all of it is good/And the weather's good! People started calling those in power to account/And people started saying, "I want my voice to count"/And people started learning that they don't need to fight/And they control their future and try to make it right// And people started feeling that better's on the way/And people started feeling some peace and calm today/And people started liking the way that good life feels/And every precious moment becoming what is real// Good morning here's the news and all of it is good/Good evening here's the news and all of it is good/And the weather's good! People started caring about what they eat/And people started smiling at everyone they meet/And people started looking for good instead of bad/Realize what they could lose in what they always had// People started growing, instead of being crushed/And people started slowing down instead of being rushed/And people started looking with very different eyes/And this information now comes as a surprise// Good morning here's the news and all of it is good/Good evening here's the news and all of it is good/And the weather's good! Good morning here's the news and all of it is good/Good evening here's the news and all of it is good/And the weather's good!

Blimey, feel like a request blog. The Pistols, The Clash and now Rage Against The Machine and The Specials, well I woz gonna say that "I don't do requests," then I thought, nah fuck it, why not, then I thought hang about, I love Rage Against The Machine for their politics and shoving it in the faces of the mass market, but musically I don't like them. Then there's the Pistols, kicked down the door and brought punk to the masses, but musically, just one trick pony's, unlike The Clash. The Specials summed up the state of a nation with the sound of ska, but unfortunately I have nothing I can post, that aint available for a fiver in Tescos. So where does that leave us....Yes there will be more Clash stuff coming, but as for the rest? if I come across any live Specials stuff that'll go up, but stuff that I aint into wont. Feel free to request stuff, but can't guarantee i'll be posting everything, but I have an eclectic musical taste so yer never know.

BUZZCOCKS - Live Tension

A prime slice of Buzzcocks for yer. Recorded on 9th Nov 1979 the first of two nights they played at London's Rainbow Theatre, supported by Joy Division. This finds the Buzzcocks in top form, described by NME at the time as "....magnificent, warm and exhilarating." Originally released as a semi-official bootleg and limited to 1977 copies, this is a must for not just Buzzcocks lovers, but for anyone into the post punk era, as it finds the 'cocks sound evolving, includes my personal favourite track of theirs Harmony in My Head. If you wanna get yer hands on this, it's just a click away: http://www.sendspace.com/file/2s4uku

WOT'S BEEN GOING ON.

A weeks a long time in PoliTRICKS. Private schools to help out state schools; 'bout time the rich put back instead of just taking. It's about time the Tories made their minds up about grammar schools; do they want them?, don't they want them? Ditch 'em Dave, just like Tony had to do away with Labours ideals. New poLICE powers to stop and search anyone who may be a terrorist, good move there, don't want to victimise any groups in society do we, after all we all know what a terrorist looks like don't we. Think again, in a few years down the line, anyone who speaks out against the state and it's policies could be branded a terrorist and be subject to these laws, from elderly residents in care homes demanding to have the same human rights as prisoners to the environmental campaigner leaving their unwanted food packaging outside Tescos. Mission McCann shows no sign of slowing down, now receiving full government support. An audience with the pope, a good place to start considering the Catholic churches abuses of children throughout it's history, followed by a trip round Europe to make sure no one forgets Maddie. Tony Blair takes a trip around the world to make sure no one forgets the global good he's done, when the reality is a lot different. Talking of reality, the freaks, geeks and the mad, bad and totally sad vacuous souls are here again. Yes it's Big Brother, time to keep the masses amused all week.

I'M BACK!

Have returned from sea, sand and nature to concrete claustrophobia. Gonna take a day or two to re-acclimatise myself. Holiday Parks, now they're strange old places. The evening entertainment, mmm, now that's a funny old affair, some rather naff compares playing to an audience ranging from 9 weeks to 99 years. Someone dressed up as a fluffy rabbit for the kids, Bingo for the 'oldies' and a crap cabaret for the rest. Like a trip to the 'Savage Reservation' but after a couple of pints it becomes bearable. Like I said strange places Holiday Parks but good for base camp, had a geezer in the caravan opposite playing a trumpet, not as bad as it may sound, found it quite relaxing, I pityed the poor family in the caravan next to the techno kids. Anyway before I return to (ab)normality, I will leave you with a thought (hope I don't offend anyone with this) Belts and Braces, fine worn separately, but both at the same time?..... why not buy a pair of trousers that fit?