Nothing about something.

Like a ticking bomb, a coiled spring, an elastic band; ready to snap! Times of tension. People living in days of hope and nights of fear, of the unknown and change, for better or worse? Either way, it’s coming. Anger, hate and resentment. Organise, participate and demonstrate. Apathy or activity. Stinking or thinking. The shits gonna hit! Duck and Cover! Welcome to the new cold, class and race wars. BANG!!

Something about nothing.

Dunno what the state of play on the posting front's gonna be like over the next couple of weeks. I've got the council coming round to re-wire the house and replace the central heating, under their 'Better Homes' scheme, yeah right, place is gonna look like a building site, gonna have to live out of boxes, cos everythings packed away and then the place is gonna need redecorating afterwards, because despite the fact that the council says they're gonna put everything right, I'm pretty sure their idea of right and mine are gonna be two different things. Hey enough of this moaning, gotta look on the bright side cos once it's done it'll be a 'better home' one that a Housing Association will be happy to buy from the council at a future date and rent to me at a higher rate, cos that's what it's all about, not for my benefit because I'm quite happy with my home the way it is at the moment thanks very much, and I can do without all the upheaval, but whatever, I'll just have to deal with the next couple of weeks the best way I can, here's hoping it don't take em that long.

THE CORTINAS - Please Don't Hit Me

This ones for all you good people that enjoyed the live Cortinas post a while back. It's a collection of demos that got them signed to CBS many of the songs subsequently found their way on to their one and only album True Romances, but in a less stripped down and punky way, which was a bad thing, as the album doesn't really capture the band at their best, this on the other hand....well I'll let you be the judges of that. Here you go...catch!

JESUS/JUDAS?

So it’s hope not fear for the American people now that Obama’s been sworn in as President and unofficial leader of the so called ‘free world’ where does that leave us? Well I hope he does bring about some change, but I fear that he wont be given the chance. It’s idealism versus realism. I mean look at the shit he’s been left with, and the expectations people have of him and the vested interests of others in the production of more shit. So, what’s he gonna do? Clean up the shit, or step in it and walk it everywhere he goes, like his predecessor Bush did when he was wearing the shoes. Lets hope the shoes don’t fit and Obama decides to wear trainers instead, because that’s what the world needs; something radically different, that’s the ideal. The reality is that he is only a person, despite what some think he isn’t Jesus, and people can be bought, especially politicians, and there are thousands of Judas’s already in positions of power across the world. We need a different way, some REAL CHANGE! or we'll just get fooled again!

SHAM 69 @ CBGB'S 1988 / UK SUBS - Staffordshire Bull

Here’s a punk rock double header for ya, with Sham 69 and the UK Subs. No lover of Punk Rock should be without at least one Sham or Subs record/CD in their collection. neither of these are essential releases, but they’re still a bloody good listen. Both recorded live, when some might say they had past their sell by dates, I dunno I’ll leave that for you to decide. The Sham 69 one was recorded at CBGB’s, New York in 1988 and features a Sax player in the line-up that only included Jimmy Pursey and Dave Parsons from the original band. The UK Subs were captured at the Lichfield Rock Festival in Stafford, (hence the title Staffordshire Bull) 2002, with what is basically a greatest hits set featuring some lengthy guitar solos. Anyway enough of this because I could go on about how Sham’s If The Kids Are United has the dubious ‘honour’ of being used by both McDonalds and The Labour Party as music for an advert and to announce Tony Blair’s arrival at a party conference, and how Charlie Harper from the Subs just keeps on keeping on going when others have stopped, but I’m not gonna, instead here’s the link for Sham 69 and there’s the link for the UK Subs. Enjoy or destroy.

More bullshit!

I hear there’s more government talk of social mobility, or snakes and ladders as I like to call it, cos that’s all it is; a game they want people to play, were the first step on the ladder is home-ownership. I wonder if it’s any coincidence that the property market is in a slump at the moment and they want people to start borrowing again? Because that’s what it’s all about; selling the idea that ownership is good so you become what you own and a slave to it. The only social mobility I want to see is those snakes that have climbed the ladders on the backs of others sliding right back to the fucking bottom!

VICTIMS OF THE PESTILENCE - A Common Purpose (12" vinyl rip)

NO NAMES, NO HISTORY, JUST LISTEN! TO ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL HAPPENING FROM THE PSYCHEDELIC PAINTBOX.
“I’m fine, only on the surface…there’s no common purpose”
“And when you feel like crying…shout, come on save the world”
“Time flies, the innocence of a youthful flower is dead”
This post is for brutha Highlander and his Cactus Mouth Informer. Sorry about the wait, I think/hope you’ll find it was worth it. It's a fine slice of post punk psychedelic pop that doesnt just still sound good, but sounds better after 19 years. Vintage stuff! grab some here!

"Ugliness is only beauty disgraced" - Mick Farren

Here’s something a bit different for ya all. It’s that author, poet, musician and general all round performer Mick Farren with his 1992 project The Tijuana Bible, and their only release Gringo Madness. If yer expecting any Deviant type row, then you maybe disappointed, but if you fancy a bit of something that combines Micks talent for the written and spoken word and the blues, then this may well be up your street. In the words of the man himself “Tijuana Bible were self-designed as Hell’s own electric mariachi band.” So if you want a blast of something “hardwired, stripped and minimal “ click here! If not……better luck next time!

"He's got the whole world in his hands...."

The country is in recession. People are losing their jobs by the day, and Manchester City football club are about to spend £100 million, yes £100 million fucking pounds (true it’s not British money, but whatever) on Brazilian player Kaka. Now that really is a load of Kack! (Kack is British slang for crap)

NANCY BOY - Johnny Chrome and Silver (CD Single)

A sort of son of rock stars super group, as Nancy Boy featured Donovan Leitch (Donovans son) and Jason Nesmith (Mike Nesmith from The Monkees son) in their line up, along with Nigel Mogg from The QuireBoys. The year was 1994 when this single was released, and the world wasn’t ready for a Bowie, Roxy Music and 80’s influenced glam stylee revival, and the band sank without a trace. A shame, cos this single rocks (especially the 2 live tracks) in a sort of post punk glam poppy sort of way, think Punishment of Luxury and Cuddly Toys as well and you’ll get the idea. Anyway you know what to do and where to click if you fancy a blast of the past, from a future that never was.

What would Joe Strummer say? #1

"RING! RING! IT'S 7 A.M! / MOVE Y'SELF TO GO AGAIN / COLD WATER IN THE FACE / BRINGS YOU BACK TO THIS AWFUL PLACE "

2009 OK, War across the.........

R.I.P Ron Asheton (Stooges guitarist) without whom, who knows.............

'Protection Agencies'

A couple of stories I read in the papers over the last couple of days, were about policy proposals, one from the Conservatives and the other from Labour. I can’t remember which was from which, but that’s pretty much irrelevant when they’re one and the same anyway with policies that are interchangeable. Both ideas concerned Law and Order. The first was about the public voting on the punishment for criminals, and the second was to stop arresting have a go heroes.
What does this tell us, that both major parties have no faith in the British Justice system as it stands at the moment and that they’re thinking about devolving power to the people, who have also lost faith in it, some of whom don’t know the difference between a paediatrician and a paedophile. Sounds like a step towards state sanctioned street justice to me with the potential for abuse, kangaroo courts and private armies made up of ex-servicemen anyone?

So Israel’s incursion into Gaza is “defensive not offensive.” Bollocks!; it’s a Fucking Offensive display of disproportional force.

TOTALY BOMBED OUT!

As a species humans may have evolved with the power of technology and socio/political economic systems (although I'd say that was debatable.)but, psychologically as a species we haven’t gone beyond the stage of clubs and fists.

THE CLASH - Live @ Tokyo Sun Plaza 1/2/82 (Complete Show)

When The Clash visited Japan for the first time, they were treated like “western gods” Their gig at Sun Plaza, Tokyo on 1st Feb 1982 is one of the bands most bootlegged concerts, thanks to decent quality Japenese TV and Radio recordings. Various parts of the gig have appeared on the market under such glorious titles as Che Guevara, Death or Glory and Give 'Em Enough Dope, but, this here! recording is the whole gig, a 23 track career spanning live collection, the choice of songs was in part to acknowledge the fact that Japan had waited a long time for the band to visit them. A great recording that came via The Clash forum, whose collection of live Clash recordings should make sure that no Clash fan need buy an overpriced bootleg from eBay.

VIBRATORS KISSED A GIRL!

As this is the first post of the New Year….2009, I thought perhaps I should make it a significant and meaningful one, then I thought Nah! Fuck it, lets go for something cheap and cheerful, something slightly throwaway and disposable, but also something that’s bloody good fun, and we certainly need a bit of that in these uncertain times. Here you go, it’s THE VIBRATORS and their twisted take on Katie Perry’s lament to lesbian love; I Kissed A Girl. Here’s what my teenage daughter had to say when I was listening to it. “Dad?? What’s this shit!…they’re murdering one of my favourite songs, and I don’t like it!” Sounds good to me, but don’t take our words for it. Hear it for yerself here! There’s also a revamped and revved up take on their rather more memorable and lasting Troops Of Tomorrow included as well. Be quick though, cos I may have to remove them as they were lifted from emusic