MAU MAUS - The Singles Collection 1996

The Olympics have started, but to be honest, I'm not interested in that, although I'm enthusiastic about sports, but I think choosing a venue that has little to do with winter sports and ignores human rights is pretty stupid and ridiculous. But let's leave this topic, back to the music. A strong 80's band wich release five solid 7Inches during this time is Mau Maus and all of these can be heard on this excellent compilation. A bit info: Named after the 1950's secret political faction from Kenya, and inspiried by a US Hardcore act of the same name, Sheffield's Mau Maus formed after leaving school in late '79. Consistng of Chris (vocals), Andrew (guitar), Kevin (bass), Paul (drums), they had no equipment and no rehearsel room. But enthusiasm overpowered these problems and within months the band saw themselves playing a dire set of cover versions and poor original pieces at local Youth clubs. But that changed quickly and 1981 they were opener for the Angelic Upstarts @ the Marples Club. With the inspiration from US bands, they combine this with the inevitable influence of the contemporary British punk scene and create some of the hardest-hitting, most rough UK82 sounds how I love it. As far as I know, Mau Maus are active again, playing gigs and who knows, maybe a new album will follow soon.

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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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