THE VIBRATORS - Live on 'Revolver' in 1978

Today’s musical offering is another Vibrators recording. Only one track; Judy Says (Knock You In The Head), performed live on ITV's short lived music show Revolver, which was introduced by the legendary comedian Peter Cook. This is what the British Film Industry website says about the show.

“Revolver‘s most innovative element was designed to evoke the confrontational atmosphere associated with punk gigs. Peter Cook was invited to guest on the programme on the strength of the notorious Derek and Clive recordings, which shared with punk a kind of adolescent, deliberately puerile nihilism. In the guise of the seedy manager of the rundown nightclub rented out to the TV company, Cook would appear on a video screen, sneering at the acts and antagonising the studio audience.”

Here are The Vibrators giving it some punk rock attitude on Revolver sometime between July – Sept 1978. Enjoy!

Another Sunday Sermon.

Further to yesterdays post. It now transpires that the children, (there were more than one) who were taken away from their adoptive parents by a local council's social services department, because they belonged to a political party that wants independence from Europe, were from Eastern Europe. Does this make any difference to the decision, or should it? The answer is No! That is unless this is some new policy by UKIP and other right wing parties, to encourage its members to adopt children from non British backgrounds in order to harm them, no matter how cynical and untrusting I am of politicians, especially those that lean to the right, and how much I love a conspiracy theory, I don't think that this is the case at the moment.

Many people, including MP's may think that UKIP are one short goose step away from the BNP, but unfortunately that's the price we have to pay for living in a democratic society; the freedom of speech and free elections, which is why everyone should be allowed their say, no matter how odious their policies are, just because they have their say it doesn't mean people have to listen, but it's hard for some to distinguish the truth from the media’s propaganda and the politicians lies, they read it in the papers and see it on the news, so it must be true.

The headlines on one of todays papers scream that David Cameron is “Set to defy Leveson over new press laws” do we believe that? No we don't, I mean just how many U turns has this present government done over things recently, I've lost count.

I'm sick of the celebrity culture created by the media, and their perpetuation of it, I'm sick of the scapegoating and stigmatisation of some sections of society in the pages of the right wing press, just as much as I'm sick of the liberal lefty sit on the fence stance adopted by other publications. Banning the banal, the libellous and the trivial might make Britain a better society, but it will also make it a less free one.   

Punk Rock Fashion For Primark Pinheads.

A Concrete and Plastic Consumer Hell.

A suicidal supermarket trolley on the roof of Luton's Arnedale Centre (Nov 2012)

"Working for the clampdown"

Britain's establishment is homophobic, sexist and fascist; Conservatives against legalising gay marriage, a clergy that doesn't want women bishops, and now a Local Council has taken away a child from its adoptive parents because they are both members of the UKIP Political party. Next our freedom of speech and freedom of the press will be under threat. The Leveson Report into press standards is due to be published soon? I wonder what findings there are and what the recommendations will be, and how these are enforced and controlled, as we move closer to a one party totalitarian state!

"Warning this report contins graphic images that some viewers may find disturbing"

Bombed and bullet ridden bodies lie burnt and bloody on roads paved with bullshit. From the Middle East to Africa and South America, the war machine thunders on fuelled by western dollars, pounds and francs and the Russian ruble.  John Lennon said "War is over if you want it." But they don't want peace, because it's like someone  (whose name escapes me) said "War is the health of the state."  The war machine will never stop, because wars make money, and human life is cheap to those in power! 

COLBERT HAMILTON and THE HELLRAZORS - Re-post.

“Colbert Hamilton is the UK's original Black Elvis with his own unique style embracing all aspects of the traditions of Rock'n'Roll and Blues. The Black Elvis persona is no gimmick but a stunning evocation of Elvis' roots. Colbert has an impressive musical pedigree. During his career he has collaborated with established artists and writers including Danny Mitchell who has written for Ultravox, and has played with various bands such as THE NITROS and THE HELLRAZORS He has supported Dead or Alive on BBC Radio1 In Concert and also Sigue Sigue Sputnik. He was one of the last unknown artists to collaborate with Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy fame. He has had the privilege of jamming with The Sweet Inspirations – two original members of Elvis' 70's backing group”

Above blurb taken from Colberts website.

COLBERT HAMILTON AND THE HELLRAZORS  (1984 Vinyl album rip)

MARTIAN DANCE - Re-post. An Anthology (1980-81)

Martian Dance were a relatively short lived band from the early 80’s, blink and you’d have missed ‘em. They had a sound that was close to Adam and The Ants, and crossed that Post Punk New Romantic divide, if there’d been any justice in Thatcher’s Britain, (which there wasn’t) they would have been as popular as Duran Duran, instead they disappeared without trace. I originaly posted the two peel sessions and the live set from the Marquee as individual downloads, this time around I've put them all together here as an anthology. Enjoy!

Respect and thanx to Pete who made these available to me a few years back.

IT'S CRIMINAL....

The cost of the recent Police and Crime Commissioner Elections was reputedly and reported to be £100 million, this wasn't just a waste of money, in times of austerity, which is what our leaders tell us these days are, it was economic negligence, and something the people didn't want to take part in, as only 14% of them actually turned out to vote, at one polling station no-one turned up.

I didn't know who was standing in my area, until a few days before polling took place, not that I really wanted to know, because like I said in a previous post, having these commissioners is another step closer to a legitimised police state in Britain. The question that should have been asked of the people was do you want an elected Police and Crime Commissioner? and then tell the people just how much it would cost in order to have one! Don't reckon many people would have thought it was a good idea, because the money could have been spent elsewhere.

Yes the public are unhappy about the Police and crime, for example; with the number of 'bobbies on the beat' Why have the numbers of police on the streets dropped? Because of all the economic cut backs! and the powers that we let be thought it would be a good idea to spend a fortune on a campaign to elect someone to act on behalf of the public in holding the police to account. Why?

Because the state had to impose the idea of the public electing these commissioners in order to make the link between the politicians and the police a legitimate and democratic one.

Despite such a low turnout, those that have been elected as Police and Crime Commissioners will have a mandate to make decisions, yet the government is campaigning to make it illegal for strikes to take place if less than 50% of Union members vote in the ballot to take strike action. Now that's fucking democracy for you! One rule for them and one rule for us!!

THE VIBRATORS - Live on 'The Speakeasy' with Jimmy Savile BBC Radio (Oct 1977)

I think this one got removed during the mediafire clampdown, but it seems quite a topical time to do a re-post, plus it's a great session and a slice of Punk Rock history from one of my favourite bands.. Unlike the BBC I will not airbrush the past. It is what it is....a recording of THE VIBRATORS performing four numbers (London Girls, Flying Duck Theory, 24 Hour People, Warzone.) on the BBC's Speakeasy Radio program in Oct 1977, the show was hosted by Jimmy Savile, who introduces the band, explaining that during rehearsals they played so loud that the people in the news room upstairs complained, and The Vibrators had to be turned down. Here you go then....The Vibrators  introduced by Jimmy Savile. Enjoy!

Credit to  Marky Dread who passed this recording to me many moons ago.

WHATSBEENHAPPENING!

In 41 police force areas across Britain there are Elections for Police and Crime Commissioners coming up. Across the country people will be able to vote for someone to represent them by holding the Police to public account. The roll of commissioner is also to help produce policing plans and set out police policies for local communities. Three quarters of the candidates have political allegiances and alliances, this is not good!

Once politics and the police get into bed with each other, we are fucked! and it's the conception of a legitimate British police state that can be born in the future; because the public have voted for Police Commissioners with political allegiances. Who will have the power to control the police and how they enforce the law and maintain order;

Softly, Softly or Robo Cop? You decide, but how much do people trust their choices? Cos I certainly don't, not with the reactionary, scaremongering media and their mind control orders.

Will many people vote? Just how much do people care about who makes the decisions?

With recent public criticism of the police's behaviour and conduct; Hillsboro ugh, Ian Tomlinson, it would seem that the police do need to be held to account by the public. The public are also unhappy about the way the streets are being policed, and how the law is enforced. Within the Police force itself moral is low, officers are unhappy with senior management.

The police have always been servants of the state, but not under total state control. by politicising the police this would change. Who's gonna police the police?.... The people the police really serve, that's who!

We are already living in a 24/7 surveillance society, with mechanisms already in place in place The Criminal Justice Bill, Anti Terror Laws, just a couple of things that spring to mind, along with new Squatting Laws,

If you haven't done anything wrong why should you be scared of living in a police state? But who decides what is right and wrong in say 30 years time?

In relation to the whole Jimmy Savile shit storm, it could be said that we are judging his and other celebrities actions around young girls with a different set of moral values, in the past for want of a better word, it seemed more acceptable in the entertainment industry to have relationships with young women, John Peel even ran a schoolgirl of the year competition on a radio show of his. Yet as a society a decade into the new millennium we have seen young people becoming sexualised at a younger age through for example fashion.

It's all contradictions

Blanket coverage of US Elections in the British media recently, yes it's important who runs the worlds most powerful country, so will we see same amount on Chinas communist party changing its leadership. Or will it be all about the paedophiles and child abuse. Jim has fixed it!

Looks like the paedophiles have it, or rather its all about the media and how they have handled recent stories about child abuse. The BBC have come off rather worse, criticism of their Newsnight Programs failure to run with an investigation into Jimmy Savile, saw them investigate allegations of abuse in a care home in Wales involving a former top Tory MP.

Newsnight alluded to who the MP might be, which saw the MP in question jump to defend himself and deny any involvement in child abuse. His initial accuser now says he made a mistake, and it was someone different. Heads have rolled at the BBC can the organisation still be trusted? No more than politicians and the police. ITV is just as guilty, on it's This Morning program the Prime Minister was given a list with names of alleged Tory paedophiles on and asked to comment, they'd got the list from the internet. Mrs Wolfs mum sent me a link to 'the list' a week or so ago, she knows my dislike of politicians. But.... even I can't believe that Jimmy Savile procured young boys/girls for former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, or did he and in fact it's.... The Big Lie; something so unbelievable, that it is actually true. Trial by Twitter, but what if some accusations are true, and there are paedophiles in high places like Houses of Parliament or the BBC.

By discrediting these allegations future investigations of inappropriate sexual improprieties by figures in the establishment will be harder to carry out. Everything is covered up, the guilty stay hidden, protected by their system and the old boy public school network.

The one thing that is getting forgotten about is that children were abused in care homes, where there was no care, they have lived with the abuse they suffered and are now speaking out, I don't think this story will go away, if anything it provides a big distraction from bigger lies.

The media, especially TV have acted dangereously and destructively in the way they have handled the whole abuse story/scandal.

Freedom of the media and the internet is going to become under threat in the wake of this whole affair. The there are going to be the findings of the Leveson Enquirey into press standards, brought about by the phone hacking scandal.

How long before the political parties really do start to control the media. Perhaps we could vote on a commissioner for the BBC, to hold the organisation to account.

LEST WE FORGET!

The Pages Of History.

"I need a wide open space...."

The mountains of North Wales Oct 2012

VIVE LE ROCK - Music For Pleasure (A Compilation)

Here's some music for all you good people. AT LAST!.... I hear you cry.... ABOUT FUCKING TIME. Will it have been worth waiting for? Too fucking right it will have! Like all the previous Vive Le Rock compilations, there's something for everyone with a love of all things Punk and Beyond. Veteran and vintage Scandinavian rockers THE NOMADS kick things off with Miles Away. Ninetees indie rockers MIDWAY STILL return to 'the scene' with Seeing Red. CATCHER, are indeed catchy with a nice line of agit pop punk. Their track Tobacco and Slavery is a great piece of social commentary, about....well the title says it all. Hear Come The Drums by JAYA THE CAT is a punky reggae groove heavy number, guaranteed to get you skanking and swaying. URBAN DOGS Not In My Name is a great acoustic protest tune. THE ADOLESCENTS do what they do best, knock out a good tune American Dogs In Europe is no exception. A Rockabilly beat and a razor sharp guitar powers GRAVEYARD JOHNNYS We Wont Back Down. DRONGOS FOR EUROPE shout it from the streets like it's the 1980's again with their track Peace, as do fellow stalwarts and survivors of the 82 Punk scene THE DESTRUCTORS, who provide some political punk rawk shouting with Stop The War. Bitten and Twisted by BITEBACK is a fine piece of sing along punk rock clatter. Catching My Breath by KILTER is a sleazy rumble slightly reminiscent of Garbage, (that's the band, not a statement of what Kilter sound like.) THE APOSTATES finish the show with Divide Me, which sounds like stoner indie rockers Swervedriver. Like I said something for everyone. Grab it here!  

A Observation

Saw some neighbours of mine leaving the local in-convenience store the other day, a mum and her two teenage children. They got in their car and drove home, I know that because the shop is less than a minutes walk away and when I got home they were just getting out of their car still dressed in their pyjamas???? The lazy fucking bastards!!!!

THE JIM JONES REVUE - A.... Review

Blazing their own trail across the Rock'n'Roll wasteland we are currently living in, or sailing their own course across the rock'n'roll seas, leaving a storm in their wake. if you'd rather. There's no one else out there doing this with such power and passion. The Jim Jones Revue are in a class of their own, there are lessons to be learned and they are the preachers.

This isn't revivalist or revisionist, this is revolutionary; a linage from Jerry Lee Lewis through to the MC5, then onto The Cramps and Nick Cave. The Jim Jones Revue have taken rock'n'roll to a new sonic level. The blue print has been torn up and re-drawn.  The rule book has been burned.  If the Devil has all the best tunes, then he/she has a few missing.

The Savage Heart is a different beast to their previous album Lets Burn The House Down; it's slightly more subtle and subdued in places, if The Jim Jones Revue do subtle and subdued? It's a dark, stark, nasty, brutal and beautiful animal of an album. From the pounding piano and primal howl of Where Did Da Money Go? To the mutant gospel of 7 Times Around The Sun, this is foot taping, skull krushing, gnarled and gritty Rock'n'Roll with a soul.

In these trouble torn times it's well worth a crisp or crumpled Ten Pound note of your hard earned money. Music to cause trouble to!  

"What's yours is mine and what's mine I keep, I took the whole thing when you was asleep" - Jim Jones Revue

Doom and Gloom ? Yeah right! £100+ for a ticket to the gigs, and the band are gonna make a reputed £16 million. Tough times for some!

"OOOH.... JUST THIRTEEN"

Jimmy So vile

I've been slightly distracted recently by the exposure of national treasure Jimmy Saville as a trash 'child abuser'

No one has come out and defended him, all his former colleagues have, said they “heard the rumours” but knew nothing and did nothing.

The BBC, Compliant and complicit in the cover up, someone there needs to tell the truth about the past. They could have done something to stop it. Institutional.

Different times, different morals post 60's free love masculinity. People were still 'blacking' up on The Black and White Minstrel Show. There are no excuses!

Society reaps what it sows. Sex Drugs and Rock'n'Roll. Superstar DJ's, he wont have been the only one.

Why weren't concerns that were raised acted upon? The media was easily bought by his charitable stunts, when really he was just grooming and fooling the public.

Where's the truth? Dead and buried with all the lies.

Why wait until he's dead? Fear and shame kept his victims and accusers silent, and the ones that spoke out when he was still alive were silenced by walls of denial.

The dead can't defend themselves, but how can you defend the indefensible; the abuse of power. He was made to feel that he was untouchable, no questions asked.

Jimmy Saville.... Top Of The Pops, Top Of The Tots more-like.

The exposure of Jimmy Saville as a serial sex offender has confirmed something I've always thought; What a creepy looking weirdo, not the sort of bloke you'd ask to babysit your children.

Never judge a book by its cover, but sometimes something doesn't look, feel or sound right.

It would appear that no young women were safe from Jimmy Saville and his cigar; from teeny boppers to children in hospital, Jim was there with his cigar ready to fix it for them!

In reality, the Jimmy Saville story is just a small part of the bigger picture, in which the powerful abuse their power for their own ends, and to control others. Politicians, The Police, The Bosses, Business leaders, The Media. They are all guilty of abusing their power, and covering things up.

FUCK'EM ALL! (As Jimmy Saville would have said.)

JOHNNY THUNDERS *NEWS*

With the 35 year anniversary of Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers L.A.M.F approaching, (Mon Oct 3^rd 1977, according to George Gimarc's Punk Diary book) those good folk at Jungle Records are gonna be releasing a 4 CD Box set! Here's an advanced press release from Jungle Records telling us all about it.

The Heartbreakers' 4-CD 'L.A.M.F.' - 'Definitive Version' box set.

Features:
* The original Track Records album restored!
* Pre-LAMF demos unearthed!
* Alternative mixes exposed!
* the '94 'lost mixes' version
* 44-page detailed booklet

A highlight of the box is a restored version of the original Track 
Records album, which was universally condemned in 1977 for having a 'muddy mix' (caused by mastering errors) and led to the departure of drummer Jerry Nolan.  Now, using modern audio restoration techniques, at last it sounds as it was intended with the 'mud' removed.

Another highlight is a disc with pre-'L.A.M.F.' demos from three 
sessions in 1976 and 77, including previously unreleased tracks with 
Richard Hell on bass.

A further disc has 21 alternative 'L.A.M.F.' mixes from the marathon 
sessions at five different top London studios.

It also includes the hitherto definitive remade 'lost mixes' version, 
re-compiled in 1994.

The package is accompanied by a comprehensive, 44-page booklet featuring a 'Making of 'L.A.M.F.'' timeline, an introduction by Thunders biographer Nina Antonia, plus guitarist Walter Lure's recollections of the Heartbreakers time gigging, recording and living in punk London from 
1976-77.


Dunno how much this hit of Thunders is gonna cost , hopefully the deal will be under twenty quid. For the vinyl junkies there's a slab of  180g DMM cut vinyl in a revamped gatefold sleeve, Alongside this is a reissue of the expanded 'D.T.K. - live at the Speakeasy' album on purple vinyl (limited, numbered), and also a reissue for all three original 7" singles: - Chinese Rocks/Born To Lose, One Track Mind, and for the very first time, the exceedingly rare It's Not Enough 7".  Vinyl LPs LAMF & DTK will be available at Jungle Records ebay shop next week. 

"THE FUCKING CUNTS ARE TREATING US LIKE PRICKS!"

They try to distract us with stories in the media about a paedophile school teacher running away with a 15 year old pupil. The other month it was a lion loose in the Essex countryside.

The real truth lies buried in graves in Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, and on the streets of Madrid and Athens. Closer to home planned changes in employment law will make it easier and cheaper for bosses to get rid of employees., while Trade Unions plan to unite once again in protest about changes to pensions. Soon they're gonna start killing the badgers. Then there are the proposed changes to planning permission regulations which will see the green belt disappear under airport runways and extensions, high speed rail links and 'affordable housing'  England's green and pleasant lands is  gonna be a concrete countryside with nowhere for any animals to escape to or live in, except for the plebbs.

Just like the missing school girl we are being fucked, manipulated and lied to by the people in control!(that's if we let them!!!!)

COP KILLERS! / KILLER COPS!

In the week that two women police officers were killed in Manchester, the trial was taking place in London of the man accused of selling a gun to Mark Duggan, whose killing by the police sparked the August 2011 Riots. Evidence was given that this was the gun Mark Duggan was brandishing at the police before they shot him. The man on trial told the court that when he sold Mark the gun 15 minutes before the shooting it was wrapped up in a sock, but after the shooting there was no mention of a gun found on or near Mark Duggans body, never mind a sock. Conflicting evidence or a cover up! Remember ….Who killed Liddle Towers, Blair Peach, James Kelly, and Ian Tomlinson? The police did!

After the death of the two police women, there have been calls for arming the police and bringing back the death penalty. How about a return to British seventies Sweeney style policing, some “Honest guv, he fell down the stairs” police brutality, instead of the Go ahead punk make my day Ropo-Cop hi-vis militia style we've got now.

We couldn't trust the Police without guns, so how we can't trust them if they were all armed! and as for mis-carriages of justice, or stitch up cover ups, we only need to look back at Hillsborough and the Birmingham Six.

Police stop and search tactics have alienated whole sections of society, who see the police as an occupying force on the streets where there is no 'policing by consent'

Who killed the police? Harry Roberts, Raoul Mote, and Dale Cregan did!

It's all just law and disorder.

JOHNNY THUNDERS / NIKKI SUDDEN (Re-Posts)

Today’s music is a double header of re-posts; JOHNNY THUNDERS and NIKKI SUDDEN, it seemed fitting to put them both together in one post as they crossed paths in several ways. Johnny was always big influence on Nikki, both musically and stylistically. Nikki first met Johnny when The Heartbreakers were touring Britain in 1977, they then met up again when  Nikki interviewed Johnny for Zig Zag magazine in 1980, during the encounter they scored and took drugs together before swapping certain items of clothing with each other. Five years later on The Jacobites first tour of Germany in 1985, someone in the audience shouted to Nikki “You're Johnny Thunders in disguise” Nikki responded by gesturing toward Dave Kusworth and saying “and this is Keith.” The only time they came close to a musical collaboration, as far as I'm aware, was when Nikki recorded Johnny’s Have Faith, for a tribute CD, Again...This One's For J.o.h.n.n.y. (Thunders didn't play on it) that and the Thunders covers that Nikki often slipped into his live sets. Sadly both Nikki and Johnny are no longer with us, but their music and memories continue to not only live on but grow.

The Zig Zag interview can be found at Cactus Mouth Informer. Nikki's recollections of Johnny Thunders can be seen at White Trash Soul, and some more of Nikki's writings, about Johnny can be read at What A Nice Way To Turn 17.

You can't put your arms around a memory, but you can get your hands on JOHNNY THUNDERS – Live in Stevenage.... Here, and NIKKI SUDDEN's Lost In A Sea Of Scarves....there. 

Remember kids the drugs do work, but they can screw you up and could kill you!  

Sunday Thinking

An Islam baiting video by Coptic religious fundamentalist Christians adds more fuel to the fire of the conflict in the Middle East, the 'war on terror' will never be won.

Attacks on Embassies and Western interests, demand a response from Obamas administration and in the build up to the US Elections, how he handles the situation could make or break his chance of re-election. Things happen for a reason, and it's all in the timing....remember Sept 11^th?

The British Royal Family exposed for the pricks and tits they are. First Prince Harry was caught with his trousers down, and now the Duchess of wherever has been captured without her bra. Shame never mind, who really gives a fuck?

At the start of Prince Harry's tour of duty in Afghanistan he has been targeted by the Taliban, shame they missed him and got two other soldiers instead.

The British state has been exposed as corrupt, just weeks after everyone was celebrating in post Olympic flag waving patriotic pride just how Great Britain is. The Independent enquiry into the deaths of 96 Liverpool football fans at Hillsborough in 1989 has revealed a conspiracy and cover up by the state. For 23 years people fought for the truth and for 23 years politicians of all political parties let the truth lie buried in doctored statements and lies fed to the media as 'the truth' Rather than take responsibility for their failings and inactions they blamed the fans. This isn't news to many people, we've always known that the employees of the state abuse the powers they have for their own ends, and will do anything to maintain that power and status quo, and punish those that threaten it.

After the Miners Strike and the impending Poll Tax Bill Thatcher, needed a strong police force to keep order. During the eighties there was no love lost between the city of Liverpool and central government. In 1985 Liverpool Council leader Derek Hatton a Militant Labour politician overspent the councils budget as a protest against government funding cuts to the city, an abuse of power at the time or a timely use of power? You decide! Westminster decided, and a battle line was drawn.

After 23 years Westminster has decided that the truth was a pack of lies, now there's a battle cry by the people for justice!

The State still covers up and conspires against the truth; Jean Charles Menendez shot dead by police, the innocent victim of terrorist paranoia. Ian Tomlinson, who died after being punched and pushed to the ground by the police at the G20 protests. Mark Duggan killed by police on the street in Tottenham, it's been a year since it happened and his family still haven't been told the reason he was shot dead.

The truth is out there, it's just they don't want us to see or hear it, they'd rather cover it up and use the media to distract and manipulate the minds of the masses.

URBAN DOGS - Warhead (Acoustic) @ Gaye Adverts Punk and Beyond Exhibition

Thanx to Retroman65 Blogspot for uploading this to YouTube 

"One by one they take you all in!"

FREE THE PUSSIES!

Yulia Tymoshenko the former Ukrainian Prime Minister lies ill in a hospital prison bed, imprisoned on dubious charges of 'having abused her political power' by the man she defeated in 2004's pro-democracy 'orange revolution' elections Viktor Yanukovych, who regained power in 2010 and is presently trying to re-build his dictatorship. It's not all about Pussy Power and Putin, it's about all politicians across the world and the power that they have,and how they can abuse it. There's so much we take for granted. I have the power to abuse, and can call David Cameron a cunt without the fear of being locked up by security forces for saying it. There's also so much that can be taken away from us if we let them do it. I wonder if the troops are gonna leave the streets of London once the Olympics have finished? The reason I ask this is because I heard some stupid plebs on the radio saying that the presence of soldiers made them feel safe and secure. Funny.... the very thought of having the army on the streets fills me with fear.

ELECTRIC RIVER - In Your Name E.P (A Review)

Electric River have been plugging and playing their way around the pubs'n'clubs of their home county Kent, the garden of England, for the past couple of years, building up a loyal and faithful following. The last year has seen them gigging further afield and making a name for themselves on the London circuit.

The In Your Name EP follows on from 2009's Radio No Go album and the Darwinian Flush EP, the intervening years have seen the band grow into a formidable force to be reckoned with. The five tracks: In You Name, Happy, Hold Your Nerve, Still and an acoustic version of Hold Your Nerve, rock with a real honesty, passion, power and punk rock kick.

Comparisons have been drawn between them and The Clash, The Alarm and Bruce Springsteen, I'd also add Big Country to that list. But....Electric River are no copyists, they have their own distinct big sound, with ringing guitars, catchy sing along choruses and storming melodies that stomp and stamp through your head, until yer foot can't stop tapping, and the intelligent and socially aware lyrics are buzzing round yer brain.

In Your Name is released by England Street Records on Sept 10^th and their as yet untitled album is due for release early 2013. Expect to hear a lot more from Electric River in the future months and years. Check out their website here!

SPIRITUALIZED - Come Together (1 Track Promo Single.)

Dunno about 'gorgeous pop' this is a hypnotic and aggressive drug song that could go on forever. Not sure about The Beatles and Beach Boys? either, more like MC5 and The Stooges. This is the 'radio friendly 're-recorded version, the original with the fucks instead of sucks can be found on their beautiful, majestic and almost classical album Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space. Fuck Brit-Pop, this was Bonged and Monged Drug-Rock pure and simple, the gospel according to Jason Pierce. Come Together here!

Some more Sunday thoughts/notes/scribblings.

I heard a presenter on the radio (LBC 97.3FM) this morning asking the listeners if “we have forgotten about Afghanistan?”

Well over the last couple of weeks people seem to have forgotten about anything that wasn't gold, sliver or bronze related. So while Team GB were increasing the counties gold reserves by winning medals, more soldiers lost their lives and limbs for their country in wars that will continue for as long as the British army are on Afghanistan and Iraqi sand.

It's not about democracy in a world that's getting more un-democratic. Global condemnation rains down on the Syrian regime, as their bombs rain down on innocent civilians who's only crime is to want free elections and political rights. In South Africa striking miners are slaughtered by the police. In Russia, Putin has put the boot in, with Female punk band Pussy Riot being given a disproportionate sentence of two years hard labour for 'hooliganism' after their impromptu performance in a Moscow church that criticised his re-election as Russian leader amid allegations of vote rigging, and generally offending his masculinity.

Then there's the case of Julian Assange of Wikileaks, who sought political asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London a couple of months ago, he has now been granted it, but the British Government are refusing to let him leave and fly to Ecuador, or as they call it “escape the country” Is that allowed under International Law? Mind you since when has defying interternational laws stopped the US and UK governments doing exactly what they like? Without their illegal war in Iraq we may never have heard of wikileaks. The whole Wikileaks thing is a prime example of might against right. The might of America versus the right to the truth. Assange fears his extradition to Sweden to be questioned about sex allegations will lead to American intervention and his eventual deportation to 'the land of the free' to be held to account over the leaking of US Military 'secrets'.

Freedom....there is no freedom when people can't speak out against their leaders, but you can't kill thoughts or lock up ideas. Leaders across the world need to remember that, because one day their time will come, and that day and time comes closer every time their abuses of power are seen live and direct in perfect flat screen HD clarity on BBC/Sky/Al-Jazeera News, that's if there's nothing more important to broadcast, like two weeks of people running, swimming and throwing things.

I wonder how well Britain will do in the forthcoming Para-Olympics? probably better than the last time thanks to all the injured ex soldiers who've had their legs and arms blown off by land mines in Iraq and Afghanistan.

THE FOLK DEVILS - Vinyl Rip Re-Post

I'm gonna be lazy with this re-post, and re-print some of what I  wrote in the original post.

"Today’s musical offering at the alter of rawk’n’roll comes from the swamp lands of 1980's 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. "  If you like the Jim Jones Review, then The Folk Devils could be for you!

THE PARTY'S OVER!

Unfortunately I did see the closing ceremony of the London Olympics, my daughter wanted to watch it. What a load of shit! If that was a celebration of British music and culture then the whole nation should be in mourning.

A load of washed up has beens Ray Davies and The Who, sorry folks your time has passed, we've got Muse and The Karzy Chiefs now, and they can fuck off with their third rate pop and rock pap. George Michael....where's a lone sniper when you needed one. The dedication and years of hard work by the athletes was contrasted by the instant X-Factor celebrity culture of the likes of No Erection, Massive Tantrum and Jessie J. “It's not about the money, money” well the whole games have been about the money, from the cost of staging them, the overpriced tickets, the sponsorship deals and “the bling, bling” of the gold medals.

Freddie Mercury and John Lennon were brought back to live, when they should remain dead and buried. Imagine, yeah I imagined.....The taxis carrying those vacuous fame hungry whores The Spice Girls crashed, causing serious injury.

Russell Brand, has he started taking drugs again, and as for Liam Gallagher and his Beady Eye, I hope Noel kicks his fuckin' head in for that performance of Wonderwall. Still it could have been worse, The Clash or the Sex Pistols could have made an appearance.

The music on show at the closing ceremony didn't put a spanner in the works, it oiled the machine.

Where were the terrorists when you needed them?

I aint even gonna bother with the rest of the shite that was passed of as something to be proud of, the supermodels etc Oh the irony of Eric Idle's performance of Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life, because once the smoke from the fire works has settled and the Olympic fever has passed, that's what people are gonna have to do because....“Life's a piece of shit when you look at it.” and we're gonna be in it for a long time unless we wake up and see what is actually going on in front of our eyes not what they want us to see.

URBAN DOGS - Bonefield (A Review)

It's taken three years for Charlie Harper (UK Subs) and Knox's (The Vibrators) side project band the Urban Dogs acoustic album to hit the streets, and now it's here, has it been worth the wait? Too right it has, Bonefield is a real pedigree album that sees amongst its eleven tracks the mongrel punk rock of Tomorrows Girls return to it's acoustic roots. This is an album of the old, new, borrowed and the blues, all nicely packaged, with an eight page booklet of photos, liner notes by Charlie, and a great cover painted by Knox. For a “bare bones production” it's got a lot meat to it, thanks in part to Knox's beautiful 'electric' guitar licks'n'riffs that litter the album.

Individually Charlie and Knox have been knocking out their punk rock blues for over four decades now, and they still sound fresh, exciting and full of life, taking on the old blues classics Charlie used to busk in the 60's like Move It On Over, Hobos Lullaby, and Cocaine, which feature some great harmonica playing by The Harper, their sleazy sublime spin thru of Summertime, really is a treat. The stripped to the bone anti war statements of Warhead and War Baby, make them sound even more vital and relevant than they did in the eighties. Classics both of em! A big ya! to the rewired and wild acoustic feral ho-down that is New Barbarians.  Dragnet is just a great song no matter what. There are a couple of newies; Knox's autobiographical narrative Swampdog Blues and their Dylan like protest number Not In My Name. From start to finish Bonefield is a real gem of an album that doesn't disappoint, and could surprise a few people along the way. Old  punk classics are taken to a different dimension and given new depths, and the old blues classics are given a punk twist.  Highly recommended and available from Time and Matter Records.

WE ONLY SING WHEN WE'RE WINNING.

Olympic competitors crying because they came second and only got a silver medal.

You don't see people crying if no one likes their singing or guitar playing, do you? Oh no wait up, yes you do, the X-Factor, no but that doesn't count, cos their not musicians, they are contestants and it's a competition. That's what makes music different from sport. It's not a competition about who's the best band, although the(ir) media try to turn it into one. Stones V's Beatles / The Clash V's The Pistols / Blur V's Oasis

On the radio this morning, the presenter was referring to people having “caught the Olympic bug.” think I'd rather catch the plague than “the Olympic fever.” People have been brainwashed.

I saw some TV footage of the Olympic volunteers who were telling visitors to the Olympic Park to “smile” and “look happy”, all slightly sinister if you ask me

Give it a couple of years and people will see that it really was a case of the emperors new clothes, all style with the substance bought and sold through sponsorship deals, for the medal winners.

I don't want to take anything away from the athletes and their achievements, but they are just puppets/pawns in the real game which is all about Great Britain PLC winning.

Will the future returns be larger than the present costs, will the Olympic Legacy see more people taking up sport, I mean they've been buying and wearing the clothing for years.

Sport and keeping fit are two different things, you can exercise without competing, go running and cycling without racing. What about just for fun!

More, more, more, more competition, more gold more success. The government is proposing to make 'competitive sports' compulsory in all primary schools. Children shouldn't be forced to compete, it should be a choice, between themselves and their parents. After school Sports clubs should be accessible to all and subsidised for those on low incomes

Politicians co-opting the success of the Olympic Games for their own ends i.e. the promotion of UK PLC. I mean who was it that stopped competitive sports in schools? And who sold the school sports fields for housing? The politicians. If the London Olympics have been a success it's not down to the politicians, it's down to the people.

The majority of money for British sports comes from The National Lottery Fund, which is money made from the scratch cards and tickets people buy when they dream of the big win.

Sport and capitalism are great in bed together, because it's all about the competition. The winners and losers, success and failure. There are more losers than there are winners in both, but there's an illusion that if you try you will succeed on the ladder to success, but it really depends where abouts on the ladder you start. Some are nearer to the top than others.

I've heard people say that “life is about winning and losing” No that has how it has become thanks to the capitalist machine and cogs like sport that keep it moving, music on the other hand might make the machine money, but it doesn't support the basis of the machine which is competition. Music is a way to fight the machine and throw spanners in the works, in a way sport never can. That's why it's Rock'n'Roll for me!

COCK SPARRER - Re-Post

Another musical re-offering.  This time it's the mighty COCK SPARRER, Live @ The Fulham Greyhound, London in 1983. With any repost requests, remember some times things take a little longer than we'd like them to. In this age of instant everything, we are losing the art of being patient, we want everything and we want it now! Well here you go then is this what you want. Enjoy! and thanx for waiting it will have been worth it.           

SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK - Acoustic

While I was sorting out the re-post of the Sigue Sigue Sputnik Demos (see original post for the new link) I thought I'd stick this little curio up, an acoustic?! Performance from Nov 30th 2002 at The Wembley Exhibition Centre.... Sigue Sigue Sputnik stripped and naked, back to basics. Check it out here! It Rocks!Once again thanx  to the original uploader over at Guitars101 Forum.

JOHNNY THUNDERS / NEW YORK DOLLS - Re-Posts

NEW YORK DOLLS - Live @ Michigan Palace 31/12/73

JOHNNY THUNDERS - Live @ The Venue, London 22/4/82  (Part 1)   (Part 2)

IT'S NOT THE WINNING, IT'S THE TAKING PART.

Didn't see the Olympic Opening ceremony, so can't comment whether it was a Marxist Lefty Stalinist rewrite of British history, as many right wing commentators have said it was. I understand that The Clash's London Calling and The Jam's Going Underground were played at some point, why? Because London's got an Underground system or were they used as a political statement?

I haven't paid much attention to any of it really, which is hard when the whole spectacle is dominating the media. If there was ever a time to bury bad news then now is that time. The games are set against a backdrop of global conflict, from Syria to Russia, people are being killed and imprisoned in struggles for freedom against oppression, and a bit closer to home the number of families being made homeless in London has risen.

David Cameron is sucking up to all the visiting dignities, no doubt telling them that Britain’s a good place for economic investment, with a ready and willing forced to work force.

“You choose you leaders and place your trust, as their lies wash you down and their promises rust.”

We were told the games were gonna be good for the economy, well not according to businesses in London who have seen a slump in their business, and the streets are empty. Perhaps the number of troops and police in the capital and the authorities terrorist paranoia have scared people away, either that or the thought of bumping into the beaming buffoon that is Boris Johnson.

When people do take to the streets they end up getting knocked of their bike and killed by a bus carrying journalists to the Olympic stadium, oh the irony as Britain won a few medals in the cycling events, and after all that's what it all seems to be about, the Gold medals.

One thing I did catch was that Britain won a gold medal in the shooting, strikes me as a bit odd that with the continuing scourge of gun crime across the nation, that we should celebrate a victory in 'the shooting'

I hope the rest of the nation is enjoying the games, as much as I'm not, because even with the corporate big mac mobile sponsors money we're still gonna be paying for the(ir) games for years to come.

“The public gets what the public wants but I want nothing this society’s got.”

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED

Well not exactly, but it seems that my media fire account has been suspended, can't say I'm surprised, it was only a matter of time, many fellow bloggers had theirs shut down ages ago, so que, sera, sera. Only problem is which file sharing site to use now? All suggestions welcome! If there is stuff you want re-posted, go to the GIMME THE MUZIK! tab at the top left, click and take it from there.

"Somewhere Over The Rainbow"

Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk (July 29th 2012)