Jerry's Kids - I Don't Belong

  Jerry's Kids were one of the greatest American hardcore punk bands. Forming in 1981, they were also one of the earliest and most influential. They burst onto the scene with half a dozen blistering tracks that opened the seminal compilation album, This Is Boston, Not L.A.

  Their classic release was the 1983 album Is This My World? It was a frenetic aural assault which saw bassist Rick Jones take over vocal duties from brother Bryan and the recruitment of Gang Green's guitarist Chris Doherty. You'll find the lead track from the album below.

  They split up in 1984 but reformed a couple of years later releasing an album called Kill, Kill, Kill and a single called Spymaster. Several reunion shows followed but no new material.

  Short, fast and loud, this is I Don't Belong.....

I got a feeling
It's in my head
I got a feeling
Do you hear what I said?

I GOT A FEELING THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG
I GOT A FEELING THAT I...
I DON'T BELONG HERE
I KNOW IT'S TRUE
I DON'T BELONG HERE
AND NEITHER DO YOU

I got a feeling
It's in my brain
I got a feeling
I've got nothing to gain

Youth Youth Youth - Pop Song

  Taking their name from a song by Generation X, Youth Youth Youth were a Canadian hardcore punk band who featured Rob Mallion (guitars), Brian Taylor (vocals), Paul Bishop (bass) and Brian McCullough (drums).

  Active during the first half of the 80's, they weren't overly prolific, much of their output was in the form of demos and/or cassettes but there was a rather cool remastered anthology of their work released a couple of years ago :   https://youthyouthyouth.bandcamp.com/releases.

  Originally recorded in 1983, this is Pop Song.....

Kronstadt Uprising - Blind People

  "when the bomb has been dropped what we gonna do?"


  An old favourite from the 80's today.....

  Kronstadt Uprising formed in 1981 (following the demise of The Bleeding Pyles) and took their name from the unsuccessful 1921 rebellion against the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War (Kronstadt was a Russian naval fortress on Kotlin Island in the Gulf of Finland). From Southend, England, the original line up featured Steve Pegrum (drums), Spencer Blake (vocals), Paul Lawson (guitar) and Andy Fisher (bass). Blake left the band "due to his lack of commitment" and Lawson took over on vocal duties in 1982.

  If you want a detailed history of the band I'd recommend you check out this excellent article : http://www.southendpunk.com/html/kronstad.html.

  The song I'm posting today was the lead track on 1983's Unknown Revolution ep and it's a pounding, passionate classic of the eras anarcho punk scene called Blind People.....

Anti State Control - Sniffing Glue Blues

 
Don't know much about these guys but here goes.....

  Anti State Control were from Great Dunmow in Essex, England and had their brief moment in the sun in the early 80's. They recorded a cassette called We Are The Leopards and a practice tape but their only proper single was 1983's Sniffing Glue Blues ep.

  During the short period that they were together they featured (at one time or another) Jay Wiffen (vocals), Dan Filby (guitar), Mark Wiffen (drums), Phill Dalby (bass), Kev Price (guitar), Sadie Walter (vocals) and Dave Houssart (guitar).

  Starting out slow before bursting into life, this is Sniffing Glue Blues......

Xtract - Blame it on the Youth

 

  A protest song today from 1983 which concerns itself with police violence and the blame game that invariably follows. As several recent high profile cases have shown, 30 plus years later the sentiments expressed are still sadly all too relevant.

  Xtract formed in 1979 in Bolton and a couple of demos and a compilation appearance led to them entering Manchester's Revolution Studios to record a 4 track ep which was released on Pax Records and featured Blame It On The Youth, War Heroes, Iron Lady and Boys In Blue. The line up on this recording was Dave "Harvi" Howarth (vocals), Karl Morris (guitar), Rod Barker (bass) and Eddie "Kip" Fisher (drums).

  Despite good reviews for the ep Morris left shortly after it's release to join The Exploited and the band soon fell apart. Since then they've reformed several times with new members and are currently active with Harvi still on vocals, Lee Johnson (guitar), Shell Rayner (bass) and Corporal Vinnie (drums). Keep your eyes peeled as there's a new cd on the horizon.

  Until then, this is the title track from their '83 ep, Blame It On The Youth.....

The guns of oppression are pointing at you
Looking down the barrel of one tonight
The special squad cars are on red alert
You know the policeman is always right

Blame it on the youth, they always do
Blame it on the youth, we're ready for you

Murder is a crime unless you're a cop
Then it's all to do with duty
I only thought they were there to scare
I never really thought they'd shoot him

If they make a mistake they'll cover it up, find some ridiculous lie
Morning newspapers gloating on violence
How many more will suffer and die?

Everywhere you go, it's all the same
You're just another pawn in a bigger power game

It's the same all over the world
Justice just isn't fair
On law for them and another for us
They'll strip your dignity bare

Justice is a load of bollox, it really doesn't exist
You're just another target on a policeman's list

Battalion of Saints - Second Coming

 

  As is often the case, I didn't know what I was going to upload today when I turned the pc on. All I had in mind was that I felt like posting something fast and noisy and probably something old to break up the run of recent releases. The song I decided on ticks all the boxes.

  Battalion Of Saints started up in San Diego in 1978 with the original name of The Nutrons. Not only did the name change, so did the line up. Frequently. Until,  in 1985, they split for good. Though as is often the case, for good was only until 1995 when founder member and vocalist George Anthony decided it was time to get the show back on the road (not only are they still on the road, there's new material in the can awaiting release).

  The song I'm hoping you'll turn the volume way up on today was released as the title track of a 3 track 7" single in 1983. It's called Second Coming (which would also be the title of their 1984 debut album). Needless to say it fucking rips.....


It streaks across the sky towards Bethlehem

A shining star filled with hope and love.

Second coming, the new Christ won't survive

It's a second coming the Christ will die

He thinks he'll rid the world of it's sins.

But he'll feel the nails go right into his hands.

Think about the first time that he came,

All the millions that died in his name,

The apocalypse is oh so near,

Soon enough we'll be in darkness.

When the world finally got wise

He got a spear right into his side.

Angelic Upstarts - Woman in Disguise

  A song today from a band that don't need much of an introduction. Angelic Upstarts formed in 1977 in South Shields and have been around pretty much ever since despite numerous line up changes and splitting up several times. Back in the day I had a decent number of their early singles in my record collection (The Murder Of Liddle Towers, I'm An Upstart, Teenage Warning, Never 'Ad Nothing, Last Night Another Soldier, England, Kids On The Street), I'd also rank their Teenage Warning album as one of my favourites from that period.

  One single I never bought was Woman In Disguise and it's probably because I didn't play it to death like some of their other classics that I'm posting it today. Also featuring on the Reason Why? album it was released in 1983 which is probably it didn't get achieve the high chart placing it deserved and which it would surely have got if it had been out a few years previously.

  A scathing critique of the Thatcher government, it's slightly more melodic than some of their earlier material but it's no less heartfelt and it's got a killer chorus. Not sure why I didn't buy it back then, I missed out on a good 'un.....

She's been through history, but always appeared as the foe,
I saw her on a sailing ship, it's name was the bounty and she captained it,
She spoke of blossoms that were to bloom, and the country whistled to her tune,
But the flowers were full of discontent, and the youth were raped of everything they had left.

[Chorus]
Man and woman, child and youth,
It must be now you know the truth,
She's the woman in disguise, she's the one who tells the lies.
Fight against the ugly race, and the idle wealth that's lost all face,
Man and woman, child and youth
It must be now you know the truth,
She's the woman in disguise, she's the one who tells the lies.

Deceitful heart that beats so strong, and it's our blood that pumps it along,
I must be happy, I must be free, It's your choice you've gotta see,
The birds fly free, but in the same cage as you and me,
I was born with nothing but not in debt,
I won't pay for something that I'll never get.

[Chorus]

Woman in disguise [x3]

Man and woman, child and youth,
It must be now you know the truth,
She's the woman in disguise, she's the one who tells the lies.
Man and woman, child and youth,
She's the woman in disguise

Ultra Violent - Crime... For... Revenge

  As I like to mix things up on here, today I'm following up a couple of fun pop punk tunes with a song that was arguably the hardest rocking British punk song of it's day. Originally released in 1983 on Riot City Records, Ultra Violent's Crime For Revenge ep was recently remastered and re released by Static Shock and Video Disease Records.

  The band were a 4 piece who featured future English Dogs frontman Ade Bailey (vocals), Andrew "Grif" Griffiths (guitar), Simon "Duf" Duffy (bass) and his 14 year old younger brother Jared "Jaz" Duffy (drums). Previously Ade and Grif had been together in Delinquent whilst Duf and Jaz had been in Dreaded Cult.

  They got together in Jan '82 and were from Hebden Bridge which is near Halifax, West Yorkshire. They recorded a couple of demos which led to a recording session at Rochdale's famous Cargo Studios, three of the 4 tracks from that session ended up on the Crime For Revenge single. Despite it's high regard, this turned out to be the band's only release........
 

The Business - Drinking And Driving

One of the reasons that I compile this blog is that I'd love to be in a band but I can't sing and have no musical ability whatsoever. I'll never bring out a record and I'll never put on a performance that'll bring joy to a crowd. I have actually appeared on stage, singing, in front of a few thousand fans and it was great fun, but as i was just one of maybe a hundred or so stage invaders it probably doesn't mean I'm a genuine rock star!  The venue was a market hall in the seaside retirement town of Morecambe (which for you overseas readers is on the western coast of northern England, a few miles up from Blackpool), the gig was part of the Holidays In The Sun Festival (I much preferred Morecambe's Holidays In The Sun to Blackpool's Rebellion Festival) and the band was The Business. Forming in 1979, they're your typical cockney beer and football loving Oi band, though they're better than most. They've an impressive back catalogue, a sizable fan base and a reputation as a top notch live act, I know the times I've seen them they've always gone down a storm. The song I'm posting is the one I sang along to when I joined them on stage, I'm dedicating it to everyone else who's had the privilege of sharing a stage with them, this is Drinking And Driving.....

Conflict - Young Parasites

Does anyone still make mixtapes? One never changing constant throughout my life ever since i started properly getting into music is the love of compiling cd's (or cassettes before the cd era) containing great songs. It's often a good way to start these mixtapes with a nice upbeat instrumental just to set the tone for things to come. Formed in 1981 in Eltham, London, Anarcho/Hardcore punk veterans Conflict probably wouldn't be the first band to come to mind when thinking of a catchy, upbeat instrumental opener but on their debut album, 1983's It's Time To See Who's Who, they provided exactly that. Sounding as though it would fit right in on an Operation Ivy greatest hits disc and ideal as a great intro to any collection of your favourite songs, this is Young Parasites.......

The Partisans - I never needed you

One of my hopes regarding this blog is that by travelling back and forth in time maybe, just maybe, fans of 70's punk classics will discover some new bands to get into and vice versa. It would be nice to think that 15 year old Ausmuteants fans down in Australia could get their first exposure to The Partisans from flicking through these updates, maybe fans of The Partisans will have a listen to Bear Trade or Giorgio Murderer. Whatever, punk ain't dead right....
The Partisans, from Bridgend, South Wales, got together in 1978 whilst still teenagers. Like many of the bands from that era they hung around for a few years (till 1984) before reforming years later to take advantage of the renewed interest in live punk shows. A band I always thought should have been a bit bigger than they were, they had success in the UK indie charts with the likes of Police Story, 17 Years Of Hell and Blind Ambition but never really took off like some of their contemporaries. With it's up tempo driving beat, I Never Needed You is one of my favourites.....

I never wanted to find out the reason
Of what was really wrong inside
I just didn't want to know about it
cos all i needed to do was hide
But as the days went by
and all my friends wanted to find out
I just didn't want to know about it
cos all i needed to do was shout

I Never Needed You

As soon as i was told i was going to die
A different person entered me
Some people seemed to change overnight
Oh why cant they see?
I just couldn't seem to do no wrong
All i seemed to do was right
and then with only two monthes left
That's all i seemed to do was fight
And say....