Down And Outs - Last Orders

   

  April 17th 2026. Both a great day and a sad one. Liverpool trio Down And Outs (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063529751445) have just released their 6th album. Sadly, after 23 years of treating us to some of the best punk tunes you'll hear, it's also their final album. 

  Featuring a line up of Chris Howard (bass/vocals), Morgan Brown (drums/vocals) & Mark Magill (vocals/guitar) the album is titled Disconnect and it's available on vinyl (Brassneck Records & Dead Broke Records), cd (Waterslide Records) and as a name your price digital download. 

https://downandouts.bandcamp.com/album/disconnect

https://brassneckrecords.bandcamp.com/album/disconnect

  You'll already know what to expect by now (if not, go wild and take advantage of all the name your price downloads on their Bandcamp page)... a bunch of finely crafted melodic punk gems. It'll not be the same without these guys (although Mark has mentioned "There's some unreleased songs, demos and bits and bobs in the vault that I'll upload at some point. I'm sure you can manage without it, but why not, eh?" so maybe there's a little more to come one day). 

  This seems an apt song to feature, it's called Last Orders... 

Born Shit Stirrers 'I'm in Love with Karen Grant'

  

  What do Fukuoka, Liverpool and a ground breaking soap opera that ran between 1982-2003 have in common? 

  Read on...

  Japanese rabble rousers Born Shit Stirrers (https://www.facebook.com/bornshitstirrers) are back today (on their last appearance, like today's, they were singing about a thespian (https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2021/03/born-shit-stirrers-richard-gere.html). Last time they serenaded the star of movies such as Pretty Woman, An Officer And A Gentleman & Runaway Bride. This time around they turn their attention to a character from Brookside. And they draft in Mark Magill from Just Some Punk Songs' favourites Down And Outs (https://downandouts.bandcamp.com/) on guest vocals. 

  The song is taken from BSS' upcoming album Scratch N' Sniff which will be out early summer on 12" vinyl, cd and download via Serial Bowl Records. Serial Bowl are currently sharing the song "name your price" https://serialbowlrecords.bandcamp.com/track/im-in-love-with-karen-grant

  By Born Shit Stirrers standards, this is quite an epic song in length (stretching just past the 2 minute mark). It's also fast paced, shouty and great fun. It's about a girl that all the cool kids had a crush on and it's called I'm In Love With Karen Grant... 

Down and Outs - Keep Walking

  Down And Outs are Mark Magill (guitar/vocals), Chris Howard (bass/vocals) and Morgan Brown (drums/vocals), 3 mates from Liverpool who've been together since 2003 and who's impressive back catalogue can be snapped up name your price on Bandcamp : https://downandouts.bandcamp.com/

  As they say themselves, they don't have a PR campaign to get word out about their new releases and they barely play gigs. They're just 3 mates who write cracking working class punk tunes inspired by bands like The Clash, Cock Sparrer, Blitz, Leatherface etc and then make them available for free. If you like what you hear do them a favour and spread the word.

 Having said they barely gig, they've a number of dates arranged both at home and in Europe. You can get more info here : https://www.facebook.com/Down-And-Outs-100972913255/

  The reason they return to Just Some Punk Songs today is because they're preparing to release a new single. It'll be available as a 3 track 7" (ltd edition yellow vinyl) on Brassneck Records on 31st May. You can get it here : https://brassneckrecords.bandcamp.com/album/keep-walking

  This is the title track, aimed at those who are farming hate and spreading blame, it's called Keep Walking...

Down and Outs - What Did You Do in the Culture Wars

  Liverpool 3 piece Down And Outs are back with a new album. Titled Double Negative it'll be released on Feb 14th. The vinyl will be available from   www.allinvinyl.com and  www.yoyorecords.de whilst the cd can be ordered from www.watersliderecords.com. You can listen to several of the tracks from it on Bandcamp (whilst you're at it check out their impressive back catalogue, it's name your price) : https://downandouts.bandcamp.com/music

  Formed in 2003 and with a current line up of Mark Magill (vocals/guitar/piano), Chris Howard (bass/vocals) and Morgan Brown (drums/vocals), they haven't been overly prolific of late. It's been 5 years since their last album, Lifeline, though Brown has featured a couple of times on here since then with his other band, Pardon Us (https://www.pardonusband.com/).

  They've a few gigs lined up, including Leeds tonight, so check out details here :  https://www.facebook.com/Down-And-Outs-100972913255/

  From the new album, here's their new video. The song's called What Did You Do In The Culture Wars. Welcome back boys.....

I can’t believe that the words were spoken 
With such vigour that you must be broken 

Are you feeling lonely 
Are you feeling empty 

To fill the air with unbridled hatred 
And ignorance is a life wasted 

Are you feeling lonely 
Are you feeling empty 

Words like these have got no place in this world today 
Pricks like you have got no place in this world today

Top 10 Songs Chosen By Morgan Brown (Pardon Us, Down And Outs etc)

  I've got a great top 10 for you today chosen by Morgan Brown who's a member of a couple of the best British bands of recent years, Pardon Us and Down And Outs. Originally from Ireby in Cumbria he now lives in Liverpool and has also graced a number of other bands including Flamingo 50, Town Bike and The No Marks.

  Here's a couple of links to some excellent name your price music....

https://pardonus.bandcamp.com/

https://downandouts.bandcamp.com/


Thanks Morgan.....

Firstly, please note that this is a top ten punk songs, rather a top ten songs if any genre - I listen to all kinds of stuff, but figure that readers if this blog can live without me rambling on about old country songs or Beach Boys records. Also, this is hardly definitive - I change my mind all the time, depending on my current mood, and there are definitely loads of songs which I will kick myself for not including here. That said, in no particular order, here we go:

  1)  HUSKER DU - Celebrated Summer

It's no exaggeration to say that the Huskers changed my life when I first heard them at 14. This is my favourite song of theirs, with all the intensity if their early hardcore material, combined with the melancholic, almost folksy tunefulness which Bob Mould was moving towards. The lyrics are at once a joyful hymn to youth, and an elegy for its passing. Perfect.

  2)  SNUFF - Somehow

I think some people probably view Snuff as part of the whole '90s Fat Wreck scene as a result of their later work, but I've always felt that they have a completely distinct sound, especially in their original incarnation. The whole first LP is an exhilarating listen, but this song in particular always gets me...

  3)  SLEATER-KINNEY - One Song For You

Combining the righteous fury of the early Riot Grrrl movement with some stellar musicianship and more nuanced lyrical take on the politics of gender and sexuality, S-K were pretty much untouchable in the later '90s. Dig Me Out may be the go-to album, but this deep cut from follow up The Hot Rock captures their mesmerising vocal and guitar interplay and rhythmic dexterity at a definite peak.

  4)  THE DAMNED - Love Song

Whilst I know the Pistols and Clash were important, The Damned are still my favourite early UK punk band, particularly the Machine Gun Etiquette era line-up. The blend of a raging Motorhead-inspired rhythm section with a big anthemic singalong pop melody was completely new, and stands up brilliantly to this day

  5)  J CHURCH - Tide Of Fate

J Church are criminally underrated, and Lance Hahn was a tremendous song writer, as well as an excellent human. His songs took in all manner of topics, from political history, through conspiracy theories, arthouse cinema, and obscure pop culture references, to more personal themes. This song celebrates the brief, joyous moments of freedom which make the daily grind tolerable, and it's wonderful.

  6)  NAKED RAYGUN - Home Of The Brave

Raygun strike a perfect balance between the artfully weird and upliftingly melodic sides of punk, with this track falling very much into the latter category. I saw Jeff Pezatti play this with The Bomb at a little gig in Stoke a few years ago. Me and my pals got to sing some back-ups, and it's one of my favourite ever gig memories.

  7)  RAMONES - Outsider

Along with Husker Du, the Ramones were my introduction to punk, and I still don't really think there is any better music. The first 3 albums defined their classic sound, but there are tons of gems in the later records too, this being one of the finest!

  8)  RUDIMENTARY PENI - Bloody Jellies

I love a bit of anarcho punk, and, along with the Subhumans, Peni are obvious stand-outs within the genre. Enigmatic, intelligent, chilling and so fucking powerful!

  9)  CAVES - Need It Most

My first 'proper' punk band was Flamingo 50, which me and Lou Hanman started while we were still in Uni. Since then, she's gone on to do great things with Caves, Worriers, the Mikey Erg Band and more, and amazingly seems to keep getting better! The most recent Caves LP is an absolute triumph, and this is one of the highlights. Mega.

 10)  MARTHA - Chekhov's Hangnail

The are so many great DIY punks doing amazing things in the UK right now, and I think Martha are right at the top of the heap, combining the grit and drive of punk with irresistible pop hooks and lyrics which mix the political and personal with warmth, pathos and humour. They're one of the most vital bands in existence right now, and this song is among their finest.