COCK SPARRER 'Back Home' (ahoycd231) CD 2003 I think I can count on one hand the number of LIVE gigs I got on record that I actually attended. So this live blast of Cock Sparrer from Morecambe's HITS festival in the summer of 2003 was an unexpected souvenir. Ged Babey from Punks Throwback zine sent it my way when he deemed it an unwanted item on his punk Xmas list. Well as this web site is the official home for waifs 'n' strays of all persuasions of punk life, I'm glad he did. This CD gives us a well recorded version of the band considering the acoustics of Morcambe Cattle market. And it certainly gives my blitzed brain cells a handy action replay of the nights events. Love em or loathe em, you can't take away the fact that Cock Sparrer are the undisputed kings of Oi! They give us Yob rock with tunes and a blood hounds nose for anthems! Which is conveniently helped along by their massive skinhead fan base. A fanclub that has put this band into the realm of stadium rockers, all be it on their brief annual live appearances. Not many bands can entice 4,000 drunks, punks, strays and walking wounded to last the distance till 2 in the morning like this band can. It helps a great deal with the quality of songs they play in their 23 song set. You get em all, the long the short and the tall from the 30 years this band have been around!!! What I can recall they don't exactly leave a memorable impression visually. Beer bellies and friendly uncles don't exactly terrify us. But what they lack in stage presence they more than make up for in numbers! They take the stage to the sound of the Heavy Metal Kids overture, before crashing into the siren wailing of 'Riot Squad' which sets the scene. Extremely professional they proceed to trot out the Oi! anthem 'Watch Your back', the black economy tale of 'Working' and the middle aged spread of 'What's it Like To Be Old'. But it's songs like the amusingly addictive 'Argy Bargy' that stands the true test of time, before dedicating 'Take Em All' "to Travis, Coldplay, Radiohead and Tottenham"'. They also excel with numbers like the brilliant 'Because Your Young' that proves these old geezers ain't forgotten their youth. And the majority of this young audience agreed whole heartedly. They attack the class of '77 in the sour 'Where Are They Now' before running into aggro with their best known song 'Runnin Riot'. They slow things down for the r'n'b sleaze of 'Sunday Stripper' which is still a fucking great song. Before picking up the pace with the snotty anthem...'Chip On Your Shoulder'. Maintaining the pace (amid a few boo's from the younger skinheads up front) with a pedestrian version of 'White Riot', which was dedicated to Joe Strummer who singer Colin reckons "was the real article!". They round off the album with (the controversial in some circles) 'England Belongs To Me'. Controversial or not this was sung by every nation in the auditorium, including the Jap's, Europeans and Yanks, and was captured on here for posterity brilliantly. That by rights should've been it, but they seemed determined to outstay their 73 minute welcome after what seemed like numerous encores and stage invasions (which were thankfully cut from this album ) they do finally "fack orrrf" with an anti-climatic 'Were Coming Back'. I believe there was a live Cock Sparrer album released only last year, so do we really need another one? I don't think so, but for everyone who was there this was a neat bit of memorabilia to look back on. WORTH A LISTEN Captain Oi! Records DINA 'Work The Switch' CD (jsntgm) 2003 One word describes this band and album to me... Indie! And lets face it kids there's nothing quite as offensive or as mind numbingly boring as Indie is there? What was Ged Baby thinkin of sending me this? Clever intricate song structures can't hide the fact that there's no balls, no drive and no guts attached to this band. The singer really makes any self respecting punk cringe with embarrassment. They apparently belong to Ian Roache of Drive fame? Who the fuck were Drive? I must've been banged up for threatening the editor of the boring Melody Maker when they conquered the punk scene in the early 90's? One thing about this album that did impress me was the production. It was spot on and considering they recorded the whole thing in various bedrooms in and around Birkenhead, UK you'd have put money on it being a studio recording. But good production don't mean fuck all without the songs. Ahhhh the songs!  They come with a sickly clean sound, a clean ambiance done by a clean fucking band basically. This is way too clinical for my grubby mind. I bet they even say "please" and "thank you" when they order their dope! The songs are all personnel ditties that have no passion, no energy and no bearing on my life. You hope maybe one track could pull you in but it was a thankless task. And I simply can't stand the adoptive yank nasal tones that really grate on 'Strike Third', gawd someone gimme a gun! The last track 'Final Echo' did show a teeny bit of rebelliousness as they go off into a semi freak out, but it probably left em guilt ridden for days on end. By this time the switch had already been pulled on these Scousers. Comes complete with the inevitable solitary telephone pole as front cover artwork. I somehow don't think it's gonna connect em with potential buyers or new fans unless your currently studying sociology degrees at the local university or were a subscriber to Fracture mag. PLASTIC! www.jsntgm.com	THE SQUARE PEG 'Echoes Of War' (XLNT CD-1) CD 2003 A remastered 6 track CDEP that dates back to the mid 80's. This is the alter-ego of Edinburgh ligger and Stranded Records label boss, Lawrence Nicol. He is the Square Peg in a round hole (with stripy gloves). He's helped in his attempt at world domination by 2 old Exploited members namely Big John on guitar, Gary McCormack on bass, plus drummer Robbie Bain who was probably kidnapped at gun point. This collection was originally released on vinyl back in '84 and has now been given a 21st century makeover returning once again on Stranded Records. It features two singles and one unreleased track. The title track 'Echoes of War' recorded in the nuclear rage of 1984 is pretty good in a laid back poppy kinda way. It reminds me of the late 70's new wave in style. And comes with a clean production, but with yer typical antiwar statements that were high on the agenda in those days. The guitars on this track have a semi-Skids reflection while Lawrence's vocals remind me of Paul Weller of the Jam. I much prefer the next track, the more upbeat 'Bad Connection' which sounds like one of those old Vapors tracks. It's got a quirky delivery and hilarious lyrics. Distorted guitars give it a neat punch but I dunno if the Square Peg was really aiming to be taken seriously, I hope not for his sake. It all starts to go downhill fast from here on in. 'No Explanation' is more rhythm and blues than new wave, and seems like just a vehicle for Big John to flex his plectrum with an over the top guitar solo that failed to save this track from obscurity. The following year they released 'Cant Say No' which shows Big John heading for bad metal territory. Plodding riffs and throwaway lyrics litter this typical stale stoner rock track. 'Nuclear Attack' continues Lawrence's fixation with Trident but it shows the band have hit a wall, coz it's basically different lyrics and a different mix, laid on the same guitar riff as the previous song. Which by now should've set the alarm bells ringing in your bullshit detector manuals. By the last track I think we can safely assume Lawrence's real love of the blues has been ousted. 'Leaving Blues' is just a jazzy acoustic lament about losing his woman. It jumps back to life momentarily via a sloppy bluesy guitar solo, that sounds like Big John was having fun it but left us feeling bored. This is an hilarious release that just seemed to degenerate as time went on, so cheers to Lawrence for calling our bluff and giving us a giggle. However I don't think the younger punks out there are gonna be catapulting this up the charts this time around either. And watch out kids coz the Square Peg is threatening to rehearse and record new material sometime this Summer!!!! AVERAGE! http://www.strandedrecords-scotland.co.uk/ SAD SOCIETY 'Religion' Demo 2003 The latest blasphemous offerings from Edinburgh's (still criminally unsigned) punk rock outfit Sad Society. Once again it shows they are still reaching the impressive high quality of 2002's explosive demo. This band desperately need to get their break on a worldwide audience before they start pulling their pension and retiring from the punk scene, coz they're wasted on demo's heard by the privileged few. Even though this 6 track session ain't quite as powerful or as memorable as tracks like the brilliant 'Suicide Party', it still blows away a multitude of punk pretenders. From the moody 'Addiction' onwards you know damn well they're a punk force to be reckoned with. Chugging power chords are now the feature of this band, alongside Deek's gripping vocals and a powerhouse rhythm section, which makes for a very good mix indeed. It helps having a singer who knows how to deliver his vocals and a guitarist who can serve em up on a sulphur plate. If mid paced punk rock with an uncanny knack for tunes and loadsa power is yer thing, then you'll be banging the doors down for these. The second half of this demo really starts to kick in and is heading for the heights of their previous demo. Songs like 'Nococain' hits home hard and features a great decelerated finale proving this band are as in tune as Johnny Rotten's bullshit detection. I like to hear punk bands using their imagination instead of the regulation verse/chorus/verse format, and Sad Society are a band with plenty of ideas music wise. The title track 'Religion' has got everything that's good about Sad Society. It's tight on the ball sound comes with a big early 80's gang inspired chorus that attacks the money making con that has infiltrated religion since day one. They slam the door shut with 'Sole Survivor' which I spose is Deek's signature being as he is the only original member left. This track moves along with dogged determination and features the inspired works of guitar hero Gav as he brings this demo to a close. Not a bad track on here and shows there's definitely an albums worth of material just waiting to be unleashed on an unsuspecting public. Luckily they've now got a web presence so hopefully that'll give one of the few clued up labels out there a real chance to give these boys a break. WORTH A LISTEN! www.sadsociety.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ THE SKULLS 'The Golden Age Of Piracy' CD 2003 First time I heard anything by these LA '77 punk rockers who seem to have made a credible return to the scene without even a sniff of stale old men going through the motions for a quick buck. Well played smart arse punk rock is always good to hear. And The Skulls have some rather good tunes in their swag bag amongst the 14 on show. Highlight of this new album is the fucking splendid and totally bang on 'Can Punk Rock Pay The Bills', which lead singer Billy Bones sings resignedly in his best Rottenesque tone "I don't think so!" It's memorable, addictive and has also got a great guitar lick that follows it around like a colostomy bag. They remind me of the Briefs from up the coast in Seattle but with not quite as much flair for the 1.30 min. tunes as their neighbours. The Skulls songs are less hit and run and more laboured and do show signs of predictability as the set progresses. But 'Summer Of Hate' wasn't predictable at all, chronicling the Hillside Stranglers ghoulish shadow over the Hollywood hills. 'Trainwreck' is another fun filled take this time on picking the wrong bird. Apparently those birds resemble trainwrecks in LA! "whooo whoo" It's good to see veteran punks still aint lost the spark and energy of their youth and unlike so many others they seem to genuinely have fun and should be a scream live I reckon. A neat guitar riff brings in the atmospheric 'Monet' where they lose their quirky fun approach for a moment and show us they're capable of writing songs that would stand up against any of the more serious punk outfits in the genre. 'Rattle Your Bones' reminds me of the early Stooges with Iggy vocals and a subsonic guitar workout. They close the album with the yobbish 'Pirate Song' which seems to fascinate the Yanks but I'm afraid Steve Jones got the punk rock shanty down 25 years ago and everything that followed paled in comparison. WORTH A LISTEN. www.theskulls.us/index.php or www.drstrange.com/	DISCONVENIENCE 'Ready Aim Fire' Demo CD December 2003 This is a brand new outfit from Umea in Sweden and features bass playing vocalist, Emma and axe merchant Rickard targeted on the cover. They are accompanied by an unnamed drum machine which they're hoping to ditch for a more human beat box as we speak. They describe themselves as "punk/power pop" which I spose is a fair description. They have touches of the Stooges and the Ramones but there's also a distinct Joy Division influence in there too. So some pretty eclectic styles make up this 4 track demo, but I like what they're striving for. They ain't going down the popularised punk tracks that are prevalent at the present time. However the first two songs are sabotaged badly by the erratic drum programme which really fucks up the rhythm. I have sympathy with Rickard who programs the beast coz I've hear drum machines are a real pains to work with. But at least the duo realise they gotta scrap the box for a real drummer who they can bark out orders to slow down or speed up as they develop the songs. Track 3 'Ones That Fail' shows Disconvenience (I'd lose the name it's very inconvenient) really getting their act together as they deliver a hybrid of stylish Joy Division lead breaks and Hooky bass lines. Emma vocals sound like she can put her primal instincts across very forcibly, but they also do get a bit melodramatic sometimes. Her bass playing on the other hand is spot on and well brutal which I like a lot. The final track 'Done Before' is the best and has a definite Ramones heads down feel about it, showing the band finally getting to grips with rhythm as the addictive riffs pummels your speakers. They certainly got the ideas to improve on and with the missing ingredient... a decent drummer you'll likely to see this band make a bigger impression. Comes in a spray painted handmade case... do I detect art students? AVERAGE! http://listen.to/disconvenience SUPERYOB 'Ghetto Blaster' CD 2003 Just had this in via Trev Hagl and it's my first run in with this South East London mob. Superyob are named after the axe that Slade's goofy Dave Hill used, and they do not disappoint. In fact they turn out to be refreshingly good with an healthy array of street punk anthems executed with commitment and beef in the guitar department. If bands like the Sparrer are your cup of Rosy Lee you'll be getting off on these. They start rucking with an intriguing spoken word intro called 'The Punk' that sets the tone of this album perfectly. I thought it was another Phil Daniels narration but it is in fact lead singer Frankie Flame's barrow boy brogue. So if Superyob don't take off, I'm sure there's gonna be a job for Mr Flame in TV voice overs. Frankie came to prominence in the late 70's fronting UK glamsters U-boat before discovering the more subtle nuances of Oi! The title track 'Ghetto Blaster' is one of the stronger tracks that greets us, with a rowdy gang chorus and aggravated chugging guitars. This is a band who sing about crooks, street life and jack the lad exploits. Familiar territory if your a Business fan, but they do it well enough to stamp their own individual sound to the proceedings. Frankie's warm vocal makes for an imposing presence on this hard hitting album. His famed piano tinkling is kept to a bare minimum adding subtle atmosphere here 'n' there. 'Vicious Circle' about crime feeding crime has some great chiming guitar that works well with the subject matter. They may glamourise their London neighbour hoods like all Oi! bands do, but it's all good escapist fun. These geezers have been round the block a few times and it shows on the gritty portrayal of junkies via 'Smack Trash'. A song that pulls no punches spelling out exactly how life really is under the needle. On a lighter note they reprise two sixties hits with 'Friday On My Mind' that some of you may remember London doing back in '77, as well as a modern take on the Who's teen anthem 'The Kids Are Alright' but with an updated lyric. They end with the biographical 'Love Us Hate Us' that's as catchy as a dose of the pox in Steelhouse Lane. It's a mid-paced signature dedicated to the scum from council estates all over London and beyond. Pretty good stuff for a newish group of Vets and a band to look out for down the boozer. WORTH A LISTEN! www.superyob.com DEADLINE 'Back For More' CD (Capain 0i!) 2003 Powerhouse at the ready. I finally get to hear Deadline! After spotting their live performance at Morecambe HITS for the first time this summer, I just had to find out what they were like on record and was not disappointed. This gigging machine are very good indeed and it shows on this their second album in as many years. Tight, hard and well played punk rock, with a Skinnette vocalist who has a delivery that's crystal clear and often reminds me of a trad. folk songstress! You doubting me?... just take the acoustic intro to 'The Way We Were' for example. It's sounds original put to a full on punk delivery, and you can see why it's so appealing. Despite sometimes sounding a bit rushed and clinical. It would be interesting to hear Liz slow down her vocals or change the tone on some of the songs to hear exactly what she sounds like in a slower mode. Coz her melodic back ups are really very good. They steer clear of particular subjects and targets in their song opting for more personnel stuff which is fair enough. Musically this is a band pumping on full cylinders tight and very together. They give us a two-tone direction on 'Going Nowhere' complete with skanking organ and sax which made a neat sideshow to their more powerful output, but seemed to drag on a bit. They add a bit of comedy to 'What You Think' with it's tongue in cheek attack on stereotypical Essex birds. The mid paced 'One More Day' sounds epic and begs for some guitar to follow the chorus, but compensates rather well with a ringing guitar solo that fades out till the end before changing direction by launching into a low mixed frenzy of Hendrix proportions. They close this set with a nifty cover of The Ramones 'Sheena Is A Punk Rocker' which does the original total justice. For a band whose interviews read very bland it just goes to show some bands only need to communicate via record or on stage. Impressive introduction. Cheers to Hog for throwing this my way.  WORTH A LISTEN Captain Oi! Records
B'ARSE 'Better Be Ready' 45 (Hells Tone) September 2003 From Stanley in the UK comes in your face no 'holes' barred punk rock piss takers Barse! Tthey've dropped the '77 from their name and have really come to prominence in the last two years. Since I first heard their 19 track debut demo they've finally got the right formula. So thanks to their localised PR man Trev Hagl, I get to hear their latest and on first impressions their most impressive release to date. Having played various toilets in Northern England over the past 2 years pissing off anyone without a sensa yuma (Hello Andy Cactus) and caused controversy amongst the letters pages of MRR, a bigger audience is taking note. Any band whose rubbed up that many people has gotta be worth a sniff. Good to see how things have developed sound wise too. They've lost their patchy sometimes weak sound, gaining a more heads down early Slaughter & The Dogs paced racket but with a very sarcy northern blue comic vocal from Gash singer/guitarist. And you know what, a bit of reality hurt no-one! First up on this 4 track EP is the title track 'You Better Be Ready', a ghoulish Charles Mansun gloat, complete with manic paced guitars and theme park clowns laughter, to add a slightly sinister surreal effect. 'Safety Net' is less frantic but another highly enjoyable take on shirking responsibility in todays society with some real life lyrics to advise future shirkers exactly how to do it. This is a band who have no morals which I think is fucking great! I like Wayne's crunchy guitars on 'Don't Wanna Know You' which harks back to '77 in style but comes out the bar with a 21st century viewpoint. Bands singing about what goes on in England instead of adopting an American outlook is always gonna be worth your attention, it's grim but aint it always been. That's why we as a nation take the piss so much. The last track 'Waste Your Time' sees an array of production line sound effects come into the fray and makes this track the standout of the bunch, especially with a blazing zombie guitar solo, manic vocals and sick laughter. Are B'arse (short for birds arse) just interbred Geordies low lifers or are they punks from the Real side of life?....well who cares coz this is definitely WORTH A LISTEN  BARSE from trevhagl@hotmail.com THE REVOLVERS 'End Of Apathy' CD September 2003 The Revolvers have at last revolved and evolved into the throbbing, pounding believable rock 'n' roll monster that they always longed to be on this their impressive 2nd album. I wasn't expecting to be knocked out or change my opinion on these slightly iffy Germans, especially after the pompous debut  'A Tribute To Clichés'. But that was before I slotted 'End Of Apathy' into the stereo. 'End Of Apathy' definitely means the end of pretension for these boys. They've drawn a big line in their mascara outside their Germanic bunker moving on from their previous poncy over the top glamster roots, to be re-ignited into a genuine gutsy outfit. From the opening guitar duel on the title track, this 12 song action packed shootout just gets better with more plays, and looks set to propel em onto a worldwide stage very soon. The Revolvers are tight, cocky guitar slingers who ooze confidence within the compounded production and high calibre songs on offer. They've been touring and recording like Euro whores this year. And the end result means they've got rid of the shit, trimmed down the flab and produced a memorable slab of power. This album reminds me of a 21st century 'Give Em Enough Rope' in the dynamics and expanse, it's got that kinda confidence. The Revolvers also boast a Strummer/Jones delivery in the vocal department, which I like a lot. Lead singer Ulvie's course vocals take the lead and makes a good contrast with his band mate Ada who gives us the camp alternative. Check out the catchy 'Mentally ill' or the atmospheric 'Change My Address' that also makes great use of a piano. It's a good partnership for the Revolvers to exploit and one that gives em depth. But it's their grasp of anthems that really make the Revolvers count. 'What Happened To My Attitude' is possibly the best track of the bunch which has a very certain Clash swagger with soaring guitars and a killer chorus. And hot on it's trail is the killer 'No Clash Reunion' confirming the Revolvers main influence. It's a great Strummer tribute and shows a band using all the realm of their impressive composing on one track. I particularly liked the clever snidey poke at Paul Weller with even a short 'In The City' riff thrown in to make it official. They have thankfully kept the rocky ballads to an all time minimum this time, which I think is a wise move. This band can create atmosphere by the alternative methods of just basically ripping it out. Another good track was the chugging paranoia of 'Generation Damnation' that generates into a gang chant worthy of your membership. They close with 'Real Life Horror show' that embraces their glam influences but when it finally kicks in it's all but forgot. Great turn around for the band and well WORTH A LISTEN! I Used To Fuck People Like You In Prison Records available from Century Media Mail-order RECORD REVIEWS PAGE 2 MORE REVIEWS  ADDED SOON	THE FIGHT 'Home Is Where The Hate Is' MCD (Fat Wreck)  2003 This band are possibly the best NEW UK discovery from 2003. You want a reason to fly the flag from our parched sceptic Isle, then look no further than the Fight. This is a band with feeling for a tune, suss and a singer who actually sounds good. They appear to be young skater kids if my spys are correct?, but the sound they create will appeal to a very wide section of the punk populas. From youngsters just discovering punk to old dogs like me this band has a mass appeal. The singer is their main weapon she's got massive confidence in her delivery , reminding me of a young Penelope Houston, and that is a good sign! She's also got the same presence and impact on record too. If your impressed with Deadline you'll be knocked out by The Fight. Their power may not be as beefy as the Essex mob but these seem to tap a more natural vein of punk and it's a lot more addictive. 'Forgotten Generation' is their big opening track and a mini anthem for the kids. I could see this track getting  em MTV airplay if it got heard by the right people. Fuck it I wanna see bands like this on TV not those plastic boy bands with guitars. You can see why Fat Wreckords have signed them up, coz they have a natural flair for gaining your attention and show remarkable maturity for kids. However much to my dismay, I've found literally zilch publicity about the band and they play live very sporadically which ain't a good sign. I hope they ain't split up already before the world has had to chance to savor em? The impressive guitars and general sound is very well executed and comes with gutzy riffs and big sing-a-longs that'll have you gurgling like a baby. Melodic yeah, but who said melody had no part in punk? All the best punk bands had melody! 'Home Is Where The Hate Is' is an autobiographical escape call from your local surroundings and another killer track, showing they've got depth to their songs. Some of the lyrics may sound naive at times but the overall feel is a band with talent. And not all of their songs maintain the high quality, but this is a band in progress who are growing and showing signs of being more than capable of writing some 21st century classics. Lets just hope they don't lose their current penchant for creating big punk rock anthems that'll spread to all walks of the scene. Good punk like this is scene less, it just clicks into place! They attack Grebo's who these days don't drive Norton's and wear leather but hang outside chip shops stealing your mobile phones ha! They change mood for the atmospheric 'Circles' (an early 80's cover from a local Mod Outfit, The Circles), which has an imaginative dropout and uses a skanking guitar to good effect. It's also well supported by strong back up vocals. They keep up the skanking guitar workout on 'Stage school Kids' which is a white reggae attack on pushy parents and their offspring who seek fame. Good to see em with targets that piss em off locally without succumbing to worldwide punk peer pressure. I suspect this 7 tracker is their debut which is a great debut! They end with the rousing 'Revolution Calling' and any song with "boy bands fuck-off!...." in the lyrics has gotta be on the ball. Comes with a haunting chorus and was only let down by the misplaced rap. The production throughout is clean, clinical and compact and has loads of chunky power chords to scrap over. Deadline are good but the Fight on this release are essential! Cheers to Sir Trev for putting me onto em!  UK CONTENDER Fat Wreckords BUG CENTRAL/CRASHED OUT Split Tape 2003 We ain't heard from Bug Central for quite a while and were beginning to think they'd been exterminated by some top secret Government assassination Bureau! But this unofficial split tape release proves they are still busy lurking beneath their North London landscape. And still plotting and scheming as they break out the noisey protests once more. They seem to have been eclipsed by close neighbours Active Slaughter's high profile this year, so it was good to see what was still lurking in their bomb kit. This 5 song set features their most recent studio recordings from 2002, all be it in a very uneven mix. This tape has only been available at live gigs. So If you ain't already familiar with the full on Bug Central sound, check out their inspiring 'Meek Will Inherit Nothing' CD to get the full wide screen snarl of this band. They deliver a stark view on life with some well sussed lyrics and the occasional anthem out their Anarcho songbook. This session however leaves a lot to be desired and will interest Vet BC fans only. Guitarist Noodles Romanov still has that angry delivery on tap as he opens the first of the new songs, the chugging 'What's The Difference'. Carrying on from where they left off on during the impressive 'Money And Riots' 45. It's a seething attack on their favourite whipping post, the middle classes! Suprisingly 'Android Games' gets pulled out the bag for another outing, but I much prefer the original version, this one was a bit roughshod and rushed around the edges. The same could be said for 'Blast' which also reemerges. The third new track was 'Kick The Kings' which seemed to drag on a bit and suffered from ill fitting time changes, but had a neat psychedelic guitar break towards the end. It was however left to the last track 'Retribution', to show that Bug Central still ain't a spent force. This track looks set to become another Bug Central anthem. It comes out the barricades brooding and with clenched fists as they spell out the difference between the social divide. The back up vocals prepare us with " We're the threat to your future so secure/ were the debt to the world that you ignore". Can't argue with that!  WORTH A LISTEN for 'Retribution'. Flip the tape over and we get young Indonesian punk outfit Crashed out (not to be mistaken with the North East of England's Oi! combo bearing the same name). This version are from the other side of the planet but share so many grudges with Bug Central. Their sound however ain't nowhere near as effective with incomprehensible protest and basic buzz saw guitars within a minimalistic tin pot drum mix. They got a duel vocal, deep growl and a snarly mid pitch growl that sometimes goes off into a high pitched screech. They employ fast 'n' frantic protests but within a very basic punk context that suffers badly from a muddy production. Crashed Out have their sites set firmly on the usual rants, but aimed primarily on their country's misgivings. And who could blame em living under a quasi dictatorship must have left em with more than a weighty axe to grind. I liked the juicy guitar solo in 'Global Resistance' . They change pace and direction completely in the sing along 'Freedom (Anarchy)' which was a lot more endearing. Before they launched into the other snotty highlight 'Distrust Them (Fuck Political Party)'. But they seem to swap band members more times than an LA transsexual convention so we don't get chance for a stable lineup. AVERAGE Cheers to Bruce for passing this one on. www.bugcentral.punks.co.uk	VARIOUS 'Where The Bad Boys Rock' CD 2003 Fucking hell this is a monster double whammy from those clean cut geezers at  I Used To Fuck People Like You In Prison Records . And it boasts 34 felons on two CDs featuring exclusive and rare tracks from most of the crooks on this labels roster. With also a few of their most wanted. Not a lotta suprises but should give new listeners a good idea of what's lurking in the cell next door... CD1 - kicks off in fine fashion with Berlin psycho's Mad Sin who give us their take on Turbo Negro's 'Rock Against Ass' ha! LA's Damnation show up with their catchy 'Spell On Me' followed closely by the Spitts addictive pounder 'That's My Girl'. Of the new meat on display, 69-Hard were worth further investigation with 'Gone, Gone, Gone', but the Discontent were a big letdown. It's left to outfits like The Revolvers to bring the quality control back up. They steal the glory on this disc with an alternate mix of their 'No Clash Reunion'. American Heartbreak were downright pansy's, while The Bones were just plain irritating. Another bunch who deserved trip to the block were Sartana, who took themselves way too serious. V8 Wankers lived right up to their name. Meanwhile Adam West are still stuck in the garage! The Generators oughta take a leaf out the Revolvers book on how it should be done because in comparison they sound pretty weak! Accidents reminded me of Status Quo on speed. Rickshaw were extremely psychedelic while the Disco Volante sounded like a US version of Girlschool. Disc one closes with the gravel coated vocals of the Heartaches which left no lasting impression.   CD2 - brings us the delights of Heartbreak Engines who did sound like fun till the vocals were let loose, they were fucking terrible! Love the name of Frankenstein Drag Queens and with a few more plays they certainly stalk ya with their strangled 'Planet Of The Apes' track. The quality is maintained by our next artist Texas Terri who I hope will sign for 'People Like You...' records coz she deserves some decent exposure and her track 'Never Shut Up' defines her continued snotty appeal. The Forgotten are more Clash wannabes but sound wasted in a lazy way. Squad 21 deliver a neat line in guitars and delivery which reminds me of the Bullies on their track 'Millionaire'. Venerea are full blown venereal, while Sixes & Sevens have got the pox! Swindle A Go Go continue to rob in fine fashion by nicking lots of styles on their interesting 'Leaving Kariokee City'. The Blood junkies just get under yer skin with their jaded sounding rock 'n' roll. Trash Can Darlings had no identity of their own to speak of. The haunting Spook were a suprise, complete with funeral parlour organ, but quickly turned into a hoax. It's left to the daddy Duane Peters to steal this compilations outstanding track, with the piano led guttural ballad of 'Suicide Child'. An outstanding tale that sounds gritty and shitty with his seedy vocal voiceover and those dog rough lyrics, very impressive. The Meteors come very close to stealing Mr Peters crown with their addictive spaghetti westernised take on 'U Aint Right'..."fucker U aint right!". Celtic Bones continue the jangling Shadows theme with a half hearted Duane Peters vocal on 'Wild At Heart'. The Daybreak Boys give us a good chunky sound but are let down again by shitty vocals. Joe Coffee sounds like he's been reading too many Raymond Chandler novels. However we are shown the door by The Meteors Acapello version of... "no-one likes us but we don't care" . Comes in a colourful sleeve with old nick potting the black and few of these turkeys too no doubt. AVERAGE!  I Used To Fuck People Like You In Prison Records available from Century Media Mail-order