PENETRATION - DON'T DICTATE

Formed in County Durham in 1976, Penetration are still going strong and can be seen later in the year at Rebellion festival.  Don't Dictate is definitely one of the all time great punk singles. 

 

Penetration - Don't Dictate

 

KILLING JOKE - NERVOUS SYSTEM

Released in December 1979, Killing Joke's debut single was a slice of industrial post punk dub.

 

 

Killing Joke - Nervous System

 

ITCH - LIFE IS POETRY

New single from former King Blues front man.  New album out in March.

 

 

Itch - Life Is Poetry

 

D-BEAT IN DIGBETH

 

Potteries noise merchants bring D Beat to the Adam & Eve. 

The weather outside was frightful, but there was an altogether more enjoyable storm reigning indoors.  It’s easy to overlook just how influential Discharge were.  Possibly the first British hardcore band, it’s disappointing that it’s mainly the American bands who get all the plaudits and mentions when it comes to setting the blueprint for punk at the noisier end of the punk spectrum but Discharge were instrumental in inspiring a whole generation of hardcore and thrash bands. 

The venue was busy with an enthusiastic and good natured crowd and Discharge didn’t disappoint.  With only Royston Wainwright and Anthony Roberts on bass and guitar from the original line up the band don’t seem to  have lost any of their spirit or sound, the distinctive D Beat drumming style still very much in evidence courtesy of David Caution.  The line up is completed by Varukers lead singer Anthony Martin and although he has a different delivery to original singer Cal, his voice complements the overall Discharge sound. 

And as for the music?  It was as loud and glorious as you would expect and hope for.  Songs such as Decontrol and State Violence State Control oozed forth with passion and delivered a sonic storm that kept the front half of the venue in a constant frenzy for the entire gig.   Playing for around an hour, the set drew upon songs from those first few E.Ps right the way through to more recent releases. 

If you prefer your punk towards the hardcore sound then you could do a lot worse than checking out Discharge who, for these ears anyway, still sound as vital and exciting as they did in the early 80’s. 

Another great gig at the rather splendid Adam & Eve. 

THE CLASH - THE CALL UP

First single from the triple album Sandinista, always reminds me a little of Christmas (was in the charts December 1980), always a bit underrated in my opinion. 

 

 

The Clash - The Call Up

 

LOUISE DISTRAS - STAND STRONG TOGETHER

 

Coming up at the Adam & Eve soon the rather wonderful Louise Distras

 

 

 

Louise Distras - Stand Strong Together

 

SHAM 69 - TELL THE CHILDREN

The rather splendid Sham 69 from their fourth album The Game and another great 7".

 

 

 

Shan 69 - Tell The Children

 

AGAINST ME! - TRANSGENDER DYSPHORIA BLUES (live)

The title track from the new Against Me! album - already an early contender for album of the year!

 

Against Me - Transgender Dysphoria Blues (live

 

INDIANS IN MOSCOW - NAUGHTY MIRANDA

Appeared on a 'Hull' special edition of the Tube in 1983 and this song has been wedged in my head ever since.



 

Indians In Moscow - Naughty Miranda

 

999 - FOUND OUT TOO LATE

Apart from a couple of brief hiatus 999 have pretty much been at since they formed in late '76.  You forget just how many great singles they have put out over the years and this is one of my all time favourites

 

 

999 - Found Out Too Late

 

THE SLITS - TYPICAL GIRLS

The great thing about punk was the diversity of acts that would fall under that umbrella.  The Slits, anything but typical girls

 

 

The Slits - Typical Girls

 

FUTURE OF THE LEFT - SINGING OF THE BONESAWS

Hailing from Cardiff, FotL released their 4th album in October to critical acclaim.  A spiky buoyant focused album full of little gems such as Singing of The Bonesaws

Future of The Left - Singing of the Bonesaws

 

CHRON GEN - LIES

Chron Gen released 1,000 copies of their self financed debut EP Puppets of War in 1981 on their own Gargoyle label. With bucket, paste and poster publicity and a reprint issued by Fresh Records it eventually spends almost ten months in the UK Independent Chart, peaking at number 4, selling over 45,000 copies and becoming one of the top selling Indie singles of the year.

 

Recently Chron Gen have commenced work on a new album (This is the Age), their first for 28 years.

 

Chron Gen -Lies

 

RUTS DC - MIGHTY SOLDIER

Played some brilliant live gigs over the last 18 months (most recently supporting the Damned in December), this is one of the highlights from last years Rhythm Collision Vol 2 

 

 

Ruts DC - Mighty Soldier

 

 

BAD SPORTS - GET YOU

Hailing from Denton, Texas, Bad Sports are a band whose music is a powerful fusion of punk rock velocity and attitude, hard rock guitar raunch, and power pop hooks. Influenced by old-school punk bands like the Ramones and the Buzzcocks as well as the '70s hard rock that's an unavoidable presence in their home town, Bad Sports feature Orville Neeley (also a member of OBN IIIs) on guitar and vocals, TV's Daniel Friend (who also plays in Wax Museums) on bass and vocals, and Gregory Rutherford (also doing double duty in Wax Museums) on drums.

 

Bad Sports - Get You