Not exclusively songs from 1982, we allowed ourselves songs from a year or two either side. We tried to stay clear of the obvious, for the most part (one or two classics had to be played), and give you some of songs you may not always expect to hear from these bands; it was often B-Sides or album tracks that I always found myself playing most for some reason.
Some of these bands played a huge part in getting me though my teenage years, their songs spoke to me and helped make sense of a world that seemed confusing and daunting, not to mention scary at times. Others just had great songs that would cause Gaz and me to leap around our bedrooms making each other laugh. A couple of them have even been an inspiration when writing songs for my current band!
Of course we haven't been able to include all the songs we loved (the podcast is already over an hour long), and there are several bands that were relegated to the subs bench (Anti-Pasti, UK Decay, Toy Dolls, Red Alert, Expelled etc), but I found most of my choices came to me very quickly. We also didn't include any bands that are thought of as anarcho punk, but only because we did an anarcho podcast some time ago. Gaz and me never limited ourselves to any label back in the 1980s, if we thought a band was good then we bought their records.
Here's Pete, Graham and Gaz to take you though their choices...
Gaz
Well Infa Riot just struck a bit of a chord with me at the time and I particularly had a thing about The Winner. They actually never did that much either apart from the great ‘Still Out Of Order’ album and a couple of singles. I just thought they sounded great and then they just suddenly seemed to disappear as suddenly as they had arrived. File under Streetpunk and if you get a chance to see the reformed version still fronted by Lee Wilson with guitarist Barry D’Amery those early songs are still played as good as ever!
Chron Gen – Subway Sadist. Classic UK82 band, classic tune from that time and I think its fair to say made some great records!
The Cult Maniax! What a great band and just that little bit different from a lot of the other UK82 bands in style but none the less as punk as you like with their West Country twang! Blitz is a great song mixing thoughts of war and the inner city riots that kicked off the 1980’s. I always felt they suffered from poor recordings on some of their releases but luckily Blitz was a good enough song for that not to matter too much and in more recent times they have rerecorded a lot of their tunes to put that right!
The Dark – The Masque appeared on one of the Punk and Disorderly compilations (Three from memory!) and for whatever reason became one of the standout songs for me. Slightly dare I say ‘Goth’ in style with lyrics about death I think and both band and song were not necessarily classic UK82.
Pete
Criminal Damage were from Polegate, which is just outside Eastbourne. When they broke up the drummer and singer/guitarist moved to Brighton where they and their crew were usually in the thick of it when it kicked off at gigs. The pair then formed Thrash Metal band ViRUS, but that’s a whole ‘nother story. I’m still mates with drummer Tezz. Whilst bands on the UK mainland were singing about war, violence and state oppression, Belfast’s Defects were actually living it, and the “Survival/Brutality” 7” is loaded with menace and defiance, definitely one of my favourite singles of the era. Peacehaven is a sprawling cliff top outcrop a few miles east along the coast from Brighton, and the teenage Test-Tubes anthem of youth club shenanigans is a classic tale of suburban boredom and alienation. The line about “Seaford and Saltdean” coming over for a ruck still cracks me up! There is a general consensus that the “Endangered Species” LP was a creative nadir for the UK SUBS, with its sole 7” “Countdown” including on its flipside unreleased banger “Plan of Action”, a pounding slab of SUBS greatness, and it’s lyrical sentiments remain highly relevant.
On a personal level, the common thread of my selections is that I saw all these bands in ‘82, an opportunity gifted to me by my elderly status. On the other hand it does mean there’s a pretty good chance I’ll depart this planet before some of you. Win-some/Lose-some I guess….
Graham
Ejected – Class of 82
Off the much Maligned – Touch of Class LP – If Cock Sparrer or Menace had penned these lyrics, it would be hailed as genius.
Chaos UK – Army
Recorded at Cave studios in 83 – It sounds like it was recorded in a cave. Plodding drums and that famous chainsaw guitar coupled with a west country accent, love the way he says “britiish armay”. Chaos UK surely had one of the longest lasting impacts from the time with Japan really taking to them (toured there in `85) and surely inventing C-beat
Ultra Violent – Crime for Revenge
For years this absolute belter (along with the Underdogs – East of Dachau) seemed to go under the radar even though it was on Riot City in `83. Anyway If you love full throttle Hardcore punk, this song pretty much sums it up. Get…Revenge!
Mau Maus – Societys Rejects
Solid stripped down Punk from Sheffield. So fast they crammed 8 songs on their debut EP from 82 - No messing about and a great GBH influence in the mix. Sealed records just did a re-issue of the EPs and it’s a masterclass from beginning to end.
Playlist:
THE EXPLOITED - UK 82 - from Troops Of Tomorrow LP - Secret
INFA RIOT - The Winner - from Still Out Of Order LP - Secret
CHRON GEN - Subway Sadist - from Reality 7” - Step Forward
THE CULT MANIAX- Blitz - from 7” - Elephant Rock
THE DARK- The Masque - from 7” - Fresh
BLITZ - Propaganda - from Voice Of A Generation LP - No Future
THE PARTISANS - No U-Turns - from s/t LP - No Future
ACTION PACT - All Purpose Action Footwear - from Heathrow Touchdown EP - Subversive
ABRASIVE WHEELS - First Rule (No Rule) - from When The Punks Go Marching In LP - Riot City
CRIMINAL DAMAGE - Criminal Crew - from A Country Fit For Heroes Vol.2 12” - No Future
THE DEFECTS - Brutality - from 7” - WXYZ
PETER & THE TEST TUBE BABIES - Peacehaven Wild Kids - from Banned From The Pubs 7” - No Future
UK SUBS - Plan of Action - from Countdown 7” - Nems
ENGLISH DOGS - Psycho Killer - from Mad Punx & English Dogs 12” - Clay
ONEWAY SYSTEM - No Return - from All Systems Go LP - Anagram
CHARGE - Destroy The Youth - from 7” - Kamera
VIOLATORS - Summer of 81 - from 7” - No Future
THE EJECTED - Class Of ’82 - from Touch Of Class LP - Riot City
CHAOS UK - Army - from Burning Britain 7” - Riot City
ULTRA VIOLENT - Crime For Revenge from 7”EP - Riot City
MAU MAUS - Society’s Rejects - from Society’s Rejects 7”EP - Pax
DEAD MAN’S SHADOW - Danger UXB - from Heathrow Touchdown EP - Subversive
THE ADICTS - Just Like Me - from Songs Of Praise LP - Fall Out
DISCHARGE - Ain’t No Feeble Bastard - from Why? 12” - Clay
GBH - Race Against Time - from Leather, Bristles, Studs And Acne 12” - Clay
NEWTOWN NEUROTICS - Kick Out The Tories - from 7” - CNT
