ANTI-SYSTEM - A Look At Life 12'' 1986

Fine music to start the gray Wednesday and again, over the channel where we meet Anti-System, a "British anarcho punk band which were formed in Bradford 1981 with a line-up of Phil (drums), George (bass), Nogsy (vocals) and Dom Watts (guitar) the band recorded a demo whose tracks found their way onto Punk Dead-Nah Mate, The Smell Is Jus Summink In Yer Underpants Innita, a Pax Records compilation. Their debut release was the five-track Defence Of The Realm EP issued in 1983, which was followed (on Reconciliation Records after the closure of Pax Records) with the No Laughing Matter album in 1985 and the A Look At Life 12'' in 1986. Like some other anarcho-punk bands of the time the band were promoters of animal rights causes, their debut EP being a benefit for animal welfare groups and prior to the recording of the A Look At Life there was a necessity for a new line-up as two of the original members had been imprisoned for various animal rights actions. Mark Keane and Michael Teale were imprisoned in 1986, shortly after recording. The band reformed in 2014." Five dynamic fetzer on a high level, clean production and "In My Eyes" is a blast.

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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V/A - Punk Dead - Nah Mate.... 1983

... The Smell Is Jus Summink In Yer Underpants Innit." (whatever that means...). Yeah, this is the little musical ode by Pax Records with English bands that had their, partly, short active life span in the early Eighties, and twelve rough delicious smasher in finest sound quality await you and this compilation is another solid example of great early UK Funk. All tracks are mostly exclusive and not released on Singles or anywhere else, at least not in that time. A short review: "Is Punk dead?” The musical answer is provided by six bands from Sheffield and the surrounding area, each with two songs. All bands play British-style anarcho-hardcore punk. Mau Maus, who had just released their first two 7"s on Pax, open with the demand "Give Us A Future", followed by Xtract and Anti System, who are represented with songs from their demo tape. In their song "The Thatcher" Septic Psychos draw the picture of a monster that eats small children at night and rules the country during the day. Any resemblance to the Prime Minister at the time may have been purely coincidental. Xpozez and Mania complete the line-up of the album, which gives a little insight into the very agile punk scene in central England in the early eighties. The record comes in an elaborate gatefold cover with a typical black-and-white look. All the bands' lyrics are printed inside. Marcus Featherby, the operator of Pax, then used almost the entire area of ​​the back cover for his views on the question "Is Punk Dead?" - Now you know and fucking Thursday is saved and I'm awarding a gold medal to this little bugger.

1.Give Us A Future - MAU MAUS

2.War Heroes - XTRACT

3.Man's World - ANTI SYSTEM

4.Power To The People - MANIA

5.Factory Fodder - XPOZEZ

6.Not Wanted - SEPTIC PSYCHOS

7.Breakout - ANTI SYSTEM

8.Aftermath - XTRACT

9.The Thatcher - SEPTIC PSYCHOS

10.No Respect - XPOZEZ

11.Clampdown - MAU MAUS

12.Stick Together - MANIA

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V/A - Bollox To The Gonads - Here's The Testicles 1984

Very cool compilation on Pax Records with twelve combos, mostly from Europe, and the selection is quite okay. I mean, thirty songs on a record is not common for the time and that makes this record all more interesting. A review: "The Pax label is doing some valuable work with the best of intentions. They’ve gone international on this, the follow-up to their Punk Dead? Nah Mate compilation. This time around, they include four uropean, eight English, and one American band. Most of them are real strong and really tear it up, so don’t miss it." (Ruth Schwartz, MMR, Oct/Nov.1983) - Re-released as a cheap CD-R by Retro Records but the original is obviously better. An insert was to my knowledge not included. Enjoy!

1.Just Another Day - MAU MAUS

2.Don't Do It - SAVAGE CIRCLE

3.Dying World - LEGION OF PARASITES

4.Schoolboy - ANTI-SYSTEM

5.Yankee - P.S.A.

6.(Waiting For The) Genocide - XTRACT

7.Ingenskola - CRUDE SS

8.Say And Do - REPULSIVE ALIEN 

9.Police Power - RIOT SQUAD

10.We Don't Have To - SAVAGE CIRCLE

11.God's A Fairytale - SUBVERSION

12.Traitor - SKEPTIX

13.Nuclear Peace - P.S.A.

14.Running With The Pack - MAU MAUS

15.Monkey Man - INSTIGATORS

16.Why Should It Happen - ANTI-SYSTEM

17.Kill Yourself - SAVAGE CIRCLE

18.No Concern - MAU MAUS

19.Saufbauch - CANAL TERROR

20.Blame It On The Youth - XTRACT

21.No War - P.S.A.

22.Old Soldiers - INSTIGATORS

23.Kill Corps - SAVAGE CIRCLE

24.Legion Of The Damned - SKEPTIX

25.Death Agony - SUBVERSION

26.Suspicion - RIOT SQUAD

27.Vad Du Säger, Vad Jag Jor - CRUDE SS

28.Black Work - P.S.A.

29.Death Watch - LEGION OF PARASITES

30.Hardcore Rules - SAVAGE CIRCLE

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V/A - Wargasm 1982

This record is one more nugget in my opinion. Thirteen songs against war. I think it was the first release about this theme. Except the Dead Kennedys are all bands from the UK. The music here is a special mix of punkrock with keys, orchestra & old school. To me the Poisen Girls track is fuckin' brilliant, the strings intro, the slowly driving up to the proper rhythm is famously, I get goosebumps...huh. Also Captain Sensible's "Hey Jo" is a killer too. After The System on the 1st pressing of this record is a hidden track by The Insane. It wasn't supposed to be included & was deleted on later pressings. A great sampler which is unequaled on Pax Records.

1.Continent - THE DANSE SOCIETY

2.Tapioca Sunrise - FLUX OF PINK INDIANS

3.White Coffins - CANKER OPERA

4.Kinky Sex Makes The World Go Round - DEAD KENNEDYS

5.I Hate War - RAT SCABIES

6.Statement - POISEN GIRLS

7.Hey Jo - CAPTAIN SENSIBLE

8.The Kill - MAU MAUS

9.Victory For Poland - ANGELIC UPSTARTS

10.Their Decisions - THE SYSTEM

11.Fight Their Wars - THE INSANE

12.Power - INFA RIOT

13.Wargasm - QUITE UNNERVING

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XTRACT - Blame It On The Youth EP 1983

Four piece Xtract hails from Sheffield and has made a name for itself in the local undergound scene. Founded in the late Seventies by Harvey (vocals), Karl (guitar), Rod (bass), Kip (drums) and the bands only record on Pax Records offers heaviness and energetic in a solid way, captures the rebellious, youthful feeling that runs through the entire record (they were'n really enthusiastic about the Iron Lady government). They put all their anger into four powerful aggressive statements which shows how masterfully the band understand to combine raw energy with emotional depth. In addition to these recordings they made many CD-R's with demos etc... but I don't have it. Xtract is featured on numerous interesting Compilations and, as far as I know, are still active. Now enjoy these attractive little busy bees.

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BLANKER HOHN - s/t LP 1984

Late in the evening I present you a rare German Punk classic: Blanker Hohn were Oile (vocals), Frank (guitar), Thomas (bass) and Lorenz (drums) and were formed in Hamburg and belong to the German punk bands of the first hour but have never made it beyond an album, which was then released on the relatively unknown label Jax Pax Records. You can find them on compilations as well, for example on the 1985 EP Auf Tierfang Durch Die Welt Für Unseren Zoo with two tracks. Musically the four celebrate frenetic Hauruck music with serious profound lyrics. In 2003 was a CD compilation released via Elbtonal, Punks Ist Unser Hobby, with thirty three songs including some Raries and if you want to know more read an Interview with a click on kinkrecords. Enough for today, off to bed.

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V/A - Auf Tierfang Durch Die Welt Für Unseren Zoo EP 1985

Let me finish October with a further highlight of German Punkrock. This rare self-released 7Inch compilation hosts three combos, two songs each, from the north of our beautiful republic. Starting with Blanker Hohn from Hamburg (the only band with an album on Jax Pax Records) with awesome quake sound and a damn nasal voice, lovely. Die Erben, also from Hamburg, come along with a female voice and brilliant lyrics which are food for thoughts, both excellent playin', lovely. And as third R.Z.Amok from Tostedt with two decent goodies which go pretty forward, musically as well as textually, lovely. In my opinion the latter both had deserved an album. Info for all collectors among you: this record is limited to 600 copies and comes in a double-sided fold-out info/lyric sheet - I slam me again, must become healthy, meet you tomorrow.

1.Linie 44 - BLANKER HOHN

2.The Solution - DIE ERBEN

3.Texte - R.Z. AMOK

4.Mind Police - DIE ERBEN

5.Machtmonopol - R.Z. AMOK

6.Essen, Trinken, Rauchen... - BLANKER HOHN

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