No One Rules #3 / Negative Reaction #15

NEGATIVE  REACTION NO ONE RULES OK

No.15 .

Noi!se £2.00

No.3

Contact Negative Reaction at trevhagl@hotmail.com

2011 – year of the cu(n)ts.

They’ll put you out of a job, make you beg for benefits, brand you a scrounger, cut your dole, then if you haven’t taken advantage of all those golden opportunities (cleaner at Asda / Macdonalds abuse-magnet) , they’ll make you work for nothing (maybe even in the same job they forced you out of in the first place). Still , when you’re out picking up rubbish you might find an old settee to replace the one the bailiffs took.

Meanwhile…the message for millionaire tax dodgers is “go ahead and do it my son!” . Fuckers like Kraft come to this country, buy Cadburys, put hundreds on the dole and – thanks to a ‘holding company’ tax dodge – avoid paying towards the benefits of those they made redundant in the first place!!! Krafty!

Benefit fraud = £1.5 billion a year.

Tax dodging = £120 billion+ a year.

Guess who they go after?

Google 38degrees for more info. They are a campaign group aiming to embarrass the government into action. Don’t hold your breath though – the government and their advisers ARE the tax dodgers! Although the campaign is already touching a nerve- full pages ads were pulled by Tory rags the Telegraph and Daily Mail

Welcome anyway to a split zine with the man who makes John Lydon look like a patronising infant school teacher. The only zine ed I know who probably wears a bulletproof vest to work. In my half I gave you a mammoth review section, the odd rant, and interviews with Kings of The Delmar, Vicious Rumours and Noi!se – some political/social differences but still some interesting answers, and a lot of effort put into em.

Come March and the long awaited split zine with Anti Hippie should be out. It will be a bumper issue and include a comp CD of quality Oi! and punk. Trev

A few words from me.. long suffering invisible other half. Just to prove I am still here! I’m still stockpiling material for a future relaunch of Trevwatch.

Have been somewhat preoccupied for the second half of 2010, nursemaiding the great man with his broken ankle and spending endless hours travelling round and round the North East on ever more rationalised, overcrowded public transport getting to work and back. Oh and the joy of being forcibly catapulted to the epicentre of the local government nerve centre.. but that’s one for my memoirs. Musical highpoints of 2010.. Perkele ‘Forever’; HardxTimes ‘Life is a battlefield’ and Produzenten der Froide ‘split with Red Alert’. Anyway.. I hope against all the odds 2011 is a good one for you.. never give in! Dawn x

Recently got in touch with John from Vicious Rumours , who unlike many old timers , is still enthusiastic and into new bands etc. The bands’ rarities album “Farticus” was released a few months ago on a Swedish label and, never having remembered seeing the band in a zine before, I thought now was the time to catch up. Here we go….

Many younger/foreign skinheads see UK81 as some mythical golden age but (to name but one example) my mate visited the Last Resort shop at the time and was glad to get out of there , having “been stared at by seig heiling loons off their tits on glue or something” (his words) . Gigs also frequently erupted in violence. What are your memories – good and bad – of the original London Oi scene?

It’s funny how you get all these ‘younger’ skins and punx joining our friends list, and you go through their photos etc and they all have West Ham shirts on! And citing ‘old school’ oi! As influences. Personally I found the early eighties exciting, I loved the bands around, it was probably more my influence that turned the band into more an oi! sound than the traditional punk stuff. We used to do a lot of moany groany songs about governments and war etc, but I was bored of hearing it from other bands, and we were too young to be ‘socially or politically aware’ in my opinion.

Hence we opted for the ‘havin‘ a laugh’ approach.

The violence at gigs was a nightmare, it eventually was part of the reason we split in ’88. Along with the extreme politics in the scene, we had no interest in all of that, frankly we just were fed up with the accusations and the pettiness of it all. Shame, because there’s a lot of honesty in ‘oi!’ type songs. Not many people realise, or know that we were the support at the Business gig in Coventry, that spurred them to write the song of the same name. It was a surreal night, but when you hire coaches and stuff, and lose god knows how much money each time a gig is ruined or cancelled, you think “what is the point”. Coventry, Bournemouth, countless others.

Like many, Garry Bushell helped you get recognised . Have you seen his recent books , and what do you make of his journey from left wing music writer to (somewhat bizarrely) right wing newspaper columnist?

A lot of people slag GB off for this and that, I can see that his career doesn’t appeal to everyone after being so outspoken about things. I’ve always hated The Sun and the tabloid press not because of political stance, but because they’re nothing more than comics, and full of crap. As much as anything it’s always yesterday’s news as well!

Same with his TV pundit stuff, It’s his job. I don’t watch much TV myself, I certainly wouldn’t watch most of the stuff he has to I haven’t read his books yet, I do however want to read the Stinky Turner/Cockney Rejects one. For me, Garry Bushell, was/is a nice bloke, he helped us no end and I went to one of his birthday bashes in Covent Garden once and found him to be down to earth and quite a laugh.

People will know you as a Sarf Landan Oi band , yet here you are in France. How did that come about, how does it compare with your old stomping ground, and what sort of logistical problems does that cause today’s band line up?

A bloody nightmare!

Not so much me being in French France, but JM lives in the USA, so as you can imagine it’s not the easiest thing to organise!

Dan seems to have called it a day with the band, and he lives in Malta, so if he had continued we would have been a very multinational band!

I came over ‘cos I was getting frustrated with the state of the UK, and what was going on with all these muppets in baseball caps and ghetto slang. Also my wife is French, so I thought why not?

It’s not bad here, nothing at all like Souwf London …..I’ve got cows in fields a few hundred metres from me for one thing!

There’s good and bad wherever you live I think.

Obviously we ain’t gonna be able to do what ‘normal’ bands do, but then again, we are doing this reunion for us because it’s something we want to do. Let the new bands have their chance to break, and do their thing.

Just let us old farts just have a few more memories before it’s time to get out the dressing gowns and comfy slippers.

What are the ex members of Vicious Rumours doing today?

All of them? There’s been quite a few!

JM is a personal trainer and has his business in the USA, Dan runs a scaffolding firm in Malta, and I am a builder/decorator.

As far as the others go I have no idea, work or music wise. It’d be nice to find out come to think of it!

One thing I like about the French is they stick up for themselves ie the Tory govt there try to put pension age up to 62 and there’s hell on. Over here the fuckers are making it 66 and we do bugger all about it! I take it working life over there is a bit more tolerable than in the UK where jobs are full of crawlers who put up with anything! ?

Yeah they don’t take shit, they riot, strike, dump cow crap on doorsteps, set fire to English sheep etc then the government does what they were going to do anyway! In a way it’s laughable, the strikes cause chaos, and this last lot especially have been a real bind for everyone else, but nothing will change, Sarko and his mob just go ahead and pass the bills. All that has happened is people are getting fed up with the strikers. Actually the retirement age is 62 here, the strikes are because they want to make it 67. But also they don’t realise that generally people live longer nowadays, so that means if everyone retired at 62 the state will have to fork out countless millions on benefits etc, already the French system is throwing money away left right and centre with archaic rules and benefits, It’s sickening how much medicine for example is given out here compared to the UK, people think nothing of going to the doc for a sore throat and coming back with a sack full of pills and lotions, then they hoard it in cupboards, only to throw away and repeat the process the next time. There is a collection a few times a year for third world countries etc of the old medicine that’s never been used, but generally it’s wasted. They will go out on strike at the drop of a hat. There needs to be a balance between the UK system and the Frenchie one, a happy medium. Don’t forget the frenchies only do a 35 hour week (only? Sounds more than enough! – ED), and it’s very regimented over here with regard to bureaucracy etc. Also there’s a real us and them atmosphere with bosses, something

that I’ve never experienced before, and my wife as well. She much prefers the UK work mentality.

(Some interesting points there but I think it’s bollocks about people living longer – I’ve lost many mates who haven’t even turned 50. As for getting on with bosses, well it’s hard when most of em are looking to fuck us over on pay or conditions, if not sack us and make the rest work harder. Respect to all those who fight for a better working life -ED) What are the original members doing now? I see you had Pete from Guitar Gangsters in the band circa 2000?

Pete was good enough to respond to an ad I put up on the old “Punk and Oi! in the UK” website, we had met him a few times back in the 80’s. He’s doing the reunion gigs as well. What can I say? He’s a great bloke and a fantastic guitarist. The Guitar Gangsters are an awesome band, Love ‘em!

Any good tales to tell from the US 2000 tour then ? If I remember right (and copious amounts of beer may prove me wrong!) you played Morecambe round about then – did you get to see or meet many good bands?

Any negative points?

The US tour was a crack, The Generators bought us over there after JM met Dougie when they supported the Business in LA, Apparently they used to listen to us quite a lot when “they were growing up”, We did 4 or 5 shows there. Actually met the Dropkick Murphys as well, they were playing just down the road from where we were one night, gutted really, they said they would have had us do a few numbers If they’d known we were around. It was definitely a highlight in my “VR life” Yeah we did Morecambe that year, unfortunately we were pretty pants! I think I was too nervous because I was singing. It was quite a big gig to do when I wasn’t too confident with my vocals, shame ‘cos we did the HITS in Tufnell park and Bilbao a few months after and we were a lot better. We met some good bands, nice people etc, also we met some real wannabe popstar arseholes! It’s the way of the world Trev!

Tell us about the “Farticus” CD. How did it end up on a Swedish label and where are the various tracks culled from?

It’s some of the recordings from around the 2000 reunion, 3 tracks we recorded for a split thing with the Generators, 4 demos that JM did a little while after, 2 live tracks from Germany, and the 3 demo tracks we did back in 82/83 that led to the inclusion on the ‘Son of Oi!’ compilation. We thought it’d be good to chuck all this stuff together, for the forthcoming gigs and to let people hear what they might not have heard before, because the 2000 comeback was kinda short lived!

I contacted Niklas from PST after a bit of a balls up with another label, or rather threats from some idiot who’s own political agenda blinds him from seeing anything other than what he wants to see. (as is always the way) I saw that Pretty Shitty Town had released a single from the Clichés and asked them if they fancy releasing a rarities CD from us? I didn’t ask the better known outlets, simply because PST had

left a lot of encouraging comments on our MySpace site when they heard about our getting back together and I liked the way they run their ‘operation’, they put on a lot of good gigs over there.

VICIOUS RUMOURS How did your various labels treat you (Link/ Oi! / Captain Oi) ? How many did your albums sell back in the day?

Mark Brennan was fine to us, we wanted him to manage us at one stage, as we were very close to the Business, and go back a long way with them. When Mark left and formed Link with Lol, it seemed logical to release stuff with them.

As for sales? I have no idea! We certainly didn’t sell that many! Couple of thousand I guess?

Certainly didn’t earn bucketloads of royalties, couple of hundred quid totally?

Something like that.

The internet seems to have taken over many people’s lives. Do you at times yearn for the days when people socialised in pubs, zines were proper zines, and people treasured music instead of it being another fad like Playstations?

It’s got its good points as well though! After all, nowdays you can contact people within minutes or seconds, whereas in ye olde days when people wrote to us there was weeks of waiting for replies etc no?

I know what you mean though, Yeah, an ideal world would incorporate the two. Zines do exist still, admittedly a fraction of what went before, but then again from what I’ve seen the quality, generally is far better than before, people take more care about what they write, and even the finished product is usually of a better standard. I still have countless zines from the 80’s, some great, some absolutely pointless! Some people create websites instead of zines, it’s the same principle. Really the web is just a modern zine!

Admittedly I much PREFER to have the real thing in front of me, same with Records/CD’s, downloading mp3’s etc is great, but where’s the fun? You can’t beat getting a new ‘album’ for example and going over the artwork or the ‘freebies’ etc And trust me….I’d rather be down the pub!!

Many thanks to John for putting some thought into the answers! Check out the Farticus rarities CD, probably the only one of these things that’s shit hot quality and not peppered with piss poor filler tracks and practice sessions that stop half way through!

INTERNET RAGE The internet. Like smack, or religion, it can take over your life. You might buy it for one handed surfing but before you know it you’ll be high on the power of forum pseudonyms, contacting the mundane on Facebook and within weeks your eyes will feel like they’ve been squirted with tear gas and made to stare at Anne Widdecombe naked .

But worse than anything is the fact you will age 10 years through stress. Here is the Negative Reaction guide to internet rage to hopefully (puts on Frank Gallagher voice) “stop you going mental”

YOUR ISP You will naturally go for the cheapest Internet Service Provider. Ours is Talk Talk and it is very fast. When it’s working. When it’s not then…oh fuck. Double fuck. I am not sure if they are just having a laugh, whether it’s some kind of competition to see how angry they can make the caller , or just sheer incompetence , but here’s a typical example, concerning just one attempt to get a new modem; Passed to 8 different departments (who all ask for your full address details and password) , put on hold several times (once, after a 10 minute wait I am put through to a survey which asks “how has your complaint been handled?” !!!), I get through to the right department but they can’t help because THEIR computers aren’t working either. Passed to another dept and in a fit of rage ask to speak to the manager, who I am told is out but will ring me back. He doesn’t. I have now spent an hour and give up and try again the next day.

The call next day is going exactly the same way so I decide to press the option “so you are thinking of leaving Talk Talk” . This is the one dept where you are guaranteed an answer straight away (funny that). I am promised a free new modem (in exchange for signing a new contract of course). I tell them I need it urgently. A week later I ring back to ask where it is. They say it takes 7-10 working days. 3 weeks later it’s still not here, but by then thankfully, sometimes the computer works.

And to add insult to injury that cheesy song about electric faces in their ads is the fucker you have to listen to all the

time you’re put on hold.

STRESS LEVEL – 10 CURE – Pay more for a different provider? (did I really say that?)

DISCOGS Probably the most infuriating site on the net. It’s like the freemasons – if you don’t already know someone who’s a member, forget it. Because only if you make umpteen phone calls to a mate who has successfully navigated the site will you have any hope of even getting set up in the first place. If what you wanna sell is already on there then fine, you just look for the tiny logo “sell your CD” and take it from there. But if it’s a new listing , you will be plunged into a world of EU style bureaucracy and nerd-dom equivalent to a thousand Star Trek conventions.

Every track on your CD /Vinyl has to be listed , with the first letter of each word in capitals.

Everything has to be done in the right order , using the right drop down menu. Then there’s

the label section. What if a record is self released? You put “self released” surely? Er No. What about “No Label” then? Er no. The correct answer is…. “Not On Label” . Then there’s “release notes” and “submission notes” . I just took a wild guess (cos if you leave em blank you can’t continue) and put ‘limited digi pack’ . Finally get the damn thing listed and find in my email box loads of change your listing messages from Discogs HQ. Turns out there’s actually a drop down menu for “limited” so I go back in, add that (and every time you change anything your submission notes are wiped out, leaving you in a blind rage screaming “WHY WON’T IT LET ME CONTINUE NOW!!!”) . Finally I realise what’s happened and add “Digi Pack” again (without the “limited edition” this time). Mission accomplished. Or is it? Up pops another message telling me I must correct the word “Digi Pack” as it is in fact spelt “Digipak” !! I don’t know whether it’s cos I originally lost my temper and told them what I thought of em but every time I do a new listing, no matter how clever I think I’ve been, I still get loads of messages, within minutes, telling me to go back and correct stuff, “Christ!” I thought. “They really are that sad they can sit there waiting for someone to make a “mistake”. RESPECT MY AUTHORITAI !!!!

STRESS LEVEL – 10 CURE – Track the bastards down and shove their anoraks up their fucking arse.

MY SPACE As kids we would listen to hours of shite on Peel to get to tape a few good tracks. What we woulda given to be able to listen to any band in the world and contact them in seconds. And yet for most the novelty has worn off and all that’s left are the spammers. I am guessing that there’s some kind of software which lets the user bombard completely random strangers with shite because every fucking day I get messages from a band playing in New York or somewhere, or a friends request from a shit alternative rock band. And twattish labels who say I can review their stuff by clicking on “the link below” …of course I refuse on principle to ever listen to their bands. If they got any greedier they’d be asking me for a donation to pay their electric bill. Cunts.

But the worst thing about My Space is trying to set something up on a blog (in my case my list) . Cutting and pasting is a fucking nightmare, The font size in places increases for no apparent reason , half the thing goes missing, so in the end you end up using 7 sections to post one list, and even then half the time you try to edit it it sends you up to the start. And when you finally get it up to date, the fuckers change the site so you now can’t edit the blog at all , the old ones stay up there, £ signs turn into squares, everything freezes and email links are broken.

STRESS LEVEL – 9 CURE – Stick to listening to bands, if there are any left on there.

E-BAY

The site that takes your eyes out and comes back for the sockets. True, I have attracted some good punters over the years – but also encountered some downright tossers too.

Where else can you pay to list, pay if it sells , pay again to receive the money (paypal) and THEN if some twat pretends he didn’t receive the item , they take the money off you and give it back to him, regardless of the fact you have a proof of posting and you offered him the chance to pay extra for insurance and he REFUSED. And then there are the mentals. “Is the Discharge LP you’re listing an LP or CD?” or even worse, those who cannot complete a simple transaction outside of ebay.

“Really want this item but I missed the bidding. Can you relist it?” . “No, just paypal me it”. “I’d rather you relisted it!”. Email deleted . Just FUCK OFF right?

STRESS LEVEL – 8 CURE – You could make sure everyone pays for insurance I guess but you’d sell fuck all. And don’t reply to mentals.

FORUMS (POLITICAL) Spend hours, days, weeks arguing with petty, pedantic, secretarian misfits who’ve never had a sniff of the barmaids apron in years – probably because if they did venture into the real world they’d get glassed within minutes. Smug know-it-all arseholes who – if they were half as important as they’d like us to think they are – would be out there doing something constructive instead of bitching around mere technicalities. Sad cases who expect you to fully research each post you make and provide PROOF , like you were a big shot libel lawyer. Lefty academics with a thirst for boring literature and a hatred of The Tories, New Labour but above all…EACH OTHER. And oddly enough for a bunch who are establishment-sceptical , try suggesting that there may have been something untoward in the deaths of David Kelly or Diana and they will rise up against you in righteous anger and brand you a mentalist.

STRESS LEVEL – VARIABLE CURE – The mere mention of Frankie Boyle is enough to send em apoplectic . Do it, sit back and enjoy the fireworks

FORUMS (MUSIC) These offer people who once actually liked punk rock the chance to brag about their knowledge of the late 70’s / early 80’s. It’s like SLF’s St Patricks Tour, only on the internet. A cocoon against the here and now for fat fucked 40-somethings whose idea of anarchy is being allowed out to their mate’s wedding. I touted my wares on talkpunk77.co.uk forum , and within a week 30 people had clicked on my ad, of which a grand total of 0 bought anything.

My somewhat sarcastic observational response to this provoked sheer fury. You’d think I’d branded them child molesters on national TV. FRUSTRATION LEVEL – 9 CURE – If you can’t beat em join em ; “Hey guys can you remember the Damned at Dingwalls Newcastle1983? I got very drunk”

FACEBOOK You know “Nasty Friday” – the one before Xmas where every part timer for miles around turns up, has 3 pints, barfs all over the toilets , picks fights like the long lost brother of Biffa Bacon, and slurs “aye we’ll definitely have a pint together, givvus your phone number” , never to be seen again? You wonder where these people are the other 364 nights of the year? Here.

That’s where.

So why did I bother? Well, with CD sales falling like Lib Dem membership I thought I would sign up and hopefully find some old long lost punters or something. Which I did, only to find that they too have been sucked a world where nothing else matters except inane patter.

“Going shopping LOL” . My god, if the simple act of going shopping is causing you to actually ‘laugh out loud’ then I suggest you try something like kicking a football about in the park – you’ll laugh so hard you’ll probably prolapse” -Beat Motel fanzine BEMUSEMENT LEVEL – 8 CURE – Their life is over. There is no cure. What can you do with people who find hoovering a worthy conversation topic?

FREE ADS & THE MAGIC WEBSITE THAT MAKES YOUR RECORDS WORTH A FORTUNE I am busier than the Samaritans after the Govt’s new welfare reforms . The last thing I need is people wasting my time, yet it seems there are only two kinds of people that answer my free ads. One sounds like a stroke victim and seems to think “PUNK RECORDS WANTED” means Elvis and Queen. The other will tell you that whatever it is he’s got is WORTH A FORTUNE. After all, he SAW IT ON THE NET. OK then, here’s the deal. I will put all my Boomtown Rats , Adam & the Antz and Stranglers records on Discogs for £30 each , and tomorrow I will sell them all to you for £10 each. All you’ll need is a magic buyer to supplement your magic valuation. You’ll make a fortune! Good luck!

FRUSTRATION LEVEL – 9 CURE – as soon as you hear them mention the internet, tell them you’re no longer into punk.

You are in fact now a born again Christian and would they like to talk to you about the Lord? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

NEW OI! BOOK – PHOTOS WANTED Garry Bushell in conjunction with my dodgy geezer friend from Germany is working on a new book about the history of Oi . If anyone has any old photos from the 80’s of skinheads please get in touch at the NR address on page 2 and I will send them to Gordon Jack (only joking) no seriously, I will forward your email.

Cum on feel the…

NOI!SE

Here’s a good new US Oi band for you esp if you like early Leatherface or The Beltones!

Cheers to Matt for answering the Q’s…..

I got your old band’s 7” (Aires & Graces) from Longshot and gave you a fairly sceptical review because of the song “Better Dead Than Red” – this being the slogan used by Nazis (and also Young Conservatives) in the 80’s!! Yet I was surprised to get a well thought out and interesting reply to the review. For the benefit of anyone else with a similar misunderstanding can you tell us what lies behind that song.

Matt: In this country, being against Communism has absolutely nothing to do with being racist. Aires and Graces was an anti racist band just like Noi!se is. That song is about kids here in the States that talk a steady stream of shit about our country who are completely oblivious to the fact that in doing so they are demonstrating a freedom that would never be afforded to them if they lived in a Communist country. Have you seen very many anti government protests in North Korea? Neither have I. To me the extreme left is just as bad as the extreme right. Both want total control by eliminating all opposing viewpoints and taking away people's individual freedom. The sides just use different rhetoric to get there.

I also got the wrong idea concerning all the pro-troops sentiments on the 7”.

Many US OI bands are totally gung- ho about the Iraq War and even supported George Bush (FFS!!!) but you seem to have thought deeper about it. Tell us your stance on all this….

Matt: I don't know if you got the wrong idea or not, since I don't know what your idea was, but I will say that I am 100% pro-troop as is the band (Noi!se, anyway). As for Iraq, this is my position: I served there and lost friends there. Our guitar player, Justin is a Soldier as well who has served both in Iraq and Afghanistan. A Soldier doesn't have the luxury of choosing his battles based on whether or not he agrees with the politics behind them.

(I was referring to bands so blindly patriotic that they supported anything Bush did – from starting an illegal war to torturing people at Guantanamo (that hadn’t even been found guilty of anything) . In no way would I diss the actual soldiers who, like you say, don’t have a choice in where they’re sent-ED) Why did you leave Aire & Graces?

Matt: I didn't leave Aires and Graces (though I probably would have eventually). I was kicked out by way of an email I recieved informing me that the band "wouldn't work with me in it".

The guitar player and I agreed on very little, and though I wrote most of the music the band released, Aires and Graces was his band and he wanted to run it his way without dissent from me or my career and desire to spend time with my family impeeding the rest of the band's desire to tour (by the way, Noi!se will be touring Germany and the U.S. West Coast in 2012) The band's fans were told a very different story which is why I have had to explain to many people the same thing I am explaining to you now. In retrospect it was a blessing. I'm not pissed off or frustrated after practices.

Bands are supposed to be fun to be in and it just wasn't fun in that band. I am in a band that I really love and making music I am proud of with very good friends that I consider family.I have also been able to take a couple of songs I wrote while I was in A and G (like What Happened to the Kids) and redo them the way I meant for them to be played. Like I said, it was for the best. I am exceedingly happy with where I am now and I don't wish any of the guys that were in that band any ill will. Everyone has a

reason behind the decisions they make and you can't be angry with someone for being themselvses. As for A an G, I've been told that they don't exist anymore. Apparently they've moved on to do different post punk and garage bands.

What was it like in the army? Why did you leave?

Matt: That's an awfully hard question (and a very good one). The Army is a different exerience for everyone who serves (just like any other job in that respect, I suppose). It is hard on our families and often times hard on us. I have an amazing wife and 3 month old son that I will be leaving soon for a deployment. It is extremely hard to think about leaving them, but it's part of the job. There are things that I love about my job and things I dislike (again, just like any other job). But, overall, I love it. It's what I'm good at (although that may be more of an opinion than a fact depending on who you speak to ...ha ha).

Obvious question for a band from Washington- How’s the new(ish) president doing? Guess he can’t be worse than Bush but I’m suspecting that he is not the man of the people that some were expecting?

Matt: We are from Washington State, not DC, so the political garbage happens thousands of miles away (thank God) (Sack the researcher!-ED). Politicians are politicians. They say what's going to get them elected. People buy into it and staunchly believe that what their candidate says is gospel, then whine and cry when they get elected and do fuck all they said they would. Anyone who thinks that a person groomed for politics and surrounded in academia their entire life that has never spent any time in the real world is going to step in and solve the problems of the average working class family is fooling themselves. "This guy says exactly what I want to hear, so HE's going to be the one to solve the world's problems".

Come on, man.

One thing most people in the UK can’t get their heads round concerning America is when Obama tries to set up some kind of NHS there’s outrage – it’s as if the public say “No!! We want to PAY when we’re ill!” . Is it really that bad over there or is it just ‘spin’ from the republican media/Sky news etc….

Matt: Well, if you look at it in the context of : "Would you like to have free healthcare, or pay for it?" then I can imagine the confusion. Unfortunately the issue is a bit more complex than that (just like every other political issue). I'll say this: everyone should have access to affordable healthcare.The problem wth Nationalized healthcare is that someone has to pay for it (which is the problem with quite a few ideas founded in good intentions) and in many cases , it's going to be families who are already busting their asses to pay for their own healthcare getting taxed even more to pay for other people's. I really can't weigh in on the subject without becoming a hypocrite, since as a Soldier, my healthcare as well as my salary is paid for by the American taxpayer. As for the spin in media, both sides spin their agendas in the media. Fox news may spin it one way, then you have MSNBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS and all the Newspapers spinning it the other way. I think it's humorous that people continue t o whine about Fox news, turning a blind eye to the enormous amount of bias the other media outlets display on a daily basis. Hypocracy is something I can't tolerate especially as it pertians to equality. It's as though people are in effect saying "As long as you spin it the way I want it spun, distort the truth all you want". It's bullshit. Both sides are going to spin things the way they want to....which is exactly why I refuse to get involved in Politics. Neither side wants to listen to the other.

Politicians are tolerant and open minded as long as you agree with everything they say and don't harbor a different view than they do. Politicians want what's best for the Country as long as it coincides with their personal agenda. Politicians want you to make your own decisions unless you're too stupid to see that their position is the right one....then the government

needs to make your decisions for you. What I think people should take away from this, is that you need to seek out the truth for yourself. If you rely on the media to tell you what's what, you're being fooled.

(I wish people would take more notice of that last bit! But as for the NHS , only the rich and greedy in the UK begrudge the poor healthcare. I heard a while back about the drummer of US band Snap Her who was in a bad car accident and she was lucky to survive – only to find herself in debt for the rest of her life with a $40 grand bill. Long live the NHS!! - ED) Read your influences on the site but I think above all you remind me of LEATHERFACE before they started listening to all this Gainesville crap……were you fans?

Matt: Ha Ha!! Ah, yes, the Gainesvlle crap. Absolutely. I love Leatherface, but I'm not sure they've influenced my writing at all. I honestly have no idea who we sound like. I'd love to think we have our own sound, but that might be naive.

I had to laugh a month or two ago on the My Space stream, you clearly state on your page that Noi!se does not add racists then someone who’s entire playlist consists of white power bands sent you a friend request!! Is this something you get often/ do they show up at gigs etc? Is there much of a local problem?

Matt: I wish I had a dollar for every time I've had to delete some Nazi asshole from our page.

For a long time we didn't get friend requests, so anyone could add us which inevitably lead to Boneheads adding us......apparently there are a lot of racists that believe the statement : "Don't add us if you're racist" doesn't apply to them. It's really odd. Now we have have a good friend named Jay who does our myspace so the settings have been put in place to avoid such silliness. I also had some moron send us a message saying that since we have "Good Night White Pride" on our friends list she wouldn't add us. Somehow she thought that Good Night White Pride was a racist movement......maybe Nazis that have meetings at night? Idiot.

Here in Washington, there are quite a few Boneheads, but they don't come to shows for 2 reasons: 1. They know they'll get the shit kicked out of them and 2. Most of them are apparently more in to Metal...which is fine with me. We don't want them at our shows or hanging out where we hang out, but if they show up, it will get dealt with.

BOOK REVIEWS HUGH COLLINS – Autobiography Of A Murderer Really good book that starts a bit iffy , darting from childhood to prison (and his father's prison life too) and back again, like a Tarantino movie, which makes it a bit awkward to suss what's actually going on . But once you pass the first 2 chapters and it settles into life before his conviction for murder it is a fantastic read.

Stalked by a one time associate , Hugh has to run the gauntlet of this psychopath and his mates turning up at every new address (god knows how he finds him) with a machete or shotgun, he's even on a bus one day and is fired at from a crossbow , looks outside and there's the loon grinning like a madman.

The suspense is tremendous, and when the psycho is put away for armed robbery, that is not the end of the fun and games, for an old enemy from prison tries to set Hugh up and a bloody battle ensues with

Hugh's assailant who is still trying to kill Hugh even though he has a kife sticking out of him.

Hugh is done for murder and then we get the usual prison politics, vendettas, drugs and finally reformation.

FANZINES by Teal Triggs (Thames & Hudson) The first I’d heard of this is when someone told me my old zine HAGL was featured in it. I checked out the link, begged a copy and was pretty gobsmacked when it turned up. I thought someone had sent me a large roof slate ; it cost over a fiver to post alone!

First thing you notice is that the writer mustn’t have informed the publisher of the nature of these things (heavy handed copyright warning ???? WTF!!) but if you are in any way into ART this is a magnificent book that gathers together hundreds of rare and eye catching DIY publications from the 60’s to the noughties. Images that really want to make you want to smash the internet (although it also covers e-zines too) . It’s that comprehensive it covers science fiction, feminist/riot girl/gay, football, rock, punk, politics/satire and comedy zines and it even unearths a zine called Negative Reaction – from the 70’s!!!

Yes I have actually ripped off the name without ever knowing! But on the downside it is written in the style of a university essay , as dry as a nun’s crotch, with reference numbers and technical analysis. All makes sense when you get to the inner back sleeve and find that the mysterious Teal Triggs is a ‘Co director of the research unit for Information Environments at the University of Arts of London’. Nonetheless it contains plenty of info and even traces zine origins back to the 1800’s and small run political pamphlets, and well known figures like Greg Shaw from Bomp and Jamie Reid (Pistols artist), Crass, music press journalists and many others have a fanzine history that predates their best known work by several years.

But in other cases it gives you a half hearted couple of lines – HAGL, for example, is described as a zine that featured bands from North East England – along with a pic of the cover that includes Die Schwarzen Shafe (Germany)! – and all they could say about the legendary Bugs and Drugs is that it had an ‘adults only’ warning on the cover.

So a game of two halves really. If you are into art, this is brilliant – the quality of reproductions is fantastic. But if you want a funny, lively read….buy a fucking fanzine!!

STUDENTS All those years of pubs full of shrieking cross dressers, twats paying for drinks with credit cards, woefully unfunny t-shirts and elitist, intellectual, pedantic tossers on forums finally ground me down and I proudly made Paul Calf my Facebook picture.

But no sooner had I put it up there than those champions of bad musical taste and fashion that would shame Chris Eubank did the impossible. They gained my respect.

The working class have not only been dormant over the last few years, they’ve gone out their way to kiss establishment arse; buying fucking rubbish like the Sun or Daily Star and preaching it as ‘fact’ like a twisted evangelist.

So when a load of people raise hell – even if they’re posh – it’s a breath of fresh air. Surreal scenes as thousands of youngsters with the ear piercing screams of a costume drama actress are ‘kettled’ ( blocked in & denied food water and liberty) by the old bill as if they were Loyalist paramilitaries marching into West Belfast (now even requesting water cannons! FFS!).

Watch out for the millionaire son of Pink Floyd, he’s DANGEROUS! A demonstrator called Jody with celebral palsy was dragged out of his wheelchair and across the road by a copper (a public audition for the job of ATOS Origin medical doctor for the new DLA/ESA reforms, perhaps?). Jody was interviewed on BBC News 24 by an ex public school fruitbat who tried to make him look like Osama Bin laden (“did you roll towards the officer in your wheelchair!” “Are you not a subversive!”) but thankfully Jody (despite not being able to talk properly) wiped the floor with him, although it does make you wonder what the BBC has come to these days. Has the Director General ousted Nick Clegg as Dave Cameron’s No.1 sex toy? Watch this space.

The students to their further credit also staged sit-ins at shops owned by tax dodging cunts like Philip Green (this will rile the government more than just protesting about tuition fees!). I even found a copy of Socialist Worker on the bus which was surprisingly a good read , although I am sure 57 varieties of lefty secretarian will be along in a minute to tell me off for saying that.

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ZINE REVIEWS ANTI HIPPIE no.6 (contact oibootboy@hotmail.com for price) Thick A5 Oi zine from Finland here – if you recognise the name, this is who I’m doing next issue of NR with. Features a good piece on crust (apparently lots of nice clean living kids in Finland have jumped on the bandwagon!), short interviews with Aires & Graces, Rebelion, UVPR label, RUST, On The Job, plus bits on me, Barse, lots of reviews (good to see a critical eye) and much more.

Very well laid out and readable (apart from where blurred type collides with grey background). Comes with a free CD of some of the bands featured plus his Bruised Knuckles roster.

BEAT MOTEL no.10 - £2ppd ? – Andy, PO Box 773, Ipswich, IP1 9FT. Thought this one had rapped in then all of a sudden I get a bumper issue through the

post! In fact it’s so long in progress I have a column in it still whinging about New Labour and there’s a review of NR no.12 proclaiming the end of the zine!

Anyway crammed with reading and loads of the usual stuff – columns (subject – ‘success’ – thankfully most of the columnists have their feet attached to the ground), a few interviews (I won’t even mention the bands, none of you will care), loads of reviews, wacky layout and a very good piece on facebook – my sentiments entirely!

ISSUE no.50 £2ppd from Neil Duncan, 25 Sarum Hill, Basingstoke, Hants, RG21 8SS. I had no idea how long this indie/punk zine had been going for until I saw this issue’s retro piece . You may think that being no.50 would give me a clue but the few issues I’ve seen of this have concentrated on current young bands (most of which I am sure I’d hate) so it was a bit of a surprise seeing the good cut and paste (a la Pistols) layout of old which to be honest looks better, although the editor has retained the good old typewriter font. In many ways this reminds me of TNS – very localised with runaway enthusiasm (too much so – you struggle to know who is actually good). Plenty of articles, news (mainly relevant to it’s local readers) etc.

Issue no 51. Pretty much the same craic as above but there’s a good article on local bands getting greedy when they get a sniff of fame, The geezer wants a medal for all the shout shout metal and rock bands he has to sit through, and still manages good things to say about it. Same price/address details as above LIGHTS GO OUT (www.lightsgoout.co.uk)– First time I’ve seen this zine and being primarily a zine covering modern punk I feared it being the usual ‘kiss ass and kept the freebies coming’ fest, but no , the reviews are objective and at times justifiably harsh. Indeed the worst thing about it is you can’t read too many of them as the type size is absolutely ridiculous (8pt) . Has interviews with PETER & THE TEST TUBE BABIES , ICH, ARTERIES , NO USE FOR A NAME and more.

Loads of stuff crammed into this and unlike many new zines it doesn’t come across as a starstruck newcomer whose fave bands are every one they’ve seen.

NO ONE RULES OK no.2 - £2ppd paypal from musicisloud@yahoo.co.uk .

Features a good scandal-ridden interview with Steve Ignorant (incl the classic question “which ex member of Crass would you punch first?”) , a good (update) piece on N.Ireland punk by Brian from Rudi/Shame Academy (and now it seems The Outcasts) , Sex Pistols Experience piece (which is really just a bitch about the writer Alan Parker), The Warriors, John Robb, a retro story about a local punk, history of Glasgow punk by Gerry (Fire Exit) and an Upstarts gig review.

The sense of humour and brutal honesty (no skating around difficult questions) makes it a winner.

ONE WAY TICKET TO CUBESVILLE 7 + 8 (£2ppd should cover both in UK! PO Box 4388, Manchester, M61 )FI). You’ve heard of bands reforming, now here’s a late 80’s zine reforming!! And what a comeback !! The humour here is fantastic – off the wall without being arty/pretentious – even the quiz is hilarious….sort of like BUGS & DRUGS without the cartoons. No.7 has UK SUBS and No.8 has COCK SPARRER and DISCHARGE amongst others, all lovingly crafted in cut & paste (yay!). Interesting questions and the most bizarre of articles.

KINGS OF THE DELMAR How did you first get into punk rock and how did the band come about?

We all have been into punk pretty much since we were kids in the late 70's. although we all like other sorts of music, like Wayne is really into Northern Soul , Bri loves glam and Damo just likes what he likes!!. But punk has always been our main love when it comes to music. Wayne started the band about 4 years ago as a four piece but the other three members could'nt cope with touring so we parted company and i got Bri & Damo in to carry on as a 3 piece, and because we have all been mates since we were kids it was easy to just carry on without much trouble.

So what exactly is The Delmar? Haha oh i get asked this all the time..it's quite along story so i will make it as short as i can for you...it basically came to me in a dream about me being in a street gang in 1960's new york (a bit like The Wanderers) and in this gang i was in a band called Kings of the Delmar and when i woke up i could still remember some of the songs so i started a new band called Kings of the Delmar.... I have since been told that The Delmar is a racetrack in calafornia so who knows what was going on in my head..

What the fuck have they done to My Space? And what sort of grief does it cause you?

Oh don't mention Myspace....why do things have to be messed with??? We have started using Facebook,Woho music and Ourstage.com now because people seem to be abandoning Myspace in droves..

You played the Punks Against Racism gig in Newcastle. do you see much of this where you live , the North West being a prime recruiting ground for the BNP/EDL? Have you as a band ever got grief?

Oh yeah we come from Burnley & Accrington so racism is everywhere.the bnp have a real stronghold in Burnley cause the people seem to be brainwashed by all the shit they spout..can't say we have ever had shit over our outspoken views against racism, we once got some nazi skins sieg heiling at a gig but we soon got shot of them...haha..

What can the left do to take back control of estates like that? Or have things gone too far?

I think until we have leaders who can relate to what life is like in Britain , nothing’s gonna change..to sort out the problems at the bottom of the social ladder we first need to sort out the greedy childish ones at the top ..cause everybody is gonna have to make sacrifices along the way..

On one of your gig flyers it lists you as ex UK Subs – what’s the connection there, and what was it like backing up Charlie?

Well we have all known Charlie for years ..he's a legend ...but i am sure most people know that Bri our drummer was the bass player in uk subs for 15 years.

Is “Punk Rock Idiot” directed at anyone in particular?

Hahaha well yes it did start out as a song about one person when i wrote it, but i kinda changed it to fit all the idiots we meet that give punk a bad name cause they think punk is a fashion thing and that it's all about shouting fuck off at families outside rebellion festival...i have said it before and i will keep on saying it..a leather jacket and a mohawk do'es not make you a punk!! (sorry to the people i know who have mohawks and are punk as fuck) There seems to be quite a few new oi/streetpunk bands in the UK with dodgy leanings – they wouldn’t admit to being nazis but their views seem to be Tory at least. Have you ever crossed swords with these bands/been asked to play with any etc?

I can honestly say i don't think we have ever played with any of these bands..cause if i knew they were right wing i would not play with them..but i don't know everyone’s beliefs so i can't say for sure cause we have done alot of festivals were we don't know all the bands on the bill...i fuckin hope not.maybe there should be a list of all the bands and what they believe in...hahaha.

“Made in England” tells of typical friday night pissheads around town – have you ever , perhaps in your single days, been tempted to join the townie meat market crowd? c’mon be honest!!

No never...i can't begin to tell you how much i hate the knobhead mentality, why is it that when these morons have had a few beers they feel the need to start fights with people who are just out for a quiet drink. there should be big cages in city centre's where all the dickheads can go and fight each other to the death, then we will see how keen on causing trouble they are. Coming from Burnley which is one of the roughest towns in england i am constantly ashamed of being English everytime i open the local paper.

Not sure if the band work but will any of you (or your friends) be affected by the condem’s welfare reforms? 15 years ago picking on the disabled would be unthinkable – yet people you’d think would know better (and that includes some in the punk scene) really do seem to believe the media stereotypes about fraudsters, layabouts etc?

It don't effect us really , but i think you have to take every different case on it's own merit so i can't really comment about it. i do think that there are some lazy bastards who play the system but if the system allows it then who is really to blame?? It's

human nature to be greedy ... (I wouldn’t call wanting £65 a week to live on ‘greedy’ !

– ED) What do the band think of strikes (firemen/tube workers etc)?

I think if a strike is worthwhile then fair enough, but if it affects the public too much then you only lose support,. Again if the leaders at the top did not award themselves such big pay rises & bonuses then the firemen, nurses and other worthwhile services could be awarded bigger pay increases.

Any views on the student protests and the media angle?

It kinda made me laugh to be honest, it's a serious issue but was totally hijacked by the media and other groups who just used it for their own agenda...and when you have dickheads like that kid who is the son of Dave Gilmour attacking a statue??? how the fuck is that gonna help ??? A little rich boy worth millions defacing a national monument... that’s gonna get the general public on the side of the students..i don't think so.

Many thanks to Wayne for the answers. If you like good basic 77ish punk rock with singalong choruses, a touch of glam and well thought out lyrics check em out. ================================================

PUNK RECORDS WANTED !!!

I buy your unwanted punk rock, Oi & HC ALL STYLES / ALL ERAS considered !

I pay good prices and don’t fuck about like the paypal scammers and nerds on ebay!

Just a few or FULL COLLECTIONS welcome!

So no matter where you are in the country or how rare (or not) your recs are just get in touch at

TREVHAGL@HOTMAIL.COM

for quick reply

RECORD & CD REVIEWS Oi Oi and welcome to the NR reviews section where ‘harsh but fair' is the order of the day. I don’t try to hype mediocre (or shit) bands in order to be down with the kids and/or keep the freebies coming but I will describe something the best I can whether or not I like it. Keep those freebies coming as there is another split issue (this time with Anti Hippie zine)out in March…

AIRES & GRACES / BROADSIDERS – Split EP (www.longshotmusic.com) . A&G kick things off with “Damage Done” – continuing in the same BELTONES meets LEATHERFACE vein of their first EP, and we also get a (rather predictable) DEAD BOYS cover. THE BROADSIDERS sound a bit more ordinary on this than their 10” – original lyrics but musically it could be any band who have early Dropkick Murphys records in their collection . Nice splatter red vinyl and comes with lyric sheet.

ANTIPATI – Fragor Som Ror Det Allmanna CD (www.kjellhell.se) With a CV that includes THE RIGHTEOUS and AGENT BULLDOG you know this Swedish band are gonna be good. Very varied oi/punk that, depending on which song, can sound like PERKELE , labelmates GATANS LAG or ULTIMA THULE. Lyrically it’s in Swedish but the excellent booklet gives the listener a short description of each song and we find the band attack the big brother society (Tony Blair hasn’t resurfaced as PM of Sweden has he?) , social security cuts (yes I think he probably has!) , social deprivation, crap TV and shit venues like their version of the Academy. Good to see a sussed band playing good music, and with good packaging too. Like it.

BONECRUSHER – Our Nations Burning 10” (www.longshotmusic.com). It’s been a few years since their last album “Tomorrow Is Too Late” which I thought was disappointing (despite the line up change it still sounded like them, but gone were the killer tunes). Anyway these 4 tracks on eye catching splatter clear vinyl see the band well back on form, spouting anger at a corrupt govt (I think the title track was written when Bush was still in power?) and a nod to nostalgia in “Remember” which I thought was gonna be a 4Skins cover until it got going. The band have a new CD out but like most good bands the label never saw fit to send me one…. If it’s anywhere near as good as this 10” I will be tracking it down. If you still ain’t heard em, think an American BLITZ. Cracking stuff.

BOOTSCRAPER – Country & Eastern CD (www.tnsrecords.co.uk) TNS compare this Leeds band to Legendary Shack Shakers and Gogol Bordello , and while I am not very familiar with those bands I can imagine that’s a good description.

Folk meets hillbilly music which sadly lacks the punk edge of Dropkicks or Floggin Molly’s better moments. Some original lyrics and the odd half decent tune but on the whole I found this a bit dull.

THE BROADSIDERS – Pressed To Kill 10” (www.longshotmusic.com) These take the late 70’s UK punk/pub rock style of the Chiswick bands and beef it up a bit so inevitably they end up sounding like THE TEMPLARS. Nothing too much in the way of anthems amongst these 7 tracks but it has a great sound. On brown and cream blotched vinyl and it also comes with a free download for the nerds amongst us.

CHEMICAL THREAT – They Don’t Care CD (www.myspace.com/thechemicalthreat) A band who sound like they live their lives entirely around Ali G’s catchphrase of “keeping it real aye!” . This CDR album w/printed cover/labels sounds like it was found in a skip behind the old Riot City offices. Raw to the point of breaking point they take us through songs about the old bill, the govt being cunts, local racist gobshites and even giving up smoking . Their hearts are in the right place but their equipment sounds robbed from Cash Converters. At least it gives us a break from rich kids with guitar lessons blowing mater and paters money in posh studios I guess. And there’s a free badge.

CONTROL – Hooligan Rock N Roll LP (www.longshotmusic.com) How time flies. By the time I get this vinyl version handed to me in a toon pub (the Longshot posse were off to watch Toon v Arsenal on their UK hols) Mike was already negotiating with copyright mogul John from Overground over potentially putting out the band’s 2nd LP, and the New Labour govt are now but a memory. So bits of these songs are already dated though I am sure we will always relate to chinning little scrotes who burgle and mug and pollute our streets with drug paraphernalia. Iain’s anger and honesty is quite refreshing , although at times baffling (his views on welfare for example, which under New Labour saw the biggest attacks on the poor and vulnerable in living memory ( Iain seems to think they just give you a load of money and leave you alone!), and despite political differences he always speaks at Bpool etc. And whether I like some of the views or not he has reinvented a comedy punk band that were stagnating (Beerzone) and turned it into a successful hard edged OI! Band. The music is heavier yet better (it’s rare I mention both of those in the same sentence) and Longshot’s quality pressing (hooligan blood red vinyl too & inner) certainly does it justice. The big test for patriotic Oi bands is now , however , when we have a Govt all out to destroy the country. So far, silence. Hmmm…(scratches chin) DANGEROUS ACES- Deny All Responsibility CD ( www.tnsrecords.co.uk). Bit of an unusual band to be on TNS – if these were around in the early 80’s they’d be on Riot City. Sounding halfway between COURT MARTIAL and CHAOS UK these sneer through 9 self penned numbers and a version of (oddly enough) 4SKINS “Seems To Me” . And to add to the chaos you have a guitarist who must’ve took the wrong turning on the way to The LED ZEP cover band audition. Titles like “Johnny’s Got An ASBO” and “Binge Drinker” etc.

DEADLINE- Two Heads (Are Better Than One) 7” (www.longshotmusic.com) . Bit of a mish-mash here – “Last Night” is from “Back For More” CD , “Hanging on the Telephone” is from the CDEP of the same title, “Take No Chances” is from the (mainly)

live album “We’re Taking Over” so that only leaves one song I hadn’t heard – the title track. Over the years I think the band have slightly lost their rough edge and this is a listenable if radio friendly dose of pop-ska-punk that sounds just like DANCE HALL CRASHERS. On white vinyl with insert.

DIPSOMANIACS 6tr CDR As you may already know this is basically The Upstarts with Steve Smith instead of Mensi on vocals. Good chugging rhythm guitar and some good tunes but I was never too keen on the rocky riffs inbetween. If you like later RED ALERT you will like this.

FAINTEST ID – Ignorance Is This CD (www.tnsrecords.co.uk) A ska punk band who actually manage to be quite interesting. Thankfully there’s no wailing like an out of tune Bruce Springsteen over the top like their US wanna be contempoparies, and there’s plenty of good ideas, even the brass section has some variation , bringing to mind mid period BLAGGERS. Their hearts are certainly in the right place too, their bullshit detectors in perfect working order. As a whole reminds me of THE FILAMENTS and you can’t argue with that. The best TNS release so far.

FACCAO OPPOSTA vs MAO DE FERRO – Split CD (www.myspace.com/bkpunx) Bruised Knuckles is the label ran by the Anti Hippie people (who we’re doing split zine with in a few months) . It’s hard to review Oi bands from Spain, Portugal or Brazil as the singing (and usually the backing vocals) all sounds the same. And so it is here with one exception – Mao De Ferro have an ACCORDIAN !!!! Perkele just about get away with it on their folkier numbers but I don’t think it works too well here. That aside, the Brazilians have a thick powerful sound and maybe if I could understand the lyrics it would be ok, but on the whole pretty forgettable I think. Faccao Opposta from Portugal have a rawer sound (esp the guitars) and have a decent couple of songs, a few good choruses and bass lines but I think they recorded too early. I think in a year’s time when they’ve worked on the songs, maybe an extra guitar, they will be really good.

FED UP – Sheer Poetry CD (www.unitedriotrecords.com) The title is about as sarcastic as you could get . This is rough as a badgers arse NYHC style . No different from their CD of a few years ago, this is stripped to the bone tuff guy Oi core. You can imagine them supporting at early AGNOSTIC FRONT gigs. The guitarist comes out with some good riffs but the equipment sounds like it’s creaking at the seams (a result of working in shit low paid jobs judging by the lyrics to FYL) and the singing sounds a bit flat/gruff, with every attempt made to avoid something as sissy as melody.

THE FIALKY – Sance CD (www.phr.cz) Despite being a Czech band, these have an Italian feel about them. Catchy singalong Oi/punk in the vein of LOS FASTIDIOS. They may look like proper poseurs on the cover but they manage to construct some seriously good tunes. Comes with nice fold out booklet with all the lyrics but not being able to read a word of it, I’m none the wiser as to what they sing about. Highly recommended.

45 ADAPTERS – Don’t Trust Anyone Who Doesn’t Dance 7” (www.longshotmusic.com). As I’m currently walking like a particularly inept West

Belfast car thief I doubt I will be dancing any time soon but anyway…. This 3 track clear vinyl 7” has a sound that owes as much to late 70’s UK pub rock as it does to Oi!. meandering lead guitar (a la TEMPLARS) over a Chiswick style rhythm section and strong blues rock vocals. Good tunes reminding you of down to earth bands playing rough east end boozers.

45 ADAPTERS – Not One More Day 7” (www.longshotmusic.com) Like the above 7” but even better – 4 cracking tunes with well written lyrics about the drudgery of work and copyright theft amongst others . Think EDDIE & THE HOT RODS, but with more of an edge and more consistent tunes. On blue V with lyric sheet. Great!!!

THE GONADS – Glorious Bastards LP (www.longshotmusic.com) Since Oi!’s glory days Bushell has done the rounds of several bog standard tabloids and we’ve seen worthwhile songs like “Jobs Not Jails” replaced by inane populist drivel. Once important enough to be on M15’s watch-list , his latest efforts (the last 2 Gonads albums) were like a dumbed down Carry On film and it can’t just be me that noticed, for both titles were among the first for the deletions chop at Captain Oi! And yet all is not lost. He did a fine job ghost writing the Cockney Rejects book, and his book on youth cults comes highly recommended (see review of his rather interesting if at times cringeworthy autobiography too) . He hasn’t lost his musical taste either - unlike most in the media who try to make out punk was some kind of daft phase they went through in their yoof, Bushell promotes some good new bands (er… and some downright dubious that his old socialist self woulda cringed at). He also seems a sociable and helpful geezer (he advertised Heb’s Oi boxer shorts on his site) and if the new LP is anything to go by we can’t write him off yet. Sure, we get the throwaway songs about getting a dose, the right to smoke, John King (the writer) being “ok despite being a veggie” (doctor my sides are splitting), women, and a rather pointless reworking of The Business’s “Guinness Boys” (& it was bad enough when THEY did it!) - now entitled “Charlton Boys” . BUT what’s this? A Gonads song praising the G20 rioters and condemning the old bill’s murder of an innocent passer by?? He can’t be working for Murdoch anymore then! Musically it’s pretty good – back to basics , sounding much like the early days, and being on Longshot you know the packaging is gonna be spot on, with lyric inner and a card insert that includes a CD of the same album so you can stash your vinyl for safekeeping!

THE GUV’NORS – The Pint Of No Return LP (www.longshotmusic.com) When I first heard these Danes they were heavily influenced by UK82 Oi – big terrace chant choruses etc. Since then they’ve caught the rock and roll bug and like their 7” EP this is full on garage punk meets ROSE TATTOO (without the slide guitar). The rhythm guitar has a big beefy sound not unlike SLADE – and indeed there’s a lesser known Slade song at the end actually featuring Don Powell – but the lead guitarist is just a big show off and the singer just tries TOO hard as he screams the lyrics , leaving you thankful for the odd bit melody such as the chorus of “She’s In Control” or the You Tube fave “Fat 40 & Finished” (great video – make sure you check it out). It’s powerful stuff, the kind a

petrol head would blast in a flash motor – but more often than not melody is sacrificed for gratuitous displays of musical ability. Another great package from the Longshot crew – red vinyl, quality inner and a CD of the same album inside.

HAPPY SPASTICS – S/T CD Guitarist Scalesy who has been in every crust band known to man dropped this off , adding the rather proud revelation that Wattie said to him “you’re the 2nd most punk band in Edinburgh!”. Anyway, like all of Scalesy’s bands you can guess what this sounds like, and if not, it’s recorded by Bri from DOOM. Crusty Swedish D beat style attack with angry lyrics (and this was recorded BEFORE the Tories got in!).

HARRINGTON SAINTS – Dead Broke In The USA LP (www.longshotmusic.com) . With a single and a couple of splits behind em here’s the (45RPM) LP and it ain’t no let down. Basic but effective songs reminiscent of 90’s OI/streetpunk with a dash of classic 80’s US punk . The lyrics are really well thought out, echoing the despair of a low wage economy that not just the US can relate to these days . If Bruce Roehrs was still with us I am sure he would quote the whole lyric sheet – it really is that well written, but this zine is long enough as it is so I don’t wanna start rhyming off examples.

On white vinyl and comes with lyric insert.

HI-FI SPITFIRES – England Screaming CD (Bullet Teeth Recs – www.myspace.com/hifispitfires). When punk splintered in the 80’s the toon seemed to go down the crusty thrash metal shout shout route whilst the Sunderland bands opted for the more catchy 1977-meets-streetpunk approach and so it has stayed ever since.

Fans of Holy Racket will not be disappointed for these sound exactly the same. More than a nod to the original punk bands – CLASH lead breaks , catchy choruses , and lyrics that are never quite straightforward despite the odd seemingly obvious chourus ie “CCTV”. Personnel wise we have Nelly from Lurkers (and most other bands in the north east) on drums, Dean from Firing Squad on bass, and Steve (Loaded 44 and ex Racket and even a stint recently in…Lurkers) on vocals /guitar. I have seen them a couple times live where they were murdered by the acoustics, but this sounds great – really punchy production that brings out the crafty bass lines and ensures cracking songs like “37 Hours” , “Between Here & Sanity” and “Hate & Glory” don’t get lost in a hall of echo. Many bands with a distinctive style get boring after a couple of songs but these have enough ideas to keep it going and the packaging is surprisingly good for a new band.

HOOLIGAN – Punk Rockers & Hellraisers CDEP (Advance Recs / www.myspace.com/hooligandublin) . Mainman Dave Lineham was in the Rocker/Hayes/Splodge line up of the Upstarts and the first song here “Rebel Heart” has a similar sort of lead guitar touch as “Woman In Disguise” . It and “Nowhere Man” are fine slices of streetpunk. But what’s going on with the other 2 tracks? Fuck me, it’s pure 70’s rock! We are talking Black Sabbath and their ilk!! Never my fave type of

music but at least the band are doing some honest rock n roll rather than jumping on student bandwagons.

JONNY GERIWELT – Living With Class LP (www.longshotmusic.com) Another one of these bands that sound great on comps but a full album is a bit much.

Their Achilles heel is sounding like so many other bands – well played and produced with a nod to DROPKICK MURPHYS (without the folk) and plenty of reverb on the slightly rocky vocals, some good anti war , pro-poor lyrics but never quite producing anthems (the closest they get is “My Strongest feelings” which has an almost GIMP FIST feel to it) . Formerly “JG and the Fucking bastards” , they hail from Spain and it’s hard to tell them apart from SOCIAL COMBAT. Comes with lyric inner and lovely blue & white splatter vinyl.

THE KIRKS- Agroculture CD (www.tnsrecords.co.uk) This band from Macc have been under the punk radar since 1998 apparently. The pictures in the booklet of them larking around a farm (Agro-culture, geddit?) reminded me of one of those wacky German bands or something but it turns out they actually practice there. At first I wasn’t impressed but I give it a few listens and it’s actually pretty good. Some rockin NO FX type riffs, singalong bits and good tunes although on the negative side there’s the odd awful breakdown just as the song is in full swing, and the singer sometimes decides to shout like a Jack Russell (a la Moral Dilemma etc) which annoys the fuck outta me.

KLASSE KRIMINALE – The Rise & Fall Of The Stylish Kids … OI! Una Storia LP (www.longshotmusic.com). On red vinyl with glossy lyric insert. Upbeat and singalong (or lalalalong if you don’t speak Italian). I was a little disappointed at first at the absence of the striking female vocals, but the tunes are strong and soon grow on you. (It is a nice reminder of their performance at Rebellion last summer, which was really good despite the atmosphereless venue) There is the usual strong mix of styles and pace, the most notable tracks being the very Rutsy ‘Destroy Babylon’, ‘Dr Martens’ and not least the title track. Oi! Oi! (Dawn) THE LEVELLERS - A Weapon called the Word CD (OTF Recordings) Aah the Levs.. like that old comfy jumper you snuggle up in at home, it’s got the feel good factor. You wouldn’t discard it but equally you wouldn’t go parading out on the town in it. This is a 2010 digitally remastered version of the debut album, digi pack complete with glossy lyric booklet and tour dvd is an attractive package and a piece of must have memorabilia for those fond of the raggle taggle band of brothers. I must say, for me, Levelling the Land wore the crown but this has its strong points, namely ‘World Freak Show’ and ‘Barrel of the Gun’. Can’t say anything against them, sound, entertaining and a charming reminder of one of the landmark times when rebellion reared its head and a frightening one of long hair and waistcoats! (Dawn) MARCHING ORDERS – Days Gone By LP (www.longshotmusic.com) I was blown away by the band’s split EP with Alternate Action from 5-6 years ago but nothing they did since compared to that, until their recent split EP with Control. More of the same here

then…. Gets off to a cracking start with “Stranger To The New World” which sets the tone in fine style for a record that takes us through the despair and frustration of gritty Oz reality – old soldiers left abandoned on the streets, alcoholism, crime etc whilst poking fun at all our guardians who tell us what is best for us (often contradicting the next experts opinion) and wondering where the years have gone. On orange vinyl with lyric insert and free download card!

NOI!SE – S/T 7” (www.longshotmusic.com) 4 slices of quality streetpunk here from the upbeat anthemic Oi of “Blame” to the CHELSEA style guitars of “Walk Beside Us” . Plenty of blazing riffs, top notch production, big mob choruses and (as already mentioned several times) strong FRANKIE STUBBS vocals. Package is top quality with thick inner sleeve and lyric sheet on green vinyl. If you like the singer’s previous band AIRES & GRACES, you’ll love this.

NOMATRIX – Ugly CD (www.deadlambrecords.com) This Irish band appear to have two strings to their bow – one is basic repetitive punk which goes nowhere , the other is stripped down pop punk that sounds like an Americanised take on early OUTCASTS – very catchy but inches away from being embarrassing. They just about pull it off though and respect to them for taking risks.

Lyrically equally schitzophrenic, ranging from political to personal (almost emo).

OLD FASHIONED IDEAS CD (www.myspace.com/oldfashionedideas) As the band name suggests , these Swedes remember a time when people actually socialised instead of fucking about on Facebook like antisocial loners and anoraks. It’s this subject that kicks off the CD and who can argue with that ? Anyway, onto the music. Raw fast basic punk but with enough of a tune to keep you interested throughout. This reminds me of bands on Brewed In Sweden comps - melodic without being in the slightest bit poppy, and there’s a bit thought put into the lyrics too. Sort of like Chaos UK (when they finally got good, in the 90’s) meets Oi! with the odd mid paced number that nods towards BONECRUSHER .

ON THE JOB / STAMFORD BRIDGE – split 7” (www.longshotmusic.com).

Swedish Oi band ON THE JOB knock out some quality anthemic Oi . “1680” – a dedication to their home city, and “Constable Henry” about an old mate who crosses the line and becomes a corrupt cop. Some cracking riffs on display with the “Henry” song especially bringing to mind COCK SPARRER. STAMFORD BRIDGE are yet another TEMPLARS side project (the Viking lettering gives it away for starters) . First song is not a million miles away from the day job, but “If Only” is a fine slice of pop/rock with female vocals, not unlike some Battle Of The Bands entrant from 1979 or something.

THE PIGS – 1977 LP (www.bristolarchiverecords.com) One of UK’s original independent bands finally gets the album treatment. Like many of the bands at the time these played basic but snappy 3 chord numbers with (like EATER , USERS etc) a slight nod to the USA sleaze-punk scene in the vocals. From the off the wall dark humour of “Youthanasia” to the deadly serious “National Front” (a timeless song that in every way describes the BNP of today) it is good to remember a time when

bands just did what they liked and weren’t interested in pretentious shitty lyrics, crap cover art or Van Halen production. And all the better for it. It’s not cheap but there’s total dedication in the product, from cool artwork to double remastering PRESSURE 28 – Spirit Of 69 7” (www.longshotmusic.com) The late 90’s Oi band are back with 2 new songs. They hung with the Hammer Recs crowd back in the day and prompted speculation/rumours such as the 28 standing for the 2nd letter/8th letter in the alphabet (= B&H) whereas the band deny it and say the name comes from the pressure of scooter tyres. They don’t clear the waters much by paying tribute to a war hero who “doesn’t like some people round here” (Charvers? Or ….hmmm…) but musically it’s good esp the title track ; very SECTION 5. On eye catching clear vinyl with red white & blue splatters and lyric sheet. But what’s with the Bigg Market 70’s bar graphics!!

PUNK FLOID – Underground CD (www.phr.cz) I’m convinced the Czecks are trying to out-wack the Germans. This one comes in a Xmas wrapping paper (only black & white) style digipak. But don’t be put off!

Remember when Epitaph Recs was a good label (hard to believe after the shit they’ve put out in the last few years, I know)? Well Punk Floid take all the very best bits, give em a Czech accent and floor us with anthem after anthem . Insanely catchy melodic punk/HC that rarely lets up. Shame I can’t understand a word of this, it’s cracking stuff.

REASON TO FIGHT / CHESTY MALONE & THE SLICE EM UPS split 7” (www.unitedriotrecords.com). REASON TO FIGHT give us 2 NYHC style numbers. “Dying Breed” is a call to old timers to encourage young un’s into the scene whilst “Hard Working Hard Drinking Hardcore” does what it says on the tin – a tribute to every manual worker and every trade union in the land. Both tracks are as good as you’ll get from this type of music – there’s even a singalong bit at the end. Reminds me of a better version of AGNOSTIC FRONT. CHESTY MALONE…are the latest in a long line of rockin female fronted bands and remind me of LUCHAGORS . There’s probably the odd PLASMATICS record in their collection but it’s more meaner, more sleazier, more heavy. The beefy pressing helps both bands and it’s on colour vinyl too, with lyric sheet.

THE SNIPES- Psychobitch CD (www.myspace.com/thesnipesband) Incase you missed the last couple of NR’s The Snipes are basically a continuation of The Guttersnipes who were formed by Shug who played on Sparrer’s “Runnin Riot in 84” (and wrote most of the songs I think?). With Andy Kline gone (although he designs the sleeve here , feat what else but a psychobitch – if only the local ones came with such a warning, it woulda saved my mates a lot of bovver!) the line up is completed by Mekon (ex Rezillos) , Jim (ex Carpettes) and new guitarist Muzz (Clippers. Stanley market. Only 5 pounds). As usual cracking tunes abound though some may find Shug’s unique vocals hard to get used to at first. This is reality of life in Glasgow (except when touring for Poland looking for psychobitches) – titles like “Bottom Scheme” (“He’s a fucking nutter she’s a fucking headcase, where’s the council when you fuckin need em” etc!) and “Doing Drugs” . Add a dash of rock n roll shenanigans , some tasty riffs, catchy choruses and more than a nod to THE RAMONES and there you have it. Oh and don’t forget the inner cover pic where they look like extras from Rab C!! Respect!!

3 DAFT MONKEYS- The Antiquated & the Arcane CD (www.3daftmonkeys.co.uk) . Not to be mixed up with the 2 piece punk band 2 Sick Monkeys, this lot are a folky dokey affair that (judging by the cover art) are aiming at jumping the Gogel Bordello bandwagon (yeah another one). Gave this to Dawn to review as she is more open minded but all she said was “it’s a mixture of everything really…everything bad”. Sort of a mellow Cardiacs ,and as it’s in cheapskate packaging (that still manages to say ‘promo – not for resale’) if they can’t be bothered well neither can i. The end.

3V1 – Certuf Punk Do Rady Sanov 1 CD (www.phr.cz) Fuck knows what this Czech band are aiming at – this is all over the place. Metal punk like mid period English Dogs, a dash of 80’s streetpunk and even some Napalm Death type numbers . At it’s best (“Morem Plout”) it sounds like Dezerter meets Kobranocka (without the sax) – so they CAN play - but too often they go down the heavier route which goes straight over my head.

TRUE BEAT – Shanty Town/Bounce CDS (www.myspace.com/truebeatuk) After years of crap American wannabe’s with singers like whimpering dogs it’s good to hear a proper English Ska band. These young’uns knock out catchy tunes with plenty of twists and turns. Take the more melodic side of 2tone and mix it with late 80’s pop/ska of (later) BURIAL, HOTKNIVES etc and you’re getting close. Not far off being radio friendly but thankfully some strong backing vocals and punchy beats drag it back to the right side of the fence, and the singer has a good voice too which helps. No info came with this but a quick scan at a recent interview in Street Voice webzine reveals the band have played various benefits (incl Love Music Hate racism) , they support the student protests and somewhat bizarrely given the musical style, the rhythm section grew up listening to metal!!

VOLXSTURM / HARRINGTON SAINTS – Split 7” (www.longshotmusic.com) .

What a package – inner sleeve, insert , 2 colour vinyl and powerful pressing. What I’ve heard by VOLXSTURM before hasn’t exactly made me wanna rush out and buy something be em (tuneless tuff guy metal/Oi/core) but this is a total transformation and we get two slices of singalong mid paced Oi. A big improvement. HARRINGTON SAINTS carry on where they left off with their other records , not exactly a unique sound but good songs about the demise of factories (imported steel etc) and another about staying true to the Oi (“Put Your Boots Back On”).

ZATREST – Pecka Vedle Pecky CD (info@phr.cz) This looks like one of those wacky German pop punk releases from the 90’s. fuck knows why any band would wanna have a cover composed of writing paper and walnuts but musically at least it’s not bad. Obviously influenced by the late 70’s (UK Subs & Skids tshirts) but with a more modern rockier sound. Sort of like the Mau Maus and Abrasive Wheels when they started trying to go commercial.

V/A – Avon Calling 2 (www.bristolarchiverecords.com) In 78/79/80 it seemed like every town in the UK had it’s own compilation – Sunderland Musicians Collective, Sent From Coventry, Vaultage etc , and of course Avon Calling . But this is not a mere reissue – these are unreleased songs – 20 of em -

dragged up from the vaults of Heartbeat recs. Like all compilations it’s a bit hit and miss – there’s an ample supply of shoegazing indie stuff with shades of the Monochrome Set, JAMC etc, but there is also a great song from SOCIAL SECURITY which is right up there with the best of 77 pop punk , and X-CERTS (likewise) , SNEAK PREVIEW’s “Mr Magoo” a very catchy little number with ska keyboards, and 48 HOURS ain’t too bad either. Nice layout too with heavy emphasis on good old cassettes.

V/A – Backstreet Yobs CD (www.myspace.com/bkpunx) Oi with a HC or heavy rock touch is not normally my bag but what gives this CD the edge over most is the mastering – it has the powerful, crisp sound of vinyl. The bands are pretty good too . You get RUST (who carry on in the same vein of Crucified Venus/Rule 303) , BLUE COLLAR CRIMINALS (who sound like US ROUGHNECKS, thanks to Dawn for pointing that out!) , STRANGLEHOLD have one basic number but one big chorus streetpunk affair, THE HOIST have their own sound and are good, OPEN FINGER IS A BROKEN FINGER , THE PAUKI and THOSE UNRULY are all decent, and BEEROCEPHALS sound like US Chaos for a minute then turn into typical Euro Oi. V/A – Best of Fried Egg Records CD (Bristol 1979-1980) (www.bristolarchiverecords.com) . After the original punk bands lost their way , but preceding the 2nd wave of punk, there was a whole horde of bands trying for something different. This comp (although geographically based) typifies that moment in time.

Listen hard and you can find sounds that in places hinted at Malcolm McLaren, Fun Boy Three, Goth, Killing Joke (before they developed the hard industrial edge) and early Human League. That sounds worse than the bands actually were though! SHOES FOR INDUSTRY I remember from Peel , sort of somewhere between primitive Killing Joke and Swell Maps. THE WILD BEASTS give us a catchy indie pop and the majority of the bands tread an inbetween territory with plenty of snapshots of early Cure, Desperate Bicycles and the like. And added to the comp are 8 bonus tracks culled from the same period by the same bands. Rough Trade were beating a similar path as Fried Egg so if you liked that sorta thing you’ll like this. Also features bands you may remember from the days of Peel like ART OBJECTS, ELECTRIC GUITARS, THE STINGRAYS & EXPLODING SEAGULLS and contains some good sleevenotes about the DIY scene at the time.

V/A – The Bristol Punk Explosion CD (www.bristolarchiverecords.com) sort of a Riotous Assembly Mk2 here with some of the same bands but also going back a few years to include THE PIGS & CORTINAS etc. Bristol was never quite the epicentre of classic punk rock – it was often hard to tell which Riot City bands were genuine and which were pisstakers (DISORDER/CHAOS UK and CHAOTIC DISCHORD are all included here) though some did try and write some decent songs (THE UNDEAD , COURT MARTIAL , LUNATIC FRINGE – also included) and ironically the best (SOCIAL SECURITY) never got a release that I know of. We also have ONSLAUGHT (one of the first bands to copy DISCHARGE but written out of punk folklore thanks to the bad metal that followed) and obscurities like THE POSERS, THE MEDIA , THE VERDICT , THE X CERTS

and 48 HOURS. A very well put together comp with 20 page bklt incl sleevenotes by Shane from Vice Squad (who are also included).

V/A- Hail Of Gunfire vol 3 CD (www.undergroundmovement.net) Cheapo sampler here of all things crust and death. There’s the odd tolerable band here (like Coitus) but the bulk is either Napalm Death type irritants or plodding satanic warblings, the sort of music you’d burn churches to (although I’d rather fucking go to church than have to suffer the ‘music’ contained herein).

V/A – 09:09 SPLIT FUSION 2CD (www.warzonecollective.com) In the 80’s there were quite a few musicians collectives around the country complete with venues – I myself have spent many a drunken night at The Station (Gateshead) and The Bunker (Sunderland) – places run by punks for the punks, ensuring a good cheap night out and even a political education for those who could be bothered.

Thatcher with her drastic funding cuts to local councils seemed to have put paid to all such things but it seems not for here is Warzone from Belfast setting up again and this 2 CD set in a slip case with booklet is a fundraiser for it. Main selling point is a long set from THE SUBHUMANS with most of the classics and a couple of new ones. The sound quality – like the rest of the CD – is excellent, and as usual Dick’s speeches are spot on, slagging off model culture (where only tabloids version of beautiful is allowed) and people being slaves to the internet… all rounded off by their best song “Religious Wars”.

On the other disc it kicks off with A-POLITICAL who we find are ex STALAG 17 and similarly play late 80’s style anarcho punk with a dead ringer for Colin Runnin Riot on vocals. Pretty good but nothing outstanding. THE LOBOTOMIES , also from Belfast, do not transfer well to a live CD. The thrash is intensified, the Jack Russell “vocals” (a la Moral Dilemma) come to the fore, and any tunes seem to retreat behind the speakers.

“It’s just a noise Alan”.

Best band by far of yer N.Ireland selection is 1,000 DRUNKEN NIGHTS who take time out to knock out some tunes and singalong choruses. Still political but memorable enough for the message to get through. “Death & Taxes” , “Flashpoint Killing” and “Empires Cast Long Shadows” are cracking numbers.

There’s a booklet attached although most of it is anarcho punk-art and only A-Political make full use of their pages (with lyrics and story).

Let’s hope this and the collective does well, although if they encounter the apathy that I do when selling CDs and zines, they’ll be shut in a month! A project well worth supporting.

V/A- SUBMISSION/DOMINATION CD (www.undergroundmovement.net) A tribute to Skinny here who played in a number of crust bands, some which are featured here. Kicks off with 3 songs by PARANOID VISIONS- I was surprised how much like KILLING JOKE/AMEBIX these sounded after all these years (the 80’s were a haze).

COITUS give us 6 tracks , some veer towards GBH whilst others are more like later ANTI SECT. STAGNATION are like a cross between ANTI SECT & AMEBIX and give us 4 tracks and COLDWAR are more of the same (6 tracks). There are various anecdotes remembering Skinny on the inner sleeve. Never have been into crust so I don’t know much else about this – there’s some good riffs but the Satan vocals get a bit much after a while….

TELLIN IT LIKE IT IS with RORY THE WORKING CLASS TORY BOB CROW Get on a fackin train up to Yorkshire or Scotland or wherever it is and take your outdated views of sticking together and respecting your fellow workmates with ya, you CANT! THE ROYAL WEDDING Great to hear the lavverly couple getting hitched and bringin the cantry togevver . Gawd bless! But a word of warning to William, watch it when you give her a slap cos my Shirl facked off and took me for half me savings!

THE WORKSHY There’s a load of jobs aht there, some paying as much as £6 an hour, so why should us hard working taxpayers slave over a hot taxi seat all day to keep them in the luxury of 65 pahnd a week , with their free gas and electric and people carriers and satellite dishes?

Great idea of Cameron’s to make em work for their dole too – as long as he gives em bright orange vests (maybe with “Dave’s Slaves” on?) so I know who not to grass up to the dole when I see em workin.

STUDENTS Bloody hell mate, you thought the miners were bad, but ave yer seen this lot? All dressed funny and kickin off with our great upholders of the law….all because the cheeky cants expect ME AND YOU to pay for their education, 9 grand a year n all! Lava-dack!! I got my education for 20p a day (The San, Daily Star) and it neva dun me no harm, innit.

MUSLIMS I picked up a muslim the other day. Nah mate I ain’t a bleeding shirtlifter, I’m a taxi driver. I said to ‘im “Don’t worry mate it won’t cost you a bomb!” (geddit?) although it did cos I put him on Tarrif 4 which is my special Xmas Day rate doubled, specially for the likes of ‘im that are up to no good – I mean why get a taxi when the cahncil give you free people carriers? Don’t wanna spill your semtex on yer OWN seats is it, ya CANT!!!???

BOOK REVIEWS BEATING THE FASCISTS – THE UNTOLD STORY OF ANTI FASCIST ACTION by Sean Birchall (Freedom Press) Although this tells the history of how AFA evolved from the Anti Nazi League’s security (known as ‘squadists’ ), only to be later treated like an embarrassing relative at a party by it’s middle class SWP masters (despite saving them from many a hiding), this book is not yer average political tomb - indeed the first comparison I saw a reviewer make was that of Cass Penant’s books!

Beating The Fascists is an action packed tale of violence , retribution, suspense and political gang war, all told with a sense of humour. From the early rucks with the NF to the BM to the BNP & C18 , it’s hard to imagine these scenarios today where the slightest sniff of such activity would land you in jail. AFA – like their enemies – played for real.

Baseball bats, CS gas, surveillance/recces , ambushes and awaydays attacking opposition gatherings. On the other side of the coin, it tells of the various nazi attacks on 80’s punk gigs (Upstarts at Astoria/Crass at Conway Hall) , public meetings and festivals (Redskins etc) .

Sooner or later the authorities started to take notice and even set up some AFA/Red Action members in Rochdale with the aid of a stooge called Michelle Mole (the powers that be MUST have a sense of humour after all!) who told of getting grief off local Nazis – but just as AFA were about to ambush them they found it was a trap and the old bill were waiting.

Even when the fascists were nowhere to be seen, bovver still managed to find the ‘squadists’.

One of them chinned a gang leader and sparked off a feud that escalated to such a degree that when one of them went to visit relatives in Belfast (in the middle of the troubles) , he got a phone call saying his house back in ENGLAND had been petrol bombed by a 60 strong mob, the irony of which is noted in the book for all to see!

There’s plenty of stuff about Ian Stuart & Co setting up shop in Kings Cross, getting a foothold in Carnaby Street (and how Cable Street Beat organised to smash it) , a big White Power gig at Camden Town Hall which they managed to get cancelled and running battles that ensued as confused foreign skinheads were left roaming the streets.

Another tale sees 3 AFA members stranded at the back of a 60 strong nazi pub (luckily for them Ian Stuart was leading the troops that day and not the more confrontational Nicky Crane). Then there’s AFA going to attack a Rights For Whites march (BNP front to capitalise on Tower Hamlets council’s PC posturing) and not believing their luck when the old bill – thinking they were Nazis – ushered them behind the BNP …culminating in one of AFA bottling one of their top men and knocking a copper down, running into a pub and trying to act like a normal drinker – unaware shards of glass had cut his face to bits!

Similar confrontations are played out across England and Scotland, and there’s some good bits on the emergence of C18 and the infighting and collapse following the murder by fellow Nazis of one of the top men, but the last quarter of the book is a bit disappointing . By this time (mid 90’s) the BNP have tried to go down the ‘respectable’ route, and by then AFA had the powers that be watching their every move, so the action is limited and the book takes a theoretical turn, describing secretarian and operational differences in both the left and the BNP/C18. All of which is ok for a couple of pages but it goes on and on.

Also I told someone who lived in Northern Ireland about this book and he laughed and said “Red Action were connected to the IRA and the IRA were the biggest fascists around” . One thing this book doesn’t do is comment on the IRA – Troops Out Movement is mentioned but it neither praises nor offers any disclaimers for IRA acts, which is odd given the amount of political analysis contained in the latter pages. Hmm…

GARRY BUSHELL – On The Rampage At last we find out what goes on in the mind of one of Britain’s most contradictory and complex characters. From ripping down NF posters in Leics to writing for newspapers that sound very much like them ; going from public school to being awarded the title of “Britain’s No.1 working class hero” (by The Daily Star – which to me is like Peter Sutcliffe voting you “Britain’s New Man of the Year”) ; being watched by M15 then adding “looking back, I can understand it though” (fucking hell man, it was the SWP, hardly the IRA or Al Quaeda!!).

Even the locals seem utterly confused ; he tells of being surrounded by Labour voting friends and family who bollocked him for refusing to stand up and sing the National Anthem – adding almost apologetically “I didn’t respect the Queen back then” ( yes, back then – where’s the sick bucket?).

I have often wondered how come Gal went from left wing writer to establishment media poster boy but he explains it as thus – firstly, the SWP came out in favour of the IRA , even at the time of the mainland bombings (fair point) but he also manages somehow to uncover a small gay rights sub-sect of the SWP who defended paedophiles!! Now I have met thousands of lefties over the years but not once have I met anyone remotely like this, so to use a tiny handful of twats (if they existed that is) as a reason for ditching your entire belief system is about as fickle as it gets. However, Bushell didn’t go STRAIGHT from left wing politics to shitty tabloids – inbetween there was the decline of SOUNDS mag when they started avoiding punk like the plague and sent the journo partying with mainstream rockers so we also get some funny tales of hanging with Ozzy Osbourne (including the one about the Rejects turning up in the middle of the night at his mansion firing shotguns, dressed like the KKK!) a jaunt to America to hang out with ZZ Top (who surprisingly enquired about the Bad Brains!) and taking smack with Hanoi Rocks in India (a really good travelogue type piece with stark differences in culture and poverty to such an extent locals disfigure their own kids to make them more “beggar friendly”). There’s also the antics of UFO, though a lot of the rock chapters are just like a straight cut and paste job from old issues of the mag. Back to punk rock, there’s some good tales on Sham (last stand, Nazis, the collaboration with Cook & Jones), The Upstarts (Keith Bell feud, Acklington prison) , The Rejects (brief as he wants you to buy the book), The Blood (JJ Bedsore’s death – turns out he drank the proceeds of his inheritance) and the 4be2’s (posh hotel scam) and near run ins with the BM. The chapter on The Sun is also an intriguing read. You know about their shameful Tory politics, but behind the scenes was no better it seems with Kelvin McKenzie barking orders , Murdoch ordering articles to be changed, sexual harassment encouraged and – bizarrely - a complete ban on the employment of gays! Oh – and it turns out Oi poet Garry Johnson carved himself a nice living selling fake stories to them! Bushell still does his best to defend the paper, trying to portray it as ‘anti establishment’ (mustn’t have noticed their views on Iraq or ID Cards then) before reinventing himself as a ‘libertarian anarchist’ who defends democracy – whilst revealing how his articles were spiked by the editor or owner! There’s also a bit about his bizarre NF infiltration which you will have to buy the book to understand as it’s as complex as it is intriguing. Suffice to say it spelt the end of his stint at the Sun and The Star (after Bushell had been exposed in The Mirror like he were a genuine nazi) welcomed him, saying “We could do with a bit fascism” (and I’m not sure whether they were joking).

Regardless of the criticisms mentioned above, this is a gripping read , and I still have a few chapters to go but if I reviewed any more of it I’d start encroaching on Justin’s half of the zine so I’ll quit now…

NO ONE RULES OK FANZINE – SOUTHERN ENGLAND First of all I would like to apologise if the first half of this joint venture has bored the pants off you. If you had any sense then you would have flicked through all of Trevs boring reviews and shameless plugs straight through to this half of the fanzine. This being the southern section, you will now notice a more refined approach for the more discernable pallet. The pages will be richly textured and wont be splattered with brown source or pigeon shit, the humour will be cultured and witty, and the content will be intelligent and varied. In this half I have interviews with Henry Cluney, Dun2Def, The Smoking Hearts, London, Citizen Keyne, Government Issue and a Restart. Together we have compiled a bumper split fanzine with a variety of content and styles. Issue 2 of my own fanzine `No One Rules OK` is out now and features Steve Ignorant, Drongos For Europe, The Warriors, Fire Exit, Rose Tattoo, History of Punk in Ulster, Glasgow punk, and John Robb. I will be selling it at gigs in and around London, South of England, and Blackpool Rebellion. Or else a copy can be bought from me for £2.00 via PayPal to musicisloud@yahoo.co.uk I can also be contacted at this email address and have a large list of over a 1000 live punk DVDs and CDS. Unfortunately, I have received several threats in the past from bands and other organisations so I am reluctant to print my home address. What ever I say or write is my own personal opinion and if that upsets you I couldn’t care less, but lay off with the threats. It’s that kind of mentality that is destroying punk music. Cheers Justin Musicisloud ************************************************************************************************

How to grow a tampon This Urban Living Planet : We have all seen those documentaries by Sir David Attenborough over the years, where we see a flower bloom from a single seed into full grown rain forest in a matter of seconds but how many have us have witnessed this phenomenon unfold in front of them? I was prey to this extraordinary process just outside my very front door the other week. There was something quite fascinating about it and kept me riveted to what actually lay in the gutter for a number of days. Some kind person had left a tampon by the kerb down the side of my house. I hasten to add that it hadn’t been used and was one of them ones that look like a mouse with a tail. Anyway, the first time I noticed it I thought that’s bloody disgusting; someone should put that in the bin. It didn’t cross my mind to pick it up and I walked off thinking no more of it. I returned home in the evening and noticed that it was still there. The next day I walked out of my door and went and looked at it.

The damp moisture of the morning had made the tampon grow slightly in size and I found myself staring at it with interest. Later than day, I went to look at it and indeed it had grown further. The next day I went out specially to see how the tampon had progressed over night, and much to my delight was now twice the size. I could see nature taking its course and was witnessing the birth of a fully fledged adult tampon.

By now, I was going out specifically to look at it, and to chart its progress. By day 3, the tampon had completely unfurled and lay there in all its glory, my tampon flower

was now in full bloom. On day 4, I was extremely disappointed to discover that someone had removed the tampon flower. I just hope they found good use of it and found it a loving home. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Grow your Own

Mr Chav.

Welcome to Chavland

Let me tell you about the town where I live. I live in Bedford which is an English market town situated in the Home Counties. Not far from Milton Keynes and an hours train journey from London. Bedford has the highest murder rate per head of population in the UK and in 2007 the Home Office concluded Bedfordshire was the worst performing Police Force in England and Wales. The town centre is run down; shops are boarded up, the quality of the remaining stores is that as soon as you walk out of the shop the till receipt expires. The living dead smacked out of their brains hang around the centre, swigging on Special Brew and scrounging cigs.

Everyone seems to have a clubfoot or wobbles when they walk; English is a foreign language, and the whole town smells of piss and decay. You’d be lucky to go to the chip shop late at night without having the living shit beaten out of you. But guess what? A Centre Parks Holiday Camp is going to be built here. Laugh? I nearly bought a Trev a pint!!

I would like to thank you for buying this fanzine .It takes a lot of time and expense for fanzine writers to compile zines and on the whole we are independently financed which is why we rely on sales. We are here to keep the DIY spirit of the underground music culture alive and it does piss me off at gigs when people turn their nose up in a despondent and dismissive manner. Don’t buy a fanzine out of sympathy, buy it cos you want to support a DIY mag that doesn’t have to kowtow to sponsors, advertisers or stick its nose up some rock stars fat arse!!

Dun2Def – punk as Duck Dun2Def formed in 1996 as a punk covers band under the name `77 but in 2001 the band started performing more of their own material and changed their name to Dun2Def. Based in various towns around the Midlands the band began to gig on a regular basis .The band had the usual line up changes and are now one of the hardest working bands on the punk circuit. I have witnessed the band develop over the years into a tight, solid and reliable punk rock band. I think they took a huge step forward when the other vocalist left and when Chris came in on guitar (that’s another beer you owe me Chris). Dun2Def popularity is rising, and they are hoping to maintain their momentum by recording a new album. You will regularly see Chris (aka Keith Harris) and Ferret (Johnny Lovepants) propping up the bar at a gig in some shitty one horse town in the middle of nowhere. The mercury is rising and things are certainly hotting up for this ragtag bunch of misfits on Planet Punk. The current line up is – Ferret (vocals & hairstyles), Chris L (Rhythm Guitar, Puppeteer), Ash (Guitar), Chris B (Bass), Drums (Whoever is available), Orville The Duck (Band Mascot)

Dun2Def – Blackpool Rebellion 2010 Are Dun2Def the main punk contenders? Chris L and Ferret stepped into the ring to answer these questions (Orville was unavailable, but has asked me to remind his many fans that he quite enjoys Chris sticking his hand up his arse and yes Chris enjoys it too – just remember not to shake his hand, that duck shit sticks like glue) The band has established itself as a creditable force on the UK punk scene & I can see the improvement every time I see the band play. The band has progressed as a tight & powerful unit. Is this down to hard work and constant gigging and where can the band go from here? Ferret/Chris: Well it certainly isn’t down to practice that’s for sure as we have probably had no more than 3 practice sessions in the last 2 years. Yeah the constant gigging is what keeps us sharp plus the ever revolving drum stool occupied by the awesome Rob Baylis, Marcus Howells and Jamie Oliver. The band is looking to book gigs in Europe for 2011 to take the Dun2Def sound further afield. If any overseas promoters are reading this and want to get in touch that would be cool. You are currently taking a break

from gigging to concentrate on writing new songs. What songs are in the pipeline and how are you looking at developing the sound for the new album? Chris/Ferret: Yeah Having 3 albums (Hark the Rolling Stones – Ed) worth of material means we can vary our set quite a bit but its now a year since Riot Torn City came out and we’ve been offered a Split LP with label mates the Destructors so that will be the perfect vehicle for the next batch of songs. The new songs are definitely a progression from Riot Torn City rather than looking back at what’s gone before. That set the standard for us so we want the next one to be equally well received. The sound won’t be far different. We’re always big on anthemic choruses and loud guitars rather than speed for speeds sake. Dun2Def originally started out as a punk covers band, how would you feel if bands started covering your own songs? Chris: Ha-ha that’s going to happen on the next album you must be a clairvoyant.

Destructors are covering one of ours and we are doing one of theirs. I’ll let you ponder on which ones. Considering the variance of ages of the band members, are Chris and Ferret the father figures or just a couple of old farts? Chris: Ear trumpet falls to the floor, do what you’ll have to speak up I’m 73 you know........yes the war......walnut and a cough candy for Christmas.....Nan wringing her tights out on the mangle... jumpers for goalposts....can I have a bit more powdered egg please nurse. You have played on the same bill as some of the major punk bands. Which bands have you built a bond with and can you name and shame those that have given you the cold shoulder?

Ferret/Chris: We love playing with the UK Subs who have continued to be an inspiration for us, The Abrasive Wheels, London, Drongos For Europe, and The Partisans to name a few more. To be honest we haven’t ever been cold shouldered by other band that’s probably because we play with bands we know and like as people and who still retain the same ideals they had when they started. The bands sound is very retro 1980 style traditional punk rock. How well do you think you would have been received by the punk public in 1980 and how can punk music maintain its creative edge in 2011? Chris: We’ll never know will we. I’d like to think we’d have done ok and maybe had a record in the Independent charts that were around back then. I think I’d give the old photo story in Flexipop a miss though eh Beki! Punk will always maintain its creativity as long as you have passionate people who believe in what they are doing in the scene. The minute the passion turns to “it’s just another job” is where the trouble starts. As the band members live in different towns, does this create a logistic problem for organising gigs and practice sessions? Ferret/Chris: Practising is nigh on impossible we get maybe 1 or two a year if we’re lucky. The gigs are not too much of a problem but it does mean some raised eyebrows when we tell promoters how much it has cost us to get to the gigs. When Ferret sings `Bargain Booze` is the `shit tattoos` a reference to the Dun2Def tattoos that I have seen? Ferret: When I introduce this song I usually say that if you’ve been into Punk as long as me then you’ve seen a few shit tattoos in your time...or got one! How would the band react to a bad review? Chris: Positively I hope, if something isn’t right its better to be told so you can do something about it then be told everything’s OK when it isn’t. Reviewers are expressing their personal opinions and we have to respect that. Why is Ferret such a soppy shit. I see him canoodling with Kaz at gigs and quite frankly it puts me off my pint.

Punk rock has no room for such sentiment and lovey-dovey gooey eyed behaviour.

Does he own a Kaftan and wear sandals in secret? Chris: Over to you me old best mate.

Ferret (Johnny Lovepants): Jealousy won’t get you anywhere Justin it has been said you prefer the company of men anyway (Ouch – Ed) The 100 club is in jeopardy, Sawyers in Kettering has shut down. Promoters are making huge losses, is the beginning of the

end of live music? Chris/Ferret: In these current economic times it’s hard for everybody particularly pubs and clubs so we have got to keep our fingers crossed we can all get through it. Just a thought but isn’t it interesting that all of the closures and the tough times have happened since the smoking ban was introduced. Are headline bands taking the lion’s share of the cash and why do support bands get such a rough deal? Ferret/Chris: Yes they are but you could argue that they deserve it because they are the crowd pullers and not the support bands and have worked hard to get where they are. You can also see the support bands view when they bring a bigger audience than the headliner and don’t even get their bus fare home. It’s tricky. If the scene is to survive then maybe it would be good if the economies of scale could be evened out a bit more. I read a lot of music biographies and one reoccurring theme is life on the road in a van. Have you any van horror stories you can regale us with? Chris: Oh yes, the bloody thing packing up on me 30 miles from the drop off point on the M1 after an excursion to Bournemouth and London. I ended up £700 quid out of pocket. Sat on the grass verge for 5 hours and tried to make a fire out of twigs and lolly sticks to keep warm. I was cursing every time it wouldn’t light “Come on you vicious bastard start!!!” Meanwhile the rest of the band was at Ferrets sympathetically eating a full English breakfast in the warm. How does work and family life fit in around a band that constantly gigs? I suppose Chris is ok, as he can just pack Orville The Duck in a suitcase, so he can take his job with him? Chris: Very funny, we got various members who work for themselves, for other companies or are at University in the case of Ash our lead guitarist but we manage to juggle things pretty well. The only major problem is that Rob our drummer is a sound engineer which means he can’t commit to gigs during the summer months as that is his busiest period which is where our good friends Marcus from Noise Agents and Jamie Oliver UK Subs come in. We’re lucky to have 2 of the best drummers on the scene as stand ins when Rob isn’t available. Do you have any strong political beliefs? Have you any thoughts on the present Tory/Lib Dem coalition that is driving this country deeper into the shit? Ferret: Dun2Def has never been a political band we don’t trust politicians of any persuasion and I don’t suppose they think much to us either. What about the British Troops in Afghanistan. I know some bands are helping to promote the Support Our Troops campaign. Would Dun2Def get involved with that campaign? Chris: Again whilst we sing about the horrors of war it’s never been our intention to force opinions down people’s throats or to jump onto a bandwagon however sincere it may be. However if Bargain Booze started a Drinking for Britain campaign we might be up for that. Why does Ferret still adhere to the stereotypical punk uniform of boots, bondage trousers and Mohican? Isn’t it about time he grew up and got a sensible short back and sides and pair of hush puppies, or is he stuck in a 1979 time warp? Ferret: That’s how I came out of the womb. Has Blackpool Rebellion become the ultimate `must do` festival for bands to perform at? Do you get a buzz from playing in front of large crowds and will you still speak to me when you are rich and famous? Chris: It’s the biggest of its kind so it is a big deal. It’s the only place where we’ve played to over 1000 people and the buzz is great but its funny the show we did the same weekend at the Rock Bar round the corner to 150 was so intense and gave me a huge buzz.

Of course we’ll still speak to you Justin “I’ll have a big Mac and large fries please”. What does punk rock mean to you? Chris: It’s all I’ve known since the age of 14 so I’d be lost without it. To me it’s about not settling for what might have been. But getting off your arse and doing something and making a difference. That’s why I could never understand the glued up hippy punks who were content to get off their faces and wreck any creativity in

themselves. The world is ending in 5 minutes, quick, what are you going to do?

Ferret: Exclaim in a loud voice “Hold still Karen I’m pulling my Kaftan up” Chris: Hold Ferret’s sandals probably knowing my luck. I have run out of questions, perhaps you would like to ask me one? OK if you could ask Johnny Rotten one question what would it be??? Would he sing for Dun2Def as the current singer has stormed off with his love beads and joss sticks and joined The Grateful Dead?

Dun2Def buzzing at Blackpool

Chris L and Ferret

Thanks to Ferret the Riot Torn Hippy and Chris The Puppet Master. The band can be contacted via their myspace page at www.myspace.com/dun2def. Available for bookings: weddings, bar mitzvahs and funerals. Email Chris at outsideview@hotmail.com

Gallows, Feed The Rhino – Bedford Esquires 25th November 2010 Esquires is rammed packed tonight, as the Gallows are in town on their `Back to the Dives Tour`. The support band takes the award for worst ever band name- Feed The Rhino. Riding on the back of Gallows success, bands such as Feed The Rhino are trying to muscle in on Gallows territory with their own version on angry metal punk.

Tonight they were just the warm up band for the main act. I am a big fan of Gallows, this is the 4th time I have seen them and they never fail to deliver. The singer Frank has a history of confrontational performances but is he starting to mellow? A plastic glass is thrown at him and the audience lets out a collective `oooooh`. He picks the glass up and smashes it into his own face and confronts the thrower. The bloke tells him to `shut the fuck up and play some music`, the crowd looks on, some shout out `lets have it` but tonight Frank is not in a fighting mood. It all blows over and the Gallows storm through an hour of blistering, hostile noise. The young crowd, stage dive, sing-along and mosh. Gallows are steamrolling a resurgent mental cum punk crossover scene and we need bands like this to keep the spirit of live music alive and to keep the punk flag flying.

4 Skins, Vicious Rumours, Citizen Keyne – Bedford 11th Dec 2010 Today coincided with a march by the English Defence League in Peterborough, and lo and behold a few EDL t shirts were in evidence tonight. The building is leaning so far to the right it’s almost falling over…if you get my drift. First band on tonight were Citizen Keyne hailing from near by Milton Keynes, CK have been climbing up the street punk /Oi ladder over the last few years .Really, they should have been much further up tonight’s bill but this was an unscheduled performance so they went on first. The band have improved and progressed with constant gigging and have built up a loyal local following (The CK Army). Tonight they played a shortened set of powerful street punk with song titles such as `Punk Not Fashion`, `Way Of Life` `Chavs` and `Oi for England. The song that stood out for me was their last song `Stand Proud` which is a great sing-along anthem. The second band on were called Overload who came from Cambridge I think. I only caught half of their set but they were an impressive hardcore/street punk band with short, angry songs. The singer was so thin and wiry; he looked like a microphone stand. Vicious Rumours are already featured in Trev`s half of this fanzine. However the band struggled tonight as their singer was stuck in the USA the bass player took over vocal duties and soldiered on but I didn’t see the best of them tonight and it was a disappointing performance. The main band 4 Skins fronted by Gary Hodges climbed onstage, looking more like bunch of hod carriers than a headline act. Tonight was being filmed as part of a Skinhead /Oi documentary and Gary Hodges attempts to hold his belly in for the cameras didn’t even last through the first song `1984`. The band is tight and professional and the guitarist was great. The crowd responds and the 4 Skins play a set of favourites such as `Evil` `ACAB` `One Law For Them` `Jealousy` and of course finishing up with `Chaos`. Gary Hodges also growled through a version of Slades `Cum On Feel The Noize` and a dodgy new song called `We`re Not Gonna Take This Shit`. This is where the problem lies for bands like the 4 Skins, their political leanings are questionable and references to `Pakis` and `Muslims` immigrants`, `crusty students `etc is the sort of rhetoric that is picked up from scum newspapers such as The Sun and News Of The World. I am not going to get on my political soap box (I leave that to Trev) but the band hasn’t seemed to move on from the events at Southall. All said and done the 4 Skins are still as angry and voracious as they ever were, they have a big following and they certainly give the crowd what it wants. I am just not sure if it is what I want though.

Hawkwind – Bedford Corn Exchange 15th Dec 2010.

Tonight I felt like an alien on another planet, the proverbial square peg in a round hole. Two hours of Dr Who music, dancers dressed up as Christmas trees, and kaleidoscope graphics had my head spinning out of control. There’s only so many songs about space, robots, the universe that one man can stand. What the hell is Dave Brock on? I bounced out of the hall on my space hopper went back home and ate a bag of nuts. Utter progrock crap!!!

I hate work anD you shoulD to My employment record has more holes in it than West Hams defence. Its not that I am lazy, it’s just that well….I begrudge getting asked to do some meaningless task that I have no desire to do and no interest in. I started off my employment by becoming unemployed. When I left school I signed on as one of Maggie’s millions.

There were no jobs, so why bother looking. Eventually I had to go on a Youth Opportunity Programme otherwise I would have had my meagre benefit stopped.

The YOP was a scheme that was introduced to get young idle hands into the workplace. It was just another way for the government to exploit the youth and encourage slave labour. I did last a few months before walking out. I then signed on for the next 3 years before getting a job as a hospital porter where I wheeled dead bodies around all day. I won’t bore you all with all my thankless jobs since but what I do struggle to understand is how your job description defines the person you are. It is like you are given a defining role in life which identifies you and the person you are by the job you do. It erases your personality and replaces it with a job title. The conception is that if you are a postman, all you do his deliver letters. Your only reason for existence is by performing the tasks that you are paid to do. No sum of money can compensate for the time spent at work. Work keeps you in your place; it steals your life and controls you. Work shits on you; it places you in a subservient role where you must obey. Wake up and smell the bullshit. How many people on their death beds have said `My only regret in life is that I wish I had spent more time at work? `. Fucking none!!

MDC – I Hate Work Work, work, work it's a lot of jive never gonna work 9 to 5 tell mr. bossman I said goodbye never gonna work another day in my life I hate work, yeah I do I hate work, and you should to I hate work, ain't no clerk I hate work, ain't no jerk never gonna work in a factory or sweat my life in misery work like that never meant to be work like that is not for me [chorus] work work work away the years of your life work work work never see your wife work work work sweat and tears work work work lost my years [chorus] we're not gonna work in your crummy jobs we're not gonna fight in your stinkin' wars we're not gonna vote in your phony elections take a good look we're your reflection.

the smokIng hearts are reaDy to rock!

The Smoking Hearts are a young band who have been gigging in and around the UK for a few years now. They play a blend of garage style rock`n`roll punk mixed in with a blend of hardcore and new age metal similar in vein to bands such as The Cancer Bats and The Bronx. The band have released one album called `Pride Of Nowhere` and have been appearing regularly in those horrible rock magazines.

They have played everywhere from Bridgend down to er… Cheesy Bellend & are currently in the studio recording a new album. I caught up with the bands drummer Matty and put these questions to him – What are The Smoking Hearts and what do you hope to achieve as a band? Well we are a rock n roll band that provides something different to the scene. Some people say it’s a cross between hardcore, we always get put in the same boat as Gallows, but we just want to go out, play shows have a good time and play some rock n roll. Don’t you think that this rock n roll style punk has been covered before? We are influenced by a lot of bands, but I can’t think of any bands that sound the same as us. You can pick out different elements to our influences. There’s heavy punk influence and bands like Dwarves and Motorhead is like a variety of punk and rock n roll fused together. How do you see the punk rock n roll scene, do you see yourselves moving on in this kind of movement? We see a lot of hardcore bands and it’s the same old riffs when everyone’s trying to be the new Gallows. We are a bit more professional, we think about songs and how it’s sounded. We don’t just put a breakdown in with shouty vocals. We have good guitar riffs and catchy chorus that everyone can sing along to. There is an element of pop in there as well. What do you think about the old established punk bands, do you think they are too old to be on stage? No, fair play to them, it’s good that they are still carrying on and supporting the scene. I don’t really listen to the old traditional punk anymore, I was heavily influenced when I first started up but now I listen to other stuff. You have a new vocalist now, what’s the story behind the old singer who has gone insane? We don’t know if he’s gone insane, there has been a press release from the band, but we haven’t heard from him t from a text message You were featured in Kerrang..and what’s that other glossy, shitty mag ? Metal hammer, Rocksound. I spoke to you before and you admitted paying an agent to get you press coverage, don’t you think should concentrate on building up a fan base rather than paying for your own promotion? I understand what you are saying but you can play in as many pubs as you want in front of 10 people and a dog and you aren’t going to get nowhere.

We love what we do, we enjoy it and want to play rock n roll for a living so we are investing in ourselves. We don’t want to go to work in a suit and tie. You have a connection in the music scene as the bass player Calvin is the guitar tech for Bullet for My Valentine.

Has he managed to secure you any support slots or maybe a blow job? That’s yet to be seen. His position has influenced us, he is the one who knew the press agent and it is a big help. How do you describe your live shows, what have you got to offer? We are a lively, energetic band, people always have a fun time when they come and see The Smoking hearts, and they always leave with a smile on their face. Sounds like Pontins. Ha-ha, yeah Pontins rock`n`roll. What major bands have you supported and what’s the response been like from the headline act? Yeah we supported Andrew Wk in London. It was fantastic; it was in a Burlesque club and was rammed pack with over 300 people there. We

met him after the show, and we went down to his…. private area. His Underpants? Ha-ha, not quite, he was very positive about what we are doing and the crowd was great. What did you think about the mosh pits and the circle dancing, the older punks can barely manage Ring a ring a roses` before they fall down? If people want to express their love for the music by dancing its up to them. I wouldn’t do it myself but when you are up there on stage and the crowd is going mental then that’s cool. How many dates did you do on the March tour and where did you play? We played about 20 dates, places like Cardiff, Nottingham, London. It was a successful tour. We haven’t played abroad yet but we were offered a few dates in Sweden but as we are a DIY band we couldn’t finance it. What was the reaction like from the first album and what can we expect from the second album you are currently working on? The first album is like introducing The Smoking Hearts. The new album we are working on is with the new singer is got a bit more aggressive feel around the vocals, and it is more grown up and professional. What are the ages of the band members? They range from 19 to 27, I am the youngest member but we get on really well. How much did you pay the agent to get in them shit rock mags, was it about £280 each? No, you make it sound like you have to pay money to get into `Kerrang. These agents are busy with the top end bands, they have to think your music is worth something otherwise they won’t take you on, they have to like you? Or like your money? No, it isn’t like that. You paid a fee to guarantee these photos going in the rock mags though.

We didn’t pay a fee for that. No one does anything for free; we don’t play a show for free.

You should be able to get in these magazines by merit alone without paying a fee.

We have been working very hard; we want everyone to hear our music and to like us, the best way to do that is to get in the press, but you can only do that if press agents like you and everything has a price. It’s not about paying money to get into `Kerrang`. What other bands have Smoking Hearts played with? Supersuckers, Skid Row, The Misfits, Gallows, and Andrew WK. If you would describe the band in one word, what would it be? Kickarse.

Isn’t that two words? What are the bands main influences? We all listen to everything, the influences are so vast. Our guitarist Simon loves Black Flag, Nobba loves guitar solos and bands like AC/DC, our bass player Calvin’s favourite band is Faith No More but we sound nothing like them. My all time favourite band is Rancid. Do you all hold down jobs and how does it affect the band touring? Yeah we all have jobs; we just work around it if we have to go on tour. Ok I’ll wrap this up, never mind the corporate magazines, this will be read by about 3 people. Ha-ha, well I hope they enjoy it!

www.myspace.com/smokinghearts

sweet f.a – the wemBley way The English Football Association is notorious for making shit decisions, but I will never forgive them for knocking down the iconic twin towers from the Empire Stadium. Originally the Towers were meant to remain incorporated in the design for the new structure but sadly the twin towers were demolished along with the entire stadium. I had been to the original Empire Stadium at Wembley over 25 times. In later years it was run down, and I remember walking up the stairways with rivers of piss flowing over my shoes as the toilets were overflowing and everyone was pissing in the stairways. The turnstiles were ancient and huge queues use to form and fights use to break out. When the stadium still had the standing terrace, you were able to climb over the walls to get in different parts of the stadium, anything to avoid getting stuck behind one of them concrete pillars. The view was never really any good no matter where you stood. The track around the pitch made the stadium seem vast and when the players appeared like they were dots on a landscape. There was no use standing down the front, as the wire fences, police, stewards, and photographers would stand there all game blocking the view. The rolling standing terraces use to create a great, rabble rousing atmosphere as the crowd ebbed and flowed up and down the terraces in a sea of bodies. It was either get bounced around like a beach ball on a windy beach, or have your ribs crushed against a metal crash barrier. The beginning of the end was when the Stadium went all seater. I think the first time I went after the seats were installed was England V Argentina, my mate who had got the tickets had bought seat 1 row 1. Of course, this was an orange piece of plastic nailed firmly into the concrete; you couldn’t even sit on the bloody thing it was like squatting down to take a shit. The great joy of visiting Wembley was seeing the white twin towers magically appear as you walked out of Wembley Underground station. It was a great feeling and signalled that you had arrived at the historic home of football. The stadium was rebuilt with the arch and although I have been to the new Wembley over a dozen times, the novelty of seeing the arch soon wears off. Walking down Wembley Way lacks the excitement and buzz of yesteryear and what we have now is a bland glass fronted view of wankers in suits eating their pre match meal.

Escalators take you to the upper tiers of the stadium rather like a shopping mall. It’s soulless and lacks character. All that’s missing is the piped music. The view inside the stadium is excellent, unlike the football which is shit.

The prawn sandwich brigade that hog the corporate seats in Club Wembley vacate their seats to stuff their fucking faces and sip their wine in the comfort of their business suites. It makes me pine for the return of the sweeping open terraces, the piss, the fights and the white twin towers.

Kicking Up A Racket With Henry Cluney

Interview with: The Original guitarist from Stiff Little Fingers ****************************************************** Most people recognise the year of punk as 1977, when the Sex Pistols were singing about anarchy and The Clash were talking about revolution. For me, punk started in mid 1978 when I was 12 years old. I was too young to have been involved in the initial explosion and it wasn’t till bands such as UK Subs, Buzzcocks, The Ruts and Sham 69 started appearing on Top Of The Pops that I instantly got drawn into this new style of music culture. One band above all others meant so much to me in my teenage years. That band was called Stiff Little Fingers. I could associate with the boredom, the anger, and the frustration that they sang about. The music was raw, brutal, and defiant. The first album `Inflammable Material `was a mainstay on my turntable , as the needle scratched through the surface of the black slab of plastic and brought it to life, reverberating through my speakers and bouncing off my bedroom walls. This was real punk rock, not fashioned in some fucking art school college by some middle class prick from Bromley. This was the real deal.

Throughout my teenage years I listened to the band and bought their records. Sure the band changed but I stayed loyal, it wasn’t till I read an interview with Jake Burns firmly nailing the coffin lid shut on punk and heard the album `Now Then...` That I lost interest in the band. I felt betrayed. The musical direction had changed to some awful bubblegum pop shit. What was all this about? Eventually the band folded and Jake Burns’ new project The Big Wheel dive bombed like a kamikaze pilot into the bargain bins of Woolworths. In 1987 the band reformed and I did go and see them and thought they were great. The initial buzz of the band however soon died as Jake Burns was moving further away from the bands roots. In 1993 Jake made the shock decision to dump the bands guitarist, co founding member and best mate Henry Cluney out of the band. Henry had been in SLF from day one and had formed the band with Jake and Brian Faloon from their previous band Highway Star. I have seen SLF a few times since over the years, and it’s not the same band. There’s is no spirit; it’s just a polished turd for Jake Burns to massage his own ego with. This is not punk rock, this is a cabaret charade. Cast aside like an old sock, Henry has rarely had the chance to express his feelings, so I was very pleased to catch up with him before a gig in Bedford to interview him. Henry was on `Up The Lagan` Tour promoting his new CD`Ashes`. So let’s find out what `yer man` had to say about his old mate giving him the stiff middle finger. ************************************************************************************** What can we expect from a Henry Cluney show? A lot of old stuff, everything I do that is Stiff Little fingers is from the first 3 albums which is to me are the only 3 albums and some original stuff from my new album, and fun. I do like to have fun with it. Do you do much speaking on stage is it Irish blarney? Oh yeah, you make it up as you go along, it’s more entertaining. The Tour is called up the lagan? What’s a lagan? Exactly, we have people ask that every night. It’s a river in Belfast; at you least you pronounced it right. Are you

pleased the way the gigs can gone so far, I noticed that a couple of gigs have been cancelled? It’s really good; we had to cancel Milton Keynes because of the snow. That was free entry how are you financing these gigs? Well I play all the time in America, when its free they give you something. Its not big sums of money, but its fun. I just wanted to play again in the last couple of years so I asked the guy at `Crucial Talent` to see what he can put together, it’s the wrong time if year, its snowing tonight, at least 3 other gigs I’ve been asked to come back but not at Christmas. People are trying to pay for Christmas and people have got to take their choice for gigs. I hate to say it but live gigs are becoming a rarity. Its all DJs and karaoke. We need places like this. Never mind you have the big places and the corporate venues.

SLF book

Yer man kicking up a racket.

This is the grass roots where bands start out. We started in small places in Belfast and started playing in small venues like this when `Inflammable Material` came out. It’s like still you say it’s like where it’s started. Small venues can keep the costs down more than the corporate venues I don’t know how much the O2 charge? £50. £50? It doesn’t sound much when you say it fast. You now live in the USA, have you noticed any significant changes when you now return to the UK? Yes, the one thing that struck me when I come back is how many of the older guys are doing it now, UK Subs, 999, nearly anybody you mention, someone will say oh he’s got a new band. I like that. To be honest when you get older…. I don’t buy new music anymore. Punk gigs are full of old people, 20 years ago people my age would be sitting at home with their kids, there’s a lack of young bands coming through, they aren’t their for the long haul. Yeah where’s the money.

Are there young bands that you would see here that would be big? I saw Gallows here few weeks ago. But aren’t they big already. I have heard of them. Do you think that when punk bands such as SLF became established in around 1980, 1981 that they were embarrassed by being still a punk band? Was there pressure from the record company that made you change the musical direction? I’ll tell you the truth to me SLF, and I am not blaming anyone as I was a part of it too, we put an album out called `Now Then` and when we got back together again we did `Flags and Emblems` it was so different from what it use to be, and I don’t mean we had to make `Inflammable Material` all over again but it was like we were two separate bands. Don’t you think that after SLF had achieved success that the only other route was them to become a rock band? I now view them as a cabaret band. One of the things that people say to me on this tour is that when they see SLF now it is like they are going through the motions. The songs are still

the same, but is the spirit still there? I don’t think so. I always have a laugh at their merch stall they sell stuff like SLF laptop bags. Ha-Ha are you serious? Yeah, it’s full of tat, they’ll probably be making SLF oven gloves next. For the first time ever, Gordon who is drumming with me has the last latest SLF albums and I’ve never heard them before.

We listened to them in the car and I have to say that’s not SLF, and to have people say that they are going through the motions at the end of the day I can’t comment as I haven’t seen them but I’m getting enough people telling me. SLF have been knocked off the top spot of the fans most popular punk bands. Steve Lamacq did a poll and the UK Subs are now top. I was listening to an interview with Charlie Harper and he said that was down to Jake Burns not making himself available and losing touch with the common people. He definitely has. I think he wants to be someone like Tom Robinson or Elvis Costello. Jake always had this Elvis Costello thing, fair enough but I tended to like the noisier stuff. Now I listen to it I can hear so much of his Costello and the Soul stuff he likes.

He hasn’t got the voice to carry it off. No, he’s not a singer. I was listening to `Round Table` when they were reviewing `Nobody’s Heroes`. They said he had a voice like a bag of nails. They all took the piss out of him. Ha-ha, he never could sing, but he never said he could. The 2 weeks I have been out here, everyone has said exactly what you’ve said that he’s going through the motions.

Punk Rock Classic

SLF – A barbed wire Love

Remember these?

Inflammable material` for me is the ultimate punk album, it’s got everything.

Except the last track. What they doing now is SLF by name and are exploiting their popularity. When we first split in 1982, 83, Jakes idea was to have a whole different thing.

He had the Big Wheel and they did nothing and the way I see it, he uses the name Stiff Little Fingers even though his new stuff isn’t Stiff Little Fingers. It’s a brand. That’s a problem for anyone doing that. He tried to move away from the punk thing and become a more established rock act but no one wants to hear that shit, everyone is here tonight to hear you play `Alternative Ulster`. Of course they do and anybody from that band they call SLF would be kidding themselves if they think that people turn up to hear the songs from the latest album. It’s a nostalgia thing. SLF are unpopular with other bands and have supposedly asked for lint free towels, have you ever asked for a lint free towel?

I don’t even know what a lint free towel is. I’ll tell you another story I was doing in a gig in York and the soundman did 3 gigs for them and he said to me when he was doing the soundtrack he asked Bruce to turn up the bass and Bruce said `Please address me as Mr Foxton`. I told him he should have slapped him. On the DVDs of `See You Up There` and the recent live 30th Anniversary DVD , Jake claims that he always mixes with the

crowd but I have never seen him once at a gig walking around. No, it sounds good but it’s not true. Even more lately people are saying that he doesn’t bother with people anymore.

He’ll do the gig and get away as quickly as he can. Perhaps he’s shy? You mean he changed. When we started he talked to people whenever but it’s almost like he reached a certain level when he felt that he didn’t need to anymore. It’s nothing to do with being shy, I’ve been shy all my life but I still talk to anybody. I don’t care. You can’t be shy, you are Irish! I’m terrible, all the interviews I just use to leave to everyone else. I Read that you got into punk by hearing Eddie and The Hot Rods `Live At The Marquee `EP, and that when you played it to Jake he wasn’t interested.

The price of admission

Live at The Marquee

Glasgow 1979

I did. Highway Star, we played a gig in Belfast in about 1976 playing stuff like Rory Gallagher, I was so bored I sat down and played. The guy who owned the bar said he’d have us back but to get rid of `him `. That was when I heard Eddie & The Hot Rods; I think `New Rose` came out shortly after that. I said to Jake `Hey listen to this` but he couldn’t stand it.

Now Jake has a big thing about Joe Strummer being his idol. I lent him the first Clash album and he hated it. Basically I had to beat him over the head with it to get him to listen. I will say about him he really genuinely did get into the whole thing of it, it wasn’t a put on. What was the relationship like with Jake like around this period as you both met at School? I met him about 1971.It was great, I use to walk past his house on the way to school and I could hear Deep Purple coming out of his room. He wasn’t in the same class as me but when you reach a certain year the classes joined and we were talking about music like Wishbone Ash and that’s how I met him. We were the best friends, what happened with me and SLF is the one thing that hurts me is how close we were. The last person you would think stabbed me in the back. Do you feel like you have been stabbed in the back? Oh Yes, completely. Jake will say that the worst decision he ever made was asking me to leave, but that didn’t happen he got the tour manager to call me. The album we were working on was `Get A Life` and I did all my guitar stuff and went home I hadn’t heard from anyone for about10 days which was ok as they had to do bass guitars and vocals and stuff. I thought I would come in and do what I had to do. I called Jake to see what is happening and his wife said he was having a bath. That’s the last time I’ve heard anything about him, so he’s probably still in the bath. He’s probably stuck in there as he’s a fat bastard. Ha-ha.

What really upset me were all the lies since I’ve left. It was getting away from what I liked but it wasn’t to the point that it got to the point that I was against everything. They said that I didn’t do anything to help or work on the new album which is lies. I say they may have had their reasons but don’t lie about it, tell the truth. If he rang you up now and asked you to rejoin the band what would you say? Only if….only if it was Stiff Little Fingers I don’t

want to play with a touring soul band it’s not my thing. About 12 years ago I had a really bad car crash and broke my back. I have spoken to Jake on email and he said `Oh I was going to call`. I m just as bad as I’ve never made any attempt, its harder as we were so close , its like splitting up with your wife , its so awkward, as far as I am concerned they are a tribute band.

What songs did you write or co write? Me? Well…it’s like 3 on `Inflammable material` but I’m responsible for such nonsense as `Big City Night` and `Gate 49`. We use to have a song and all work on it that was why a lot of them were Fingers/Ogilvie or Fingers and whoever. But then come the in later years Jake decided that it wasn’t right that he was losing money so that’s why it became Burns, you’ll see his name on that stuff .So who owns the copyright now ,do you still receive the royalties? I still get the royalties .I don’t know, as far as I know its whoever was the principle songwriter, it may say Burns or whoever but that’s not the way it worked, he may have had the original idea just like me but then we’d change it. The early stuff was always a band thing. Did any Highway Star songs make it to the SLF set? Ha-ha there was no Highway Star songs; it was all covers. It was all Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. What about the troubles in Northern Ireland how did that affect you, and was the band a target? We did get threatened a few times but the thing with SLF, we didn’t have one side or the other and we have always been accused of trying to sensationalise this but I don’t care. I live where I live and if people don’t want to hear about it they don’t have to listen but I loved it. It was like growing up was the same as anywhere else but you speak to other people and obviously it wasn’t , no matter where you are you are you make the most of it. Did you have opinions on the British Troops in Northern Ireland or did you just accept it as part and parcel of everyday life? I am from Northern Ireland and we were brought up as British Citizens, it was so long ago, the reason the British Troops came in was to save the Catholics but then they turned against them.

Everybody no matter who you are has opinions; it depends where you grew up. What’s it like in Northern Ireland now, is it a fun loving place where everyone holds hands? If someone like you went over there who doesn’t really know the place, it’s like anywhere else, probably like Stoke or where ever but there is still an undercurrent of it…you can’t forget 30 odd years . Do you still have the Protestant and Catholic areas? Oh yeah, that’s why it’s hard because when people lived together and the troubles started people moved to different areas. Well that’s creating ghettos. Well that’s how it ended up but on the surface it’s an excellent place. So why don’t you live there now? I got married. I am thinking of going back as I really miss it. At what stage did you realise that SLF were becoming a huge cult band? Rough Trade records couldn’t keep up with the massive demands for `Inflammable Material`. Rough Trade was going through a hard time, I think they had records out by Scritti Polliti and Peru Ubu and they weren’t selling. I think what we did with them was a 50% each deal so `Inflammable material `basically saved the store. We did a tour with 3 bands and the idea was that each night a different band would headline. We would rotate. But after just 3 nights it wasn’t working cos if we went on first everyone would just go home. And that’s when you started to know as people were coming just to see us .When `Inflammable Material` came out, I can remember just as it was yesterday, sitting in a club in Derby called the Jaggerander listening to the chart run down. We went in at number 14, it was like WHAT?? Were you surprised? Surprised? I couldn’t believe it. We use to listen to the charts just for fun. When they said there were 3 new entries we were expecting someone like Barbra Streisand not us? How many copies as it sold and have you heard the album on CD? I have no idea, and unfortunately yes. It’s not a CD album is it? Its not,

Jake and I sat down and listened to it in about 1990, we put it on as a laugh and sat and listened to it. Oh…some of the singing and playing on it was so bad! But that’s why it’s so important as a punk album as it was so raw. If we didn’t have those, it wouldn’t have been what it was. It had everything, the teenage boredom, and the political problems in Northern Ireland at the time, the disaffected youth but the actual music side of it was quite brutal really. And that’s the way the songs just came out. The lyrical content was so strong a lot or people could associate with them at the time. In the UK it was a dull, grey and a miserable existence. If we didn’t have those, it wouldn’t have been what it was.

Stiff Little Fingers

Roots, Radicals Rockers

Saved by SLF

What people don’t realise about the first album is that people use to say that all you do is sing about the troubles. There’s was 5 songs about Northern Ireland on it. Why did you do `Johnny Was`? When we first started, we did have a covers set, and I bought an album by Bob Marley as I really liked `No Woman No Cry`. I thought that was a really great song and also it made sense from where we were from too. It’s a long track, when they play it now I think I might as well go stand at the bar for 20 minutes. People use to say to us on tour please don’t play `Johnny Was `and I will be playing it tonight but like it use to be.

When we played it, it got to about 10 minutes; you might as watch Pink Floyd do a 10 minute song. What were the reasons behind why Brian Faloon left the band was it cos he wouldn’t re locate to London? Partly true. But you didn’t relocate and stayed in the band? No I didn’t. We done `Suspect Device`, we had a recording session with Island Records and we went over and did about 6 tracks with them and told us that they were going to sign us and quit everything you do and we are going to start touring. At the last second they dropped it and cancelled the deal so we didn’t know what to do. When Gordon Ogilvie was our manager he said `look lets do another single` and Rough Trade offered to put it out and that was `Alternative Ulster`. The first real tour we did was with 2 other acts and us so it made sense to do everything from there cos Belfast was only so much; everything seemed to be in London. What year are we referring to here? The end of 1978. I didn’t move cos I didn’t want to and it worked, the others wanted to live there. Was Jake more ambitious did he have visions of becoming a rock star? There’s a possibility of that. Did he have an ego? He has an ego but he was one of those people that Belfast is famous for. As soon as you get the chance you leave it. It wasn’t the nicest place but I loved it. What were the reasons behind the first split? We were in tour in Scandinavia and he came into my room after one gig and said `I’m leaving` it was a surprise where did that come from? He wanted to do something different and to this day I would have respected Jake burns if he had done that but he didn’t. He put the Big Wheel together and when it failed had the idea to reform

SLF. So his idea was basically I have done enough with SLF and I need to go in a different direction. The Big Wheel was Jake, Dolphin and Bruce Foxton. Again it was so far away from SLF but had he stuck with that I would have been respected him. If you split one band up and do something completely different there’s no argument with that. But if you split a band up do something different but then it doesn’t work and use your old band, it doesn’t work for me. So what did you do after band split up? I use to teach guitar for a while and play in some bands in Belfast, nothing serious it was just playing around with other bands. I tried teaching guitar but I hated it, then I moved to America and that was it. I was in a band called Ground Zero; it was a punk type band with a girl singer. I just did it just cos I wanted to do something and write some songs. I always looked at playing as a fun thing to do, if it becomes a job stop doing it. Did SLF ever become just a job? I’ve never had that feeling as I love playing. Did you ever feel that you were cheating the audience? Myself?

Honestly I don’t think so. I am sure there were nights I wasn’t into it. I was always remembered that I may have been playing the same songs for 3 weeks but this is the one night that these people here get to hear it. If people have paid, then you can’t go out and think `Oh I’m a bit tired tonight so I’ll just bluff`. One of Jakes favourite sayings was `lets get this over with and get back to the bar`. It use to annoy me and I pulled him up about it.

He’s taking the public for granted; they put him where he is today. I always said to him that if they weren’t there to see him what would he be doing? When the band reformed in 1987, wasn’t that just meant to be a one off? Jake called me up and said `I’m on the dole` and I said `funny enough so am I `. He said he went to see Tom Robinson Band get together for a one off reunion in London and bumped into Ali and they got talking.

Originally it was going to be let’s play a couple of gigs, pay for Christmas and have some fun together. And now it’s like 23 years ago, it was never meant to be a long term thing. So was it just financial? It was then; we had no intention of writing new songs. Was there any ill feeling between band members? Then? No, he had his reasons for leaving and Ali was doing his own thing. It really was let’s jump on the reform bandwagon. I saw the band a few times when they reformed and it was great but over the years they have turned it into a cabaret act. It bears no relation to the original SLF. In this whole interview what I want to say more than anything I am not annoyed at Jake Burns about what he did to me that’s in the past and I’ve learned to live with that. What does annoy me is that they are dragging the name of Stiff Little Fingers down to nothing. It use to mean something and they use the same name as something so different it was what really hurts. Isn’t it just nostalgia trip now? Of course it is. Everywhere I go I see people who will say Oh I saw you on the `Go For It` Tour or whatever and you’ll see guys with Mohicans and they’ll like 46 or something and I love it but its strange. The difference between SLF and other bands was that they meant something to a lot of people. I use to always say in interviews why we were rated was cos we had melodies. Never mind the words, so many bands that were out were like 1234 ahhh and it comes to a point when all these bands became very samey. I’d meet these bands who have been through a first album and great but by the second album they’ve disappeared. We didn’t go into the punk thing so that you had to have spiky blue hair and chains. Don’t you think that once you’ve been in a band for a while and played a lot of shows, that it’s a natural progression that you improve as musicians and that you might want to write a love song for example? But that’s not always a good thing now. That’s what happened with `Now Then ` we started putting keyboards and harmonies and we never did that before, And I think that was the downfall.

Like you said before people love SLF for `Alternative Ulster` and songs like that and still do.

But don’t you get fed up with playing the same songs? Well I don’t as I’ve had a 17 year break ha-ha Did you work with Bruce Foxton? Yes, we did `Flags and Emblems` together, I was in the band with him for 2 years. Can you see a comparison that he was given the cold shoulder by Paul Weller and you were cold shouldered by Jake Burns? Strange isn’t it. Bruce was great, but stories I’ve heard since… He now plays for a tribute band for his old band. I can’t believe how big tribute bands are, I’ve been out here for 2 weeks and I’ve already played with 2 SLF tribute bands. What did you think about band such as Green Day and Blink 182 citing SLF as a huge influence? They are multi millionaires you’re sitting here with me drinking just Irn Bru?

Henry Cluney live on stage

Rigid Digit

Nobody’s Hero

What’s wrong with Irn Bru? I will be playing a song tonight about that. My problem with is that it’s so corporate, so clean, nice and manufactured. I read an interview in an American magazine where Blink 182 said the biggest regret was never seeing SLF, I can’t say that doesn’t feel good but it does. But if anyone said to me that Blink 182 sounded like SLF…Do you ever get recognised in the street? No, but I never did, I don’t care about that. Do you think that Jake stole all the glory for the band? The problem with that is that there’s 2 ways of seeing it. I can say yes but he was the front guy. You look at all bands, who’s the most famous? It’s usually the one who has died from a drug overdose. You look at UK Subs its Charlie Harper, The Jam was Paul Weller. It’s always the front guy. Its not that he stole all the limelight it was natural. Also Jake was always getting the interviews, he was good at interviews. We all did our fair share but Ali was the worst interview ever cos he didn’t know anything. It use to be him or me, mostly him and it just seemed the songs were from him and a lesser extent me. So I don’t think he stole it was forced upon him. Are you still angry with Jake Burns? Would you kiss and make up? If I saw him in the street or something I wouldn’t hold anything against him. I’m disappointed but I don’t respect him and I don’t hate him. How much money have you made out of the band?

From SLF, I get a royalty cheque ever year. Is it still selling? The funny thing is its all from the first 3 albums. I can’t remember getting a royalties beyond `Go For It`. For obvious reasons, none of them sold. The best review I ever saw, I think was in `Kerrang` about 1999 and there was a reissue of the first 3 albums and it said something like `one of the most important punk bands blah, blah ,blah, unfortunately they reformed and released a string of dour albums`, what a way to say it. And it annoys me cos it’s true. Where would you put SLF in the pecking order of punk bands, who would you put at the top and where

would SLF fit in there? I would say The Ramones, Sex Pistols, to some extent The Damned but that was bit sillier. If I look at the bands that influenced us, The Ramones and I always liked Eddie & The Hot Rods, I know it’s not really punk. What about The Vibrators? That first Vibrators album, I liked it, but when the second album came out I didn’t really bother with, but I loved the first album. They are still playing. I saw them last year with Eddie & The Hot Rods in Minnesota, it was great but it wasn’t really The Vibrators as Knox wasn’t with them. It’s hard to put yourself outside something and say `we this` or `we that` but when you read what people say you know it’s important. I don’t know about top 5, but the top 10. Ramones, Sex Pistols, Eddie & The Hot Rods for me, The Clash, I did say The Damned but after that SLF are somewhere in there. What about your new CD `Ashes`, what sort of material is on there? I do a version of `Alternative Ulster` with a new verse in it and a version of `No more of that`. It’s a collection of electric and acoustic which I will be doing tonight. How well has the new material been received? It’s been great, its like most people know if you say this is a new song people will go to the toilet. It’s better if people enjoy it, listen and give it a chance, I don’t fool myself I know people want to hear `Alternative Ulster` and the songs they know. Didn’t you first start the solo act as support for The Damned and The Alarm? I had no intention of doing it. A band from Scotland got in touch with me and asked if I would play with them but they are a SLF tribute band and I felt a wee bit weird but it turned out their tour manager called me and said `would you do anything solo and I said `I don’t think so` as I couldn’t see how it would work.

Basically a year later I thought why not give it a go. Do you get nervous on stage? No, I never do I go onstage and forget things. People like it when things go wrong. Of course they do the worst thing is you see some band and see some band and it was perfect, like Thin Lizzys `Live ad Dangerous`. The only thing live was the snare drum!

The interview ended as Henry had to gotta gettaway on stage. It was a pleasure to meet him and hopefully in future he will be able go for it and perform his solo show at Blackpool Rebellion as I am sure it will go down a storm. He may be nobody’s hero but it doesn’t make it alright at the way Jake has treated one of his original tin soldiers. Henry Cluney hasn’t had a wasted life; he may have been at the edge but now he’s as safe as houses as he continues to fly the flag for the original spirit of SLF. It stands to reason that two guitars clash and the barbed wire love with Jake Burns was clear that the singer had lost the love of the common people. We’ll just have to wait and see where Henry takes his solo show but I am sure there is a silver lining and he will still be kicking up a racket.

There may be a few hits and misses and he may get the chords back to front but it was good to listen to Henry as it was touch and go whether the gig would still go ahead due to the weather. It was clear tonight that Henry was keen to breakout and perform rather than just fade away. www.henrycluney.com NO ONE RULES OK ISSUE 2 FANZINE - Includes a 9 page interview with Steve Ignorant, John Robb. The Warriors, Fire Exit, Drongos for Europe, Rose Tattoo, Punk in Ulster, Sex Pistols Experience, Glasgow Punk. 40 Pages of bad humour, bad attitude and bad breath. £2.00 via Paypal from me at – musicisloud@yahoo.co.uk , or email for postal address.

WHy I DO NOT vOTE There are many reasons why I do not vote, but I always cite my main reason by regaling the following tale. Many years ago when I was but young, dumb and full of cum, I woke up hung-over with a badly wrapped bandage around my head. I had been out the night before and for some reason ended up with someone’s teeth imbedded in the top of my head. When I removed the bandage a thick stream of yellow pus oozed out of the wound down my forehead. I was babysitting my then young and impressionable daughter that day and I was somewhat concerned that perhaps I wasn’t setting the best example. I thought I would redress my behaviour by educating my daughter on the democratic process of expressing my right to vote.

It was polling day in a local by election and the polling station was about 20 metres from my front door. We went out and I put the X on my ballot paper and in the box and returned the short distance home. I then realised that I had taken my front door key off my fob the night before when I went out, and now was standing there with a bunch of useless keys and was now locked out. I knocked on a neighbour’s door and asked for a screwdriver, and English not being his first language, the idiot gave me a kitchen chair! Never mind I thought, I’ll use that instead. My daughter watched on as her clever Daddy climbed on the chair and gently tried to prize open a side window. The window started to give, just another slight pull would leaver it open, and gently gently catchy monkey …crack!

Bollocks! The fucking window cracked and in a fit of rage got off the chair and threw it at the window. Not only did the glass smash but so did the chair... I stood there looking at the jagged glass in the window frame and the pile of broken chair legs lying on the pavement. I then realised that the window was too small for me to get through in any case, and that now I couldn’t reach it as it was too high, and the only way of reaching it would have been by climbing on the chair that I had just smashed up. In the end I removed the remaining glass and got some school kid to climb up on my shoulders climb through the window and open the front door. So in conclusion my one poxy fucking vote cost me the price of a new window, my neighbours wrath, my daughter growing up thinking that I was a colossal prick, and my relationship- as my girlfriend left me shortly afterwards …and that ladies and gentleman happens when you go and fucking vote !!!!!

NO ONE RULES OK – NO MASTERS NO SLAvES

A `SHOOT` Profile with Kieran singer with The Restarts

Full name: Kieran Dillon Plunkett Birthplace: Squamish B.C. Canada Height: 5’8�

Weight: 160lbs (ahem...this is right after xmas!!)

Car: banged up old Raleigh racer (bicycle) Previous bands: Armed and Hammered (Toronto), Ulcer (Toronto) Varukers, Jayne County & the Electric Chairs Job: Timewaster, illustrator Nickname: Sponge, Kweerin, Capt Punk, Kiki Favourite Newspaper: Guardian Favourite Band: Dev-o Band for the future: Boney M Childhood Hero: Luke Skywalker Favourite Football Team: St Pauli Most memorable gig: playing with Jello Biafra & GSM Biggest Disappointment: Millennium New Years Eve Friendliest Venue: Spiderland Acres (Canada) Best venue played in: Poison Club squat (original) Miscellaneous likes / dislikes: likes: Mexican food, swimming, sex - dislikes: ignorance, arrogance and turnips Favourite actor /actress: John Hurt and Kathy Burke Favourite holiday resort: Blackpool Best Film seen recently: Into the Wild Favourite TV Shows: Little Britain, League of Gentlemen Favourite activity on day off: embroidery Biggest influence on musical career: Abba Superstitions: never trust band interviews!

Restarts Releases: 2009 Mobocracy MDC/Restarts split Nolabelrecords 2007 Outsider CD Nolabelrecords 2004 Actively Seeking Work CD 1996-1998 Active distribution 2003 System Error CD Active distribution 2002 Slumworld CD Active distribution 2002 Restarts / Left For Dead Split EP Dead Records

1999 Restarts "Your World"/Broken split EP Magilla Guerilla Records 1998 Restarts "State Rape"/Zero Tolerance Split LP Rejected Records 1997 Just Gets Worse 7" EP Blind Destruction Records 1996 Frustration 7" EP Blind Destruction Records 1996 Job Club 11 song Demo tape Self Released, also Malarie Personal ambitions: finish this interview If you were not in a band what would you do: be wishing i was in a band!

Which person in the world would you most like to meet: John Malkovich Band Contact Details:

email@restarts.co.uk http://www.restarts.co.uk http://www.myspace.com/therestarts http://www.facebook.com/therestarts http://twitter.com/the_restarts The title from this fanzine `No One Rules Ok` was inspired from a song by the band Charge. The track appears on the bands live `Caged and Staged ` album.

Charge are probably best know for their singles such as `Kings Cross` `Destroy The Youth` and `Fashion`.

There is now a CD called `Perfection- plus the Best of` released on Anagram records. I did manage to see the band about 3 times in the 1980s but at the time they came across as a bit of a racket. The singer Stu P.Didiot died of cancer in July 2003. Anyone interested in finding more about this band can find a site dedicated to his memory atwww.stu-p-didiot.com

A Shitters guide - How to use public toilets - The Escapee - Letting out a fart when you are having piss at a urinal / Jailbreak -When straining on the pot, several farts slip out at a machine gun pace. Do not panic, stay in the stall until everyone else has left to save face / Courtesy Flush -The act of flushing the toilet just as the cone hits the water. This reduces the amount of air time the turd has to stink up the cubicle .Thus avoiding the walk of shame / The Walk Of Shame -Walking out of the stall after you have just stunk up the shitter / Out Of The Closet - Someone who walks in with a newspaper or magazine under their arm, a proud shitter. Avoid using the bog if they are around, can involve careful monitoring / The Turd Burglar - Someone who forces the door when you are midway through a crap. This is a most shocking and vulnerable moment which could leave to premature pinch age which will inevitably cause you to pinch one off in the middle / Camo Cough – A phoney cough that alerts others you are in the stall. This can be used to cover up a watermelon or to ward off a potential turd burglar. Very effective, can be used in conjunction with the `Astaire` / The Astaire -This is a subtle toe tap that is used to alert all potential turd burglars you are in the stall. This will remove all doubt that the stall is occupied. If you hear the Astaire, leave immediately so that they can shit in peace / Watermelon - A turd that hits the water and creates a loud splash in the water. If you feel a watermelon coming on try a diversion with a Camo Cough / Havana Omelette - A load of diarrhoea that creates a series of loud splashes. Try using a Camo Cough combined with an Astaire / Uncle Ted A bathroom user who seems to linger forever….either on the pot of in front of the mirror. An Uncle Ted makes it difficult to relax while on the crapper, you should always wait to drop your load when the toilets are empty.

The Turd Terminology Explained. The Clean Sheet - The crap is out, it is in the bowl but there is nothing on the paper / The Ghost - You feel the turd has come out but there’s nothing in the bowl / Wet Wipe - The kind where you wipe your arse about 50 times and it still feels unwiped. You may have to lodge some paper up your arse crack so that you don’t leave a huge stain in your undies / Second wave - This happens when you have left the bog, but then realise you have another turd bus waiting up the rear tooting its brown horn / Pop A Vein -The kind of crap where you are straining so fucking hard you nearly have a stroke / The Submarine -The kind of shit that is so huge you are worried it will not flush. May have to break up into bits with the bog brush. A Messy affair if there is no brush / The Hangover - The kind of crap after a night out drinking. Its most noticeable trait is the skid marks on the bottom of the toilet. Tends to be of the dark, sloppy variety / Wet Cheeks -The kind of dump that comes out so fast your arse cheeks get splashed with water. Can be a shock to the system / The Dangler -The turd that refuses to drop into the toilet, you just pray that a shake or two will cut it loose. A quick stand up and two step shuffle may lodge the offending squatter.

London were at the forefront of the initial stage of the punk rock explosion in the UK and went on to release some catchy singles which reached the lower ends of the UK Charts. Formed at the end of 1976, the band signed to MCA records in the spring of 1977. The band went on a three month nationwide tour as support to The Stranglers and released singles such as `Everyone’s A winner `,`Summer Of Love `EP and `Animal Games`. The band eventually split in December 1977 when drummer John Moss decided to join The Damned. A whopping Thirty Years later the band reformed and the present line up is – Miles (Riff) on vocals, Colin Watterson on drums, Steve Voice – bass/vocals, and Hugh O’Donnell on guitar/vocals. The band have released `London The Punk Rock Collection` on the `Captain Oi` label and also somewhat bizarrely a live CD called `Get Out Of London` which I recorded at a gig on a digital recorder. London are a band with a pedigree of great tunes and bright edgy power pop but still manage to retain their punk rock edge. The band gig regularly so catch them if you can. The following questions were answered by Miles (Riff) What was the punk explosion really like in 1977? Can you describe what is was like playing in a band and being part of the original scene? It was an exciting time with opportunities to see so many different bands playing live (often on the same night, especially in London). For a while there were no records available so the live scene was everything.

I’ve never forgotten seeing The Stranglers for the first time or standing with five other people at the Red Cow in Hammersmith watching The Jam. Forming ‘London’ was everything I’d ever wanted to do really. Be in a band gigging. A great experience. Do you still have any contact with John Moss? Was he approached and asked to rejoin when the band reformed? I haven’t been in touch with Jon for a while. We tried to contact him a few times about reforming ‘London’ but he never answered our emails. He is in a few bands though so he was probably too busy. London reached the lower ends of the national charts. Did the band receive much airplay and did you ever think you would break through into the mainstream or achieve chart success? The ‘Summer of Love’ EP got to 52 in the charts and that was the only time we got near a hit record. It was a bit of a disappointment at the time but for most of the band the live gigs were the exciting bit. I think a lack of chart success did propel Jon to leave the band and join the Damned though. He was always heading for pop stardom that boy! Can you name some of the bands you played with and saw in 1977? Which bands struck you as faking it? Bands we played with included The Stranglers, 999, XTC, the Only Ones, The Adverts, Drones, The Look, Advertising,

New Hearts, Penetration, The Cortina’s, Wayne County and the Electric Chairs, The Swords.

Other great bands from that time were of course The Clash, Sex Pistols, The Damned, Generation X, Chelsea, The Heartbreakers, Buzzcocks, The Saints, and Blondie. No-one struck me as faking it, you were either out there playing or you weren’t. Why did the band split up in Dec 1977? Basically we lost our momentum a bit. We had been constantly gigging for much of the year and when we hadn’t been playing we were in the studio recording. We were pretty exhausted. Then Jon announced in December that he was leaving us and joining the Damned and the rest of us just didn’t make much of an effort to replace him although we did rehearse a bit with ex-Chelsea/Generation X drummer John Towe. `Riff` became `Miles` and launched a solo career on MCA records. Did you have aspirations to become the next Cliff Richard? No of course not. I was just in this great position where MCA were willing to keep me on and release some solo singles. Who would say no to that? I also wanted to try a few different styles and that was why the first one ‘All the Nice Boys and Girls in the World’ had a 62 piece orchestra playing on it. It was hugely different to anything that ‘London’ had done but that was the point. I’m very proud of that record and I know many fans like it. Is `Riff` the alter ego of `Miles` and what bad behaviour did you partake in to earn punk rock credentials back in the summer of love? Yes, in a way ‘Riff’ is my ‘Ziggy Stardust’ but there’s no bad behaviour that goes with him. None I’m telling you about anyway! He just wears a different mask of creativity.

What was the main reason behind the bands decision to reform and what was the initial reaction like when you played Bar 12 in London? It was Steve’s idea. He had been asking me for a couple of years. At first I said no because I didn’t think anyone would come and see us. I was as amazed as anyone when we played the 12 Bar and got such a great reception. There was even one fan that came all the way from Japan to see us! The band have played with a variety of punk bands on the current gig scene, how well does London fit in and play in front of an audience that has turned up to see bands such as The Subhumans? Is there a clash of musical styles? Not really. We may play in a different music style to many bands but basically we put on a good show and that’s why people like to come and see us perform. Pure entertainment, hopefully. Anyway it would be boring if everyone sounded the same wouldn’t it? You have written comedy scripts for the likes of Frankie Howard, what makes a good joke and do you feel that present day comedy acts lack the personality and character of acts such as Morcambe and Wise, Tommy Cooper? A good joke is one that makes you laugh, if it doesn’t it’s a bad joke! Everyone’s appreciation of comedy is different. Someone may find Russell Brand hilarious but dislike Jo Brand and another person exactly the opposite. It’s all a question of what comedy brand you like. I think there’s just as much personality around today simply because we know the stars and their lives so much better with internet blogs, appearances on quiz shows etc. The bands new material blends in well with the original songs; would you describe yourself as punks as London are quite a poppy outfit? We always like a bit of melody in our songs and Steve and I deliberately go out to achieve that. Catchy tunes.

The best punk bands had it too; look at The Clash’s first album or the Buzzcocks or even the

Pistols’ singles. Hooks galore! You released a live recording I made of the band as the official bootleg `Get Out Of London`. How well has it sold and when will I be receiving my royalty cheque? We only put it out as a kind of stopgap before we could release our new studio album ‘Underground’ (out soon). You’ll get your royalty cheque as soon as we see our one. What is the bands standpoint on being bootlegged? It’s difficult to stop and, anyway, in this internet age its available everywhere. The only problem is that we don’t want our fans to have to buy inferior stuff that we have no control over. There are a lot of very bad bootlegs out there. You have built up a reputation of being nice and friendly and a good band to play with. Aren’t London just too bloody nice to be a punk band? Come off it, we’re just a bunch of middle-aged men who enjoy playing our type of music. All that aggressive crap went out over 30 years ago didn’t it? (Obviously hasn’t been to a 4 Skins gig then – Ed) Does calling yourselves `London` cause any confusion, I ask as back in 1977 the internet was light years away. If I Google the name London now, I find it hard to locate the bands website as there are so many results regarding the city of London? I agree, it is hard to find out stuff about us because it’s such a common name. But it’s also a great name and we’re proud to play under it because it’s where it all began in London in 1976. Have the band played abroad yet since the reform, and how do you view the state of live music at the moment? Yes we’ve played in Madrid and we also headlined a festival in the Czech Republic. The live scene at the moment is not too bad. The downside to live music in my opinion is that there is far more competition for your leisure time than ever before. For those that make the effort, a good night out seeing some of the old bands is great. After all, so many bands like us have reappeared and you can now see them playing in much smaller clubs than when they played over 30 years ago. It’s there if you want it but most people probably stay in on a Saturday night nice and warm watching X Factor! What plans does the band have for the future, is there going to be an album of new material available? Business as usual. More live shows in 2011 and a new studio album ‘Underground’ coming out soon. It’s all new material except for one cover.

Main website: www.londontheband.com MySpace: www.myspace.com/londontheband Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/London/56299668102

If you want to book the band for a gig contact: Mark Guichard on 07969503389 or email Mark at: mg.ultra@talk21.com

Government Issue was one of the original and influential hardcore bands from the USA. From Washington DC the band were active from 1980 to 1989 and went through many line up changes. The band reformed in 2007 as Government ReIssue to help pay for the medical bills for lead singer John Stabb who was badly beaten by 5 men and required extensive face reconstruction surgery. The band also reformed once again in December 2010. For those of you who have-not yet heard Government Issue then think straight edge, Minor Threat, Black Flag style hardcore.

The following interview was conducted by Sean on behalf of this fanzine

10 QUESTIONS WITH JOHN STAbb OF GOvERNMENT ISSUE-by SEAN KOEpENIcK On December 11th, 2010, something happened that many punk rock fans thought would never take place. The definitive line-up of this pioneering DC outfit-John Stabb, Tom Lyle, J. Robbins and Pete Moffett reunited for the first time in over 2 decades. The reason was to assist a longtime friend with mounting medical expenses. I’m sure they raised a fair amount for their friend since the show was sold out well in advance. For those who were not in attendance, various clips of The Black Cat show are available on YouTube. But here is where you will get the inside scoop from the band’s front man on how this all came together, as well as updates on some new archival releases from the band out now. So read on and then go complete your CD or vinyl collection of Government Issue, one of the best bands to come out of the 1980’s bar none.

Government Issue just played their first show in 21 years together. How did that happen? Tom Lyle and I had always been dead set on never playing another G.I. gig because we thought that when G.I. was done, it was done.

Then a few years prior to this reunion show (2007), Tom and Brian Baker (Bad Religion) were contacted by a drummer friend William Knapp (76% Uncertain) to play a benefit gig for me on account of my getting my face rearranged by some young thugs. So with that concert for my massive medical bills, this was the first time in 25 years that Tom and I had even set foot upon a stage together, much less played a song together. It was a short and sweet sloppy punk set performed by some talented geezersbilled as Government Re-issue-but it was fun for all. Now forward ahead to 2010 and I contacted everyone in G.I. (J. Robbins, Peter Moffett, and Tom) to help out a musician friend

Steven McPherson (Brace, DJ Stereofaith) with his outrageous hospital costs. Steve had an ear tumor removed and that's not a small task so I'm pleased that we could help out an old buddy. Leading up to the performance-how difficult was it for you to re-learn the songs? Oddly enough when I listened to my IPod that I loaded tons of G.I. recordings on, I had no trouble remembering the songs. I think I hear G.I. tunes in my sleep-ha! Our 90minute set did contain a few old hardcore covers (Bad Brains & Void) and those I had a bit of trouble with but I winged them both. Mums the word on that-ha! And by the encore, I heard no complaints from anyone except my friend Ian MacKaye who let me know "You were fucking up songs all over the place but that's okay because you're the front man.” I love that Ian tells it like it is. But I will have my man know that after listening to many recordings and watching footage of the gig I flubbed a few lyrics in the craziness of the moment and came in late only once. Overall, I think we gave everyone in attendance a night they shall not soon forget. The band played 38 songs at the show-where there prolonged discussions about the set list? Oh yes indeed! Such as questioning Pete-who chose the majority of the long set list: "You really want to do all those songs from Boycott Stabb?” Imagine my surprise to discover that that old record is Pete's favorite G.I. release. The really breakneck fast numbers were the toughest ones to do but worth the effort in the long run. I will go on record to state: that hardcore shit is fuckin' hard work-ha! I'd like to see Oasis bloody try it! It was a sold out show. Did you experience any anxiety before hitting the stage? Oh that's nothing new in the book of John Stabb because I tend to just channel all my anxieties and nervousness into the performance. The band going out there in front of an 800 plus crowd who had so many expectations-other than "Hope they don't suck like so many other reunion band gigs!" that was some kind of intense. But we never have done anything to please an audience so they would have to suffer along with usha! How did your other band members feel about the show afterwards? Everyone else felt good about the gig and I (as usual) was highly critical of my own performance. I will forever be my own worst critic. Days later I can accept that it was pretty fuckin’ good. But we can definitely no longer do our 12 songs in a row without stopping and leaving people's jaws dropping like we did when we were younger. I don't think anyone ever did that kind of thing better than G.I. in our heyday. There are 2 remastered Government Issue albums out now. Tell us about the Dr. Strange and Dischord re-issues? Dr. Strange Records is re-releasing all the G.I. vinyl with the exception of Boycott Stabb: The Complete Sessions, which recently came out on Dischord Records. It's been wonderful to get the old vinyl and cool extras out there for the record collecting public on Dischord. I can't help but be excited to have the complete sessions of Boycott out in the world. Ian did a brilliant job of mixing and editing the whole thing to include bits of the endless arguments and the madness that went into spending a day in the studio enduring G.I. Especially an obnoxious young front man with too many Attention Deficit issues to drive a person mad-ha! I was such a fuckin’ loon back then. Are there any more “from the vault” re-issues being planned? We have no plans on doing any more of these “complete sessions” on the old studio recordings but we do have a whole country's worth of live recordings to choose from for added insanity.

What band has done the best cover of a Government Issue song? There are many I'm quite fond of but for my money having our band friends like Naked Raygun doing "Where

You Live" while on tour in Germany and Superchunk's version of "Blending In" are my personal favorites. Will there be any more reunion shows for Government Issue? I have learned the hard way to “never say never” but we have no future plans in the works. I'd want it to be a benefit for someone and not for some big paycheck. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against making money for doing hard work but that's not what Government Issue should be about. Money is to be made but that's not why I play. I noticed quite a few cameras at the show. Will there be a DVD release for those who were not there?

Perhaps there will be a release of the gig on DVD but G.I. has no immediate plans to get that happening. I'm sure some of the folks who didn't/did get the opportunity to see the show live would enjoy it.

Book Reviews : Cockney Reject – Jeff Turner / Gary Bushell With a meagre foreword by that tub of lard Morrissey and co written by jingoistic and gung ho journalist Gary Bushell this is the story of Jeff Turner, AKA Stinky Turner lead singer with The Cockney Rejects. The Rejects arrived on the music scene in a flurry of boots and fists; the band firmly nailed their Westham colours to the mast, which Turner admits was the beginning of their downfall. The story unfolds as the very young East End Geggus brothers blag their way into a recording studio and so beings their rapid ascension to the UK charts, gig violence, and well….punch up after punch up. This book is very honest but what we get basically is the story of the Cockney Rejects rather than an autobiography of Jeff Turner. It’s not such a personal story but a biography of the band rather than the man. The final chapters of the book skim over most of the 1990s until the band decides to reform. There are some good stories in here such as being held at gun point by the Circle Jerks in the USA, but I feel that Turner has been somewhat guarded about revealing too much of his own personal life and relationships .His marriage breakdowns hardly get a mention. This book reads like one of the many football hooligan books that are now on the market, the big difference being, I am sure that all the stories in this book are true. A bruising read.

Pirates – Ross Kemp I do enjoy Ross Kemp books, mainly because he sticks his stupid fat head into the most dangerous and volatile situations. Unfortunately, this is quite tame by Ross usual standards as he struggles to make contact with the pirates he was trying to investigate. Travelling in the seas of Somalia, Indonesia and Nigeria, Kemp tries to unravel the increasing problem of piracy on the high seas. There are some amusing tales as Kemp comes face to face with a pirate whose self made balaclava is an arm cut off an old jumper. All said and done this is a disappointing read mainly because Kemp never really captures his subject matter.

BIg mouth from the south What does 2011 have in store for the UK, as it crawls on its hands and knees into another year? The coalition seems set on public spending cuts to make up the shortfall in the nations deficit, which in turn will lead to an increase in strike action. It’s always the easy targets the Government attacks first, if it isn’t a school for the disabled being shut down, and then it’s reduced funding for care for the elderly. Dick Whittingham came to London to see the paths paved in gold. These days they are paved in police horse shit and claret. The capital city has seen the toffs demonstrate against the huge rise in University tuition fees. Pictures of Champagne Charlie Gilmour swinging on the Union Jack at the Cenotaph made headline news. Being the son of Pink Floyds David Gilmour, I can’t imagine this rich cunt having to worry about paying his fucking fees. What is it with demonstrators smashing windows and trashing banks in front of the full glare of the world media? You can’t even have a decent riot in peace these days as the photographers grapple for position to take the picture of you booting in the window of McDonalds. It may have seemed as a lark at the time, but 3 months later you won’t find it so funny when you are standing in the court dock with your chutney valve quivering away.

The whole nation let out a collective yawn at the announcement of a Royal Wedding, if that wasn’t bad enough another one was thrown in for good measure, at least that one is in Monaco. As per bloody usual the media will go overboard with all the pomposity that such occasions attract. I will of course, lock myself away for the big day in the garden shed with a box full of old football programmes and a case of beer. I hope it fucking rains and the wedding dress gets trawled through a load of dog shit.

The England team continues to bore us with its mediocrity, Don Capello`s reign as coach is nearly as bad as his command of the English language. Fabio Clueless World Cup disaster had all the attributes of General Custer’s stand against the Sioux Indians, and look what happened to him!

When the country is not gripped by celebrity fever its living out a virtual existence on Face book and Twitter. Popularity is calculated in how many friends you have on your social networking site. You may have 300 virtual mates but on the rare occasion that you venture out into the real world no one wants to talk to you as you are still a boring cunt.

Trev has aged 10 years since we started this split fanzine. I got an email yesterday saying `I spent 5 hours editing that, I give up`. Which just goes to show that the Northerners lack stamina mainly cos of all that black pudding they eat.

I made a glaring prick of myself yesterday, nothing new in that I hasten to add, but I rang my wife up to collect me from town. I then walked down to the collection point, opened the car door and sat down. Only problem was that it was the wrong car. The bloke in the driver’s seat nearly shat himself. My first thought was `what are you doing in my car` it then slowly dawned on me that it was me who was in the wrong car. Unfortunately my wife saw all this as she was parked up 20 feet away and hasn’t stopped laughing since.

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly –

Citizen Keyne are a bunch of rabble rousing herberts from Milton Keynes who have been kicking up a storm wherever they have played. The band have developed into an entertaining and energetic live act over the last couple of years and have built up a loyal following called the CK Army. CK are an uncompromising street punk band, who has firmly put the boot into the Punk / Oi scene with their `Stand Proud` album. The music is raw and powerful, and contains more meaty hooks than an abattoir at Christmas. Loud and damn sure ugly, this band won’t stand for any shit.

I felt the full wrath of the band a couple of years ago when I gave them a less than ecstatic review. The present line up is John on Vocals, Darren – Backing Vocals, Floyd – Guitar, Tim – Bass and Tom on Drums. Catch them live or check out the `Stand Proud` CD which is available from the band. The following questions were answered by John and Floyd If Citizen Keyne entered a beauty contest which band members would be wearing the crown, and who would be going home with the wooden spoon?

John: It fair to say that apart from me and Floyd its quite an ugly band ha-ha

maybe me and Floyd could a 6 months share but there is no doubt about the wooden spoon ... Tim, lets face it he has balding ginger hair and looks like Freddie Starr’s dad. Floyd: surely this is a pointless question as obviously the crown would be mine!! Who are the CK Army and what is the selection process to join? The CK Army was not created by the band it was the brainchild of the die hard loons that follow the band around, one night we finished a set and exited the stage to them singing CK CK Army and its kind of stuck now. There is no criteria to "join" anyone who comes to a gig, buys a CD is a member of the CK Army. We have even written a song of the same name as way of thanks for their support - Hutch, Jab, Naked Paul, Sarah, Graham, Nina to name a few.......Do you see the live punk scene as the way as you describe it in `Punk Not Fashion`? Do the smaller bands get a raw deal? The way I see it there are 2 punk/Oi scenes, one is real the other is

simply for fashion. What makes a band a "smaller" band? Does believing in

what you do rather than going through the mill just to make a quick quid and travelling 300 miles to play to 20 people but still coming home skint but with a smile on your face make you a small band? Ummmmm .... So yes I do see one part of the punk scene EXACTLY like Punk Not Fashion. Ask yourself this, there are up to 10k people at Blackpool, how many of then will buy your magazine if it doesn't have a glossy cover and a picture of a band they have not heard of on it ? Support the underdogs because one day we will be all that's left when the glory boys call it day. How did Floyd secure the guitar slot for Condemned 84, and has that connection helped raise CKs profile? John:

I will let Floyd tell you how he came to be C84 guitarist. In all honesty, no it hasn't raised our profile at all and I'm not sure I want it to. I want people to come to shows and buy CDS because they like CK not because Floyd plays in C84. Maybe its helping raise THEIR profile though eh, who knows! Floyd: it was simply a case of being in the right place at the right time really, nothing more glamorous than that. The bands lyrics contain a certain amount of humour would you describe CK as a fun band?

John: Well yeah we do what we like and we like what we do and have a laugh

on the way, we know we aint never gonna change the World but fuck it we are having a scream trying to! Floyd: If you can inject a bit of humour into a song about something bad then why not? Would it fair to say that Darren the wonder midget is the `Bez` of the band, who taught him to dance like that on stage? Ha-ha yeah we have often called him that ourselves, when we found

him on the Yellow Brick Road he dazzled us with his dancing skills ... first time he did it we thought he was having a fit, CK live just wouldn't be CK without him . Your last drummer left you in the shit, on your MySpace page you left a message for him, are you still angry about the way he walked out on the band? Well we managed to find a replacement to honour the gigs we had

booked (one of which was a Help For Heroes benefit a week later) and they went well so that kind of absorbed a lot of the anger. When we found out his reasons for leaving it became a case of pity, but in a pathetic way, he told us a lot of lies and let us down on a few occasions with glorious excuses when the real fact was that his Mrs wouldn't let him out ... he now plays in a glam rock metal band and is knows as Matt Cougar..... Says it all really. We have Tom now so maybe it was a blessing in disguise. How would the band react to a bad review? John: Well depends on your definition of a bad review Justin and

lets be honest mate you experienced our reaction first hand. (They were not happy bunnies – Ed) A review that offers constructive criticism and comments is a good thing as we can learn from it but a review where the reviewer clearly is not a fan of the genre and then just comes out with comments like " the band are shit " helps no one, makes the reviewer look like a prick and the band unhappy bunnies. What’s the reaction been like to the album `Stand Proud` and how do you see the band progressing in the future? It’s been excellent, not one bad review and its still selling over the net as well as at gigs. We are very close to having the required material for album number 3 and it’s gonna be a fucking monster!!!! As for the future, we will keep doing what we want to do and of people are still interested then great, if they aint then so be it. What’s been the best gig the band have played and what was so great about it? For me the

support slot we had with Cockney Rejects at Bedford Esquires was a highlight simply because we got to play to a larger audience as well as the CK Army and we made a few new fans that night if our message board was anything to go by. Another stand out gig for me was at the Kings Head pub in Buckingham, the pace was rammed full and the atmosphere was mental and we played really well. Which member of the band is a potential `serial killer? John: Me without a doubt.... one day I will snap.... I wrote the lyrics to the song Serial Killer which kind of tells you the dark place I go to now and again!! Floyd: Judging by what people have to say behind my back, it's most likely to be me I reckon! Some folk already think I'm Satan in combat trousers! Do you think that bands such as CK have to work hard to get gigs, and recognition, where is the support coming from to promote you? John: Yeah of course we do but that's what makes it all the more

satisfying when it pays off, we know we have earned the support we get and not been handed it just because of the name. We are self promoted probably 80% of the time but we do acknowledge the support we get from a few people on that front, there is - Fungal Punk Dave, Vince @ Studs & Punks, Woodstock, Ian and the rest of the lads in Control, Bill and Sarah @ Oi Oi the Gig and Kev from Pressure 28. I know you are a Chelsea fan, have you ever been involved in any violence at a football match? How do you view the state of football as a fan? John: Yeah I have for many years in the past it was a

working class lads thing back in the 80's and was great fun as well, then I

settled down with the wife and kids and in a way suppose grew up a bit, I aint necessarily proud of what I did but by the same token I wouldn't change it either you can take the boy out of Chelsea but you wont ever take Chelsea out of the boy. Sadly football like punk rock has become a business, I stay away from the poseurs now and follow the team from where I was brought up, Wealdstone FC it’s cheaper and a better laugh. Still a Chelsea fan always will be but the pride and passion died the day the terraces were taken away. What’s life like in Milton Keynes, don’t you get dizzy going around all those poxy roundabouts? John : Milton Keynes is not as bad as the

press it gets to be honest, lets face it the whole of Britain is a shithole now anyway and MK for all its faults is still a little less shitty than some towns. Floyd: Ahhhh everyone moans about the roundabouts and comments on them but the one thing you wont see in MK is a traffic jam, wears your fucking front tyres out quickly though ! If the punk rock fairy godmother could grant you one wish, what would it be? CK on the X Factor!!!

That would be an eye opener. Is there anything else you would like to say? Yeah, cheers to everyone who has been to the shows, bought the CDS and t shirts, sends us messages of support we do appreciate it. What are the band contact details for gigs etc? citizenkeynepunx@hotmail.co.uk ww.myspace.com/citizenkeyne

AND NOW A DAyDREAM AbOUT REALITy – NO ONE RULES OK!!!

It doesn’t matter anymore / what they say when they mean behave / I don’t believe them anymore / Tell me I’m free make me a slave / Chorus – NO ONE RULES NO MORE LEADERS OF MULES / NO ONE RULES NO MORE PRIVILEDGED FOOLS / NO ONE RULES Rip-off-Reich, rot your mind / Showing truth through your lying eyes / Hear the deaf , watch the blind / See the gently fading cries / Repeat Chorus People still lap it up / Shit that slops from iron grip / When the people hold the cup / Truth will flash and myths will crash/ Repeat Chorus