ELECTRIC RIVER - Faith & Patience. (*A Review*)

If you've been in tune with the program for the last couple of years you will already know what a great band Electric River are, and will already have got yerself a copy of Faith and Patience. If you've only just tuned in then you really need to listen to this album, it's a corker! Twelve tracks of pure power and passion filled with pumping fists and lighters in the air moments. It's a big and bold statement full of self belief (This Garden Will Grow) It's a call to arms (Calling Out) It's sensitive and soulful (Watersong) It doesn't just blow the doors off, it takes the roof off (In Your Name) It's about hope when all around there is despair. (Keep The Engine Burning) It's about life, the ups and downs, the good, the bad and the ugly. These are songs to sing when standing strong and staring into the face of adversity. This is an uplifting and life affirming listen. It is the result of over four years hard graft and holding their nerve by Electric River, whose faith and patience has been repaid, and accolades will be written in their name!

FAITH & PATIENCE Is out now on Cadiz Music. For 'fans' of not just The Alarm, New Model Army, Bruce Springsteen, The Gaslight Anthem and The Clash, but for anyone that likes their music to be loud, proud, real and honest!

FS1E - fs1e (*A Single / A Review*)

Back in the 70's and early 80's the 'Fizzy' or the FS1E as its Japanese makers Yamaha called it, was a bike popular with the teenage yoof of the day. In the year 2014 FS1E are a band of yesterdays youth refusing to grow old gracefully or otherwise. Their debut single and theme song, (if I can call it that) fs1e is a blast of pure post Brit pop prog punk. It roars down memory lane with a carefree fuck you abandon while also stopping and starting along the way. (rather like a ride on the back of a fs1e.) It's a road trip through the past and into the present with no rose tinted motorcycle goggles on for protection. It's got clever lyrics that observe and reflect, there's a great Jam reference were down in a tube station in the morning, full of City workers “there's no smell of brown leather, just the scent of money calling” It's three and a half sublime minutes of rather brilliant quirky, catchy pop music that could only be Made In Britain. For 'fans' of XTC, The Stranglers, Blur, The Kinks, and for anyone that fancies a blast of something fresh and completely different. Pay No More Than 79p. Available from I-Tunes and Amazon.

“Life is so short for everyone. Never mind! What might have been is what you've seen,what you've done. Life is so short for everyone. Get out there and have some fun!” - FS1E

ONCE AGAIN....THE LIGHTS START TO GO OUT ACROSS EUROPE!

KEEPING ABREAST OF THE ISSUES.

CHARLIE HARPER and KNOX a couple of URBAN DOGS (An Article)

Charlie Harper and Knox, a couple of inspirational people to me, not just back in the day when I was a kid, nearer to fifteen than fifty, but also in the now. Through out the years they have provided a soundtrack to my life. For over thirty years they have kept the faith and the punk rock flame burning with their respective bands the UK Subs, The Vibrators and when they join forces as the Urban Dogs.

During the Nineties New Wave Of New Wave/Brit-Pop/Dance Culture when Rave was being called the New Punk, The UK Subs and The Vibrators soldiered on with campaigns on home soil and in foreign climes, keeping the real Punk Rock fire alight, when a lot of people had left the camp.

The whole New Labour Retro-Lution of re-branding, re-packaging and re-selling the past saw record labels releasing back catalogues and collections of demos and rarities by classic punk bands on CD, more fuel for the fire; as older Punk Rockers re-discovered their youth and a whole new generation of kidz picked up on the past and used it to influence their present.

During the Noughties both The Vibrators and UK Subs have released some of their best albums; Under The Radar and On The Guest List from the 'brators and Work In Progress and XXIV from the Subs, and lets not forget the sublime and superb Urban Dogs acoustic album Bonefield.

Thirty eight years since Punk Rock exploded in the faces of a generation of bored teenagers and boring old people the fire is raging bright; With new bands like The Reverends, The Derellas, Electric River, Deadcuts, The November Five, Continental Liasion all possessing the punk rock spirit sound or sentiment. We've also seen the return of bands like The Fits, The Outcasts and The Mob. Then there are new albums from veterans Chelsea and The Boys due out soon, and lest we forget GLM.    I'm only scratching the surface here, because there are also hundreds more bands young and old out there in bedrooms, garages and rehearsal rooms across this land bashing out a punk rock beat. One such young group are A-M-I who haven't just got the punk rock spirit and sound they have punk in their blood, as guitarist Marley Perez is Charlie Harpers grandson, who had a song Baby Marley written about him on the third Urban Dogs album Wipeout Beach. If A-M-I continue as long as the Subs or Vibrators than I'll slip into death or dementia happy in the knowledge that punk rock will never ever die.

Captain Oi Records, have been responsible for compiling and packaging many of the classic punk CD re-releases. A couple of their recent releases have been by Charlie Harper and the Urban Dogs. Charlie s 1982 solo album Stolen Property is what it says on the tin. A bunch of other peoples including Chuck Berry, Lou Reed, and Bo Diddley tunes plus a couple of Harper originals are given a dirty punk rock blues makeover. Timeless stuff!.

No Pedigree by Charlie and Knox's side project the Urban Dogs was originally released in 1985. Their self titled debut album was a full throttle Rock'n'Roll assault. No Pedigree is a darker, broodier Rock'n'Roll attack with the songs slowly throbbing and thumping their way into your head. Brilliant stuff!

Further proof that the past becomes the present can be heard on the fourth Urban Dogs album Bonefield (released in 2012) with its Stolen Property acoustic blues vibe. The 'experimental' phazed garage fuzz of No Pedigree can be heard on the Too Much Reality EP that Charlie Harper and Captain Sensible released in 2013..

Stolen Property and No Pedigree are available from Captain Oi Records, but be quick cos there are only 500 of each available. Bonefield by the Urban Dogs and Charlie Harper and Captain Sensible's Too Much Reality EP are available from Time and Matter Recordings, as is A-M-I' s debut album Anti Meat Head Inc. Respect to Captain Oi and Time and Matter Recordings for keeping the fire burning especially at a time when fuel prices are high. Given the choice of turning the heating on or buying a CD...I'd put another jumper on and pogo to keep warm!

DON'T GROW UP BEING BORED OR GROW OLD BEING BORING!

WHAT ABOUT A DIFFERENT TUNE?

In the wake of today’s Local and European elections in Britain and in preparation for the wave of next years General Election, lets hear it for The Right Not 2 Vote, or possibly the right to vote NO!....A big fat X in a box that says “None of the above” (because they are all a bunch of kunts who are gonna fuck the people when they get into power.) Defaced ballot papers aren't, as far as I'm aware counted in the results, so no one knows how many people didn't believe there was anyone worth voting for. How many more people might vote if they were able to say NO! A right to vote means nothing if you can't cast it because you don't believe in the politics of any of the parties standing. It might even be against a persons Human Rights, I wonder what Brussels would have to say about it. Perhaps it's time people were given the choice; to become a number and stand up to be counted!. Lets see how many people are up for a revolution! How many signatures/hits does an online facebook petition need before the question has to be brought to parliament? Probably a Monster Raving Loony of an idea....but....just a thought!

THE FITS - The Visitor

A not so safe European home!

Anti- EU feelings are growing in Britain as we approach the elections for the European Parliament. In many other European countries, far right parties are gaining support, with their anti immigration one trick pony. Imagine Brussels filled with right wing MEP's of all nationalities united as one. Supporting UKIP and their ilk is the first step toward toward a jackboot European Fascist Superstate elected through policies which target other human beings and makes scapegoats of them. They always need us to have someone to blame, because United we stand, Divided they rule!

Nigel Farage, nice British name! Married to a German, who's also his secretary, uses Eastern Europeans to deliver leaflets, and has made his wealth from being a Member of the European Parliament. This man should have died in a helicopter crash a few years back, but no....he walked away. Never mind having an egg thrown at him, it should have been a brick! He smokes fags and drinks beer, so he must be a man of the people, someone who understands them. No! What he understands is the people and how to play on their fears and ignorance, with no sense of being the hypocrite that he is.

Do we believe what the media tells us? Statistics are massaged and manipulated left right and centre to suit who evers political ends. Stories are blown out of all proportion, there may be some truths amongst the fiction, but the fact is that it is all propaganda designed and developed to win the hearts and minds of people that don't have a heart, or a mind to think for themselves!..

Take Abu Hamza, or Captain Hook as he was refereed to by the media. If stories are to be believed, it would appear that he was working for the British police and Secret Services. If this is true than perhaps the reason he was able to stay in Britain for so long wasn't because of Human Rights laws as the media told people, but because he was a servant for the Great British State. One day the truth will out, just like it has over the 'War on Terror', no wait up, it hasn't yet because there are delays in publishing the Chilcott Enquiry into the war in Iraq.

Is it a coincidence that the EU Human Rights culture exploded during the New Labour Blair years, and that Tony’s wife Cherie happens to be a lawyer who specialises in....Human Rights! Is it another coincidence that during the same time Britain became so dumbed down and de-skilled that it needed to rely on foreign labour to do the work that British workers didn't want or couldn't do.

The only people to blame are the politicians, so when it comes time to cast your vote just remember that they are all a bunch of cunts and the only people they seek to serve are themselves!  

the DeRELLAS - SLAM! BAM! (*A Review*)

The DeRellas stick it to the man and kick ya ass with their new album SLAM! BAM! Twelve tracks of no nonsense fuck you 'Glam Stomping, Punk Rock Pogoing Rock'n'Roll.' No difficult second album for these guys; The DeRellas are loaded with an arsenal of anthems all waiting to blow yer brains out. From start to finish SLAM! BAM! Is a no frills thrill of a ride on the Rock'n'Roller-coaster. The Heartbreakers meet The Clash in a switchblade street fight, good time Rock'n'Roll doesn't get much better, this.is real solid gold easy action Play loud and wake up the zombie nation! SLAM! BAM! is out now on Crushworld Records. You'd be a mutha fucker not to check it out!   

ELECTRIC RIVER - Calling Out

CHECK IT OUT!

SAME OLD SAME OLD....

Once again I find myself staring at a blank screen with an as yet untitled document open. I have a notebook with some words scribbled in pen that don't make much sense at the moment, they are just pointers to somewhere, dunno where, but lets get going and see where we end up. .

International Workers day of Revolution! UP THE WORKERS! Yeah, we get it shoved up us everyday of the working week! Work is a fucking pain in the arse!

A perpetual state of turmoil from one disaster to another disaster. Scandal after scandal, another cover up by those in power is exposed. These people run and control our country and our lives, and they cannot control themselves, they are responsible for so much and take responsibility for so little, they lie and cheat, pass judgement and watch our every move. Drones watch the drones you've been framed on CCTV. for Saturday night Prime time entertainment. Laughing at others misfortune makes others feel more fortunate. Watching others misery makes them feel less miserable about the useless lives that they lead.

The totalitarian democracy we are living in is an all encompassing machine that destroys the old and calls it progress. We have no real say, they talk of community as they kill it off with bedroom taxes and regeneration, when all it is is wealth creation.

The NHS is sick a slow death by statistics and internal markets, same with all the public services. No one looks at the bigger picture, they just see their little part in it. Strangled by red tape and petty bureaucracy health and safety madness that takes away any responsibility from anyone for their actions. No wonder no one takes responsibility, they don't know how to. An accident or injury? should have taken more care, no it was someone else’s fault. We learn by mistakes, no one is perfect but people want things to be perfect even in an imperfect world if we make no mistakes how do we learn The Modern World teaches us nothing it shows us and tell us everything how to think and what to think. It defines us then divides us. It keeps us in control by giving us no control. People are becoming programmed machines not human beings directed everywhere by sat nav everything controlled by a mobile phone. Blue tooth, blue ray, when I was a kid the only blue entertainment were films. Now I'm, older if I want to see a bunch of cunts on my TV screen I just turn to the BBC's parliament channel the House of Commons is full of 'em.

The pied piper plays the tune as people follow blindly to the death camps they call home, flat packed and semi detached living for those that think they are free when all they are is slaves detached from reality living in a virtual world of one click shopping same day delivery. Patience another human skill becomes lost in the then and now, now, now! Money back guarantees for people that don't have the money cos it's all on credit. Home owners, owned by their homes and chained to the machine working overtime cos they've over spent. Too blind to see past the smokescreens and illusions and too deaf to hear anything else except the Pipers Tune

The Big Lie, tell people they are free enough times because they are living in a democratic country with the right to vote and they will believe it show them military dictatorships in other countries to reinforce the believe that if you haven't got a gun held to your head you must be free. Well I've got news for you, the guns held to our head is fear. The fear of repossession, unemployment, the fear of having nothing after the bailiffs have been. People are owned by what they own, defined by what they have and motivated by what they haven't got, and what they want what they don't need, not that they know that, because they have been brainwashed into thinking that they are free because they have freedom of choice and a right to buy whatever they choose..

Dumbing down the dumb. Too blind to see / Too thick to think What is that fucking stink? I love the smell of bullshit in the morning, papers!

A-M-I Anti Meathead Inc (*A REVIEW*)

Suck on this George Bernard Shaw! Youth isn't being wasted on this bunch of Brighton youngsters.  With a combined age of 55 four piece punk rock upstarts A-M-I are a young band. At 15 years old Guitarist Marley Perez is old enough to be Charlie Harper from the UK Subs's grandson....wait up the press release says he is! Looks like punk rock is in the blood.

A-M-I first got together back in 2010, and released a single Meathead/Billy No Mates in 2012 (Co-produced with Charlie Harper.) Anti Meathead Inc is their debut album, and what a gem it is, a real blast of youthful punk rock metal exuberance with a message of what matters to them in the world today; Consumerism, Bullying, Environmentalism, Rebellion and Treachery.  The antithesis of One Direction.

A-M-I are carrying the punk rock flame deeper into the darkening years of the 21^st Century; lighting the way forward for a future generation who have had enough of being sold the shrink wrapped pre packed garbage pop that is the X-Factor and The Voice. The Kids are Alright, it's the adults that are the problem! but not in this case cos A-M-I have had the likes of the UK Subs and Captain Sensible mentoring them, which can't have been a bad thing as just one listen to their album will testify. A-M-I have a musical maturity beyond their years and have developed a sound that is not just their own but also a reflection of their influences; The Clash, Crass, The Ruts, Metallica, Slipknot. The songs are: Fast and frantic, chugging and chopping, tuneful and thoughtful. Through the crystal clear production, the Guitars thrash the drums crash the bass bashes and the vocals shout, scream and shriek, Ten tracks each one as catchy as nits in the school playground and just as hard to get out of yer head. If as another old saying goes “you are only as old as you feel” then after listening to this album several times I'm gonna be fifteen this year and not fifty.

Anti Meathead Inc is available for £5 from Time and Matter Recordings. It's a nicely packaged CD and is available in 3 different colours (Red, Orange and Green) Highly Recommended ***** 

CONTINENTAL LIAISON - A Review and *FREE DOWNLOAD*

Continental Liaison are not quite like anything I've heard for a long while; they have ripped it up and started again with a unique deconstructed post punk rock'n'roll mash up that hits you like The Human League on heroin,  a garage rock Sigue Sigue Sputnik or Throbbing Gristle play Pop. Continental Liaison have plundered the past, and made it their own, with an agitated and angular attack on the senses. A raw soulful synth throb battles with fuzzed up, frantic guitars, topped by some moody, monotonous and monotone vocals that offer words of meaning. The sound of 80's Disco-Pop fed through a 21^st Century Rock'n'Roll blender. Boy this is brilliant stuff!  
Continental Liaison's debut limited edition single Series Of Events b/w Secession is available from Rough Trade, purchasers also get a download code for a couple of further tracks Future and Hypercompress. Check it out if yer bored with the bland and banal, you wont be disappointed. More details are available on their facebook page. Here's an exclusive for you....an as yet unavailable and unreleased except here demo(scuzzy mix) of The Sonics garage rock classic Strychnine. Vocalist Bam Liaison tells me it took as much time to record and mix as it does to listen to. Take the time and feed yer mind!

JOHNNY THUNDERS - Summat To Read For Ya....

Another excellent piece of writing by Nina Antonia.

RE-LOAD!

Not a lot of Socio/Political comment of late. If words are our weapon then some times my ammunition either runs out or keeps on firing at the same targets. Unfortunately that's how it is. So whats been going on...Probably a lot more than they are telling us, they only tell us what they want us to know, and when they want us to know it.

Russian leader Puttin has stopped posturing like King Kong with a hard on, and is now negotiating, with the rest of the world over the Crimea. Russian oligarchs have had their assets frozen, which should stop 'em buying any more English football teams for the moment.

In a case of life imitating art, or at best a long running drawn out TV drama; Lost.  A plane went missing over three weeks ago, in a high tech world it disappeared when persons unknown (terrorists or a suicidal pilot) turned off the radar signal. Relatives grief and demand the truth when conspiracy theories have been the only answers, which have caused more questions. The truth is out there....two miles down at the bottom of the Indian Ocean, but we will probably never know why!

UKIP gain popularity after the EU debate on the Radio last week. If there was no UKIP where would the bigots and racists turn? Here's a thought UKIP's stance on immigration could potentially stop far right extremists from Europe coming to Britain to stir things up? Fighting fascism with fascism. Unfortunately UKIP are a necessary political evil in a democracy, they are both a pressure cooker and blender for Right Wing Anti-Immigration views. Both the Labour and Conservative parties have to address public opinion to stop it boiling over, they will use diluted policies based on UKIP's stance, in order to win next years election. The frightening thing is that a growing percentage of the British public belief all the bullshit propaganda that UKIP are peddling, even more than the bullshit broadcast by the Labour, Conservative and Liberal parties.

I heard another early shot in their battle for the hearts and minds of the electorate on the radio this morning, there are plans a foot to charge people for using the NHS. Free at the point of contact, but should someone be admitted to Hospital then there are proposals to charge people for their stay, Like it's a fucking hotel. There's also talk of raising prescription charges, how about the NHS buys the drugs from the pharmaceutical companies at a cheaper price, negotiate the deals, isn't that what a free market is all about? But no we'll make the people pay for the corporate share holders profits. How about making those that can afford to pay for their health care....pay! For example all those politicians that insist on using the NHS to show the belief they have in it and that they are the same as the people they represent....charge them, because it's those most in need that will suffer (the elderly and the poor) who no doubt will also be judged on the lifestyle choices they have made, if they had a choice!

The state can't afford the expense of the NHS, because successive governments both Left and Right have spent billions on wars and national security, all done in our name. God and Allah forbid there is another terrorist attack in the UK, but I fear that something will happen again, my faith in organised religion is the same as it is with politicians. They aint gonna save us, they're gonna kill us. So then....if there was another 7/7 bombing, would the injured be charged for their stay in one of the new Hospital Hotels?

As I type this I can hear the 10.00 clock news reporting that climate change is going to be a big problem in the future; food shortages and more extreme weather. The far right are on the rise in France, and licensing laws will change during the World Cup so England fans can drink later while they watch England play. “Here we go, Here we go, Here we go again!”

Take aim....Fire!

The DeRELLAS - SLAM! BAM!

The DeRellas are all fired up about the release of their new album SLAM! BAM!, it's due out in May, and promises to be another rifftastic piece of Punk'n'Roll just like their debut Hollywood Monsters. Here's what the band have to say about the proceedings....

“It's in the can! Slam! Bam!, the rip-roaring second album from The DeRellas (that's us), has been recorded and mixed, the artwork is done, the running order is finalised. We're ready to unshackle the beast and release it to the world like King Kong with a king-sized hangover. Building on the reprobate rock'n'roll sound of our acclaimed debut Hollywood Monsters, Slam! Bam! Could soon be powering through your speakers like an AK47.”

Slam! Bam! is available to pre-order through Pledge Music, on a variety of formats with added extras like T-Shirts, signed artwork etc. So 1, 2, 3, 4....What are yer waiting for.... click here and sign up for some solid gold DeRellas action, then why not catch 'em live in a town near you when they take to the road with  their new drummer  to promote the album.

GLM - Summer Nights (Are Never Like Movies) THE VIDEO

Here's the video to GLM's Summer Nights (Are Never Like Movies) featuring Jack Nicholson's back and Nicole Kidman alongside Esso, Pete and Nigel. Great video by eddieredblood for a great song by GLM. Summer Nights is also going to be featured on Can't Stop The Heat, a 5 track EP that GLM are releasing around April/May. The Future Is Calling also makes a return appearance, along with three new ones; Not The Real Thing ,Smiling Inside and There Goes Deborah. Pete Stride (Guitar/Vocals) reckons the new songs are of a “Pretty hard and fast style with a touch of pop at the same time.” He also went on to say that they went for an EP rather than an album, because an album would have taken to long to do, and the band like getting new stuff out as soon as possible to keep people interested. There will also be a video out at the same time as the EP,' GLM's album Chemical Landslide is currently available from their web site at the knock down recession busting price of £4.99. A bargain if you like your Rock'Roll hard, heavy and tuneful. The best songs The Lurkers didn't write!

ELECTRIC RIVER - "The cold voice of tragedy cannot defeat you!"

If any band of the last few years deserves to have their 15 Minutes, that band is Electric River. It's about time their stadium sized anthems were taken from the clubs'n'pubs in which they've been tirelessly playing  for the last four years and into larger venues. If there's any justice in an unjust world then Electric Rivers new album should see them kick the doors down and burst onto these stages with their street smart songs of hardship, hope, pain and positivity. Any one looking for a British Gaslight Anthem or to hear what a scuffle between The Clash and Big Country sounds like should look no further than Electric River.

Their new 2 track single In Your Name/32 is out on 31^st March. Its a beefy, raw, raucous but polished blast of Rock'n'Roll. The album The Faith And Patience is due out around May on Cadiz Music, and if it's anything like this single and their previous releases it will be a corker! More info on Electric River can be found on their Facebook page.

Picture of Johnny Thunders. Words by The Ramones.  

Tony Benn - R.I.P

DEADCUTS are contagious to you....yeah, yeah, yeah!

If this was the NME, and I was some trend setting music journo then I'd be proclaiming that East London's Rock'n'Roll animals Deadcuts were the best new band of 2014, and the future of Rock'n'Roll, but it isn't and I aint so....I wont, but what I will say is that they are the best band I have heard for many a year, and as for them being the future of Rock'n'Roll.... Well, does Rock'n'Roll have a future in a world of the bland, sanitised and desensitised? Well yes it does as long as there are bands like Deadcuts out there; ones that defy categorisation, playing music that challenges and confronts the senses and takes you to different places. A band that treads its own path through the debris and broken glass of the past.

Deadcuts play short sharp songs of epic proportions, full of more hooks than a butchers shop. Gruff gravely vocals, a twin guitar attack that swoops and soars above a solid rhythm section before diving and cutting into yer flesh like a rusty razor. Brutal and beautiful, sexy and sleazy stuff, music to fuck and get fucked up to. It's what guitars were built for!

Their debut album Dark Is The Night promises to be something special if the tracks I've heard from it are anything to go by. There's some Deadcuts gear  to watch on youtube and to listen to on Soundcloud or take a trip to their facebook page.

If this was the NME and I was a trend setting journo I'd also have said that Deadcuts sound like a Punked Up Psychedelic Furs for the 21st Century.

“Live to dance another night and day!”

AS THE CROW FLYS!

Cant say I was a big Bob Crow supporter; just another leader with power, yeah he did use it to support his Union members, but in turn he also used it to support himself in a manner not so working class. All power corrupts! A 'suspected heart attack' has removed a thorn from the side of those presently holding the(ir) power. A 'crazy conspiracy theorist' might say that his untimely death came at precisely the right time; In the build up to next years general election the established order isn't gonna want a charismatic lefty with power pissing on their parade, but who am I to say.

ELECTRIC RIVER - In Your Name (Official Lyric Video)

IT'S A CRIME WHAT'S GOING ON 'ERE!

RE: 'The situation' in the Ukraine.

A hundred years after the First World War, is this the start of a Third one? Who knows, watch this space.... Or a live and direct High Definition 24hr News feed! Just remember it has been said that truth is the first casualty of war!

It's been a long while.

Indeed it has. Well I'm back at least for today. Bloggers block? Or a bout of CBA Syndrome? (Cant Be Arsed) Probably a bit of both, cos life is about a balance, and I wouldn't want to be unbalanced Well, what's been going on? Pretty much the same shit, just a different year and different places.

Violent uprisings in the Ukraine and in Britain people are moaning about the weather, dodging rain showers not snipers bullets.

Nationalism unites and divides nations, the debate about Scotland’s independence from Britain continues. In Ukraine its a clash between Eastern and Western values that have turned the country into a warzone, where things will only get worse, especially with the EU countries getting involved due to the strategic importance of the area. Here's a little piece I started writing nearly a month ago about a few things:

“Nice to see fires of dissent are burning bright on the streets of Cairo and in the Ukraine. It warms my winter to see burning tyres rolling across the road towards riot cops sheltering under shields from showers of sticks and stones. Not good seeing Syrian refugees, being displaced, things must be bad if they are seeking refuge in Iraq. Talking of Iraq....What's that cunt Blair on about, it's fuckers like him and that retard Bush that have fucked the world and are now gonna blame it on religion, not ideology. Well tell us something we didn't already know; RELIGION KILLS! A car bomb in Belfast or a suicide bomber in the Sudan, and so does ideology GOVERNMENTS KILL! A drone attack in Baghdad or a Tomahawk Cruise in Tripoli. Western governments interference in areas of the world already divided by religious and ethnic grounds have made things worse, by creating power vacuums, so when Tony Blair says that it is religion not ideology that causes conflict, he is right, but it is a conflict he has created with his free-market West is best democratic globalisation ideology. Western business interests continue to arm global conflicts.”

As a footnote to the above, it is worth remembering that Europe’s gas supplies pass through pipelines that cross the Ukraine, there have been talks of dividing the country on ethnic/religious lines, in a bid to bring stability to the area. Talking of instability in the world, it has all been kicking of in Venezuela as well with protesters taking to the streets and making a stand against their government. The Venezuelan leader is blaming the US for plotting to overthrow the government. It is worth noting that Venezuela has some of the worlds largest oil and gas reserves, and that the opposition leader has strong links to American business and the oil sector. Talking of oil, one of the big issues about Scottish independence will be about North Sea oil. Like I said same old shit!

MONEY AND POWER! 

BLOODY REVOLUTIONS....THERE'S ALWAYS A PRICE TO PAY....

The image is of a protester shot dead by the Venezuelan National Guard on Feb 19th 2014. There appears to be a media blackout in Britain as on what is going in Venezuela in favour of the coverage of the Ukrainians fight for freedom!

COLORYDE - The 1994 Demos. (Re-Uploaded)

Twenty years since these demo's were recorded, Coloryde have returned to the studio to record an album, scheduled for release in March. Coming straight out of Welwyn Garden City/Hatfield, England in the early 1990's. Coloryde were a indie/mod/punk band with a collection of infectious and passionate songs. In the Brit pop years Coloryde should have been massive, but alas we got the likes of Shed Seven instead.  WHY?  Because the taste makers had no taste!

Check out Coloryde's 1994 Demo's here! and hear what all the fuss should have been about then.

Check out their facebook page here! and find out what the fuss is gonna be about now!

MING CITY ROCKERS - I Wanna Get Out Of Here But I Can't Take You Anywhere

More about Ming City Rockers here!

THE REVERENDS - Moocher (Live at The Pipeline, London 2013.)

THE STEVE DIOR BAND - Songs For The Wicked (An Unauthorized and Unofficial 3 Track Promo)

Steve Dior formed The Idols along with Barry Jones in 1976, by 1978 they had been joined by ex Heartbreakers and New York Dolls Jerry Nolan and Arthur Kane, The Idols became Sid Vicious's backing band at his Sid Sings at Max's Kansas City gigs, by the early 80's Kane had been replaced by another former Sex Pistol Glen Matlock and the band became The London Cowboys. In 1993 Steve formed Filthy Lucre with Phil Lewis from LA Guns, but that was then and now it's today.

Songs For The Wicked is set to be Steve's first album for fifteen years, and if the three tracks Some Kind of Saint, Song For The Wicked and Hanging Onto The Backside of Something Good are anything to go by it should be a good 'un. They take a reflective look at the world through Rock'n'Roll eyes, loads of subtle references to what's been going on over the last few years. If you are only as good as your last kiss, then Steve Dior and his band are gonna have to go something to top these tunes, cos they are all one hell of a whiskey soaked tongue in the mouth kiss! Soulful and slick with tinkling pianos and swooping soaring Rock'n'Roll guitar riffs'n'licks. The biggest surprise is Song for the Wicked which sounds like Johnny Cash fighting with Nick Cave over the last bottle of valium.   Like a good malt Steve's music has matured with age.  but....Hey don't take my word for it check it out here. 
Link removed due to copywrite reasons, but the tunes can be listened to here at their web page.

TWENTY FLIGHT ROCKERS - I Love To Rock and Roll (A Radio Session)

Here's a repost for the Twenty Flight Rockers, and their classic leather clad Rock'nRoll Punk; Eddie Cochran meets The Clash and the tower block rocks! Back in the day the Twenty Flight Rockers were a phenomenal live band, never saw a duff gig, and I saw a few of 'em, at places around London;  Dingwalls, The Croydon Underground, The Fulham Greyhound, The Electric Ballroom to name a few. I remember going to see 'em at Brunel University in Uxbridge and I recall there were some 'issues' because the Student Union wouldn't allow the band to put up their backdrop as it was deemed to be sexist, don't think they stopped the band wearing their leather jackets with the same logo adoring the backs of them though. A similar problem unfolded when students at Bradford Uni tried to ban The Queer Boys from supporting The Cherry Bombs, and protested during their set by handing out flyers proclaiming their name was offensive. Shortly afterwards they tucked their tongues firmly in their cheeks and changed their name to The Pretty Girls. I appear to have digressed, so back to the Twenty Flight Rockers...A planned live album Nine Yards of Dead Cow never materialised, and only two singles were released in the bands short life time. They should have been massive, they had it all; the looks, the image, the hype, but more importantly the songs! As this MP3 from my original well worn and well played tape of a unknown Radio Session from 1985 will testify. ENJOY!

Post Script

Former Twenty Flight Rockers singer and songwriter Garry Twinn is now strutting his stuff along side Glen Matlock, James Stevenson and Clem Burke in The International Swingers, who at present are recording an album, which if their recent demos are anything to go by should be worth a listen if you like yer Rock to Roll!

Thanx to Nekrodad for requesting this!

VIVE LE ROCK - Desolation Avenue (A Compilation)

Time for some music, courtesy of those good folks at Vive Le Rock Magazine, and their great free cover mounted CD's. Once again it's a great something for everyone compilation of all things Punk, New Wave and Beyond. THE DEAD BOYS kick this one off with a blistering live version of Sonic Reducer. MICHAEL MONROE continues with the Rock'n'Rolling with the rootsey glam punk tune Ballad of the Lower East Side, before CAROUSELS AND LIMOUSINES come over all Gaslight Anthem with One and Only. THE COFFINS are a growl from the garage Bible John sounds like the Jim Jones Revue on Valium. DYWD by MORNING SMOKE is a wired paranoid and pounding piece of post-punk. Undertow is another haunting lament from SPEAR OF DESTINY, while SECRET  AFFAIR provide  I Don't Need No Doctor a mammoth and marathon brass fuelled R'n'B soul stomper.  Renegade by DOUBLEBLACK is a neo-rockabilly fuzzed up foot tapper. God save THE DESTRUCTORS who punk out like it's 1982 again with Duty Unto Death, OVERSPILL continue in the same punk rock vein with their gravely growl of Let's Riot. THE HICKOIDS bring some Blue Grass country punk rawk to the party with TJ. The Curse of Captain Blood by EAST TOWN PIRATES is a storming and steaming punk sea shanty. THE SOLICITORS Pretty Penny is a shot of 1978 stylee New Wave, while VALENTINE take us back to the sound of 1990's indie/rock with Finch. THE SNAKES finish the show off with the alternative country of The Band Played On. Take a ride down Desolation Avenue here!

This post was gonna be called “Excuse me while I hug a tree.”.... but it grew and sprouted a few more branches as I started writing....so its now more of a “Hey teacher leave those trees and immigrants alone, but give past and present governments a good kick in the head.” kind of post!

Cutting down ancient woodland in order to build houses, property developers may be able to do just that if they agree to plant new trees to replace the ones they chopped down, under new proposals in a bid to deal with Britain’s housing shortage. Why not just build the houses where the new woodlands would be planted? Or is it because the areas with ancient woodlands are more desirable, and would make more money for all concerned; the land owner, developer, and the buyer, well I dunno about the buyer, because if this is the case, the reason property in certain areas is more desirable, is because of things like the scenery, of which there wouldn't be much left after the developers have moved in.

No doubt any Right wing environmentalists out there will blame Immigration for the death of the countryside. I blame peoples greed and ignorance, when it comes to issues of the environment and immigration. Surely there's enough land out there to build on, without destroying something that has been there for hundreds of years providing habitat for wildlife and an escape from the concrete and brick jungles.

Developers would not be allowed to demolish ancient buildings and monuments, so why destroy nature, does the natural world mean that little to some people? Yeah it does until a river bursts its banks and floods peoples homes or strong winds cause travel disruptions, then what do they do? They say that the government hasn't done enough to prevent and protect people from flooding. Well unfortunately shit happens and you have to let nature take its course, but with local authority austerity cutbacks that have left rivers undredged for years it would appear that the authorities do have some responsibility for how the weather has effected some people. 'Mother Nature' has more power over people than governments, and she is more democratic as everyone feels the force no matter who they are. Still once the flood water settles the rebuilding can start.

There's gonna be a lot of construction taking place over the next few years. Welcome to building site Britain if the government get it's way with the high speed rail link, new home schemes etc.

Just who's gonna be building everything? Foreign labour/Economic migrants, that's who! Which is why Britain is reliant and has been on immigration at certain times in its history, British workers do not have the skills, and many refuse to work for low wages, which have been kept low because the employers can actively recruit from a pool of EU workers, who will work for less, because it is more than they can earn than in their homeland, this is the nature of economic migration. Supply and demand. The skills shortage can be blamed on New Labour education policies which have ill prepared a generation for the world of work and schooled them with the idea that they were special, did nothing wrong, took no responsibility, expected everything without doing anything, ignorant of anything or anyone else other than themselves, and that greed is still good. I hate competition, but under a capitalist system it is a fact of live, there are winners and losers, why take away the competitive element in schools, but do nothing about the whole capitalist system other than carry on and increase peoples dependency on it.

If Britain wanted British jobs for British workers, Britain should have skilled its young in trades like bricklaying, carpentry etc, and not encouraged them to go to university to gain useless qualifications for useless but highly paid bureaucratic jobs. It's all about a balance, and New Labours policies were unbalanced, just as the current LibCon coalition Government ones are.

Immigration is a divisive issue, yes a country doesn't have infinite resources to support people, but it needs to accept that other cultures bring benefits and are not just here to claim them. New Labour policies around multiculturalism were also unbalanced. White middle class pen pushers decided what was and wasn't politically correct, and a black bin bag couldn't be called that because it inferred that black people were rubbish, many of these sort of policies have done more harm for race relations than good, and created barriers when fuelled by the right wing media.

Economic migration only works when wages are manipulated and kept low, because it is in the New World Orders interest to keep the workers of the world divided, because if they were united regardless of their nationality and in what country they were working then who knows what the order of the world would be.

Some Old News!

The shooting two years ago of Mark Duggan by the police was the spark for massive civil disorder and unrest across Britain in August 2012. The verdict of lawful killing at the recent inquest of his death did not go down well with friends family and the local community a protest after the inquest passed off peacefully, because it would appear that unlike the Ukrainians, people in Britain don't like to riot in the winter. Anyway I digress....Yeah, Mark Duggan might have been a dodgy character who lived by the sword, which in many peoples minds appears to justify the polices actions,; “He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword.”, maybe, but surely it depends if they've got the sword, or in this case a gun in their hand at the time of their killing. In a previous court case concerning the person that sold Mark Duggan 'the gun' the jury concluded that at the time of his shooting he was not armed, yet at the inquest the Police officer that fired the shots testified that Mark Duggan did have a gun in his hand?!?!? Just who are we supposed to believe, because the police never lie do they? From what I've read and heard all the evidence points towards a state sanctioned execution of someone because of who they were and what they had done in the past, not because of what they were going to do or had done at the time of their shooting. If this isn't true then how come the killers of Lee Rigby outside Woolwich Barracks were not shot and killed when they still had the weapons in their hands?

He's a little devil!

Over the years nothing has changed....

Britain is still a nation of gamblers and drunks, the times may have changed, but people haven't; they still feel the need to have and make money and escape from the mundane, they are prayed on by big business with it's cheap supermarket booze and chains of bookmakers.

The disappearance of pubs is another nail in the coffin of true community, not some forced Big Society Localism agenda, were in order to create communities they destroy pieces of existing ones.

In my town centre there was a Pub called the Edward The Confessor, or Ted the Grass as locals called it. A Badgers arse was smooth compared to this place, When North London Country Punks The Rockingbirds came to town for a gig in the nineties, they popped in there for a beer and witnessed a fight they said going in there was like pissing blood. The pub has been closed for a good few years now, although recently the YMCA had been using the property for a drop in advice centre, until they were asked to leave because a developer had been found, and the place is going to become a Paddy Power Betting Shop. WHAT THE FUCK! An organisation that helps people who are in trouble through things like debt problems caused by gambling have had to move to make way for a company that makes money from peoples greed and desperation, this must be the Big Society they are talking about. The YMCA are looking for a new home for their drop ion centre, but the council could have let them be and told Paddy Power to find somewhere else to profit from the poor, like another town

Gambling is now a new national pass time thanks to government and media approved promotion, there's never an advert break on TV that isn't telling us about another new online gambling site. We are living in a wireless world with a toxic landscape of dependency and addiction in full view of anyone that wants to play. Lets drink to the future!

LAST ORDERS AT THE LOCAL.

WAITING FOR THE WRECKING BALL!

REGENERATION BY DEMOLITION!

JOHNNY THUNDERS - The Film! A Extract!

JOHNNY THUNDERS - A Film!

 OUT VERY SOON!