We have all been framed!

If we make our own truth, then everything we are told must be lies. It's about the power to make people believe a truth that keeps the liars in power.

The British media are welcoming Rumanian and Bulgarian immigrants, by telling the people the country is going to be “invaded” by “hundreds and thousands” of “dirty thief’s” like we can stand in judgement when a school girl gets stabbed on a bus and a pensioner is killed for loose change.

Immigration and Economic migrants helped build Britain then kept it running, from the Irish navies that built the railways and the roads to the Jamaicans that drove the buses and the trains. During Thatchers 80's thousands of Brits became economic migrants and earned 'good money' working on building sites across Europe. There was even a comedy/drama on TV about a group of builders working in Germany. Auf Wiedersehen Pet it was called and millions used to tune in and chuckle at their exploits. (One of the characters; a chirpy cockney bricklayer called Wayne was played by singer/actor and former Heavy Metal Kid , Gary Holton.) It was either all good clean family entertainment or propaganda in a time of high unemployment to encourage people to “get on their bike” and find work elsewhere.

Stabbed by the sullen, sulky and sombre faces of the people you pass in the street. Helpless, hapless and hopeless. These are unhappy, unsure and unforgiving times for many. A world they've helped to create, one of their own making, one where the truth has been exposed as a pack of lies that people still believe. The free market supplied the demand, some demanded more, whether they could afford it or needed it wasn't questioned, they just got it regardless of any responsibility for the future consequences of their actions.

Things will never go back to the way they were, economies will not recover, the good times are no more, if they ever were that good anyway. We are entering a new era and leaving the last error behind, but the leaders never learn the lessons of history, but that is the lesson, they don't want to....we are doomed to repeat and relive everything that has gone, but this time round the death destruction and decay can be seen live and direct on youtube twitter feeds and in glorious 24 hour news channel technocolor 3D High definition. Images of war brought to you by governments and dictators across the world showing the people who believe the lies who has the power, but this is no Hollywood movie with a happy ending, where the good guy wins, because in the real world of global power politics there are no fucking good guys!

Keep calm and carry on complying, not complaining, conforming, not confronting. Our leaders are complacent in the comfort that the people have been conditioned to except any old shit. Yeah scandals might be exposed; the NHS might have killed patients, but that's soon forgotten when Justin Bieber makes his young fans cry when he's two hours late for a concert, or has to stop half way through because he's having breathing difficulties, the only problem is that he's still fucking breathing, while there are refugee children across the world dying trying to escape war and conflict. 

We watch others while others watch us. Spectators and observers. Hands free blue tooth social control. Dumbed down in high definition. Life doesn't live on a TV screen, where a freeview satellite picture perfect reality isn't real. The heads free, empty minds are deaf, dumb and blind to what they see. Desensitized to suffering, the misery of others makes them happy and their own lives don't seem so bad. In a world of SatNav systems, people seem to have lost direction and are going nowhere, but at least there's CCTV surveillance to watch over them, keeping them safe and secure in their slavery and ignorance to the machine and whatever it shows and tells them. If the machine is out of control, it's because people have let it take over their lives and believed its lies!

THE VIBRATORS - *News on a New Album*

On The Guest List is the title of the new Vibrators album, it's due for release on the 7th May by Cleopatra Records. Thirteen new tracks written and preformed by Knox, Eddie and Pete. It also features guest appearances by members of MC5, UK Subs, The Damned, The Stranglers, The Dickies and Supersuckers. Production and engineering duties were carried out by Pat Collier.

THE BABYSITTERS - Living Out Rock'n'Roll

"Livin' out Rock'n'Roll is about the dirty disregarded history of the London scene, the story of the Babysitters and The Last of the Teenage Idols as told by the people who have somehow managed to survive it. Among the interviewees are Shuff, Vom Ritchie (Die Toten Hosen) and journalists Ben Marshall and David Stubbs. Charlie Harper, Captain Sensible and Mike Read also make a cameo appearance  The world premiere of Livin' out Rock'n'Roll takes place in Soho on Saturday 30th March 2013" - Vive Le Rock Magazine

COLT 45 - Chasing Yesterday EP

COLT 45 sound like the Manic Street Preachers meeting The Gaslight Anthem at an 80's Rock Disco. The Cumbrian three piece put a positive, powerful and passionate spin on small town angst, teenage disillusion and frustration with their melodic riffs at the ready catchy power pop punk racket. The 5 track Chasing Yesterday EP was released in 2011 and gained many favourable reviews along the way from Kerrang, Rock Sound and Big Cheese magazines.

Colt 45 are currently touring with Electric River, in the past they've supported UK Subs, The Damned and the Buzzcocks. Check out the Chasing Yesterday EP here! and visit them on facebook here!

CHELSEA - Live @ Reading Festival 1978

1978 was the year that Punk broke at the Reading Rock Festival, with The Jam, Sham 69, Penetration, Radio Stars, Patti Smith and TRB playing across the weekend. Chelsea played on the Sunday (27th Aug) although Friday was billed as 'Punk Night' which was when The Jam had problems with their sound and trashed some equipment, skinheads attacked hippies and trouble flared during Sham 69's set. A 45 minute film; The Kids are United, or Kids Like Me and You as it's sometimes called was made of some of the Fridays Punk night proceedings, it's quite obscure and I've not come across a copy before, although there are some clips of The Jam, Penetration and Sham 69 from the festival on YouTube. Anyway back to Chelsea, can't remember where I got this recording from, but respect to whoever, dunno if it's the complete set, cos it's only six songs long. The quality is not that great, can't hear Gene's vocals too well, but it aint that bad, and it is what it is, which is a piece of punk history. Get a bit here!

THE FITS / PURE PRESSURE - Demos.

Someone requested a re-up for the PURE PRESSURE demo, so here it is, as a bit of a bonus I've included a 1985 demo from THE FITS here, which sounds like Slaughter and The Dogs meeting The Cult and was a pointer towards the musical direction Pure Pressure took. The text below is from the original post:

The Fits came from Blackpool, and were a slight cut above the rest of the 1980’s Punk bands; with their Rock’n’Roll tinged Punk rock tunes; less thrash more trash! Sadly they split up around 1985 amongst a mess of eyeliner and violence. Singer Mickey Fits had taken to wearing make up on stage, as a reaction to the violence that often marred Punk gigs during the 80’s. Fortunetly this wasn’t the last to be heard of Mickey, who went on to form Pure Pressure, along with a couple more members of The Fits, their sound veered to the more rocky side of things, coming across like a slightly less heavy Zodiac Mindwarp or The Cult, while still maintaining a punk rock sensibility. Good stuff! Give it a blast

A Song 4 Sunday - THEM 'N' US!

A RED SUN RISES OVER ANOTHER NEW CRISIS / IT'S OF THEIR OWN DOING / BUT IT WILL BE OUR RUIN // SHUT THE UNSTABLE DOOR AFTER THE HORSE HAS BOLTED / THE CAKE THEY SERVE US TASTES REVOLTING // PEOPLE BLAME EVERYONE EXCEPT THEMSELVES / SO LONG AS THERE'S STUFF TO FILL THE SHELVES // JOHNNY FOREIGNER TAKES OUR JOBS AND HOMES / RACIST BIGOTS START TO MOAN // THE STATES TARGETS MUST BE REACHED / HUMAN RIGHTS ARE BEING BREACHED // EAST AND WEST LEFT AND RIGHT // ALL THEY EVER DO IS FIGHT // BLOW THE WHISTLE BANG A DIFFERENT DRUM // LET THEM KNOW THEIR TIME WILL COME!! // C) NPW 17/2/13

VIVE LE ROCK - Death Or Glory (A Compilation)

Right then, as the new issue of Vive Le Rock has hit the newsagent stands, with Johnny Thunders on the cover, and a great feature inside on the man, the myth and the murder. (No free CD, but a free double sided Thunders / Adam Ant poster) It's time to post the previous issues free disc.

Some of the bands on this CD need no introduction, like the sleazy Rock'n'Roll splendour of THE LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH for example, who kick off this 14 track collection with a remastered version of Things Go Bump. I've reviewed both THE REVERENDS and THE NOVEMBER FIVE's albums elsewhere on this blog, both were bought on the strength of their tracks; Give It Up Son and Here We Come from this compilation. I would have also spent cash on the MARK VENNIS & DIFFERENT PLACE one, but didn't have enough to spare, their track Portsdown Hill is a beautiful cinematic power pop ballad about the freedom of growing up. The piano pounding JIM JONES REVUE need no descriptions, Never Let You Go gets yer speakers rattling. With just a guitar and his voice PATRIK FITZGERALD is one of Britain great lost songwriters, his track Ambition is a testimony to that fact. Testify by DYNAMITE PUSSY CLUB is a mighty blast of garage punk. FLIPRON's Round and Round The Sun is a pop punk 60's psychedelic influenced tune, produced by Rat Scabies. Fun Police by THE FUCKWITS is just that, a fun knock about punk anthem reminiscent of Stiff Little Fingers. THE DESTRUCTORS are the purveyors of the finest Punk/Metal racket and turn in another mighty row with The End of The World is Coming Today. Never Let You Down by PIPES AND PINTS sounds like The Clash meeting The Pogues. THE GO GO CULT's My Baby Drives A UFO is a B-Movie Rockabilly romp. CHRIS POPE was the former singer/guitarist in mod punkers The Chords and Mutiny On The Thames is a catchy saxophone laced protest song. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah by the BLACKBOMBERS is a blast of Blues and Soul tinged Rock'n'Roll. Once again there's something for everyone here. Enjoy!

I suffered the miss fortune of hearing One Directions new single; One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks) on the telly the other day, what a crock of bland, banal and boring bollocks the Brits music awards were, not that I expected anything less, but it was extra bad this year! Anyway, back to One Direction, and their abomination of a couple of songs from my youth, that have been mixed and mashed up for today’s youth. Why did no one from Blondie and The Undertones say no fucking way will we allow our songs to be murdered and slaughtered in such a manner. Surely the music is more important than the money. I know the single is for the Comic Relief Charity, but I ain’t fuckin' laughing!

This is an X-Factor generation who have the past recycled and presented to them as the future,

it has been debased and destroyed, rendered unrecognisable thanks to the cultural mincer it gets fed through by record company executives in pursuit of the dollars and pounds.

One Direction a great British export, who have sold millions of records worldwide and done some great business for UKplc. It just goes to show how stupid the whole world is. Forget the emperors new clothes, it's more than that; Simon Cowell is the pied piper, leading a generation of young people across the globe through a world that isn't real, pulling the strings and playing the tune with his Five spotless yoofs, and their image of perfection and happiness. He is selling a lie and exploiting the emotions of millions of young people for profit and should be arrested for child abuse!

U.K SUBS - XXIV (*A Review*)

Charlie Harper and his United Kingdom Subversives are almost there in their mission to release an album for every letter of the alphabet. XXIV is the 24^th UK Subs album, and it's one of two halves each in places as brutal and beautiful as the other one,  it catches the Subs at the top of their game. The importance of the UK Subs in the history of punk rock should never be forgotten and XXIV is a reminder to those who may have lost their minds! It encapsulates everything that makes the Subs such a great band, and sounds like all the best bits from A to W. It takes no prisoners, its an aural assault, a sonic cosh that gets yer head banging and bangs yer head. at the same time. The musicianship is masterful and Pat Collier has done another brilliant production job. There's plenty of social and political commentary, delivered in a series of short sharp shocks to the senses with, ringing, singing guitars, power house drums and thumping, throbbing bass, and some great vocal delivery. These are frenzied stomping songs of freedom delivered with power, passion and conviction. With their fingers on the pulse the UK Subs are the beating punk rock heart.

From the total rock out of opening track Implosion 77 to the thumping and crunching closer Momento Mori the songs on the 'electric' album explode and rain down like a blitzkrieg. Song writing duties on XXIV have been shared amongst the band, which gives the album a broad mix of songs, ranging from the almost metal to the total punk, there's even a Rockabilly vibe going on in Wreckin' Ball. Bassist Alvin Gibbs takes over the vocals for several numbers, including the rather brilliant Black Power Salute, which waves a fist of freedom in the air, “....to signify the truth.” The harmonica laced blues punk social commentary of Coalition Government Blues is what it says on the tin. Speed thrashes about at a furious pace and Rabid is just that, a rapid romp of crashing guitars and pounding drums. Garden Of Good And Evil chugs and chops its way down the Rock'n'Roll highway. Workers Revolution lifts the lid on the capitalist con with beefy guitars, crashing drums and a catchy call to arms to find our own solution. Failed State is the bastard puppy of Iggys I Wanna Be Your Dog.

UK Subs in the studio (Pic courtesy of Time and Matter)

The bonus   acoustic tracks build on the foundations Charlie laid with the Urban Dogs acoustic album, if you thought that was good, you should hear this one. It contrast brilliantly with the rest of XXIV. Starting off off with a Mott The Hoople cover Angel Of Eighth Avenue, lovingly sung by Alvin Gibbs. The Outsider is a haunting lament for those living on the fringes of society. Stop Global War is another classic UK Subs anti-war number. Higher Tide is a punk rock sea shanty about sailing away from it all. Stormy Day is another sea and sailing inspired strum along and Little Black Crow takes a trip down a country road. Then there's Thunders In The Rain, which is Alvin Gibbs tribute to Johnny Thunders. I say tribute, but it's more of a warning to those that wanna emulate their hero.

A must have album? Most definitely! There' more than enough spread out over the 26 tracks to not only keep the die hard UK Subs fan happy, but also to challenge them, and if there's any Rock'n'Roller out there that doesn't have a UK Subs album, then this aint a bad place to start. XXIV doesn't disappoint, it's up there with the best of 'em, but it's also gonna take a hell of a lot for the Subs to top it, and they've only got a couple of letters left, so here's to Y and Z.

AVAILABLE NOW ON CAPTAIN OI RECORDS.

NIKKI SUDDEN - Live @ Bay 63, London 27/10/86

Nikki Sudden and Roland S Howard

Someone asked for some more live Nikki Sudden, so here we go then, lets take a trip back to Bay 63 under the Westway in Ladbrook Grove, London in October 1986. I've gone for this one for the simple reason that I went along to this, not that I can tell you anything much about the evening, other than it was slightly chaotic, as were several of the other Nikki Sudden gigs I went to around 86/87 (Sir George Robey and Camden Palace), or was that just me? Could explain why my recollections are rather limited to remembering lots of paisley shirts and pudding bowel* haircuts, and I would say a sea of scarves, but I don't remember it being that packed. I do remember a relatively unknown band at that time My Bloody Valentine being on the bill, they went on to big things with their lo-fi feedback rumblings, they didn't do anything for me back then, nor did they impress me in their later ear splitting shoegazing NME days. This gig was a launch for Nikki's Texas album, which was his first release on Creation Records, it also marked the beginnings of his musical partnership with Roland S Howard; around the time Texas was being recorded Roland met up with Nikki and played on a couple of tracks on the album. He also joined him for several live performances, including this one, they then went on to record a couple of sublime and suicidal albums together; Kiss You Kidnapped Charabanc and Dead Men Tell No Tales, before parting company and going their separate ways.

A big regret was not picking up a copy of this from one of the bootleg tape stalls in Camden Market during the late 80's, probably the same source as this recording came from....???? Talking of which, I'd like to credit t where I got this copy from, but I'm fucked if I can remember who or where it came from, but thanx to whoever from where ever!  and you can get it here ENJOY!

*A spelling mistake I noticed, but I thought I'd keep it as it was for humorous reasons, because I've always thought those bowl haircuts looked shit! 

Is the Pope a Catholic?

No not if he's the first one to stand down for 600 years. Ill health? A pope is for life not just for Christmas, they go on forever, unless they are assassinated. Did he jump or was he pushed? Perhaps the Catholic Church have had enough of his retarded views on homosexuality, AIDS and women in the church, or was he caught with a couple of young boys under his papal robes. I dunno, something smells funny, and it's not the incense!

  

SCUM OF TOYTOWN - Live @ The Red Lion, Stevenage 7/2/13 (*A Review*)

Jon, Lea and Nick  (Photo by: Grant Meaby)

Scum Of Toytown are not yer usual 'ska punk' band, yeah they've got the vibe, but there's a lot more going on; with 60's drum beats and rolls, a hardcore Bass rumble and grumble, a twin Guitar attack of Rock'n'Roll chops and psychedelic prog rock licks, all topped of with some dulcet folky tinged vocals, which contrast beautifully with the shouting and screaming backing vocals, then there's the Melodica.... On paper such an eclectic mix of influences and sounds shouldn't work together, but this is Rock'n'Roll not origami and it's all about tearing up the rule book and Scum Of Toytown tore it up leaving it in tattered pieces on the beer and sweat soaked floor of The Red Lion.

Live the band feed of a hungry audience and serve up a musical feast which ensures feet are taping and bodies are skanking. Their set tonight was a mixture of the old and new, all played with the energy, enthusiasm and abandon of folk half their age. There were times during their set when I was taken back twenty years to places like The Sir George Robey, Bowes Lyon House, Harlow Square, amongst other venues were Scum kicked up a racket and rocked the roofs off, pretty much like the did tonight at the Red Lion.  The SoT political message is just as relevant now as it was then, if not more. Question the world around you, take a stand and try and build a better one.  This band have always had the potential to do something, what that something is, only they know the answer to that, but whatever it is, it'll be on their own terms, and in their own time.

A new album has been recorded and is in the final process of being mixed, there's a gig in Camden in March and a couple in Germany in May. Further info and some videos and music can be found at their website and on their facebook page.

Marker pen philosophy

 What a great retort to who ever drew the swastika.

We eat horses don't we.

Dinner's ready!

Their wonderful world of capitalism rides into more trouble with the horse meat scandal/fiasco/crisis. A distraction from something else, an over reaction to something, or another example for people to see what the capitalist system is really like.

It's about the supply and demand. People demand cheap food, so that's what the producers supply.

Times are hard, families are buying cheaper food, producers, suppliers all want to maintain their profits, using horse meat is a sure-fire way of reducing costs and maintaining profits. If they get caught then the food industry can blame it on a 'criminal conspiracy'

Its all the budget brands that horse meat has been found in. Let the poor eat any old shit, and that's the thing, no-one has tasted the difference between horse and beef, no riding silks or horse shoes have been found in burgers, so what's the problem? Horse meat isn't harmful*, I suppose it's not having been given the choice, and because it's horse and people are sensitive to eating animals that have been domesticated. I did hear some arse on the radio saying that it's the consumers fault for demanding cheap convenient food, bollocks The responsibility lies with the manufacturers and retailers of the product, they made it, and they're selling it now it's their turn to pay.

People have been lied to, well that's their fault for believing that capitalism provides everything they need and want. The consumer is being lied to all the time, buy this it'll bring you happiness, use this brand and it'll bring instant success. People are stupid, and the capitalist corporations and companies know that, which is why they do what they do.  Things are cheap for a reason....it because they're shit, or in the case of some burgers/lasagne’s, because they are full of shit, and I'm pretty sure this has been going on for quite a while now, it's just no-ones been caught, until now.

Capitalism 100% Bullshit!

*Since typing this I have heard that the horses used in the products may have been infected with equine AIDS, how true this is I don't know, I mean I can't imagine there's gonna be any scaremongering going on....

GODS LONELY MEN - Article/Review/Interview.

Chemical Landslide is the album by GLM (Gods Lonely Men) What an album....Fourteen tracks of Rock'n'Roll energy from Pete Stride, Pete 'Esso' Haynes and Nigel Moore, formerly known as The Lurkers. GLM could easily have become The Lurkers MKIII, but they are not, they've kept a link to their past but aimed straight for the future, and....Bullseye! They've hit the target! 2013 not 1977/78. The progression of time is reflected in the song-writing and playing, which sounds now and not then. There is that old Lurkers feel to the songs on Chemical Landslide, but there's something else, something a bit heavier and darker, a claustrophobic beauty and bleakness, a warm darkness that engulfs and absorbs you.

What follows is an Interview/Article/Feature on GLM. It has been constructed from some emailed questions to Pete Stride and Nigel Moore, and a phone call from Pete'Esso'Haynes.

During the conversation with Esso I probably did too much listening and talking and not enough writing of notes, and then struggling to read the hasty scribblings I did take. Anyway, enough let the show begin.

Nigel Moore - Bass

HOW COME ITS TAKEN NEARLY 30 YEARS FOR YOU GUYS TO RECORD/RELEASE MORE MUSIC?

I think we all just wanted to do different things and none of us wanted to join up and just trot out old Lurkers numbers again and again.  Happily once we decided to start recording again the creative juices flowed easily.  If it had been a painful process we would have knocked it on the head. - Nigel Moore

I got a phone call from Nigel a couple of years ago,could I meet him and Esso down the road (pub) that night to talk about getting back together and making an album, well that sounded good cos I had started playing quite a lot of guitar again after a long break and I also had some rough ideas for a couple of songs. So anyway we met up and it became clear that none of us was too keen on going out as The Lurkers yet again. we felt that the name had been very over exposed and devalued through Arturo’s efforts. Esso suggested Gods Lonely Men so that there was a clear link which old fans would pick up on, and I said lets make it a bit more punchy and go for GLM. So it was decided......- Pete Stride

WHAT HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN DOING DURING YOUR HIATUS?

Pete'Esso'Haynes - Drums

I gave up touring with the Lurkers in 1990,Ii wasnt enjoying it anymore,once Esso and Nigel had left it really didnt feel like the same band.i took a good long break from music and then around "95 I started learning about recording and mixing stuff in a small home studio  .I was doing stuff with keyboards and drum machines and it was good fun for a while.  I started getting back to playing guitar again about 5 years ago – Pete Stride

I went off to University directly after I quit The Lurkers but I've kept playing in bands/writing music practically all through.  I even played drums (sort of) and recorded in a Rockabilly/Rock & Roll band for a while –Nigel Moore

Pete'Esso'Haynes also went to University, lived in Belfast and worked with a victims group, and has had several books published, including one called Gods Lonely Men, which takes “an insiders journey through Punk Rock while maintaining an outsiders view on society” Check out his website for more info about his books and plays.

HOW COME THE SOUND HAS BECOME HEAVIER AND THE SONGS DARKER THANTHOSE YOU DID WITH THE LURKERS?

The heavier sound just developed naturally,we didnt plan it out that way.but once i started using the more "metal"guitar sounds everything seemed to fall into place.the effect of having my voice(which is quite light sometimes) combined with the hard guitars gives a bit of an atmosphere to the material i think,makes it a bit "haunting"maybe. also the lyrics are somewhat darker than in the past but I will say more about that later.... -Pete Stride.

WAS IT A DELIBERATE MOVE NOT TO BE THE LURKERS MK3?

We wanted to add to the old Lurk's sound not ignore it. It's important to keep up your interest when rehearsing/recording songs and to do this you must challenge yourself musically otherwise you get a severe case of head rot. To my mind a band that is simply trying to recreate their old glories 30 years on is pitiful, it shows a complete lack of imagination. With 'Chemical Landslide' The Lurkers sound has been added to not ignored. - Nigel Moore

It took 3 years to record We didn't attempt to make it sound like anything different. The sound just evolved naturally as there was no pressure with recording or releasing the songs. - Pete'Esso'Haynes

WHAT HAS THE RESPONSE/REACTION TO THE ALBUM BEEN LIKE?

Really good.  We've had constantly good reviews from all publications we sent the album to and positive comments on our web site from those who have bought the album. - Nigel Moore

Actually I am very chuffed with the reaction to the album,we have had some of the best reviews we have ever had. I think people realise that we are putting a lot into it and genuinely trying make exciting and current music that isn’t stuck in the past.
Also we have just started to get some airplay on underground and college radio in the States which should help to get our name out there, we know its gonna be a slow process but that’s fine. - Pete Stride

It was recorded live in a small box room, using no click track or funny trickery. The drums were recorded in one take, which gave a raw live feel, with no time to be flash as we had limited resources. - Pete'Esso'Haynes

Esso feels that GLM have a broader sound than the punk bands of today, with poppy melodies and dark lyrics, he then talked about getting the album played on Metal/Rock Radio Stations, and went on to say that the band are proud of the album. (...and so they should be.)

DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WERE EXPECTING A LURKERS MK3?

Yes.  This was a concern all through recording, would the old Lurk's fans reject it.  Luckily this has not been the case. - Nigel Moore

The band were not restrained by boundaries or barriers. - Pete'Esso'Haynes

Pete Stride - Vocals/Guitar.

Now I'll hand you over to Pete Stride to talk us through the recording of some of the songs on the album and how some of the lyrics came about. Although Pete is the main songwriter, as Esso pointed out GLM are greater than the sum of their parts. Here we go then....Pete's thoughts about the albums recording, and some of its significant songs.

Now is the Winter

Very important song for us,it was the first and also the basic GLM sound was developed during its recording. When we began I had the opening riff and the verse and a rough chorus,it sounded ok but needed a bit extra. We decided that halfway through there would be a total stop and there would be some kind of solo guitar part which would lift things up. so we tried it a few times but I wasn’t coming up with anything very exciting,then out of the blue I switched to a big metal guitar sound I had programmed into an old digitech stomp box and just started playing this really nasty but cool riff the others joined in one by one and we just played that riff for about 3 minutes,when we stopped we all just looked at each other and said "that’s it,that the fucking sound" .Once the song was recorded I did a mix of it which was ok but simply not loud enough to compete with pro stuff,I sent it off to a mastering studio I found online. A couple of days later the man from the studio called,he sounded a bit shocked,he said all the dials in his studio had all gone straight into the red and he wasn’t able to work with it. Esso made some calls and Pat Collier was recommended , we took a long drive across London to Pats studio and he said no problem he would mix it for us and he ended up mixing the whole album eventually.

Beyond the Pale

We wanted to try and do something that wasn’t 4/4 time and also had a quiet/loud dynamic like Nirvana,think it worked out well and is maybe my best vocal, think I had all the vocals recorded within an hour or so which is pretty good its also got some impressive drumming from Esso.

Chemical Landslide

Probably the most obvious "single"on the album, very tight arrangement and plenty of attack. Nigel came up with the end chorus section which really lifts the song towards the end. maybe the vocal is a bit light but I think it works ok.
When we came to record Landslide coda we still had our guitars tuned down from some earlier songs and I don’t think the key was great for my voice but we were running out of time so we let it go.

Every nights a story

With this song the whole sound came together and it became the benchmark for the songs which followed Pretty good vocal and a big bonus for me was having some space to let rip on the lead guitar for a change.

Army of angels

We were going for a real metal sound on this one,don’t think we quite managed that but its meaty stuff and a nice big chorus too.

Now here is a little bit from Pete about the lyrics: 

Often the lyrics just come into my head without really thinking about it and I will write them down and try an make sense of it all later,I think it is important for me to work like that because I feel that I am getting some kind of emotional "truth"that way, also I have steered clear of trying to force concepts into songs on this album. There is a definite darker feel to the words now which I wasn’t particularly aware of until other people started mentioning it. Hopefully its not actually depressing though, I think maybe a lot of it is simply to do with getting older and going through all the things which that entails, my mum was extremely ill and only just made it through and I also lost a good friend who died ,so it all has an effect on you,

I'd like to thank Pete, Pete and Nigel for taking the time and effort to make this post happen, but for more importantly recording and releasing, a very special album, one of the best I've heard in a long while.  Right then....That's it for this article/interview/feature, all that's remains to be said is to get hold of a copy of the album. It drops you down then picks you up while punching the air and kicking the ground at the same time. Lurkers fans will not be disappointed, because some of the tunes on Chemical Landslide are the best that The Lurkers never wrote. Get hold of a copy from their web-site.  There are no immediate plans for any GLM gigs, but they do intend to play live in the not to distant future.  

THE HEARTBREAKERS - L.A.M.F Devinitive Edition (A Review)

This 'definitive edition' box set has been out for a couple of months now, but it's still worth a review. Originally released in 1977, LAMF was plagued by sound issues; had the endless mixing of the songs turned the sound to mud, or was the problem in the mastering of the vinyl? Well listening to the different mixes and the cleaned up original release that are spread across the four discs in this collection, it would appear that the mixing was fine, cos there are some really good versions of all the old familiar songs, that sound timeless; cos brilliant Rock'n'Roll never dies.  The disc of demos, includes stuff from the original line-up with Richard Hell on Bass, and a session from the definitive (Thunders/Lure/Rath/Nolan) line up, which has a couple of tunes that never made it on to LAMF on it.

Yes some of this stuff is available on other Jungle Releases; The Lost 77 mixes, Vintage 77, and the DTK box set, so for the newbie it's not a bargain, but for the Thunders junkie/aficionado it's a must have fix.

It all comes beautifully packaged with a great little booklet that covers the time The 'breakers spent in London recording, mixing and hanging out. Plus four badges to tell the world you're: Born To Lose/Loose Like A Mutha Fucker ! Like I said not a bargain, but well worth the £17.99 + P&P from Jungle Records. But I wouldn't pay £25 from my local HMV shop..... no wonder they went bust!  Much respect to record labels like Jungle, Easy Action, Captain Oi and Damaged Goods for keeping the spirit alive.

DEATH...DESTRUCTION...DEATH...DESTRUCTION...DEATH...DESTRUCTION...DEATH... DESTRUCTION...DEATH...DESTRUCTION... DEATH...DESTRUCTION......

Welcome to the 24hr Apocalypse news feed, where people eat at the table of global warring and destruction. From the East to the West, and from the North to South, the world is exploding. From the China seas to the deserts of North Africa, on the streets of Belfast to the alleyways of Bengasi. Citizens turn on citizens and refugees run. Nations wave flags of fear in the faces of enemies who could be friends and not fiends. Differences divide, and those with the power rule in a world of global Politriks. We are all displaced citizens, no matter where we call home when freedom decays in front of our freeview eyes. People become fat on doom and gloom, while others starve in ignorance and injustice the only thing that feeds their minds is the hunger in their stomachs and the thirst in their mouths. Theirs is a world with ends, and for them it's....Apocalypse Now!....We can wake up to breakfast, the morning sky and tune in again tomorrow.

THE BLEACH BOYS - We've Got The Bomb (CD)

Someone requested a reposting of The Bleach Boys Children Of The Wallyworld tape. Unfortunately this was lost in the great hard drive crash of 2000 and whenever, and I'm having trouble finding the back up, so here's some different Bleach Boys. Its their We've Got The Bomb CD Single/mini album, which was released in 2009, original singer Simon Kelly doesn't feature in this incarnation of the band, but they still blast out a mighty fine anarchic and chaotic brand of punk rock that is reminiscent of The Dead Kennedys in more than several places. ENJOY!/DESTROY!

Oh snow here we go....again!

Annual snow report. Once again it's that time when the white stuff comes down, and everything comes to a halt. Everyone’s off work because it's a 'snow day'.... SNOW DAY! Years ago people just got on with it. I don't know if the weather is getting more 'extreme' that's debatable, but what is getting more extreme is peoples attitude and reaction to it e.g. Time off work and panic buying. I wouldn't have passed comment on the latest weather conditions in Britain, if it weren't for what a Met Office scientist had to say about the snow that has been falling recently. Apparently it's the wrong kind of snow....too powdery. When asked why this is the case he said it was due to a “warming in the stratosphere” which has changed wind directions and temperatures, in short there has been a change of atmosphere in the....atmosphere, which is why the weather is the way it is....Snowy and cold. Well that's nature for you, or is it? No, I don't think it is just nature, and I'm not talking about Global Warming, I'm talking about Military experiments, to be more specific, the Haarp Project, which in a nut shell (I've done a few posts on Haarp and The Weather. Click the tags at the bottom of this post if you wanna read more.) is a US Military project that fires radio waves into the ionosphere, which causes it to heat up, and as we have seen changes in the atmosphere result in changes to the weather, a powerful weapon in the US arsenal, with which the enemy can be literally washed away, and everyone thinks it's just a natural phenomena.  

QUI / NON.... You Decide! (Some Thoughts.)

The photo of the faded graffiti accompanying this post has been on a wall near where I live for possibly over 40 years since the last referendum about Britain’s membership of the Common Market, or the European Economic Community to give it its proper title. Despite the weathering and attempted removal you can still just about make out the words EEC NO. (The photo was taken on Jan 12^th 2013) Britain joined the EEC in 1973.

Forty years later the debate about Britain’s membership of the European Union is being questioned, and there is talk of a referendum, and changing Britain’s relationship with its neighbours across the channel. We could probably survive/do without the extra laws that have been generated since the early 90's when the union became more about creating social policies as well as economic ones for its member states. By 1993 the Economic had been dropped and it became just the European Union. But what about the economics....I mean Britain doesn't produce enough food to feed its people, it is nearly all imported from Europe, which was ironically a concern when Britain first joined the union in 1973. If Britain were to opt out then all the old trade deals would become as redundant as the workforce. Or would they? I don't think anyone really knows what the consequences would be for Britain if it did leave the EU, but I can't see it happening, for one The USA wont allow Britain to leave the EU, after all Britain is still Americas trojan horse in Europe, and when it comes to special relationships Britain always favours America, no matter what the cost; you only have to look at the numbers of troops killed and wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq, more British service men than German or French have lost their lives.

An island mentality

It's about the power. Britain wants to be a great European power, but those days of colonialism and Empires are over. Then there's the German question? The fear of a Europe run by the Germans, and some people find this hard to deal with because.... isn't that what Britain fought two world wars for, to stop Germany taking over Europe. (Their view not mine) The same people also believe that Britain has been invaded by immigrants from Europe who are taking our jobs and house or living off state benefits.

Immigration has provided a workforce to do the jobs that British workers either didn't want to do, or were to expensive to hire.

Anti European feeling has been fostered in the media, thanks to stories about EU laws that dictate the length of the British sausage, and the size of our crisps, running along side tales of how much the 'immigrants' receive in state benefits.

The increased popularity of UKIP shows that there are more people out there who are unhappy with Britain being in the European Union. A pound to the mark/franc says that many of these have views and opinions that veer further to the Right than is healthy. All this anti-Europe sentiment plays into the hands of the extremists, and in comparison with the Labour, Conservative and Liberal parties, UKIP are extreme, not to the extent of the BNP, but who knows what could happen over say the next 10 years.

Is membership of the European Union a threat to our democracy? Well....no, not unless our leaders let it be. Which is what they have done since Britain joined, other countries have had regular referendums over changes in European legislation.

All the new laws from Europe have created large and costly bureaucracies and new levels of management to administer politicians and civil servants interpretation of the laws from Brussels. I use the word interoperate, because when the Smoking in the workplace legislation came from Brussels, The British Labour government decided to ban it completely, but many European countries left that decision to the employers, who set aside designated smoking areas.

Using smoking in the workplace as an example, we can see that it's one rule for one country and another one for another country. The same goes for immigration, both Germany and France have placed a cap on the numbers that they allow in. It's the same with the Human Rights that see terrorists appealing against convictions in Britain, but in France they are sent back to their homeland, no questions asked other than that they have been found guilty. Is it tolerance that makes Britain Great? Or is it colonial guilt that dictates over common sense?

Having the cake and eating it! I'm sure a total withdrawal from Europe is not on the cards, I can't see any government putting that question before the masses of X-Factor voters and Racist bigots. I can see them renegotiating the social policies that are strangling a nation with bureaucratic red tape, and haemorrhaging money through the layers of management employed to enforce the laws, such as health and safety.

I don't want a European Super state, especially not if Tony Blair's up for being the EU President. But I don't want isolation, it's about inclusion, involvement, and yes integration in a world that has changed dramatically over the last 50 years. These changes have left some confused and unable to cope with the fears that Britain is losing its 'national identity' these people are easy targets for the media and right wing politicians. The fact is that Britain has changed and will continue to change, the same goes for other EU states, and it's always the economic migrants and the dispossessed that bare the brunt of peoples anger at being let down as they see it by the politicians, and they may have a point, but the answer to 'the European issue' does not lie to the far right, nor to the far left, it lies down the middle, a balance between the good and bad that the European Union offers to all member states, rather than letting them eat cake!   

THE NOVEMBER FIVE - Closure / Flame (CD Single)

This is the debut single by The November Five, released in Feb 2009, and incendiary stuff it is to. What else is there to say that I didn't when I reviewed their album a few posts ago....oh yeah....these guys should be massive, forget yer Biffy Giros and Muse's. It's the Nov 5 that should be filling the stadiums and festival fields with their call to arms anthems like Flame....

“If you're satisfied you are dead. If you are happy with this life, go back to bed....If you're pacified you are a slave, you might as well start digging your own grave.”

This post goes out to Longy, a man with impeccable musical tastes, and a top fella.

THE REVERENDS - The New Addicted (A Review)

The Reverends hail from Derby and formed in 2010, since then they've been spreading the word with their raucous yet tuneful brand of Punk Rock. The New Addicted is their debut album, and what a corker; fourteen catchy and jumpy shout about anthems.

This album is total old skool Punk Rock. The class of 77 meet the class of 82, and everyone gobs on the freshly polished classroom floor. There are bits that have an Anarcho Punk vibe going on, then others with an Oi/Street Punk sound, but nothing is contrived. The music sounds fresh and vital, the message and the anger is totally now.

Behind the shouty and rasping vocals drums thump and cymbals crash. Guitars fuzz and buzz, and the bass meanders around giving a real melodic quality to the short, sharp shock of the songs. Great crystal clear production. No self respecting punk rocker should be without a copy of this album. Available from the bands website.

“The new addicted, not passive nor restricted.”

SUM WERDS!

The comfortable are numb; their cuts don't bleed, because the heartless don't feel the pain they cause. A privilege few born with silver spoons. Sink Estate kids born to lose with a knife and a cold steel slash. Taking the money then running drive by shooting, board room dealings, stock exchange swindles and robbing bankers, tax evaders and benefit scroungers. Divide and rule on the ship of fools, there's no care in the community if the community doesn't care. Welfare....Well unfair! Pensioner freezing because they can't afford the heating. Wrap up warm for a winter of discontent and wait for the summer heat on burning streets.

Bureaucracy rules, with jobs for the boys and girls. The middle class, middle managers, give 'em all the middle finger.

Our leaders lie to and manipulate a mass of people that cannot see, and don't care about thinking. Their satisfaction has been guaranteed by a no refund consumer society, cheap TV and new technologies, mobile phones and lap-pads. 24/7 total communication. They call this progress, when all people have become is slaves to the machine and obese on a diet of consumer goods. Moving forwards but going backwards IMHO, as I LOL when they grunt their whatevers and 'reams. A nation of numb and dumbed down, down and outs. Welcome to UK plc Where there's no future because everyone's dreaming, and ignoring the nightmare. It's time to wake up from passive slumber and decide which side of the bed you are sleeping on.

THE NOVEMBER FIVE - If You're Satisfied You Are Dead (A Review)

If You're Satisfied You Are Dead is the debut album by London based band The November Five. It's an album that reflects the ever present paranoia, distrust and anger in post millennium Britain. The eleven tracks are tense and terse, vicious and violent, frantic and furious. It's a compelling, hypnotic collection of catchy and anthemic songs that suck you in and spit you out feeling alive yet wanting more. Great intelligent and emotional lyrics, with guitars that chop and chime, keyboards that swirl and a rhythm section that thumps, the vocals are reminiscent of 'the Two Ians' (Curtis from Joy Division and McCulloch from Echo and The Bunnymen) in fact it sounds like there's a whole post-punk 80's vibe going on. I Demand is a call to arms that sounds like Joy Division on angel dust, Good Cop Bad Cop sounds like a street fight between The Godfathers and Primal Scream. While Control sounds like Echo And The Bunnymen trading tunes with The Folk Devils. There are other bits that sound like long lost 90's bands Humanzi and Whipping Boy. The November Five have one boot in the past and another in the present, which makes it kickin' stuff! Simple no frills attached Rock'n'Roll that feeds the emotions. Beautiful, brilliant, exciting and life affirming stuff! Details of how to get a copy are on their facebook page.

Carpe diem *

A New Day Rising.

*Latin for Sieze The Day!

SCARS - Sessions/Demos/Live (*A Re-Post*)

Another re-post this time from late 70's early 80's Edinburgh Post-Punk Glam Romantics the Scars, or just Scars, to give them their proper name. During the brief time they were together they released 3 singles and 1 album, recorded a couple of Peel Sessions. and toured with Comsat Angels, Josef K and The Church.This download is like it says on the tin; a collection of sessions, demos and live stuff. Enjoy, because you don't get the like of bands like the Scars these days, and when you do they lack the authenticity of the real thing.

SCUM OF TOYTOWN - *A Re-Post*

This re-posting should have been done a couple of months ago as a footnote to a gig review of the scumbags at Club 85 in Hichin, but due to un foreseen circumstances at the eleventh hour I wasn't able to get along to it. Then I was gonna just post the music with a bit of writing, but found it hard to be objective about it, as primarily the band are friends that I've known for as many years as I can't remember. I started to write about some recollections of gigs etc back in the day, but then stopped because....now is the day!

The blurgh below and the lean, mean and moody photo have been blatantly blagged from the bands Last FM page:

Ska-punksters and arch exponents of tuneful 90s agit-pop to a wider world, Scum of Toytown are a response to the boredom and disaffection of London overspill life in Stevenage, UK. Rooted in the North London punk scene of the 70s and 80s, the main members met and began playing together in the late 80s. Gravitating towards the lively free festival and squat scene, SOTT played numerous dates in the UK with bands like RDF, Back to the Planet, Citizen Fish, Senser, 25th of May, Blaggers ITA, Dub War, Bender, The Cowboy Killers and AOS3. Three highly successful tours were organised on the central European squat scene through the influential Kopi collective in Berlin.

Tracks were released on a number of compilations, a DIY 7” EP, and an outstanding album, ‘Strike’, recorded at Southern Studios in Wood Green with the help of the Newport based Words of Warning label. Generous reviews were received for their recorded music in the underground and mainstream music press. Several tracks received national radio airplay, including an airing of the iconic ‘Jackboot Crusade’ by the late John Peel and, most recently, Tom Ravenscroft played ‘Sink or Swim’ on BBC 6 Music in November 2010.  SOTT stopped playing together around 1997. However, in 2010 events brought them back together and the band are currently working on a host of new songs, with recording and some selected live shows in the pipeline.

Shows have been played, songs have been recorded, there's footage on YouTube and stuff to listen to on the bands website. 2013 could be the year that the scum rises to the surface! Until then lets rewind a few years to a live set @ Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage in 1992, their first release, the mighty Fight Truth Decay Tape and here's a copy of their Destruction Of Both Houses Of Parliament EP, plus some bonus remixes.  

HAVE A LUCKY NEW YEAR!

STAY FREE!  STAY STRONG! and KEEP ON KEEPING ON!