PEEPSHOW - Inevitably EP (Vinyl-Rip)

If you enjoyed the Speedway post a while back, here’s another one for you, well you may have actually heard one of these tracks from PEEPSHOW, cos I think that there may have been a technical error in the speedway download that added a peepshow track by mistake, ooops! This 3 track E.P, Inevitably/Strange World/Cathy Can’t Play was released once again on Fantasy Ashtray Records, it’s cut from the same cloth as speedway, but with a slightly more poppy flair, but not a lot, I‘m sure it‘ll suit you. Saw ’em live once and they sounded like a feral Heartbreakers. Available off the peg here!

As Monday draws to a close I can't seem to get rid of a bad case of C.B.A (Can't Be Arsed) Syndrome,plus I'm finding it hard sitting down at the computer when my bottom is sore from being screwed by my employers. Maybe tomorrow.

So the hunt is on for a Member of Parliament who used the word bollocks in a recent debate. Quite why this is seen as news escapes me, cos they’re always talking bollocks! Check out this recent example; They tell us that crime figures are falling, yet the Home Secretary says she doesn’t feel safe walking the streets of London late at night.

KeepOnBloggingInThe3World!

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything about what else is happening out there in cyber space, so………..It’s nice to see the return of geraniums ROLL MOPS, with its rich and varied selection of sounds; from Hardcore Punk to Glam Rock, you’ll find it all here. If you’re ALWAYS SEARCHING FOR MUSIC, especially those hard to find classic punk rock 7” vinyls, then that’s where you’ll find ‘em, as garyching takes us on a trip through his record collection, you never know what yer gonna find from one day to the next. Thumbs up to claudius with a variety of music from The Nips to Radiohead and some personal writings, looks like there's CLEARWATER AHEAD. Right then, that’s yer 3 picks from the wonders of the web for this post, please support yer ‘global blogger’, as sometimes it’s a thankless task we put ourselves through keeping the spirit alive for the love of whatever, and we’ve already lost Sounds Fair and Land Speed Sonic amongst others, so don’t forget the old faves along the way, they can all be found to yer left in the Check Out These! List, each and everyone is worthy of a click and a few minutes of yer time to take you away from the shit in the ‘real world’. But just remember when your surfing the net to take care and keep safe. See ya next post.

VICTIMS OF THE PESTILENCE - Born To Leave (Illegal Records 12" Vinyl-Rip)

Hailing from Hitchin and Letchworth in North Herts. Victims Of The Pestilence formed in Feb 1981 following in the wake of ‘local heroes’ Chron Gen, who they played their first gig with at a Rock Against Thatcher event. The original line up featured: Adie - Guitar/Vocals, Fran - Bass, and a ‘hidden’ member Chris on Drum Machine. They played regularly in the local area, including a support slot with Chelsea in Stevenage. Gene October was, an early champion of the band, who invited them to support Chelsea at the 100 club, he also signed them to Step Forward Records and the plan was for him to produce a 3 track ep, which never materialised, why? I don’t know. It wasn’t until 1988 that they released their first offering; a 5 track 12” Born To Leave on Illegal Records, by now the band had expanded to a 4 piece the drum machine being replaced by Jon Johnson from Chron Gen and Vocal duties taken over by Gub, the brother of Rising Free fanzine editor and former Chron Gen manager Gez Lowry, who was now managing Victims Of The Pestilence. Sadly the bands punk pop psychedelic sound failed to set the world alight and after a self financed 12” A Common Purpose they disappeared from the radar, until now that is! So if you wanna be a victim of the pestilence and are born to leave click here! and if you fancy getting a common purpose just leave a comment and I’ll get round to posting it sometime along with all the other shit that I haven’t got round to; Folk In Hell Tape, The Genocides, The Vibrators and some Trash On Delivery, patience good people.

THE GORD, BAD AND THE UGLY!

In a bid to maintain popularity amongst the people, Gordon Brown has decided to opt out of receiving a large pension when he ceases to be Prime Minister. Good for you Gordon, but you’re still a c**t! In a damage limitation excersise and a bid to stop the binge drinking culture of death that people today are drowning in, the Government is looking at curbing the amount of cheap alcohol that supermarkets are selling. The words Horse, Shutting, Stable, Door, After and Bolted spring to mind, still better late than never I suppose, after all it’s only recently the government have linked alcohol abuse to the anti social behaviour of some young people. What a bunch of c***s! (the government that is) While I’m on the subject of the yoof, last night I watched a program on MTV (the only music television with no music on it) called Sweet Sixteen. MTV is marketed squarely at young people, and what they are broadcasting into their bedrooms needs to be seen to be believed. I felt cheap and dirty after watching the program. Yes I could have turned it off or smashed up my TV in disgust, but hey in order to offer any critical observation first you have to observe. The program was a docu-reality show about a ‘spoilt little rich kid‘and their birthday party. It focused on the planning of and the actual party, were they and their friends showed themselves to be the most obnoxious and self centred individuals to have been born, it reinforced values of conspicuous consumption, greed, celebrity culture and the cult of the individual. It was the stuff that the majority of young viewers could only dream of and that’s my point. Children should not be subjected to this shit, so they grow up thinking those sort of values are a good thing to have and wanting that sort of life style, when the reality is it aint gonna happen. It’s no wonder that many turn to drink and anti social behaviour when they realise that their reality aint like what it is on the telly. Perhaps the government should put a curb on what is broadcast for young people?

GITAAARGH ARMY !

The MC5 along with the New York Dolls and Iggy Pop have all been described as ’pronto punks’. It was only the MC5 that had a political agenda to go with their rock’n’roll posturing, thanks to their manager John Sinclair, who sought freedom for the youth of Amerika by the means of A TOTAL ASSAULT ON THE CULTURE, rock’n’roll was the weapon and the ‘guitar army’ was the kids struggling to survive and grow in the Amerikan Death Culture of the late 1960’s, this wasn’t flower power, this was DOPE GUNS AND FUCKING IN THE STREET. Sinclair’s White Panther Party rallied thousands of kids against the established order with their 10 Point Program that as it’s basic premise demanded power to all people. The Amerikan state saw this as such a threat that Sinclair was jailed for 10 years in 1969 for possessing two joints and the MC5’s gigs were regularly attended by the police and secret services, to check out that the band didn’t “Kick Out The Jams Mutha Fuckers” and to show who really had all the power, bad drugs soon crept onto the scene and ideals were sold out by the lure of record contracts and the commercialisation of the culture. The rest as they say is history. When Guitar Army was published 35 years ago Amerikan death culture was in it’s teenage years. It has now grown up and we are living in it, and with the total absorption of alternative cultures it is hard for anything truly revolutionary making it into the masses consciousness, where ‘freak culture’ and revolution can be bought in high street shops, but all is not lost because the lessons from Vietnam have not been learned and the Amerikan Death Culture is meeting more resistance as it tries for total domination. The internet has enabled Point 5 of The White Panthers Party program to be achieved “Free access to the information media - free technology from the greed creeps!” Guitar Army is John Sinclair’s account of Rock and Revolution and the search for a better society, a manifesto for social change that is still a relevant read today. The recent re-print comes with a free CD that you can get here, it includes music from the MC5, Rationals, The Up and recordings of White Panther Party meetings, and more. If you wanna read the book go to yer local Library and ask ‘em to get a copy for you, or order it from a bookshop but just remember Big Brutha may be watching.

RADIO GA, GA !

I heard a ‘story’ on the radio today; It was about a Muslim shop assistant at Marks and Spencer’s who had allegedly refused to serve a customer with a “Bible Book” as it offended their faith. What the Fuck! Why the need to make a story of an employee who was not doing their job? Cos that’s all it is, break down ‘the facts’ and take away the Muslim and bible parts, and what have you got? A shop assistant refusing to serve a customer, like I said “not doing their job” Sack ‘em, discipline them, whatever, just don’t waste my time broadcasting this sort of bollocks, cos that’s what it is. It seems that in these ‘good new days’ the word Muslim is mentioned and BANG! It all explodes like a suicide bomber, causing problems and issues that often aren’t there until they are highlighted by the media. But hey, it helps make scapegoats of the minority and takes the masses minds off the real shit that is going down.

RIPPING THE HEART(s) OUT OF A NATION !

STEVE LAKE - Murder, Violence, Sex, Divorce. (Vinyl-Rip)

This is the first album by Steve Lake, formerly the singer/bassist in Zounds, it carries on in a similary vein to their Dancing single. 8 tracks: In Every Life A Little Rain Must Fall/The Vigilante/The Comedy Years/Accidents In The Home/Dog/Welcome To The Monkey House/Another Day Another Divorce/????// Released in 1985 on Not So Brave Records. It is a haunting and hypnotic journey through Thatchers Britain, like an off kilter Pet Shop Boys in places, dark compelling stuff, which pre dates the Dance/Rock crossover sound by at least 4 years. Get it here!

THE UGLY SMILE OF A TOOTHLESS CROOK !

I’m getting a bit fed up with writing about ‘the state of our government’, so here’s a few random words/phrases for you guys to construct your own post with for today.
CONTEMPT/Bloody disgrace/LIARS/BASTARDS/Lying Bastards/DISHONEST/Northern Rock/TAXPAYERS/How Much Longer/DISGUST/Cash Donations/Olympic Games/Council Tax/HYPOCRITES/CORRUPT/Hang Them All/Nuclear Power/DESPISE/Pay Rises/NHS/Education System/ID Cards/DECIEPTFUL/The List Goes On/Sick and Tired Of….//

Totally Random Music Postings #4

What I know about SPEEDWAY could be written on a postage stamp, the web wasn't much help either, but hey this is a lost little gem. Released on Fantasy Ashtray Records around 1994/95, it sounds like an amphetamine fuelled Only Ones. The lead track Pedigree Scum is a blistering attack on a class ridden society "Rich kids in the house of lords/you're so inbred you look deformed" the other 2 tracks Imitation Of Life and 26 Years are top grade shit as well. For all lovers of 90's Punk Rawk, file under early Manics, S*M*A*S*H and Fabulous. Highly recommended, you all know what to do.....CLICK!

U R WOT U EAT & SOME PEOPLE MAKE ME SICK!

I’ve noticed there’s a lot in the media about food; diets, healthy eating and producers making the portions bigger. Diets are just a con and encourage people to spend money on any old shit that offers to reduce their weight, healthy eating is good, even though there are often financial constraints on people. Bigger portions means bigger profits and a bigger waistline.,but hey at least in our democracy we have food to eat, and the choice of what to eat, but just remember if you don’t make the right choice and you end up obese you aint gonna get a hip replacement on the NHS, so the government says. Fucking politicians telling us how to live our lives and not to be greedy, when they are scrabbling round the trough trying to get their snouts into it and wanting a pay rise, while denying the Police and Prison Workers the right to strike and telling other public sector workers to show financial restraint around pay rises, all of this and…Tony fucking Blair keeps on raking the cash in with book deals and a job as an advisor to an American bank. I understand people have to make a living, but he’s just capitalising on his power and position, plus he’s left us in this shit, where basic rights of workers are being taken away and we are being dictated to through the media on how to live our life’s by people that live by different laws.

THE FOLK DEVILS - Goodnight Irony (vinyl-rip)

Today’s musical offering at the alter of rawk’n’roll comes from the swamp lands of West London; Goodnight Irony is basically the ‘Greatest Hits’ (if they’d had any) of the criminally ignored Folk Devils. It is a collection of wired and wild, spikey and fiery amphetamine laced rock’n’roll. From their debut single Hank Turns Blue to a track from their last Peel Session It Drags On, it’s great stuff. The bands front man Ian Lowery started out as the original singer The Wall, before going on to release records with Agent Orange and Ski Patrol, before forming The Folk Devils, who incidentally trivia fans were managed by Ray Ganges, the rather mixed up would be roadie in The Clash’s Rude Boy film. After The Folk Devils split Ian went on to release records under the name of The Ian Lowery Group and King Blank, before his sad death in the 1990’s. Saw ‘em live once in Stevenage, when they played their hearts out to a half empty hall. Great stuff, get Goodnight Irony here! and if you wanna check out King Blank take a trip here where you can get their The Real Dirt album, just tell ’em I sent you. NO!!!! BOLLOCKS, Just checked the blog where King Blank is posted and FUCK me if they aint just posted Goodnight Irony. SOD IT, shall I not post it now? I dunno....nah FUCK it, I 've just spent time converting, typing and uploading for this post, so here ya go, anyway you can't have too much of a good thing.

THE HEAVY METAL KIDS - Live And Loud!!

Often over looked by ‘punk revisionists’ The Heavy Metal Kids were firing up audiences in the early 1970’s with their theatrical ‘pronto punk‘ They were regulars at The Speakeasy and The Marquee, were the likes of Mick Jones and Tony James (The Clash and Generation X) could be found amongst the audience. It has been reported that after seeing ‘em live a certain Johnny Rotten went up to their enigmatic front man Gary Holton, pinned a safety pin on Garys jacket and said “how does it feel to be ripped off” An extensive touring schedule, they once played 300 gigs in a year took it’s toll on the band, especially Gary, who by then had built up a drug habit to see him through the endless touring. He was eventually thrown out of the band as a result in 1977 and went on to find ‘fame’ as an actor, appearing in Quadrophonia and the successful TV series Auf Wiedersein Pet amongst others,until his untimely ‘drink and drugs death’ in 1985. Enjoy some classic HEAVY METAL kids, here!

WE ARE LIVING IN OUR MEMORIES.

BLOG COMMUNIQUE #6

There'll b sum more musik comin' up soon, when i can decide wot 2 post from the varied sounds in the vault. Any re-postings will be posted in a section on the left that i'll call....Re-posts. Cheers for visiting and feel free to leave a comment about whatever, I don't bite!

It would appear that now New Labour are skint, and have had well documented issues with party funding that they have either gone cap in hand to their ’traditional’ funders the Trade Unions, or the unions have taken advantage of their former friends current plight, either way there is financial help being sought and offered. Secret meetings between ministers and union officials have been taking place behind closed doors in Downing Street. In return for ’their’ cash the Unions have got Gordon Brown to reverse Blairs labour reforms and are asking that any government money that goes to private business, only goes to firms that are prepared to introduce fresh rights for their workers. Those that swing to the right will no doubt shout No! it’s gonna be a return to the ’bad old days’ of 3 day weeks and the country being helled to ransome by ‘greedy workers’ It’s no wonder that the meetings have been secret and not widely reported in the press, especially when Gordon is calling for financial restraint amongst public sector workers and pay rises. Looks like there’s gonna be interesting times ahead in these ’good new days’

DEMOCRAZY

The people of Kenya are being hacked to death, there is turmoil in Pakistan, for what? Democracy; which means all things to all people, and amongst societies split by religious, ethnic and tribal divisions, the only results of ‘free elections’ is bloodshed. Who are the West to judge, when thanks to the age of empire and imperialism we have left countries with a legacy of , economic and political poverty. When the West does ’interfere’ into other countries business, it is still based on economic and geopolitical reasons. Where are the UN? Just like the rest of us, they watch it live on Sky TV and do nothing. Also lets look briefly at what democracy means to America and Britain, US 2000 election, marred in controversy over voting in Florida, and recently in Britain, problems with postal votes and accusations of vote rigging in Local council elections by the Labour party. That’s democracy for you!

Funny old world, I’d converted this tape ready to post the other day, but it sounds rougher than an unkempt badgers arse, so I wasn’t sure about its listening value, then I thought of its cultural value; a piece of 80’s Punk Rawk; the sort of thing that was happening the length and bredth of Britain when DIY was the order of the day, but even then I was undecided, until someone over on the Kill Your Pet Puppy site mentioned their name and I thought Fuck it, why not! So here you go. Primal Chaos were a 3 piece from Erith in Kent and Stevenage in Herts, featuring Peat on vocals who also produced the fanzine Protest, Martin on Drums who wrote the ‘zine Sunday The 7th and Boppin’ Jon on Bass, the name of this tape is Fighting For A Future, 12 minutes of well….primal chaos, literally. I don’t think peat was in them for that long, before he became an Assassin Of Hope shouting his way through their Slowmotion Suicide tape. Enjoy, you know what to do ….

JOHNNY THUNDERS - "Can You Put Some Echo On My Vocals"

1982, not one of Johnny’s healthiest years, if reports were to be believed he had died. Well he certainly sounds alive and kicking on these 2 pure and uncut recordings, as only Johnny can. Even when he was bad he was good. Enjoy, as it’s gonna be yer last hit of Thunders for a while, I feel I may be overdosing. I am still holding, but I don’t wanna go cold turkey. But if you are a ‘Thunder Head’ (cheers cat) make a connection over at the chatterbox forum and see if they can sort you out, or go to proud to be a pirate were there’s some good shit available.

The Marquee,London 3/6/82

Sweden - 26/3/82

HEROIN CAN SCREW YOU UP!

'OUTSIDE THE TRAINS DON'T RUN ON TIME' AND IF NETWORK RAIL ARE INVOLVED, SOME DON'T RUN AT ALL.

So, Gordon ’real and serious change’ Brown, does that mean letting people suffer and die? Or is it more mind manipulation in the media?. This NHS contract you’ve got going; were hospitals are able to refuse to treat obese patients, smokers and drinkers in order to teach them a lesson and take responsibility for their lives. Once again capitalism provides food, fags and beer, plus and this is a double whammy here also a lot of the stress that drives people to food, fags and drink for comfort. So who’s gonna pay? Three guesses, yep, got it in one. The weak willed working class, that’s who, cos lets face it anyone who’s got money aint gonna rely on the NHS for their health, what with waiting lists and wards crawling with MRSA and missing data. Kill, Kill, Kill the poor! Wait until they bring in the Minimum Standard of Health for The Citizen Bill……Sorry Mr X you are 2lbs over the required weight of the citizen for a hip replacement, and yes Mr Y we do understand you’ve spent a fortune on trying to give up smoking, but you are still smoking 5 too many cigarettes a day to receive any cancer care. But hey at least we haven’t been ripped off by private health insurance companies like in the USA (watch Michael Moores Sicko) No we’ve been ripped off by the state. Aneurin ‘no society can legitimately call itself civilized if a sick person is denied medical aid because of lack of means.’ Bevan must be turning in his grave.

GET some CAUSE FOR CONCERN

Right then, it’s time for some wierdness and obscure oddness from the alternative 80’s where fanzines and tapes were the order of the day. First up it’s a one track flexi disc by Southend on Seas THE GET, like The Fall on downers if Mark E Smith was singing about vampires. They released several tapes through the excellent New Crimes fanzine. Not content with that I bring you a 6 track 7” vinyl compilation: Stuff The Neighbours Play It Loud! from Cause For Concern tapes??, well this was the first vinyl release on the label, which was run by a wonderous charachter and all round top geezer Larry Peterson, a man who could sell snow to the Eskimos, sand to the Arabs and weird noises to the anarchos. Six bands PSY - a Hawkwind style freak out / NIGHTMARE - some seriously brooding anarcho goth punk, their only known recorded output, came from Welwyn Garden City, 2 bassists and a drummer who would latter find his 15 minutes with S*M*A*S*H / the final track on side one, or was it two is a short Throbbing Gristle type noise from UNKOMMUNITI / BAND OF HOLY JOY kick off the next side with Snow White. Next up it’s WE BE ECHO who were for runners of all this dance music malarky with their repetitive beats. It’s left to SOME OTHER YEAR to round things off with some dub reggae style meanderings. So there you have it then, and here’s were to get some cause for concern....CLICK! ....Enjoy or destroy.

BLOG COMMUNIQUE #5.2

RE 'fucking' SULT!, as mysteriously as they dissapeared, and as a few of you commented (cheers) the music files have returned. Who said there wasn't a dog.

BLOG COMMUNIQUE #5.1

Bin thinking about my DivShare file deletions and what to do and have decided:

1) It's a shame, but Shit Happens!

2) Hopefully regular visitors will have grabbed what they wanted and left what they didn't.

3) If you are a new visitor to the den, and there's anything you do want that's dead, leave a comment at the latest post, and I'll re-post it for ya.

4) Over a year and this is the first time it's happened.

5) Was costing me nowt. (would have been well, well pissed off if I'd been paying)

6) You never know, they might suddenly turn up. (yeah right)

7) We are at the mercy of the machine, it is controlling us. Just one click is all it takes and it all crashes down as quickly as it arrived, (depending on yer internet connection.)

8) I've got plenty more of the same sort of musical left to for u all.

9) Looks like 2008 is gonna be a new beginning after all.

10) ????????????

BLOG COMMUNIQUE #5

Well that's just a fucking great start to my New Year; went to upload a file to DivShare and noticed that all my previous files have gone, so there is no music available to download at this point, have emailed divshare to see what the crack is, but I don't reckon I'm gonna be laughing, which means I'm presented with a problem of uploading fuck knows how many downloads, with not a lot of time available to do that and keep the blog current and have new stuff available. Maaan! I need this like a hole in the head, but hey it might turn out OK, and if it don't, it aint the end of the world, and there's a lesson to be learned 'don't put all yer files in one basket'

SOME NOTES ON A NEW YEARS DAY

1st post of 2008. Should I make it an important one and use it to really say something and make some sort of predictions? Well here we go….SOMETHING!, as for predictions, well I aint no mind reader with a sack full of crystal balls, but hey it’s just another year and no doubt the world will continue in much the same way….out of control and on a path to somewhere, where I don’t think I want to be going.
Still it’s the year that the world says bye, bye to Bush as leader of the worlds global superpower. It wont be long before the US will be pushed into second place by China, lets see how they like that.
Another Year older/Another year bolder.
If you are going to do something this year. DO SOMETHING!
World leaders will resolve to resolve nothing.

But lets remember to keep a smile on our face and a song in our heart.

THE POGUES - Live @ The ICA, 31/12/84

New Years Eve, a time for partying and revelry amongst the reflection and resolutions. One of the best New Years Eves I had was going to see The Pogues, a fucking excellent night, not that I remember that much about it, due to excessive alcohol, but between the group of mates I went with it was all pieced together (or should that be pissed together?) This is an audience recording, not by me or my mates I hasten to add, it’s a good quality one that captures the atmosphere of the night well. Enjoy this, and enjoy yerself tonight whatever you are doing.

Another friend of the West is assassinated in the pursuit for global democracy. One thing that I don’t quite understand is that Benazir Bhutto’s political peoples party is described as a democratic party, fair enough they are pushing, with the help of the USA and Britain to bring democracy to Pakistan, whether this is the right thing for the country doesn’t seem to be an option, it’s what the West wants and as we know what the West wants the West gets, no matter what the cost to the country it is trying to change. Some regions in the world are not equipped for Western Democratic values, even with an Oxford University education, there are too many social/religious and political divisions to overcome. Anyway the Wests interests in these regions is purely economic, they need some sort of Western values introduced in order to buy and sell the people. Hey, I’ve strayed from my initial point which was; how can a party be democratic when the only leaders it has had are from the same family? Democracy, Dynasty or Dictatorship ? You decide, Western leaders have all ready made their decision and as we know they will over look certain ’values’ in order to get what they want.

A NEW YEARS REVOLUTION?!

As well as a time for top 50’s of the year, it’s also a time for reviewing the year. Well not here it aint, maaan! Why would I want to review the year having lived through it and commented on certain stories of what’s been going down in our mad, mad world. It was bad enough thinking about it at the time never mind revisiting the corrupt politicians, America and Britain's pursuit of global democratisation in order to secure economic resources for their failing economies, the media-rization of society; Team Mcann, the cult of celebrity, bullshit stories in the press that provoke desired responses of outrage and hatred towards some groups in society, because the readers don’t realise that the truth has been distorted and manipulated for political ends. Talking of politics, I aint even gonna go there and list the disasters and disgraces that our beloved dicktator Gordon Brown and his party have presided over, but hey he says that 2008 is going to be a year of “real and serious change” Yeah right, just like everyone who has said they are gonna give up what ever for the New Year will stick to their resolutions. Call me a cynical old Victor Meldrew, but………………………………......I DON’T BELIEVE IT

BUT NOT TODAY

ABNORMAL SERVICE WILL BE RESUMED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

SOFA GONE!

What the fuck is wrong with people. Spend, spend and more fucking spending, not content with consuming before Christmas, the celebrations are barely over and people are still being encouraged to, and are if figures are to believed still fucking spend, spend, spending. Everything must go, well I think it all went a long time ago, people have been sold down the river on a wave of conspicuous consumption and they can’t even see it, and don’t really care so long as their arse is sitting on a new buy now pay later sofa, in front of a HD digital ready brainwashing box, people just don’t care about the society we have become. Even talk of a ‘credit crisis’ hasn’t put people off using their plastic cards to spend, spend, spend. What is wrong with people, surely they do not need half the shit that they buy, cos I certainly don’t need to be paying more bank charges/interest/tax whatever to subsidise these people and their thoughtless spend, spend, spend attitude, cos that’s what will happen when the plastic snaps, it’ll be down once again to those people that are trying to live their lives with ’real values’ to suffer for others lack of responsibility. And that is wrong!

HAVE A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS HOWEVER U CELEBRATE IT.

LAST CHRISTMAS

If we believe what we read ,or read what we believe, then this time next year we will be celebrating nothing. There will be no more Christmas, for fear of upsetting and offending people from other faiths. It’s another attack of multi-culturist madness on our freedoms by the politically correct terrorists. There will be no post tomorrow, but just like the shops I’ll be back for business on Football Day.

TWENTY FLIGHT ROCKERS - Turn it up louder....I love to Rock and Roll

The year was 1985, a year of benefit gigs; Live Aid and Red Wedge, crack cocaine first started to appear on the streets and the Rock’n’Roll hall of fame was opened. One band the music press were talking about was the TWENTY FLIGHT ROCKERS, who featured former Gen X drummer Mark Laff and East Londoner Garry Twinn on Vocals. Described as one of the best live bands of the moment for once the music press were right. These four leather clad rockers…rocked. Influenced by Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent and The Clash, their future was bright until after one single on ABC Records Tower Block Rock they signed to Warners and were lost after the A+R department was sacked and the company concentrated on acts like Madonna and Prince. They did however release one single for the label; Johnny 7, but their proposed album 9 Yards Of Dead Cow, a reference to the amount of leather the band wore was never released. By the time former Clash manager Bernie Rhodes took the reigns and moved the band to the USA, the leather had started to crack and the band fell apart due to internal problems, there by making it impossible for them ever to appear in the Rock’n'Roll hall of fame. Instead of posting the 2 singles, I’ve opted for this shit hot quality 11 track live recording at an anti-heroin benefit in East Sheen on 30th June 1985, it does the band more justice. Check it out here!

5 YEARS...."News guy wept as he told us, earth was really dying"

JOE STRUMMER & THE LATINO ROCKABILLY WAR at Amnesty International Festival, Milton Keynes Bowl 16/6/88

Cars kill! and are like a loaded gun in the hands of some people. Too busy chatting, not concentrating….CRASH! And a corpse in the road. Lets face it, there are a lot of dickheads and fanny faces out there who think it’s sensible to chat on their phone, put on their make up and generally pay no attention to what they are doing, which is driving. Need to make a call? Wait till you’ve finished your journey. Didn’t put your make up on? Go without. Some people need telling, ‘cos common sense isn’t common to ever one, but blood is. So how do our government plan to instil some sort of responsibility into a mindless mass. Ah! Yes, another false promise and unworkable solution, (just like bringing democracy to Iraq) I know what we’ll threaten to imprison people found guilty of using their phone or putting on make up at the same time as driving. Fuck Off! By your own admission the prisons are full to bursting and ‘real criminals’ don’t receive custodial sentences, don’t make idle threats, actually do something. Why not just ban people from using their cars for a period of time. One offence, get walking or use public transport for a few months, sorted, take away their freedom that way, as that’s what the car gives people, a sense of freedom. But hey we know that’s not gonna happen cos there’s too much money to be made out of the motorists, so we’ll just act tough; talk the talk and then walk away looking stupid without actually achieving anything. A bit like in Basra; where since British troops have withdrawn women’s bodies are turning up mutilated on the streets, their only crime believing in Western values of freedom and democracy, where the price of a life can also be putting make up on.

NO COMMENTs! / WAS IT SOMETHING THAT I SAID?

So the Northern Rock debacle continues. Not only did Gordon Brown know about the possible crisis a year ago and did nothing about it, but now there’s talk that the tax payer may have to foot the bill for the government bailing out the bank. What a load of bollocks! You just couldn’t make this shit up, or could you? Well not all of it, but this shit about the public picking up the tab, I can’t believe that the government are that stupid and arrogant to even suggest the idea, especially with the rest of the shit that they are sinking in, but then again….who’d have believed a Labour government would have done half the things that they have during their dictatorship. Still, I can’t see ‘em lasting for much longer with the media doing such a good job at destabilising the party, and the opposition sticking the boot in a bit more, it’s about time there was a change of party, bring back some ‘honest Tory pricks’ for us to kick against.

THE REDSKINS - Radio One David 'Kid' Jensen Session.

The revolution never sounded as sexy as it does on these session tracks from The Redskins. A Plateful Of Hateful/It Can Be Done/Keep On Keepin’ On, all as funky as fuck. Plus as a bonus the ‘skins punk it up for yer with a live cover version of The Clash’s Complete Control. Get bolshy here.

Another day, another loss of personal information by an agency of our trusted state. This time 3 million learner drivers records have been lost somewhere in the mid-west of America??? What the fuck!!! Let me guess, it was cheaper to out source the processing of the data, to our trusted American buddies. Still at least the government didn’t try and cover it up, or did they? Because this case of incompetence happened 6 fucking months ago!

THEATRE OF HATE - Live @ Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage 18/1/81

This is the last recording from the two gigs that Theatre Of Hate played in Stevenage. Not much that I can really say about Kirk and his boys that I haven't said in previous posts, but talking of Boys I don't think I mentioned that Boy George was in attendance at one of the gigs, not that I knew who he was at the time, he was just a bloke in make up. Talking of make up, if you take a trip to Punks On Postcards there's a scan of a review from March 1981 in Sounds of He Who Dares Wins, a right made up hatchet job piece of journalism. Anyway here's some more live Hate for yer...Click!

RUNNING RIOT IN 2008 ! 30 YEARS TOO LATE FOR WHAT ?

Right then, it's almost 30 years since either punk rock died or a new generation was born, depending on how old you were and whether you were at art college or a comprehensive school. By 1978 punk rock had hit the mass market and offered a voice to the youth of the day, much to the dismay of the original scenesters this was seen as the end and not the beginning. 30 years latter hearing bands like Green Day, they may well have had a point. But hey capitalism has the capability and capacity to absorb any potential threats, even Punk Rock. Any way here's some live action from three of the class of 77 in 1978.

THE ADVERTS - The Marquee 27/7/78

SHAM 69 - The Vortex 3/1/78

SLAUGHTER AND THE DOGS - Huddersfield 1978

A BEER AND A CIGARETTE.

Another day, another………rant. Nah I just can’t be fucked, it all gets too depressing, same shit different day. No wonder according to a recent survey in Grocers Today, or some shit, were it said that Booze and Fags made up for 13 out of the top 20 brands (told you it was the time for lists and top tens) sold in supermarkets. A nation on a crash course for whatever………

A POST!

It’s that time of year when everyone starts preparing lists of this and that Top 50’s etc, etc, blah, blah, blah. Well this is gonna be a list free zone, mostly on account of I just can’t be bothered to think what’s been good and bad this year, it’s all just been. Anyway as I’ve started typing I suppose I better finish what I was gonna say which is; For me the outstanding musical releases this year have come from those old kids on the new block CARBON/SILICON who in true punk rock tradition decided after a few years of Mpfree downloads via their web site, (just when every other band is catching on to this idea) to release their stuff in the more traditional manner. The News EP, The Magic Suitcase EP and The Last Post LP for me at least are like I said before THE outstanding releases of this year on so many levels, musically and lyrically they are superb and once again, but this time 30 years latter Mick Jones speaks to and for a generation in a mellow yet still angry manner. Brilliant stuff. While I’m at it might as well mention THE ENEMY who’s debut We Live and Die In These Towns was a call to arms for a new generation, and also THE DEAD 60’S who’s new album Time To Take Sides planned for early release next year is, thanks to the wonders of the internet a corker. Any way enough waffle here’s some tuneage.

CARBON/SILICON - Live In Stourbridge 2004

THE ENEMY - Live at Itunes Festival 2007

THE DEAD 60’S - Live at Itunes Festival + bsides.

You’ve got the police on your back; they want more money and they want to know were you got your money from. You’ve just signed away goodness knows what to the EU without the previously promised referendum and fuel depots are gonna be blockaded. There’s only one Christmas turkey this year! “Brown sauce anyone?”

LIGHTNING STRIKE!

It’s 1988, the times were a changing communism was collapsing, music was lifeless and pop, CD’s were taking over from vinyl, but somethings didn’t change, like the nature of a rock’n’roll band. London band LIGHTNING STRIKE came from the Bernie Rhodes school of punk rock management, courtesy of hard nosed manager Kevin Daley, who helped create the mythology, by moving the band to New York for a couple of months of low rent poverty living, cause a bit of controversy over the political content of their lyrics, did a poster campaign slagging of pop idols of the day Bros, and got ‘em posing a lot looking like a gang. Lightning Strike played the role well. These guys were proud to be described as Clash copyists “The last review we had said ‘The singer must have stood and practised in front of the mirror for hours to be Joe Strummer’ And the geezer was right. I did! So what? We like The Clash so I don’t take it as an insult.”
The band gigged round London toured the UK with Boys Wonder and Crazy Pink Revolvers on the jiffy condom sponsored safe sex tour. Caught ‘em live in Stevenage on that tour, they rocked their hearts out to an empty hall. They were signed to major label RCA and released a single Beat Street and this their self titled debut and then bang as soon as they appeared they disappeared and judging by what I couldn’t find on the net have remained forgotten about. Any way, have a blast of some Rollockin’ Rock’n’Roll, all hooks and choruses, with a hip hop undercurrent. Catchy stuff. Nothing radical or revolutionary but a good way to spend half an hour. The Lightning Strikes here!

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Come on down Ed Balls, Schools Minister. What an unfortunate name for a New Labour dick. This man thinks that the Spice Girls and Margaret Thatcher are good role models for young girls. He’s talking bollocks! The sexualisation of girls at a far to early age and the idea that it’s all about image, along with the person that individualised society. The Spice Girls and Margaret Thatcher are responsible for the mess that Ed Balls is trying to clear up with his new ’Children’s Strategy’, which is basically an admission that New Labour have balls’d up, because five years ago in another strategy ’Every Child Mattered’. Yet nine months ago in a study into children’s well being Britain came bottom of the developed nations, and a matter of days ago it was reported that standards in British schools have dropped. All this has happened under a Labour government. Now that’s bollocks! So yes something needs to be done and the government have to do it; there are ideas of less testing of children, a more play and creative based curriculum, adventure playgrounds and youth clubs. Great, at last, this should have been done years ago, but hey woe, wait a minute; that’s how things used to be. When it was safe to play without Health and Safety, when you went to school to learn and not to be a statistic. It’s a case of going back for the future to try and repair the damage caused by social individualisation, where all this anti-social behaviour is a consequence of a lack of respect for the collective nature of society, mind you who was it that said “there is no such thing as society”? ahh yes, that role model for young girls; Margaret Thatcher. Now that’s bollocks! Surely it is a good thing to eliminate present social problems from future society, well yes, in theory, but what about in practice! Will the new system involve any sort of totalitarian and authoritarian measures?, for example collection and distribution of data, (another recent government balls up) state intrusion, and what about the parents? Yes the government are responsible for the society that we live in, but as citizens we also play a part; So parents why are you looking to the state for support? Do your job, tell your children that it is all bollocks, that it aint about looks, being selfish and money, because if you don’t then the rest of us who have been trying to do the right thing all along will be forced to have the state intruding into our lives, and that’s bollocks!

S*M*A*S*H - "Bang, Bang, Bang. It's the sound of my head against the wall....Fuck 'em all!'

The year was 1993. The World trade Centre was bombed for the first time. Iraq was under attack, Britain was still under Tory rule and musically the nation was raving on. The time was ripe for a dose of healthy punk rock anger, and it came in the shape of S*M*A*S*H, a 3 piece from suburban Welwyn Garden City. One part The Clash, a bit of Jesus and The Mary Chain, MC5 and a lot of soul and passion. With the help of the music media and their need to create little scenes S*M*A*S*H found themselves as part of ’The New Wave Of New Wave’, which was what it said on the tin, bands like Elastica and S*M*A*S*H touring buddies These Animal Men who had their roots in late 70’s punk/new wave. The band were never really comfortable with this tag. An appearance on Top Of The Pops without having a chart record saw them blasted into the nations front rooms and endless touring , saw the yoof of the nation take them to their collective hearts. Here was a band that mattered. Championed by the likes of Joe Strummer and Billy Bragg, It’s a shame that their singles and album didn’t capture the bands live intensity. But hey that’s were this release comes in. Originally issued in a limited run of 50 cassette tapes it has been unavailable for 13 years. Recorded at one of their many gigs in Stevenage, this is raw and emotional stuff. Just check out their Tory baiting Kill Somebody. The names and party may have changed but the sentiments still ring true 14 years later. Get it here. By 1995 the band had split up due to a combination of bad reviews and inter band tensions, shame. Any way fast forward, it’s now 2007, S*M*A*S*H are back playing live and have just released a new album, can’t comment on that cos I’ve not heard it yet, but saw ‘em live in 2006 and they still rawked.

SOME SEASONAL CHRISTMAS CYNICISM.

TV SMITH - X-mas Bloody X-mas EP (Includes live versions of Gary Gilmours Eyes/Bored Teenagers/Lords Prayer, plus a festive ditty.)
THE VIBRATORS - I Hate X-mas (Single)

Whats bin happening? The two worst fraudsters in history have dominated the bullshit broadcasts this week with the tale of the husband missing for 5 years, who suddenly turns up and it transpires he wasn’t missing after all. But hey Gordon don’t think we’ve forgotten the recent Brown stuff you’ve been coming up. Nice speech, reminding people that you haven’t forgotten about the hostages held in Iraq since May. Well I wish you’d fucking disappear and never come back.

TOTALLY (NOT SO) RANDOM MUSIC POSTING #3

Today’s offering comes from ANOTHER PRETTY FACE, It’s a 2 Track 7” single from early 1980. It’s a corker! Described by Gary Bushel in a review in Sounds (Back in the day of 4 music weekly’s; NME, Melody Maker, Record Mirror and Sounds) as a cross between The Clash and Bruce Springsteen, he aint wrong there. Whatever Happened to the West is a guitar driven punk/pop attack of the West’s values, on the other hand Goodbye 1970’s is a laid back and more piano/saxophone cynical look back as the 70’s turned into the 80’s, a beautiful lament. Mike Scott the singer and guitarist later went on to find success with The Waterboys. Listening to this 20+ years later. ….Time moves on, but nothing changes, just gets worse. Do yerselfs a favour and check out this. A call to arms! captured on this vinyl rip, the crackles just add to its importance, and to top it all off the cover art is great. Get it here

“The rights and liberties which were such vital factors in the origins and earlier stages of industrial society yield to a higher stage of this society: they are losing their traditional rationale and content. Freedom of thought, speech, and conscience were - just as free enterprise, which they served to promote and protect - essentially critical ideas, designed to replace an obsolescent material and intellectual culture by a more productive and rational one. Once institutionalized, these rights and liberties shared the fate of the society of which they had become an integral part. The achievement cancels the premises” - Herbert Marcuse in One Dimensional Man