EXTERNAL MENACE - Youth Of Today EP 1982 & No Views EP 1983 & Seize The Day EP 1997

Triple pack for the weekend start by this awesome band from the suburbs of Glasgow. Their debut from 1982 Youth Of Today is a classic record and one year later it was followed by their second EP called No Views. Again four smash hits and you get what you're lookin' for. The band went through a few alter ego moments over the following years - playing External Menace songs at gigs but under different names. Beat The System!! had folded and the band released a few compilation tracks on Rot Records. In 1987 Wullie (vocals) was taking a short cut across the M8 when he was hit by a car and killed. A decade on, the band were revived when Captain Oi! records began to show an interest in releasing a compilation album of all the bands previous releases. The band continued to chop and change over the following two years. In 1997 the Seize The Day EP was released. They toured Europe three times, toured the UK, played countless festivals and recorded the Process Of Elimination LP. Again many line-up changes but the band is still active and with their good basic Britpunk sound always a pleasure guest in my house.

Details: External Menace formed from the same youthful energy that gave birth to many of the "second wave"of British punk bands. Put together by vocalist Wullie Hammill and John Sneddon in the summer of 1979, the band were typical of the 1979/1980 punk bands, faster and rougher than the class of 77, but not an all out UK82-style attack. The band played out as often as they could, evolving fully into the UK82 mold, and released two singles and also putting in an appearance on the Total Anarchy compilation (1982). Their sound was typical of the era, kinda speedy punk with gruff vocals and anarcho-inspired lyrics abour war, the evil governments and nonconformism. That was the side of External Menace that most people knew best, but towards the middle of the 80's they branched out in a more melodic (but still hardcore) direction, playing reggae inspired tunes like "Rude Awakening" and "Killing Me Asylum". While the band recorded two or three more demos, putting some of their new tracks down, they didn't manage to get any more vinyl out, and finally broke up in 1985. Fast forward to 1994 Ian Welsh of Swine Flu harassed John Sneddon to get External Menace back together, and start kicking some more punk rock ass. Sneddy agreed, but only if Welshy (what is it with Scots and diminutive names ending in Y?) joined the band as vocalist, since Wullie Hamill had died in 1987. Swine Flu disappeared shortly after their first single was released, and re-emerged with a new name and a new guitarist. External Menace was back.

Their first new release was Pure Punkrock on Captain Oi! in 1995, which featured all the band's Beat The System!! recordings, plus a handful of early demos, and re-recorded versions of some old songs, the release didn't attract the interest of anyone except the UK82 completists. The band were invited to play the first Holidays In The Sun festival in August of 1996, and accepted. The entire festival was recorded (very poorly) and released on video by Barn End, and selections were released on two CDs by Anagram records. The band were invited back for HITS 1997, and (again) accepted. Around the same time the first of the HITS compilations appeared (early to mid 1997), External Menace finally released their first new single, the Process Of Elimination EP. The five track single was a completely unexpected, it featured some serious punk rock/reggae fusion, in the shape of "Rude Awakening", and was a drastic step AWAY from their UK82 roots. Later that year they also released a split 7" with Rectify, and their first album. The songs were a mix of old and new Ex Menace songs, with a few hold-overs from Swine Flu. It was a refreshing blend of UK82 hardcore and more straightforward midtempo punk, with a healthy dose of reggae thrown in for good measure. The album really made people sit up and pay attention, these guys weren't just another 80's punk band back for a few quick bucks, they were talented musicians with something interesting to offer the punk community. Unfortunately they only managed to release on more 7" (a split w/Recharge) before breaking up again in 1999. Puhh, a lot of words again but good infos are part of it!

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V/A - Total Anarchy 1982

Pretty cool label compilation by Beat The System/Lightbeat Records with their house bands and in 1982 they have published of those their first 7Inches and pressed some here plus a few rare tracks I think. The result can be compared with other UK slabs of that time and that were some. Fourteen, two from each band, spiky short goodies which will not die out. Let's see what else I pack today at the buffet!

1.What The Hell - EXTERNAL MENACE

2.Riot Torn City - ONE WAY SYSTEM

3.Soldier Boy - UPROAR

4.Your Choice - ANTISOCIAL

5.I Hate - THE FITS

6.Out Of Order - CHAOTIC YOUTH

7.Die A Hero - DEATH SENTENCE

8.Me And You - ONE WAY SYSTEM

9.Don't Take Their S___ ! - CHAOTIC YOUTH

10.Death Sentence - DEATH SENTENCE

11.Lights - THE FITS

12.Boring Senseless Violence - UPROAR

13.Screw U - ANTISOCIAL

14.External Menace - EXTERNAL MENACE

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V/A - A Kick Up The Arse Volume 1 1985

Splendid limited compilation from Rot Records and all tracks are unavailable elsewhere and the title can't be more appropriate. It starts with the Cult Maniax and one of their best songs, I think, Butcher increase the stroke rate with their snotty ones, Last Rites give Oi Oi Oi a fresh look and become addicted, External Menace find the blues in Vietnam, Picture Frame Seduction call for pogo with sulphate, Reality take speed out with a cuddle song with mad Harry, the Expelled give themselves with cider the full ecstasy and on the free 7Inch drawn the Enemy last but not least, a few images in eccentric cubic colors. Sixteen nuggets that will not cause boredom, Guaranteed!

1.Cities - CULT MANIAX

2.Leave Alive - BUTCHER

3.Oi Oi Oi - LAST RITES

4.Coalition Blues - EXTERNAL MENACE

5.3, 2, 1, Go - PICTURE FRAME SEDUCTION

6.To Know Her - REALITY

7.Cider - THE EXPELLED

8.Vietnam - EXTERNAL MENACE

9.Drugs - CULT MANIAX

10.Violent Minds - THE EXPELLED

11.Addict - LAST RITES

12.Ballad Of Mad Harry - REALITY

13.Time Will Tell - BUTCHER

14.My Mate Sulphate - PICTURE FRAME SEDUCTION

15.Last But Not Least - THE ENEMY

16.Images (Live) - THE ENEMY

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SKROTEEZ - Overspill EP 1982

Skroteez was a Scottish four piece from Craigshill (known to locals as 'Crazyhill'), Livingston, formed 1980 by Hendo (vocals), Bill (guitars), Tony (bass), Stu (drums) and they were the first Livi band to release a record, the 1982 three track Overspill EP on Square Anarchy Music and is a reference to their hometown Livingston. A bit background: "Livingston was a "new town", which refers to a set of towns created under acts of parliament to reduce overcrowding in urban centers (also known as an "overspill estate"). Livingston was the result of the government's Glasgow slum clearance policy. The band's song 'Newtown' references to this, and the word -Livi- in the song title 'Livi Punks' is a reference to those town. For a time, there were violent rivalries between the Livi punks, and Punks in nearby cities, described by Welshy of External Menace in his account ("The Pish between Two Shittys"), and the song "Livi Punks" seems to indicate that the Skroteez were a part of this." The 7Inch wasn't the best Punk slab of 1982 but it was also far from the worst - got a decent review in 'Sounds' Punk section.

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PATROL - Unknown Soldiers EP 2000/The Revolution EP 2020

December knocks, cold outside and the first snow has fallen, bäh!... better I let the warmth flow in with two rare brilliant 7inches and I'm glad to feed you with excellent infos about them: "The Fab Four come from the cultural centre of the UK - Leven/Methil and apart from playing music, they are heavily involved in drinking. Musical influences range from Marie Osmond to Donnie Osmond. Patrol will consider all offers of recording contracts and will accept donations gratefully. The band's main ambition for the future is to make lots of money." That's what Patrol said on the insert for their second demo cassette, "Another Fiasco", in 1982. The bit about the money came true when in January 1997 each member made £12.50 from a live gig! Patrol organised and played many gigs in and around God's Kingdom (Fife) throughout the '80s - with bands such as The Actives, Alternative, Crimedesk, Brain Damage and loads more. After a "break" in 1987 there was a brief reformation in 1992 for a party gig with another local band "Backlash". In October 1996 Patrol got together again and supported Canadian band The McCrackins along with External Menace. This led to several other gigs around that time. From 2008-2014 Patrol played many gigs in Fife, Dundee & Edinburgh with local bands. The last gig that Jock Hart played was @ the Rebellion Festival in 2012. After Jock left, Kyle McAulay took over on drums and played with the band until the final gig - the Tam Dignan Memorial on 1st February 2014. Patrol were a part of the punk rock scene in Fife for more than thirty-five years, during this time two tapes (1981+82), two 7Inches (2000+2020) and a compilation CD, Never Say Never (2011, which was only available to purchase at gigs), with twenty tracks of re-recordings of old favorites plus some new material, are their official releases, on compilations as well.

- Great Thx to Fredrik & Bristolboy -

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V/A - Bloodstains Across Scotland 2003

When the Bloodstains series had its hype in the mid Nineties they were posted on a lot of blogs and I've sucked quite a few too and there were some selfmade cuts by people that didn't come out on vinyl and this compilation is one of them. I went to the trouble of revising the Scottish version again, created a nice back cover and now present it to you and of course a big thx goes to whoever had the idea twenty years ago, should you see this feel honored. Now enjoy this fine music and the weekend!

1.Helicopter Honeymoon - SCROTUM POLES

2.Stuck With You - ZONES

3.No Views - EXTERNAL MENACE

4.Linda Vindaloo - THE VALVES

5.Adultery - SCARS

6.War Of Ignorants - A.O.A.

7.Good Sculptures - REZILLOS

8.The Real People - THE EXILE

9.Put You In The Picture - P.V.C.2

10.Newtown - SKROTEEZ

11.Night & Day - SKIDS

12.Production - THE FAKES

13.UK 82 - THE EXPLOITED

14.Jerkin - THE DRIVE

15.Disco Pope - THE PRATS

16.Saints & Sinners - JOHNNY & THE SELF ABUSERS

17.Someone Else's War - DEFIANT POSE

18.Mill Street Law & Order - FEGS

19.We Ain't Dead (Yet) - STRAW DOGS

20.Route 66 - THE JOLT

21.Radio-Active - CHEETAHS

22.Go To Hell - THREATS

23.Where's The Boy For Me - REVILLOS

24.You Gotta Know Girl - BEE BEE CEE

25.Warfear - ALTERNATIVE

26.I'm In Love - THE ZIPS

27.Radio Tay - SCROTUM POLES

28.General Davis - THE PRATS

29.Gimme Your Heart - SUBS

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