CHELSEA - Live @ The Bier Keller. (Audio)

Chelsea were always a good night out in London town around 1983 - 85. This was recorded at The Bier Keller in Blackpool some time during that period, I don’t have the exact date. It’s the audio from the Cherry Red DVD/Video release, and captures the band in a typical confrontational performance some real in yer face rock’n’roll. Gene October knew how to get the kids going, a real showman, never given the credit he deserves. All the classics are here; Right To Work, Evacuate etc, some with added crowd contributions. The flyer that accompanies this post comes from 1985 and was used to promote the bands Valium Mother single. It’s nice to see that the record company spared no expense in the promotion department, unlike the band, who always gave 100%.

Sex sells! Who's Buying?

Rock’n’Roll has always been ‘sexy’ ever since Elvis shook his pelvis and had to be shown from the waist up on American television. How times have changed, the music isn’t rock’n’roll, and everything is given a crotch high pelvic thrust view on MTV. Not only is the music shit, but the videos are even shitier.
Who’s responsible? We all are, I say all but some of us try to exist while resisting. I’ve got a teenage daughter, as parents we need to get a balance in our children’s lives, between the nature and nurture of their development. The nature is that they are living in a world of free market mass consumption where everything is for sale. The nurture is how they are guided through this world.
We need to be telling ‘em that what they see on the TV and the magazines is all shit. What they see is not what it is, and it’s not what they are. It’s something that they don’t need to be or should aspire to become…fake and phoney.
Free Markets have fuelled the ‘hyper sexualisation of young people. It’s about supply and demand . If parents didn’t buy their 5 year old little darlings underwear that had sexy written on them, then no-one would bother making it, because no-one would be buying it. Simple! But the only simple thing is the mass of people that have already bought into it, which has legitimised it’s consumption and production.
The sight of semi-naked women on TV doesn’t shock or offend me. But the constant uncontrolled barrage of these sorts of images on young people and the effects it may have on them does.
Music videos and children’s clothing need to be viewed as a whole and not in isolation of each other. Children see, children want, and children can buy a lifestyle from the rails of New Look and Primark, prices may be cheap but the cost to society can be expensive, when you look at the rise in teenage pregnancies, and the failure of government schemes to reduce the numbers. Then there’s the price the children pay themselves if they don’t fit the mould of what’s been dictated to them as to how they should look and be. Feelings of worthlessness and low self esteem.
Liberal teachings about sex, treating it as a disposable throwaway ’thing’, safe sex and pregnancy prevention, isn’t balanced out by any moral or values based thought..
My daughter asked me who I was gonna vote for in the Election. I said no one, she asked why not? I told her that they were all as bad as each other, and that I don’t believe in the liberal capitalist system that they govern over, one that places more value on the freedom of the individual than the rights of the collective.
Women’s Liberation. Is this what people like Emily Davison and Marie Stopes fought for and had in mind (Voting and Sex Education reformers) Half naked bodies splashed across the media to sell shit from chocolate and cars to dance music. Neo-Feminists will say this is great, and that it’s the women who are now in control of their bodies and have the choice what to do with them. Great…but what about those that aren’t so luck and don’t fit the ‘ideal type’ that boys/men have been conditioned into thinking are ‘beautiful’ If beauty is in the eye of the beholder then what’s been held up as beauty by the media is what everyone wants and wants to be. That’s boys as well as girls. It’s not just a ‘girl thing’ to be insecure about your body, not in this prolific and prevailing world of image and wealth as things to be worshipped.
Should government legislate against the growing Sexualistation of our society and it’s effects on Young People? I heard someone on the Radio this morning saying that this would be a step towards a ‘Communist Russia’ True it may call into question things like Censorship, Freedom of speech, expression of thought in the world of the creative arts etc (I use this term loosely in reference to things like style mags and videos) But for how much longer can we go on before society becomes like a fat bloated over weight Elvis and dies on it’s own toilet.
What if we have reached a social stage were too much freedom has resulted in a society actually being less free than it has been in its past. I mean look at our dependence on things like Cars, Mobile Phones etc. and a pursuit of entertainment and self gratification. Self obsession and self importance is leaving people impotent of any other thoughts. We have become unbalanced as a nation. There has been no argument against anything, just a mindless acceptance that this is evolution and progress.

DAVE KUSWORTH AND THE BOUNTY HUNTERS - Live @ Goldwyns, Birmingham 8/1/91

Dave Kusworth is a rare breed of British Rock’n’Roller; untainted by fame or celebrity, but loved by many and with more heart and soul than most. This is raucous and raunchy Rock’nRoll, no heartbreaking or tear jerking, on this recording, more like a smacker on yer lips and a kick up yer arse. Dave's captured here with his Bounty Hunter. Live and direct at Goldwyn's on the mean strausses of downtown Birmingham, in 1991. The recording is a good one from the audience and captures the essence of a Rock’n’Roll show at it’s roughest and rawest. It’s a shame during the 90’s that the Brit-Pop kids took to Creation Records bands like Oasis and The Boo Radleys rather than Dave Kusworth and Nikki Sudden, who were also signed to the label. Here’s what Joe Foster, Co-founder of Creation records had to say about Dave "He's mine and Alan McGee's and Bobby Gillespie's favourite songwriter and he has never really had much recognition. If you ask some American bands, they'll say 'Oh, Dave Kusworth, he's brilliant!' here’s what former Sounds music journo Robin Gibson had to say “Kusworth's songs, vignettes of rape, murder and desolation, brilliantly transmit a Dickensian pallor to the subways and corner shops of Birmingham." This post is for…oh! You know who you are. I’d also like to thank Keith for passing this ‘bootleg’ on to me, I think he said it would be OK for me to share it….So here! you go. If Dave ever visits your town, check him out, saw him live a couple of times with The Bounty Hunters, awesome listening to this reminded me of a gig he did in some club, located in a shopping centre in Shepherds Bush, London, around the same time. I dunno what he’d be like live now, listening to his last album from 2005, (not including the two recently released Best Of’s The Brink and In Some Life Let Gone-Anthology; 1977-2007) Silver Blades, pretty fuckin’ good I would imagine, some things never age, like the power of Rock’n’Roll when played by someone who’s given their life to it. People like Jeremy Gluck and Dan Treacy and who can ever forget Dave’s former Jacobite collaborator Nikki Sudden who did give his life for Rock’n’Roll. These guys matter!

"Don't make me angry"

So the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been losing the plot; getting angry and shouting. I know how he feels, he’s one of the ****’s that make me angry, with all their bullshit. Apparently Gordon's been bullying his staff, which has turned into some nice pre election propaganda for whoever for whatever. Some members of parliament have called for an enquiry, I think a call to a psychiatrist or anger management councillor might be a better idea, get him to channel his rage into something constructive, like sorting out the fucking mess he’s got the country into. He can't even do a Thatcher and start a war with Argentina over this oil business, No! cos the useless **** has spent all the money on an illegal war over oil in Iraq. He sees the boxes of soldiers they couldn't afford to equip to send to war coming home. We knew the sort of person he was, now perhapes he knows the sort of person he is! Which is why he's getting a bit upset about things; first the tears now the rage. Should have looked after yer 'Moral Compass' Gordon, then maybe the good ship Britain wouldn't be drifting around going in no paticular direction.

CHECK THIS OUT!

The U.K. Subs Time & Matter website is pleased to announce the launch of our 'not for profit company' Time & Matter Recordings. T&M exists purely to put out previously un-released or no longer available U.K. Subs material on CD and DVD (and possibly other formats) with 100% of the profits going to a charity or individual personally chosen by Charlie Harper, further details of which can be found on the website.
Our first release is a CD re-issue of the legendary 1980 bootleg “Dance & Travel In The Robot Age”, available for just £5-00 (plus postage).
Originally released in 1980 by Black & White Recs (from the Isle of White in the UK), the recording was made by the late Tracy Crazy, from the Italian punk band S.I.B, who also took the photographs used on the cover. The gig where the recording was made, at the Palalido in Milan, Italy was part of a seven date European tour that the Subs played with the Ramones. Now, thirty years later, this historic recording is finally getting a proper CD release. Whilst not recorded with the most sophisticated equipment, and reproduced for this release from an original vinyl copy, "Dance & Travel" captures the Subs at the height of their powers with a blistering set of what would become the classics that are the mainstay of their live performances to this day.
Time & Matter Recordings now gives you the opportunity to own this essential U.K. Subs bootleg in digital format.
This attractively produced CD features exclusive liner notes by Paul Slack, a 4 page booklet with artwork from the original bootleg release and exclusive Black & White band member profile photographs originally used on the back cover of the Warhead 7" single, seen here in their original uncropped, untreated form.
Limited edition of 300 hand numbered copies.
Recorded: 16 February 1980
Track listing: You Can't Take It Anymore / Rat Race / I Couldn't Be You / I Live In A Car /
Tomorrows Girls / Telephone Numbers / Kicks / Warhead / Public Servant / C.I.D. / Rockers / Organised Crime / Brand New Age / Killer / Dirty Girls / Stranglehold / Emotional Blackmail //
Band Line Up:
Charlie Harper - vocals / Nicky Garratt - guitar / Paul Slack - bass / Pete Davies - drums
Grab yourself a real bargain, and it's for charity as well…
Coming soon – “Soft Lights & Loud Guitars” - a UK Subs DVD from their gig in Southampton, UK, December 2009, with many extras and additional features…
http://www.uksubstimeandmatter.net/

Another half cooked but fully cocked and loaded Sunday Sermon of sorts.

“Co-operation, especially in Britain, is often described as joint-stock individualism; and such as it is now, it undoubtedly tends to breed a co-operative egotism, not only towards the community at large, but also among the co-operators themselves. It is, nevertheless, certain that at it’s origin the movement had an essentially mutual-aid character.” - Peter Kropotin.
“A future fair for all” that’s what New Labour are telling us they’re all about. I’m sure they said that a few years back as well and look what’s happened ; The New Labour Regime have preceded and perpetuated a system that is anything but fair. Lets look at a few things: Is it fair that British troops are fighting wars without proper equipment MOD while civil servants get paid bonuses, Is it fair that the standard of education and health services depend on where you live, that bankers get bonuses and rewards for failure, where politicians can cheat a system they created. The list is endless, but you get the picture.
And what’s this David Cameron talking about co-operatives and giving Public Sector Workers the opportunity to sack the bosses. For fucks sake how fucked up is their system when on paper you’ve got Conservatives trying to sell ideas that were traditionally the domain of the left. The whole Labour movement grew out of groups of workers like The Rochdale Pioneers, a group of weavers from Rochdale, The Tolepuddle Martyrs, Friendly Societies, The Trade Unions all historically Socialist movements with co-operation at their heart, who came together voluntarily with the aim of making a better life for the workers. Oh how those that fought for those rights must be tuning in their graves when they see how they have been given so freely away in the pursuit of individualism over the social collective.
The new breed of politician are chasing anything and saying anything to try and secure votes and keep themselves in power. As we in Britain approach the next General Election there seems to be little between Labour and Conservative ideals/values, things seem to be converging to a one party state.
I wonder how this Conservative Co-Operation would work? True co-operation comes from the people/workers themselves, imposing co-operation from the top down would just lead to an authoritarian dictatorship. An imposition of values and ideas, or a taking over and co-opting the struggles of a group of individuals would be Conservative Co-Operation. In the past Co-operatives have had their base in Economic struggles for wages and conditions.
Social Co-operatives, Conservatives talk of workers running public services, makes some sort of sense in theory, in practice…. I dunno control by committee? Replacing one bureaucracy with another form of power in the hands of a few.
How long before the case for assisted suicide gets reviewed by one of the political parties? A growing elderly population, becoming an economic strain on the country, families financially unable to support the care of a relative who’s quality of life is non existent anyway, what with the emergence of high profile cases were relatives have assisted in the death of loved ones, and a growing amount of support for the right to die. Don’t vote for Labours death tax, vote for the possibility that under a Conservative government you could see some sort of co-operative that reviews cases of people who want to die in dignity. Pressure groups that currently exist could receive support from the government, so it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that in 20 years time we’re living or waiting to die in a country that has gone from good parenting guides to state sanctioned suicide. Who would trust the Conservatives with that kind of power, don’t be fooled by the pint in hand pictures! Or whatever propaganda and vote grabbing headlines either party use in order to secure your support in maintaining their system.

A RE-UP AND REQUEST.

THE CLASH and CHELSEA This Is TV Clash, is what it says on the tin; an audio compliation clobbered together from various appearances The Clash made on television shows. Underwraps was released in 1989, not the best album Chelsea have made, but worth a listen. It opens with a cover of The Clash’s Somebody Got Murdered and ends with a ‘live jam’ called Come On, which features a certain Topper Headon on Drums. Click here for The Clash and there for Chelsea.

NUCLEAR SOCKETTS - Overload (5 Track Sampler)

In the late 70’s early 80’s most towns in recession hit Britain had ‘em….Bands….Punk Rawk Bands, practising in bedrooms, parents garages, Youth Clubs and church halls. Many released self-financed tapes or singles it was a time of independence, before everything became up for sale. The Nuclear Socketts were one such band. They came from the flatlands of Norfolk, England; Kings Lynn to be exact, a non descript town where nothing much happened, this is documented on the bands second single Shadow On The Map, a Cure meets The Clash number. Nuclear Socketts were no 3 chord thrash Oi, Oi or anarcho punk band, check out the beat and groove to their first single Pretenders Zeal and the poppy political rant that is Where It Ends, or the catchy Potential Killers. The band were championed by John Peel and played at one of his roadshows at Lowestoft in March 1981 he can be heard introducing the band before they launch into the spikey and shouty Rules and Regulations.
By 1982, after several line up changes RCA/Phonogram records showed an interest in signing the band up, but after that nothing……….until 2007 when Overground records released Overload, a 20 track CD which includes their two singles from 1981 and the aforementioned live @ Lowestoft gig from which these 5 tracks are taken. If you like The Ruts, Stiff Little Fingers and The Buzzcocks, or Subhumans/Citizen Fish then I reckon this is for you. If you like what you hear here then take a visit to Overground Records and buy the CD if money aint too tight.

Bullshit 'N' Propaganda

Lets hope the British public aren’t stupid enough to believe that the BNP are no longer a Racist party, just because they have been forced to change their membership criteria in a bid to gain credibility since they won a couple of seats in the European Parliament. In true media fashion the papers have come across a Sikh chap with strong anti-Islamic beliefs due to historic antagonisms. He wants to be the parties first non white member. Can’t see too many rushing to join him, but who knows? Mind you there’s some more hatred there that the BNP can exploit. I can possibly see a few more white working class joining up now the party is claiming to be non Racist. What was it Hitler once said “ Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.” Or was it? “If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.” Either way, I do hope the British voter doesn‘t start to believe the lie come this years General Election.

MANIC STREET PREACHERS - Live @ Milton Keynes 1993

Remember Richey Here!

Tears of a clown, with millions around!

In an interview with Piers Morgan for British television to be shown next week It is reported that Gordon Brown cries when questioned about a personal tradgedy. For fucks sake, he’s just like one of those desperate X-Factor, Britains Got Talent contestants with their please vote for me I’ve got a sob story to tell. What a drip!

CHOCHOLES.

In my area, I’ve noticed that the potholes that have recently appeared after the snow fiasco appear to be in the same places as the ones that were repaired after the last bout of cold weather. Many are also on roads that have had resurfacing work done in the last few years. What does this tell us? Well….the words Cheap/Cost cutting/Inefficient and Substandard spring to mind in relation to the work that the council carried out, might as well have used chocolate to fill the holes. Talking of chocolate; why didn’t the Unions and workers at Cadburys do something sooner in relation to the sell out/off to Kraft? I mean they knew it was coming months ago and they know the popularity of the product and knew the concerns of not just the workers but also the consumer. With that in mind I’m sure public support could have been gained to try and stop the take-over, that’s if they really wanted to stop it, after all shareholders did quite well out of it and Cadburys was a company that encouraged workers to become shareholders, so perhaps for reasons of politics a token gesture was all that seemed fit. I mean a demonstration outside Parliament on the day the deal was done seems a bit late to me, might as well not have bothered, just like the council did with the potholes.

Carbon/Silicon - Live in 2010

Thanx to ATH over at the Carbon/Silicon forum for this. Here’s a short but very very sweet 4 track set that MJ, TJ, Leo and guest Drummer Rusty Egan did @ The Islington Academy when Carbon/Silicon supported the Rich Kids last month. Here's another link if yer having troubles with the Bandongo one.

MERCENARY SKANK - Live @ The Marquee 19/1/85

Several treasured slightly blurred and hazy memories of these guys from 25 years ago, Fuck that’s a quarter of a century, where does time go? Blasting the past into the present Here’s Mercenary Skank, old faves of mine on this blog with a live set from The Marquee Club in London. Aaah! I can smell the beer and feel my feet sticking to the rubber floor awash with spilt pints and sweat as I type this. Great venue. Back to the music. This recording captures the rough and ready raw soul of a band out there on their own. Warts’n’all Rock’n’Roll; perfect with it’s imperfections. Passion aint a fashion!

Well, that was another week in my life that I'll never get back.

So Wos Bin ‘appenin’ then………Here’s some reaction against the distraction.
England football player cant keep his cock and balls under control, scores own goal while playing away from home. Should people in the public eye have their private affairs exposed to the public? Yes and No. Footballers, MP’s Yes! Rock’n’Rollers No! It’s in their job description. All quite on the Peter Doherty, Wolfman drug death debacle.
Althzheimers and dementia on the increase, well the population is aging so it’s only to be expected. I wonder how long it will take for the state to realise that the idea of assisted suicide might not be such a ‘bad’ thing when compared to the costs of keeping people ‘alive’ in the years ahead.
Alternatively just bring in a load of Doctors with a poor grasp of English, some dodgy qualifications and get them to provide out of hours health cover. That’s if the reports of Dementia and it’s costs are to be believed. Swine flu anyone? Just how much money was wasted on the vaccinations, probably as much as was made in profits by those involved with the drug companies, which included people who wrote the report about the potential pandemic. Why should we believe a word the politicians say, not that some of us do anyway. The expenses scandal is still going on Barbara Follet, my former MP, she resigned a few months back in the wake of expenses scandal even more of a thieving cow now it’s all out in the open; money to keep her fine arts collection safe, six phone lines (probably for all the bullshit she talked.) In the midst of The Chilcot enquiry there’s news of cutbacks in the Armed forces. Blair and Brown send them to fight an unjust and illegal war with no money to support them. What next a European Super Army? Can’t see that as most European Countries saw The War on Terror as what it was/is; Bullshit! and have committed a token number of troops, they know this isn’t really a war. The issue of protection opens the door even more for private armies to spring up and operate in places such as Afghanistan, Iraq and any other places Britain might need to invade in the interest of economic gain all shrouded under a blanket of “these people threaten our freedom“, because after all with a some clever news speak both Iraq and Afghanistan aren’t really ‘wars’ they are conflicts we are engaged in to ‘protect national security’ were soldiers are dying fighting not against another country but against a belief system that will never be killed. If John Terry had been playing for a hardline Iraq/Iranian/Afghan team, he’d have no balls left to play with.

JEREMY GLUCK & SUPERCZAR - King and Country b/w Girl From The North Country (single)

In the wake of Tony Blair’s headlining appearance at the Iraq War enquiry aka The Chilcot Charade, here’s something totally honest and decent for you. It’s Jeremy Gluck and Superczar with a 2 track single that exists only here and in my mind. The first track is a Psychotic Punk Psychedelic reworking of the TV Personalities anti-war statement King and Country. The second is a cover of Bob Dylans Girl From The North Country. Both tracks are taken from their highly recommended Supergluck album. “You never explained what it’s all for.” BLAIR YOU ****

TOSSERS!

“BROKEN BRITAIN !” Is it just a vision in the minds of the malleable middle class’s who we’ve established don’t really exist except in the minds of the manipulated and mindless. If Britain is broken, then they’re the fuckers that broke it. Now it’s time they fixed their minds and did something with them and about it, rather than worrying about how much they can earn and spend on shit while others live in shit. Why not become Social Workers? An honourable middle class profession/career, another illusion there; middle class people don’t have jobs, they have careers or professions only working class people have jobs, so how come when the media reports about failings in Social Work for example, they say that the Social Workers haven’t been doing their jobs properly, not their careers or professions. I’ve gone off on a bit of a tangent there, where was I….. Broken Britain, Social Workers, Middle Class….ah! that’s it, everyone working in departments chained by bureaucracy, audits, statistics, targets, human rights and health and safety legislations, are too scared to speak out about working practises and governmental rationale about how to do the job, in case they lose not only their job but their identities, while all the time it’s in all politicians interests to keep Britain broken and divided; If it wasn’t then there’d be nothing for them to fix or unite, no illusions to create and if there was nothing for them to do, then there’d be no need for them. Tony Blair said his shit at the Iraq War charade, “we were right to remove Saddam, he was evil blah, blah, blah.” So if that was the rationale how come Britain hasn’t gone to war with a lot more countries around the world.
A Government report was published saying there is a big wealth gap in Britain between the richest and the poorest. This is after endless Government schemes introduced to reduce poverty. The people know the truth; all politicians are liars and cheats, but do they want to believe it?

WOLFMAN AND THE SIDE EFFECTS - The Singles

I’ve had these two singles knocking about in my pile of things to post for ages, and haven’t got round to banging ‘em up for you, but with today’s front page non-news story about the death of a rich bitch who liked to slum it dying from a suspected drugs overdose in a flat rented by the friend of Pete Doherty; Pete Wolfe musician and poet aka Wolfman. So now seems a good day for getting round to it. Here you go: It’s Wolfman and his backing band The Side Effect with their debut single from 2004 Napoleon for starters, followed up swiftly by their second in 2005, Ice Cream Guerilla, which features Pete.D on the b-side Wolfman. How to describe Wolfman and The Side Effects well…Musically bare the soul and groove of their debuts b-side From The Darkness it’s Gutter Punk ego driven rock‘n’roll. Scummy, Skuzzie and Feral it drones and mesmerises you into submission, much like The Stooges or The Velvets, not that’s who they sound like, close but no cigar. Lyrically the words; ugly and beautiful spring to mind. I dunno, give it a blast, it wont kill you!

Possibly my favourite book.

R.I.P J.D

A4 Poster from the 80's

Let them eat......

A nation of chocolate junkies starts to shiver and shake with the fear that their once pure supply is gonna see a reduction in quality now that Cadbury’s has been taken over by Kraft Foods; an American company with a reputation of producing a lower grade product, well that’s what my girlfriend and some other chocoholics have told me. They also said they may not be buying Cadbury's anymore!

Today #1

The days are long / The nights are short / It’s dark outside when the wind blows / The rain pours and the sun doesn’t shine / It’s cold in the towns / It’s cold in the homes/ But how many dead bodies did you step over in the streets today?

"I see his life come shining....He shall be released"

In 1980 a young punk rocker Gary Critchley was found on the pavement outside a place called the Campbell Buildings in Waterloo, London. In one of the squatted flats upstairs another young man lay dead. Gary suffered a broken back, ankle and wrist and was left brain damaged by a hammer blow to the head. In the flat Edward Mcneill had been beaten to death with a hammer. Gary was charged with his murder. Evidence was flimsy and scant in an age before DNA but in a time of dodgy policing. In 1981 Gary was convicted of Edward McNeill’s murder. Nearly 30 years later he is still residing at Her Majesties Pleasure. If the above sounds like the basis of a work of fiction, it’s not; it’s fact. The only fiction is that there is any Just in the British Justice system. The appeal court have upheld his conviction and at present the Criminal Case Review Commission are refusing to send his case back for further consideration. Unlike other miscarriages of justice Gary hasn’t been afforded any high profile campaigns; his case has gone unnoticed until now. A more detailed account of the case in an article from Private Eye Magazine can be found here . Recollections of life at The Campbell Buildings, and an extract from the book Trash Can by Bob Short (former Guitarist in post-punk and pronto gothsters Blood and Roses) which is an account of the time he spent living at the Campbell Buildings can be found here on the Kill Your Pet Puppy site. To find out more about Gary’s life and to see more of his artwork, and writings go here to The Life (Sentence) and Art Of Gary Critchley. The rest is up to you. You decide!

JOHNNY THUNDERS - Too Much Junkie Business.

If I had to choose just one Johnny Thunders ‘product’ to keep in my ‘collection’ this would be the one. Originally released in 1983 on cassette only, The New Too Much Junkie Business contains 14 tracks of top quality Thunders shit that encapsulates the man the myth and the mayhem on one release. The tracks are a mixture of studio stuff from late 1982 and a live recording from The Peppermint Lounge sometime whenever. The songs are drawn from his days with The New York Dolls, The Heartbreakers and Gang War. One reviewer said it was “For diehards only” I’d dispute this and say it was a good introduction to the works of Johnny Thunders, here’s what another reviewer the late Robert Palmer, head rock critic of The New York Times had to say about it "Inspirational cassette. His guitar sound has jagged edges, rips and rends like barbed wire while his rangy voice wraps itself around a lyric like an undernourished boa constrictor. Kicking, careening, rousing anarchic performances here!" Anyway, if you aint heard it there’s only one way to find out, and here’s how.

"Excuse me, but are you Middle Class?"

This fuckin’ game is getting more surreal as it goes on. I thought I miss heard this on the news last night when the propaganda machine at the BBC said that Gordon Brown was telling middle class voters that if the Tories got into power they would target more money to the poorer sections of society, i.e. taking it away from another section of society, but no in a speech aimed at middle England wherever that is he was talking about social mobility for the middle classes, whoever they are. For fucks sake, how much more do these imaginary people who live in this imaginary land need, because either way whoever wins the next election all they are gonna do is protect the interests of Capitalism. There are only two sections in a Capitalist society. The haves and have nots; there is no middle ground, and if there is, it is a total construct designed to maintain the status quo. It’s an illusion, a place inhabited by people with aspirations to be a have who can be controlled by the fear that they will end up being a have not, if they don’t play the game and vote for who ever pretends to protect their interests. What a load of bollocks! If people want change then they really need to change themselves first, and that goes for every single politician that spouts off about ‘change‘. That aint gonna happen though, because they don’t know how to play any other game apart from the one that’s been played for the last hundred years, and no-ones prepared to break the rules and say “I’m bored with playing this shit, lets play something different” for fear of becoming a have not. Well fuck the 'middle class' and their creators and protectors; yer all a bunch of losers.

Cash and Compassion from our Safe European Homes.

Just after Britain winged and wined it’s way through the snow and cold weather, on the other side of the world in Haiti a country crumbled as a massive earthquake hit.
The United Nations and aid agencies mobilise and governments across the world pledge pounds and dollars towards the relief effort. Images of babies being pulled from the rubble tug at the heart strings, and opens the purse strings of the citizens of the world.
After four days the criticism starts that not enough is being done to help the people of Haiti. Truth is everything is being done, but the countries infa structure is unable to cope; the main airport is to small, hospitals are under equipped and the government has collapsed under the weight of the people demanding action. Lets face it Haiti is not one of the most developed countries in the world.
In this era of regime change and sticking noses into other countries affairs, why doesn’t the developed world help somewhere like Haiti develop, why wait until a natural disaster strikes before doing anything, I mean all the money that’s going in aid, could have been spent over the years on helping improve Haiti’s infrastructure, then when/if something like an earthquake happened it would have a better chance of coping rather than descending into anarchy and chaos as people fight amongst the rubble for scrapes of food. But when the US did stick their noses in to Haiti’s business during the 90’s with Operation Uphold Democracy, which removed the military leaders and paved the way for Jean Bertram Aristide to become elected president until there was a military coup in 2004 then Astride was removed from power by US Marines who flew him to the Central African Republic, to avoid a blood bath in Haiti where there had been issues over his election as president. So much for upholding Democracy. Since 2004 the UN has had a mission in Haiti, which unfortunately suffered as a result of the quake with staff being killed and supplies being either destroyed or looted. So were does that leave the people of Haiti?
But like most things in this individualised globalised world it’s all about what riches can be gained from other countries, only then is anything long term done. Oil or Voodoo?
Truth is no one really gives a shit until it hit’s the fan.

THEE HYPNOTICS - Live'r Than God

Hot on the heels of thee last post here’s another blast of The Hypnotics. This is their first album, well sort of. Rather than stick up my crackly copy of the Liver than God mini album I’ve opted for the expanded re-release that appeared on Sub Pop records. It includes the 5 tracks that were on the original UK release, but in the digital age this release includes 3 tracks that weren’t on the Sup Pop re-release. Does that make sense? I dunno, but what you’ve got here are eleven tracks of pure and primal rock’n’roll. This post goes out to that American Psycho Nekrodad and his Death Party, and Chris over at The Scrawl of The Wild. Why? Well…. 1) nekrodad asked if I had it. 2) I bought my original copy from Chris’s record shop Ripple Records, way back when and 3) It’s a fuckin’ great record. Enjoy!

Bringing some more of the past into the present #2

THEE HYPNOTICS - Come Down Heavy.

Here’s a blast of some Garage/Psychedelic/Rawk for ya, circa 1990 courtesy of sonic insurrectionists Thee Hypnotics; London's answer to The Stooges and MC5. Come Down Heavy was their first proper full length studio album, and heavy it certainly is, but not in a Metal way, this is pronto stoner rock before it existed as a label in a music journo’s mind. Tunes that suck you in. I saw ‘em live a couple of times, sleazy and sexy as hell, a total frenzy of energy. Their singer Jim allegedly turned down replacing Stiv Bators as singer in The Lords of The New Church. Good move if you ask me; Stiv was irreplaceable and Thee Hypnotics were a great band. Anyway here you are if you fancy a blast of some Revolution Stone.

DESIGNER - Mickey Boy (7" Vinyl-Rip)

Scant information on the worldwideweb about this bunch of Brighton, England Rock’n’Roll Reprobates, I could find fuck all to be exact, so here’s to this post putting an end to that. I first came across Designer after reading a piece in Melody Maker sometime in 1997 (See above scan) and they sounded like they might be worth checking out; they talked the talk, could they walk the walk? only one way to find out, send off a stamp for a free copy of their debut single, Fuck me what a single; it’s a great slice of New wave of New Wave Brit-Pop Post Punk. Mickey Boy sounds like The Heartbreakers having a fight with Wire and Magazine and winning. On the B-Side Cheap Meat and Tiger Feet; Wire and Magazine win. Great stuff, for those who like S*M*A*S*H and These Animal Men but hey don’t just take my word for it, check it out here! It’s gonna be one of those try it and see, and delete if you don’t see posts. Either way, welcome to the web Designer. One last thing, I did get in touch with the band about possibly promoting a gig for them, and was informed that the band were wheelchair bound so would need disabled access to the venue. Fortunately the venue was a Youth Club and had complete access for the disabled, so it wouldn’t be a problem. I told the band this and never heard from them again, was this a wind up on the bands part or or cynicism on mine? Who knows, but if anyone does have any more info on Designer please leave a comment. Enjoy and/or Destroy!

"I've got you under my skin."

Airport security scanners; showing how spineless some people are!

ROCK'N'ROLL:STAMPED OUT!

It’s official! Rock’n’Roll is no longer the subversive force of rebellion that it used to be. It hasn’t been for years, but with the release of the series of classic album cover stamps its death knell has been given the royal seal of approval. I mean....and I love both these bands, but....The Clash and Primal Scream hardly royalist/establishment loving outfits now are/were they. Who’d have thought back when London Calling and Screamadelica were released what the future would hold for these two classic albums. Still I suppose it could be seen as some sort of ultimate subversion, I dunno....How the times have changed!

URBAN DOGS - No Pedigree (The Un-Neutered Version)

Maan! I love this album, How well played my vinyl copy has been became apparent when I attempted to rip it to the computer last year, and it was scratched and jumped in places, a total waste of time. I managed to get an MP3 version, but there was something not right; It had been neutered and a couple of tracks were missing, came across another one from a different source and this had the same 2 tracks missing, still something was better than nothing. Anyway after listening to it quite a bit over the last year it started to get on my tits that a couple of songs had been omitted, so I have revisited my vinyl version and ripped the awol tracks and added them to the MP3 version, making the album complete, fortunately the offending items haven’t come out too bad and doesn’t spoil the listening pleasure. Released in 1985 on Flicknife Records, this the second album by Charlie Harper (UK Subs) and Knox (The Vibrators) spin off group the Urban Dogs is a dark, stark foot stamping collection of Rock’n’Roll songs, slightly let down by a few too many cover versions, Monster Mash, Cold Turkey and Children of The Revolution, but made up by some other stomping tunes; Wanna World, No Pity being a couple of them. The album features some great Sax playing, especially on the missing tracks by former Waterboy and Nikki Sudden collaborator Anthony Thistlethwaite.
While researching this piece and looking for a possible explanation as to why Hard Drive and Heavy Women had been left off the album, I came across TIME AND MATTER; a fan- website which has the aim of providing a full as possible historical archive of the UK Subs. It was launched in December 2009 and is already shaping up to be the dogs bollocks of a site. The layout and navigation is one of the best I’ve seen. I strongly recommend anyone remotely interested in not just the Subs, but punk rawk in general takes a trip here! And if you’ve got any info, memorabilia, stories etc about the band get in touch, because they are on the look out for all things Subs related, and the more they have the better the site, in the true spirit of punk; it’s all about getting involved, so what are you waiting for. The site also has a subsection about the Urban Dogs, featuring the contents of their drummer Mathew ‘Turkey’ Bests diaries, gig and recording info etc. It’s from here that I found out the two tracks were left off “Due to time restrictions” Should have left the cover versions off if you ask me, but hey what the fuck do I know. Judge for yourselves! Click, Click, Click! Enjoy! this slightly patchy but compelling master piece. Here’s to waiting for the Urban Dogs acoustic album that’s in the pipeline.

Stan can't get enough of the white stuff!

THE VIBRATORS - Propaganda + Photo (circa 1985)

Call it what you like!

To you left there’s a post card from the 80‘s for you. There’s gonna be some more music coming up soon, and a break from all the ranting I feel I’m chatting shit @ the moment, need to take stock of it all, cos there’s gonna be a lot of shit coming up over the next few months, I mean, there was some shit on the radio were Gordon Brown was saying for people not to panic because there would be enough energy supplies for people over this cold winter??!! WHAT!! I’d like to think there would be, with the prices people have been paying. Then I think what if the oil did run out? How would people cope? Some are having trouble with the snow, so it don’t look good. I’m gonna be well pissed off if I wake up tomorrow and there’s no snow what with all the extreme weather warning hype that’s been going on in the media. I like the snow; It turns drab concrete, tarmac etc bright, changes the whole perspective of the environment and makes it all a bit different. What’s all the fuss about Snow anyway, don’t ever remember it being an issue in the past, it happened and people got on with it, once again it’s the media making a big thing of it all. I wonder what the snow is really covering up?

A is for.....

My last post ended with the words Adapt or Attack, I.e. Adapt to the changes, by accepting them, or Attack them by protest. Now leaders of Labour and Conservative parties are talking about Austerity or Aspiration? Well why don’t people aspire to be more austere. “Value what is necessary, lose what is not” Hard at this time of January Sales, 50% off Bargains and a general sell people a new live, buy now pay later, just the same as the old one. The real enemy is the Media, and that’s where the Election will be fought and how it will be won, I say won but we’ll all end up losing in the end, unless we change. Politicians talk of change, what they mean is that it’s gonna be a change of values and ideologies, the only thing is that they all protect the capitalist system one way or another, it’s just how they go about it and what sections of society benefit that’s different, well I say different, but there’s not much difference between both parties as we converge to some sort of one party state. Here’s a thought, Why haven’t Al-Qaeda targeted the Media, blown up a few Newspaper HQ’s and TV Centres. Hit ‘em were it hurts; The Propaganda machinery of the capitalist state.

1st Untitled Post of 2010.

A few thought on this the second day of the next year. Bring it on! The last 10 years have been defined by: 9/11,a War on Terror, not in our name. Blair the Liar. Brown the Fool. As chancellor he signed the cheques that funded the war in Iraq as Prime Minister he can’t spend any money, cos he hasn’t got any, we can all blame the bankers. MP’s expenses, Politicians exposed for the fuckers they are to the rest of the mass, who also now know that the Iraq War was bollocks, Afghanistan is our Vietnam and who have witnessed Capitalism start to crumble. Those that weren’t schooled by The Clash , Crass or MC5 and The Deviants now know or are beginning to see that the(ir) System doesn’t work.
There’s gonna be an election this year, should be interesting as all parties will try and convince the people that their ideas are the right ones and that their vision for Britain is the best. Who do we believe? None of ’em. Battlegrounds: Immigration, Crime, health, economy.
The media manipulates the minds of the masses, it helps keep people divided, because that way people need controlling, if more people used or had their own minds, they’d see where the problem was and realise who had the solutions.
The distrust and disillusion over the present political system needs to be built on. People need to get their voices heard. There needs to be a search for a common purpose a general sense of belonging between all the fragmented Social Movements. A united voice is gonna be heard louder!
Hung Parliament, yeah hang ’em all I know, but recently I’ve been hearing in the media that people think this would be a bad thing for Britain. This got me thinking that perhaps it would be a good thing for the country. I’ve always thought/believed that the only way to get any sort of government that represents people is to take bits from various politically ideologies and shape them into some sort of new ideology based on common and shared values.
Give real power back to the people, one that isn’t confined by red tape and controlled by bureaucrats or dictated to them by totalitarian leaders who think they know what‘s best. Power to the people, Power of the people, Power for the people. Let the people decide, and I aint talking about no X-Factor style voting judging panel, but I’m sure at some point it will come to this. The live television debate that’s been promised for the forthcoming election could make for interesting viewing. I dunno………..as we enter the next 10 years I feel that the times they are gonna be a changing and we are gonna have to adapt or attack!

JEREMY GLUCK - I Knew Buffalo Bill

I was meant to post this at the same time as Nikki Sudden's Lost in A Sea of Scarves, another request for someone, but never got round to it what with all the Christmas bollocks, time etc. Now this post has a different significance. On 30th December 2009 Roland S Howard passed away after battling liver cancer. Roland’s musicianship is all over this album; hypnotic kraut rock basslines and a scratchy swamp guitar sound. This album is greater than the sum of it’s parts, and boy did it have some parts to it. Jeremy Gluck, former singer for the surftastic garage punkers The Barracudas gathered together not only Roland S Howard but Nikki Sudden, Epic Soundtracks and Jeffery Lee Pierce to record this master piece of stripped back swamp blues and lo-fi post-punk laced with a hint of 60’s pop. It is both beautiful and brutal, stark and colourful in equal measures. A must have! Get it Here! My respect and sympathy goes out to Roland’s family and friends.

Out with the old and in with the......

Reflections! Resolutions! Revolutions?

That was the year/decade that was. This is the year that will be….We have the questions. We have the answers. After 40 years are we still part of the problem? Or are we the solution. All the best for 2010 and the future. Stay strong, stay free and keep on keeping on!

A CHRISTMAS CONSPIRACY.

In the dying days of 2009, as one family’s child is flown back in a box from Afghanistan another’s son boards a plane for America on a ‘suicide mission’ So just who is winning ‘the war on terror’? This latest one came from Yemen, and he may have been radicalised in London, it also transpires that security forces were aware of him. A late entry into a Top 10 List of You couldn’t make this shit up, of things that happened in 2009 perhaps? I say you couldn’t make it up, but they could let it happen though. Think about it! Support for their war is falling amongst the public, who maybe need reminding as to what the fight is all about. At least no one was killed, or maybe that was part of their plan. I fail to believe that MI5, CIA, Homeland Security etc could have taken their eye off the ball that much. I mean A terrorist attack at Christmas think of the symbolism if it had succeeded. Just another thing, any failings that are seen in and by the security services, will then justify their use of increased surveillance and new detection technologies. One more gate will shut in fortress Europe as their war on terror enters another year.

PETER PERRETT and THE ONLY ONES - Silent Night b/w Baby's Got A Gun (7" Vinyl-Rip)

If I set foot in another shop before next Christmas it may be a day to soon. But enough, tis the season to be jolly, and here’s a solitary little gift for you all. A slightly crackly vinyl rip, but hey it’s the thought that counts. It’s Peter Perrett and The Only Ones and their take on that traditional Christmas ditty Silent Night, backed by the rather unfestive Baby’s Got A Gun, but then again after my experiences in those Churches and Cathedrals of consumption one could have come in handy, to clear queues, remove shoppers that stand in front of you when your browsing, the cashiers that ask if you want a bag and all the other shit that goes with shopping. BANG! BANG! Tis the season to be jolly fa, la, la, la, la Fuck Off!. Tis the season that people should search for some sort of meaning in/to it all. Anyway enough ranting. I hope you all have a great time over the Festive Season, celebrating it in whatever way you do. Happy Christmas. Enjoy!

"If he only had more time to tell of all the things he planned."

DISNEYLAND AFTER DARK - No Fuel Left For The Pilgrims

Formed in the sewers of Copenhagen, Denmark in 1984. As a band they listened to The Ramones, AC/DC and The Clash, collectively they agreed that The Gun Club's Miami was the best record they’d heard. It was to be 5 years before a million pound deal with WEA records in 1989 launched them on to the world stage, fuelled no doubt by the thriving metal scene of the 80’s. But anyone expecting a blast of downtown L.A Hair Metal is gonna be either very disappointed or very relieved. This is Rawk’n’Roll with it’s roots in Punk as much as Metal which bridges the gap between the genres much like Motorhead, who D.A.D sound similar to in places. I say D.A.D because unfortunately due to threat of law suits by Uncle Walt’s Corporation the Disneyland had to be dropped from their name. No Fuel Left For The Pilgrims is one of those records that grabs you by the balls and swings you round before letting you go smashing into the wall with its addictive stomp along anthems, but hey don’t just take my word for it, here! Have a blast yerself. Enjoy/ Destroy / But most of all….PLAY LOUD!

"Walking in a winter wonderland."

The world leaders stomped massive carbon footprints across the Earth to attend The Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, were after Two weeks of ‘talks’ nothing was achieved so very little will change. In Britain a day of ‘heavy snow’ Brought parts of the country to a standstill. Still at least it kept the cars of the roads and some planes out of the skies for a day. Every little helps. Interesting that the extreme weather we are seeing more of, which is often put down to global warming, in some small way is helping to reduce C02 emissions, but not only that. The more extreme weather we see the more it strengthens their case for global warming. I aint no ‘flatearther’ because just like economics and politics nature revolves and evolves in cycles. People have shaped our political, economic and social paths and now one way or another they are shaping our natural world. The longer it goes on with the world leaders resolving less the more I think that they are prepared to stamp over our world in order to maintain the socio/economic/political environment that they have been creating for the last hundred or so years. The Green eCONomy is just another sprout on their tree of global free market capitalism.

RAGE AGAINST SIMON COWELL!

A few weeks ago a couple of people unhappy with the Cowellisation of the British pop charts Christmas No.1 single, (like anyone gives a shit.) by the years X-creta Factor winners, set up a ‘face book campaign’ to get people to buy downloads of Rage Against The Machine’s Killing In The Name to try and make it the festive chart topper. It’s the one with the catchier than swine flu “FUCK YOU I WONT DO WHAT YOU TELL ME” refrain.
Without any sense of irony 600,000 people did exactly what someone told them and signed up to the face book group. Still the revolution starts somewhere!